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Bozeman Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting
Library Director’s Office
Bozeman Public Library
May 11, 2004
4:00 P.M.
ATTENDANCE
Trustees: Brenda Davis, Chair; Jerry Bancroft; Al Kesselheim; Molly Richardson, Foundation Board; Lois Dissly and Terri Dood, Staff; and Alice Meister, Director. Guests: Mark Headley and Scott Carpenter, Overland Partners; and James Goehrung, City Superintendent of Facilities and Public Lands.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Chair Davis at 4:05 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the April 28, 2004 meeting were approved as submitted.
CORRESPONDENCE
Meister read an e-mail from a patron who recently started using Library services again and appreciated them. She especially enjoyed the online book club “because of the new books it introduces me to.” The Colstrip librarians wrote to express appreciation for the Library tour they took during the Montana Library Association conference. Meister also read a comment from a patron whose children hid her books and she consequently accrued large fines. She suggested a one-time grace period, which the Library has done in the past. A staff member suggested that the oversize CD-ROMs and videos say oversized in the call numbers in order to identify their location on the shelf.
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY REPORT
Meister reported that responses to the membership renewal letter were still being received.
FOUNDATION REPORT
Richardson said that fund-raising continues and the Foundation Board will meet May 19.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Meister noted that the budget report showed that after ten and a half months or 87% of the fiscal year completed, 11.96% remained in the budget; the overage is due to the expense of repairing the air handling system which to date is $36,350. The City has agreed to pick up $15,000 of that expense; when that is deducted from the budget, the amount remaining is 13%. The construction budget showed that $4,423,897 had been spent to date. The statistical report showed that circulation increased 1.24%, while web site visits were up 5.56%. The number of adult programs increased nearly 54% and attendance increased over 32%. The circulation department has offered current employee Jennifer Flinn Library Aide II hours and offered the full-time position of Library Aide I to Catherine McMullen.
The substitute position has been offered to Susan Anderegg. The west front door was smashed by a beer bottle, but new glass has been ordered and should be in next week. The Library staff is working on FY2004-2005 Library Activities, which were discussed at the quarterly staff meeting on May 7. The City is already requesting voluntary cuts to next year’s budget. There will be a Foreign Language Reception May 13 to feature new additions to our foreign language collection. Headwaters Library Association will be meeting May 19 at the Three Forks Community Library. That same evening the Farsighted Series will feature Tom Goltz, a local author who has written Azerbaijan Diaries and Chechnya Diaries, and the following night is the third meeting of the Great Decisions discussion group. The Library will be closed on Sundays from Memorial Day until Labor Day. The Montana 5-a-Day Project has awarded the Library a grant
to offer a series of nutrition programs for children during May. Burt Logan, Executive Director of the USS Constitution Museum, will be visiting Bozeman June 14-15 to prepare for the exhibit “‘Old Ironsides’ Across the Nation” this coming school year. Mary Ann Childs, a current employee, will be doing an internship of 150 hours at the Library as a component of her MLIS degree program from Syracuse University. Meister will be attending a week-long State Library Summer Institute in Bozeman June 7-11. Incidents included a child dipping books in the toilet and an unresponsive parent, who doesn’t watch his child while he is using the computer. A woman complained that a children’s library staff member had been rude to her; it turns out she was using a computer she had not signed up for and a child was forced to wait. When confronted, she became belligerent and complained.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION: COUNTY CONTRIBUTIONS; LIBRARY DIRECTOR’S EVALUATION; BIDDING PROCESS
Chair Davis reported that she, Kesselheim, Meister, the other public library directors, and some members of the public had met with the County Commissioners earlier today to request capital funds through an Intercap loan the County would receive and pay back without affecting library budgets. Scheduled for 9:00 a.m., the county libraries eventually had their presentation at 2:00 p.m. A favorable editorial in today’s Bozeman Daily Chronicle and petitions from the libraries helped the effort, which passed by a 2-1 margin with Commissioner Jennifer Smith Mitchell voting against it due to financial concerns. Kesselheim complimented Davis on her presentation and pointed out that all five libraries have projects that need financial assistance. Davis did an interview for ABC television,
which will be aired this evening. County Fiscal Officer Ed Blackman will be making a list of capital projects for which the money could be used. Regarding the library director’s evaluation to be discussed at the June meeting, Davis asked for comparable salaries in the state and will contact Meister’s peers for their comments. Meister will also have the staff review her. Meister distributed a copy of her job description and an evaluation form to the Trustees. Bancroft updated the Trustees on the bidding process and the outcome of a Financial meeting held May 6. The bids for the new Library building came in at $10,800,000 though the goal was $9,100,000. Even value engineering that amount back to $9,100,000 means the total project budget becomes $15,400,000, which is $1,600,000 over our budget. The per square foot cost is $178 compared with a national average of $186 per square foot. However, the amount of gap financing
to request from the Commission was nebulous, so the May 10 presentation before the Commission was canceled. After discussion, four options emerged: 1) research phasing in the building; 2) research the value of the triangles of land on the south end of the property; 3) research the possibility of another bond referendum; and 4) pursue more funding sources. The Peet’s Hill plan for a parking lot, which would be on the furthest south triangle, is due to go before the Design Review Committee on June 1, but the final plan might have to wait until the Trustees decide the fate of the triangles. Goehrung will pursue a demolition permit to remove the storage buildings on that piece of property. There is a possibility of a total redesign of the building and cutting additional square footage, but this might incur an additional $500,000 in architectural fees. Due to time needed to research these options and the possibility of knowing more definitely
about finances later this year, the consensus was to wait until winter and rebid. Kesselheim expressed concern about losing momentum and rising costs. Since there is a 60-day period for holding bids, Goehrung suggested that the bonds be returned to the bidders so they could pursue other job possibilities. Davis will write a letter to the Commission rejecting the bids and telling them the Board is considering its options.
BOARD MEMBERS’ AND CITY COMMISSIONER’S REPORT
There was nothing else.
PUBLIC COMMENT
There was none.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:12 p.m. The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, June 8 at 4:00 p.m. in the Library Director’s office.
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