HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-08-13 MinutesBoard of Trustees Meeting Fayetteville Public Library August 13, 1990 Present: Board Members Bobbye Hay, Charles Kirchen, Foster Park, Carol Phillips; Library Director Linda Harrison; Ozarks Regional Library Director Karen Duree President Bobbye Hay called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. The minutes for the special meetings of July 30 and August 2 were approved as. circulated. Library Director Harrison spoke briefly about the Statistical and Financial reports for July, noting particularly the excellent, well. attended summer programs for children. She also answered brief questions about particular expenditures, including increased Blue Cross payments. At Ms. Harrison's request the Board unanimously agreed to continue the practice of declaring amnesty for Library fines for items returned during the August 27 -September 3 Library closing. It was noted that the City of Fayetteville Board will meet in an agenda session Wednesday, August 15, at 8:30 a.m. The vacating of the alley -west of the Medark Building will be an item for that meeting, but it is uncertain whether the Library Board should be represented. Ms. Harrison will check with City officials and advise President Hay. It was further noted that we need to investigate the use of electric power (and responsibilities for payment) by construction employees beginning work on the new courthouse parking deck west of the Medark Building as well as in connection with the renovation of the Medark Building itself. The need for a new, more appropriate name for the Medark Building was briefly discussed; further consideration of a name change to be recommended to the City will be continued at the regular September Board meeting. President Hay led a discussion of several staff -related matters. The problem of longevity payments, now in apparent conflict with the new pay matrix, noted at the July 30 special meeting, was a particular concern. The City has dropped longevity payments entirely for its employees. Although relatively small now ($1520 for 1990), Library longevity pay may become more of a problem in the future. A decision for 1991 longevity payments perhaps depends in part on City action on the Library budget, scheduled for later this year. The Library Board affirmed longevity payments for the current 1990 year (some already paid) but postponed action on future payments until the December meeting when budget provisions are more certain. The question of a needed hiring freeze (to match the City's present freeze) was raised briefly, but it will not be imposed on the part-time vacancy soon to occur in the Children'd Department, with relatively page 2 Minutes of August 13, 1990 small salary cost. It was agreed that the annual review of the Library Director will be conducted at a closed Board personnel hearing at 3:00 p.m., Monday, September 10, just preceding the regular September Board meeting. Among the announcements was that of the Arkansas Library Association Conference at Ft. Smith for the end of October. Board member Park will try to attend for at least some of the key sessions. The annual book sale of the Friends of the Fayetteville Public Library will be held: October 19-20. The Friends group is also securing volunteers to help remove personal names from older Library check-out book cards (to meet provisions of the Arkansas privacy act). President Hay commented briefly about the earlier proposals for capitalizing Library book holdings,, noting that the process may be easier than previously thought. The present shelf list may be sufficient without the needfor a spparate new inventory. She will investigate further. The meeting was adjourned at 5:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Foster Park, Secretary