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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Ames Public Library Board of Trustees Minutes of the Regular Meeting 12/17/2015Ames Public Library Board of Trustees Minutes of the Regular Meeting December 17, 2015 The Ames Public Library (APL) Board of Trustees met in regular session on Thursday, December 17, 2015 in the Dale H. Ross Board Room, Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue, with Acker, Bradley, Butler, Campbell, Linch, Rohret, and Stow present. Briese and Manus were excused. Library Director Carey was also present. Call to Order: Board President Acker called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Consent Agenda Moved by Bradley, seconded by Rohret, to approve the following items on the consent agenda: 1) Resolution approving donations a) From the ISU Women’s Club ........................................................................... $50.00 b) From Edith Wessel ........................................................................................... $50.00 c) From Marcia Courson in memory of Margaret J. Dunlap .............................. $50.00 d) From Susan Benson .......................................... one book for the library collection 2) Motion approving minutes of the regular meeting of November 19, 2015 3) Motion approving minutes of the special meeting of November 21, 2015 4) Motion approving payment of claims 11/1/15 – 11/30/15 Vote on Motion: 6-0. Approved unanimously; resolution adopted. Public Forum: None. FY16 Budget Adjustments and FY17 Budget Requests: Moved by Stow, seconded by Linch, to adopt a resolution to approve adjustments to the operating budget for fiscal year 2015/16 and requests for fiscal year 2016/17 as presented/amended. Vote on Motion to approve budgets as presented: 6-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution adopted. Moved by Butler, seconded by Campbell, to adopt a resolution to approve fiscal year 2015/16 adjustments and fiscal year 2016/17 requests for the bequest, donations and grant fund budgets as presented/amended. Carey noted that budgets in these funds are harder to hit on target. Income is not known in advance, so a conservative estimate is used. Additional grants and donations received during the year may be included in budget amendments next spring. Vote on Motion to approve budgets as presented: 6-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution adopted. Ames Public Library Friends Foundation (APLFF) Report: Trustee Butler reported that proceeds from the holiday fundraising campaign had reached $13,903 as of December 8. The APLFF Board heard about Teen Advisory Group activities, worked on its own budget adjustments, added a worker’s compensation policy for the Development Director, adopted a new logo, and discussed the grant from an anonymous donor toward the Small Talk Project. She said Literary Grounds took in $2,578 last month and $1,153 was made from the holiday sale. The Board is considering the possibility of holding an event focusing on the influence of 2 Mary Greeley in conjunction with acceptance of the Greeley stained glass. Work on the agreement between APL and APLFF is still in progress. The nominating committee has been asked to look for someone to replace Andrea Anselman. Carey stated that, as of today, over $20,000 has come in from the current campaign. Administrative Staff Report: Carey reported on an emergency sanitary sewer line repair that was undertaken during the last week. She said a problem arose at the hook-up between a line laid in 1983 and the new section. The floors in the staff hallway and underneath the server room had to be dug up, but the repair is now complete and the tile will be replaced next week. Carey also mentioned that: • Any Trustees interested in representing APL at the Ames Convention and Visitors’ Bureau annual meeting should let her know; • Advertising has begun for interns in Promotions and Marketing and in Video Design and Production, and will begin soon for an Information Technology position. Interviews will begin in January. The two interns who are already working will continue on. • An event to mark the transition of Project Smyles was held on December 16. Carey said that from now on, administration of the program will be done by Youth Services staff and covered by the operating budget, and the storytimes will be done by Project Smyles Presenters, whose wages are funded by donations. Some volunteers also assist. • The Library hosted the city employees’ holiday party earlier in the month. A reception for retiring City Council Member Matthew Goodman was also held at APL. Carey said she received positive comments about the facility and is pleased to see the City looking to the Library as a host destination. • Carey is participating in the search for a new Assistant City Manager. Candidates will be interviewed this month and in January. • The Library will close on December 24 and 25, at 5 o’clock on December 31, and on New Year’s Day. The Bookmobile is closed December 21 through January 3, 2016. When asked about insurance coverage for the sewer line repair, Carey stated that the City is self-insured and the deductible is $25,000; however, the City Manager has emergency funds that can be used. Building Project Update: Carey said the custom furniture contract has been finalized and the work has been accepted, although some of the payment related to a back-charge from the architects has been withheld. The heating, ventilation, and cooling system issues are still not resolved, but Carey said all parties are working hard to find solutions. Once the systems are working well, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) application will be submitted. Carey said she is working with an acoustic specialist to address comments from users of the meeting rooms. She explained that the Library’s approach had been to hold back and see how the building was used before placing final orders for signage and some of the equipment, but all outstanding items have now been identified. When asked if recent heavy rains had any impact on the Library, Carey stated that two leaks had been identified early on (at the entrance to Youth Services and in the second window panel in Literary Grounds) and are under warranty. Samuels Group will be working on them. 3 With respect to MSR’s request for more payment, Carey said that design issues that cost the library more have been identified and will be discussed. The way water accumulates on the awning at the front entrance is another issue being pursued. Director Performance Evaluation Process Policy: Moved by Stow, seconded by Campbell, to adopt a resolution to approve revisions to the Director Performance Evaluation Process Policy as presented/amended. Vote on Motion to approve the policy as presented: 6-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution adopted. Personnel Policy—City of Ames Updates: Moved by Bradley, seconded by Rohret, to adopt a resolution to approve revisions made to the City of Ames Personnel Policy and adopt them by reference. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution adopted. Programs Policy: (Moved by Briese, seconded by Campbell, and postponed in November) Linch stated that a small committee had met to discuss the two issues pending after the November meeting. In order to avoid the word “co-sponsor,” which had a connotation the Board wanted to avoid, the committee came up with terminology referring to “partnership.” Linch said that seems to accomplish the purposes of the policy, represent how the Library interacts with its visitors, and eliminate the term that was more controversial. The committee also addressed how to work with folks who have expertise and will share it, while staying away from having them solicit business. The “Charges, Sales, and Fundraising” section now states that a person is not to promote his own business interest and that the Library does not want people developing lists for solicitation of future business. Linch said some flexibility was left in, however—the Library sponsors the arts and visitors like to interact with artists and authors and buy their works, and exceptions may be requested in advance. Vote on Motion to approve the policy as submitted in revised form: 6-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution adopted. Policy Review Process: With the intent of making the process more efficient, the trustees agreed that they would like to look over existing policies two or three months prior to their scheduled review dates, learn about any issues of concern to staff, and take the opportunity to ask questions and make suggestions or requests before staff begins to work on revisions. Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement with APLFF: Moved by Stow, seconded by Rohret, to adopt a resolution approving the Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement between Ames Public Library Friends Foundation and Ames Public Library regarding the management of funds from an anonymous donor related to the Small Talk in Story County Project as presented/amended. It was noted that the APLFF Board of Directors had had a thorough discussion and approved the agreement, and that the City Attorney, APLFF Budget and Finance Committee and APLFF Executive Team had looked also at it carefully. Carey said APLFF will accept the grant money and disburse it to the bodies that are expending it. The Library and Iowa State University (ISU) will be the major partners that are expending. 4 Carey said that the original budget will be revised as the process moves forward. If there are enough participating families in Ames, the project will be done through the Library, but if there is a need to find families from outside Ames, staffing money may go to Raising Readers. For now, the grantor has instructed APLFF to work with the original budget. Carey added that APLFF will request that the dates of the grant term be changed to November 1, 2015 to January 31, 2019, and the date changes would shift all of the reporting dates listed in Schedule A (page 49 in the packet). Carey said the budget year for the grant does not have to correspond to the City’s or APLFF’s fiscal year. It was suggested that an amendment be made to indicate the Library Board’s approval with the grant dates that are put into place in the document that is eventually executed by APLFF and the grantor. Stow amended his motion to add “with the understanding that the dates in Item D are subject to change.” Amendment accepted. Carey explained that APL’s obligations are in-kind and related to staffing—for herself, as project administrator, and for office space. She said photocopies will be the largest outlay of money. Grant funds will be used to hire educators and coordinators, and this grant will be used as a matching grant for money for equipment. Carey said this agreement enhances the Library’s connection to ISU; will bring in a top-notch program for citizens that the Library couldn’t conceive of doing on its own; and will involve APL in a research project that could influence people nation-wide and beyond. Vote on Motion as amended: 6-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution adopted. Trustee Comments: Acker said that the Director Evaluation Committee will send out a survey instrument early next year and the Strategic Planning Committee will meet in early January, in hopes of having something for the Board to approve in February. Adjournment: Moved by Stow, seconded by Bradley, to adjourn at 7:52 p.m. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion approved unanimously. The next regular meeting will be on Thursday, January 21, 2016, at 7:00 p.m., in the Dale H. Ross Board Room, Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue.