Administration Policy

Answer

  1. Duties of Library Board Members:

      1. The general powers, duties and responsibilities of the Board are defined in the Alberta Libraries Act.

      1. Board responsibilities include:
        • Policy Management
        • Program and Service Management
        • Personnel Management
        • Financial Management
        • Advocacy
        • Evaluation – Library Board will evaluate Libraries

      1. The Board shall consist of two County Councillors and three area Representatives. The Board is held accountable to the Council of the County of St. Paul No. 19 who shall appoint people to the Board for a three year term.

      1. The Board shall ensure that the election of officers and standing committees is accomplished at the November Board meeting.

      1. The Alberta Libraries Act determines that the Board will meet a minimum of four times per year with meetings being open to the public. Special meetings may be called at any time.

      1. Board Members shall cooperate with other Board Members to meet the objectives of the Libraries.

      1. Board Members who are absent from three consecutive meetings of the Board without just cause, shall vacate their seats.

      1. Board Members are required to read the following:
        • The Library Act
        • The Alberta Library Trustees Handbook
        • The Policy Manual and Bylaws of this Board

      1. Board Members must be willing to give freely of their time, skills and abilities.

      1. While on Board business, Trustees shall be reimbursed their expenses for hotel and meals, plus mileage as determined by municipal rates.

Registration fees shall be reimbursed back to the Library Board for Trustees non-attendance at conferences.

    1. Duties of the Board Chairperson:

The Board Chairperson is the Executive Officer responsible for:

      1. Ensuring that Board affairs are conducted according to the policies of the Board and the Library Act.

      1. Coordinating all business affairs as directed by the Board.

      1. Planning and conducting regular and special meetings of the Board. He/she shall cooperate with the Secretary to assure that an Agenda is prepared for each meeting and copies made for all Members.

      1. Supervising the activities of all other positions to ensure that their duties are being fulfilled properly.

      1. Serving as an ex-officio member of all committees of the Board giving assistance as required.

    1. Duties of the Vice-Chairperson:

The Vice-Chairperson shall replace the Chairperson in his/her absence.

    1. Duties of the Secretary:

The non-voting Secretary shall be the person responsible for:

      1. Preparing and maintaining on file the Minutes of the Board meetings. As official documents which record the affairs and decisions of the Board, the Minutes should include:
        • Date, time and place of each meeting.
        • Kind of meeting (regular or special).
        • Name of the Chairperson of the meeting.
        • List of Members and Guests present.
        • Approval of Minutes of preceding meeting which should then be endorsed by the Chairperson.
        • Summary of committee reports.
        • Decisions made.
        • Mover and result of each motion.
        • Policies and Procedures not defined in the Library Act which should then be added to the Policy Manual of the Board.
        • Statement of the total amount of monthly accounts payable.
        • Record of motion authorizing the Treasurer to pay non-budget items.
        • Any item of information as directed by the Board.

If a meeting concludes before the Agenda is completed, remaining items should be recorded in the Minutes and placed on the next meeting’s Agenda.

Minutes should be kept brief, factual and organized so that all resolutions and policy decisions are clearly and easily identified.

      1. Preparing an Agenda for each Board meeting and copies for all Board members.

      1. Preparing, receiving and maintaining on file all correspondence for the Board.

      1. Accepting responsibility for other designated duties.

    1. Duties of the Treasurer:

The Treasurer is the Board appointed person (voting or non-voting) responsible for:

      1. Ensuring financial accounts, contracts and agreements are conducted according to sound accounting and business practices.

      1. Paying accounts by cheque, signed by two Board appointed Members, one of which is usually the Board Chairperson.

      1. Preparing the annual Financial Statement and submitting it to the official Auditor.

      1. Authorization for the administration of on-line banking.

    1. Ethics:

      1. Recognizing that the strength of the Board is as a Board, not as individuals, individual Board Members shall nevertheless maintain the highest ethical standards in all their Board dealings. This shall include but not be limited to such matters as confidentiality of privileged information, unbiased representation of the entire Municipality, and fair and unprejudiced consideration of controversial issues.

    1. Authority:

      1. Because all powers of the Board lie in its actions as a corporate body, Members of the Board collectively exercise full authority over all aspects of Library operations. Individual Board Members exercise their authority over Library affairs only through their vote to take action at a legal meeting of the Board.

      1. In other circumstances, an individual Board Member, including the Chairperson, shall have power only when the Board, by vote, has delegated authority to him or her.

      1. Management Rights:

It is the exclusive right of the Board to operate and manage the business of the Library in all respects, unless otherwise provided by the Library Policies. The Board reserves all rights to:

  1. Maintain order, discipline, and efficiency.
  2. Make, from time to time, other rules and regulations to be observed by employees.
  3. Direct the work force and create new classifications and work units, and to determine the number of employees, if any, needed from time to time in any work unit or classification, and to determine whether or not a position will continue or become redundant.
  4. Hire, promote, transfer, lay off, recall, demote, discipline, suspend, or discharge employees.
  5. Appoint another member of the staff to assume the duties of the Library Manager in the absence of the Library Manager.

    1. Meeting Procedures:

      1. A Quorum of the Board shall consist of four Board Members, one of which must be the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson.

      1. Rules of Order:

  1. All meetings of the Board shall proceed according to the requirements of the Alberta Libraries Act.
  2. Correct parliamentary procedure (according to the latest edition of Roberts’ Rules of Order) shall be observed, unless otherwise agreed upon.

      1. Voting:

  1. Voting shall normally be by a show of hands.
  2. Secret ballots will be used for Election of Officers and for other matters deemed by the meeting to require secrecy.

      1. Committee Meetings:

  1. Meetings of Board Committees shall take place when Board business requires the deliberations and recommendations of committees. Meetings will occur at dates and times mutually agreed upon by Committee Members.
  2. It is the responsibility of the Chairperson of each Committee to submit a report at Board meetings.

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  • Last Updated Aug 03, 2022
  • Views 38
  • Answered By Tracy Paradis

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