Meeting Minutes June 2026

Belleville Area District Library
Meeting Minutes
June 9, 2026

• Call to Order: Chair Sharon Peters called the meeting to order at 7:32 pm.
• Roll Call: The following board members were present: Joy Cichewicz, Dan Fleming, Maria Jackson-Smith, John Juriga, Sharon Peters, Linda Priest, and Tanya Stoudemire.
  Also present: Library Director Mary Jo Suchy.
• Approve Agenda: Motion by Juriga, seconded by Priest, to approve the agenda as presented. The motion carried unanimously.
• Approve May 12, 2026, Regular Meeting Minutes: Motion by Cichewicz, seconded by Jackson-Smith, to approve the May 12, 2026, meeting minutes as presented. The motion carried unanimously.
• Public Comments: Rosemary Otzman announced that she is retiring from the Belleville Area Independent at the end of the month and that she has enjoyed covering the library board meetings.
• Public Hearing – 2026-27 Budget: The public hearing opened at 7:37 pm. There were no comments. The public hearing closed at 7:38 pm.
• Committee Reports:
  A. Building: No report.
  B. Bylaws:
  a. Bylaws Revisions: Motion by Juriga, seconded by Stoudemire, to accept the Belleville Area District Library Board Bylaws as presented. A roll call vote was taken. Ayes: Cichewicz, Fleming, Jackson-Smith, Juriga, Peters, Priest, and Stoudemire. Nays: None. The motion carried unanimously.
• With approval from the board, the secretary may delegate duties to the library director. Motion by Cichewicz, seconded by Jackson-Smith, to delegate the issuance of meeting notices and the keeping of library records and minutes to the library director. The motion carried unanimously.
• With approval from the board, the treasurer may delegate duties to the library director. Motion by Stoudemire, seconded by Cichewicz, to delegate the expenditures and records of moneys to the library director. The motion carried unanimously.
• b. Public Relations/Media/Photography Policy: Motion by Cichewicz, seconded by Stoudemire, to approve the Public Relations/Media/Photography Policy as presented. The motion carried unanimously.
• c. Public Comment Policy: Motion by Cichewicz, seconded by Juriga, to approve the resolution adopting the Public Comment Policy. A roll call vote was taken. Ayes: Cichewicz, Fleming, Jackson-Smith, Juriga, Peters, Priest, and Stoudemire. Nays: None. The motion carried unanimously. (See attached Public Comment Policy).
• C. Finance: Stoudemire outlined the 2026-27 proposed budget and the proposed amendments to the 2025-26 budget.
• a. Approve the 2026-27 Budget: Motion by Cichewicz, seconded by Jackson-Smith, to approve the 2026-27 budget as presented. The motion carried unanimously.
• b. Approve the 2025-26 Amended Budget: Motion by Cichewicz, seconded by Jackson-Smith, to approve the 2025-26 amended budget as presented. The motion carried unanimously.
• c. Fund Balance Allocation per GASB 54: Motion by Stoudemire, seconded by Cichewicz, to commit $1,400,000 of the 2025 collected library millage that is in fund balance for use in the 2026-27 fiscal year’s general operations (per GASB #54, Fund Balance Reporting and Government Fund Type Definitions).
• D. Outreach: No report.
• E. Personnel: No report.
• F. Policy: No report.
• G. Art: No report.
• Approve Accounts Payable: Motion by Cichewicz, seconded by Priest, to approve the accounts payable as presented. The motion carried unanimously.
• Director’s Report: See attached. Suchy invited the board to the Memory Café Art Reception being held on Friday, June 26 from 2-4 pm.
• Trustee Comments:
  Jackson-Smith: Is excited to see the return of the Car Show and Farmers Market.
  Stoudemire: Thanked Mary Jo and Joy for making the budget process simple.
  Cichewicz: Is expecting to be at the library with her grandchildren a lot this summer.
  Priest: Is interested in attending the library’s UFO program.
  Juriga: Announced that Music Lakeside begins on June 18.
• Chair Comments: It is nice to see the things you can do in the library that don’t cost anything and that bring joy. Observed that the community has been well served to have Rosemary covering the library board meetings. Stressed the importance to the community of having a local newspaper.
• Adjournment: Motion to adjourn by Juriga, seconded by Fleming. The meeting adjourned at 8:49 pm.