Hi SWAN Board reps-
I am happy to share with you that Dorothy Koll, Director of Acorn Public Library District, has accepted the appointment to the seat Charity has stepped down from. Dorothy has been added to this email list. Welcome Dorothy!
My next steps are to send calendar appointments to all of you with the library board meeting host addresses and dates.
I will also be updating the board member list.
https://support.swanlibraries.net/about/board-members
This email list is set to hold replies from board members for moderation, just as a point of clarification. I can release any emails sent to the list or modify the entire list to not use moderation.
Regards,
Aaron
Aaron Skog
Executive Director
aaron(a)swanlibraries.net<mailto:aaron@swanlibraries.net> * 630-326-7022
My pronouns: he/him/his
SWAN Library Services
800 Quail Ridge Drive, Westmont, IL 60559
swanlibraries.net<https://swanlibraries.net/> * catalog.swanlibraries.net<https://catalog.swanlibraries.net/>
Hello SWAN board representatives-
The meeting agenda and packet for Friday is available via the link below.
https://support.swanlibraries.net/meeting/89014
This packet is fairly long-a total of 85 pages-and there are a few items of note:
* I shared in the Executive Director's report that we discussed internally if the Operations Report should be restructured, so as you read that Operations Report, keep that new structure I provided in my written report in mind
* There are two usability studies in the packet that I hope are interesting to see how in depth we research changes to the Aspen Discovery catalog
* The board meeting date for August will likely be cancelled, as this has been kept on the calendar as a "just in case" date
* Think about having your library host two board meetings-we have been going to one board member's library two months in a row, and then rotate
* The MessageBee proposal that I noted last month as under research is ready for you to review!
Please let me know if you have any questions about the meeting packet contents. We will be meeting at Midlothian Public Library at 9:30am.
Regards,
Aaron
Aaron Skog
Executive Director
aaron(a)swanlibraries.net<mailto:aaron@swanlibraries.net> * 630-326-7022
My pronouns: he/him/his
SWAN Library Services
800 Quail Ridge Drive, Westmont, IL 60559
swanlibraries.net<https://swanlibraries.net/> * catalog.swanlibraries.net<https://catalog.swanlibraries.net/>
Hello SWAN Board reps-
The meeting agenda and packet for Friday's meeting is now posted.
https://support.swanlibraries.net/meeting/89013
This will be held at Bloomingdale Public Library in the lower level in room A/B.
Bloomingdale Public Library
101 Fairfield Way
Bloomingdale, IL 60108-1537
There will be an orientation for our two new board members immediately following the meeting. Please disregard the orientation poll as we decided to use Friday at Bloomingdale as our time to review board information, the tactical plan, and answer any questions!
Regards,
Aaron
Aaron Skog
Executive Director
aaron(a)swanlibraries.net<mailto:aaron@swanlibraries.net> * 630-326-7022
My pronouns: he/him/his
SWAN Library Services
800 Quail Ridge Drive, Westmont, IL 60559
swanlibraries.net<https://swanlibraries.net/> * catalog.swanlibraries.net<https://catalog.swanlibraries.net/>
Hi SWAN Board,
Dawn Bussey shared a RAILS memo today that was sent to the RAILS Consortia Committee working group that I think you will all find interesting. This memo is attached.
Thank you, Dawn, for being the SWAN representative for the working group and for raising the points that we are now seeing in this memo!
For those of you wanting a bit more information on the RAILS committee and working group, you can find an archive of meetings on the RAILS site below.
https://www.railslibraries.info/board/llsap-sustainability
Regards,
Aaron
Aaron Skog
Executive Director
aaron(a)swanlibraries.net<mailto:aaron@swanlibraries.net> * 630-326-7022
My pronouns: he/him/his
SWAN Library Services
800 Quail Ridge Drive, Westmont, IL 60559
swanlibraries.net<https://swanlibraries.net/> * catalog.swanlibraries.net<https://catalog.swanlibraries.net/>
Hi SWAN Board reps--
This poll is for anyone that wants to participate in an in-person meeting at the SWAN office in Westmont. I will have a binder prepared of material that we will review. I expect it will take an hour.
https://doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/dRgPXQEe
If you are not interested in attending, no need to respond to the poll.
If you have questions, feel free to reply to me directly!
Aaron Skog
Executive Director
aaron(a)swanlibraries.net<mailto:aaron@swanlibraries.net> * 630-326-7022
My pronouns: he/him/his
SWAN Library Services
800 Quail Ridge Drive, Westmont, IL 60559
swanlibraries.net<https://swanlibraries.net/> * catalog.swanlibraries.net<https://catalog.swanlibraries.net/>
Hi everyone-
I just added Colleen Waltman and Anna Wassenaar to the SWAN board email list. The list is moderated and is used for official SWAN Board communications.
I am creating a meeting date poll for a board orientation session and hope to have that sent out today for anyone interested in attending.
Regards,
Aaron
Aaron Skog
Executive Director
aaron(a)swanlibraries.net<mailto:aaron@swanlibraries.net> * 630-326-7022
My pronouns: he/him/his
SWAN Library Services
800 Quail Ridge Drive, Westmont, IL 60559
swanlibraries.net<https://swanlibraries.net/> * catalog.swanlibraries.net<https://catalog.swanlibraries.net/>
Hi SWAN board reps-
The election to-date has 55 participants since the ballot went out midday Monday, 5/9. The ballot is set to close end of the day Sunday, 5/29 so we have some time left.
I will send out a reminder next week. I was contacted by two library directors that did not get the voting information via email, and both were due to some incorrect information for their email address (L2 library data export in both cases), and I adjusted their information and resent the email codes. Both confirmed getting the second email.
Regards,
Aaron
Aaron Skog
Executive Director
aaron(a)swanlibraries.net<mailto:aaron@swanlibraries.net> * 630-326-7022
My pronouns: he/him/his
SWAN Library Services
800 Quail Ridge Drive, Westmont, IL 60559
swanlibraries.net<https://swanlibraries.net/> * catalog.swanlibraries.net<https://catalog.swanlibraries.net/>
Hi SWAN Board reps-
The agenda and packet for the meeting on Friday is now posted.
https://support.swanlibraries.net/meeting/89012
This will be held at Bloomingdale Public Library in the lower level in room A/B.
Bloomingdale Public Library
101 Fairfield Way
Bloomingdale, IL 60108-1537
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Aaron Skog
Executive Director
aaron(a)swanlibraries.net<mailto:aaron@swanlibraries.net> * 630-326-7022
My pronouns: he/him/his
SWAN Library Services
800 Quail Ridge Drive, Westmont, IL 60559
swanlibraries.net<https://swanlibraries.net/> * catalog.swanlibraries.net<https://catalog.swanlibraries.net/>
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Sean Morrison (Board of Commissioners) <Sean.Morrison(a)cookcountyil.gov
>
Date: Thu, Apr 21, 2022 at 4:38 PM
Subject: Monday at 1pm-Joint Meeting Re: Delayed 2nd Installment Mailing
To: Sean Morrison (Board of Commissioners) <Sean.Morrison(a)cookcountyil.gov>
Good Afternoon,
A friendly reminder that at 1:00pm on Monday, April 25th there will be a
Joint meeting of the County’s Finance Committee, Technology Committee,
Assessor, Board of Review, Clerk, and Treasurer to discuss a potential late
mailing of the second property tax installment bills. If you have concerns
about this, the proceedings can be followed here:
https://www.cookcountyil.gov/service/watch-live-board-proceedings
If you would like to speak or submit public comments on this matter please
visit “County Finance and Technology & Innovation Joint Committee Remote
Meeting Viewing and Participation Instructions at:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TDPMBBG
Please note that registration to provide live testimony will close 24 hours
prior to the scheduled start of the meeting.
The public comment link can also be reached here:
https://cook-county.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=955991&GUID=96E64A0B…
If you have any questions or need further information please let me know.
Sincerely,
[image: Sean M. Morrison Text, Letter]
[image: Cook County Seal]
*Sean M. Morrison | 17th District Cook County Commissioner *
Cook County Board of Commissioners
15040 Ravinia Ave. Suite 44
Orland Park, IL 60462
(708) 349-1336
*seanmorrison.com <https://www.seanmorrison.com/>*
*From:* Sean Morrison (Board of Commissioners) <
Sean.Morrison(a)cookcountyil.gov>
*Sent:* Wednesday, April 06, 2022 12:19 PM
*Subject:* Commissioner Sean Morrison Re: delayed second installment of
property taxes
Good Afternoon,
As your County Commissioner I am aware of the potential for serious
hardships to your local unit of government if there is a late mailing of
the second installment property tax bills. I am writing to let you know
that I have just filed a Resolution for the Cook County Board to ask our
Finance Committee for a Special Meeting, including the County Assessor,
Board of Review, Clerk, Treasurer and Bureau of Technology at the earliest
possible time. The purpose is to gain a better understanding of the issues,
effects, and potential solutions to a late mailing of the second property
tax installment. I have included my latest press release on this topic
below.
Sincerely,
[image: Sean M. Morrison Text, letter]
[image: Cook County Seal]
*Sean M. Morrison | 17th District Cook County Commissioner *
Cook County Board of Commissioners
15040 Ravinia Ave. Suite 44
Orland Park, IL 60462
(708) 349-1336
*seanmorrison.com <https://www.seanmorrison.com/>*
------------------------------
*17th District, Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison proposes financial
remedy for local governments who face revenue shortfall from delayed second
installment of property taxes*
April 1, 2022
*Orland Park, IL* - A very real financial crisis could soon hit every
government taxing body in Cook County. That’s because the Cook County
Assessor’s Office could delay the second installment of the Cook County
Real Estate Taxes up to six months and possibly into the first quarter of
2023. This delay in over $16 billion dollars in second half bills will
force local government bodies to either draw down their reserves or borrow
money with interest. This will have a massive financial impact on our
municipalities, school districts, fire protection districts, police
departments, park districts, public libraries, and everything in between.
Over seven months ago during county budget hearings, I raised the alarm of
the likelihood of late tax installments and the effect they will have
regarding the delay in the process of property tax certifications – due to
the dramatically diminished amount of files being processed at that time.
Aside from communications from Board of Review Commissioner Tammy Wendt’s
office, my questions and communications were largely ignored from the
various stakeholders.
Subsequently, I sent a *letter*
<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yg30KChramqEAODpEBf-gkNdiFYF7nqhj8NQ-KYLash…>
in January 2022 requesting a special hearing of the finance committee to
address this ominous issue. I was advised via *letter*
<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yg30KChramqEAODpEBf-gkNdiFYF7nqhj8NQ-KYLash…>,
the issue is being addressed by a policy group under the Office of the
President along with members of the Assessor’s office, Board of Review,
County Clerk and Treasurer’s Office. I received no other actionable
response on this item!
I, along with the public, have now learned via “the news media” that tax
bills will be delayed up to six months or more. If these news reports are
accurate, this will lead to local government taxing bodies across Cook
County being forced to borrow funds to cover their pre-budgeted operating
costs.
If this financial catastrophe occurs and Cook County is faced with a
substantial delay in the release of tax revenues to local government
bodies, then Cook County government should consider stepping in to address
this issue.
Until such point in time as those stakeholders whose primary function is
to provide for the on-time delivery of our property tax bill correct this
problem, I have one immediate solution. Cook County government should
consider setting aside up to $100 million dollars to provide for no/low
interest short-term financing loans to our local taxing bodies.
--
*Ted Bodewes*Director
Thomas Ford Memorial Library
800 Chestnut Street
Western Springs, IL 60558
(708) 246-0520
