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Home My WebLink About1994-09-06 MinutesMinutes Fayetteville Public Library Board of Trustees Special Meeting 9/6/94 at 4 p.m. Attending: Mark Burdette, Carol Phillips, Anne Prichard, Michael Thomas - Trustee; Linda Harrison - Fayetteville Public Library Director; Karen Duree - Ozarks Regional Library Director; Mary Jo Godfrey, June Jefferson, Susan Sissom, Lolly Maxie Absent: Jeff Koenig President Thomas called the meeting to order at 4 p.m. Minutes of the Special Meeting of 8/1/94 will be approved at the Regular Meeting 9/12/94. Thomas notified the press this morning (which is more than the two hours ahead required) that a Special Meeting was called for the Board to revise and review the 1995 Library Operations Budget Request as the result of the meeting he and Harrison had with Kevin Crosson. Thanks go to Steve Davis, Budget Coordinator for the City, for informing City officials about Library problems. However, the budget requested was a surprise. Crosson said it was his position to go over all budgets and ask for justifications for everything. He challenged the Library's service population figure: why was 30% for County residents. Thomas asked why Crosson had .never .challenged this before. Crosson replied that the Library had never asked for this much money before. He also challenged why the Library included the University population. (Before this meeting, Thomas consulted the Library card registration drawers and found that in drawer 14, that of the 58 adult Jordans, 26 were Fayetteville residents, 32 County residents and of that group 15 were from the University, even though the City has always said the University population should not be counted because they have their own libraries. Obviously,a 30% figure for County users is too low and many University employees and students do use. this Library. The Board wondered if a volunteer should actually count how many County residents have registered for Library cards.) Duree sees something definitely wrong with all the figures in the attached Library Report from the City. She can not say why these figures were given by library Directors who were asked for statistics. The problem may be with the way the questions were asked. According to other figures, attendance at programs in Springdale was larger than at Fayetteville. In this Report it is the other way around. Jefferson is unable to use this Report because there are so many other inaccuracies as well.. As another example, Duree pointed out that the two figures for Municiple Funding in Fayetteville and Springdale are not based on the same sources. The Springdale amount of $166,169 does not include the additional voluntary millage ad valorem tax of $143,000 for an accurate total of $309,169, not $166,169. The Rogers figure is correct. Crosson offered the Library an increase of $30,000 which could not be accepted. He asked if the increased request would be a permanent ongoing increase after the additional millage is received. Thomas answered that if the population continues to increase, yes. Thomas thinks it. is fair to say that after the Library pays its share for a regional automated system, a larger portion of the millage will be prorated back to the regional libraries. Harrison feels that after the automated system is installed, the Library could then anticipate expenses better and adjust its budget accordingly. Duree mentioned that the proposed five year budget for the Washington Board showed decreasing amounts. On the other hand, if the City cuts back at the same time the County has a successful millage campaign, there is no actual gain for the Library. Crosson also wondered if the Library claimed that 30% of its service population was from the County, why not ask the Quorum Court for money? He does this successfully for roads the County uses and the Quorum Court does have discretionary funds. Duree wondered if the County should be asked just before the vote for a countywide millage increase. Harrison thought it should be presented as a stopgap which would get the Library through 1995 since monies from a millage increase will not be seen in 1995. Duree felt it should be presented as for all the libraries withthe larger Fayetteville and Springdale libraries claiming that 30% of their service population comes from the County residents. She knows that the Quorum Court agenda is set for this month and that this request needs to go through several committies before it can be on an agenda. The October meeting may be too late to ask for funds for 1995. Thomas also thought that asking for funds now might jeopardize the millage campaign. Duree suggested that Thomas talk to the County Judge, Charles Johnson, or to Roger Haney, the Assistant County Administrator to explain the situation out of committee before presenting it formally. The Board agreed to respond to Crosson's specific request to ask the County for funds. They thought it was a good idea but would wait until after the November 8th millage vote. (Phillips, Burdette). Crosson understands that the Library has dipped into its Long Term Development Fund but Thomas informed him that it was an emergency allocation, treated almost as a loan to be • repaid as soon as funds are available from the proposed millage increase. The alternative was to close the Library evenings and Saturdays. He assured Crosson that feelings on the Board were very strong about this. It almost did not pass. This Fund is from endowments and wills specifically allocated for long term development as opposed to general operating funds. Phillips does not see the Library staying as it is and we need these funds for the future. Harrison said there will be an opportunity for lots of public imput to the City Council concerning this budget on November 22nd. Harrison spoke about her memo on 8/31/94 to Crosson. On page 2 line 4 replace "Ozarks Regional" with "Washington County", on line 6 add after "•sharing "the Ozarks Regional Library system since 1965 when it was started", and on line 7 replace "142,315" with "156,120". When Crosson asked why the Library suddenly needed so many more people, Thomas pointed out that this was no all -of -a -sudden request. The Library has been operating at minimum or below minimum Staff because they were always. told a budget figure which could be requested. The annual requests were tailored to the budget the City gave the Library to request. Duree asked Harrison how many times she has asked the City for target overruns. Harrison has usually had to ask for them and the City has usually come up with alternative sources of funding for capital or books,but not. for Staff. She has been told target over- runs are for maintenance not growth. Thomas mentioned that the additional $19,000 that he got was not a target overrun but the $8,000 for the general operating budget in 1994 that Koenig got was. Neither amount increased the target budget for 1994 and were totally disregarded when the target budget for 1995 was figured. Jefferson added that the City is not dealing with realistic figures when they go back to an old target budget and increase it by only 2%. Harrison replied to Crosson's question about the seven new Staff needed by saying that 42 Staff will have to be laid off January 1, 1995. if the Library has to stick to the target budget. Jefferson also noted that the Library will need to be closed two days and all evenings or 24 hours if the target budget is accepted. (Correct "26" to "24" on page 2.) Phillips wondered if the City has thought what kind of Library the City of Fayetteville would have without the Ozarks Regional Library for the last 30 years. Do they know how much money they would have to provide for the present level of service without ORL? Duree added that the technical services provided by ORL (interlibrary loan, processing, etc.) are not mentioned as much as the books that are there. Crosson asked how much it would cost if the Library were not part of ORL. Phillips pointed out that the City can not adequately fund its Library as it is, how do they think they could afford to manage without ORL. Duree noted that administrators look at dollars not at the benefits, e.g. patrons going to any library in the regional system. There would be an outcry if county residents could not choose their library. Phillips spoke of the constant talk of how Northwest Arkansas is growing and needing a regional airport and other new facilities because so many are flocking into the area. She was sorry that the City is not farsighted enough to actually realize that there are some people who are interested in coming to a good public library. The City seems to feel that we need a larger stadium or a bigger airport and a library is not high on their list of services to provide. She felt the City needed to consider how they feel about their Library. Thomas asked if the Chamber of Commerce included Libraryinformation in a package about Fayetteville. Jefferson explained that such information was updated two weeks ago and the Library also provided information pamphlets to them. The Library is mentioned in their relocation guide which had to be reprinted three times this year because of the demand. In the University student directory there is always a listing and a brief de- scription of the Library Phillips called attention to the fact that the Board is basing its 1995 Library Operations Budget Request on the millage passing. Thomas summarized that this Request is based on the Library's needs for the next two years. Duree repeated that regardless of whether the millage passes, the City does need to support the Library. Phillips knows there will be an ongoing need for an increased budget. Prichard remembered Davis saying that the City wants the Library to be more self-sufficient. Thomasreminded the Board that an increased population means the City needs to help. Duree mentioned that in Springdale, when the millage was restored, the additional County money was subtracted from what their City gave and their general fund went way down for several years. The outcome was not an increase in their budget that the patrons, who voted for the mill•age, could see as a benefit. Prichard also remembered that Davis reported that several years ago the Police realized they were understaffed and service was the key to their request for more front-line policemen. That increase was similar to the increase in Staff for the Library now requested. Duree wondered if attendance at the Library would be a better figure to use than service population. Prichard suggested adding the in-house use. Harrison added increased phone calls and Jefferson mentioned the increased requests for books, that patrons need to wait longer for them, there is less money for books and less Staff to process them. Reference questions are also up. Phillips reminded the Board that the need for additional police comes from a negative statistic and is not parallel to Library personnel. Jefferson stressed that additional Library Staff would be on our frontline - the service desks. Sissom recalled that often only one person can be scheduled for the Reference desk when three need to be there. Forty-five percent of thepatrons need to be shown the materials they want not just told how to fine them. More and more Staff have to be pulled away from what they are doing to help at the Reference desk. Phillips indicated that the Board needs to be realistic about requests for funds which can not be any less when the millage passes. All sources of funds will be exhausted and the Library will still have to have an ongoing increase in budget. Sissom noted that the City keeps approving subdivisions. Where do they think these people will go for reading materials. Phillips reemphasized that there is no reason for the Library to go slow when the City is not. Thomas said again that once the first allocation for installing the automated system has been spent, there will be more money for operating expenses. Duree added that this was necessary for the growth needed. At least do not cut funds. Phillips also knows that all service contracts with the Library will increase. Prichard noted that the Library is not making an unreasonable request for more Staff since Staff numbers were kept so low for the last five years. This request is a catching up not a big jump forward. Jefferson remembered that no books were bought for eight months. because of the budget cuts. Phillips offered praise from the Board to Thomas, Harrison and Duree for spearheading the 1995 Library Operations Budget Request. The Board adjourned at 5:30 p.m. (Burdette, Phillips) Submitted by, Anne Prichard, Secretary