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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-02-10 MinutesBOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING Fayetteville Public Library February 10, 1997 Present: Board members: Mark Burdette, Mary Parsons, Steve Singleton, and Michael Thomas, Library personnel: Linda Harrison, June Jefferson, Lolly Maxey, Lynaire Hartsell, Mary Jo Godfrey, Melanie Stockdell, and ORL Director Karen Duree. I. Call to order: Thomas called the meeting to order at 3:00 pm in the meeting room of the Fayetteville Public Library. II. Approval of minutes: Burdette moved, and Singleton seconded to approve the minutes of the Special Meeting of January 13 as submitted. All voted AYE. Burdette moved to accept the minutes of the regular session of January 13, and Singleton seconded. Harrison noted a correction on page 2 #VI should read Operations Budget for 1996 instead of 1997, and two other typographical errors in the minutes submitted. All voted AYE to accept the minutes with the revisions noted. III. Correspondence/clippings: Harrison reported on the correspondence which included a letter from LaGayle McCarty, Assistant City Attorney, about a voluntary tax. Parsons asked why Ms. McCarty said this was not advised (paragraph 2). Duree said a city voluntary millage is not advised, in fact, it is not even referred to in the law. Apparently the only millage that is referred to is a county millage. Duree said she felt FPL would have just as much luck trying to pass a mandatory 1/2 or 1 mill as a voluntary millage, which is questionable anyway. Singleton said he interpreted the letter as saying that if a voluntary millage were challenged in court that the attorneys felt they could not withstand that challenge. Duree said the amount of money Springdale is taking in from their voluntary millage has dropped off dramatically. Jefferson suggested that in light of this Springdale might be more interested in trying to pass a mandatory county library millage. It was suggested we think about this and maybe discuss it with the County Library Board. Duree reported that there will be an ORL Board meeting Monday February 24 at 4:30 in the FPL meeting room. The annual report from last year and the new automation project will be discussed. Burdette said the report from Boatmen's seemed on track. At the end of 1996 they were up 12.04% on a balanced portfolio. The balance index was 11.20% and so they were ahead almost I% which is generally in line. IV. Librarian's Reports A. Statistical and Financial Report: Harrison presented the statistical report and noted that everything was up but the programs. Thomas questioned why programs were down. Maxey said it was because of school closings for weather and Christmas. Maxey said if a program is scheduled and it snows attendance will be way down even if the library is open. Harrison presented the Financial report which included the revised Dec 31 report that included the additional budget adjustments that were approved last meeting, and the January operations report. Harrison said she spoke to Yolanda Fields, City Internal Auditor, about the Peachtree accounting software program that we now use. Yolanda likes Quick Pro for small business. She said it costs about $200 and would help Harrison set it up. Singleton said he uses Quick Books which is a simpler version and that he likes it. Harrison said she is willing to try a new accounting software. Thomas suggested going ahead and getting this new program. Jefferson requested that the $200 For Quick Pro be taken from the Long Term Development Fund like the other new software we are purchasing. B. Report on Automation Project: Since Johnson was absent, Harrison reported that the cost of the automation project will be $15,000 over the original $200,000 estimate, not including an additional phone line, temporary employees to help with the bar coding, or supplies. Harrison said the hardware is costing a lot more than was anticipated in the beginning. Supplies include library cards, system printer requirements for overdue notices and notification of requested books, and additional postage. Harrison said the training will cost $18,000 to help the staff learn the library network and the new software. Singleton suggested that maybe volunteers could help with the bar coding. Harrison said that is a possibility depending on the method used to do the bar coding. C. Report on significant gifts: Harr±on said FPL has received two gifts that were not included on the financial report that will need Board action as to what to do with them. One is from the Edith and Lowell Chainey estate in the amount of $41,560, and the other is a gift from Jan Trumbo of 145 shares of AG Edwards stock. Harrison said there were no restrictions on the use of this money. Burdette moved to sell the shares and put all the money into Long Term Development, and Singleton seconded. All voted AYE. It was suggested to put a notice in the paper about the Chainey gift. D. Report on the roof: Harrison said Burdette sent Scott Poyner to look at our roof. Mr. Poyner said our roof could go at any moment and when it goes it will be 100% gone. It has pulled away from all the flashings so that there is a gap between the roof and flashings all the way around the building. The material that was used on the roof has been known to literally explode. Thomas said it was discovered to be very brittle, and rapid changes in the,weather or a 6" rain storm could cause it to go. Harrison said Harold Dahlinger has written the specs for a new roof and it will 'sloe advertised in the paper Wednesday and Sunday for bids. The City did budget approximately $40,000 for exterior work on FPL building, and this will be used for the new roof, and the exterior work will be put off until 1998. Dahlinger said the new roof will cost $50,000-$70,000. Thomas said he has complained to the City about Franklin Roofing Company. The City is supposed to take the low bidder, but that company can be. rejected if there is a complaint about their work. Thomas said he finds it very upsetting that Franklin Roofing has been all over this roof month after month and never discovered these problems that Mr. Poyner found immediately apparent. Thomas said previous board member Jeff Koenig had complaints about Franklin. There have been repeated problems with the annex roof, and Franklin would come up with a tar swab and say it was fixed. There have been times when we have gotten stuck with wet books because of the way Franklin did the job. Godfrey recalled that when they replaced the roof on the annex, they tore the roof off before a rain storm and did not notify the library that they were going to do that. Harrison said she finds it hard to swallow that Franklin inspected the roof last summer and said everything was fine. Burdette said he was also not happy with the job Franklin was doing. The Board all agreed that they would not be happy about Franklin getting the new contract. V. Trustee's/Committee Reports A. Treasurer's Report: Parsons said she had nothing new to report. B. Alternative Fund Raising: Singleton said the committee met January 20. They discussed the logo project. Stockdell reported that everyone was happy about the logo process, but could not at this point agree on a particular logo design. The design process is ongoing. Harrison said this will need to be decided on soon so we can order new library cards, etc. Singleton said Bill Reddig, the Publicity Chairman of the Friends group attended the meeting. Reddig said he would ask the Friends to see how they could be listed as a non-profit group on the Combined Federal Campaign that Roberts had brought up before. The comthittee discussed trying to get some local financial institutions to help with the cost of some of the more expensive financial publications. Singleton said Laura Underwood of the Junior Civic League will lobby on behalf of FPL for a request for childrens software. Maxey reported that the new changing table is up and functional in the bathroom of the children's department. This was a gift from Janie Fletcher of Diaper Depot, and she would like to have the Diaper Depot logo on a sign designating the gift. Dennis Home Furnishings donated a rocking chair to the Children's Department. The next meeting of the fund raising committee is February 20 at 2:00 pm. Godfrey suggested that the Advertising and Promotion Commission be recognized for the grants for the 1920 and 1910 census records. C. Long -Term Planning: Roberts was not present, so there was no report. D. Volunteers: Burdette reported that the packets have gone out to the volunteers for the Lending Hands program and they are lined up to ride with the Meals on Wheels people to get the brochures and information sheets into the hands of the shut-in patrons. It was asked if this was limited only to Meals on Wheels participants. Hartsell said it was limited to this at this time, because this is a pilot project, and if things work out it may be expanded. Burdette said he had spoken to Dennis Canova who said he and his wife will come to the library and give us some ideas about furniture and furnishings at the library. Thomas confirmed that the new time for the recognition party is Sunday April 20 from 3-5. VI. Other Business Harrison said Elizabeth Motherwell, Marketing Manager for the U of A Press, had approached her about having a book signing at the library for a new book about Roberta Fulbright since FPL is the Roberta Fulbright Library, and there is a picture of the library in the book. The U of A Press is willing to do graphic design, posters, etc. to publicize the event. The Press suggested that we handle our own press coverage to give us an opportunity to publicize what we are doing. The Press has money for either Arsaga's or the Smokehouse to cater the event. Parsons asked if books would be sold. Jefferson said legally we can only do a fund raising event if it is for the library. Thomas suggested maybe the Press would sell us the books wholesale and we could make a little from the sale of the books. Thomas said he would speak to Miller Williams about this problem. Harrison said she thought they didn't want to do this until May or June. Harrison said she received a call from a Tina Alderson who makes ceramic pins which she sells to nonprofit organizations for $4.00 for resale. Harrison said she felt that the circulation staff would not be interested in selling pins at the front desk along with everything else they do, and she will pass it on to the Friends group as a possible fund raising project. VII. Adjournment Burdette moved to adjourn at 4:50, Singleton seconded, and all voted AYE. Respectfully submitted by Carolyn Diemente.