etropolitan Library Service Agency
Joint Trustee Board Meeting Minutes
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT), St Paul
10:00am-12:00pm
Trustee Members Present:
Anoka: not present Ramsey: Mary Jo McGuire (virtual)
Carver: Lisa Anderson Saint Paul: Saura Jost (virtual)
Dakota: Laurie Halverson Scott: Tom Wolf
Hennepin: Debbie Goettel Washington: Michelle Clasen
Advisory Board Members/Representatives Present:
Anoka: Colleen Haubner Ramsey: Pang Yang
Carver: Jodi Edstrom Saint Paul: Maureen Hartman
Dakota: Jen Reichert-Simpson (virtual) Scott: Jen Schultz
Hennepin: Scott Duimstra Washington: Jacquie Kramer
Staff Present: Jennifer Baker, Abigail Dillon, Nan Her, Gina Goettl, and Sherry Wichitchu
I. Call to order
Chair Goettel called the meeting to order at 10:03am.
II. Public Comment
Commissioner McGuire, Commissioner Clasen, and Councilperson Jost are attending virtually due to scheduling conflicts. Commissioner Jebens-Singh is attending virtually as an alternate/observer from Ramsey County.
III. Approval of Agenda
Motion to approve the agenda by Halverson. Second by Anderson.
Roll call vote:
ACL – not present HCL – aye SCL – aye
CCL – aye RCL – aye WCL – aye
DCL – aye SPL – aye
Motion carried.
IV. Consent Agenda
a) Approval of meeting minutes (January 15th, 2026)
b) Approval of checks and financials
Motion to approve the meeting minutes and checks and financials by Halverson. Second by Anderson.
Roll call vote:
ACL – not present HCL – aye SCL – aye
CCL – aye RCL – aye WCL – aye
DCL – aye SPL – aye
Motion carried.
V. Discussion/Action Items
a) 2025 annual report to State Library Services
Each year all libraries in Minnesota, including regional library system administrative
offices, are required to submit a state annual report to State Library Services by April 1.
This report collects statistics and financial data related to facilities, services, programs,
collections, staffing, hours of operation, and income and expenditures. The report was distributed in the meeting packet.
Motion to authorize the submission of the 2025 MELSA Annual Report to State Library Services. Motion by Wolf. Second by Halverson.
Roll call vote:
ACL – not present HCL – aye SCL – aye
CCL – aye RCL – aye WCL – aye
DCL – aye SPL – aye
Motion carried.
b) Finance Committee report and recommendations
(i) Recommendation on Custodial Fund for Collaborative Initiative
Included in the 12/31/25 fund balance assignments to be presented for approval at this meeting is reassignment of $1.2 million for a multiyear Collaborative Initiative among the MELSA library systems. This Initiative is intended to address a regional goal common to all systems, with flexibility for implementation based on local system and community needs.
To allow flexibility for the library systems as they plan and deliver their programs, and
for efficiency in tracking use of the funds, MELSA recommends establishing a separate
bank account at 4M and a Custodial Fund in MELSA’s financial records to hold
systems’ allocations until requested. Distinct from MELSA’s General Fund, a Custodial
Fund ensures availability of the funds for the systems over the three years of the Initiative. (A separate 4M account and Custodial Fund is currently used to hold LSAF/former Phase and Formula funds if requested by the systems.)
Progress updates on the Initiative were provided at joint board meetings in 2025 and will continue throughout 2026 as systems identify and develop specific programming to offer library users.
Motion to approve that MELSA establish a Custodial Fund for Collaborative Literacy Initiative allocations to member library systems as recommended by the MELSA Finance Committee on March 11, 2026. Motion by Goettel. Second by Anderson.
Roll call vote:
ACL – not present HCL – aye SCL – aye
CCL – aye RCL – aye WCL – aye
DCL – aye SPL – aye
Motion carried.
ii. Recommendation on Fund Balance Assignments
The fieldwork portion of the 2025 MELSA audit is concluded, and we have a tentative number for the year-end fund balance. If approved at this meeting, any assignments of the fund balance can be included in the 2025 financial reports the auditors are currently preparing. The final audit reports will be presented at the joint board meeting in May and submitted to State Library Services and the Office of the State Auditor in June. The Fund Balance Policy was distributed in the meeting packet.
Motion to approve the proposed 2025 Fund Balance Assignments as recommended by the MELSA Finance Committee on March 12, 2026. Motion by Halverson. Second by Wolf.
Roll call vote:
ACL – not present HCL – aye SCL – aye
CCL – aye RCL – aye WCL – aye
DCL – aye SPL – aye
Motion carried.
(iii) Report on 2025 budget to actual revenues and expenses
With completion of the 2025 audit fieldwork and year-end closing entries, December 2025 financial statements are included in the meeting packet. These statements from MELSA’s accounting system are prepared using the modified accrual basis of accounting; however, MELSA’s budget is primarily prepared as a cash budget, i.e., the cash outlay required to make the budgeted purchases. To reconcile these two and make the budget document more meaningful, MELSA staff have prepared a document in the meeting packet comparing the actual expenses, both cash and accrual, with the final adjusted 2025 budget.
VI. Reports & Information
a) Teen Lit Con update
Teen Lit Con will take place on April 25th this year at Two Rivers High School in Mendota Heights.
b) Executive Director report and legislative update
This report was distributed in the meeting packet. We had more than 70 advocates at the State House for Library Legislative Day. The e-book legislation has gone through a few hearings at the Capitol. There are a few roadblocks that the e-book legislation committee will be working through. Several commissioners volunteered to contact legislators
The PLA (Public Library Association) conference is coming up in Minneapolis at the end of March/beginning of April.
c) Advisory Board update
The Advisory Board has been discussing several items, including OverDrive costs and hold queues. They are looking at several solutions to manage the hold queue and will be moving forward on these changes soon.
d) 2025 MELSA benefits to member libraries reports
This report was distributed in the meeting packet and is informational. It shows summaries of the financially measurable benefits received by the library systems as members of MELSA.
e) Round robin discussion from Advisory Board members about current issues/events at member libraries
RCL has been working with local schools to support early literacy, including reading kits for young students.
WCL has just closed Park Grove Library to start the remodel project and will take about a year. The RH Stafford remodel will be happening immediately following this project.
SPPL has a couple of renovation projects as well: Hayden Heights and Hamline Midway. Hamline Midway should be open by the end of the summer. They have just concluded their Read Brave program, which is aimed at a teen audience.
ACL had their Featured Author Fair in February, and it was a success. They are remodeling the staff areas in a couple of their locations. The Crooked Lake Library will be renovated this spring. They will be adding extended access at a couple of locations.
SCL just finished their Belle Plaine Library expansion. They have been partnering with local schools for programming and literacy efforts.
CCL has moved forward with their Chaska Library remodel/expansion. They have continued their extended access project with additional branches. They have a new mural that will be installed in the Chanhassen Library soon. They just got their first shipment of Vox recorded books.
HCL has been working on reconnecting with populations that were afraid to leave their homes during Operation Metro Surge. They have also been working with the city to be a food shelf distribution point. The Southdale Library is under construction, as well as the Westonka Library and will both be completed sometime in 2027.
DCL received a few awards from Dakota County recently related to diversity and inclusion, recognition for a recent artist-in-residence, and work around public health. For the collaborative initiative, they will be focused on youth literacy and decodable books.
Goettel adjourned the meeting at 11:26am.