HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-01-09 MinutesMINUTES
Fayetteville Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting
January 9, 1995, 3 p.m.
Attending: Mark Burdette, 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, Mary Loots, Lolly Maxey, Susan Sissom -- Staff;
Steve Davis, City of Fayetteville; Laura King -- Morning News
of Northwest Arkansas; Steve Parker -- Alderman, Ward 3, Position
1; Mr. Lewis and Mr. Hicks -- Patrons.
President Thomas called the meeting to order at 3 p.m.
The board went into special session to further amend and correct
the Library's Pcre-1 Policy Manual. The changes will be
reflected when the manual is presented in its final form.
The board will consider further revisions before the regular
board meeting on February 13.
The special meeting adjourned at 3:56 p.m. (Prichard, Burdette).
President Thomas called the regular meeting to order at 4:01
p.m.
The minutes of the 12/12/94 meeting were corrected and approved
(Phillips, Burdette).
President Thomas asked to skip Agenda Item 3, noting that
Alderman Parker was attending another meeting and was running
late. He recognized Lewis and Hicks, Fayetteville library patrons
who had come to discuss the library's curtailed hours of
operations. The patrons and board members agreed to wait to
discuss the matter to try to give Alderman Parker time to arrive.
In discussing the library's correspondence, Harrison noted that
the only correspondence for the month consisted of letters of
complaint she had received regarding the curtailed hours of
operation. She thanked President Thomas for responding to the
three letters, all expressing disapproval of the cutback in
hours. Phillips and other board members also thanked Thomas
and praised the phrasing of his responses.
Harrison also had included in the board's agenda packets copies
of newspaper articles regarding the cutback in hours, a letter
to the editor from Sally Stone published in the Northwest
Arkansas Times and Thomas's response, also published in the
Times. Thomas noted that Laura King's story in the Morning News
had generated much interest in the community.
Turning their attention to the statistical and financial reports,
Harrison noted that circulation and attendance figures were
down slightly in 1994 over 1993. Part of the drop was probably
due to the opening of the new library at Rogers, she told the
board. Another reason could simply be cyclical; circulation
and attendance have peaks and then downward trends, she said.
Thomas noted that the Rogers Library is fully automated, which
was an attraction for patrons. Burdette noted that he had read
about the library but had not had an opportunity to visit it
yet.
Volunteer hours were down slightly also in 1994, Harrison said,
and reflected the absences of two volunteers, Ray Shipman and
Gene Godfrey.
Thomas noted that program attendance was down for 1994 and said
those programs mostly were in children's services. Maxey,
Supervisor of Children's Services, noted that December 1994
circulation figures, however, were up. Thomas asked how the
two figures could be reconciled, saying that the children's
reading programs took place in the summer. Maxey said that
reading programs are held all year and that pre-school groups
frequently canceled attendance in December because of holiday
activities. Burdette said the attendance in December would
reflect the day on which Christmas fell. Maxey said that school
children were out of school earlier this year for the Christmas
holidays.
Thomas asked Maxey if, out of the roughly 100,000 items that
circulated in the children's library, she could account for
the number of program attendees who checked out books. He said
he was curious about which days of the week are the busiest
at the library. Maxey said the bulk of the circulation figures
came from children accompanied by their parents. The groups
who come in for story hours only allow the children to check
out books occasionally.
Thomas asked if children attending the programs were tall enough
to trip the electric eye on the counting mechanisms at the
exterior doors of the library. Maxey said that many of the
participants enter through the exterior door to the meeting
room where there is no counter. Program attendance is recorded
and given to Jefferson, she said, but it is not counted as
building attendance.
Jefferson said that the library owns another counter that could
be placed at the meeting room exterior door. Thomas asked if
that would result in a double count. Harrison said that it would
double count, because the library now takes the count figures
and divides by two to accurately reflect the numbers entering
and exiting the building. To count just the children's traffic,
she said, one would have to be placed on the children's library
interior door and the meeting room exterior door so that the
numbers could be divided. Thomas asked if those figures would
be worth obtaining. The Board members said that it would,
provided there would be no cost to the facility. Jefferson said
another counter would have to be purchased. Thomas and Phillips
said they didn't want to obtain the figures if another mechanism
had to be purchased. Harrison said that one counter could be
placed on the children's library interior door to obtain figures
on how many people who entered the Library then entered the
children's library. Thomas said these figures would be useful
in determining if children's needs were being taken care of,.
a matter about which citizens have expressed concern.
Harrison then presented the financial report. Thomas commended
her for the accuracy of the report. Harrison said that the
figures reflected a budget adjustment that would be presented
next. Hartsell noted an typographical error on the volunteer
hours column of the year-end statistical report; a 1993 should
be 1994. The change was noted.
Harrison noted the resolutions in the year-end financial report.
Thomas asked about the increase in the amount of fines. Harrison
said that figure reflected the combination of fine monies and
copier fees. The copiers brought in $6,313.34.
Thomas asked about the figure for professional services. Harrison
said that figure went to Bob Hall for his report on the library's
pension plan. The money for services provided by Susan Epstein,
a computer consultant who studied the need for a computer
overdues program, is coming from a restricted account in the
library's expansion fund budget, she said.
Harrison next presented the expansion fund report, saying that
most of the money for the overdues program is encumbered.
Phillips noted that close to $2,800 had been spent. Harrison
also noted that the library had finally started receiving USA
Today. Thomas questioned the amount in the overdues program
account. Harrison said that the original budget in that fund
was close to $7,000. The figure of $5,040.12 in the expansion
fund report reflects the amount that remains in the fund after
paying Epstein and expenses related to purchasing the computer
program.
Harrison and Hartsell reported that the company that produces
the software they consider best for the library has no
demonstration program but that company officials had said that
if, within a certain time period, the library found that the
program would not work, a full refund would be given. Harrison
said she would want that guarantee in writing before proceeding
with the purchase. Koenig and Thomas asked Hartsell if the
purchase price included training on the system. Hartsell said
that training was not mentioned in the sales literature, so
she assumed that the program had a self -instruction system.
The 1994 financial and statistical reports were then approved
(Prichard, Phillips).
The Board next examined the budget revisions that Harrison
presented. Harrison explained that the revisions were a
"housekeeping" function to reconcile end -of -the -year business
before auditors examine the books. The board approved the budget
revisions (Koenig, Burdette).
Thomas then returned to agenda item 3, the curtailing of library
hours, although Parker had not yet arrived. The board did not
want the two patrons to be kept waiting any longer. Thomas
reported to the board on the telephone conversation he had had
with Parker. The upshot was that the city has received many
complaints about the library's closing, not just on Saturday
closure, but the closing in general, Thomas said. He told the
board and the patrons that in both newspaper articles and letters
to the editor, the board had indicated that its members wanted
to hear from the public and that they should direct their
concerns to their appropriate city representative. Parker and
other city officials told Thomas that they were upset that county
quorum court representatives and Judge Charles Johnson had not
been included on the list of officials the library staff had
given to the public in announcing the closure. Kevin Crosson,
public works director, told Thomas that he was upset and that
Mayor Fred Hanna was upset because they had the perception that
the library staff members were telling the public that if they
were upset about the closing to call the mayor.
Harrison said that, to her knowledge, no one had said, "Call
the mayor." The sheet that was handed out explained about the
new library hours and contained the names of the city council,
the mayor, the library Board of Directors and herself, she said.
The board members noted that all had received calls of complaint.
Thomas said that in his conversation with Parker, the alderman
had said he could speak on behalf "of several others" and that
the council felt it had "gone the extra mile" by allocating
an additional $42,000 for the library, recognizing that that
wasn't enough, but that it was more than the library board had
expected to get when they walked into the meeting. He said the
council members didn't like being blamed for not supporting
the library when they had supported it more than they thought
they should. Thrown into the discussion was the fact that one-
third of the library's patrons live outside the city limits
of Fayetteville, Thomas said. The council said that by removing
the out-of-town patron costs, the city was funding more than
its share for Fayetteville residents.
From there, Thomas said, Parker said that Saturday was the worst
day of the week that the board could pick to close. Thomas
responded that there was no good day to close. Parker said the
main complaints he was hearing were from people with children
and that Saturday was the only day the whole family could come
to the library with the children. Thomas explained that the
library had conducted a survey of use and that Monday/Tuesday
were the busiest days, followed by Thursday and then Saturday.
A 1989 survey indicated that Saturday was the busiest day, but
that varies week -to -week and month-to-month, Thomas said. Parker
recognized the need to close the building two consecutive days
for the purpose of saving on utility expenses, Thomas said,
but he felt very strongly that Monday should be considered as
an alternative day for closing, because Saturday was the only
day that most families could use the facility together. He told
the board that Parker said that, although the board had explained
its decision to select Saturday to close from an economic stand,
the perception was that Saturday was selected to "poke in the
ear" of county residents who voted down the millage increase
proposal on the November 8 ballot. He said Parker told him that
the board could "talk till you're blue in the face about the
fact that the facts show that Saturday is not the busiest day,"
it is still the perception, and that makes people mad, not just
out in the county, but also in Fayetteville. Now, Parker said,
the people of Fayetteville and some of the board members say
that the board members are blaming the city council for not
supporting the library enough and telling the rest of the county
that it's their fault, and Parker does not consider this to
be good judgment, Thomas told the group.
Phillips asked who Thomas was quoting throughout the explanation;
Thomas replied that all the statements were Steve Parker's.
Lewis, a patron, commented that he believed on first impression
that the decision to close on Saturday was "politically
motivated" because the millage did not pass. He said he had
been in the library earlier in the day (Monday) and noted that
many of the patrons were older persons who were possibly retired.
He said he was self-employed and had flexible enough hours to
visit during the weekdays, but that many of his friends who
also were patrons worked 9 -to -5 and didn't have that option.
He also said that when he visited in the evening that the last
30 minutes, when library staff begin dimming lights and locking
fire doors, gave him a sense that "it's time to leave." The
four evening hours (on Tuesdays and Thursdays) really become
three that he can enjoy himself, and "that kind of burns me
up." He said he understood that the allotment of hours were
lower because of operating expenses, but he didn't understand
why the consecutive days couldn't be Sunday/Monday or
Monday/Tuesday. He said that his friends who work 9 -to -5 couldn't
leave work, fix dinner and then visit the library during the
evening hours. They were interested in coming on Saturdays and
spending three hours with the children. His roommate takes
advantage of inter -library loans, Lewis said, and also dislikes
the Saturday closing. He said he and his friends appreciate
that the library is here, but they are angry about the Saturday
closing. He termed it as "insensitive."
Thomas said that the Board's decision to close on Saturday had
been an emotional one and a reluctant one. It is the board's
and the library's mission to serve the people, not to take
services away. He said Lewis's comments were very helpful.
Hicks asked what the hours are now. Harrison answered that they
are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 9 a.m.
to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He asked if, under current
budgetary constraints, that prevented weekend hours. Thomas
said it did. Hicks suggested that the library be open Tuesday
through Saturday, and open the library at noon and stay open
till 8 or 9 p.m. Thomas said that Mayor Hanna had suggested
the same thing, but that created a personnel problem. Thomas
asked Harrison if she wanted to respond to that suggestion;
Harrison declined, saying she could not form a response until
she knew what the personnel problems would be. Koenig said that,
to paint a broader .stroke, there were certain members of the
staff that could not work those hours. Thomas and Koenig agreed
that that discussion was "not about dollars and cents but about
people." Koenig noted that a person in the later years of life,
for example, would not want "to pull the late shift." The library
staff members have families, too, Koenig said, and that sort
of schedule could work a hardship.
Maxey noted that pre-school story hours took place in the
mornings. A later opening would adversely affect those programs.
Sissom told the patrons that junior high and high school classes
frequently visit the library on Mondays as part of class
projects. An extra reference staff member is assigned to help
the students, while the regular staff take care of the other
patrons, she said. Koenig asked what the heaviest day was for
reference service. Sissom replied that Mondays were "a bear,"
with many walk-in patrons and many phone patrons. Thomas asked
about newspaper use on Mondays, and Sissom told him it was heavy.
Thomas said the two patrons had offered two different ideas:
One suggested running later hours, and one suggested beginning
the work week on Tuesday and running through Saturday.
Lewis said there was no perfect solution but he was trying to
increase the numbers of people who could use the library.
Thomas told the patrons he appreciated their attending the
meeting and sharing their comments with the board. He introduced
Davis to the patrons and told them that he served as a liaison
with the city council. He told the patrons that their comments
would eventually "find their way to the mayor."
Jefferson told the group that one consideration in the closing
came "from the business side" of library operations. Some of
the library personnel do "the things that have to be done" to
keep the library operating: pay bills, keep records, send orders.
The people involved in the operations side must do business
when others are doing business: Monday through Friday during
regular business hours. Even if the library operated Tuesday
through Saturday, she said, operations personnel would have
to work Monday through Friday, thus negating any savings in
utilities by operating the service side five days a week (Tuesday
through Saturday). "We're having to nickel and dime it here,"
Jefferson said. The best thing and the only thing library staff
and board members can do, she said, is to find more money. More
money would provide more service, better service and longer
hours for all the people who want to use the library. All service
areas have seen an increase of 51 percent, she said, from 1991
to 1994.
Thomas said another item of concern, especially with evening
hours of operation, was security. The later it gets and the
darker it gets, he said, increases the problem of "people being
here who have no business being here." People have already tried
to spend the night in the library, being unruly and obnoxious
to the point that the staff must call 911, Thomas said. The
library already has had an incident of a man following a group
of teenage girls into the library. While one girl was waiting
outside for her parents, after the library had closed, the man
drove his car around the parking lot repeatedly, coming closer
to the girl each time. The incident was reported to the city
the next day, and the city installed adequate security lighting
the next day. With an all -female staff, Thomas said, the matter
of security was very important.
Phillips asked Harrison if she had not said recently that
Saturday was not a day that the library always had been open.
Harrison replied that Saturday and evening hours had been the
most recent addition to operations hours for the facility.
Hartsell said the evening hours were added in the spring of
1982. Harrison said she had not dug back through old meeting
minutes to determine the dates that service hours were added.
Thomas said the Fayetteville library had had 56 hours of
operation before the cutback. He asked how many hours the
Springdale library was open. Duree said Springdale also had
56 hours, but they were not the same hours of operation that
Fayetteville had had. The Rogers library is now open 9 a.m.
to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday
and Saturday.
Thomas said that Parker and other aldermen had said that people
might be a little upset that they had to wait on a reference
librarian or to check out a book, but they were "just plain
burned" about the closing. With inadequate funding, he quoted
Parker as saying, Harrison had admitted that they had been able
to keep the library open "with everybody tearing themselves
apart." Why was so much more money needed when, in years past,
the city council had said, "Here's your 2 percent increase,"
and the library had remained open and didn't challenge it? Could
the library go back to six-day service, without restoring the
evening hours, Parker asked. If the library reopens on Saturday
immediately, Parker told Thomas, he would take the matter to
the city council and pledge his support to obtaining a
discretionary mill for library services. Parker said he realized
that if the council approved the mill, the library wouldn't
get the money for a year; he realized the library would struggle
for a year, so the restoration of evening hours would not be
expected. With that promise, Parker told Thomas, he and at least
two other aldermen would "lead the charge" toward obtaining
the mill. Thomas said he told Parker that would be possible,
because a local banker had said he would loan the board the
necessary money to reopen if the council approved the mill.
Thomas told the group that the mayor had pledged, while
campaigning for the restoration of a 1 percent general sales
tax millage proposed in May 1993, that if voters approved that
measure, the council would not use discretionary mills without
a vote of the people. Koenig contended that Fayetteville voters,
in approving the library millage by a wide margin in November
1994, already had voted in favor of the plan.
Thomas said that pledge didn't mean "forever," and that the
new council was not bound by what the old one had approved.
Thomas agreed that Fayetteville voters had approved of granting
the library more money. The board proposes that the city fund
the library with 1 mill of discretionary tax until the library
could get a library millage approved. The bank has committed
to loan the money if City Attorney Jerry Rose said it was legal.
"You're asking a lot of this council," Davis commented. The
board is asking the present city council to vote for a mill
that the previous city council pledged it would not ask for
without a vote of the people. He said he assumed that with a
"tax -anticipation" mill, some sort of guarantee would have to
be set up with the bank so that it would be assured of repayment
of the loan.
By that point in the meeting, Parker had arrived and was
introduced to the group. Koenig told Parker that he (Koenig)
had been heavily involved in the discussion (as Fayetteville
School Board President) when the city removed the 3.5
discretionary mills from the books. He said what he remembered
was that the council had pledged not to use discretionary millage
without a clear vote of the electorate. He said the board's
position was that the November vote was a clear vote of the
Fayetteville voters. This discretionary millage would go straight
to the Fayetteville library, he said, not to the regional
library. He said he did not see where the problem was.
After some discussion with Davis about the police and fire
millage on the books, it was decided that that mill was voter -
mandated. The city has 5 discretionary mills with which it can
work. Thomas again pledged that.when a county library millage
is approved, that city mill would be dropped. One mill would
bring the library approximately $270,000, he said.
Parker said he was reponding to a number of people who had called
him in response to the library's closing. He said the Saturday
closing takes "a class of people" out of library service, namely
those with children. He said he had been asked to take the matter
to the council. He said he envisioned "three scenarios": one
in which the library reopened under its old schedule; one in
which it closed a day other than Saturday; or keep the new
schedule. Under the new schedule, he said, the board would find
a "marked difference" in the attitude of at least one member
of the city council and the public. Under each of the different
circumstances, he said, the appeal for more money could receive
a different public response. If he were able to go to the city
council tomorrow, he said, and say that the library would reopen
under its old level of service, albeit that "you don't think
it's a sufficient one," the public response would probably be
more favorable. He -said the closing was perceived as punitive.
"It's unfortunate that that attitude exists on your side of
the fence," Koenig told Parker. "If I close the doors on Monday,
I can almost guarantee that some other people are going to be
upset." If the board agrees to find some interim financing to
reopen on Saturday should the council approve the millage, Koenig
asked Parker, why should that not "be green light enough" for
him to agree to support it as an alderman?
Parker said the Saturday closing left people feeling they had
been disregarded. Reopening immediately, without the millage
approval, would represent "good faith." Parker said he had
supported the countywide library millage measure. "You're
preaching to the choir when it comes to library funding," he
told Koenig. He repeated that the closing looked punitive and
like "bad faith" to the public.
Koenig said he was willing to reopen the library using
alternative financing, but he added he was not willing to use
those funds indefinitely. He said there must be some discussion
and resolution by the city council. Parker said he couldn't
guarantee what the council's reaction to the proposal would
be.
Koenig said he understood the council's position, but the library
was in a crisis situation. If the library board was willing
to "give" (reopen the library while it was underfunded and
understaffed), "What's the give on your side?" Parker said that
the library had a shortfall of $52,000 in 1994 with inadequate
staff. The library changed its staffing pattern and ended up
with a shortfall of more than $140,000, and the council already
has funded $42,000 of that shortfall, Parker said. If the library
went back to its old level of staffing and made the appeal for
the discretionary millage, Parker said, that would be the
"ultimate" act of good faith. Parker said the staffing level
at the Fayetteville library was below the standard for Arkansas,
"which does not set the standard for the nation."
Koenig asked if Parker was aware that Fayetteville's level of
staffing was "way below" standards. Parker said he was aware
of that, and the staffing level needed to be brought up at least
to the standard of Arkansas. Koenig told Parker that the same
standard was applied to the police and fire departments when
discretionary millage was added several years ago (with the
millage being replaced by other sources of funding): "Those
people had reached a point, a break point, where they could
no longer provide the services required by the community, and,
by God, that's what's happened here," Koenig said.
Parker reiterated that the board would be going into "a hostile
environment" asking for more money under the present schedule
and that the council would look more favorably on a millage
request if the old hours were resumed. Koenig replied that he
was willing to do "whatever it takes" to show good faith, but
he was not willing to do it forever. There had to be a stopping
point, he said, and people had been warned that this (the
closing) was coming. He said the board was not happy about the
closing and had resisted it.
Parker said he hoped the board could come before the council
with alternatives, be it the millage or the figures to fund
the anticipated changes in staff levels. He said he couldn't
promise what the council would do. He said because of Freedom
of Information Act restrictions, he couldn't talk with other
aldermen on the matter, but he had received reports from citizens
about what other aldermen had said. Parker said the library
closing would be on the agenda of the next city council meeting
because he had promised constituents it would be.
Davis was asked about the support the measure might receive
from the city's financial staff. Thomas asked if the staff had
said "no comment," signaling that they neither favored nor
opposed it. Davis said that was the case. Davis noted that the
city sales tax would end in July 2002 and that, if it was not
reapproved, discretionary millage would be required to fund
city government.
Parker left the meeting. Koenig suggested that the board direct
the library to reopen on a six -day -a -week schedule, telling
staff members not to overwork, not to try to maintain a fully
staffed schedule. "Don't overwork our people. If they get behind,
they get behind," he said. "If you can't get the books back
on the shelf, you can't get the books back on the shelf."
The board agreed it would be a mistake to change the closing
day. Phillips asked if working 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through
Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday would be a possibility.
She said that would give some people four hours on Saturday
and 9-5 during the week. She said that was four hours over the
money that the director recommended under reduced hours, but
that would show good faith to those who wanted that sort of
commitment. Burdette, Koenig and Phillips said they didn't
understand why the commitment was necessary. Phillips said she
was not willing to switch Saturday for Monday, because other.
people would be inconvenienced, perhaps not in Parker's ward,
but in somebody's ward. "That's why we're closing, is to cut
down hours and expenses," Phillips said, because of the $73,000
shortfall. The board discussed alternatives for a few minutes.
Phillips said that Sissom and Maxey had said that Monday was
a very busy day and that she saw no need to further confuse
people by closing on that day. Phillips said she could live
with running a 9-to-5 schedule Monday through Friday and 9-to-1
on Saturday, but she could not agree to close on Monday.
Jefferson said that opening for even four hours on Saturday
would cost extra money. Phillips said the board knew that. Koenig
suggested adding four Saturday hours to the schedule as a
good-faith gesture. Phillips asked what would happen if that
schedule didn't please the city council. Koenig said, based
on Parker's remarks, the library board would have no support
for the millage unless the facility reopened on Saturday.
Jefferson noted that Parker represented only one vote and that
if the measure could get on the council agenda, she could hardly
see how Parker could not support it. The board discussed how
early the matter could be brought before the council and how
soon they could be ready with answers to questions. Harrison
explained that if Parker requested it, the matter could be
brought to the city council on January 17. If the board wants
to take it before the council, it must submit the necessary
form and go before the council on the February 7.
Koenig suggested opening four hours on Saturday as a show of
good faith. Phillips asked what would happen if Parker was the
only one who supported the discretionary millage. Would the
library then start closing the next Saturday? Thomas said the
city must be allowed time to consider the measure. The board
members continued to discuss which persons were receiving calls
from the public.
Phillips then asked Davis if the city offices were open on
Saturday. Davis said police and fire services were open on
Saturday.
Koenig moved that the library reopen for four hours on Saturday,
subject to review in two months, funded with long-term
development funds, and contingent on the city approving the
millage. The opening would occur on January 21, he said. The
motion died for lack of second.
Loots appealed on behalf of those staff members with children
who have to seek daycare. She said changing hours worked a
hardship on them.
Koenig wished the board luck in presenting the measure to the
council. Prichard said she was optimistic about the measure's
chances with the new council. She felt the new council was more
favorable toward libraries. "Take a chance," she said.
Koenig said he was disappointed with the board's not wanting
"to take an extra step" to meet the demands of the city council.
Prichard said that Burdette had said at the last board meeting
that the board had presented its ideas to the council so often
and had been turned down "for years and years and years. It's
just as if we've been crying 'Wolf!' " she said. "Enough is
enough." She asked for Davis's reaction.
He replied that the library needed a dedicated source of revenue.
At some point it must be a county -wide library millage. If the
library had sought a city-wide millage in November 1994, the
board would not be in the position it is in now, Davis said.
Koenig pointed out that two entirely different millage sources
were being discussed. Prichard repeated that she was optimistic.
Jefferson again noted that the board was asking for the millage
from the city for only one or two years. It would not last the
duration of the city's sales tax millage. She said the council
and staff could support the library, or at least not fight
against the library. Jefferson said she didn't think the
Fayetteville library would need the millage for very long.
Thomas said the necessary steps should be taken to appear before
the city council. Phillips told Koenig that she was sorry that
he was disappointed with the board and that she didn't have
a problem with spending long-term development money, but she
did have a problem with spending it for operations. She said
she would insist that, as soon as the money was available, the
library would reopen on Saturday. She said if the millage was
obtained, she saw no reason to "go back and forth" with the
city on funding.
Prichard asked what would happen if Parker placed the measure
on the agenda for the January 17 meeting and there was a
"groundswell" among aldermen, saying the city had embarrassed
the library long enough. Other board members disagreed with
the "embarrassment" approach. Thomas said he was of the opinion
that the city had not supported the library, but he was aware
that the city had given two-thirds of reserve funds to the
library and that the city considered it had done its share.
City officials now want the county to add to revenues, and Thomas
said that would not happen.
Koenig said he thought the mayor's office had been trying to
help the situation.
Davis said that the city had tried to conduct public meetings
to decide where money was to be spent. Thomas asked how many
people had stood up for library funding. Davis said only the
library board members.
Phillips said each group lobbied for its own interests. The
panel discussed workable dates to appear before the council.
They also discussed the need for a strategy session before
approaching the council. Koenig stated he had a conflict of
interest in taking the tax appeal before the council. The board
agreed to ask to appear before the council on February 7.
Phillips said the board and staff members should attend the
council session. Prichard added that the Friends of the
Fayetteville Public Library should be asked to attend. Thomas
suggested a strategy session before February 7.
The board next turned its attention to the renewal of a lease
with Ozarks Regional Library. Harrison said that the regional
lease had expired on December 31. Koenig asked what the current
city rate was for rental space. Davis said governmental entities
generally don't rent space at market rates. Duree noted that
if there was a rate increase, it would just be less that the
regional library had to spend on books and services to the member
libraries. The board proposed renewal the lease at the current
rate (Prichard, Burdette).
Duree said the failure to renew the lease before December 31
had been an oversight. Phillips said that the board had discussed
the matter but had not voted on it because Koenig had been absent
from the meeting. Duree asked if, in the future, another
oversight occurred and the lease were not renewed on time, it
could be automatically renewed. Phillips said she was more
comfortable with one-year or two-year renewal periods. Duree
said she was speaking only of emergency situations such asthis
one. Thomas assured her that the situation would not happen
again.
The board approved the renewal of the lease (Prichard, Phillips).
Prichard told the board that the minutes from the December
represented her "swan song" as secretary of the board. She had
taken the minutes for almost two years, she said, and she had
promised her husband that she would stop being responsible for
the minutes. Koenig said he thought a member of the staff should
be appointed to take the board meeting minutes. He said he
realized that the staff was "stretched," but he believed a staff
member could do a better job than the board members could. He
said that he himself could not take the minutes. Harrison said
this was not a matter to which she could appoint a staff member.
Koenig said she was the library director. She said she would
have to consider what she would have to take a staff member
away from to do the minutes. She said the staff member would
have to be willing to do the job. Koenig agreed. He said that
the office of secretary, minus the minute responsibilty, could
still be held by Prichard. He said it was sometimes necessary
to have three officers to legalize a board action. He said the
by-laws could be amended to reflect this change. The board moved
to change the by-laws (Koenig, Burdette). The change was adopted.
Prichard agreed to be a ceremonial secretary. Sissom agreed
after the meeting to be responsible for the minutes, at least
temporarily.
Phillips moved that the board adopt the same slate of officers
for 1995; Koenig seconded. The board adopted the slate. They
are: Thomas, president; Koenig, vice president; Prichard,
secretary; and Phillips, treasurer.
Harrison said she had a received a check for $1,416.67 from
the Wiley estate. Phillips recommended placing the check in
the operating fund (Phillips, Koenig). The board adopted the
motion.
Thomas entertained a motion to adjourn (Burdette, Prichard).
The meeting dismiss'd.
Submitted by:
Susan Sissom
Reference Staff
Fayetteville Public Library
