Bozeman Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting
Library Director’s Office
Bozeman Public Library
December 19, 2001
4:00 P.M.
ATTENDANCE
Trustees: Brenda Davis, Chair; Jerry Bancroft; Holly Brown; Bob Gutzman; Wendy Lewis; Foundation Development Director; Liza McClelland, Staff; and Alice Meister, Director. Guest: Dave Koltz, City Engineering Department.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Chair Davis at 4:12 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the November 14th meeting were approved as submitted.
CORRESPONDENCE
Meister distributed copies of letters she had received from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) about the new library site. She also read comments from the public which included: a request that the copier should be free; a request for more videos; and a request for just one line at the Circulation Desk. Due to lack of space in which to line up, this request will be addressed in the new facility. A letter from Springsted regarding the sale and final debt service schedules for $2,315,000 in general obligation bonds was received. Meister sent a thank you to the Lannan Foundation for its donation of literary videos.
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY REPORT
On behalf of the Friends, Meister reported that they will have new co-presidents in January and generally make their donation to the Library then. Presently there is no meeting scheduled.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION:
DECISION RE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT
Chair Davis revised the agenda in order that Dave Koltz could present the recommendation of the Environmental Remediation Subcommittee of the Building Committee. The Subcommittee interviewed three out of seven firms that submitted proposals for the environmental clean-up and recommended that Resource Technologies Inc. be given the contract. Reasons included their qualified staff, their pro-active approach, and their ability to work with the public. Bancroft moved to accept the Subcommittee’s recommendation, Gutzman seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. Koltz left the meeting at this time.
FOUNDATION REPORT
Lewis reported that the Foundation is still interviewing capital campaign consultants and would prefer to do a resident campaign, where the individual lives in the community. The feasibility study should start in late January or early February, and the campaign itself should last twelve months. There was a very positive response to the Foundation event as demonstrated by an increase in the number of people contributing. The next Foundation meeting is Wednesday, January 16th, at 8:30 a.m. in the Library meeting room.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Meister reported that the October circulation increased nearly 5%. The financial report shows the Library has 57% left in its budget, which is where it should be after five and a half months into the new fiscal year. She and McClelland attended the Mountain Plains Library Association (MPLA) Conference in Phoenix December 5-8, which had many good programs including one on “Designing Libraries.” The “Let’s Talk About It” series of book discussions, based on classic children’s literature, will start in January and be held at different Gallatin County library locations (except West Yellowstone). Other on-going programs starting in January include: a Japanese language class on Sundays, a “Prose and Poetry” video series on alternate Tuesday nights; and storyteller
evenings. There will also be a Harry Potter reading by an Englishman, a Winnie-the-Pooh birthday party on January 19, and a special Martin Luther King program on Monday, January 21, in the evening (the Library is closed that day). Reference substitute Linda Moss has left, and the position will be re-advertised in January. The new City Commissioners and new Mayor take their oaths of office on Monday, January 7. The City Department Heads and Commission are touring all facilities on January 5 and 12; the Library will be toured on January 12. The Montana State University (MSU) Reference librarians will be the Library’s guests for breakfast and an update of the business reference collection on Friday, January 11. Janis Bruwelheide’s MSU class did some projects at the Library for their homework this past semester, which included weeding the 300 collection, ordering children’s and young adult books, and checking for other library
building web sites and policies on hosting an author and selling materials. Meister encouraged the Trustees to attend the volunteer party, which was being held concurrently in the staff room.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION: STORY DISTRIBUTING PROPERTY
Brown reported that her contract revisions are with Doug Alexander’s attorney regarding the purchase of the Story Distributing property, and that she is waiting to hear back from the attorney. Alexander would use RTI to clean-up that property.
BOARD MEMBERS’ AND CITY COMMISSIONER’S REPORTS
Building Committee Chair Bancroft reported that the Architectural Selection Subcommittee is currently evaluating the 29 Statements of Qualifications from architects. The field will be narrowed to probably eight firms on January 16, who then would be sent a Request for Proposal. Those eight firms would be narrowed to three in April, and public interviews would be conducted. The winning firm should be selected in May. There was a discussion regarding the cost of hiring this firm, and Bancroft said we could ask the cost of reimburseables and other questions during the qualifying phase.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 5:42 p.m. The next meeting will be Thursday, January 17th, at 4:00 p.m. in the Library Director’s Office.
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