[Adopted 1-5-2009 by Ord. No. 1620[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance repealed Ch. 288 of the 1982 Code, Board of Directors of the Green Tree Public Library.
The name of the board shall be the Green Tree Public Library Board of Directors ("the Board").
The main objective of the Board of Directors of the Green Tree Public Library shall be to assure free access to unbiased information for the community of the Borough of Green Tree, in addition to promoting library use and services in the community.
A. 
The library shall be under the control of the Board of Directors of the Green Tree Public Library, except as specifically set forth in this article.
B. 
The Board shall consist of seven members. Members shall be approved by the Council of the Borough of Green Tree ("Council") from recommended nominees provided by the Board. Members shall serve without compensation. Council shall also have the right to appoint, as a voting member of the Board, one member of Council ("Council representative"). The Council representative shall retain all of his/her powers and duties as an elected Council member and shall receive all compensation of the municipal office to which elected.
C. 
Each newly appointed member of the Board shall serve for a two-year term, renewable for similar periods. Each term shall be based on the staggered pattern of membership which is already in place and commence in January at the Annual Meeting. In the case of an unfulfilled term, a vacancy will be filled by a Council-approved nominee recommended by the Board to complete the vacated term. If the Council representative's term on Council expires, Council shall appoint a new Council representative.
D. 
Each member of the Board shall be a resident of the Borough of Green Tree and share the objectives of these bylaws.
E. 
In addition to the Board members, the Library Director, who shall be a paid full-time employee of the Borough of Green Tree, shall be a nonvoting member of the Board and shall keep the Board apprised of all library activities. The Library Director need not be a resident of the Borough.
F. 
The Board may appoint an advisory board to be selected from the community at large. Advisory board members have the right to attend all public Board meetings as nonvoting members. Advisory board members shall generally not attend executive sessions of the Board. The advisory board shall generally not exceed 10 members, and each member shall be appointed for a two-year term, with the right of reappointment.
G. 
The Board, in its discretion, may also award honorary membership to any resident or residents of the Borough for outstanding service to the library. Honorary membership shall require the unanimous vote of the Board. Honorary members shall have no vote at Board meetings, and no right to attend executive meetings of the Board.
H. 
Members of Council may attend all public and executive sessions of the Board as ex officio nonvoting members.
A. 
Except as set forth in Subsection C below, all monies appropriated for the establishment and/or maintenance of the Green Tree Public Library and all monies, if any, received from other sources for its use shall be under the control and shall be disbursed under the direction of the Board of Library Directors for the purpose of performing and effecting the objectives of the library set forth in Subsection E.
B. 
The Board shall make an annual report to Council of the monies received from the municipality and the dispositions made thereof. The annual report to Council shall be filed on or before April 1 of the subsequent year. The financial account of the Treasurer of said Board shall be annually audited as in the case of other municipal expenditures, as set forth in the Library Code,[1] and shall be completed no later than May 1 of the subsequent year.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 24 P.S. § 4101 et seq.
C. 
Council shall have the sole authority to hire the Library Director and all other paid employees who may be employed in the library. Council shall have authority to set the salary and benefits of all paid employees of the library and to create and fill other paid employee positions within the library. Council shall confer with and seek advice from the Director and Board when setting the terms and conditions of employment for such individual(s), in hiring and terminating such individual(s), and in creating and filling other paid employee positions within the library.
D. 
The Board shall determine and adopt the policies governing the operation of the library, promote its services, make recommendations to Council regarding the hiring of library personnel, secure adequate funds to attain the objectives of the library and make yearly reports to Council.
E. 
The general objectives of the library shall be to:
(1) 
Serve the community of the Borough as a center for reliable and freely accessible information;
(2) 
Provide opportunity and encouragement for people of all ages to educate themselves on a continuous basis, and serve as a center for lifelong learning;
(3) 
Acquire, organize and administer a quality collection of books, journals, electronic equipment and other materials of cultural, educational, informational and recreational value;
(4) 
Cooperate with schools, groups and agencies in the community in promoting the use of library material and in stimulating educational, cultural and recreational activities in the community; and
(5) 
Participate in the State, Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA) and District Library Systems.
A. 
The officers of the Board shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Officers shall be elected from among the Board members at the annual meeting held in January of each year.
B. 
A nominating committee for officers shall consist of three members of the Board appointed by the President at least two months prior to the annual January meeting. The nominating committee will present a slate of officers to the Board at the annual meeting. Additional nominations for officers may be made by the Board with approval of the nominee.
C. 
Officers shall be elected for a term of one year. Unless upon a majority vote of the entire Board, no officer shall serve the same office for more than two consecutive terms, except the Treasurer, who shall be eligible to serve three consecutive terms.
D. 
The President shall preside at the meetings of the Board and shall, with the Library Director, direct the preparation of an agenda which the Secretary shall provide to members of the Board five days in advance of the meeting. The President shall serve as discussion leader during the Board meeting and shall encourage all members to participate. The President, upon prior approval of the Board, shall sign all official documents requiring signature and may represent the Board in public and official capacities as instructed by the Board. The President has one vote as a member of the Board and shall be cosigner with the Treasurer on all checks.
E. 
The Vice President shall preside at Board meetings in the absence of the President and shall perform such other duties as are assigned by the Board.
F. 
The Secretary of the Board shall take the record of the meetings of the Board and see that the minutes are prepared and delivered to all Board members with the next agenda. After minutes are approved, the Secretary shall see that a permanent and correct copy is made available for the archives of the library and public inspection. The Board shall determine, in a policy statement, how minutes are to be made available to other than Board members in accordance with the Open Records Act.[1] The Secretary shall sign such documents as require the signature of that position and perform such other duties as are assigned by the Board.
[1]
Editor's Note: See now the Right to Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.101 et seq.
G. 
At each monthly meeting, the Treasurer shall present an account of all receipts and disbursements for ratification by the Board. All checks shall be cosigned by the Treasurer and the President. In the absence of either the President or the Treasurer, the Vice President may serve as one of two required signers of all checks.
[Amended 10-3-2016 by Ord. No. 1759]
The fiscal year shall start on January 1 of each year and end the last day of December of that year.
A. 
The annual meeting of the Board shall be on the third Tuesday of January to elect officers and to approve the budget for the coming year.
B. 
The regular meetings of the Board shall be held on the third Tuesday of each month in the municipal building, unless otherwise voted upon, at a time to be set by the Board.
C. 
Four members of the seven-member Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting.
The Library Director shall be the administrator of the library; carry out the policies adopted by the Board of Directors of the Green Tree Public Library; act as technical advisor to the Board; recommend needed policies for Board action; carry out plans for library service; prepare regular reports on library activities and progress; maintain good public relations with the community; work with the Friends of the Library by providing information and support; request funds from the Board; give current reports on expenditures; order books and other material within the Board's approved budget and allocations; attend all Board meetings as a nonvoting member; and prepare annual and other reports as required by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, the Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA), and by the Board and Council, as requested.
In the event of dissolution, all assets of the library, after the payment of debts, will be transferred to the Council of the Borough of Green Tree and thereafter administered and used as may be deemed appropriate by Council.
Proposed amendment(s) of these bylaws and their recommended adoption may be presented and voted upon at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board by a majority vote of the members then present, provided that each Board member received written advance notice of any changes to the bylaws at a previous meeting of the Board, together with written notice of the date the Board will vote on said proposed amendment(s). Upon the Board's recommendation of the proposed amendment(s), the Secretary of the Board shall submit them to Council. Council may thereafter ratify, modify or reject the recommended amendment(s). Council will notify the Board of its decision within a period of 90 days following the date of the Secretary's submission to Council.
All rules not governed by this article shall be covered under Robert's Rules of Order, Revised.
The Board of Directors of the Green Tree Public Library may proceed under the penal provisions of Section 4426 of the Pennsylvania Library Code[1] to prosecute any person who retains any book, pamphlet, magazine, newspaper, manuscript, map or other property belonging in or to, or on deposit with, the library and, in addition, may bring any appropriate proceeding under Section 4426 of the Pennsylvania Library Code in cases where any person willfully damages or defaces any property belonging in or to, or on deposit with, the library.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 24 P.S. § 4426.