By-Laws and Rules of the Board of Trustees
of the Bonneville County Library District
Amended on May 8, 2023
Article I—Name
This organization shall be called “Bonneville County Library District”, existing by virtue of the provisions of Title 33, Chapter 27, of the Laws of the State of Idaho, and exercising the powers and authority and assuming the responsibilities delegated to it under the said statute.
Article II—Membership
Section 1. The members of the board shall be those persons appointed or elected to the board in accordance with Idaho Code 33-2715 through 33-2718. The Bonneville County Library District has established trustee zones.
Section 2. A vacancy shall be declared by the board
(a) when any nominee has failed to qualify for office, or (b) within thirty days when any trustee shall
(1) die
(2) resign as a trustee
(3) no longer be a resident of the district
(4) refuse to serve as a trustee
(5) without an excuse acceptable to the board, fail to attend two (2) consecutive board meetings
(6) no longer be a resident of his/her trustee zone of residence.
Article III—Officers
Section 1. The officers of the district shall be a chairperson and a vice chairperson. The Library Executive Director or designee may serve as the secretary and treasurer for the board.
Section 2. The officers will be appointed through a rotating system. Zone 1 followed by Zone 2 and so on. The vice chairperson will be the next person in line to be chairperson. Individual trustees may be excused from chair duties upon request to the board.
Section 3. Officers shall serve a term of one year from the annual meeting at which they are appointed.
Section 4. The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the board, authorize calls for any special meetings, appoint all committees, execute all documents authorized by the board, serve as an ex-officio voting member of all committees, and generally perform all duties associated with that office.
Section 5. The vice chairperson shall, in the event of the absence or disability of the chairperson, or of a vacancy in that office, assume and perform the duties and functions of the chairperson. In addition to duties mentioned for the vice chairperson: the vice chairperson will also monitor the District bank accounts, checking at least monthly to make sure everything is in order.
Section 6. The board shall appoint some qualified person, who may or may not be a member of the board of trustees, to act as clerk of the library board. The clerk shall work with the county to ensure library district elections are conducted as specified in Idaho Code, shall prepare and distribute legal notices, shall ensure that a true and accurate record of all meetings of the board shall be kept, shall issue notice of all regular and special meetings, and shall perform such other duties as are generally assigned by the board.
Section 7. The Library Executive Director and/or a Financial Specialist shall be the financial officer/treasurer of the board. The treasurer shall submit a written report to the board at each regular board meeting. All expenditures must fall under annual budget categories and limits set by the board. Any purchases that exceed annual budget limits must be approved by the board. The treasurer is responsible for maintaining the financial health of the District. The treasurer and two board members will be signatures on the District Bank Account.
ARTICLE IV—Duties of the Board
The Board of the District shall provide the policy and legislative direction for the District and its administrator.
The Board shall have all powers and duties provided by law, which shall include:
- Adopt such bylaws, rules, and regulations for its own guidance and for the government of the District as it deems expedient.
- Have the supervision, care, and custody of all property.
- Employ a Library Executive Director.
- Annually submit a budget to the County Commissioners in ample time for them to make the household tax amount available on the tax bill.
- Have exclusive control of District finances.
- Accept such gifts of money or property for District purposes as it deems expedient.
- Lease or purchase land for library buildings.
- Lease, purchase, or erect buildings for library purposes, and acquire such other property as may be needed for that purpose.
- Purchase library materials and supplies for the District.
- Do all other acts necessary for the orderly and efficient management and control of the District.
Article V—Library Executive Director and Staff
The Board shall appoint a qualified Library Executive Director who shall be the executive and administrative officer of the library on behalf of the board and under its review and direction. The director shall serve as an ex-officio member of the library board and shall attend all meetings of the board. The director shall represent the board at meetings as directed. The director shall have authority to hire and specify the duties of other employees and shall be held responsible for the proper direction and supervision of the staff, for the care and maintenance of the library property, for an adequate and proper selection of books in keeping with the stated policy of the board, for the efficiency of library service to the public, and for its financial operation within the limitations of the budgeted appropriation
Article VI—Meetings
Section 1. The regular meetings shall be held at least every other month with dates to be set by the board at its annual meeting, unless otherwise ordered by the board.
Section 2. The annual meeting, which shall be for the purpose of administering the oath of office to new or re-elected trustees, the election of officers, establishing a regular meeting date, and the review of policies and procedures, shall be held at the time of the first regular meeting in June.
Section 3. The order of business for regular meetings shall include, but not be limited to, the following items, which shall be covered in the sequence shown so far as circumstances will permit:
- Call to Order
- Approval of Minutes
- Financial Report
- Approval of Bills
- Committee Reports
- Unfinished Business
- New Business
- Library Director Report/Branch Manager’s Report
- Friends of the Library Report
- Public Comment
- Adjournment
Section 4. Special meetings may be called by the clerk at the direction of the chairperson, or at the request of two members, for the transaction of business as stated in the call for the meeting. Written notice of special meetings will be given to board members at least two (2) working days prior to the day of the meeting, and sent to all news media requesting notification not less than 24 hours before the meeting, unless an emergency exists.
Section 5. A quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting shall consist of (3) members of the board present in person, but a smaller number may adjourn.
Section 6. Conduct of meetings: proceedings of all meetings shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order.
Article VII—Committees
Section 1. The chairperson shall appoint committees of one or more members each for such specific purposes as the business of the board may require from time to time. The committee shall be considered to be discharged upon the completion of the purpose for which it was appointed and after the final report is made to the board.
Section 2. All committees shall make a progress report to the library board at each of its meetings.
Section 3. No committee will have other than advisory powers unless, by suitable action of the board, it is granted specific power to act.
Article VIII—Amendments
These by-laws may be amended by a simple majority vote of all members of the board at any meeting that has a quorum, provided written notice of the proposed amendment shall have been mailed or electronically transmitted (emailed) to all members at least fifteen days prior to the meeting at which such action is proposed to be taken.
Article IX—General
Section 1. An affirmative vote of the majority of all members of the board present at the time shall be necessary to approve any action before the board. The chairperson may vote upon and may move or second a proposal before the board. No second shall be required for the board to consider a motion.
Section 2. Any rule or resolution of the board, whether contained in these bylaws or otherwise, may be suspended temporarily in connection with business at hand, but such suspension, to be valid, may be taken only at a meeting at which three members of the board shall be present and three of those present shall so approve.