HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Ames Public Library Board of Trustees Minutes of the Regular Meeting 05/16/2013Ames Public Library Board of Trustees
Meeting Minutes
May 16, 2013
The Ames Public Library (APL) Board of Trustees met in regular session on Thursday, May 16,
2013, in the City Council Chambers, 515 Clark Avenue, with Bradley, Budd, Campbell, Eason,
and Stow in attendance. Trustees Acker, Manus, Meier, and Rawlins were excused. Staff
members present included Interim Director Carey, Construction Advisor Heemstra, and
Librarians Justin Armbruster and Tanvi Rostogi.
Call to Order: Board President Stow called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Stow reviewed the events of the last month, noting that a meeting was held with the City Council
on April 23 to discuss the possibility of retaining the windows, skylight, and north stairs of the
1904/40 building. After considering the options, the Library Board adopted a resolution on May 9
stating its intention to move forward with the previously-approved contracts and design. At its
meeting on May 14, however, Council directed the Board to keep the historical windows and the
knee walls at the entrance. Stow asked for a motion directing staff to proceed accordingly.
Moved by Eason, seconded by Bradley, that staff move forward with the
arrangements necessary for the restoration of the historic windows and redesign of
the north entrance and stairs to accommodate the limestone knee walls.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion carried unanimously.
Consent Agenda: Moved by Campbell, seconded by Budd, to adopt a resolution approving
the consent agenda:
1) Minutes of the regular meeting held April 18, 2013
2) Minutes of the special meeting held May 9, 2013
3) Claims Report 4/1/2013 – 4/30/2013
4) Resolution approving FY 2014 OCLC Subscription Renewal in an amount not to
exceed $30,711.93
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution adopted.
Public Forum: Sharon Wirth, 803 Burnett Avenue, stated that she would like the Historic
Preservation Commission and Board of Trustees to work together more productively and
communicate more effectively. She also said that she had initiated communication with the
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to advise them that there may be a need for some
assistance in finding restoration contractors and to ask if the SHPO could assist in the wording
of a bid package. Wirth said she would be happy to forward the e-mail response. Stow asked if
Wirth would forward it to Carey so that it could be shared with the Building Project Committee.
Activity Reports:
Staff Report - Interim Library Director Carey mentioned many activities currently taking place at
the library and in the community, as well as some that had occurred over the last month. Now
that there’s only a year left before substantial completion of the building project, staff is getting
very serious about short-term planning. She mentioned several upcoming research trips and a
supervisors’ retreat that will focus on plans for the next year and getting into the new building.
Ames Public Library Friends Foundation (APLFF) Report – Stow said that the library’s teen
group is having a bake sale fundraiser on Saturday, May 18, and is planning “Rock the Library”
Agenda Item 1
and many other activities for the summer months. The April book sale brought in over $7,000
and the next book sales are scheduled on July 20 and October 11-14. The directors heard a
presentation on endowment funds from Jen Garst of the Story County Community Foundation,
where the APLFF has three funds. He also reported that a committee is looking at a policy on
donor recognition and will make sure that APLFF’s and APL’s policies work well together.
Library Building Project Update:
Staff Report – Heemstra spoke about current work being done on the site:
• Augur cast piles (deep foundations) have been completed.
• Structural demolition is nearly complete.
• Interior demolition of the 1904/1940 building, including removal of flooring and walls on
the first floor, is taking place.
• Under-slab plumbing, electrical rough-in, and trenches for bringing utilities into the
building are being worked on.
• Installation of concrete foundations and delivery of structural steel will begin soon.
• Work has been periodically going on in the alley during demolition and the construction
foreman is putting together a schedule for utility installation and repaving. He has been
doing a good job of coordinating alley closures with church.
Project Cost Summary – Heemstra said that the summary only shows one expense change this
month: Change Order No. 3 with the Samuels Group for additional electrical receptacles and
data circuits. However, construction progress meetings are taking place twice a month with the
team, and additional changes will be coming along. Heemstra stated that Abatement Specialties
will be asked to do additional asbestos abatement involving removal of the plaster ceiling above
the acoustical ceiling tile on the first floor. Some structural issues have been discovered in the
south wall of existing building, for which MS&R has issued specific instructions. The west wall
along the alley was found to be constructed in such a manner that the structural engineer did
not feel it was practical to keep, so it had to be removed. The Samuels Group is determining
pricing for work on both of those walls.
Trustee Eason thanked Heemstra for his work on the many issues that have come his way over
the last two months, and complimented him on his ability to stay calm and unruffled.
Heemstra referred to the proposed calendar of next steps for window restoration that had been
sent out earlier in the day. He said the schedule was reasonably aggressive and may need to
be adjusted later, but the objective is to get the windows done while the building is under
construction and before winter. Heemstra said that each window will be prepared with a label so
it can be addressed uniquely; Kate Michaud from MS&R will prepare the necessary documents.
The bidding phase will be coordinated with the City’s Purchasing Department and July 16 has
been targeted as the bid due date. Heemstra said that would allow for Library Board action on
July 18 and City Council action on July 22 and August 14.
Trustee Campbell asked if costs related to the exploration and preservation of the windows
could be tracked. Carey said that costs associated with information gathering and work done in
April by MS&R and Integrity Construction were approximately $8000. Stow said the costs would
have to be separated out anyway, if the library were to apply for historic tax credits.
Carey stated that the window preservation involves changes to six contracts:
1. The Samuels Group (deletion of windows);
2. Abatement Specialties (deletion of abatement related to the windows);
3. Terracon (change in professional services for abatement design and monitoring);
Agenda Item 1
4. Integrity Construction (assistance with background work and the restoration contract);
5. Multivista (to include photography of all the wood windows); and
6. MS&R (for background work and changes to the current contract).
Eason asked if there would be coordination with the SHPO with respect to the bids. Heemstra
said MS&R would be the first resource. The firm has experience with historic restoration and is
already under contract. Carey also noted that the City Council’s approval of the request to
remove the historic treatment specialist was done with the understanding that if renovation of
any of the historic elements were later pursued, the appropriate persons would be involved to
do the assessments and the work. Stow said the Historic Preservation Commission may also
need assistance from the SHPO with application for the tax credits, although there are experts
who can be hired to help with that.
Campbell reiterated his request to “run a tab” on the restoration and asked if the tax credits had
to be obtained through the APLFF. Carey said she did not know all the details, but it was her
understanding that APL could grant authority to the APLFF. The first step is being determined to
be eligible to be listed on the Historic Register. That determination was formerly in place, but
may no longer be valid now that construction has begun. Gloria Betcher indicated that she
would work on a new determination. Carey said she was uncertain about the timeline, so the
plan is to focus hard on moving forward and then dovetailing that into the construction process.
Budd asked if formal notification of the changes had been given to the contractor. Heemstra
said The Samuels Group was aware of the decisions, but notification will be formal when MS&R
issues the request for cost submittal.
Carey said that the contract for photo documentation with Multivista had been signed. A core
team of library staff has been identified to meet monthly, starting in June, to discuss furnishings.
MS&R hopes to have requests for proposals or bids ready about the beginning of the year.
Library Renovation Project Financial Report – The report was received as information.
Policy Review:
Social Networking Policy - Moved by Eason, seconded by Bradley, to adopt a resolution
renaming the Use of Library-sponsored Social Media Policy to the Social Networking
Policy and approving changes as presented/amended.
Librarians Justin Armbruster and Tanvi Rostogi spoke about changes staff was recommending
to the original policy. Armbruster explained that three of the goals were to focus more on the
customer and on communication, to make the policy broader so that it could include future types
of social networks, and to identify social networking as an extension of library programming.
Rostogi noted that because the library is currently in a state of transition, staff now is relying
more heavily on social networking to communicate with patrons. The committee felt the content
section should include information on what can cause removal of a posting. It also added some
disclaimers to protect the library and clarify its role and removed parts that were procedural.
In response to questions from the trustees, the librarians stated that: Emilyn Linden monitors the
sites throughout the day; disclaimers in use by other libraries, mainly the Library of Congress,
were paraphrased or edited to for use in APL’s policy; and those members of staff who do the
monitoring also have authority to post. When asked if one had to dig down deep in the website
to find the policy, Carey said a person did have to dig now, but felt the policy could be more
prominently located on the Facebook page once it is approved.
Agenda Item 1
Vote on Resolution as presented: 5-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution
declared adopted.
New Business:
Change Order No. 1 with Integrity Construction: Stow said the scope of Heemstra’s work has
been changing as the project progresses. He said the request was brought to building
committee in the spring because Integrity was putting in more time than had originally been
planned. Stow said that he had asked that the request be delayed, assuming the work might
start to slow down, but the amount of work has actually increased. He said the proposed
change order assumes the extension of the construction advisor’s contract for four months
at 40 hours per month. The Building Project Committee recommends approval.
Moved by Campbell, seconded by Budd, to adopt a resolution recommending that the
City Council approve Change Order No. 1 to the contract with Integrity Construction
in an amount not to exceed $48,400.
Vote on Resolution: 5-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution declared adopted.
Committee Appointments: Stow announced some committee appointments for 2013/14 and
noted that the Nominating Committee would be appointed in January 2014.
Stow also announced that the Trustees had decided to move forward with a search for a
permanent library director. In addition to himself and trustees Acker and Eason, the search
committee will include: APLFF President Roger Kluesner; Assistant City Manager Melissa
Mundt; City of Ames Director of Human Resources Julie Huisman; and staff members Jill
Anderson and Mary Logsdon. Stow said that Carey has done an outstanding job as interim
director for the past eleven months. The trustees have openly discussed the search with her
and she will decide whether or not she will apply for the position. The trustees will be working
with the City’s Human Resources Department on the processes and procedures.
Trustee Comments:
Campbell said that even though the library is currently displaced, one would not know that by
walking into the building. He said that he and his wife see a lot of activity and pleasant faces in
the building, and believes the project will just add to that. He thanked the staff and Brad and
Lynne, especially, for their leadership and making it all work.
Budd apologized for not being present at last week’s meeting; he said he would have preferred
attending the meeting to being in the hospital.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 7:51 p.m.
The next regular meeting will be on Thursday, June 20, 2013, at 7:00 p.m., in the City Council
Chambers, 515 Clark Avenue.
____________________________________
___________________________________
Karen C. Thompson, Administrative Assistant Jane Acker, Board Secretary
Agenda Item 1