Minutes - 2006 - Eagle Public Library - 04/10/2006 - Regular EAGLE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
MINUTES
April 10, 2006
Community Room
The Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees meeting was called to order at 7:13 p.m. by
President Nancy Marshall. Present were Board President Nancy Marshall; Board
Members Jane Marrs, Margo Walter, and Christine Edwards Allred; Library Liaison Stan
Bastian; Eagle Staff Member Diane Matejka; and Library Director Ron Baker.
Introduction of Diane Matejka
Welcome to Diane Matejka who is starting out with a bang! Her music and movement
program is already running on Fridays. The Friends have contributed $2000 to purchase
rhythm instruments and music for this program. Diane will soon be approaching the
Eagle Hills Public School to talk about summer reading program and other programs.
The theme of the upcoming summer reading program will be "Claws, Paws, Scales, and
Tails" and will feature many animal-centered activities. Diane will also be starting a
scavenger hunt/walking tour of the downtown community that will lead children through
City Hall and several businesses.
Board Member Terry Loftus made a motion that the amended Agenda be approved and
Board Member Jane Marrs seconded the motion. The amended Agenda was
unanimously approved.
Board Member Terry Loftus made a motion that the amended Minutes be approved and
Board Member Margo Walters seconded the motion. The amended Minutes were
unanimously approved.
Board Member Jane Marrs made a motion to pay the bills and Board Member Christine
Edwards Allred seconded the motion. The motion to pay the bills was unanimously
approved.
Friends of the Library Report
Ron Baker gave the Friends of the Library Report. The Friends approved a $2000
donation for the music and movement program. The Friends are currently training a team
of three to maintain the ongoing book sale.
Director's Report
Director Ron Baker gave the Director's Report.
ILS Migration: Progress Report
The beta tests for the acquisitions portion of the new SirsiDynix product have failed. For
that reason the EPL will go back to the Horizon 7.4 version that has been thoroughly
tested and is being used in dozens of libraries. The EPL will receive the older program
with the contractual understanding that we will be protected from additional and any
outrageous costs when the newer version is available. In August, the library will install
this software.
The hardware/software orders for the migration have been placed. The Biznet order for
sixteen computers cost $19,600. Those computers are currently being built. The staff
computers will be installed on Thursday, April 27th, so that training can begin. The
others will be installed later.
Filtering Software Problems/Solutions
The EPL's problematic relationship with Instigate,the company which provides the EPL
with a firewall, filtering of objectionable sites, and a router, has been further strained by a
problem that has arisen with the filtering software. A patch on the Instigate software has
begun to freeze or drop out critically important sites including Amazon.com. When the
problem first arose, Instigate said that it was a software patch problem and attempted to
fix this. Instigate then suggested that the library purchase more memory. Although the
library did this, the additional memory didn't solve the problem. The EPL has requested
that Instigate replace the router—something Instigate is contracted to do—but the
company has flatly refused.
Biznet has suggested that the EPL could solve this filtering software problem by
purchasing a second router and routing all unfiltered machines through this second router
while routing all filtered machines through the Instigate router. Ron Baker reported that
the library does, in fact, require a new router and not simply to solve the current filtering
problem. A new router would cost between $700 and $1200.
Consequently, Ron Baker's suggestion to the board is to use funds from the Computer
Equipment and Repairs Account to pay for a new router. That account currently stands at
$2268. Terry Loftus moved that Ron Baker use the funds from the Computer Equipment
and Repairs Account to install a new router. Margo Walters seconded the motion. The
motion passed unanimously.
Board members raised the question as to whether writing to Instigate regarding the
problem and their contractual obligation to replace the router would be of help. Ron
Baker noted that the EPL's relationship with Instigate has become so acrimonious that a
letter may not improve the situation. Ron Baker recommends that we change filtering
vendors, but notes that this will require time in order to do the necessary research and that
such a move will best be made after the next fiscal year begins.
LYNX! Consortium Cataloguing Position
Ron Baker and Megan Blackwell had a very productive meeting regarding a LYNX!
Consortium Cataloguing Position. When Boise cut back a half-time cataloguing position,
they eliminated on-going cataloguing maintenance. It is vital to resume maintenance on
the database. Ron Baker reported that the committee will be recommending to the Dynix
directors that the LYNX! libraries contribute to a half-time cataloguing position at the
Boise Public Library. The LYNX! libraries will incur costs for this position related to the
size of the library, but Ron Baker feels that this money will be well spent as the database
is adequately maintained. Ron Baker will return to the Board to report the findings of the
committee and the costs of such a half-time position.
Library Liaison/City Hall Report
Councilman Stan Bastian gave the Library Liaison/City Hall Report.
The City has moved into the new City Hall. The next board meeting may be held in the
new City Hall so that the board can tour the facility. The landscaping of the new facility
will be completed as weather permits. The Senior Center will now be used exclusively
for seniors.
New developments continue. Developer Ted Martinez is working on a development
between Park and Linder and north of Floating Feather. Although contested by area
residents who live on two acre lots and who hoped that all lots would be that large, the
City Comprehensive Plan for the area allowed for two houses/acre. The minimum lot
size will be 10,000 square feet. The development will include many lots larger than that
as well as open spaces.
The Legacy Community was approved by Planning and Zoning and comes before the
City Council tomorrow night. That development comes in at over 600 acres. Although it
won't include a golf course, it will include a training course of several holes.
The M3 Company has purchased over 6,000 acres in the foothills. Pre-annexation
discussions are on-going. The City will work with homeowner associations to develop a
Comprehensive Plan for the foothills. The City is looking to purchase BLM land to
preserve open spaces.
Eagle has had major developers meet with ACHD and ITD to encourage road planning.
If all currently planned development is completed, existing roadways will be overtaxed.
Possible road plans would extend Highway 16 to I84, make Linder Road arterial, extend
Eagle Road into the foothills, widen and improve Beacon Light, and build east-west
arteries in the foothills.
Stan Bastian also reported that the flooding of the open space behind Brookwood in the
last week occurred much as anticipated. The City has a development philosophy of"No
Net Loss," meaning that at the conclusion of the development there should be as much
water storage space as previously.
Unfinished Business
Satellite Dish Removal—Bid
Wright Brothers came in with a bid of$690 for the removal of the satellite, the patching
of the roof, and the replacement of panels inside the building. The company suggested
that complete satellite dish and base removal and roof repair might cost four times as
much. Stan Bastian will report the library's plan to remove the dish to the City Council
and ask if they would like to participate in that cost.
The Maintenance Operations, Buildings, and Grounds Account has a total of$7592 and
an unspent balance of$3000. Ron Baker thinks that the library could cover the cost for
the Wright Brothers bid out of this account.
Terry Loftus made a motion that Ron Baker accept the Wright Brothers bid and move
forward on the work regardless of whether or not the City will share the cost with the
Library. Jane Marrs seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Wright Brothers recommended that the drains be regularly cleaned and repaired upstairs.
Ron Baker will make sure that the library contracts for that work to be done on a regular
basis.
New Business
Installation of Moisture Threshold at Garage Door
The library has experienced one major and two minor floods through the garage door.
This happens every year during periods of heavy rains and northern winds. A staff'
member suggested that a moister threshold might solve this problem. Overhead Door
Company made a bid of$126 to install the moister threshold. Ron Baker will move
forward with this project.
FY 05/06 Remodel Projects—Bids
The original funds for remolding projects for 05/06 is $22,814 and the library has
expended none of these funds to date. Last Spring the Wright Brothers offered an
estimated bid of$11,780 for the Children's Room and Office. The actual bid came in at
$11,652. The estimated bit for the Friends' Store proposal was $7,214 while the actual
bid came in at $9,890. The actual total bid for the two projects would therefore be
$21,542. Ron Baker pointed out that there are some efficiencies in completing both at
the same time. The library would also face the outstanding expenditure for painting the
children's room for $3,820. The total would be $25,362 leaving the library with a
shortfall of$2,538.
Board members expressed concern over these costs. Ron Baker explained that one
reason the costs seemed high was that the access to the Friends' Store was, in fact, more
complicated than anticipated. Ron Baker and Diane Matejka recommended that the
library move forward with both projects by painting only the office in the Childrens'
Room and by delaying the full repainting of the children's room for another year.
Alternately, they noted that we could delay construction of the Friends' Store. However,
noting that construction costs are increasing and that the bid may be lower for the two
projects together, they noted that it may be prudent to pursue both at once.
Terry Loftus made a motion to pursue the Children's Room and Friends' Store projects
while delaying the painting of the entire Children's Room. Jane Marrs seconded the
motion. The motion passed unanimously.
The Wright Brothers should complete this work before the commencement of the
summer reading programs in June.
Vacancy on Strategic Planning Committee
Pam Carter's departure from the Friends Board leaves a vacancy on the strategic planning
committee. Ron Baker noted that the committee includes two library board members as
well as one other individual and felt that it may be prudent to include a Friend on the
committee. Ron Baker wondered if the board would like to appoint a fourth member to
the committee. Jane Marrs suggested that the opinion of a Friends Board member would
be very valuable to the committee. Nancy Marshall will call Jeanie Farnworth to invite
the Friends to recommend a Friend who is a resident of Eagle for appointment to the
committee.
Additional Items or Public Comment
None.
Selection of Next Meeting Date
The next meeting will take place on May 8 at 7 p.m. in the large conference room at City
Hall.
Adjournment
Board Member Christine Edwards Allred made a motion that the meeting be adjourned.
Board Member Terry Loftus seconded the motion. The motion to adjourn the meeting
was unanimously approved. The meeting adjourned at 8:58 p.m.