HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-02-14 MinutesMinutes
Fayetteville Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting 2/14/94 at 4:00 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,
Lynaire Hartsell, June Jefferson, Mim Neralich, Susan Sissom -
Library Staff; Steve Davis - Budget Coordinator for the City of
Fayetteville; Gina King - The Morning News Reporter
President Koenig called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
After Koenig added "if requested by the City" to the end of the sentence on line 9
of page 4 and Duree changed $2,000 to $10,000 on line 14 of page one, the Minutes
for 1/10/94 were approved as presented and amended.
Correspondence was a letter of resignation from the Board from Charles Kirchen,
dated 1/29/94, and a subsequent memo from Harrison to the City Clerk, Sherry Thomas,
2/2/94, requesting that this position be filled. On behalf of the Board, Phillips
will acknowledge Kirchen's resignation and express the Board's appreciation for his
many years of service and his promotion of the Library's interests before other
community organizations.
Harrison presented the Statistical and Financial Reports. Duree noticed the omission
of 6,000 from the circulation figure for the year 1993. The corrected figure of
304,797 in the Year End, 1993 Statistical Report is over the 300,000 mark for the
first time in the history of this Library. The January, 1993 Statistical Report is
similar to last year. In the Financial Report ending 1/31/94, the third column from
the right in the Statement of Revenues and. Expenditures that says "Budget 1 Month",
is actually the approved annual budget figure for 12 months. Phillips noted that
confirmation has been received for Mcllroy Bank & Trust to have FDIC backing up to
$250,000 insurance for the Library's deposits.
Hartsell reported that the Library has received sample overdue software programs from
Winnebago and DATATREK. The Staff is looking at these and have questions to ask the
sales representatives. Neither system has been seen in operation but it is hoped that
Staff will have information on locations of the systems in operation by the next Board
meeting. The Rogers Public Library is working with the DATATREK program and a library
in Arkansas has Winnebago. Both programs are within budget.
An Americans with Disabilities Act compliance memo from Phyllis Rice, ADA coordinator
for the City, dated 2/4/94, was discussed by Harrison. Rice came to the Library
2/8/94, to look at items on the 2 page transition plan developed by previous ADA
coordinator Jerry Cooper. Harrison pointed out to her that the Library has complied
to the spacing regulations between bookshelves (#8) and the door into the Genealogy
Collection (#5) is now accessible to wheelchairs. Rice also wrote a memo, 2/10/94,
to department and division heads of the City, reminding them that they have until
the end of the year to comply. Harrison hopes that this work will be budgeted by
the City. The Board requested these items in their budget to the City but the City
neglected to fund them. Harrison would like to have Board imput of how to respond
to Rice.
Koenig would respond that the Library has made these requests in the Cooper document
well known. Until we receive funding from the City,:. the Library does not have the
resources to comply. The Board is committed and on record in a motion almost two
years ago to complete these projects but the Library building is a City facility
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and the Library needs money from the City to make the necessary changes. The
elevator issue is just one smmall part of it. The rest rooms are the big ticket
item. Koenig suggested that Rice be sent a history of all the actions and requests
the Board has taken to comply. Realizing the enormity of the problem, the City
has prioritized the locations that have more usage and occupancy. It would not be
out of line to suggest to Rice that the Library should be considered a high priority
considering their high attendance and circulation figures. Thomas noted that ca.
$130,000 has been allocated for rest rooms for two City parks which are not used 12
months of the year. Harrison added that the elevator is already licensed for passen-
ger use. Montgomery could modify the present box and replace the existing car for
$25,000 to make the car ADA compliant.• The elevator is not a freight elevator without
safeguards. It is a regular cable elevator with a heavier load rating. Koenig noted
that the $41,396 bid for the ADA rest rooms is now two years old. Presently, the
rest rooms in Genealogy come closer to ADA compliance than any others in the Library.
Duree reported on the 2/11/94 meeting of the Washington County Library Board which
voted to support the one mill increase to the County library millage. Earlier, the
Springdale Public Library Board passed a resolution supporting the one mill increase.
This resolution went to the Springdale 'City Council and they concurred. Three out
of the four Fayetteville Public Library Board members were present at the meeting of
the Washington County Library Board. Koenig brought local assessments. Location
within a certain school district determines a person's exact millage. Duree thought
it would be nice to ask for a two mill increase since we are going to all this work
but a request for a one mill increase has the better chance of passing. A County
reassessment may upset some people. The vote for a millage increase will probably
take place at the November general election which occurs after the school elections.
The library millage, which can now increase to five mills, may need to be reconsidered
every few years. Koenig has heard that there is a projected 20-25% increase in
assessed value, so an increase of one mill may result in a 1.25 increase in today's
revenue. It may take 3 years to reassess the whole County. Koenig hopes to have a
commitment from the City not to take back revenue from this increase. It is probably
the City's intention to keep the Library at the same funding level. The Board was
delighted to see Steve Davis present at this meeting as well as so many Staff members.
Thomas noted that the results of voting for millage increases across the State showed
that it drops off in direct proportion to the extras requested. Any increase over
one mill is less likely to pass. The same ratio will be used by the Ozarks Regional
Library for the distribution of allocations to the branch libraries. There may be a
big expenditure for automation that may change during subsequent years. Automation
is the first item on the long range plan and is not a one time expense for the
necessary hardware, software and maintenance. The Staff of the larger County libraries
have wanted automation for years, especially witha figure of 300,000 in circulation
each year manual operations are a tremendous burden. Savings would be realized when
every library in the County is tapped into the system. Staff could be shifted to
cover other services that are presently impossible. Computers offer more service
with the same Staff. With an on-line catalog and automated circulation all libraries
in the County and their resources would be more accessible. A reference network is
also in the long range plan. Koenig would like a list with assigned budget numbers
of the specific things the additional millage would provide - a plan in solid form
to present to the voters. The campaign in Fayetteville will be for the County as
well as the City.
Duree felt the Steering Committee would formulate a presentation to the voters of
how the money will be spent. A bench mark survey needs to be made before there are
detailed commitments. Prichard senses a momentum in favor of an increase that has
been shown by the supporting votes of the Springdale Public Library Board, the
Springdale City Council and the Washington County Library Board. Duree reminded the
Board that any increase will be for an operating budget not a capital budget. The
expenses of the first year might not be theexpenses of the next years. Still, Koenig
would like to know how the monies will be appropriated. Phillips and other Board
members felt the Board supported the idea of a millage increase contingent upon a
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budget to be presented to the voters. Prichard moved that the Board of the
Fayetteville Public Library be on record as supporting an increase in the County
library millage from one mill to two mills, subject to the submission of a specific
plan of how the projected revenues would be spent. Phillips seconded and the Board
approved. Phillips then nominated Thomas to be the Fayetteville Public Library
Board Trustee to serve on the Steering Committee for the millage campaign. Prichard
seconded and the. Board approved. The first meeting will be March 3rd at the Fayette-
ville Public Library.
Enlarging the size of the Board of the Fayetteville Public Library was discussed.
There is a 4 member Board at Lincoln, a 5 member Board at Alma, Fayetteville, Green-
land, Ozarks Regional, Van Buren, Washington County and West Fork, a 6 member Board
at Elkins and a 7 member Board at Prairie Grove, Rogers and Springdale. Prichard
felt that since Fayetteville has such a large and important library within the system,
it should have 7 members on its Board. Phillips was concerned that cities appoint
these Boards. If we had more input in the nomination and selection of the Board
members, she would not object to a 5 member Board. As it stands, she objects. Koenig
will talk to Director Edens about this. Thomas liked the idea of giving some guide-
lines for the next selection of a Board member. Harrison ..'replied that this has been
done in the past and it has beentotally ignored. This is an opportune time. The
present vacancy has already been advertized. Phillips thought 7 might be an unwieldly
size for a Board. The Library has been through its toughest times duringthe expan-
sion and the Board managed with 5 members. A11 agreed with Koenig that there was no
harm done in exploring the possibilities. The more people you have on a Board, the
more support you have from the community. Phillips countered with the opinion that
if you have good people in the first place you get the same involvement of people
who are truly interested. We understand that many people have applied to be on this
Board. We need a variety of people. Koenig emphasised that anytime you get a
cross section of the community, you get a stronger Board.
Thomas was asked, when he was interviewed for the Board, if he had an opinion about
its size because the Directors had heard there was some difficulty getting a quorum.
Harrison remembered that during the past year at only one meeting, the special meeting
to approve the CIP budget, only one out of five Board members was present. Prichard
asked if the additional two members could be appointed at the same time the vacancy
is filled. Harrison added that the terms run from April 2 through April 1st for six
years. Koenig wondered if the new positions could be staggered with one, two or
three year appointments. This is one of the smallest Boards in the City with a fair
amount of responsibility. Maybe the City would feel more comfortable with a few
additional members. He felt the City views the problem the same way he does: the
greater the cross section of the community, the better any Board would be served.
Koenig talked to Jo Ann Sandlin and she has sent information about application to
the United Way Fund. If the millage campaign is a success, this issue would not be
as prevalent. Application is made to the Board of United Way. To qualify, an
organization within the community must have the ability to raise their own operating
funds. Koenig anticipates that the Library would have difficulty with such an
evaluation and might have a lower priority among all other organizations.
Thomas reported again that the Director of the U. of A. Press can not give anything
away. The Director can sell remainders to whomever he wants. Titles the Library
wants right after publication can be purchased at a discount of 20-30%.
Thomas has investigated book signings at libraries. Some libraries have them as
often as they can. Most of the 50-300 people who attend have not been in the library
before. Friends of the Library sponsor the event, help promote it and recuit new
members at the event. A local book store brings in the books and their cash box.
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A donation of $50-100 is given to the Library for the use of the space and the
Friends list of members. Arkansas books would be appropriate. Refreshments
are often served so people will stay and enjoy the library. Thomas asked whether
the Board thought this would be a good idea to pursue. Harrison responded that
it was up to the Board to decide because some policy revisions would need to be
made, e.g. commercial gain. The Friends Book Sale is entirely for the benefit of
the Library. Phillips suggested that the Friends be asked. If the Friends will
handle it and there is a donation to the Library,. the Library usually gives the
Friends a free hand in what they do. The Board would probably approve and gave
Thomas a sense that it was appropriate to pursue the project. Fayetteville has
the only Friends of the Library organization in Washington County.
Koenig suggested to Duree and the Steering Committee that when defining the expen-
ditures of the increased millage, long term and short term plans be presented.
Compare the present personnel with state and national averages and that with the
increased millage additional positions would be possible. - The request for an
increase will be strengthened if voters know what they are buying for their dollars.
Phillips added that we may not be able to say what will happen in 5 years but we
certainly can say what we plan to do with the opening years. Koenig is also aware
that everything changes. It is no different from what everyone does in their
own life and businesses. Decisions are made before people try to raise money.
Koenig adjourned the meeting at 5:16 p.m.
Submitted by,
Anne Prichard, Secretary
A.TALAistet
Follow-up reports will be given by:
Hartsell - nearby locations of Winnebago and DATATREK overdue software
programs in operation
Koenig - the possibility of two additional Board members with Director Edens
Thomas - book signing projects with the Friends
- report on the Steering Committee
