[EBR Library Board of Control on July 16, 2026]
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WELCOME TO THE EAST VAN ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL MEETING OF JULY 16TH, 2026.
UM, RONNIE, CAN YOU LEAD US IN PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE? MY PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALRIGHT, LET THE RECORD REFLECT.
MOVING ON TO THE APPROVE OF THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 17TH, 2026.
DO WE HAVE ANY REVISIONS TO THE MEETING, TO THE MINUTES? I'M SORRY.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ANY BOARD COMMENT? I AGREE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPECIAL ORDERS AT THIS TIME.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA REPORTS BY THE DIRECTOR, THE FINANCIAL REPORT.
FINANCIAL REPORTS BE READ BY NU FOR 2026.
OPERATING EXPENDITURES THROUGH JUNE 30TH ARE $23,210,714 AND 55 CENTS ARE 43.61% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET THROUGH JUNE.
WE SHOULD HAVE SPENT NO MORE THAN 50% OF THE BUDGET.
CASH COLLECTIONS FROM PROPERTY TAXES FOR 2026 ARE AHEAD OF THOSE COLLECTED IN 2025 AS WE ARE APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILLION AND 2.63% AHEAD OF THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA SYSTEM REPORTS.
SYSTEM REPORTS WILL BE READ BY MARY STEIN.
ALRIGHT, SO FIRST OF ALL, HAVEN'T SEEN YOU SINCE JUNE 27TH OR A FEW DAYS BEFORE.
UM, HERE'S A FEW IMAGES FROM JUNE 26TH, UH, WITH ADVOCATES, UH, EVEN FROM THE GRAVEYARD OUT THERE.
NOW, NO ONE WAS VOTING FROM THE GRAVEYARD, BUT THEY WERE PROMOTING FROM THE GRAVEYARD.
UM, OUR PATRONS OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE EBR LIBRARY PACK, RANDOM PATRONS, INDEPENDENCES, UH, WERE OUT AND ABOUT EVERYWHERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ON STREET CORNERS.
AND AS YOU SEE BEHIND THE CEMETERY WALLS, UM, UH, THEY WERE POSTING, THEY WERE BOOK HATTING.
THEY, YOU, THERE, YOU SEE SOME OF US, THE, THE DAY BEFORE
AND THE RESULTS SPOKE FOR THEMSELVES ON SATURDAY NIGHT.
BY EIGHT 20, BY EIGHT 20, DIFFERENT PEOPLE WERE CALLING THE ELECTION.
UM, I THOUGHT THAT WAS MAYBE A LITTLE BIT EARLY TO CALL THE ELECTION.
UH, I MEAN, THE MINUTE THEY OPEN THE EARLY VOTING, PEOPLE WERE CALLING THE ELECTION.
AND YOU HAVE AT YOUR PLACES, UM, THE PRECINCT REPORTS, AND THEN A MAP THAT SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION OF YES AND NO VOTES THROUGHOUT THE PARISH.
UM, A LOT OF GREEN, UH, THE PLACES THAT ARE READ, I COMPARED THEM WITH, UH, OUR ELECTION RESULTS FROM A PREVIOUS ELECTION.
AND, UM, AND I CAN SHARE THIS WITH Y'ALL LATER, IT'S NO BIG DEAL.
BUT, UM, THE RED, THE PREDOMINANT RED AREAS HAVE BEEN TRADITIONALLY, PREDOMINANTLY READ
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AGAINST THE LIBRARY'S MILLAGE.THEY DO USE THE LIBRARY, THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO VOTE FOR IT.
UM, BUT THIS TIME WE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE GREEN IN THOSE AREAS.
UM, SO THAT WAS, I THINK, ENCOURAGING TO ME.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT PEOPLE WERE PROMOTING FROM THEIR CARS.
SOME PEOPLE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO PUT YARD SIGNS UP, SO THEY OPENED THE TRUNKS OF THEIR CARS AND HAD SIGNS DISPLAYED THAT DAY IN THEIR, IN THEIR DRIVEWAYS.
UM, THERE YOU SEE BOARD MEMBER KATHY WASCOM WITH HER SIGN, UH, WAVING OUT ON PERKINS ROAD.
UH, THAT'S AT MY HOUSE, BUT I I I WAS ON PERKINS AND STANFORD, BUT THAT SIGN IS 20 YEARS OLD.
MY DAUGHTER MADE IT FOR ME AND I THOUGHT, HMM, THE LAST TIME WOULD BE THE LAST TIME I WOULD HAVE TO USE IT TO STAND ON THE CORNER OF H IN STANFORD.
BUT I USED IT AGAIN, SO THAT'S RIGHT.
AND YOUR DAUGHTER MADE THIS ON? I DON'T, WHEN SHE WAS LITTLE YES, SHE DID.
WITH THE LITTLE, I DID THIS IN MY PACKET.
DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER SET OF OH, SURE, SURE.
YOU MEAN THE YEAH, THE BATHROOM, THE MATH.
UM, SO, UH, IT, IT'S EXCITING AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN THE NEXT DAY AND THE NEXT DAY, AND EVEN INTO YESTERDAY, WHEREVER KATRINA AND LAURIE AND I GO,
AND THE THING THAT I LOVE THAT THEY'RE SAYING IS, WE DID IT.
UM, ONE SWEET LADY CAME UP TO ME AND I'M GONNA BE 69 IN A WEEK.
SHE IS MAYBE 20 YEARS AHEAD OF ME.
UM, AND SHE SAID, I'M SO PROUD OF US.
AND THERE'S, AND OF COURSE NOW IT'S KIND OF, NOW WE CAN GET TO WORK ON THE MISSION AGAIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
AND, UH, SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN TAKE A VACATION SO NOW WE CAN GET DOWN TO WORK BECAUSE WE HAVE STABLE, WE, WE HAVE A STABLE FUTURE.
SO WE'RE JUST STILL SO THRILLED AND THANKFUL TO WHAT THE PATRONS, THE CITIZENS OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH DID WHEN THEY SHOWED UP AND THEY SHOWED OUT AND THEY MADE IT HAPPEN.
UM, SO THIS IS WHAT WE PUT OUT ON, UH, THE FACEBOOK PAGE THAT NIGHT.
UM, UH, THAT'S A PICTURE FROM STAFF TRAINING DAY.
WE DIDN'T GATHER STAFF THAT NIGHT TO TAKE A PICTURE, BUT, UM, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PEOPLE JUST PUT THAT OUT AND THAT REALLY RE REPRESENTS THE FEELING OF, OF OUR STAFF AND OUR PATRONS.
SO THE VERY NEXT DAY ON SUNDAY I WAS HERE, PEOPLE WERE SAYING, OH, AREN'T YOU GONNA HAVE A, AN AFTER PARTY? AND I'M LIKE, THIS IS IT.
BECAUSE WE HAD 2000 PEOPLE OUT HERE FOR ERIC ROBERSON, 2000 PEOPLE.
ACTUALLY, IT'S MORE THAT THEY SAID, OH, IT WAS 2,229.
THEY WANTED EVERY ONE OF THEM FOR A WONDERFUL EVE IMPROV SESSION WITH POET MUSICIAN ERIC ROBERSON.
THEN, UM, UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO, SINCE POETS WERE ON THE MENU, UH, THE POET LAUREATE WILL BE HERE, UM, ON MY BIRTHDAY.
I'M HAVING A POET LAUREATE FOR MY BIRTHDAY MUSIC AGAIN.
THAT SAME WEEK WINS YOUR PARTY.
HERE IT IS, OVER 500 PEOPLE HERE FOR THE BATON ROUGE CONCERT BAND.
AND, UM, THERE'S JP ALMOST CONDUCTING THE BAND.
UM, THE UPPER IMAGE I HAD TO SHARE BECAUSE, UM, IT'S NOT JUST HUMAN EARS THAT ENJOY THE CONCERTS.
UM, I, I WONDER IF I CAN MAKE THIS THING.
NO, YOU SEE THE PUPPY, HE WAS VERY WELL BEHAVED.
OF COURSE, THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM, LIFE DOES STILL GO ON SUMMER READING PROGRAM, STILL GOING IN A BIG WAY.
WE WILL DO THE PARTIES AT THE VERY END OF THE MONTH.
BUT, UM, LADY CHOPS IS EVERYWHERE.
SNAKE ID, UH, THE COLLAGE ARTIST.
UH, WE HAVE A NEW PROGRAM COMING SOON.
WE'VE NEVER HAD, UH, SOME, SOME OF OUR, SOME OF OUR PRESENTERS ARE NEW TO US, BUT SOME ARE THE SAME OLD.
WE, IT WOULDN'T BE SOMEWHERE WITHOUT HARVEY RABBIT, YOU KNOW.
SO THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF THINGS TO DO, INCLUDING THINGS FOR THE TEENAGERS.
WE HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME WHEN THE DRONES CAME
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FOR COOL CAREERS, THEY WERE IN THIS ROOM, STANDING ROOM ONLY.AND THEN THEY WENT OUT TO THE PLAZA AND FLEW THE DRONES AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL.
YOU CAN SEE, UH, SPARK YOUR SUMMER.
SO SOME OTHER TECHNOLOGY THINGS HAPPENING.
THIS IS WHERE OUR SINGLE, UH, SINGLE MOMS ARE LEARNING HOW TO DO THINGS LIKE WIRE THEIR FANS OR WIRE A LAMP OR LOOK AT THEIR LOOK UNDER THE HOOD, YOU KNOW, TO GAIN CONFIDENCE IN TAKING CARE OF HOUSEHOLD CHORES.
UH, REDICK FARMERS CLOSED OUT, UH, THE SEASON WITH US HERE, IN SPITE OF THE RAIN.
AND UP IN THE TOP IN THE MIDDLE.
THAT'S NOT A PUBLIC EVENT, BUT IT WILL BE AFFECTING THE PUBLIC VERY MUCH BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE THAT IS THE POLARIS COMMITTEE.
THAT IS THE STAFF, UH, STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE NEW INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEM.
WE'RE STARTING THE PLANNING NOW, WE'RE STARTING THE DATA MAPPING, THE PROFILE DESIGN.
THE PROCEDURE CHECKLIST IS BEING DONE FOR THE CHANGEOVER FROM THE SYSTEM THAT WE'VE BEEN USING BASICALLY SINCE 1987.
IT'S BEEN UPGRADED IN 1995, AGAIN IN 2009.
BUT BASICALLY WE'RE USING A LEGACY SYSTEM THAT DATES BACK TO 1987.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A NEW SYSTEM THAT WILL, WE CALL IT THE ILS, THE INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEM.
IT WILL HANDLE THE PATRON ACCOUNTS, IT WILL HANDLE THE BOOKS, THE CATALOGING, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.
AND WE'RE MAPPING, YOU KNOW, 2 MILLION ITEMS OVER.
WE'RE MAPPING 313,000 PATRONS OVER.
WE'RE MAPPING RESERVATIONS OVER, AND IT STILL HAS TO PLAY NICE WITH EVERYTHING ON OUR DATABASES, INCLUDING, AND MOST ESPECIALLY LIBBY AND THE OTHER DATABASES WHERE YOU CREATE A DEDICATED ACCOUNT LIKE THE LINKEDIN LEARNING, THE UDEMY, THE MANGO LANGUAGES, THOSE HIGH END BUSINESS REFERENCE PLATFORMS THAT WE OFFER YOU.
CAN YOU CREATE YOUR LOCAL ACCOUNT BECAUSE YOU KEEP YOUR STUFF THERE.
YOU KEEP YOUR CLASSWORK THERE, YOU KEEP YOUR CLASSES THERE, SO IT HAS TO MIGRATE TOO.
UH, WE'VE BEEN GETTING READY AGAIN WITH BUSINESS, UH, GETTING READY FOR THE NEXT, UH, SMALL BUSINESS ENGINE SERIES.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL HAVE BUSINESS AND BAGELS AGAIN WITH REFERENCE USA NOW CALLED DATA AXLE.
THAT IS OUR PREMIER BUSINESS DATABASE.
AND THAT WILL BE A FREE PROGRAM HERE AT THE LIBRARY IN AUGUST.
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, WE ALWAYS DO A BACK TO SCHOOL, UM, KIND OF LANDSCAPE FOR PARENTS OR TEACHERS.
WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THEM ANYWHERE.
WE DO THEM AT SPECIFIC SCHOOLS.
WE'LL DO THEM FOR, UH, COMBINED FACULTY MEETINGS.
WE'LL GO TO TEACHERS ASSOCIATIONS, BUT WE CERTAINLY HOST THEM HERE AT THE LIBRARY.
SO THAT'S COMING UP BECAUSE, UH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT'S ALMOST TIME TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND, OH, A LITTLE THING CALLED AMERICA TWO 50.
SO WE OF COURSE, HAVE, UH, BEEN DOING SMALL PROGRAMS, LARGE PROGRAMS THERE.
HISTORIC DANCERS DANCING HERE AT THE MAIN LIBRARY.
THE BATON ROUGE LECTURE SERIES.
OF COURSE, UH, WE'LL DO A LITTLE BIT WITH AMERICA TWO 50.
WE'LL, BUT WE'RE STARTING WITH CANADIAN HERITAGE.
SO LA AS WE KNOW, IS A SPECIAL THING, NOT JUST FOR THE WORLD CUP.
UH, AND THE PROGRAM THAT WE WILL OFFER NEXT WEEK HAS GOTTEN SO MANY CALLS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAPE IT AND ARCHIVE IT.
PEOPLE CONTACTED US FROM MISSOURI SAYING, I CAN'T COME THIS WEEK,
PEOP PEOPLE HAVE FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE GENEALOGY TOURISM HERE.
AND THEN THE IMPORTANT ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM COMING UP IN AUGUST.
UM, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT IT'S THE VERY FIRST DAY OF AUGUST.
WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE IT IN JULY, UH, BE IT REMEMBERED STORIES FROM THE COURTHOUSE BASEMENT.
THIS IS SO IMPORTANT ON IT, THE KINDS OF RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON GENEALOGY, YOU'RE GONNA BE DRIVING, YOU'RE GONNA BE MOVING FROM PLACE TO PLACE, TOWN TO TOWN,
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COUNTY TO COUNTY, PARISH TO PARISH AND EVEN STATE TO STATE.SO ESPECIALLY VITAL RECORDS THAT ESTABLISH RACE AND IDENTITY SO CRITICAL TO UNDERSTAND.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? HOW DO YOU FIND THESE RECORDS AND WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THEM WHEN YOU GET THEM? SO OUR GENEAL, OUR GENEALOGISTS AND STAFF AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS HAVE PUT TOGETHER A WONDERFUL SYMPOSIUM.
IT IS OF COURSE, FREE SATURDAY, AUGUST 1ST.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO DRIVE FROM ST.
WE HOSTED SNEAKER FEST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MO MONSOON
THE, THE CLOUDS DID OPEN, BUT THEY GOT A FEW HOURS IN BEFORE THE CLOUDS OPEN.
AND THEN THEY ALL JUST RAN INTO THE LIBRARY.
AND, UH, THEY ENDED UP HAVING THE SNEAKER FASHION SHOW RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LIBRARY.
EVERYBODY PUNTED OR PIVOTED, AND, UH, THEY JUST MOVED IT ALL INSIDE.
WE WILL BE HOSTING NEIGHBORHOOD FEST HERE TOMORROW, I EXPECT GOOD WEATHER.
AND THEN AFTER THE DAY AFTER THAT, WE WILL HAVE THE RESCHEDULED JUNETEENTH UNITY FESTIVAL OUTSIDE ON SUNDAY, JULY 19TH FROM TWO TO EIGHT.
UH, WE ARE OF COURSE DOING BACK TO SCHOOL BASHES.
SOME ARE TAKING PLACE HERE, SOME WE'RE GOING THERE.
UH, EVEN THE CAPITAL AREA COMPUTER RECYCLING CENTER.
THEY'LL BE HERE AND THEY WILL BE MAKING AVAILABLE AT E AT A VERY LOW, LOW COST RECONDITION LAPTOPS, CHROMEBOOKS HOTSPOTS, UM, ON THEIR POPUP SALE, AS YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH THEM.
WE HAVE ALREADY RECYCLED MORE THAN ONE TON OF DIGITAL DEVICES THAT HAVE BEEN SAVED FROM BEING FROM CLUTTERING UP OUR LANDFILL.
AND WHEN THEY CAN, THEY PUT THEM BACK INTO SERVICE.
WHEN THEY CANNOT, THEY HARVEST THE PARTS.
SO, UH, WORKING WITH THEM, WORKING WITH OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES, UH, PLAYING WITH KNOCK KNOCK.
UH, SO, SO MANY DIFFERENT EVENTS.
UH, THE, THE, THE OUTREACH STAFF ARE BEGGING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO JOIN THEM BECAUSE THEY COULD BE DOING 10 IN ONE DAY BECAUSE THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.
WE'VE BEEN LEADING THROUGH UNCERTAINTY AND GETTING INTO THE ACT WITH AI.
AS YOU WILL RECALL, WE'VE BEEN LEANING HEAVILY INTO AI WITH OUR PUBLIC PROGRAMMING FOR SMALL BUSINESS ALL YEAR.
AND SO THIS KIND OF CONTINUES THAT TREND.
UH, WITH THE NEXT STRICTLY BUSINESS VIRTUAL AUTHOR TALKS, WE'VE ADDED SOMETHING NEW TO VIRTUAL AUTHOR TALKS, AND THAT IS THE VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO PROVIDE BY, BY SOME OF OUR PATRONS.
NOT EVERYBODY CAN COME TO A BOOK CLUB THAT MEETS ON TUESDAYS AT 10 OR SATURDAYS AT TWO OR THURSDAYS AT SIX.
AND NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO ANY PLACE IN PERSON.
UM, SO WE'VE GLOMMED ON TO A NATIONAL READERS CONNECT VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB WHERE YOU CAN REALLY MORE CLEARLY FIND YOUR TRIBE, FIND YOUR INTEREST GROUP, AND PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING TO THAT.
OUR LOCAL PATRONS ARE SIGNING UP AND ATTENDING.
AND WE'LL, WE'RE DOING IT ON A TRIAL BASIS.
AND IF, IF IT, UH, IF IT HOLDS STEADY, WE'LL CONTINUE IT NEXT YEAR.
I DO WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU, OF COURSE, WE'RE STILL GETTING READY FOR THE AUGUST REMEMBRANCE OF THE GREAT FLOOD OF 2016.
WE ARE COLLECTING ORAL HISTORIES.
NOW, THE, UH, MENU FOR THAT WEEK INCLUDES THE CITY PARISH, GIS DEPARTMENT, THE DATA DATA PROGRAM DEPARTMENT.
THEY'LL BE HERE ON THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT OF THAT WEEK.
THE THURSDAY NIGHT OF THAT WEEK, WE WILL HOST THE STORM WATER SUMMIT SUMMIT WITH THE GREATER BATON ROUGE FEDERATION OF CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.
WE HOSTED IT LAST YEAR AT SOUTH THIS YEAR.
I EXPECT EVEN MORE PEOPLE, WE'RE GONNA HOST IT HERE IN THE BIG ROOM.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE DR. CHERRY, WHO'S DONE RESEARCH BASED OUT OF THIS LIBRARY FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS ON RESILIENCE AFTER DISASTERS.
THERE'LL BE THE LABYRINTH, THE CAJUN NAVY'S COMING, REDS STICK READY WITH, SUCH AS OUR CITY PARISH EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
SO, UM, I EXPECT, UM, A WONDERFUL WEEK, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FACT WITH THAT.
NOW, BEFORE WE GET ON, I CAN REVEAL TO YOU NOW THAT THE MAKER FAIR WILL TAKE PLACE ON OCTOBER 17TH, WHICH IS A SATURDAY.
THE THEME THIS YEAR IS WE'RE GONNA GET MEDIEVAL WITH IT.
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ALL READY TO GO WITH HIS ARMOR AND HIS FLER LEE SHIELD.UH, THE CALL TO MAKERS INCLUDES LOOKING FOR GLASS BLOWERS, BLACKSMITHS, BASKET WEAVERS, POTTERS, PAPER MAKERS, TINKERERS, STAINED GLASS, PRODUCERS, ARMOR, YOU NAME IT.
THERE WILL CERTAINLY BE JOUSTING ROBOTS.
AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE STAFF HAS PLANNED.
SO THAT'S ONE THING I WANTED TO ANNOUNCE TO YOU.
ANOTHER THING TO ANNOUNCE TO YOU, UH, IN SEPTEMBER, THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION ALWAYS DOES A GENERIC NATIONAL, NATIONAL LIBRARY SIGN UP MONTH PROMOTION.
AND OFTEN A CELEBRITY IS TASKED OR TAPPED TO BE THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE CAMPAIGN, UH, WHERE WE'RE PUT AN EXTRA PUSH ON SIGNING PEOPLE UP FOR THEIR LIBRARY CARDS, ESPECIALLY SINCE ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY, THEY'RE JUST STARTING SCHOOL.
UH, WE OF COURSE WILL HAVE STARTED SIX WEEKS EARLIER,
UH, BUT THIS YEAR, AND, AND USUALLY, YOU KNOW, WE PUT UP, YOU KNOW, ONE YEAR IT WAS SNOOPY ACTUALLY ABOUT THREE YEARS, IT WAS SNOOPY.
AND SO WE HAVE SNOOPY IN THE LOBBY, AND SNOOPY TELLS YOU, GET YOUR LIBRARY CARD.
GREAT, WELL, THIS YEAR, NASH, INTERNATIONAL STAR LOAF LFE, L-A-U-F-E-Y-I AM TOO OLD TO KNOW.
THIS IS AN INFLUENCER WITH MILLIONS OF FOLLOWERS.
LAIE IS A ICELANDIC CHINESE COMPOSER, SINGER, PRODUCER, MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST.
AND SHE'S ONE OF THESE PEOPLE, AGAIN, WITH THE GAJILLIONS OF FOLLOWERS THAT THE MILLENNIALS AND THE GEN ZS AND THE GEN XS KNOW WHO SHE IS.
AND SINCE SHE'S ALSO AN ARTIST, SHE DESIGNED LIBRARY CARDS AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME, AND THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE A MEDIEVAL FLARE TO THEM.
SO IT'S LIKE WE PLANNED IT TO GO WITH THE MAKER FAIR.
SO WE THINK THE PEOPLE THAT WILL COME IN LOOKING FOR THE LFI CARD ARE GOING TO BE THE PEOPLE IN HER TRIBE WHO FOLLOW HER.
PEOPLE A LITTLE YOUNGER THAN I.
AND SO WE'RE GETTING SPECIAL LIBRARY CARDS MADE.
AND, AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
WE WILL ANNOUNCE IT IN AUGUST BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S SEPTEMBER IS THE SIGNUP MONTH, THEY'RE STARTING IT IN AUGUST.
'CAUSE WHY NOT? UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT NEW AND DIFFERENT.
AND THE LAST THING I WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH IS THINGS ARE LOOKING WELL AT SCOTLANDVILLE, AS LORI WILL SHARE WITH YOU.
AND WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER UPSTAIRS WHO'S LEAVING US IN A FEW DAYS.
SO SHE'S MAKING THE COMMEMORATIVE BOOKMARKS NOW FOR THE SCOTLANDVILLE REDEDICATION.
THREE DIFFERENT DESIGNS BASED ON THE MURAL THAT IS INTACT AND BEAUTIFUL ALREADY IN PLACE AT SCOTLANDVILLE.
SO SINCE WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE HANDS, IT'S KIND OF LIKE WE'RE LAMINATING NOW.
AND SO WE DIDN'T PUT A DATE ON IT, WE JUST SAID FALL 2026.
SO I WANTED TO, I'M NOT GONNA GIVE YOU YOURS YET BECAUSE YOU, WE, SHE'S WORKING, BUT THERE'S ONE OF EACH TYPE, UH, THAT COVER THE, THE GAMUT OF THE MURAL THAT IS ON DISPLAY.
AND I'M JUST SO THRILLED WITH HOW IT'S GONNA LOOK AT, LOOK HOW IT'S LOOKING.
WE WILL USE THIS SAME ART ON THE, ON THE REDEDICATION INVITATION AND THE PROGRAMS, AND YOU'LL SEE IT IN OTHER PLACES IN THE BRANCH, BECAUSE AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, WHEN THEY INSTALLED THE MURAL, AS THEY, YOU KNOW, USED THE ZO AND SLICED OFF THE PIECES THAT THEY DIDN'T NEED TO FIT THE SPACE, WE SAVED EVERY PIECE AND YOU WILL SEE THEM AGAIN.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA GET OUT OF THE WAY.
MOVING ON TO OTHER REPORTS, MAINTENANCE AND ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL CAPITAL PROJECTS MAINTENANCE AND ADDITIONAL CAPITAL PROJECTS WILL BE READ BY LAURIE Z.
OKAY, SO MAINTENANCE FOR THE MONTH OF JULY INCLUDED WINDOW WASHING THAT WAS COMPLETED AT ALL OF THE BRANCHES EXCEPT MAIN AND RIVER CENTER.
UM, INSTALLATION OF A COMPUTER BOARD ON CHILLER NUMBER ONE AT THE MAIN LIBRARY WAS COMPLETED.
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BOARD IS GOING TO BE, UH, REPLACED ON CHILLER NUMBER TWO.UH, AT THE GREENWELL SPRINGS REGIONAL BRANCH LIBRARY.
TWO FAN MOTORS WERE REPLACED ON THE CHILLER TREES WERE TRIMMED AT BAKER CENTRAL AND THE MAIN LIBRARY AND WARRANTY WORK WAS COMPLETED ON TWO LIGHT FI FIXTURES, UH, AT SOUTH BRANCH FOR THE MISCELLANEOUS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE ROOFING PROJECT.
THAT WORK IS STILL ONGOING FOR THE EDEN PARK AND GREENWELL SPRINGS BOILER PROJECTS.
WORK WILL BEGIN NEXT WEEK ON THE BOILER PROJECT AT THE EDEN PARK LIBRARY AND STAFF NET WITH THE CONTRACTOR TODAY TO DISCUSS MOBILIZATION AND ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES HAS BEEN DELAYED, BUT THEY DO STILL PLAN TO WORK ON DRAFTING THE BID DOCUMENTS FOR THE GREENWELL SPRINGS BOILER PROJECT, UH, FOR THE THE CHILLER PROJECT.
WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR FINAL ACCEPTANCE.
WELL, TO REITERATE, REITERATE WHAT MARY SAID.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF US AND, AND A HUGE THANKS.
AS, UH, MANY FOLKS IN THE PUBLIC HAVE, UH, COME UP TO ME AND, AND SAID, CONGRATULATIONS.
YOU'VE MADE A POINT OF SAYING, WELL, THANK YOU IN RETURN FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY.
AND AS I LIKE TO SAY, THE HARD PART'S OVER THE WORK IS, WELL, WE'RE GETTING BACK TO WORK AS LIBRARIANS FOR WHICH WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL.
UM, LAST MONTH, UH, I HAD MENTIONED, UH, NOW THAT, UH, OUR MILLAGE IS SETTLED, UH, WE ARE GETTING BACK TO PROJECTS THAT WE HAD TO HOLD OFF UNTIL AFTER, UH, OUR FUNDING WAS SECURED.
SO LAST MONTH I MENTIONED THAT WE WOULD BE MEETING WITH, UH, DR AS RAUL OF THE SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY BUSINESS RESEARCH CENTER.
HE HAD PREVIOUSLY REACHED OUT TO US TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY WITH US, WAS SIMILAR TO ONE THAT WE'VE DONE FOR LIVINGSTON PARISH PUBLIC LIBRARY.
IT WAS MARY, UH, ANDREW AND AUSTIN FROM SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES, ANNA AND LYNETTE FROM CAREER SERVICES AND MYSELF, AND SAT DOWN, UH, VIRTUALLY WITH HIM AND WAYNE RICKS, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR ON MONDAY AFTERNOON.
AND THEY DEMONSTRATED A WEB TOOL THAT DR.
RAUL HAD CREATED FOR THE LIVINGSTON PARISH LIBRARY, WHICH DETERMINES THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF PUBLIC FUNDING INVESTED IN THEIR LIBRARY.
SO IT SHOWS SOME ACTUAL MEASURABLE, UH, DIFFERENCES WHEN, UH, FUNDING IS, UH, INVESTED IN SPECIFIC AREAS SUCH AS STAFF OR, UH, THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT THE LIBRARY PROVIDES TO THE PUBLIC.
SO OF COURSE, THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WOULD TAKE A FEW MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
I THINK THE TIMEFRAME WAS WHAT, ABOUT THREE MONTHS? YEAH.
UH, WHICH OF COURSE WE WOULD SHARE OUR, OUR STATISTICS.
SO THIS IS INFORMATION WHICH I EMPHASIZE IS, UH, INFORMATION WE ALREADY SHARE PUBLICLY WITH DR.
UH, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS STUDY, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT PRETTY MUCH ENDED THERE TO, I THINK WE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE TO DISCUSS, UH, BEFORE MOVING FORWARD WITH ANY PLANS? NO.
UH, AND THE OTHER ONE, OF COURSE IS THE ACCESS TO JUSTICE TOWN HALL.
UH, CHIEF JUDGE DONALD JOHNSON HAD CONTACTED ME A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION AND I SAID, CAN, CAN WE WAIT TILL AFTER JUNE 27TH, PLEASE? UM, I REACHED OUT TO HIM AS SOON AS IT WAS OVER AND SAID, OKAY, WHAT, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS FOR THE TOWN HALL? UH, WE, I WILL BE MEETING WITH HIM TOMORROW AFTERNOON.
UH, SO I DON'T HAVE ANY DETAILS WITH REGARDS TO WHAT THAT IS AS OF YET.
UH, I HOPE TO GET MORE INFORMATION SUCH AS WHAT DOES HE HAVE IN MIND? WOULD HE, LIKE SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS WHO, UH, HAVE, UH, PERSONALLY WORKED ON THE ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND, AND, UH, AIDED SOMEONE IN, UH, UH, OBTAINING A PROTECTIVE ORDER.
WHERE DOES HE WANT TO HAVE IT? DOES HE HAVE IT IN MIND TO HAVE IT AT RIVER CENTER? BUT AS SOON AS I HAVE THOSE DETAILS, I WILL DEFINITELY SHARE THOSE.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, THE, UM, THE ECONOMIC STUDY THAT'S BEING DONE, OR IS THIS, UM, WE'RE NOT PAYING FOR THIS? ARE WE PAYING? THERE WOULD BE A FEE.
UH, HOWEVER, WHAT THEY'RE ASKING IS CONSIDERABLY SMALLER THAN A LARGER OPERATION WOULD ASK.
WE'RE TALKING LESS THAN $5,000, WHICH WOULD COME FROM WHAT WE'VE ALREADY BUDGETED FOR CONSULTING FEES.
SO IT WOULD BE THE UNDER CONSULTING FEES? YES.
AND WE WOULD, UH, PAY THE UNIVERSITY MM-HMM
UH, AND, AND FOR THE ECONOMIC STUDY? MM-HMM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
MOVING ON TO REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS AT THIS TIME.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA, UNFINISHED BUSINESS, THE UPDATE ON THE SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH LIBRARY.
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UH, THE PUNCH LIST WORK IS UNDERWAY AT THE SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH LIBRARY.
UH, THE LIBRARY AND ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES PERFORMED A SEPARATE PUNCH LIST TO BE COMPILED WITH STANTEC'S PUNCH LIST, AND STANTEC IS WORKING WITH THE MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS TO COMPILE THEIR PUNCH LIST.
UM, NEXT WE'LL HAVE SHELVING INSTALLATION THAT HAS ALREADY BEGUN ON JULY 6TH.
FURNITURE INSTALLATION WILL BEGIN ON JULY 20TH AND CONTINUE THROUGH SEPTEMBER WHEN CUSTOM SERVICE DESKS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE.
UM, THE STAFF WILL BEGIN MOVING INTO THE LIBRARY FROM THE ANNEX IN LATE JULY OR EARLY AUGUST.
AND AS SHELVING IS COMPLETED, STAFF WILL BEGIN STAGING FOR SHELVING BOOKS AND AB MATERIALS.
WE ANTICIPATE HAVING A SOFT OPENING IN LATE AUGUST.
AND AS MARY WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT A GRAND RE DEDICATION OPENING CEREMONY IN OCTOBER, WE DON'T HAVE FINAL DATES FOR THAT, BUT I'M SURE MARY WILL SEND OUT THE INVITATIONS ONCE WE HAVE SOME DATES FINALIZED.
AND I DO HAVE A FEW IMAGES TO SHOW YOU, AND I TRIED TO HIGHLIGHT THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE BRANCH NOW.
SO THIS IS THE EXTERIOR ENTRANCE COMPLETE, AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTING OUTSIDE.
YOU SEE THOSE BEAUTIFUL GLOBES INSIDE THE CHILDREN'S ROOM.
ONE OF THE SHADES IS PARTIALLY DOWN, THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T SEE THE THIRD GLOBE, BUT THERE ARE ACTUALLY THREE GLOBES IN THAT ROOM.
OH YEAH, YOU CAN SEE THE BEAUTIFUL, SEE THE HANDICAPPED PARKING THAT'S RIGHT OUT FRONT.
NOW FOR THE PATRONS WHO REQUESTED THAT WE MAKE PARKING, UH, EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR THEM.
ALL RIGHT, THE CHILDREN'S ROOM.
UM, SO I HIGHLIGHTED THE MAIN PART OF THE, UH, THE CHILDREN'S ROOM WITH THE, UH, LIGHTING FEATURE ABOVE HIGHLIGHTED.
AND AS WELL, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE GLOBES FROM THE INSIDE, AND THERE'S ALSO THAT FAMILY RESTROOM BACK THERE.
SO THAT BY THE WINDOW, THAT'S THEIR LITTLE SMALL STORY AREA.
FOR SMALL GROUP OR THE, THE TECHNOLOGY, THE, THE TOUCH SCREEN WILL BE ON ONE SIDE AND, UH, A DIFFERENT FEATURE ON THE OTHER.
YEAH, I MEANT TO ACTUALLY POINT THAT OUT, MARY.
UM, IF YOU LOOK BACK INTO THE CENTER AREA, YOU'LL SEE THE LEARN SIGN ABOVE.
THAT'S WHERE THE GLASS BOARD IS.
AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, OPPOSITE SIDE, DO YOU SEE THE READ? AND THAT'S WHERE THE TECHNOLOGY WILL BE FEATURED FOR THE ROOM.
SO I DID MEAN TO MENTION THAT.
THEN WE HAVE THE PROGRAM ROOMS. WE HAVE PROGRAM ROOM A AND B, SO THAT'S ON OPPOSITE ENDS IN THAT FRONT AREA.
UH, I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT THE CONFERENCE ROOM, BUT THERE ARE THREE ROOMS ALONG THERE.
IT'S A TOTAL OF SIX, UM, WORK STUDY AREAS THAT PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY USE IN THOSE AREAS.
SO HERE ARE THE STUDY ROOMS, THE THREE STUDY ROOMS. WE HAVE A, B, AND C, SO I HIGHLIGHTED THEM AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE PLENTY OF SPACES FOR, UH, THE PATRONS TO GO IN AND PRIVATELY USED FOR WORK AND STUDY ROOMS. AND I HAVE A HIGHLIGHT OF THE TEAM ROOM BEING COMPLETE, AND YOU CAN SEE THE TECHNOLOGY AREA IN THE BACK.
SO WE'RE WAITING FOR ALL OF THE AV AND TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT TO BE INSTALLED.
AND WE HAVE THE STAFF WORK ROOM, WHICH HAS A, A WORK COUNTER, AND IT HAS A HIGH LOW SETTING SO THAT STAFF CAN EITHER STAND OR WORK ON THE LOWER SETTING OF THE, UH, COUNTERTOPS.
AND WE HAVE, UH, THE PRINTER COPY OF STATIONS IN THE ADULT AREAS AND ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE FACT OF THE SHELVING THAT'S NOW ALREADY BEGUN TO BE INSTALLED THERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE STAGING FOR THE SHELVING.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET THAT ALL INSTALLED.
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, LOOKS GOOD.
THE UPDATE ON THE BAKER BRANCH LIBRARY.
FOR THE BAKER BRANCH LIBRARY, THE GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION REPORT AND ALL THE SURVEYS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND WERE SENT TO GFP ARCHITECTS.
ONCE THE ARCHITECT HAS COMPLETED HIS REVIEW OF THOSE DOCUMENTS, A NOTICE TO PROCEED FOR THE DESIGN WILL BE ISSUED.
ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS
SO WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CHANGES TO THE AGENDA
SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, CENTRAL MAYOR WADE EVANS TO DISCUSS CONSTITUTIONALLY MANDATED UTILITIES.
THIS ITEM WOULD NOT, UM, BE DISCUSSED TODAY.
[00:35:01]
ON THE AGENDA TO DISCUSS A VOTE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION TO THE PATRONS OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE OTHER LIBRARY ADVOCATES OF THEIR SUPPORT.THE, I WILL READ THE, NOW I WILL READ THE RESOLUTION.
UM, I THINK WE JUST HAVE ONE COPY, BUT I'LL READ IT OUT LOUD.
THE EAST BANG ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL RESOLUTION, A RECOGNITION AND APPRECIATION FOR THE PATRONS OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY JULY, 2026.
WHEREAS THE PATRONS OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY POPS SUPPORTS THE WORK OF THE EASTBOUND RIDGE PARISH LIBRARY AND IT'S COMPRISED OF CITIZENS FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO VALUE EDUCATION, EDUCATIONAL, INFORMATIONAL, CULTURAL, AND RECREATIONAL IN INSTITUTIONS.
WHEREAS THE PATRONS OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY RAISES MONEY THAT ENABLES OUR LIBRARY TO MOVE FROM GOOD TO GREAT, PROVIDING THE RESOURCES WHEREAS BE RESOLVED THAT I, CANDACE TEMPLE, PRESIDENT OF THE EAST SPANISH PARISH LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL URGE ALL RESIDENTS TO JOIN IN THANKING THE PATRONS OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR ALL THAT THEY DO TO MAKE OUR LIBRARY AND COMMUNITY SO MUCH BETTER.
I DO HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THE FOREGOING IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF A RESOLUTION DULY ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF CONTROL AT A, AT A MEETING HELD ON JULY 16TH, 2026 A, WHICH A QUO WAS PRESENT.
ALRIGHT, MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ANY COMMENT BY THE BOARD? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR A.
AYE, THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN ADOPTED AS IS.
NEXT I WANT, I NEED TO ADD TO THE AGENDA, UM, THE APPROVAL OF THE 2027 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.
IT IS DUE TO THE CITY PARISH BY THE JULY 31ST, 2026, AND IT WAS NOT ADDED TO THE AGENDA.
SO WE NEED TO ADD IT, UM, ADD IT TO THE AGENDA SO WE CAN HAVE IT TO THEM IN TIME.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ADDING ITEM C APPROVAL OF THE 2027 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET? I'LL MOVE THAT WE ADD TO THE AGENDA SO THAT WE CAN VOTE.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ANY BOARD COMMENT? ALL RIGHT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADDING THE ITEM TO THE AGENDA, RIGHT? AYE.
THE ITEM HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE AGENDA.
IT WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE TO ADD THE ITEM TO THE AGENDA.
SO AGENDA ITEM C IS THE APPROVAL OF THE 2027 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE 2027 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET? WE HAVE A SECOND.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ANY BOARD COMMENT REGARDING THE BUDGET APPROVAL? MADAM CHAIR, I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN, THANK RHONDA AND ALL, ALL OF THE STAFF FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK,
I DON'T WANNA REPEAT WHAT SHE SAID, BUT I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING SHE SAID.
UH, AND YEAH, IT WAS A MOVING TARGET FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME THERE, WHICH MADE IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT IN THE FUTURE, UH, EIGHT YEARS FROM NOW THAT WE START MAYBE A YEAR EARLIER OUTTA WAY, WE DON'T GET CAUGHT IN THE, UH, SAME POSITION WE WERE WITH THIS, THIS ELECTION.
UH, WE'VE GOT A GREAT, GREAT LIBRARY SYSTEM AND WE'VE GOT GREAT PATRONS AND WONDERFUL TAXPAYERS, AND WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE, UH, AND, AND WELL, THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE AND KEEP US ACCOUNTABLE, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE AND KEEP OUR STANDARDS HIGH FOR THEM IN OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM.
I DO WANT TO, UH, SAY SOMETHING AS WELL, BECAUSE WE DID START A YEAR EARLIER.
I THINK THAT THERE WAS SOME DISRUPTION WITH THE FIVE BECAUSE THAT I WOULD CALL THAT YEAR EARLY.
THAT WAS LAST YEAR WAS 25, RIGHT? RIGHT.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE YEAR THEY, THAT WAS THE YEAR.
WHAT I MEAN IS, IS THEY CREATED SOME DISRUPTION MM-HMM
IN OUR ABILITY TO DO WHAT YOU ALL HAD PLANNED TO DO.
SO, UM, AND WHAT I WANT TO COMMENT IS I AGREE WITH, UH, THE BOARD, BUT WHAT I WANNA SAY IS THAT
[00:40:01]
YOU ALL WERE BEYOND GRACEFUL TO THE CITY PARISH TO, TO LEND AND PULL BACK AND, UM, PLAY BALL IN A FIELD WHERE YOU REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO PLAY, RIGHT? MM-HMMI'M JUST CALL THE SPACE SPA MM-HMM
AND TO DO THAT, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE CITY PARISH.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN, AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS AN AGENDA ITEM THAT WASN'T DISCUSSED TODAY, BUT I BELIEVE THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN IN EVERY AREA WHAT THEY WANT, WHAT THEY DON'T WANT, AND WHAT WAS THE RACIAL FROM THE AGENDA TODAY WAS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE VOTED AGAINST AND THEY WERE VERY LOUD IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY WANT TO PUT THEIR TAX DOLLARS AND THE SERVICES THAT IMPACT, UH, THEM, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEN EVEN PEOPLE THAT COME FROM OTHER PARISHES BECAUSE WE ALL THE BEST, AND I DON'T SAY ONE OF THE BEST, THE BEST LIBRARIES IN THE COUNTRY.
SO WE SIT A LOT OF TIMES HERE, REPORTS Y'ALL DO THE WORK.
SO HATS OFF TO Y'ALL, HATS OFF TO THE FIGHT, THE CONVERSATIONS, THE LONG NIGHTS, THE EARLY MORNINGS, THE COMMUNITY EVENTS, UM, THE TIME AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY.
Y'ALL WERE POLITICIANS FOR A LONG TIME,
AND I KNOW IT'S LIKE TO RUN A CAMPAIGN, SERIOUSLY, EVERYBODY WANTS YOUR TIME, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST, A LOT OF TIMES ARE WHEN YOU CROSS THRESHOLD AT YOUR HOUSE.
SO A LOT OF TIMES YOU PEOPLE PULL BACK IN, BACK IN, PROBABLY THE COMMUNITY HAS FILLED THAT CUP BACK UP.
I WOULD LIKE TO ESPECIALLY THANK RHONDA.
UM, I HAD MORE THAN MY OWN NUMBER OF YEARS PUTTING THIS BOOK TOGETHER.
IT'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO IT.
AND FOR RHONDA TO DO THIS VIRTUALLY ALONE DUE TO UNAVOIDABLE STAFFING SHORTAGES.
WELL ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE 2027 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.
THE BUDGET HAS BEEN UNANIM UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS COMMENTS BY THE LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, THERE'S NO OBJECTION.
HEARING NONE, THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.