(A) Establishment. There is hereby established a Library Board of Trustees to be known as the Library Board.
(B) Purpose. The Library Board shall serve as an advisory body for the Library Department and the town. The Board shall serve as a liaison between the Library Department, Town Manager, Town Council, and citizens of the community. The Board shall consult with and advise the Library Director, Town Manager, Deputy Town Manager and Town Council in matters affecting library policies, programs, finances, and related issues.
(C) Charges.
(1) Recommend to the Library Director programs, policies, capital projects, library facility changes, and regulations for the operation of the library;
(2) Advise the Town Manager and Deputy Town Manager concerning the appointment of a Library Director;
(3) The Library Director will receive recommendations from the Board in the preparation of the annual budget of the library. The Library Director will provide an overview of the adopted budget to the Board; and
(4) Advise the town administration on library matters generally.
(D) Members.
(1) Appointment. The Library Board shall consist of ten members appointed by the Town Council. Seven members shall be chosen from within the corporate limits of the town and three from within the extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ). Prerequisite for appointment is all members have a library card.
(2) Ex officio member. The Town Council shall appoint a member to serve as an ex officio member and will serve concurrently with his term of office. The ex officio member will not have a vote on items coming before the Library Board.
(3) Length of appointment. A term for a three-year appointment begins January 1 and expires December 31. Appointments that are vacated shall be filled by the Town Council for the completion of the unexpired term.
(4) Attendance of members. An appointed member who, with no excuse, misses more than two consecutive regular meetings or a total of three such meetings during the year may lose his status as a member of the Board until reappointed or replaced by the Town Council. Absences to be excused should be reported to the Chair. Absences due to sickness, deaths or other emergencies of like nature shall be regarded as approved absences and shall not affect the member's status on the Board except in the event of a long illness or other prolonged absence or a total of three misses, when a member may be replaced. Following two consecutive unexcused absences or a total of three excused absences during the year of one of its members, the Chair shall request the Town Council to declare the seat vacant and bring the Library Board back to full membership.
(E) Meetings.
(1) As a public body, the Library Board shall hold meetings at least once bi-monthly (once every two months) or as needed and determined by the Chair, Co-Chair or designee. All of the meetings shall be open to the public (G.S. § 143-318.10).
(a) The meeting schedule is to be adopted before the end of the calendar year and filed with the Town Clerk and posted on the Town of Clayton website. (G.S. § 143-318.12).
(b) If the Board needs to amend its calendar, it must do so at least 48 hours before the meeting.
(2) The Clayton Town Clerk or designee will record and transcribe the attendance and the minutes of the official meetings of the Library Board.
(a) Chair. Facilitate the meetings of the Library Board with a published agenda.
(b) Vice Chair. In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair will facilitate the meeting of the Library Board with a published agenda.
(c) Recorder. Record and transcribe the attendance and the minutes of the official meetings of the Library Board.
1. In accordance with G.S. § 143-318.10(e), the Library Board shall keep full and accurate minutes of all official meetings.
2. Minutes are to include the date, time and place of the meeting, members present and absent, a summary of points discussed, motions of the Board, and adjournment.
(3) Officers shall be elected for one-year terms with eligibility for re-election up to three consecutive terms. Mid-year replacement of officers shall serve for the period remaining in that term. New officers shall take office at the first meeting following the regular January meeting.
(4) In collaboration with the State Library of North Carolina, the Library Director shall complete the annual report on library operations (G.S. § 153A-266) to the Town of Clayton and an annual report to the Department of Cultural Resources as required by G.S. § 125-5. The Library Director will provide an overview of the report to the Board.
(5) Special meetings may be called by the Chair, Vice-Chair, or three or more members of the Board. In accordance with G.S. § 143-318.12, a written notice of the meeting stating its purpose is to be posted on the principal bulletin board or door of its usual meeting room; and mailed, emailed, or delivered to each media or individual requesting notice; and it must be posted on the town website prior to the scheduled meeting time.
(6) A quorum shall consist of a simple majority of the total membership of the Library Board. A quorum of the Library Board shall be in attendance before action of an official nature can be taken.
(F) Committees. The Chair shall have the authority, subject to the approval of the Library Board, to appoint such committees as may be deemed desirable to complete the work of the Board. Committees may be composed of Board members, library staff members, and perhaps others. No committee, either standing or special, can be given power to act for the Board; rather the committee investigates a particular matter and makes recommendations to the full Board. Committees will adhere to the open meetings and public records laws as followed by the Board.
(Adopted 10-2-89; Am. adopted 2-4-91; Am. Ord. 2012-12-01, passed 12-3-12; Am. Ord. 2013-03-01, passed 3-4-13; Am. Ord. 2014-10-03, passed 10-6-14; Am. Ord. 2015-12-01, passed 12-7-15; Am. Ord. 2017-08-06, passed 8-7-17; Am. Ord. 2018-07-02, passed 7-16-18; Am. Ord. 2019- 12-03, passed 12-16-19; Am. Res. 2020-43, passed 11-16-20; Am. Ord. 2022-02-05, passed 2-21-22)