Mokena Community Public Library District Board of Trustees Meeting | July 2025

The Mokena Community Public Library District Board of Trustees focused on key financial matters during its July 22 meeting, which was called to order by Secretary Marilyn O’Rourke in the absence of the board president. The board unanimously approved a tentative budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which will be finalized in August after a public notice period. For more on the budget, see the full story. Additionally, the library announced the receipt of a nearly $30,000 Per Capita Grant from the Illinois Secretary of State. See the full story for details.

In other news, the library celebrated the installation of a new “Free Keychain Library” donated by a local family to encourage community trading of trinkets. The board also honored a longtime patron, approved bill payments, and praised staff for their dedication.

Board Approves Over $67,000 in Bills
Brief Title: Board Approves Over $67,000 in Bills: The trustees unanimously approved the payment of bills from the check register totaling $67,132.43. Before the vote, the board inquired about two payments made to The Creamery, which Executive Director Cathy Palmer clarified were for two separate library events. The motion to approve the payments was made by Trustee Erin Minh and seconded by Trustee Camille Gonzalez-Jensen.

Longtime Patron Recognized
Brief Title: Longtime Patron Recognized: During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Judy Willis spoke to the board about her many years of service to the library. Following her comments, Secretary Marilyn O’Rourke thanked Ms. Willis for her attendance and her contributions to the library community over the years.

Staff Stability Praised by Board
Brief Title: Staff Stability Praised by Board: While reviewing an updated personnel report, trustees commented on the library’s low staff turnover rate. The board noted that this stability is a positive reflection of the organization’s strong internal culture and a testament to the library’s leadership and work environment.

Trustees Review Library Statistics
Brief Title: Trustees Review Library Statistics: The board reviewed monthly reports on library operations, including summer reading program data, website traffic, and circulation statistics. Trustees requested that future reports include year-over-year comparisons for summer reading participation. Deputy Director Luke Surdel also explained that an error in the IT statistics report was due to recent computer lab upgrades.