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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-06-2017 minutes COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PUBLIC LIBRARY 3939 Central Ave NE, Columbia Heights, MN 55421 BOARD OF TRUSTEES: MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, December 6th, 2017 Drafted 12/7/2017 The meeting was called to order in the History Room by Chair, Patricia Sowada, at 5:35pm. Members present: Patricia Sowada, Catherine Vesley, Nancy Hoium, Stephen Smith, Tricia Conway; and Council Liaison, Robert “Bobby” Williams. Also present: Library Director, Renee Dougherty; Recording Secretary, Nick Olberding. • Minutes of the November 1st, 2017 Board Meeting were approved. • Bill List dated November 1st, 2017 was reviewed. It was moved, seconded, and passed that the bills be paid. • Bill List dated November 15th, 2017 was reviewed. It was moved, seconded, and passed that the bills be paid. • Bill List dated November 29th, 2017 was reviewed. It was moved, seconded, and passed that the bills be paid. • Accounting Sheet as of November was reviewed, and approved. • Questions and discussions based on Bills and Accounting: • Electric: $14,291 over-budget, but overall we are under-budget; will even out in the end. • LED Lights: Lighting is a work in progress. Still under warrant; monitoring them as they burn out (currently 3 out). • Severance: This is unused vacation time and a percentage of sick time paid out if/when an employee leaves. • Overtime: Is not in danger of going over-budget. Majority of overtime is allotted for the Board Secretary to attend the monthly Board meeting. • ILS Payment: Paid to Anoka County quarterly for use of the Library System (and other services like tri-weekly deliveries). Our percentage (5% on average) is based on the number of COH patrons, and the amount of items they check out. The current quarterly charge is $2,862, which would add up to less than $12000 annually. • Book Budget: Currently $18,408 remaining in this line, but foresee it only being 3-5 thousand under-budget once all fiscal-year book orders are processed and paid. The remaining budget will rollover to the library’s operating reserve fund. • Available Space: The shelving was planned with room for the Collection to grow and expand. There is more unused shelf space in Juvenile/YA, than there is in Adult, but we are constantly weeding item in poor shape or not circulating. If necessary, there is room to add extra rows of shelving as well. Old Business: • Continued Discussion of Public Art Committee: The press release and membership application for the Public Library Arts Committee was halted at the request of City administration. There were some concerns that the City Council would need to approve creation of the body and review membership applications. Kelli Bourgeois (Assistant to the City Manager) wanted to consult with the City attorney before we started actively seeking members. o The Library Board doesn’t need Council approval to create this group as long as it functions as an Advisory Group to the Library Board. This will be the function…to oversee art related opportunities for the consideration of the Library Board, and help coordinate and ease the burden on library staff. o The arts committee will have no spending authority. Spending decisions are made by the Council (in reference to City funds). The Committee was not intending on spending City funds, and will operate through the Library Board with partnerships with the Library Foundation, and donors via the Foundation. o Jim recommends naming the group a working group or task force to clarify their advisory role. Taken into advisement, but the name will remain the same. Either way it is a sub-group of the Library Board, and only serves the Columbia Heights Library, not the City as a whole. The name of the group is just a matter of semantics, and the limitations of the group will be expressed to the necessary parties. o Meetings must follow public open meeting law. Dates need to be announced in advance, meetings and agendas made public, actions recorded in formal minutes, etc… o A motion to approve the Committee Application “as-is” was made by Catherine Vesley; Seconded by Tricia Conway…Approved. New Business: • Library Board Meeting Dates for 2018: The meeting time will remain at 5:30pm for 2018, with the majority of dates occurring on the first Wednesday of the month; with the exception of January 10th and July 11th, due to the proximity to New Year’s and Independence Day. Motion to approve was made and seconded…Approved. • CHPL 90th Anniversary Planning: Official date is December 3, 2018. Will include anniversary celebration, participation in the Jamboree parade, guest speakers (historian), Mayor proclamation, etc. o Renee spoke with M. Rebecca Loader (former director), who was happy to participate in the anniversary; she has a wealth of knowledge on the history of the Library. o Installation of the LED Sign in front of Library. Bobby Williams brought this construction budget item up with the City, and it has not been forgotten. It is planned to be installed in the spring of 2018. o Friends of the Library are debating the future of their group, as they have had dwindling enrollment, and a lack of interest in leadership roles. Either way, individuals in the group have proved to be great assets to the Library for their support and volunteerism. The Friends also would like to contribute to the anniversary in any way they can, and would also like to support it financially with a $700 donation that they have in their group account. • 2017 Youth Read-Down: Has been considered a success, and a great way for children to pay off their library fines on their own through readership. In January, 26 participants read away $129 in fines; In June/July, 89 participants read away $440 in fines; and in October, 20 participants read away $94 in fines. Read-Down will occur during the same months in 2018; Adults have expressed interest in having a version for them. • Strategic Planning: Mostly on-hold due to the new building; still working out the kinks and learning the efficiencies, as well as allowing the City working on their overall Comprehensive Plan. The last strategic plan (which Director Loader authored) has expired, and we should start looking into our priorities for the future. Major factors considered by the Director and the Board are: the direction of the collection and programming; building enhancements and improvements, personnel needs, and community needs and requests (within the library walls and beyond); and a shorter, more concise Mission Statement*(see below). The Board will look over the previous strategic plan as a blueprint for a new one, and gather data and feedback during our Anniversary Year; linking the two will coincide nicely by showing highlights throughout the last 90 years, and asking the community how they’d like to see the Library Transform over the next ninety (or ten) years. Possible surveys, comment boards, discussions, etc… There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:43pm by Patricia Sowada, and seconded. Respectfully submitted, Nicholas P. Olberding Recording Secretary, Library Board of Trustees The City of Columbia Heights does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs, or activities. Upon request, accommodation will be provided to allow individuals with disabilities to participate in all City of Columbia Heights services, programs, and activities. *Mission Statement* To serve a diverse community’s needs for access to resources, information, and technology in a welcoming environment.