Board By-Laws amended 2024

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
By-Laws
ARTICLE I: INCORPORATION AND NAME
Section l. Establishment. This organization was formed by Agreement between the City of Flint and the School District of the city of Flint, County of Genesee, dated October I, 1998, (the "Agreement").
Section 2. Name. By an amendment to the Agreement in 2023, this organization shall be called the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library.
ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Board. In accordance with the District Library Establishment Act (MCL 397.171 et seq.) (the "Act") and the Agreement, the Board of Trustees of the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library shall consist of seven (7) members, three (3) of whom shall be appointed by the City and four (4) of whom shall be appointed by the School District. An individual appointed as a member of the Board shall be a qualifi ed elector of the participating municipality which appoints the member on the date the appointment is made and a resident of the District Library district. Each appointee shall serve for a term of three (3) years beginning on October 1 and ending on September 30 three (3) calendar years later. The terms shall be staggered according to the Agreement.
Section 2. Removal; Resignation. In accordance with Section 8(2) of the Act, the Governor of the State of Michigan shall have the power to remove a member of the District Library Board for cause, pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 of Article V of the State Constitution of 1963, as amended. Vacancies shall arise in the event of the removal by the Governor, resignation, death, conviction of a felony, in the event a member ceases to be a resident of the District, or otherwise as provided by law. Resignations shall be submitted to the Board President in writing and approved by the Board.
Section 3. Vacancies. In the event of a vacancy, the Party which appointed the member of the District Library Board whose position has become vacant shall appoint a replacement therefore within two (2) months of the vacancy who shall serve until the end of the term of the member being replaced.
Section 4. Attendance. Members shall be expected to attend all meetings. In the event that a member of the Board of Trustees is absent from three (3) or more of the general meetings, during any fi scal year (July 1 through June 30 of the following year), the remaining members of the Board of Trustees, by a simple majority vote of the Trustees present, may request the resignation of such member.
The following notations will be listed in the minutes regarding Board attendance at meetings: BOARD OF TRUSTEES
By-Laws
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● Present
● Absent with notifi cation
● Absent without notifi cation
Section 5. Recommendations Regarding Appointments. The Gloria Coles Flint Public Library Board of Trustees may appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of three (3) sitting Gloria Coles Flint Public Library Trustees and two (2) other Flint City residents. The Nominating Committee will deliberate and propose to the Board of Trustees the nominee(s) to recommend to either the Flint Board of Education or the City of Flint. The nominee(s) will fi ll the Trustee position(s) that will be vacated due to term expiration or resignation. The Nominating Committee will be formed in April, and proposed nominations will be presented to the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library Trustee Board on or before the regular Trustee meeting in June of each year or within three (3) months of a resignation or vacancy.
Section 6. Individual Authority. Trustees have no authority as individuals, apart from that specifi ed in these Bylaws or applicable law, but rather exercise their authority collectively with Library Board action.
ARTICLE III: POWERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Section 1. Authority. The Board of Trustees may exercise any and all of the powers granted to it in the Act, the District Library Financing Act, and any other powers granted by laws. The Board may delegate such powers that the Board is lawfully permitted to delegate to the Offi cers of the Board and/or the Executive Director as it deems necessary.
Section 2. Budget. The Board of Trustees shall have the exclusive control of the budget of the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library. The Gloria Coles Flint Public Library Board shall prepare and publish an annual budget in accordance with the Uniforms Budgeting and Accounting Act, being Act No. 2 of the Public Laws of Michigan of 1968, as amended.
Section 3. Fiscal Year. The fi scal year of the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library shall be the annual period commencing July 1 and ending the following June 30.
Section 4. Audit. The Library Board shall obtain an annual audit by an independent certifi ed public accountant selected by the Board, all in accordance with the Uniform Budgeting and Accounting Act, 1968 PA 2, as amended.
ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS
Section 1. Offi cers. Offi cers of the Board shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
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Section 2. Term. The offi cers shall be elected for a term of one (1) year at the October meeting of the Board.
Section 3. Vacancies. Vacancies in offi ce shall be fi lled by the Board at the next regular meeting of the Board following the occurrence of a vacancy or at a special meeting called for that purpose, except for the offi ce of President, in which case the Vice-President shall assume the duties of the offi ce for the unexpired term. A successor Vice-President shall be elected to fi ll the vacancy so created in that offi ce.
ARTICLE V: DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
Section 1. President. The President shall preside at all meetings, authorize calls for any special meetings, and generally perform the duties of a presiding offi cer. The President shall appoint each committee chair with the approval of the Board. Up to three (3) Board members can volunteer to serve on any committee. If more than three (3) Board members wish to serve on a particular committee, the President shall decide which three (3) Board members will serve, with the exception that the Treasurer always serves on the Finance & Budget Committee. The committee chair shall be responsible for appointing all other committee members who are not Board members. The power and authority of each committee must be granted in writing with the approval of a majority of the Board. The President has authority to sign documents authorized or approved by the Library Board.
Section 2. Vice-President. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President. In the case of the resignation, removal, disability, or death of the President, the Vice-President shall assume the offi ce for the unexpired term.
Section 3. Secretary. The Secretary of the Board shall see that a true and accurate account of all proceedings of the Board meetings is kept. In compliance with any requirements of state law regarding the holdings of meetings, the Secretary shall issue notices of all regular meetings and, on the authorization of the President or two (2) Trustees, of all special meetings, and shall have custody of the minutes and other records of the Board of Trustees. With the approval of the majority of the Board, the Secretary may delegate any of these responsibilities to the Executive Director.
Section 4. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have charge of the funds of the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library, providing for their sole custody and investment as directed by the Board, subject to limitations for investment of public funds as provided by law. The Treasurer shall control expenditures from the Library fund through a system of vouchers presented by authorized personnel. A record of all monies received or deposited to the Library fund, and all disbursements, sales and transfers from the fund shall be kept by the Treasurer, and reported monthly to the Board of Trustees at its regular meeting. In addition, the Treasurer shall serve on the Finance & Budget Committee, and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by
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State or Federal law and these by-laws. With the approval of a majority of the Board, the Treasurer may delegate any of these responsibilities to the Executive Director.
ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS
Section 1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library Board shall be held each year in the month of July. At the annual meeting, the Board shall determine the months, the dates, and hours of the regular meetings of the Board for the year.
Section 2. Regular Meetings. Within ten (10) days following the annual meeting, a notice shall be posted in a public place setting forth the dates, times, and place of all regular meetings scheduled for the ensuing fi scal year. If there is a change in the schedule of regular meetings of a public body, there shall be posted within three (3) days after the meeting at which the change is made, a public notice stating the new dates, times, and places of its regular meetings.
Section 3. Special Meetings. Special meetings may be called by the President or upon written request of two (2) Trustees, provided eighteen (18) hours of notice is given to the public in the format and manner as provided by the Michigan Open Meetings Act, which must include the date, time, place and purpose for which such meeting is called. The announcement of a special meeting at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be suffi cient notice to the Trustees of such meeting. Trustees not present at the time of announcement of such a special meeting shall be notifi ed by the Secretary.
Section 4. Agenda. The agenda shall be distributed to Trustees by the Secretary to all members at least three (3) days before the meeting. The Agenda may be amended at any meeting by approval of the Board.
The agenda for regular meetings shall include but not be limited to:
Call to order and attendance
Approval of agenda
Approval of minutes
Public comment
Financial Report, including approval of expenditures
Director's report
President's and Committee reports
Adjournment
Section 5. Quorum. A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of a majority of members of the Board appointed and serving.
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Section 6. Board Action. Any Board action, to be offi cial, must be approved at a meeting by a majority of the quorum of the Board, unless otherwise required by law.
Section 7. Procedure. The Board shall be governed by the Michigan Open Meetings Act and use Robert’s Rules of Order (most current edition) as guidelines for the conduct of meetings.
Section 8. Rules for Public Comment. The Library Board shall adopt public comment rules by resolution which shall be available to the public and recorded in the minutes. The Board has authority to amend the public comment rules at any time.
Section 9. Request to be on the Agenda. A request by the public to place an item on the Board agenda must be made to the Board President or Executive Director at least ten (10) days in advance of the meeting at which it is desired to have the item discussed. The request should include a concise statement of the matter to be brought before the Board, along with any background information available which may be provided to the Board in advance of the meeting.
The Board President, in consultation with the Executive Director, shall determine whether or not the matter is an appropriate agenda item for that meeting or a future meeting. The Executive Director shall notify the person making the request whether or not the item will be placed on the agenda.
Section 10. Recording Devices. Photographing, broadcasting and recording of the public Board and Board committee meetings shall be permitted except when, in the judgment of the Board, the use or proposed use of any camera or recording device will be an unduly disruptive infl uence upon the proceedings. All recording devices including microphones will be kept in the area designated for the public, unless otherwise permitted by the Board.
ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES
Section 1. Committee Appointments. All committees shall be appointed by the Library Board, and given the power and authority granted by the Board of Trustees. As directed, the Executive Director may serve as a resource to any committee.
Section 2. Purposes. The Library may have committees as follows:
A. Ad hoc committees of the Library shall exist until their specifi ed purpose is completed or unless otherwise disbanded by the Library Board. The Library Board shall provide specifi c purposes and duties of the ad hoc committee and shall state whether the committee is purely advisory.
B. The standing committees of the Library Board shall have at least two (2) board members but at all times shall consist of less than a quorum of the Library Board.
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Committees shall convene on the call of its President or Executive Director and, when ready or requested by the President, report their fi ndings at a regular or special Library Board meeting. The following standing committees shall have the powers and responsibilities prescribed:
1. Finance & Budget Committee: The committee shall review the fi nancial reports, budgets and accounts and make recommendations to the Library Board with respect thereto. This committee is purely advisory.
2. Policy Committee: The committee shall review existing policies, recommend new policies and make recommendations to the Board with respect to policy issues. Proposed changes in policy will be brought to the attention of the Executive Director and to the Policy Committee for consideration. However, the Library Board has fi nal approval of all Library policies.
3. Human Resources Committee: The committee shall review and discuss personnel issues as determined by the Library Board and/or Executive Director. Additionally, the committee is responsible for the oversight and periodic performance review of the Executive Director.
4. Fundraising & PR Committee: The committee shall review fundraising, development, marketing, and communications plans and initiatives, and make recommendations to the Library Board with respect thereto.
ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS
Section 1. These by-laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Board by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all members, provided the amendment was presented in writing at the previous regular meeting.
Adopted by the Flint Public Library Board at its special meeting on February 4, 1999.
Amended by the Flint Public Library Board at its meeting on December 4, 2008.
Amended by the Flint Public Library Board at its meeting on January 7, 2010.
Amended by the Flint Public Library Board at its meeting on October 14, 2010.
Amended by the Flint Public Library Board at its meeting on December 2, 20 I 0.
Amended by the Flint Public Library Board at its meeting on April 5, 2012.
Amended by the Flint Public Library Board at its meeting on April 4, 2013.
Amended by the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library Board at its meeting on May 2, 2024.