Executive Board Meeting
May 14, 2026
Call to Order
President Moulton called to order the May meeting of the Executive Committee of the North Central Kansas Library System at 10:02 A.M.
Roll Call of Executive Committee Members
Members Present: Wendy Moulton, Eric Norris, Judy Goodrich, Alisha Paddock, Candace Boardman, Susan Moyer, Janet Ayers, Katherine Pope, Judith Cremer
North Central Kansas Library System Staff Present: Sandy Wilkerson, Library Director; Deanna Defoor, Business Manager; Duane Mayer, Technology Consultant; Kim Scaler, Assistant Technology Consultant; Krystal Cooper, Office Coordinator.
Concent Agenda
Goodrich made a motion to approve the consent agenda. Norris seconded and the motion passed.
Financial Report
Business Manager Defoor explained the March financials. She reminded the board that the end of March has us at a quarter of the way through the year. In the operating fund, the tax receipts for March were just over $48,000. Defoor notes the cost of $3,300 for technology support was computers and hardware to distribute with the technology grant. Under grants, the libraries have been spending the collection grant to purchase books at just over $8,000 for March. Two libraries were awarded the continuing education grant and two of the programming grants.
In the employee benefit fund, the system received just over $8,600 for March. The expenses run about $25,000 a month for employee benefits. Under other income for March the system received a payment for a 2026 contract from one of the libraries of $10,000. The system earned interest of just over $2,500 at the 1¾% rate and a $150 credit card rebate that the system gets every year.
There was no activity in capital improvement. It still sits at $456,924. There was no activity in the custodial funds, this is the systems local funds holding just over $16,000 of other library money.
In summary, for the first 3 months, the total receipts equal just over $1,080,000, the total expenses were just over $405,000. For the first three months the system had an increase to the balance of just over $674,000.
Defoor also explained the April financials. She reminded the board that the end of April has us at a third of the way through the year. There were no tax receipts for April. The operation fund had normal operating expenses. The cost of $3,500 from technology support was reimbursement for 35 libraries for their domain registration and their Microsoft 365. The system awarded the courier postage grant to one library, the extended service grant to 31 libraries, and the programming grant to two libraries.
In the employee benefit fund, there were no tax receipts. The next tax payment comes in June. The expenses run about $25,000 a month for employee benefits. Under other income, the system earned interest of just over $2,447 at the 1¾% rate. There was no activity in capital improvement. There was some activity in the custodial funds, the system is holding $17,900 other library money.
In summary, for the first 4 months, the total receipts equal almost $1,085,000, the total expenses were just over $ 568,572. The ending fund balance on April 30th was $1,594,892.
Paddock made a motion to approve the consent agenda. Moyer seconded and the motion passed.
Summary of Expenses for the Period Ending, March 31, 2026
General Account$318,996.75
| Employee Benefit Account | $74,929.66 |
| Other Income | $9,662.15 |
| Capital Improvement | $0.00 |
Summary of Expenses for the Period Ending, April 30, 2026
| General Account | $454,322.77 |
| Employee Benefit Account | $99,866.75 |
| Other Income | $12,025.67 |
| Capital Improvement | $0.00 |
Staff Report
Director Wilkerson put information on the changes to regulation 54-1-17 in the meeting packer along with a link to the state library. Wilkerson also put lobbyist information in the packet. The request for quote process will start with the board’s approval. They are waiting on all the other regional systems to see if other executive boards are interested in getting a lobbyist that is working for the systems. Wilkerson points out that systems are a little different from libraries, and a lobbyist is meant to educate legislators. The system plan has been updated. The changes are reflected on page three of the system plan. Wilkerson wants to add academic libraries to the courier grant to increase resource sharing, those libraries include Hale and Tabor. Increase the collection grant for all public libraries in taxing counties by $500, increase technology grant for the public library serving communities of over 1,000 people and then the new delivery van for the rotating books.
The budget changes are also reflected in the packet. The budget would go through this meeting, if it’s approved, then it goes into the newspapers and the Revenue Neutral Rate process, and then to the system board. The system also needs to meet with the accountant from Varney’s to set the levy. After the levy is set, Wilkerson can meet with the officers to make adjustments depending on what the levy is. If officers want a special meeting, they can call a special meeting to adjust the budget. Wilkerson added $5,000 to advocacy which, if approved by the board, would cover the lobbyist. There was a small adjustment to insurance. As Wilkerson stated, when discussing the system plan, $500 was added for each taxing library to the collection grant which increased that line by $11,000. The postage and courier grant stayed the same even with the two new libraries added to it. Business manager Defoor suggested more funds in the extended service grant. There were no changes to the programming grants. There was a increase of $6,500 to the technology grant. Wilkerson also added the transfer of $50,000 to capital improvement for the new book van. She anticipates that the van will cost more than that, but expects some money back with the trade in value of the current van. A new lift and wrap will also be needed for the rotating book van.
Wilkerson also discussed some library updates. Hillsboro did get migrated to Microsoft 365 and they have a remodeling project and will open on Monday. Leonardville and Florence both hired new directors. The Enterprise director resigned, Director Wilkerson is working with the board president to get that position listed.
Technology Consultant Meyer reported that the system is at about 85% completion on the Microsoft 365 transition. There are a few libraries that Meyer is starting the training process for. The technology trainer and the assistant technology consultant are helping libraries with email, teams and file management. eRate is almost finished people are getting confirmation back on their accounts
For further staff reports, refer to packet.
Committee Reports
Personnel Committee- there were no personnel committee reports
Unfinished Business
There was no unfinished business
New Business
Authorize support to develop request for quote for lobbyist- Norris asked clarifying questions about the cost and the systems contributing. Wilkerson is uncertain of the total, but anticipated that the other system would contribute. Wilkerson said Paul Hawkins is taking the lead, wrote the authorization for request for quote document and would write the request for quote. The request for quote would come back, and the board would get to decide again. They are hoping to get three proposals.
Moyer moved to authorize support to develop a request for quote for a lobbyist. Paddock seconded and the motion passed.
Contracts with libraries- Director Wilkerson directed the board to the packet. The contracts with the libraries need to be approved by the executive committee and then by the system board in August.
Pope moved to approve the contracts. Norris seconded and the motion passed.
2027 System Plan- Wilkerson clarified that the format of the System Plan came from the state library because they wanted to standardize the system plans. The state library also requests information on tentative expenses. The System Plan is approved by the state library before being approved by the system board.
Boardman moved to approve the system plan as presented. Pope seconded and the motion passed.
2027 Budget- Director Wilkerson reviewed the discussed budget with the highlighted changes she’d discussed earlier including the increase in advocacy for a possible lobbyist, an increase in insurance cost, an increase in member grants, an increase in the extended service grant, and the system increased the technology grant $500.00 for libraries that serve communities over 1000 people. While the system added two academic libraries, there was no increase to the courier grant. There was a transfer of capital improvement for the book van
It was suggested to the system that a Continuing Education competitive grant for out of region conferences is added if the system has to make changes due to setting the levy. Norris and Moulton expressed support for the competitive continuing education grant.
Business Manager Defoor also highlighted the need to increase the employee benefit fund by $14,000 primarily due to the rise in insurance costs.
Wilkerson further discussed the need for the Rotating Book Van. It was purchased in 2019 and will have over 100,000 miles on it. The new van would require a lift, a wrap, and safety features. The delivery driver got 3 estimates and are waiting on Glavan in Clay Center. Wilkerson expressed a preference toward purchasing the van in one of the taxing counties.
Wilkerson stated that the budget is published in the newspapers. Copies of these newspapers are collected.
Moyer moved to approve the system budget. Goodrich seconded and the motion passed.
Executive Board Member Comments
There were no executive board member comments..
Adjournment
There being no further business President Moulton called for a motion to adjourn. Norris moved to adjourn, Goodrich seconded, and the motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 10:38 A.M.
The next meeting will be August 27th, 2026, at the North Central Kansas Library System office and via zoom at 10:00 A.M.
Respectfully submitted,
____________________ _________________________
Wendy Moulton, President Krystal Cooper, Recording Secretary