HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-03-14 MinutesMinutes Fayetteville Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting 3/14/94 at 4: p.m. Attending: Jeff Koenig, Carol Phillips, Anne Prichard, Michael Thomas - Trustees; Linda Harrison - Fayetteville Public Library Director; Karen Duree - Ozarks Regional Library Director; Mary Jo Godfrey, June Jefferson, Susan Sissom - Library Staff; Steve Davis - Budget Coordinator for the City of Fayetteville President Koenig called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Thomas moved, Phillips seconded approval of the Minutes of 2/14/94 as mailed and the Board approved. Correspondence included a Memo from Phyllis Rice, 2/16/94, about compliance of the elevator to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Harrison talked to Montgomery Elevator Co. when they provided monthly maintenance about a current figure for making the elevator ADA compliant. They can replace the car for $30,000 without the necessity of bringing three phase power to the building. This holeless hydraulic elevator would be totally in compliance with ADA and $8-10,000 less than the estimate from Dover Elevators. This information will be forwarded to Rice. Sid q)mb�a-th from the City Engineering Department has come to look at the items on the Library's ADA list. Koenig suggested that Harrison send Rice a review of the second and third proposal to convert the dock area into ADA compliant rest rooms with the plans and the 1992 $41,396 bid from Hailey/Associates Architects PA. Since we are talking about $30,000 for the elevator and now about $45,000 for rest rooms, we are $75,000 short to do major ADA projects. Signage has been looked at by a person from the City Maintenance Department. We need to advise the City again of the anticipated costs of these projects besides the projects they have identified. The Library is on record that many ADA projects need completion and has shown intent but has not received the necessary funding. A letter from Harrison, 2/28/94, to the Altrusa Club through Cam Couch addressed the proposed set up of a satellite children's library with programs at the Youth Center. Presently, the Library does not have the Staff for this after school Latch Key Program which begins at noon for grades K - 4. A letter from Levi Strauss, 2/18/94, informed the Library that it had been designated a recipient of employee pledges during the 1993 Season of Giving workplace campaign. Harrison visited their employees before Christmas 1993. Harrison presented the Statistical Report, which closely matches last year's Report. A new item under Cash Report is money from the copy machines purchased with Expansion Fund money. They will provide a noticeable source of income. The Financial Report shows the copy machine purchase in the General Ledger, item no. 4290 Minor Equipment - Expansion. Library Staff is still engaged in spending, completely, the Expansion Fund monies. Item no. 2969 reflects the CD interest that rolls back into the CD. Phillips moved, Prichard seconded the approval of the Statistical and Financial Reports. The Board approved. Harrison then presented the Expansion and Endowment Fund Reports. The 1993 Book Endowment Fund was prepared for the City Auditor. The Board appreciated receiving a copy showing last year's activity: what was earned ininterest and what was spent on books and materials in the three different accounts.. related to the Endowment Fund. The 1993 Fund report covers the first two months of 1994. The 1994 Expansion Fund Activity shows the purchase of the two copy machines under Minor Equipment. The rest room stalls and basins have been ordered and will be installed immediately after they arrive in about three weeks. Lynaire Hartsell, Becky Goff and Justine Holladay have had three different sessions to consider the overdue software program. The computer for Genealogy will be ordered as soon as the specifications and long range plans are ready. The laser printer is for the main Library. Library Staff consistently shop for the best price and most items will cost less than this proposed budget. Koenig admires the Staff willingness to purchase carefully but hopes the purchases will be made soon. Phillips would like to find funding for more Staff hours which would allow time for a decision of which overdue program to purchase and time for the necessary in-house training. The Board agreed that present Staff should have the chance to work the additional hours. Jefferson noted that much time has been lost to Staff illness, e.g. two-thirds of the shelving Staff have been out. Sissom added that many Staff members have been pulled from other projects just to make certain the greatly increased circulation can be handled. The Staff has been swamped. Harrison invited the Board to stop by for an hour on Saturday to see how busy the Library has become and the patrons always come first. Koenig repeated that the Board highly encourages progress on these projects and is willing to consider a request for additional hours to get these projects caught up and on their way. The Board recognizes the need to put in additional hours to get the projects finished. They are anxious to alleviate problems the Staff is experi- encing. Thomas hoped the Staff request would not wait for the next Board meeting. Jefferson then asked for a clarification of which projects could be considered. Koenig suggested that each project be considered separately. It is the Board's obligation to say yes if it is reasonable. Some Staff are eager to work the additional hours. Godfrey reported that the three Staff members in Genealogy are willing to put in the extra hours needed. Three separate requests will be given to Koenig. Harrison reminded the Board of the Trustee Training Workshop in Fort Smith on April 9th. Thomas presented the Minutes of the Steering Committee for the millage increase for libraries. A good cross section of thirteen people from across the County were asked to come. Officers selected were: Cam Couch (Washington: - County :Library Board) - Chair, Darlene Cheatham ( Bank of Lincoln) - Treasurer, Karen Duree (Ozarks Regional Library) - Secretary. "Washington County Public Libraries Millage Committee" will be the official name and they will have a.post office box. This Committee will ask Washington County voters for a one mill increase, for a total of two mills, for libraries in the County. The general election on November 8th was selected as the best date for the vote. Running a vote separately would cost $17-20,000 just to get the polls covered. Several members, including Thomas, were appointed to a Project Goals Committee. They will go through the original goals and decide which specific ones they could recommend and will first meet March 16th, 3 p.m., at this Library. Initial Committees selected include a Speakers Bureau, Finance. Committee and a Publicity Committee. Cheatham will be on Finance and Thomas on Publicity. Many speakers will be needed in each community of this big County, especially during the last few weeks. Where it is appropriate, an articulate child would make a super speaker. Speakers should go to a group where they feel comfortable. Thomas already knows the costs of printing, advertizing and promotional items. A Seed Fund was started with a minimum of $20 from Committee members. $17-20,000 might be needed for publicity. In some instances, banks might pay for the printing of an insert into their statements as their contribution. Some Chambers of Commerce might endorse the millage request. Duree plans to come up with a resolution. Compliments were given to Duree and Couch for the teamwork that produced the well run meeting. Harrison was volunteered to keep a central coordinating calendar of speakers and supply them with materials. Members were asked to cover the greater trading areas. Election statistics will be compiled for Washington County. The Steering Committee will next meet March 24th. Koenig has received much positive response from everyone he has talked to, even though the election will come soon after the school millage election. Harrison commented that we could not afford to have the vote at any other time. A special election in Benton County cost $25,000. Duree mentioned that there would not be any cost assessed to the libraries if the election is part of the November 8th ballot. In 1988, libraries were not assessed any money to be on the ballot. Koenig felt it was appropriate to make an official request. Duree has received a letter from the County Attorney, George Butler. He has researched who would pay for a library millage election. It is his opinion that library millage monies cannot be used to pay for an election as with schools or cities. There is no specific statutory authorization regarding libraries paying for elections, which means the County pays. Schools have to pay for their elections out of general operating revenues and it is always a special election. Cities and schools have to pay but libraries can not. A County tax is prorated back to the cities and County. The vote for Amendment 3 was a State issue. Seed money was collected from the Fayetteville Public Library Board members. Harrison has spoken to Harold Dahlinger who will be doing the two sets of specifications for the new roof on the Annex within the next two days: one set for a conventional roof and one for the plastic blown membrane roof. Thomas reported further on book signings. The local Hastings manager will take the idea to the district manager. The donation of $100 for the use of the Library facility might be a sticking point but books could be donated instead. The Friends could choose from the remainder aisle which has good books. All understand that refreshments can not be served. Jefferson suggested that several bookstores be asked to bid for the book signing of a particular book. Librarians could select the titles. Harrison added that there can be no commercial gain from the use of the Meeting. Room unless it benefits the Library. Thomas reviewed the benefits: 50-300 people might come who might like to join the Friends, the event would expose more people to the Library and the events would be reported in the newspapers which is important as the millage vote approaches. There are some significant authors in the area and two very important U. of A. Press books will be published soon of local interest. Duree suggested changing the policy to say that the event is sponsored by the Friends. Harrison needs a definition of sponsorship. One year the Gem and Mineral Club donated jewelry for a sale after which all proceeds went to the Library for the Amendment 3 vote. Koenig remembered that policies for the use of the facility have been redefined on several occasions. He felt that the City would oversee that any event would be done in a conservative manner. The Board encouraged Thomas to pursue the book signing project and agreed that books could be donated in lieu of money. The meeting adjourned at 5:20 p.m. Submitted by, Anne Prichard, Secretary Follow-up report will be given by: Harrison - requests to Koenig for additional Staff hours