Article 1: Compliance – The Board of Trustees and Executive Director are responsible for signing contracts.
Article 2: The Board of Trustees of the Ogdensburg Public Library, to ensure efficient operations with suitable accountability and oversight, delegates the following standing levels of contract signing authority:
| Type of contract or commitment | Positions that may sign | Special note |
| 2.1 Contractual purchase of collection materials (for example, contract for database subscription). | Executive Director | Expenditure must stay within current budget. |
| 2.2 Emergency repair or other time-sensitive facilities-related contract up to $2,500.00 | Board President, Executive Director | The emergency or time-sensitivity must be documented, and the contract must be within the current annual budget and communicated to the Board, either at the next scheduled meeting or by email, if amount is over $2,500. |
| 2.3 Retain attorney, accountant, or auditor. | Board President, Executive Director | Expenditure must stay within current budget or requires board vote. |
| 2.4 Permission to use Library name and/or logo for business. | Board President, after discussion of contract during a regular meeting. | Contract must include clause to revoke permission to protect the Library’s reputation. |
| 2.5 License of Library-owned copyrights. | Board President, after discussion of contract during a regular meeting. | Contract must include clause to revoke license and may not permanently assign (give away) the copyright. |
| 2.6 Utility contract (internet, gas, water, power) | Executive Director | Expenditure must stay within current budget. |
| 2.7 Grant application and/or acceptance agreement WITHOUT matching funds. | Executive Director | Expenditure must stay within current budget, after presentation of opportunity during a regular meeting. If a grant has matching funds, the board must approve the application or acceptance prior to it being submitted. |
| 2.8 Insurance coverage | Board President | Prior to renewal, the board should review the current coverage and assess if it is adequate. |
| 2.9 Employee benefits contract | Board of Trustees | Expenditure must stay within current budget, prior to renewal, after presentation of opportunity during a regular Board meeting. |
Article 3: All other contracts must be approved by the Board of Trustees prior to signature by the Executive Director or the President. The Library’s attorney may be given signing authority already delegated to that person, by the Board of Trustees.
Article 4: For avoidance of doubt, the following contracts require a specific board resolution that must include both a) approval of the contract, and b) what position shall have the authority to sign the contract:
- all construction contracts
- collective bargaining agreements
- employee benefit contracts
- security service contracts
- legal settlements
- investment advisor
- fundraising counsel
- employment contracts.
Article 5: The Board also confirms that consistent with the not-for-profit corporation law, the following actions that may involve a contract require a specific board vote and/or procedure beyond approval by a simple majority:
- Sale of Real Property
- Loan of money or non-collection items by Library
- Amendment of or addendum to the 1981 Remington Trust Agreement
Adopted by the Board of Trustees on July 2, 2025