By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The Warsaw Community Public Library Board of Trustees approved changes to library card fees and employees’ medical policies during a meeting on Monday, July 13.

According to WCPL Director Ann Zydek, the fees for library cards are only increasing by a few cents. The annual individual fee is now $96.02, with the annual family fee now at $240.05 and the part-year individual fee at $24.01.

The fees apply to those who do not reside in the library district but want a library card through WCPL.

The board also approved an employee medical policy associated with Medicare during the meeting. The library will now reimburse a full-time employee the premium costs associated with Medicare, which includes the base amount for a Medicare Part B buy-in, a supplement, along with a stand-alone drug plan or, the base amount for Medicare Part B buy-in along with an Advantage plan premium, if the employee waives the coverage of the group health plan provided by the library.

Lisa Frazzetta-Manning, operations manager at Frazzetta Financial Services, was present at the meeting to explain the policy to board members.

“Every person is unique and for some, it’s a good option,” said Frazzetta-Manning. “And maybe for others, it’s not. But it will save the library money and it’s also a good plan for everybody. Everybody wins.”

The library has major medical insurance available to eligible employees and their qualified dependents.

“We wanted to make this an option that was available,” said WCPL Board President Chris Merrill. “Because it really wasn’t. There just wasn’t a support structure, and we’re adding that.”

In other business, Zydek informed the board that she signed an agreement to have Lissa Krull, library strategist with the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services, assist with completing the library’s five-year strategic plan for 2021-2025. The cost for having Krull assist with the work will not exceed $5,000.

Zydek said there will be two staff retreats on Aug. 6 and 13 to discuss and work on the plan. Aside from library staff, Zydek and Krull, board members will also be in attendance to assist with the work.

The board’s next meeting is at 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10.