CLN trustees vote against new insurance

POST FALLS — Trustees voted down a motion Thursday that would have bound the Community Library Network to another insurance provider and pushed the district over budget. 

The motion, brought forward during an emergency meeting, considered a quote from Redman and Company Insurance that had already expired.

The agreement, quoted at $130,000, would have required the network to cancel its coverage with the Idaho Counties Risk Management Plan, which is its full coverage provider, and to engage with Wright Insurance and American Family Insurance. Bringing on another insurance provider would have made coverage redundant in some areas, as well.

Trustee Tim Plass made the motion and voted in favor while Vice Chair Tom Hanley and Trustees Katie Blank and Vanessa Robinson voted against it. Chair Rachelle Ottosen did not vote.

Blank said the board did not have enough information on the appropriateness of the policy.

“There are so many questions on this,” she said. “For us to vote today is irresponsible and reckless.”

Hanley asked if there is such a thing as a “conditional vote.”

“Either the policy as a whole is valid or it’s not,” Hanley said, questioning where the other insurance agencies gathered their quotes from.

“I don’t want to sign off on Redman and get two out of three companies to give us the whole coverage,” he said. “I’m a bit confused at this point, to be honest with you. I’m struggling to have a full understanding."

Ottosen asked if a special meeting should be set since it sounded like no one was ready to vote, or if the motion could be voted on at the next regular meeting.

“There’s nothing wrong with approving this and finding out from Redman that some things aren’t right or some things have expired and have to be re-quoted,” Plass said.

He suggested an amendment to the motion that it be approved under the condition that no changes could be made by the insurer.

Library Director Alexa Eccles said the agreement would duplicate the coverage the network already has for employment, director and officer under Great American Insurance, so she recommended the motion include canceling Great American coverage as well.

“I really don’t think there is any justification, either financial or coverage-wise, that justifies that since Great American is half the cost of what this policy is offering,” she said.

She also pointed out the network is paying nearly $80,000 for legal services from Colton Boyles and said she finds it astounding the board would spend $130,000 on a contract without consulting legal counsel.

“It is absolutely good fiduciary responsibility of this board to allow legal counsel sufficient time to review it and to respond,” she said. “I find it irresponsible and reckless that this board has not offered or opened up the conversation before making this motion.”

Ottosen again suggested postponing the vote.

“I don’t think we’re ready to vote on it,” Hanley said. “I don’t feel ready to vote on it.”

“You can always vote ‘no,’” Robinson and Blank responded in unison.

The discussion of changing insurance providers took place in the midst of facilities crises at the Post Falls and Athol libraries, which have been closed for about three weeks because of damage sustained from burst pipes and ruptured sprinkler systems when North Idaho was in a deep freeze.

Eccles included an agenda item to address staffing needs as the two sites will be closed for at least four to six months while repairs are completed. She said she is expecting unforeseen expenses related to the damage and closures. Some of that may come out of the network’s capital budget or operating budget, but Eccles asked for assurance from the board before the conversation even began that trustees would not take funds from the current operating budget but from the reserve fund, which may be able to be replenished by unexpected funds from the county.

“If there are any necessary changes in staff, I want the understanding that it’s not going to be financially driven to make up for these shortfalls,” she said.

She said if the network has no intention of replacing staff because of financial reasons, that matters.

She said the Community Library Network and other taxing districts in Kootenai County just received emails from the county clerk regarding a House bill that appears to allow agencies to receive more taxes through homeowners’ tax relief and additional tax relief. This would be $294,000 and $27,000, respectively, to the network for the first half of the year. The funds are to offset government agencies and were approved by the state, Eccles said.

“It’s a good thing we have extra funds,” she said. “I just want to make sure that the board understands we have a process to go through for the budget, since it was unanticipated.”

More information will be presented regarding this, she said. She also reminded the board unplanned expenses not covered by insurance are imminent.

Eccles said the budget hardly has any wiggle room for extra spending on lawyers and insurance.

Hanley said if budget adjustments must be made, he would be inclined to reduce book purchases rather than use reserve money.

Ottosen said staffing should be the director’s call. She read from a statement that she doesn’t think a reduction in force would be ideal for retaining the best employees.

“That just deals with the people at two branches rather than retaining the best employees and letting go other employees who are maybe not quite as stellar, not to say they’re bad or anything,” she said.

Plass said the library closures were totally out of the blue to him. He asked if barriers could be put up while repairs are done and questioned why the buildings were closed at all. Eccles explained that thousands of gallons of water from the fire suppression system dumped into the Post Falls Library, impacting about 10,000 items. Wet library books become moldy and create airborne mold spores. The carpets and drywall will need to be replaced and other water mitigation work will take place.

“It is not safe,” she said. “It is not possible to have the public in a construction zone that affects the entire library.”

Regarding layoffs, Eccles said she fully intends to bring every employee back, when possible.

“This is a taxpayer-funded business, it’s not an employment center,” Hanley said. “While I respect workers unquestionably, if there isn’t work because the library’s shut down, I don’t expect to have people on the payroll if they’re not going to work.”

Plass said he doesn’t want to pay anyone if they’re not doing meaningful work for the library network. He asked Eccles to find a way to keep the libraries open.

“Maybe try harder,” he said. “Buildings can be airtight with plastic barriers.”

The Community Library Network’s board will hold its next regular meeting from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Rathdrum Library, 16320 Highway 41.

    Cassie Robertson, communications coordinator for the Community Library Network, shows where materials have been stored in the children's section of the Post Falls Library during a tour Thursday. Post Falls and Athol libraries have suffered extreme water damage from burst pipes and are expected to be closed for several months.