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Bozeman Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting
Library Director’s Office
Bozeman Public Library
July 14, 2004
4:00 P.M.
ATTENDANCE
Trustees: Al Kesselheim, Acting Chair; Jerry Bancroft; Holly Brown; Ron Farmer; Marilyn King; Wendy Lewis, Foundation Development Director; Paula Beswick, Friends of the Library; Lois Dissly and Terri Dood, Staff; and Alice Meister, Director. Guests: Mary Ann Childs, Intern; Marge Dogterom and Molly Richardson, Foundation Board; Tim Cooper, City Staff Attorney; Gary Vodehnal, Gallatin Valley Land Trust; and James Goehrung, City Superintendent of Facilities and Public Lands.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 4:02 p.m. by Acting Chair Kesselheim.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the June 8, 2004 meeting were approved as submitted.
CORRESPONDENCE
Meister received comments from the public which included one about the children’s library being too hot and another saying “I love the Library! Everyone is so helpful!” A patron inquired about the feasibility of a special section for historical fiction. Dood said her staff had done an informal survey and found it better not to separate out genre collections, and the person was informed of the survey results. The patron request for a regular phone line for laptops has been met with two phone lines now available. A letter from the Gallatin County Fiscal Department informed all five public libraries that the Inter-cap Loan had not yet been approved and thus there was a need to hold onto all invoices until it was approved, at which point they could all be submitted together. Meister also mentioned an invitation to the annual Volunteer Brunch held this year on July 7, which 36 volunteers and staff attended.
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY REPORT
Beswick noted that the Friends had received approximately $3,500 from their spring renewal drive, $1,000 more than last year. At their June 16 meeting, the Friends approved the purchase of a new public copier, and the Library is now in the process of reviewing bids. The Friends Book Sale takes place July 23 and 24 in conjunction with downtown Bozeman’s Crazy Days sale. The Friends will again co-sponsor the annual Storytelling Workshop on August 9 this year.
FOUNDATION REPORT
Lewis distributed a calendar of forthcoming Foundation-related events, which featured a staff breakfast on September 17, an author event featuring Rick Allen on October 8, and an annual fundraising event called “Howl @ your Library” with tickets costing $50 on October 29. A program officer from the Paul Allen Foundation will be here August 6 to receive a Library update from Bancroft and Meister. Another naming opportunity for the new Library was selected by Dave and LouAnn Wallin. The next meeting of the Foundation Board is Wednesday, September 8 at 8:30 a.m.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Meister noted that the FY 2003-2004 budget report showed that at the end of the fiscal year, the Library was 3.39% in the red; the overage is due to the expense of repairing the air handling system and the capital expenditures being in this fiscal year instead of last fiscal year where they were supposed to be. The construction budget showed that $4,499,012.86 had been spent to date. The statistical report showed that circulation increased 2.73% for the year, and InfoTrac database usage increased 1.98%. The number of adult programs increased 59% and attendance increased 37.77%. Reference and information questions decreased .32%, and overdue notices declined 1.38%. The Library welcomes Ron Farmer and Marilyn King to the Board. Also Mary Ann Childs, an intern working on her Master’s in
Library and Information Science from Syracuse University, is attending the meeting as part of her time with Meister. Kalispell City Manager Chris Kukulski was chosen as the new City Manager and will be assuming his position next month. Meister attended the American Library Association (ALA) Conference in Orlando June 24-30 and only has one more year as ALA Councilor. Beth Boyson was recently chosen as ALA Councilor for the Montana Library Association and will be attending meetings for the next three years. The Reference Department has begun its participation in the statewide virtual reference project this month. The Library is participating in the September 11th Project, which is an international event held in public places such as libraries to discuss ideas about democracy, citizenship, and patriotism. The Library is partnering with the Community Mediation Center, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Friends of the Library, and the American Red
Cross on this project. New City Manager Kukulski was invited and plans to attend this special event. Montana National Guardsman Casey Elder will be sharing her experiences in Iraq on July 29. Since the theme of the annual Sweet Pea Festival is “Great Books,” Meister was asked to be the Grand Marshall for the Parade on August 7. The Library Book Cart Drill Team will again participate. Jane Basile and Dissly will attend the Pacific Northwest Library Association Conference in Wenatchee, Washington August 11-14. Meister will be on vacation August 9-13. A young woman was harassed by a frequent Library patron, who then was restricted by District Court from being in the Library between 8:00-5:00 and any time the young woman is in the building. There was also an incident involving a five-year-old child who was disrespectful and abusive to others. He and his mother were warned about their inappropriate behavior.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION: ANNUAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS; FY2005 LIBRARY ACTIVITIES; BUILDING PROJECT Action
Acting Chair Kesselheim asked for nominations for Chair of the Library Board, and Ron Farmer’s name was put forth. It was also suggested that Al Kesselheim become the Vice-Chair. Action Brown moved that Farmer become the Chair and Kesselheim become the Vice-Chair for this fiscal year, King seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. The agenda was then changed to allow Vodehnal, who is the Trails Program Coordinator for Gallatin Valley Land Trust, to speak about the Burke Park Trailhead and Parking Lot. He distributed a plan he
had developed with Greenspace Landscaping for $25,000, which showed 33 parking spaces with the possible addition of a bathroom and picnic shelter. Since this Trailhead is on Library land purchased with bond monies, Commissioner Krauss had suggested that the Library be recompensed for the property. Vodehnal said the City Parks budget had decreased this fiscal year which would make it difficult to purchase the property, and his understanding was that the Trustees favored the use of this land for Trailhead purposes. However, since the issue involved land purchased with bond funds, the Commission had directed the City Attorney’s office to check with Bond Counsel about the legality of the matter. Cooper stated that he has yet to hear whether the Library could legally allow the property to be used as a Trailhead or even be able to sell the property. The proceeds from the sale of the land would need to benefit the Library. Currently an
attorney is checking into the covenants of the bonds. Brown asked if the Library could nominally lease it to City Parks for Trailhead purposes, in which case it could be taken back if needed in the future. Cooper will check into that concept. Bancroft asked whether the Library couldn’t get a reduction in City fees if the Trustees agreed to the use of Library property for Trailhead purposes. There is also an issue whether there is an enforceable easement, public or private, in the alleyway that physically exists between Wallace Avenue and Church Avenue, running south from Curtiss Street. If so, what is the legal remedy for removal of an obstruction of that easement? Cooper said that a possible enforceable easement does exist, and that the way to remedy the situation would be either an injunction or a quiet title action. However, there does appear to be great potential for disputing the claim. Goehrung said that the Commission had
approved taking down the buildings on the south end of the property and that Requests for Proposals will be out soon, possibly resulting in $5,000 for the Library when the buildings are torn down. Action After discussion, Bancroft moved to approve the FY2005 Library Activities, Kesselheim seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. Bancroft gave an update on the Building Project, stating that there was $7,300,000 for the Library Building based on a $14,000,000 Project budget. The Design Team is working on a new design which is a slab-on-grade foundation involving relocating the mechanical features and lowering the building. There would still be a $1,500,000 gap, which hopefully federal funds would
meet. City Administrative Services Director Miral Gamradt, Foundation Treasurer Jacki McGuire, Bancroft, and Goehrung will meet to discuss the finance plan. Cooper then gave an update on CALA (the Controlled Allocation Liability Act), stating that the Library has done a voluntary clean-up. However, the neighboring properties are still contaminated with asbestos though the majority are discussing remediation, probably through capping the property. In order to expedite the process, the Library’s Voluntary Clean-up Plan (VCP) has not been closed out by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) in order to allow these property owners the ability to amend the Library’s VCP for their remediation purposes. All properties would need to be remediated before CALA funds could be made available. The owner of Story Distributing is willing to clean up his property if the Library will agree to purchase it with CALA proceeds when they
become available (the Library had expressed interest in purchasing it at an earlier time). The Board expressed concern about the liability of purchasing the property. However, the Trustees are open to the option of purchasing the property. Cooper has a meeting with DEQ officials this week about such issues as tearing down the wooden buildings and whether the Library alone could receive closure. There is a 50-50% chance of receiving CALA funds, which could amount to approximately $300,000.
BOARD MEMBERS’ AND CITY COMMISSIONER’S REPORT
There was nothing else.
EXECUTIVE SESSION RE: DIRECTOR’S PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL
Acting Chair Kesselheim stated that he was closing the meeting to conduct the annual performance appraisal of the Library Director pursuant to Section 2-3-203(3) Montana Code Annotated. The open meeting was closed at 5:55 p.m.
Acting Chair Kesselheim reconvened the open meeting at 6:02 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENT
There was none.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:10 p.m. The next regular meeting will be Monday, August 16 at 4:00 p.m. in the Library Director’s office.
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