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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-15-12 Library Board of Trustees Minutes Bozeman Public Library Board of Trustees Regular Meeting Library Board/Staff Conference Room Bozeman Public Library Wednesday,February 15,2012 Minutes Attendance Present: Board of Trustees Chairman,Ron Farmer; Trustees Judy Mathre;Jackie McGuire;Jennifer Pawlak.Friends of the Bozeman Public Library: Vice- President,David House;Treasurer, Sharyn Anhalt; Bruce McLeod. City Manager,Chris Kukulski;Mayor Sean Becker;Facilities Supervisor,James Goehrung;Bozeman Public Library(BPL)Foundation Director,Paula Beswick; BPL Director, Susan Gregory; Lois Dissly. Absent: Trustee Holly Brown;Friends of the Library President,John Gallagher. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chairman Farmer at 4 p.m. Approval of Minutes The minutes of the January 18th Regular Meeting were read and two corrections were noted; Trustee McGuire moved to approve them with corrections and Trustee Mathre seconded. The Board voted to approve the corrected minutes. The minutes of the January 24th Special Meeting were read and no corrections were made. Trustee McGuire moved to approve them and Trustee Mathre seconded.The Board voted to approve them. Report on Roof and Facilities James Goehrung,City of Bozeman Facilities Supervisor,reported that the roof project is on schedule. Three firms responded to the Request for Qualifications; each will receive the information necessary to construct bids. The three respondents will meet with James on February 27th at the Library to discuss the project specifications. Bids will be opened by James and City staff on March 6th and presented to the Library Board at its March 21St Regular Board Meeting, at which time the Board will award the bid to one applicant. James will have a summary of the impact of the project on Library hours of operation at that time. James also reported that he has arranged for the Library men's rooms to be steam-cleaned on February 20th,when the Library is closed to the public for the President's Day holiday. The grout will be replaced and sealed. The crew will also add a second trash receptacle to the Family Restroom and do maintenance on the waterless urinals. Correspondence Susan Gregory shared correspondence and suggestions from the public. There were two requests for an outside book drop. A customer requested that a sign be posted on Main Street prohibiting people from making left-hand turns into the Library parking lot,two customers requested that the lobby men's rooms be cleaned more often and two requests for materials purchase were received. Susan received an e-mail from a customer who was upset about a program held in one of the Library's meeting rooms on "Catholics &Christianity"due to the particular way in which the program was promoted by the citizen who presented the program. The customer stated that the Library had hosted an event that was "hate-mongering". Susan shared her reply to the customer, in which she referred to the Library's meeting room policy of neutrality and freedom of expression, then invited the complainant to book a meeting room for a program with the opposing view. The Board members and Mayor Becker agreed that this was a suitable response. Susan stated that the Library staff will look into updating signage in the meeting rooms that reflects the Library's meeting room policy. Friends Report Sharyn Anhalt reported that the Friends have a new Board member, Cathy Dorgan. Sharyn discussed the Library's FY13 Funding Request and reported that the Friends Board voted to fund the larger requests,including four new book carts,two AWE preschool computers for the Children's Department, the Children's Summer Program performers, Books on CD, Fiction replacements,DVDs,book club kits, and funds for the annual Volunteer Brunch. The Friends will host their next Book Sale on March 30—31St in the Library's large community room. Sharyn discussed the Library's dog stations,which the Friends have funded for the last three years. The Friends would like to turn that responsibility over to City staff and focus their funding on more traditional goals, such as building the Library's materials collection. James said that he had received the Friend's letter regarding the dog stations and he is in the process of talking to other City departments to see who might be able to help. Foundation Report Paula Beswick thanked everyone present for attending the Boards Retreat on February 10th and said that she thought that it was very successful. A report on the event will be forthcoming. Information from the retreat will be used in future strategic planning for the Library,the Friends of the Library and the Foundation. Nominations are still open for the Foundation's Annual Cornerstone Award, which will be presented at the Cornerstone Celebration on April 14th. Invitations will be sent out in mid-March. The Art Committee is currently accepting applications for the 2013 Library gallery season. The current show is by the Camera Club of Bozeman and eight pieces have already been sold. On March 7th,the "Living Your Passion" series will continue with"Passionate about Poland", a program on Polish cuisine. Paula will begin another cycle of programming at Aspen Pointe on March 9th and will also take programs to the senior living facility,Highgate. The series,Exploring the Arts, will feature Celtic band, "Weatherwood"in the large community room on March 26th. Jack Kligerman,Library volunteer and Professor Emeritus,Lehman College,NYC, will present a special program to celebrate the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens on April 24th;the program will feature readings of Dickens' work by guest readers.Jack has been suggested to present a program at Bozeman High School on Dickens' life and works the same day. Paula announced that the guest speaker for this September's One Book, One Bozeman program,produced in partnership with Montana State University,will be announced very soon. There are two books this year: the Library will promote "I Know why the Caged Bird Sings",by Maya Angelou,while MSU will promote reading "Extraordinary Ordinary People",by Condoleezza Rice. Paula will present a series of College Prep workshops in April that will include tips on discovering and experiencing a Gap Year, as well as how to write a successful college SAT essay. Trustee Jennifer Pawlak asked Paula what the policy is on content for Library art shows. Paula responded that choice of work is a committee decision. The only complaint on artwork hanging in the lobby was years ago and part of the Sweet Pea exhibit,while a piece was challenged inside the Library last year,which the Art Committee handled. Basically,the artwork we display has to be appropriate for Library audiences. Director's Report Susan announced that much of her report actually dealt with the FY13 Budget request,which was also listed as a Discussion Item on the agenda. As of February 15th,2012, 53% of the Library budget remains,with 33%left of FY12. She said that she and the Library Dept. Heads worked together on a Preliminary FY13 Budget,which they would present to the City Manager and City Finance Director in a meeting on February 24th. Susan distributed the FY13 Budget Proposed Summary and discussed it with the group. The Library's preliminary request is for an increase in operating funds of 16.71 percent. The biggest increases are for Library materials,including nonprint and online databases, and for continuing education funds. These categories were cut by Library staff in the FY12 Final Budget. Costs of books,audios,postage and contractual services have gone up due to inflation. The Library is requesting additional personnel hours to address staffing shortages on two service desks. We do not yet have those costs to include in the budget,as they will be calculated by the City Finance staff. We are also requesting that the Library hours be extended by one hour on Friday afternoons and on Sunday afternoons during the summer. Trustee Judy Mathre moved to approve the FY13 Preliminary Budget and Trustee Jennifer Pawlak seconded the motion. The Board voted to approve the FY13 Preliminary Budget. Trustee Jackie McGuire asked for expanded budget data for several years preceding FY13,which Susan will provide. Mayor Becker asked if the sidewalk improvements by the Library parking lot that had been requested by several customers had been addressed in the budget request. City Manager Kukulski said that this issue would be in the Facilities budget,overseen by James Goehrung. Items for Action Friends of the Library Vice-President,David House,thanked the Board for putting the Lindley Perk Coffee Shop lease on the agenda. A new lease needs to be drawn up but there are areas of confusion that need to be cleared up before a new lease is made. He stated that there needs to be a document that's an agreement between the Trustees and the Friends of the Library(FOL). There are areas that need to be clarified, such as insurance and who the responsible party is in the case of damages. He asked for direction from the Board. The Board members agreed that there has been the intention of having a memo of understanding between the FOL and the Library Board but that no document had ever been produced. It was stated that the Foundation doesn't have a MOU with the Library Board,either,but that the situation was different,as there isn't a third party involved. Chairman Ron Farmer asked if the Friend's attorney who had drawn up the original coffee shop lease could draw up another contract,then the Trustees could ask the City Attorney to approve it. Friends' member, Bruce McLeod said that this would be too expensive;the Friends are concerned about funds. Trustee McGuire asked if the City Attorney could draw up a document. The City Manager replied that it would be fine to ask the City Attorney but that it might take time to get one,due to his heavy workload. He said that the insurance on the Library building is carried by MMIA. Friends' member, Sharyn Anhalt, asked if a lease could be drawn up between the Library Board of Trustees and the Coffee Shop proprietor,then the Friends of the Library would manage the operation.Mayor Becker said that it would be possible for the City Commission to approve such a lease;the Trustees could simply have a revenue agreement with the Friends. The City Manager said that the City does not currently have a template for a lease to use in this case,since the unique aspect is that of a business being run out of a City building. David House said that the question is who has the authority to sign a lease with the proprietor of the Coffee Shop. Chairman Farmer stated that the Library Board of Trustees would be the responsible parry and sign a new lease with the Coffee Shop proprietor,while the Friends of the Library will be the managing party. Susan reported that Greg Sullivan, City Attorney,had offered to help since he is able to do legal work for the Library Board. Ron asked Susan to contact Greg and ask him to write a new lease that stipulates that the Library Board of Trustees is the lessor and that Jason Cargill is the current lessee. The Friends of the Library will be the managing parry. Susan agreed to contact Greg and begin the process of getting a new coffee shop lease. City Reports Mayor Becker announced that the Library would have a new Commission Liaison at the next Library Board meeting. Deputy Mayor,Jeff Krauss,will be the new representative for the Library and will be at the April Board meeting. Adjournment There being no further business,Trustee McGuire moved that the meeting be adjourned. Trustee Mathre seconded the motion. Chairman Farmer adjourned the meeting at 5:26 p.m. The next Library Board of Trustees meeting will be on Wednesday, March 21st 2012.