Regular Meeting
Board of Trustees of the Peru Public Library District
January 8, 2026
6:00 pm
Present: Jean Carter, Kent Maze, Laurie Moss, Doug Olivero, Larry Sittler,
and Bo Windy, along with Director of Finance – Melissa Keegan and Library
Director – Theresa (Resa) Mai.
Absent: Mike Watts
- Called to order: President Doug Olivero called meeting to order at 5:59 pm this
evening. - Changes to the agenda: Prepared agenda sent by e-mail to board members,
listed the meeting as January 8, 2025, board secretary noted the typographical
error and corrected date of January 8, 2026. - Public comments: No members of the public attended and no comments
offered. - Approval of minutes from November 13, 2025 meeting: Kent Maze moved to
approve draft minutes from regular monthly meeting held on November 13,
2025, second given by Laurie Moss, and upon vote motion carried. - President’s report: No separate report at this meeting by board president.
- Correspondence:
a. Thank-you card from all library staff members expressing gratitude to
board for holiday gifts given in December 2025. - Director’s report:
a. Sidewalk light on lamp-post outside front entrance continues to have
issues with city having come over four times. Bo Windy suggested
getting a timer for lights, if problem persists.
b. Staff member Marie is retiring after working here 13 years and giving
library a $1,000 gift, suggesting it be used for a bottle filling water
fountain.
c. New employee, Ann, has already been chosen for Marie’s position and
will work 15 hours per week and 2 Saturdays per month.
d. Director indicated she would like to upcoming bi-annual convention in
Minneapolis, MN of Public Library Association (PLA), which she likes
better than American Library Association (ALA). Board discussion
pointed out to her that budget includes funds for staff education with – 1
consensus to schedule vote on appropriation of funds during February
2026 meeting.
e. A “Resolution Forming a Cooperative Agreement between Peru Public
Library and St. Bede Academy” presented to board, which is patterned
after the intergovernmental agreement library has with the Peru
Elementary School District #124, allowing school to have up to 4 cards
certified teachers may use to check out from and order materials through
the Peru Public Library for instructional preparation and classroom use.
Board members gave approval for signing agreement upon name
change from “Inter-Governmental Agreement” (IGA) to “Resolution” since
St. Bede Academy is a private parochial school.
f. Illinois State Library through IPLAR (Illinois Public Library Annual Report)
noted no library issued e-mail accounts were listed as being used and
recommended that all official library communications and business be
transacted through library issued e-mail accounts, otherwise personal e
mail may be subject to FOIA requests. Board members all agreed this
should be arranged. - Prior meeting follow-up:
StoryWalk — reviewing the initial program created in 2019 by Christian
Risk, the outdoor display pedestals for the StoryWalk are to be
maintained by the City of Peru. We are responsible for the update and
maintenance of the books. In the original agreement we were to change
out the books 6 (six) times a year. Director Resa would like to increase
that to a minimum of 12 times a year and explained RAILS has access to
other libraries with StoryWalk programs, and facilitates borrowing and
swapping books, to reduce our cost. She mentioned Wilmington, IL and
Woodstock, IL libraries had been active in providing books they had cut
apart and laminated for the outdoor display pedestals. Board member
suggested contacting Graves-Hume Public Library in Mendota, IL to see
if it would be interested in a consortium sharing arrangement as they had
new books every month since setting up its story walk.
Owl Program – Bo Windy noted next owl program will be on March 18,- Financial report: Director of Finance noted that the money on deposit in the
pooled governmental Illinois Funds Account had average daily yield of 3.945%
and to date 54% of fiscal year budget had been spend library continues
to be “on track” as expected. Supplemental Services Certificate of Deposit with
bequeathed memorial funds from Linda Hiltabrand Estate was opened
10 December 2025 at Central Bank – Illinois
a. Approve disbursements for December 2025 and January 2026. Motion
made by Jean Carter to approve December 2025 and January 2026
disbursements, with second from Larry Sittler, and with affirmative vote
carried.- 2
b. Accept financial report for January 2026. Motion made by Jean Carter for
acceptance of January 2026 financial report, with second by Laurie
Moss, and with affirmative vote carried.
- Financial report: Director of Finance noted that the money on deposit in the
- Executive session
- Action and/or discussion items
a. Board meeting dates for FY2026/27. Motion made by Kent Maze to
approve FY2026/27 meeting dates, with second from Bo Windy, and
carried on an affirmative vote.
b. Authorize bank signature cards. Motion made by Kent Maze to authorize
removal of Emily Schaub, Mike Watts, and Kent Maze as authorized
signers on financial accounts and authorize execution of new signature
cards by: Theresa (Resa) Mai – Library Director, Director of Finance –
Melissa Keegan – Director of Finance, Douglas Olivero – Board President,
and Jean Carter – Board Treasurer, needed second came from Bo
Windy, and with 6 affirmative votes motion carried.
c. Appoint Resa Mai, FOIA and OMA officer. Motion made by Kent Maze to
appoint Resa Mai as FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) and OMA (Open
Meeting Acts) officer for Peru Public Library District, second given by
Jean Carter, and with 6 affirmative votes motion carried. - Adjournment. There being no further business, meeting adjourned at 6:55
pm.
Submitted by Larry Sittler / Board Secretary