 |
Bozeman Public Library Board of Trustees Special Meeting
Library Director’s Office
Bozeman Public Library
September 22, 2005
4:00 P.M.
ATTENDANCE
Trustees: Ron Farmer, Chair; Jerry Bancroft; Al Kesselheim; Chris Mehl, Foundation Board; Paula Beswick, Friends of the Library; Lois Dissly, Staff; and Alice Meister, Director. Guests: James Goehrung, City Superintendent of Facilities and Public Lands; and Art Thompson, EarthPrise.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 4:10 p.m. by Chair Farmer.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the August 25 meeting were approved as submitted.
CORRESPONDENCE
Meister read a thank you from the Central Asia Institute for the Library’s contribution of $425.24 to the “Pennies for Peace” project in order to help build a library in Pakistan or Afghanistan.
Comments from the public included a request to allow more than 2 DVDs to be checked out while gas prices are rising and commutes are expensive, which will be considered. Another patron complimented the Library on its great DVD collection. A patron suggested that the big plant by the new books be dusted, which was done. One patron e-mailed a suggestion to say that sex sites should be blocked from minors in the new building. Currently patrons can be directed through the children’s web page, which comes up on all the computers in the children’s library, to a filtered search.
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY REPORT
Beswick reported that the Friends plan to meet on September 27 to discuss the coffee shop/book sale area in the new Library as their legacy project. Goehrung will bring some sample City Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to illustrate the process and format that will need to be developed. Bancroft said that the Lions Club is interested in rebuilding the depot with a vendor or caterer on site, and this might present an overlap with the Friends’ concept. The MSU College of Architecture has a Community Design Center (CDC), which has taken on the depot project this fall. A potential Board member named Amy McNamara will attend the meeting as well. The Friends realized approximately $4,500 from its July book sale; the next book sale will be November 5-7.
FOUNDATION REPORT
Development Director Wendy Lewis sent a report with a campaign update. An anonymous donor has pledged $500,000 as a challenge grant that will match all new private donations. To meet the challenge, donations from the community need to reach $5,350,000. To date, the Foundation has raised $4,900,000. The Foundation is continuing Hard Hat Tours on site for Major Donors. Tours are by invitation only and weather permitting. On September 1, the Foundation delivered its monthly check in the amount of $200,000 to the City of Bozeman. To date payments totaling $1,850,000 have been made. Mehl mentioned that this evening is the Chefs Auction at Bridger Kitchens featuring opportunities to bid on chef services. He will be working with the Bozeman Daily Chronicle on publicity for
the matching donation. Art Thompson, the Foundation Board President, has resigned; Farmer conveyed his thanks to Thompson for his many contributions. The next Foundation Board meeting is Wednesday, September 14 at 8:30 a.m. at the Foundation Office.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Meister reported that the August circulation increased 2.15% from last year. Children’s and Young Adult programming attendance increased 21.73% from last year, and reference questions increased 4.52% To date the new Library Project Activity Listing shows $7,343,516.85 received in revenues and $7,305,747.36 spent. The final FY2005 budget showed a deficit of $1,924.30 or .16% but credits still need to be entered. Also an unexpected Bresnan bill came due with fees retroactive to February. FY2006 monthly expenditure percentages have not yet been calculated by the City. The Library hosted 75 children and parents on September 20 for a program on owls as part of this year’s RaptorFest. Sally Butcher, author of Friend Owl, was featured, and the Montana Outdoor Science
School (MOSS) offered fun activities. Banned Books Week, an annual celebration of the freedom to read, will be observed the last week of September. The Dad’s Night program resumed September 20 and will be a collaborative effort between the Library and Dr. Lansverk’s English class at MSU. There will be a Charlie & the Chocolate Party on September 24. The first fall program in the International Speaker series will be held this evening with the topic of “Freshwater and Foreign Policy: New Challenges.” The series is sponsored by the Montana Center for International Visitors (MCIV) and the Friends of the Library. The Library Book Club met on September 7 to discuss Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague by Geraldine Brooks; additional titles were chosen for the remainder of the series. The Library will be participating in the statewide launch of the new Montana library marketing campaign:
“What’s Your Story? Find It at the Library!” on October 4. State Librarian Darlene Staffeldt will host Governor Brian Schweitzer, along with representatives from sponsors Mountain West Bank and AARP, in Helena to kick off the marketing campaign, which will target Montana’s senior population. Bozeman’s program will feature Ann Butterfield, Assistant Director of the Pioneer Museum, discussing “Voices for the Future: Oral Histories.” Future brown bag programs are planned. There was a Brown Bag program on September 21 to discuss the school bond issue. Nancy May of the Experience Works program is working at the Library. To date over 400 library cards have been issued during Library Card Sign-Up Month; check out the bulletin board downstairs for photos of Trustees and City and County officials holding a book and a card. Incidents included a book and inappropriate photographs found by the janitorial
staff behind the boys bathroom upstairs. Another incident involved a regular young adult patron who used a friend’s card to access the computers. A third incident involved a boy who was left at the Library after hours; the young adult librarian stayed with him for an hour, then called the police at which time the mother arrived to pick up the boy.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION: ANNUAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS; SALE OF LIBRARY BUILDING; CITY/LIBRARY LANDS TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS; URBAN SITE DESIGN; LOGO DESIGN; FY06 LIBRARY ACTIVITIES
Thompson said he had enjoyed his time as President of the Library Foundation Board but now was donning his developer’s hat as he has come up with a redevelopment concept (rather than an urban site design) for the land around the new Library. He feels it is an appropriate long-term solution, which recently crystallized for him. He has had several positive meetings this summer about the plan with City Manager Chris Kukulski, Downtown Bozeman Partnership Executive Director Paul Reichert, and City Commissioners Jeff Krauss and Steve Kirchhoff. His plan would engage property owners along Wallace Avenue such as Simkins-Hallin and Harrington’s, who have indicated interest and flexibility in working with Thompson. Based on the original City grid system, Thompson would develop four 50,000 square foot
blocks to accommodate development, which Thompson feels is compatible with the Bozeman 20/20 plan in that it achieves a fair and proper balance. He distributed a sheet with ten reasons to support the concept, which included promoting “urban infill development and increased density, over greenfield sprawl.” The budget solution would strengthen the Library’s and City’s financial position as well. The plan would entail selling three and a half acres of land on the Library site as well as needing to determine where parking would go, as 111 parking spaces would be eliminated. Structural parking might be needed in the next 7-10 years to replace these spaces. Concerns were expressed about the trail as one block would abut the trail system, and the public might be concerned about selling more land than the one acre that was originally agreed to. Thompson might possibly present the concept to the Commissioners this
October. Chair Farmer thanked him for his presentation, and Thompson left the meeting. It was decided to postpone the election of officers until the next meeting when more Trustees might be present. Chair Farmer felt an appraisal on the present Library is needed due to the appreciation since the last appraisal in 2003. Generally an appraisal’s shelf life is 18 months. There is still a question whether the City is interested in acquiring the present Library, though Kukulski is still awaiting the appraisals on the current City Hall and the property behind the new Library. After further discussion, Kesselheim moved that the Library proceed with an appraisal on the current building using Bishop Appraisal Services (since Toney Bishop had done the 2001 and 2003 appraisals). Bancroft seconded, and the motion passed 3-0. Meister said there had been a meeting about the wetlands cash-in-lieu money, and there would be a follow-up meeting
later this fall. Goehrung reported that City Grants Administrator Sara Folger had sent out a Request for Proposal (RFP) regarding consultant services for the Milwaukee RD Rail Trail project to be funded by the Community Transportation Enhancement Program (CTEP) funds. The project is generally described as a paved, shared-use pathway linking public trails at the intersection of Story Street/Church Avenue with East Main Street. Folger will be reviewing the four responses received. There will be a meeting October 5 with the State Department of Transportation to discuss the transportation program re-authorization bill, from which the Library is to receive $1,125,000. There is the possibility that the State will take some oversight money from that earmark. Meister then showed the new logo approved and recommended by the Library Marketing Committee. It was accepted as submitted after discussion. The 2005-2006 Library Activities had been sent
out in advance. Action Bancroft moved to accept the 2005-2006 Library Activities as presented, Kesselheim seconded, and the motion passed 3-0.
BOARD MEMBERS AND CITY COMMISSIONER’S REPORTS
Chair of the Building Committee Bancroft reported that the blinds bid package has been accepted in the amount of $68,900 from Blinds & More. The exterior palette of colors for the new building was accepted by the Building Committee, which met on September 8. The main carpet color will be decided at a future date, as many had concerns about the alternate samples shown at the meeting. Steel is being erected, and the building is going up. Martel Construction is somewhat ahead of schedule, but they are having a hard time finding laborers. Sara Mast has agreed to join the Art Committee, which plans to meet October 3. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Committee will use the latest version of LEED requirements.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Beswick said that the Greater Yellowstone Coalition (GYC), where she works, is still interested in buying an acre of property on the new Library site. By accepting Thompson’s conceptual design, the Library would probably lose GYC as a potential buyer.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:06 p.m. The next meeting will be October 25 at 4:00 p.m. in the Library Director’s Office.
| |
