Record of Proceedings
Ritter Public Library Board of Trustees
Regular Session
Meeting Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2026
The Board of Trustees of Ritter Public Library convened in regular session at 7:00 PM in the Ritter Public Library Meeting Room A. Warden called the meeting to order with the following members and visitors present:
Julie Armstrong-Sexton: Present
Lois Arnold: Present
Doug Brown: Present
Chad Coolidge: Present
Mary Deucher: Present
Jacob Raffo: Present
Marie Warden: Present
Employees: C. Grizzell, C. Springer, A. Folley
Visitors: Ben and Val Cabell
Certification of Notification:
Springer certified that a notice of the meeting had been posted in the May 7, 2026, edition of the Vermilion Photojournal, as well as the Ritter Public Library social media outlets and Library Website.
Approval of Minutes:
Coolidge moved that the April 2026 Regular Board Meeting minutes be approved as presented, and Brown seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Correspondence:
None
Director’s Report:
Grizzell reviewed the Director’s report (attached).
We received a lot of great feedback on the Titanic program.
Correction: the newsletter went out to approximately 3,000 recipients.
Tomorrow and Thursday, GPD Group will have team members coming out to begin the Building Assessment.
The Vermilion Poetry Society has selected their poetry winners. Once we have the names and poems, we will post them on the Community Room windows for the year.
Discussed the roof leaks. Grizzell will send out an update.
Passed around some information and flyers about the Summer Reading Program.
Financial Report:
Springer reviewed the Fiscal Officer’s report (attached).
Deucher moved to accept the financials as presented, and Arnold seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Public Comment:
None
Old Business:
Healthcare MOU Update: Grizzell passed out the MOU for the Healthcare changes. The union expressed their gratitude to the Board for what they are doing for the staff.
New Business:
Ritter Room Portrait
Grizzell spoke about the Ritter Room renovation. We have a plan for an Oral History program. Regarding the portraits, Mr. Ritter will go back up. The plaque will be replaced with something a little more useable. Regarding the Wakefield portraits, Margaret Wakefield called and stated that her family will be here soon, and someone would love to take those portraits home, if we’d like to give them back.
Arnold motioned to return the Wakefield portraits to the family, and Raffo seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Resolution #3-2026
Warden moved the adoption of the following resolution:
Be it resolved by the Board of Library Trustees of the Ritter Public Library to increase appropriation number 1000-110-411-0032, Adult Non-Fiction, by $1,000.00 to identify and track a donation received from the Erie County Community Foundation via the Bliss Family. These funds will be used to purchase Ohio History books for the renovated Ritter Room.
Armstrong seconded the resolution and the roll called upon its adoption. The vote resulted as follows:
Armstrong – Aye; Arnold – Aye; Brown – Aye; Coolidge – Aye; Deucher – Aye; Raffo – Aye; Warden – Aye.
Resolution #4-2026
IT Manager Lima explained the resolution to the Board (attached).
Warden moved the adoption of the following resolution:
Ritter Public Library, in accordance with Ohio Revised Code section 9.64 adopts a cybersecurity program in line with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework and the Center for Internet Security best practices.
The program will safeguard public and private data, information technology, and the library network to ensure confidentiality, availability, and the integrity of the Library’s resources.
The Library shall not pay or otherwise comply with a ransomware demand unless the Board of Trustees formally approves such action through a resolution that specifically states why the action is in the best interests of the Library.
The Technology Manager, in coordination with the Fiscal Officer and the Director of the Library will oversee the implementation, documentation, and the annual review of the program to ensure best practices are followed in line with state requirements.
All records and documentation related to the Library’s cybersecurity program are exempt from public records disclosure, consistent with Ohio Revised Code Section 9.64(e).
Arnold seconded the resolution and the roll called upon its adoption. The vote resulted as follows:
Armstrong – Aye; Arnold – Aye; Brown – Aye; Coolidge – Aye; Deucher – Aye; Raffo – Aye; Warden – Aye.
Resolution #5-2026
Warden moved the adoption of the following resolution:
Ritter Public Library has an investment relationship with Michael McCullough and Touchstone Wealth Partners. Touchstone is changing its custody/safekeeping provider from UBS to US Bank. As US Bank is on the list of qualified institutions under the Ohio Revised Code for Financial Institutions and Investors, and as the Library has a good working relationship with Michael McCullough, The Ritter Public Library investments currently held with UBS will now be held with US Bank/Touchstone with Michael McCullough.
Coolidge seconded the resolution and the roll called upon its adoption. The Roll resulted as follows: Armstrong – Aye; Arnold – Aye; Brown – Aye; Coolidge – Aye; Deucher – Aye; Raffo – Aye; Warden – Aye.
Warden then moved that the Board enter Executive Session to discuss the compensation of a public employee. A decision will be made as a result of executive session. Armstrong seconded the motion and the roll was called. Roll call vote resulted as follows: Armstrong – Aye; Arnold – Aye; Brown – Aye; Coolidge – Aye; Deucher – Aye; Raffo – Aye; Warden – Aye.
The Board moved into Executive Session at 7:34pm.
The Board moved out of Executive Session at 7:46pm.
Warden moved to award Non-Bargaining Unit Employees 12 weeks of Parental Leave, salary only with no accrual of benefits. Brown seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Move to Adjourn:
Arnold moved to adjourn and Coolidge seconded. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 7:50pm.
The meeting was adjourned until Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 7:00pm at the Ritter Public Library.