Metropolitan Library Service Agency
Joint Trustee Board Meeting Minutes
Thursday, September 18, 2025
Hosmer Library, Minneapolis
11:30am-1:30pm
Trustee Members Present:
Anoka: Julie Jeppson Ramsey: not present
Carver: Matt Udermann Saint Paul: not present
Dakota: Laurie Halverson Scott: Jody Brennan (virtual)
Hennepin: Debbie Goettel Washington: Michelle Clasen (virtual)
Advisory Board Members/Representatives Present:
Anoka: Colleen Haubner Ramsey: not present
Carver: Jodi Edstrom Saint Paul: not present
Dakota: Margaret Stone Scott: not present
Hennepin: not present Washington: Jacquie Kramer
Staff Present: Abigail Dillon, Gina Goettl, Kathleen James, Mona Scott, and Sherry Wichitchu
I. Call to order
Chair Halverson called the meeting to order at 11:35am.
II. Introductions and Public Comment
This is Margaret Stone’s last meeting before her retirement. Commissioners Brennan and Clasen are joining remotely due to scheduling conflicts.
III. Approval of Agenda
Motion to approve the agenda by Goettel. Second by Jeppson.
Roll call vote:
ACL – aye HCL – aye SCL – aye
CCL – not present RCL – not present WCL – aye
DCL – aye SPL – not present
Motion carried.
IV. Consent Agenda
a) Approval of meeting minutes from August 18, 2025
b) Approval of checks and financials
Motion to approve the meeting minutes and checks and financials by Goettel. Second by Jeppson.
Roll call vote:
ACL – aye HCL – aye SCL – aye
CCL – not present RCL – not present WCL – aye
DCL – aye SPL – not present
Motion carried.
V. Discussion/Action Items
a) Approval of the FY2024 RLBSS final payment report on results and expenditures
Regional Library Basic System Support (RLBSS) is MELSA’s primary source of revenue through a state program designed to provide support for public libraries and a base of equitable access to library services through the regional library system structure. Due to the increase in revenues allocated to systems, and a recalculation by State Library Services, there was an additional payment sent to library systems. MELSA expended approximately $177,784 in the state fiscal year 2024 due to the additional funding from this program.
Motion to approve submission of the FY2024 RLBSS final payment report to State Library Services. Motion by Jeppson. Second by Goettel.
Roll call vote:
ACL – aye HCL – aye SCL – aye
CCL – not present RCL – not present WCL – aye
DCL – aye SPL – not present
Motion carried.
b) Approval of the FY2025 RLBSS report on results and expenditures
Regional Library Basic System Support (RLBSS) is MELSA’s primary source of revenue through a state program designed to provide support for public libraries and a base of equitable access to library services through the regional library system structure. MELSA expended approximately $6,244,623 in the state fiscal year 2025 with funding from this program.
The narrative portion of this report (in meeting packet) provides an overview of some of the activities performed by MELSA using RLBSS support funds from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. New RLBSS revenue allowed for increases in these budget areas, as requested by the library systems: the shared e-collection, funding to support library operations, library staff training, and youth services programming, among others. The expenditure report documents payments made by MELSA for RLBSS-related activities.
Motion to approve the submission of the FY2025 RLBSS report of results to State Library Services. Motion by Goettel. Second by Jeppson.
Roll call vote:
ACL – aye HCL – aye SCL – aye
CCL – not present RCL – not present WCL – aye
DCL – aye SPL – not present
Motion carried.
c) Approval of the FY2025 RLTA final report
The FY2025 Regional Library Telecommunications Aid (RLTA) Report covering July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025 was distributed in the meeting packet. This report includes Priority One, internet access and data transmission costs, and Priority Two, funding to be used for E-rate eligible equipment and/or the “improvement of internet access and access to technology with items that are not e-rated, including, but not limited to, digital or online resources.”
In FY2025, the total Priority One RLTA requests for reimbursement are $156,230.50. Priority One funds are earned and distributed based on the balance of costs not reimbursed by E rate, the federal telecommunications aid program. Priority Two allocations to the regional systems are calculated with a formula using population, relative broadband access, and relative poverty. MELSA received $308,575.02 which was allocated to the member systems using a formula with base and population factors. Details of Priority Two expenditures by the systems are included in the attached report.
With information received from the member library systems MELSA will submit the report to State Library Services by the September 15, 2025 deadline.
Motion to approve submission of the FY2025 RLTA final report to State Library Services. Motion by Jeppson. Second by Goettel.
Roll call vote:
ACL – aye HCL – aye SCL – aye
CCL – not present RCL – not present WCL – aye
DCL – aye SPL – not present
Motion carried.
d) Approval of the FY2026 RLTA application
The FY2026 Regional Library Telecommunications Aid (RLTA) application for the period covering July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 was distributed in the meeting packet.
RLTA funds are distributed statewide using the following two-tier system:
Priority One category costs address internet access and data transmission between branches and are earned and distributed based on the balance of costs not reimbursed by E-rate, the federal telecommunications aid program. This application lists projected Priority 1 costs of $157,726.23 as received from the eight library systems.
Also included in the Priority One application are partial costs for hotspots for two systems totaling $32,214. Hotspots were initially eligible for E-rate funding (and as a result, RLTA) during the July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 funding year; however, funding is now unlikely due to pending legislative activities. As of September, State Library Services has instructed regional library systems to include these costs in FY2026 Priority One applications. (Additional instructions may be provided at a later date.)
Approval from the MELSA Board of Trustees is needed to complete the application process prior to submission to State Library Services by the October 20, 2025 deadline.
Motion to approve submission of the FY2026 RLTA Priority 1 application to State Library Services. This approval includes the authority to amend the application regarding hotspots should State Library Services issue specific instructions on that item. Motion by Jeppson. Second by Goettel.
Roll call vote:
ACL – aye HCL – aye SCL – aye
CCL – not present RCL – not present WCL – aye
DCL – aye SPL – not present
Motion carried.
e) Finance Committee report
(i) Proposed CY2025 budget adjustments
The MELSA Finance Committee met on September 3 to discuss proposed CY2025 budget adjustments.
Proposed adjustments were presented in the following three documents in the meeting packet: Summary of adjustments to 2025 Budget, CY2025 MELSA Budget, and 2025 LSAF Distributions with One-Time Addition.
The Committee reviewed proposed adjustments to the 2025 MELSA budget and recommends the adjusted budget, as presented, to the Board of Trustees.
Motion to approve the 2025 budget adjustments as presented. Motion by Jeppson. Second by Goettel.
Roll call vote:
ACL – aye HCL – aye SCL – aye
CCL – not present RCL – not present WCL – aye
DCL – aye SPL – not present
Motion carried.
VI. Reports
a) Advisory Board update
At the last Advisory Board meeting, Maureen Hartman provided an update about the City of St Paul data breach. Public Wi-Fi is still down at the libraries.
The statewide read-in event is happening on Saturday, September 20th from 11am-1pm.
Wichitchu will be meeting with World Education at the end of September as part of the Collaborative Initiative Project. The Board also approved an Adult Programming pilot program, as well as the additional OverDrive spending presented in the 2025 budget adjustments.
Udermann entered the meeting at 12:22pm.
Brennan left the meeting at 12:30pm.
b) Executive Director update
MELSA strategic planning is underway, with focus groups finishing this week. The member summit will be happening on October 20th for advisory board members, their staff, and MELSA staff. The Governing and Advisory Board workshop will be held on November 20th before the Board meeting at 10am. The final presentation of the strategic plan will be at the January meeting.
The MLA e-materials taskforce has been meeting, and Wichitchu is a co-chair of this taskforce. They are evaluating the applicability of legislation in Minnesota similar to some other states (such as Connecticut). She will provide an update after the fall conference to let the Board know about the outcome of this taskforce.
c) Round robin discussion from Advisory Board members about current issues/events at member libraries
HCL: The Southdale Library has been taken down, and outdoor restoration at the Penn Lake Library will be happening, possibly including a community garden space. In terms of security and safety, they will be re-evaluating their security plans for the public libraries and other public spaces in the county.
ACL: The library branches are now Naloxone distribution points, and it has been a very successful program so far. There will be a new library branch manager at Northtown starting on Monday. They also have a new catalog launching on Monday.
CCL: Extended access was launched at the Victoria branch (7am-10pm).
WCL: The Cottage Grove City Council approved the renovation plans for the Park Grove Library. Stafford will be their next large facilities project, starting at the end of next year.
DCL: The library will be testing out Naloxone and fentanyl testing strip vending machines (with funding assistance from the Fire Department).
Halverson adjourned the meeting at 12:53pm.