Policies

NORTHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY

INVESTMENT POLICY

Administrative Guidelines: For the effective and consistent implementation of this policy, management is responsible for the maintenance of written administrative guidelines that address the following issues: Investment Authority, Diversification, Deposit Security and Collateralization, and Permitted Investments

Policy Statement: The Northville Public Library invests assets according to this policy in order to steward financial resources with prudence, promoting preservation, liquidity and yield. All investments will be made as provided for in NYS General Municipal Law section 11 and will be deposited at approved financial institutions. Approved investments include timed deposits, money market funds and certificates of deposit. The Northville Public Library treasurer, working with the Library Director has the authority to invest institutional funds. The Treasurer will provide a report of all investments at each regular meeting of the board. Investments will be diversified and collateralized to guard against loss. The Board, at each reorganizational meeting, will approve a cash ceiling for deposits in one institution.

Approved:  1/12/15

Motion: (Matarazzo, Smith)

Unanimously approved

Conflict of Interest Policy

Article I

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to protect the interests of the Northville Public Library when it is contemplating entering into a Transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of an officer or key employee of the library or might result in an excess benefit transaction. This policy is intended to supplement, not replace, any applicable state and federal laws.

Article II

Definitions

OFFICER means a member of the Board of Trustees of the Library, or of any of its committees, excluding advisory committees.

KEY EMPLOYEE means any employee who has ultimate responsibility for implementing the decisions of the Board of Trustees; or for supervising the management, administration, or operation of the Library; or for managing the finances of the Library. Other employees may be deemed to be Key Employees based on an evaluation of all facts and circumstances guided by 26 CFR §53.4958-3 subd.(e).

INTEREST means a financial or other material benefit which will accrue to the Officer or Key Employee, or to a Family Member or a Business Associate, from a Transaction. A gift or favor received by the Officer or Key Employee from another party to the proposed Transaction during the period when the Transaction is being considered also constitutes an Interest in the Transaction.

FAMILY MEMBER includes: the Officer’s or Key Employee’s ancestors, descendants, siblings, spouse, or domestic partner; the spouse or domestic partner of any of the Officer’s or Key Employee’s ancestors, descendants, or siblings; and the ancestors, descendants, or siblings of the Officer’s or Key Employee’s spouse or domestic partner.

ANCESTOR includes parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents in addition to more remote ancestors.

BUSINESS ASSOCIATE means any for-profit or not-for-profit entity of which the Officer or Key Employee is an employee, owner, or member of the governing board, or in which the Officer or Key Employee has a beneficial interest. A

publicly-traded corporation shall not be considered a Business Associate if the total amount of stock in that corporation owned by the Officer or Key Employee and all the Officer’s or Key Employee’s Family Members and Business Associates is five percent (5%) or less of the issued and outstanding stock of the corporation.

TRANSACTION means any contract or other arrangement to which the System is a party.

INTERESTED PERSON means an Officer or Key Employee who has an Interest in a Transaction.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST means that the Officer or Key Employee has a substantial financial interest in the proposed Transaction.

A RELATED PARTY TRANSACTION is a Transaction in which an Officer or Key Employee has any financial interest.

Article III

Procedures

1. An Officer or Key Employee who realizes that they may have an Interest in a proposed Transaction being considered by the Board of Trustees or a committee will refrain from discussing the Transaction with members of the Board or of the committee, except to the extent necessary to disclose the Interest, and will also refrain from seeking in any other way to influence the decision concerning that Transaction.

2. When the Board of Trustees or a committee is considering a Transaction in which an Interested Person who is a member of the Board or that committee has an Interest, the Interested Person must, at the earliest opportunity, disclose to the remaining members of the Board or the committee the existence of the Interest and all material facts concerning it.

3. After disclosing the Interest and all material facts concerning it, the Interested Person shall leave the Board or committee meeting, and the remaining Board or committee members shall review the information provided and determine whether a Conflict of Interest or Related Party Transaction exists.

4. If the Board or committee determines that a Conflict of Interest or Related Party Transaction exists, the Interested Person shall not be present when the Transaction is discussed and may not participate in the decision whether to enter into the Transaction.

5. Before approving or recommending the Transaction, the Board or committee shall conduct a reasonable investigation of the available alternatives to the proposed Transaction. If, from that investigation, it appears that the Library cannot with reasonable effort obtain a more advantageous Transaction from a source that would not give rise to a Conflict of Interest or Related Party Transaction, the Board or committee may approve or recommend the Transaction if it determines by the affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board or of the committee that the Transaction is fair, reasonable, for the Library’s own benefit, and in its best interest.

6. The minutes of any meeting of the Board or of a committee at which an Officer’s or Key Employee’s Interest in a Transaction is discussed shall include: the name of each Officer or Key Employee who disclosed, or who was otherwise discovered to have, an Interest in the Transaction; the nature of each such Interest; the decision of the Board or committee concerning whether a Conflict of Interest or Related Party Transaction exists; and the rationale underlying the Board’s or the committee’s decision.

7. The minutes of any meeting at which the Board or a committee discussed a Transaction in which an Officer or Key Employee has an Interest that constitutes a Conflict of Interest or Related party Transaction shall include: the names of all persons who were present during the discussion of the Transaction; the content of the discussion, including any alternatives which were considered; the names of all persons who were present during any vote relating to the Transaction; and a record of each vote.

8. The failure to disclose an Interest in a proposed Transaction is cause for removal from the Board or the committee, and cause for employee discipline up to and including termination.

Article IV

Initial and Annual Statements

1. Each Officer shall, before assuming office, and each Key Employee shall, before commencing the duties of the position, sign a statement which affirms that the Officer or Key Employee:

a. Has received a copy of this policy;

b. Has read, and understands, the policy;

c. Has agreed to comply with the policy; and

d. Understands that the Library can maintain its federal tax-exempt status only if it engages primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of its tax-exempt purposes.

2. Each Officer or Key Employee shall, before assuming office or commencing the duties of the position, and annually thereafter, file with the Library’s Secretary a written statement disclosing, to the best of the Officer’s or Key Employee’s knowledge, any of the Officer’s or Key Employee’s Business Associates with which the Library has a relationship, and any Transaction in which the Library is a participant in which the Officer or Key Employee might have a conflicting Interest.

Article V

Periodic Reviews

1. To ensure that the Library operates in a manner consistent with its charitable purposes and does not engage in activities that could jeopardize its tax-exempt status, periodic reviews shall be conducted. The periodic reviews shall, at a minimum, address:

a. Whether compensation arrangements and benefits are reasonable, based on relevant survey information, and are the result of arm’s length bargaining.

b. Whether partnerships, joint ventures, and arrangements with management organizations conform to the Library’s written policies, are properly recorded, reflect reasonable investment or payments for goods and services, further charitable purposes and do not result in an impermissible private benefit or an excess benefit transaction.

2. When conducting such reviews the Library may, but need not, use outside advisors, but their use shall not relieve the Board of its responsibility for ensuring that periodic reviews are conducted.

Northville Public Library

Form Title: Conflict of Interest Annual Statement

Policy/Guideline: Conflict of Interest Policy

Annual Statement

By signing below, Board of Trustee members and key employees indicate that they have seen, read, understand and agree to abide by the Northville Public Library Conflict of Interest Policy.  Signers acknowledge the tax exempt mission of the library, and affirm that activities should contribute to that mission.  Signers will indicate any potential conflicts of interest concerning the vendors, employees or contractors with whom the library does business.  A conflict of interest is a financial interest or benefit accruing to the signer, a family member of the signer or any business substantially controlled by the signer as the result any business relationship or contemplated transaction engaged in by the Northville Public Library.

Individual Completing Form

Name:

Signature:                                                                                Date:

Information Concerning Conflicts of Interest

Please check one of the following statements. If you check the first statement, indicating no conflicts of interest, there is no need to complete the final section.

I have no known conflicts of interest with vendors, employees or contractors doing business with Northville Public Library.

I have the following conflict(s) of interest concerning vendors, employees or contractors doing business with Northville Public Library:

(Please list any individuals or businesses in which you have an interest)

Northville Public Library

Five Year Plan of Services

2015 - 2020

Expansion of Technologies -- The library will continue to support expansion of   E-Resourses and new technologies.  This will assist the library to develop and improve its services to the public. 
Activity 1a.  Continue to work with the Mohawk Valley Library System to provide E-Resouces for public use.
Activity 1b. Assist patrons with technologies including laptops, E-readers, tablets, smartphones so that they might take advantage of library resources.
Activity 1c.  Maintain a dynamic website to effectively market and advertise programs and services to the public.

2.  Community Awareness -- The library serves all ages of people though a broad means of activities and services. 

Activity 2a.  The Board of Trustees will continue to support and meet community awareness objectives through various means.  We will provide library services in other community locations beyond our library (e.g. historical societies, school visits, senior citizen organizations).  We will likewise use the library space for various venues such as meetings or exhibits (e.g. Garden Club Flower Show, Sacandaga Valley Artist Network (SVAN) Artist of the Month exhibits, tutoring, etc).

Activity 2b.  Continue to provide resources and programs for youth and teens.  The library will work with the NCS library to assist students in getting material and being aware of literature and authorship.  Continued programs at the library (Story Time, Teen Time, Second Grade Class visits, Family Game Night) will increase the awareness of parents and youth to all that the library can offer. 

Activity 2c.  The Northville Public Library will continue its public monthly book discussions.

3. Financial Responsibility -- The Board of Trustees will continue to manage financial resources efficiently.

Activity 3a.  The Board of Trustees will oversee the long-term financial security of the Library and address its immediate financial needs.

Motion: (Matarazzo, Serfis)

Unanimously Approved by Board of Trustees

Jan 12, 2015

Finance Policies

Part I: Budget Development & Expenditure

It is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees to adopt an annual budget. The development of the budget for the Library is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees with the assistance of the Director and the Treasurer.

Funds for the Library budget come primarily from the tax levy.  The Northville Central School District collects the voter approved tax and distributes it to the Library. Any changes in the tax levy must be approved by the voters of the Northville Central School District during the annual election.

Additional funds for the Library budget may come from fines and fees, including out-of-district fees from individuals who use the Library, per capita State aid, and MVLS, as well as donations by individuals and by the Friends of the Northville Public Library.

The Director is responsible for operating the Library using the funds as described by the annual budget. The Trustees are responsible for budgetary oversight and may authorize an adjustment in spending as circumstances dictate.

An audit committee will review and approve expenditures (except payroll, health insurance, utilities) prior to being paid by the Treasurer.

All checks drawn on the Library’s operating account must be signed by the Treasurer or another trustee in the Treasurer’s absence. Other accounts (technology, reserve, capital, and endowment) may be overseen by the Library Director with Trustee approval. The memorial account may be overseen by the Library Director and reported to the Trustees at monthly meetings.

The financial records will be reviewed periodically.  A monthly treasurer’s report of all accounts and a payment warrant will be presented at each Board of Trustees meeting

A Federal 990 form and an OSC Annual Update Document form will be completed annually.

Part II: Purchasing Policy and Procedure

General

Only the Library Director may commit the library to purchases. All purchases require the proper preparation of a purchase order or other approved procedure. It is the responsibility of the Library Director to secure the appropriate bids or to investigate alternative suppliers to ensure the most economical purchase of required items. The Library Director shall have the final authority on all purchase decisions.

Service providers are prohibited by law to have direct access to library bank accounts.

General Purchases

Up to $5,000: Discretion of the Library Director

$5,000-$19,999: Minimum of three documented quotes or a documented reasonable

alternative approved by the Board of the Trustees prior to purchase

$20,000 or more: Formal bid process. If a bid other than the lowest is accepted written justification and documentation must accompany the purchase paperwork.

Public Works

The following schedule is for public works projects involving services, labor, or construction. Prevailing wage regulations apply to all public works projects.

Up to $5,000: Discretion of the Library Director

$5,000-$34,999: Minimum of three documented quotes or a documented reasonable alternative approved by the Board of the Trustees prior to purchase

$35,000 or more: Formal bid process. If a bid other than the lowest is accepted written justification and documentation must accompany the purchase paperwork.

Appropriations

All purchases must have a budgetary appropriation.

Part III: Cash Receipts

Cash receipts for fines and fees are collected at the circulation desk, recorded, and placed in a cash box.  The library director is responsible for collecting the cash and transferring it to the treasurer for deposit in the operating account.

Approved Unanimously:  June 9, 2014

Amended Unanimously:  October 5, 2015