Library By-laws and Operating Procedures
The following shall be the By Laws/Operating Procedures of the Library, Columbus Junction, Iowa; its Board of Trustees, Director, employees, and those administering the business of the establishment. The By Laws/Operating Procedures shall supersede all previous ones.
1. Appointment of Board of Trustees: The Columbus Junction Mayor with approval of the City Council will appoint members to the Board of Trustees for the Library. A Board composed of five members shall serve a period of six years for overlapping term with each term commencing on the 1st of January. At least two of the board member will reside within the city limits of Columbus Junction. The following three board members can but are not limited to a representative from the rural community area or surrounding community of Columbus Junction (Columbus City or Fredonia). Board members shall be limited to two successive six-year terms, with reappointment permissible following a two-year period of non-service. If Mayor and Council cannot find someone willing to serve as board member current members may continue with longer term until a replacement is found.
2. Meetings: All meetings of the Board of Trustees, any board or commission, or any multimember body formally and directly created by any of the foregoing bodies shall be held in accordance with the following:
3. Notice of Meetings: Reasonable notice, as defined by State law, of the time, date and place of each meeting and its tentative agenda, shall be given and posted at the Library or city hall within public view. On a typical basis, meetings will be held the second Tuesday of each month at 5 pm at the library’s conference room; any variations will be published on the month’s tentative agenda, posted at the Library and City Hall. Order of business will follow the tentative agenda, inasmuch as possible, and if variations are made to the agenda from its posting, the most recent version will be used as the order of business. Robert’s Rules of Order is the parliamentary procedure utilized by the Board for conducting all business.
4. Meetings Open: All meetings shall be held in open session unless closed sessions are held as expressly permitted by State law.
5. Closed Sessions: A closed session may be held only by affirmative vote of either two thirds of the body or all of the members present at the meeting.
6. Regular & Special Meetings: Regular monthly meetings will be held to ensure payment of bills and take action on necessary business. Special Meeting may be called by the President or upon the written request of three members of the Board of Trustees for the transaction of business stated in the call for the meeting.
7. Minutes: Minutes shall be kept of all meetings showing the date, time and place, the members present, and the action taken at each meeting. The minutes shall show the results of each vote taken and information sufficient to indicate the vote of each member present. The vote of each member present shall be made public at the open session. The minutes shall be public records open to the public inspection.
8. Cameras and Recorders: The public may use cameras or recording devises at any open session.
9. Quorum: a quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of three (3) members.
10. Public Address: All meetings of the Board are open to members of the public who wish to observe. Non-board members who wish to address the Board should request a place on the agenda not later than twenty-four (24) hours before the posted meeting. The Board is not obligated to act upon any complaint or suggestions at the meeting at which it is presented.
11. Books and records: All books and records required to be kept by law shall be open to examination by the public upon request, unless some other provisions of law expressly limit such right or require such records to be kept confidential. Access to public records which are combined with data processing software shall be in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Library and City.
12. Officers & Committees: Officers of the Board of Trustees shall be chosen each year at its regular meeting in January and shall be as follows: President, Vice-President and Secretary. An officer may succeed him or herself and roles of each officer are as follows:
a. President: the President of the Board shall preside at the meetings, appoint all committees, authorize calls for any special meetings, and generally perform the duties of the presiding officers.
b. Vice President: the Vice President shall preside at the meetings in the absence of the Presidents and perform all other duties in case of the President's absence or incapacity.
c. Secretary: The Secretary of the Board shall keep a true and accurate account of all proceedings of the Board meetings.
d. Committees: Special committees for the study and investigation of special problems may be appointed by the President, such committees to serve until the completion of the work for which they were appointed.
13. Amendments: Amendments to these By Laws/Operating Procedures may be made by any member of the Board at any regular meeting of the Board of Trustees with a quorum present by the unanimous vote of the members present, providing the amendment was stated in the call for the meeting.
Written February 2000
Adopted April 2000
Revised June 2002
Reviewed March 2009
Reviewed/Approved December 2015
Revised December 2016
Amended January 2017
Reviewed August 2019
Amended December 2021