Minutes 03-29-23 Minutes of the Library Board Meeting Held on
Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at 6:00 PM at
City Hall Commission Chambers, 100 E. Ocean Avenue
Boynton Beach, Florida
Present:
George Feldman, Chair Jeannie Taylor, Assistant Director
Lindsay Karten
Nicole Prado
Margaret Newton
Ace Tilton Ratcliff
Absent:
Thomas Devlin
Marcia Levine
I. Call to Order— George Feldman, Board Chair
Chair Feldman called the meeting to order at 6:05 P.M.
Self-introductions were made. A quorum was present.
II. Approval of Minutes —January 25, 2023
Ms. Karten moved to approve the minutes. Mx. Ratcliff seconded the motion. The motion
passed unanimously.
III. Correspondence and Communications
Ms. Newton stated that she had a request from the Writer's Group, which meets twice a
month in the Library and that they would like to have an online activity. She explained
that part of the group are out of towners who leave in April, but want to continue working
with the person leading the group.
Jeannie Taylor, Assistant Library Director, stated that she will take it back to the
management team to see if they can accommodate a Zoom meeting.
IV. Public Audience (Individual Speakers Will Be Limited to 3 Minute Presentations)
None.
V. Chair's Report— Board Chair
Meeting Minutes
Library Board
Boynton Beach, Florida March 29, 2023
VI. Unfinished Business:
Staffing Update & Introduce Tiffany Marshall, Library Marketing & Outreach
Manager— Craig Clark
Ms. Taylor introduced Tiffany Marshall, the new Outreach and Marketing Manager, who
started a few weeks ago.
Ms. Marshall stated that she is born and raised in Boynton. She briefly described her
background in education and said that she has been handling marketing since 2016. She
stated that her heart is in Boynton and that the Library is a gem.
Ms. Taylor noted that Ms. Marshall's grandmother used to bring her to the Library as a
child.
Career Online High School Program Update— Jeannie Taylor
Ms. Taylor stated that there are 15 students in the Career Online High School, and five
are more than halfway through. She said that the last graduate they had in January was
their 16t". She added that the Library had to secure five more scholarships as they were
out and they already issued four out of the five of them. She advised that there are two
students working on the prerequisite, and if they finish, they will have to purchase another
scholarship. She explained that the students have a choice of seven career certificates
and that they complete the certificates first, because if they have any high school credits,
they can be applied. She explained that the students have to be 19 or older to take the
program, have a Library card and live in Boynton Beach. She said that if State funding is
used for a scholarship, the student does not have to be a Boynton resident and can live
anywhere in Palm Beach County.
Board Elections —Tabled from January 25, 2023 Meeting
Chair Feldman asked that anyone interested in serving as Chair to raise their hand and
Mx. Ratcliff and Mr. Feldman were interested.
Mx. Ratcliff self-nominated. Mr. Feldman self-nominated.
The vote was as follows:
Ms. Newton stated that she was happy with either candidate.
Ms. Karten abstained.
Mx. Ratcliff voted for herself.
Ms. Prado voted for Mr. Feldman.
Mr. Feldman voted for himself.
Chair Feldman stated he was elected Chair.
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Meeting Minutes
Library Board
Boynton Beach, Florida March 29, 2023
Chair Feldman stated that he was hearing a lot about books in schools and that the Palm
Beach County School Board is one of the top schools in the nation for keeping books as
they are.
Ms. Taylor explained that the Board had previously addressed the Library's updated
Collection Development Policy to institute safeguards, and that the Library supports
Freedom to Read. She said that she would bring the policy back to the Board.
Chair Feldman mentioned that the issue was getting heavy in Tallahassee.
Ms. Karten explained that she and Mr. Clark had attended a Continuing Education Class
about banned books. She advised that Palm Beach County had one or two challenges.
She said that she was informed that in the worst-case scenario, if something was
inappropriate for elementary school students, it would be moved to the middle schools.
VII. New Business
Update on City Advisory Boards — Kathryn Matos, Assistant City Manager
Kathryn Matos, Assistant City Manager, requested that each Board give an oral report to
the City Commission. She explained that there is no format, but the report would state
what the Board accomplished in the past year and what they hope to accomplish in the
next. She stated that there must be Board consensus on the report contents, and they
should select a spokesperson to make the presentation. She mentioned that she will give
the available presentation dates to Ms. Taylor.
Mx. Ratcliff noted that the Art Advisory Board decided Mr. Weiss, the Public Art Manager,
will make the presentation. She asked if they could do that with the Library Board.
Ms. Matos responded they could and also announced that the City is opening a Visitor's
Center in an unused first floor lobby conference room. She explained that they will put
together materials on City events, businesses, and will create a city-wide map. She
advised that it will have historic and digital displays with historical artifacts from residents
and the Library. She stated that they are looking for volunteers for four-hour shifts and
that she had a sign-up sheet to circulate for members who want to receive further
information on volunteering.
Chair Feldman stated that they need a Library Sign.
Ms. Matos agreed and stated that the City needs one sign for the Library and one for the
Art and Cultural Center, and that they had budgeted for it.
Chair Feldman asked if the members had any input on the sign.
Ms. Matos stated that she would take suggestions.
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Meeting Minutes
Library Board
Boynton Beach, Florida March 29, 2023
Chair Feldman suggested that the sign for the Library read "Your Library" and suggested
that the members email their suggestions to Ms. Matos.
Motion
Mx. Ratcliff moved to put signs for the Library on the next agenda, under Future Business,
when Mr. Clark was present. Chair Feldman seconded the motion.
Ms. Newton asked if the businesses were chosen for the Visitor's Center.
Ms. Matos explained that they are not selecting which businesses to be highlighted,
rather, that they are setting up a registration process. She said that her long-term goal is
to have an electronic kiosk displaying all the businesses in the City, as they want to
equally emphasize all of them. She thanked the Board for their efforts, and said that their
work is important.
Ms. Newton also noted that years ago, the City held an Advisory Board Appreciation Party
and suggested that they could, perhaps, have one at the end of the year. Ms. Matos
agreed that in the past, they had a volunteer party, but with the economic downturn, it
was discontinued, but that they can discuss bringing it back.
VIII. Library Director's Report/Statistics
January & February 2023 Monthly Reports
Ms. Taylor stated that the information is attached. If they have any questions, the
members can ask.
IX. Announcements
Next Library Board Meeting —April 26, 2023
X. Adjournment
Motion
Ms. Karten moved to adjourn. Mx. Ratcliff seconded the motion. The motion passed
unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 P.M.
Catherine Cherry
Minutes Specialist
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