MEEKER | The Meeker Regional Library District held its regular monthly board meeting for July last week in the community room at the Meeker Public Library.
Board President John Moffitt, Vice President Keri Grieser, Secretary/Treasurer Toby Leavitt, and member Dan Olson attended the meeting in person, while board member Michael Cobb joined via Zoom. The board opened the meeting by approving the agenda as presented.
During the public comment period, community member Peggy Strate addressed the board with concerns about the direction of recent policy discussions.
“Some of the board feels like the library is such a dangerous place,” Strate said. “As a retired teacher and teacher for many years, there’s no place I’d rather have my students and someone hanging out than the library.”
Strate referenced earlier remarks made by Cobb regarding the legal status of guardians accompanying children to the library.
“My granddaughter is 15. She brings her seven-year-old that she takes care of to the library weekly. That would not be a possibility. I mean, it’s not a dangerous place — it’s a place where people learn, where people improve themselves, and a place where kids can keep reading themselves. I condemn the fact that it is looked at as such a negative, dangerous place,” she said.
With no further public comment, the board moved on to approve the minutes from the June meeting. No changes were made, and the minutes were approved as presented.
In the financial report, the board noted year-to-date funds of $35,000. Some variances in the budget were highlighted, particularly in part-time wages and payroll expenses. Moffitt raised concerns about a $5,100 figure in the payroll line item, noting that while they had budgeted $50,000, only $17,000 had been spent so far.
“I don’t think the budget is bad,” Leavitt responded. She explained the difficulty in answering financial questions in real time, saying, “I think moving forward [we’ll be] better reporting-wise. But in asking questions in the meeting, it’s hard for us to answer accurately because we can’t log into QuickBooks and get details, which is what some of the questions are requiring.”
Leavitt recommended that board members email her financial questions ahead of time to allow for more detailed responses and proposed improving reporting processes going forward. After clarifications were addressed, the board accepted the financial report.
Library Director Kristina Selby reported that circulation was up in June and around 10 new cards were issued. Upcoming events include a monthly teen program, a winter reading challenge, preschool outreach, and planning for the annual Halloween craft series.
Selby also shared that she and staff member Ellie attended the American Library Association (ALA) conference, highlighting a panel on emotional intelligence in leadership.
Facility updates included plans for radon testing, resealing the parking area, and refinishing the courtyard deck. The board is considering whether to use wood or composite materials for the deck platforms.
Later in the meeting, under new business, the board discussed the Children and Parents Policy. Board member Dan Olson asked about the age requirement for children to receive their own library cards.
The board’s attorney, Glory Schmidt, who attended the meeting online, clarified the policy after consulting with Director Selby.
“Children over the age of 14 can get their own library cards without their parents’ permission,” Schmidt said.
She noted that the age requirement had initially been written differently, but Selby corrected it.
“Children 14 and up can do that all by themselves so their parents won’t come to the library and learn about all the options they have to manage the content, because kids at 14 and up can just get their own library cards on their own without permission,” Schmidt said.
Olson raised a concern based on a community member’s comment.
“They were denied access to their child’s information — specifically, they were trying to figure out which books were accruing late fees. They were denied access to that information based on the privacy piece of it,” Olson said.
He referenced Colorado law, specifically section 24-90-119, which states that parents have rights to access records for their minors.
“As far as minors in Colorado, that would be anyone under the age of 18. I guess my question would be: do we have the right, if the parents have assisted the child in opening up that account, to then deny them access to it if they are under the age of 18?” Olson asked.
In response, Selby explained the legal expectations regarding privacy.
“Anybody who has a card has privacy rights. If a parent would like to look at their child’s card — what is on their account — they have to have the card or the card number, and then they’re absolutely able to get online or ask us what is on that account,” Selby said.
Olson responded by explaining what he wanted clarified in the Children and Parents Policy.
“I want to make sure that our policy does not in any way violate parents’ rights under this exemption to be able to access that, and then to also understand what the process would be. If it’s decided Colorado-wide that the kids can come in and start their own card and then they have free access and complete privacy, that’s one thing,” Olson said.
He emphasized the need to make clear where parental oversight begins and ends. Selby explained how the policy is communicated during card issuance.
“When we issue cards, they are told you cannot get access as parents because library law states the parent has to have the card or number. That’s the only way they can get on to have somebody to get access to what they got on that account,” Selby said.
“We have to follow that privacy law that’s expected. It’s not saying if you’re a parent you can’t see what’s on that card — but it’s saying that if they have the card or the number, then you can look them up on their own to see what is on their account,” Selby continued.
Olson reiterated his desire for the policy to be more clearly defined.
“If that’s adding some additional information into this or even changing that age to 18 years old, then you can work through it with the staff, as far as when are they going to have access if they have access to the card,” he said.
Schmidt referred to a line in the policy that states, “Parents and guardians of children 13 years of age or younger approve or validate their children’s use of a library card account.” She noted that this could remain, but the second reference to the age of 13 in the same paragraph might be removed.
“We can either get rid of that sentence completely — that the library will maintain access options that parents and guardians can view, can use to manage library content for children 13 years of age or younger — or I think that we could just get rid of that sentence, because then you do have that pursuant to section 24-90-119, parents and guardians have the right to access their child’s library record. I think we could get rid of that second reference to 13 years of age or younger,” Schmidt said.
Following further discussion, the board agreed to strike the second reference in the statement and move forward with the policy.
Toward the end of the meeting, the board entered executive session to receive legal advice regarding the District’s services agreement with COLOCPA Services P.C. for district accounting, pursuant to CRS 24-6-402(4)(b).
After the session, the board reconvened and voted to terminate its contract with the library’s current certified public accountant. They approved a motion to hire the accounting firm CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA).
The board agreed not to hold a work session in August. Future work sessions were scheduled for Sept. 23, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. and Oct. 14, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.
The next regular meeting is set for Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 5:30 p.m. in the community room at the Meeker Public Library. The meeting adjourned following scheduling confirmations.