Bylaws of the Board of Trustees of the Argyle Public Library
Article I
Identification
The name of this organization is the Board of Trustees of the Argyle Public Library, located in Argyle, Wisconsin, established by the Village of Argyle, Wisconsin, according to the provisions of Chapter 43 of the Wisconsin Statutes, and exercising the powers and assuming the duties granted to it under said statute.
Article II
Membership
Section 1: Number and Qualifications. The Library Board is composed of between five (5) and seven (7) members as appointed by the Mayor or Village President and representing the municipality of Argyle and/or the surrounding townships that make up the APL service area.
Section 2: Term of Office. The term of office of trustees shall be three years. The Board shall recommend to the appointing official that a trustee serve no more than two full consecutive terms, that a former Board member may be reappointed after a lapse of one year, and that if a trustee is appointed to serve an unexpired term of office exceeding 18 months it shall be considered a full term.
Section 3: Meeting Attendance. Trustees shall be expected to attend all meetings except as they are prevented by a valid reason. If a trustee fails to attend three consecutive meetings without valid reason the President will notify the appointing authority, declare the position vacant, and suggest three to five persons qualified to fill the position.
Section 4: Trustee Moving Out of Area
Trustees should reside in the APL service area. A trustee who moves out of the APL service area they represent shall notify the Secretary of the Board of Trustees, and the position shall be declared vacant. The President will notify the appointing authority of the vacancy and suggest three to five persons qualified to fill the position.
Article III
Officers
Section 1: Officers. The officers shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, elected from among the appointed Trustees at the annual meeting of the Board. No trustee should hold more than one office at a time. No Trustee shall be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office. Vacancies in office shall be filled by vote at the next regular meeting of the Board after the vacancy occurs.
Section 2: Nominating Committee. A nominating committee shall be appointed by the President three months prior to the annual meeting and will present a slate of officers at the annual meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at that time.
Section 3: Terms. Officers shall serve a term of one year from the annual meeting at which they are elected and until their successors are duly elected.
Section 4: President. The president shall preside at Board meetings, authorize calls for special meetings, appoint all committees, execute all documents authorized by the Board, serve as an ex-officio voting member of all committees, and generally perform all duties associated with the office.
Section 5: Vice President. The Vice President, in the event of the absence or disability of the President, or of a vacancy in that office, shall assume and perform the duties and functions of the President.
Section 6: Secretary. The Secretary shall keep a true and accurate record of all meetings of the Board, shall issue notice of all regular and special meetings, and shall perform such other duties as are generally associated with that office. The Library Director or a member of the staff may be designated by the Board to perform any or all of the above duties.
Section 7: Treasurer. The treasurer shall co-sign all checks drawn on funds held by the library, sign all vouchers for disbursements from the library fund, and perform such duties as generally devolve upon the office. The treasurer shall be bonded in an amount as may be required by a resolution of the Board, and not less than the value of any property held by him or her. The treasurer shall make monthly reports to the Board showing in detail the amount and investment of, and income and disbursements from, the funds in his or her charge.
Article IV
Meetings
Section 1: Regular Meetings. Regular meetings will be held a minimum of six (6) times annually, the date and time to be set by the Board at its annual meeting.
Section 2: Annual Meeting. The annual meeting which shall be for the purpose of election of officers, shall be held at the time of the regular meeting in May of each year.
Section 3: Order of Business. The order of business for regular meetings shall include, but not be limited to, the following items:
a) Call to order
b) Roll call of members, introduction of visitors
c) Adoption/amendment of agenda
d) Approval of minutes from previous regular meeting and any intervening special or closed meeting
e) Financial report
f) Action on bills
g) Library director’s report
h) Committee reports
i) Communication
j) Unfinished business
k) New business
l) Adjournment
Section 4: Agendas and Notices. Meeting agendas and notices shall indicate the time, date, and place of the meeting, and indicate all subject matters intended for consideration at the meeting.
Section 5: Special Meetings. Special meetings may be called at the direction of the President and shall be called at the written request of three (3) Board members for the transaction of business as stated in the call for the meeting. Except in cases of emergency, at least 48 hours notice shall be given.
Section 6: Quorum. A quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting shall consist of three (3) members of the Board present in person
Section 7: Parliamentary Authority. The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order latest revised edition shall govern the parliamentary procedure of the meetings.
Article V
Committees
Section 1: Standing Committees. Committees (examples are Personnel, Budget, Building, Policy, Executive) shall be appointed by the Board President and shall make recommendations to the Board as pertinent to Board meeting agenda items.
Section 2: Nominating Committee. See Article III, Section 2.
Section 3: Ad Hoc Committees. Ad hoc committees for the study of special problems will be appointed by the Board President, with the approval of the Board, to serve until the final report of the work for which they were appointed has been filed. These committees may also include staff and public representatives, as well as outside experts
Section 4: Progress Reports. Committees shall make monthly reports to the library Board at each meeting.
Section 5: Powers. No committee will have other than advisory powers.
Article VI
Duties of the Board of Trustees
Section 1. Legal responsibility for the operation of the Argyle Public Library is vested in the Board of Trustees. Subject to state and federal law, the Board has the power and duty to determine rules and regulations governing library operations and services.
Section 2. The Board shall select, appoint and supervise a properly certified and competent library director, and determine the duties and compensation of all library employees.
Section 3. The Board shall approve the budget and make sure that adequate funds are provided to finance the approved budget.
Section 4. The Board shall have exclusive control of the expenditure of all monies collected, donated, or appropriated for the Library fund, and shall audit and approve all library expenditures.
Section 5. The Board shall supervise and maintain buildings and grounds, as well as regularly review various physical and building needs to see that they meet the requirements of the total library program.
Section 6. The Board shall study and support legislation that will bring about the greatest good to the greatest number of library users.
Section 7. The Board shall cooperate with other public officials and boards and maintain vital public relations.
Section 8. The Board shall approve and submit the required annual report to the Division for Libraries and Technology, and the Village of Argyle.
Article VII
Library Director
The Library Director shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees and shall be responsible to the Board. The Library Director shall be considered the executive officer n of the library under the direction and review of the Board, and subject to the policies established by the Board.The Director shall act as technical advisor to the Board. The director shall attend all Board meetings (but may be excused from closed sessions) and shall have no vote.
Article VIII
Conflict of Interest
Section 1. Board members may not in their private capacity negotiate, bid for, or enter into a contract with the Argyle Public Library in which they have a direct or indirect financial interest.
Section 2. A board member shall withdraw from Board discussion, deliberation, and vote on any matter in which the Board member, an immediate family member, or an organization with which the Board member is associated has a substantial financial interest.
Section 3. A board member may not receive anything of value that could reasonably be expected to influence his or her vote or other official action.
Article IX
Mileage and Expenses
Board members may be reimbursed for actual mileage to attend library meetings at the rate used by the Village of Argyle.
Article X
General
Section 1. An affirmative vote of the majority of all members of the Board present at the time shall be necessary to approve any action before the Board. The President may vote upon and may move or second a proposal before the Board.
Section 2. Any rule or resolution of the Board, whether contained in these bylaws or otherwise, may be suspended temporarily in connection with business at hand, but such suspension, to be valid, may be taken only at a meeting at which two-thirds of the members of the Board are present and two-thirds of those present so approve.
Section 3. These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Board by majority vote of all members of the Board, provided written notice of the proposed amendment shall have been mailed or emailed to all members at least sixty (60) days prior to the meeting at which such action is proposed to be taken.
These bylaws will be in force upon adoption by the Board of Trustees of the Argyle Public Library on the 20th day of October 2021.