Florence County Library By-Laws: Revised 01/14/21
Article I
Identification
This organization is the Florence County Library Board of Trustees, located in Florence, Wisconsin, established by the Florence County Board of Supervisors, existing by virtue of the provisions of Chapter 43 of the Wisconsin Statues, and exercising the powers and authority and assuming the duties delegated to it under said statute.
Article II
Board of Trustees, Membership and Officers
Section 1. Number, Terms, Remuneration and Qualifications. The governing body of the library is composed of seven member. One member must be the school district administrator or his/her designee from the School District of Florence County, one school board member, up to two county board supervisors appointed by the County Chairperson, and at least three at-large members representing the citizens of the county. Members shall be appointed for three year terms. Remuneration for serving on the Board of Trustees shall consist only of a mileage reimbursement for travel for meetings attended, based on published state reimbursement rates, and submitted on official claim sheets. The Florence County Board supervisors that are appointed to the Florence County Library Board of Trustees shall be paid a per diem meeting fee as authorized by the Florence County Board of Supervisors. No other
Florence County Library Trustees shall be eligible for a per diem meeting fee.
Section 2. The Board of Trustees shall conduct the general business of the library.
Section 3. When a vacancy on the Board occurs during mid-term, the replacement Board member shall serve for the remainder of the term of the vacating Board member. Full terms for a replacement Board member shall be counted from the scheduled end of the term of the vacating Board member.
Section 4. Officers of the Board of Trustees shall be President, Vice-president, and Secretary and Nicolet Representative. Officers shall be nominated from the floor and elected for one-year terms by the Board of Trustees at the annual meeting of the Board. No member shall serve in more than one office at a time.
Section 5. In case of a vacancy on the Board of Trustees the County Board chair shall fill the position by appointment. If the vacancy is the person representing the school superintendent, the superintendent is responsible for recommending the replacement member. If the vacancy is that of an office holder, the Board of Trustees will fill the office by a nomination and vote at the next regular meeting.
Section 6. Members of the Board of Trustees shall be expected to attend all meetings unless they have been excused.
Article III
Duties of Officers
Section 1. President
The president shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and conduct the same according to the rules adopted, enforce due observance of the constitution and by-laws, decide all questions of order, and perform all customary duties pertaining to the office of president. The president shall appoint all committees and be an ex-officio member of all committees. The president shall execute all documents authorized by the Board, authorize calls for special meetings.
Section 2. Vice President
The vice-president shall assist the president and conduct meetings in the absence of the president.
Section 3. Secretary
The secretary shall be responsible for keeping a correct record of the proceedings of meetings of the Board and shall be responsible for all legally required notices and publications. For reasons of expediency and practicality, the secretary may delegate any of the
aforementioned duties to the Library Director. If delegated, the secretary maintains all responsibility and authority for staff action, unless otherwise assumed by the Board of Trustees.
For reasons of expediency and practicality, the secretary may delegate any of these aforementioned duties to the librarian. If delegated, the secretary maintains all responsibility and authority for staff actions, unless otherwise assumed by the Board of Trustees.
Article lV
Meetings
Section 1. The Board of Trustees shall meet at the minimum, six times per year, and additionally as needed. The day of the month and the time of the meeting will be set by the Board of Trustees at the annual meeting.
Section 2. The annual meeting, which shall be for the purpose of the election of officers, shall occur at the time of the first regularly scheduled meeting each year.
Section 3. Fifty-one (51) percent of the Board of Trustees, including vacancies, shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum the only legal act shall be adjournment. (Four Board members will constitute a quorum with the present board of seven members.)
Section 4. When a member of the Board of Trustees has been absent without notice or good cause from two regular meetings of the Board within a year, the president shall notify the appointing authority of such absences suggesting that consideration be given to a replacement on the Board of Trustees.
Section 5. All meetings of the Board and Committees will be held in compliance with Wisconsin’s open meeting law. (WI. Stats. Sections 19.81 to 19.98)
Section 6. Parliamentary procedure will be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, last revised edition.
Article V
Committees
Section 1. All committees shall be authorized by action of the Board of Trustees. The President shall appoint members to serve on committees.
Article VI
Duties of the Board of Trustees
Section 1. Legal responsibility for the operation of the Florence County Public Library is vested in the Board of Trustees. Subject to state and federal law, the Board has the power and duty to determine the 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 public library employees. (Wis. Stats 43.58 (4)
Section 3. The Board shall approve the budget and assure adequate funding, and have exclusive control of the expenditures of all moneys collected, donated or appropriated, and shall audit and approve all expenditures.
Section 4. The Board shall review any building and grounds needs with the Florence County Public Schools.
Section 5. The Board shall cooperate with the Florence County Board of Supervisors and the School District of Florence County.
Section 6. The Board shall approve and submit the required annual report to the Division for Libraries, Technology, Community Learning, and the Florence County Board of Supervisors.
Article VII
Library Director
The Board of Trustees of the Florence County Library shall appoint a library director who shall be considered an employee of the County, but will be accountable to the Board of Trustees. (Wis. Stats. 43.58 (4)). The library director shall administer the library in accordance with such state laws and administrative code requirements as applicable. The library director shall be responsible for upholding the constitution, by-laws, policies and regulations of the library as determined by the Board of Trustees.
Section 1. All other employees of the library shall be directly responsible to the library director for proper performance of their duties.
Section 2. The library director shall attend all meetings of the Board of Trustees and such appointed committees, (but may be excused from closed sessions), and shall present reports of the activities of the library, bills for payment, and other such reports and recommendations as may be required by the Board.
Section 3. The director shall prepare an annual plan and budget for presentation to the Board of Trustees.
Article VIII
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 any motion 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 (5) 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 to all members at least ten days prior to the meeting at which such action is proposed to be taken.
Article IX
Dissolution of the School District of Florence County
In the event of the dissolution of the School District of Florence County, the total assets and physical property pertaining to the Florence Count Library shall remain the property of, and under the control of the Florence County Library under Wisconsin Statues 117.10.
Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Florence County Library on the
__________31st__________day of ______January_____________, 2007.
Amended on: 25th day of January 2012.
Revised and amended on: 14th day of January 2021.
Article I
Identification
This organization is the Florence County Library Board of Trustees, located in Florence, Wisconsin, established by the Florence County Board of Supervisors, existing by virtue of the provisions of Chapter 43 of the Wisconsin Statues, and exercising the powers and authority and assuming the duties delegated to it under said statute.
Article II
Board of Trustees, Membership and Officers
Section 1. Number, Terms, Remuneration and Qualifications. The governing body of the library is composed of seven member. One member must be the school district administrator or his/her designee from the School District of Florence County, one school board member, up to two county board supervisors appointed by the County Chairperson, and at least three at-large members representing the citizens of the county. Members shall be appointed for three year terms. Remuneration for serving on the Board of Trustees shall consist only of a mileage reimbursement for travel for meetings attended, based on published state reimbursement rates, and submitted on official claim sheets. The Florence County Board supervisors that are appointed to the Florence County Library Board of Trustees shall be paid a per diem meeting fee as authorized by the Florence County Board of Supervisors. No other
Florence County Library Trustees shall be eligible for a per diem meeting fee.
Section 2. The Board of Trustees shall conduct the general business of the library.
Section 3. When a vacancy on the Board occurs during mid-term, the replacement Board member shall serve for the remainder of the term of the vacating Board member. Full terms for a replacement Board member shall be counted from the scheduled end of the term of the vacating Board member.
Section 4. Officers of the Board of Trustees shall be President, Vice-president, and Secretary and Nicolet Representative. Officers shall be nominated from the floor and elected for one-year terms by the Board of Trustees at the annual meeting of the Board. No member shall serve in more than one office at a time.
Section 5. In case of a vacancy on the Board of Trustees the County Board chair shall fill the position by appointment. If the vacancy is the person representing the school superintendent, the superintendent is responsible for recommending the replacement member. If the vacancy is that of an office holder, the Board of Trustees will fill the office by a nomination and vote at the next regular meeting.
Section 6. Members of the Board of Trustees shall be expected to attend all meetings unless they have been excused.
Article III
Duties of Officers
Section 1. President
The president shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and conduct the same according to the rules adopted, enforce due observance of the constitution and by-laws, decide all questions of order, and perform all customary duties pertaining to the office of president. The president shall appoint all committees and be an ex-officio member of all committees. The president shall execute all documents authorized by the Board, authorize calls for special meetings.
Section 2. Vice President
The vice-president shall assist the president and conduct meetings in the absence of the president.
Section 3. Secretary
The secretary shall be responsible for keeping a correct record of the proceedings of meetings of the Board and shall be responsible for all legally required notices and publications. For reasons of expediency and practicality, the secretary may delegate any of the
aforementioned duties to the Library Director. If delegated, the secretary maintains all responsibility and authority for staff action, unless otherwise assumed by the Board of Trustees.
For reasons of expediency and practicality, the secretary may delegate any of these aforementioned duties to the librarian. If delegated, the secretary maintains all responsibility and authority for staff actions, unless otherwise assumed by the Board of Trustees.
Article lV
Meetings
Section 1. The Board of Trustees shall meet at the minimum, six times per year, and additionally as needed. The day of the month and the time of the meeting will be set by the Board of Trustees at the annual meeting.
Section 2. The annual meeting, which shall be for the purpose of the election of officers, shall occur at the time of the first regularly scheduled meeting each year.
Section 3. Fifty-one (51) percent of the Board of Trustees, including vacancies, shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum the only legal act shall be adjournment. (Four Board members will constitute a quorum with the present board of seven members.)
Section 4. When a member of the Board of Trustees has been absent without notice or good cause from two regular meetings of the Board within a year, the president shall notify the appointing authority of such absences suggesting that consideration be given to a replacement on the Board of Trustees.
Section 5. All meetings of the Board and Committees will be held in compliance with Wisconsin’s open meeting law. (WI. Stats. Sections 19.81 to 19.98)
Section 6. Parliamentary procedure will be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, last revised edition.
Article V
Committees
Section 1. All committees shall be authorized by action of the Board of Trustees. The President shall appoint members to serve on committees.
Article VI
Duties of the Board of Trustees
Section 1. Legal responsibility for the operation of the Florence County Public Library is vested in the Board of Trustees. Subject to state and federal law, the Board has the power and duty to determine the 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 public library employees. (Wis. Stats 43.58 (4)
Section 3. The Board shall approve the budget and assure adequate funding, and have exclusive control of the expenditures of all moneys collected, donated or appropriated, and shall audit and approve all expenditures.
Section 4. The Board shall review any building and grounds needs with the Florence County Public Schools.
Section 5. The Board shall cooperate with the Florence County Board of Supervisors and the School District of Florence County.
Section 6. The Board shall approve and submit the required annual report to the Division for Libraries, Technology, Community Learning, and the Florence County Board of Supervisors.
Article VII
Library Director
The Board of Trustees of the Florence County Library shall appoint a library director who shall be considered an employee of the County, but will be accountable to the Board of Trustees. (Wis. Stats. 43.58 (4)). The library director shall administer the library in accordance with such state laws and administrative code requirements as applicable. The library director shall be responsible for upholding the constitution, by-laws, policies and regulations of the library as determined by the Board of Trustees.
Section 1. All other employees of the library shall be directly responsible to the library director for proper performance of their duties.
Section 2. The library director shall attend all meetings of the Board of Trustees and such appointed committees, (but may be excused from closed sessions), and shall present reports of the activities of the library, bills for payment, and other such reports and recommendations as may be required by the Board.
Section 3. The director shall prepare an annual plan and budget for presentation to the Board of Trustees.
Article VIII
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 any motion 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 (5) 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 to all members at least ten days prior to the meeting at which such action is proposed to be taken.
Article IX
Dissolution of the School District of Florence County
In the event of the dissolution of the School District of Florence County, the total assets and physical property pertaining to the Florence Count Library shall remain the property of, and under the control of the Florence County Library under Wisconsin Statues 117.10.
Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Florence County Library on the
__________31st__________day of ______January_____________, 2007.
Amended on: 25th day of January 2012.
Revised and amended on: 14th day of January 2021.
