Bylaws-Adopted 2021-1-26BY-LAWS OF THE ELK RIVER
LIBRARY BOARD
Article I Name
The name of this organization shall be the Elk River Public Library Board. This Board is
established under the authorization of the Elk River City Council.
Article II Facility
The Elk River Public Library is located in the City of Elk River at 13020 Orono Parkway. It
is a branch of Great River Regional Library System, headquartered in St. Cloud.
Article III Purpose
The purpose of the Elk River Public Library Board is to oversee the physical facility and
grounds housing the Elk River Public Library, and to promote the best possible use of all
library resources to the entire community.
Article IV Responsibilities
The Elk River Public Library Board will be responsible for:
• Supporting Library staff
■ Ensuring a safe and welcoming atmosphere
■ Promoting the library
■ Representing and advocating for residents
■ Planning physical improvements
■ Connecting with community partners
Article V Membership
A. The voting membership shall consist of five members each serving a three-year term.
B. Members of the Library Board must reside in Sherburne County and a majority of
members must be City of Elk River residents.
C. All terms shall end with the calendar year.
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D. The Mayor, with the approval of the City Council, shall appoint a sufficient number
of persons to fill the positions of those whose terms have expired. Members will be
actively recruited by, but not limited to, advertisements in the local newspaper.
E. The Library Services Coordinator and the Patron Services Supervisor from the Great
River Regional Library will serve as ex -officio members.
F. A member of the City Council can serve as a voting member of the Elk River
Library Board or can serve as a non-voting Council Liaison to the Board.
G. Not more than one Library Board member shall at any time be a member of the City
Council.
H. Library Board members shall receive no compensation for their services but may be
reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of Library
Board duties and activities.
Article VI Vacancies, Attendance, Disqualifications
A. The Library Board Chair shall report vacancies in the Library Board to the City
Council, which shall fill the vacancies by appointment for the remainder of the term.
B. A member shall be expected to maintain a suitable attendance record. Attendance is
vital to board service and City Council expectations. Because attendance is
important, the City Council has adopted the following attendance policy:
Members shall be automatically removed for lack of attendance. Lack of
attendance is defined as:
Regularly scheduled monthly commissions — missing three (3)
meetings (including regular and special meetings) scheduled during a
calendar year.
All other commissions — missing two (2) meetings (including regular
and special meetings) scheduled during a calendar year.
Participation for less than three-fourths of a meeting shall be the same as a
failure to attend a meeting. Members removed pursuant to this paragraph
shall not continue to serve on the board and such removal shall create a
vacancy. A member may appeal the termination by requesting a hearing
before the City Council within 10 days of notice of termination.
A standard commission attendance form shall be used by all commissions for
the staff liaison to record attendance. The Office of the City Clerk shall
forward the attendance record to the City Council at the end of each June
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and December for the Council to review. Commission members shall notify
the staff liaison of planned absences 72 hours prior to the meeting missed.
C. The Mayor, with the approval of the City Council, may remove any member for
misconduct or neglect.
Article VII Meetings
A. Regular meetings shall be held on the fourth Tuesday of the months of January,
April, July, and October at 5:30 p.m. at the Elk River Public Library.
B. The January meeting shall be the annual meeting, at which time election of officers
will occur.
C. Additional meetings and committees shall be created as needed by the Chair.
D. Robert's Rules of Order, latest revised edition, shall govern the parliamentary
procedure. However, the following shall be accepted practice:
1. Three Library Board members shall constitute a quorum.
2. The majority vote of those eligible voters present shall be necessary to act
upon any motion or recommendation.
E. Meetings are open to the public. The Elk River Library Board follows all applicable
Minnesota statutes.
Article VIII Officers, Elections, Duties
A. Officers of Elk River Library Board shall be: Chair, Vice -chair, and Secretary.
B. Officers will be selected by the members of Library Board in January of each year.
C. An elected officer cannot hold the same office for more than three consecutive one-
year terms without a one-year break.
D. Duties of the officers shall be:
I. Chair
• Calls meetings to order.
■ Presides and maintains order throughout the meeting.
■ Assists in compiling the meeting agenda.
■ Signs the meeting minutes after approved by the Library Board at a
regular meeting.
■ Knows and abides by Robert's Rules of Order.
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■ Knows and abides by city, regional, and state policies.
II. Vice -Chair
■ Assumes the duties of the Chair in their absence.
Automatically becomes Chair if a vacancy occurs in the office, and serves
out the remainder of the term.
III.
SecretW
■ Assumes the duties of the Chair in the absence of the Chair and Vice -
chair. A city appointed staff person will distribute the minutes and
agenda to all members prior to the next meeting, record attendance at
each meeting, record minutes of each meeting and make a permanent file
of all minutes which shall be available to the public on the City of Elk
River website.
E. The Library Services Coordinator is the Staff Liaison to the city.
F. Each voting member has the right to make a nomination, including self -nomination,
for an office.
G. A vacancy in the office of Chair, Vice Chair or Secretary shall be filled by a vote at
the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Library Board after the vacancy occurs.
Article IX Annual Report
At the Spring meeting, the Library Board shall prepare an annual report to include updates
and goals to be presented to the City Council at a later date.
Article X Annual Budget
A. The Library Board shall forecast a list of annual goals and projects at their last
meeting of each calendar year.
B. At their first meeting of each calendar year, the Library Board shall review the goals
and projects recommended and budgeted for by the City Council.
C. The Library Board shall receive and review a goal and project status list at each
ensuing meeting.
Article XI Amendments to Bylaws
A. Any changes to the Bylaws will be reviewed and approved by the Library Board and
filed with the City Clerk's office.
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B. These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting by a majority vote of the
membership provided that the amendment(s) has (have) been submitted in writing at
the previous regular meeting.
Adopted on: January 26, 2021
Chair,
Elk River Public Library Board
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