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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Ames Public Library Board of Trustees Minutes of the Regular Meeting 06/21/2012Ames Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes June 21, 2012 The Ames Public Library (APL) Board of Trustees met in regular session on Thursday, June 21, 2012, in the City Council Chambers, 515 Clark Avenue, with Bradley, Campbell, Luckett, Meier, Rawlins, Schill, and Stow in attendance. Assistant Director Lynne Carey was also present. Budd, Manus, and Library Director Weeks were excused. Call to Order: Board President Luckett called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Adoption of Agenda: Moved by Rawlins, seconded by Meier, to approve the agenda. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion approved unanimously. Approval of Minutes: Moved by Meier, seconded by Bradley, to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of May 17 and the special meetings of May 24 and June 4, 2012. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion approved unanimously. Public Forum: None Consent Agenda: Moved by Stow, seconded by Schill, to adopt a resolution approving the consent agenda: 1) Donations a) From Altrusa International of Ames for Project Smyles ........................... $808.00 b) From Doug Moore for Project Smyles ........................................................ $100.00 c) From the Youth Services Staff for the collection in memory of a good friend, co-worker and cat lover, Marianne Malinowski ......................................... $100.00 2) Claims Report 5/1/2012 – 5/31/2012 3) Financial Reports Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution adopted. Library Activity Report: Assistant Director Carey did not add to the written report, noting that there were many members of the library staff and the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation Board of Directors in the audience who were excited about seeing the architects’ presentation. Ames Public Library Friends Foundation (APLFF) Report: Trustee Campbell said that the APLFF met on June 14. A representative of Klatt and Associates spoke about the board’s monthly financial statements. The Memorandum of Understanding that appears on the trustees’ agenda this month was approved. Jon Sargent and Marcia Imsande were elected to the board of directors for terms that will begin in July, and the executive slate was re-elected to serve another year. Library Building Project Update: Brendan Sapienza, of Meyer, Scherer, and Rockcastle presented the executive summary of the project. The expanded facility will provide substantial increases in overall square footage, the size of the collection, the number of public computers, and the amount of seating, meeting room space, and space for children in the story time room. Sapienza stated that the Design Development package is the second stage of the architect’s process and the revisions to the Schematic Design included: changes based on staff comments and suggestions for operational efficiencies, elimination of a second grand stairway, increased usability of the Farwell T. Brown Auditorium, and spaces for future technology and an Agenda Item 1 2 automated book handling system. In addition, the south walls of the historic buildings have been incorporated into the building design, there is much greater energy efficiency in the exterior walls, the pedestrian plaza has been made more user friendly, and it will be possible for the auditorium to be opened to the exterior. Sapienza said that MS&R expects the Construction Documents Phase to run through the end of August, so that review, revision, and printing of the documents can take place in September and early October. The bidding phase is expected to take place from October 10 through November 13, so that the contract may be awarded in December. Sapienza pointed out that a $650,000 “change order contingency” allowance has been set aside in the project budget so that MS&R will be able to manage unanticipated conditions that may be discovered during demolition. He also stated that the library has created a “wish list” of additional features that could be included at a later date, depending on the results of bidding and of fundraising efforts. Brad Heemstra, the library’s construction advisor, presented the following summary of current project estimates: Construction Costs $14,521,270 Professional Services $1,669,414 Owner Costs $2,838,040 Project Contingency $344,276 $19,458,000 The total project cost of $20,085,000 included pledge payments not received and additional fundraising income. Heemstra said that these numbers were based on the cost estimate from CPMI in Des Moines. The construction costs now include replacement of windows, an estimate contingency, and a change order allowance to be kept in reserve. He explained that “owner costs” included furnishings, tables, chairs, new shelving, book security, audio and visual technologies for meeting rooms, signage, asbestos abatement, moving costs, and the price of temporary space. He noted that the fundraising goal has not yet been met, but everyone is working hard to live within the total budget. He noted two important points in time when further adjustments could be made—on the bid date, when the construction costs will be more firm; and when the time comes for ordering furnishings. He said that new furniture would be purchased for the public spaces, but the library could consider reusing furnishings in staff areas, if necessary. As estimates are replaced with actual costs, and as additional pledges and donations are received, the library will be able to add items from the wish list of “extras” or consider potential cost reductions. Kate Michaud, project architect from MS&R, spoke about the exterior of the building and the site lines. After the reconstruction of Douglas Avenue, there will be diagonal parking to the south of the library’s entrance and two short-term/drop-off stalls to the north of the entrance. There will be an increase in the number of benches and bicycle stalls in the pedestrian plaza, and permeable pavers will be used to help collect storm water and distinguish the plaza from the sidewalk. Decorative trees allowing for visibility and hardy plants that don’t require much maintenance or irrigation will be planted. The plaza will also have benches that will gray over time and require minimal maintenance. The lighting will be muted. Michaud stated that a dark stone material at the base of the entrance and a dark, textured metal panel will distinguish the new part of the building from the existing sections. A two-story glass atrium off the lobby will bring in daylight and let people on the street see what’s going on inside. Agenda Item 1 3 The new entryway and auditorium portion of the building will extend eastward, so that persons will see the entrance from the north as they approach. The west face of the building will feature exterior book drops in the alley, as well as a volunteer and staff entrance. Michaud said the goal on the south side of the building was to bring in as much light as possible. Steven Rothe, interior designer for MS&R, offered glimpses of the new library’s interior spaces and finishes, and spoke about its overall look and feel. He said the new ramp down into the building will be inside the vestibule, rather than outside, as it is now. Rothe showed renderings of the two-story atrium inside the entryway that will include an area exposed as a “living history wall.” He said that one area on the south wall of the older section was demolished in 1983 and has been covered up, so money is included in the contingency budget to deal with unknown factors that may be identified. Once the walls are uncovered, the windows will be replaced; it will be possible to look into and out of both the board room and the seminar room into the new lobby. Rothe said the lobby concept includes having clean surfaces and “unclean” surfaces. Leaving the wall to show where portions were torn down or filled in creates the living history, and the elevator will be white and unobtrusive, so that the wall can be the focus of interest. Rothe said that public computers will be dispersed throughout the building, rather than being located in one room, as they are now. Some of the design ideas he presented for the first floor included: placing graphic panels behind shelves in the coffee shop and self-service area; re- using book stack posts from the 1940 library to create work surfaces and house self-check stations; incorporating tangram shapes and vivid colors into the children’s area; designing the story time room around the idea of a grove of trees; and using a film-noir-inspired theme with gray, black, and reflective surfaces in the teen space. Rothe said the contractor will renovate the meeting rooms and spruce up the woodwork on the second floor in the historic section of the library. The existing atrium will stay essentially the same and the administration office will be left largely untouched. The new section of the second floor, south of the grand staircase and the “bridge” between the two sections, will both contrast and blend the modern and historical. The space over the existing clerestory will be set off as the more traditional portion and include a browsing and reading area. The rest of the perimeter will appear more modern and the styles will blend in the middle. Service desks will be flexible and mobile, rather than built in, so that they can be reconfigured over time. Rothe explained that in carpeted areas of the building, carpet tiles will be used—to incorporate “paths” and tangram shapes in the children’s area, for herringbone patterns in the adult section, or as “area rugs” on terrazzo or linoleum—and color accents will denote different areas. Chris Deal, mechanical engineer from Modus Engineering in Des Moines, gave a summary of the mechanical systems being considered. He said the building would be divided into thermal zones that could be controlled with separate thermostats. Steele said the overall system being looked at is a boiler-chiller loop with a highly efficient chilled beam design; baseboard heating will be used as a supplement. LEED accreditation of at least silver is being sought, and his firm is designing the building to be as efficient as possible while being cognizant of pricing. Acceptance of Design Development Phase for the Renovation and Expansion of the Ames Public Library Agenda Item 1 4 Moved by Stow, seconded by Campbell, to adopt the following resolution: Be it resolved that the Board of Trustees, Ames Public Library, accepts the Design Development Phase as defined in the Owner-Architect Agreement for the Renovation and Expansion of the Ames Public Library, as prepared and presented by Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd. on this date. Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd. is hereby authorized to proceed with the Contract Documents as defined in said Owner- Architect Agreement. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Approved unanimously. Resolution declared adopted. Report on Temporary Space: Heemstra said that he and the staff had looked at some locations and he is now negotiating for lease of two spaces in the Lincoln Center formerly occupied by Hastings and Harrison Sports. He said the larger space could house the public library, while staff would work out of the secondary, smaller space. A non-binding letter of intent, which was reviewed by the Executive Committee, has been submitted on behalf of the Board of Trustees. Heemstra said the next step will be for City Attorney to review the owner’s lease. After the Library Board has voted on it, the lease agreement will go to the City Council for final approval. Heemstra added that there is quite a lot of work that needs to be done on the logistics. Policy Review: American Library Association (ALA) Guidelines for the Development and Implementation of Policies, Regulations, and Procedures Affecting Access to Library Materials, Services and Facilities Moved by Stow, seconded by Meier, to adopt the ALA Guidance Document entitled “Guidelines for the Development and Implementation of Policies, Regulations, and Procedures Affecting Access to Library Materials, Services and Facilities.” (This document replaces the statement entitled “Guidelines for the Development of Policies and Procedures Regarding User Behavior and Library Usage” last adopted in March 2010.) Carey said that ALA has substituted the document previously contained in the APL policy manual with this one. This action would simply be a matter of adopting the current version. Luckett remarked that the board does not have the option of editing the ALA documents; they can simply accept or reject them. Vote on Motion as presented: 6-0. Approved unanimously. Resolution declared adopted. Sex Offenders Against Minors Policy Moved by Stow, seconded by Rawlins, to adopt a resolution approving changes to the Sex Offender Policy and presented/amended. Carey said that the only changes being proposed were simple clarifications in wording. Meier pointed out that the word “offense” was misspelled in one instance. Rawlins inquired about the nature of the access that could be offered with the written permission of the director. Carey stated that it could be a one-time visit or permitted over an extended period of time, but it would always be considered on a case-by-case basis. It is something that is allowed as part of the state code. Vote on Motion as presented: 6-0. Approved unanimously. Resolution declared adopted. Agenda Item 1 5 Authority Policy Moved by Meier, seconded by Bradley, to adopt a resolution revising the Authority Policy in accordance with Ordinance No. 4109, which was adopted by the Ames City Council on April 24, 2012, and amends Section 15.2 of the Municipal Code of the City of Ames, effective July 1, 2012. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Approved unanimously. Resolution declared adopted. New Business: Acknowledging Retirement of Art Weeks as Library Director and Approving Retirement and Severance Agreement in the Amount of $56,250 Moved by Campbell, seconded by Stow, to adopt the following resolution: Whereas, the Board of Trustees of the Ames Public Library acknowledges Library Director Art Weeks’s retirement, effective June 22, 2012; and Whereas, Art Weeks has served as Director since August of 2006, and Whereas, the Board of Trustees agrees that it is in the best interest of the library to have Mr. Weeks available for informal consultation on the library expansion and renovation project; now, therefore, Be it resolved that the Board of Trustees, Ames Public Library, approves Mr. Weeks’s retirement and severance agreement in the amount of $56,250. Vote on Resolution: 6-0. Approved unanimously. Resolution adopted. Approval of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ames Public Library Friends Foundation (APLFF) for Fiscal Year 2012/13 Moved by Bradley, seconded by Meier, to adopt a resolution approving the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ames Public Library Friends Foundation (APLFF) for Fiscal Year 2012/13. It was noted that this agreement is the means by which the APLFF, which is a non-profit institution, reimburses the library for work done on its behalf and for storage space. Vote on Resolution: 6-0. Approved unanimously. Resolution adopted. Appointment of Representatives to the APLFF Board of Directors Luckett stated that Kevin Stow and Al Campbell will continue to represent the trustees on the Friends Foundation board. Election of Officers Luckett reviewed the slate of officers for next year that was presented by the nominating committee at the May meeting: Kevin Stow, President; Al Campbell, Vice President; and Laura Rawlins, Secretary. He asked if there were any further nominations for any office. Hearing none, nominations for all offices were declared closed. There was consensus to elect the officers as a slate. Moved by Bradley, seconded by Schill, to elect the slate of officers nominated in May: Kevin Stow, President; Al Campbell, Vice President; and Laura Rawlins, Secretary. Vote on Motion: 7-0. Motion carried unanimously. Luckett declared the slate to be elected for the upcoming year and passed the gavel to Stow. (Under the Board’s bylaws, an officer assumes office when declared elected— no formal installation is necessary.) Recognition of Retiring Trustee Agenda Item 1 6 Sherry Meier presented a plaque of appreciation from the board of trustees and the staff to Dudley Luckett which expressed deepest thanks and gratitude for his many years of dedication and service. Trustee Comments: Bradley thanked Luckett for his years of service and leadership; she also thanked staff for coming to the Design Development presentation. Campbell echoed Bradley’s comments, thanking Luckett for his guidance and mentoring, and expressing appreciation to the library staff and APL Friends Foundation members for coming and adding to the excitement in the air about doing something important and significant. Meier also thanked Luckett and said she was looking forward to working with new Executive Committee. Luckett thanked the trustees for their kindness and said he had enjoyed working with them. He acknowledged the representatives from MS&R and complimented them for doing a very nice job of presenting the results of design development. Rawlins thanked Luckett for his service. She said she looks forward to working with Campbell and Stow, and welcomed Carey into the role she will occupy over the next few months. She added that she was super excited about the children’s section of the new building and can’t wait to take her kids there someday. Schill thanked Luckett for the significant amount of work, including passage of the bond vote, that took place under his leadership. He added that now that all that is out of the way, it’s time for all the fun. Stow thanked staff for attending the meeting and said he hoped to see them every month, as he would like to have them engaged with the board. He added that he looks forward to a new era of great progress, a fabulous new building, raising boatloads of money, and providing library amenities that everyone deserves. Adjournment: Meeting was adjourned by consent at 8:21 p.m. The next regular meeting will be on Thursday, July 19, 2012, at 7:00 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, 515 Clark Avenue. ____________________________________ ___________________________________ Karen C. Thompson, Administrative Assistant Sherry M. Meier, Secretary of the Board Agenda Item 1