HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-11-08 MinutesMinutes
Fayetteville Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting 11/8/93 at 4:00 p.m.
Attending: Charles Kirchen, Carol Phillips, Anne Prichard, Michael Thomas -
Trustees; Linda Harrison - Fayetteville Public Library Director;
Karen Duree - Ozarks Regional Library Director; Mary Jo Godfrey,
June Jefferson, Mary Loots, Mim Neralich, Susan Sissom - Library
Staff
Absent: Jeff Koenig - Trustee
Vice -President Thomas called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
Phillips moved and Kirchen seconded that the word Acting be deleted from the last
paragraph of page 3 of the Minutes for 10/18/93 and the Board approved. The Board
then approved the entire Minutes of 10/18/93.
There was no correspondence.
Harrison presented the Statistical Report of October 1993 and the Financial Report
of 10/30/93. Phillips moved they be accepted as mailed, Prichard seconded and the
Board approved.
Harrison reported on the 1994 Operations funding. She had spoken with the City
Finance Department. There will be a public hearing scheduled for November 23rd.
Harrison asked what will be the transfer to the Library in 1994. The answer she
received was: the target budget amount which is (as she explained to Steve Davis)
$5,000 less than what the Library has to have to maintain current levels of service
and staff. Board members who were on the Board in July may recall that the Library
requested an additional $16,000 but the Library must have an additional $5,000 to
make current ends meet. Davis, Budget Officer for the City, was supposed to have
been present at today's meeting. Harrison met with him again on 11/5/93 and he
assured her that he had already received approval for the additional $5,000 and
needs to talk to more people about the remaining $11,000 requested. The target
amount of $248,356 is $16,000 less than what is needed to implement the Pay
Plan and $5,000 less than needed to maintain the current plan. A town meeting
will discuss the 2010 Land Use Plan. It includes Parks and Recreation but does.
not say anything specific about the Library.
Jefferson made a follow-up report on the opinion the Board requested from the City
Attorney's Office about the COBRASERV waiver the Library wasasked to sign. Phillips
moved and Prichard seconded that the Board agree to the McCarty recommendation of
10/13/93 which suggested that the Board not sign any waiver. The Board approved.
Harrison gave reports on the items Koenig was to have presented. A few days after
the last Board meeting, Koenig met with Mayor Hanna and Ben Mays,Administrative
Services Director, about the Hecathorn contract. They said it would be closed out
almost immediately. Koenig is under the impression that they are working on it,
that there is no problem, that the figures are not hard figures, that there is
money in the fund and that it will be dispersed. Koenig has waited to contact
Jo Ann Sandlin about United Way support until a more appropriate time. The Mayor
has invited Hailey to discuss the Hailey contract with the City Council. The
Library Board need not be involved in the resolution of that contract.
Harrison will speak with the City Prosecuting Attorney about overdues.
Thomas reported on the status of the U. of A. Press books displayed at the
Bank of Fayetteville. The books are returned to the Press after being displayed
and Professor Williams, the Director, can not give anything away because it is
State property. Perhaps the books can be sold to the Library as remainders.
Williams is expecting to hear if this rule can be waived for the Library.
Duree discussed increasing millage for the whole County. She has given the same
presentation to the Springdale Library Board and the Washington. County Library
Board that she presented to this Board last month. She has also spent time
writing down in more detail what the Regional Library means to each one of the
individual libraries in the system and more about Amendments 30 (1940), 38 (1947),
and 72 (1992). The Washington County Library Board has decided to seek the Attorney
General's opinion on one part of the question. Right now there is a Washington
County 1 mill library tax which is collected countywide. If a city of 5,000 or
more within Washington County would vote for a library millage, does that mean that
the 1 mill that is currently being collected within that city limits of that County
is no longer collected for the County millage? That particular piece of information
will not be available for several months. Julie Hart, Extension Services Coordinator
at the Arkansas State. Library, will be at the Springdale Library Board meeting on
November 10th at 10 a.m. Members of other Library Boards will be at this public
meeting. Prichard is already convinced that library millage should be increased
for the whole county.
Harrison discussed the no food/no drinks policy for the Library and the Library's
meeting room. The January 20, 1992 Rules and Regulations for the Use of the
Meeting Roomstates, under number 2, "No refreshments may be served". There is also
a sign on every entrance door that says "No food or drinks . . ." Neralich and
Loots from the Children's Department do not ask for an exception for the Children's
Department. This Department uses the Meeting Room more than anyone else. There is
no space for a kitchen in the Meeting Room. Food was prohibited not because of
carpeting or for health regulations but because there was no access to a kitchen.
However, because the Children's Department has access to a kitchen in the downstairs
break room, they understood that they could continue to serve food. This could not
be made available to the public. Precedents, such as the 1992 open house after the
new construction, originally scheduled refreshments in the Meeting Room. This was
changed to be on the same floor as the presentation upstairs and the Meeting Room
was used for a Children's Department story hour. A retirement party for Helen
Brannon was held in Genealogy. The one memorable event organized by the Children's
Department is the summer tea party for pre-schoolers. Everyone comes in formal
clothes. Formal tables are set. Manners are talked about and there are stories
about English manners. It is a learning experience. Since this is our Library
and our Room, and if it is appropriate to have food, Neralich sees nothing wrong
with it and no need to make excuses. There are also precedents for making an
exception to the rules. The Friend's Book Sale lasted past closing time. When
voters come to vote they are in the Library before and after Library hours.
Neralich does not feel it is an outrageous request. Harrison has received complaints
only from groupswhich used to use the Meeting Room upstairs and provided refresh-
ments after their meetings. Kirchen felt it should be carefully recorded that
because of the need for the Children's Department to have a formal English tea once
a year for the children, they can have it as a singular exception. Phillips moved
that one Children's program, the formal English tea partyin the summer, be an
exceptionto the January 20, 1992 rule, seconded by Kirchen and approved by the
Board.
The new lease for the Ozarks Regional Library, January 1, 1994 - December 31,
1995, was discussed. Harrison promised we would take action on this at the
next Board meeting. Phillips recommended a one year lease. Duree noted that
the next Regional Board meeting would be in February and the signing could
take place then. The ORL could operate without a lease for January and
February and continue to pay what they have been paying. Talking Books has
enough room right now but ORL is cramped.
Phillips talked about the Expansion Fund. Two phones have been bought at $290
each. Harrison needs to get in touch with Perry Franklin about one of the items
of metal work: welding the gate shut at the back end of the Annex parking lot.
A letter from the First Christian Church states that they need access from their
parking lot to Dickson Street. They do have access now without using the Annex
parking lot which is not a one-way street anymore. There have already been two
wrecks there. Phillips pointed out that it is of prime importance that the Library
not block off any ambulance or emergency equipment. The City needs to give the
Library good backing on this. If the Library welds the gate shut, will the Library
be sued the first time a 911 service is needed near the gate? Phillips is anxious
to get the Expansion Fund account closed. Harrison promised that the bulk of it
will be spent by December 31st. The Memorial Fund will be spent also.
Phillips has received word from the trust officer at Mcllroy Bank and Trust that
momentarily over $150,000 will be received from the Wiley Estate. The Boardneeds
to direct Phillips where to place it. Harrison noted there is still some Brodbeck
money in the checking account which she would like to put into the Long Term
Development fund, #3809 on the ledger.
Thomas has visited with John Lewis, President of the Bank of Fayetteville. Lewis
is astonished at what he can find at the Library. He talked about a possible
Fayetteville memories event for the many newcomers and young people. Harrison
agreed it has merit and other organizations would be interested in participating,
e.g. the Washington County Historical Society and Special Collection's at the U. of A.
Prichard mentioned the hour-long video of the Library produced by the City. It is
narrated by Susan Sissom, Mim Neralich and Mary Jo Godfrey and can be seen on
Public Access, Channel 3. The Library has a copy.
Sissom reported on. the Winning Campaigns workshop she attended in Fort Smith with
Harrison and Duree. There will be a follow-up workshop on December 3rd which will
offer more specifics. Sissom will attend.
Phillips moved the Board adjourn, Kirchen seconded and the Board approved at 5:15 p.m.
Submitted ottrAxacmat
Anne Prichard, Secretary
Follow-up reports will be given by:
Harrison - Hecathorn contract
Koenig - United Way, if appropriate
Harrison and Phillips - funding from the Estates, Expansion Fund expenditure
Thomas - lunch with John Lewis
Sissom - Friends requests
Thomas - U. of A. Press books