Minutes - 2009 - Eagle Public Library - 09/14/2009 - Regular ,Y1
EAGLE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MINUTES
September 14, 2009
Community Room
Board President Margo Walter called the EPL Board of Trustees meeting to order at 7:04 PM.
Present were Board Members Mary Berent,Nancy Marshall, and Maureen Germano, Library
Director Ron Baker, Jeanie Comerford, Operations Manager, Terri Lenigan, Administrative
Assistant. Board Member Danae Curtis was excused[. Councilman Norm Semanko arrived at
7:25 PM.
Director Baker requested an addition to the agenda under new business. Added to the agenda
was as action item for the Open Access Agreement between EPL and BPL for reimbursement.
Nancy Marshall made a motion that the agenda, as amended, be approved; Mary Berent
seconded the motion and the agenda was unanimously approved.
Director Baker noted clarifications to the 10 August minutes. The following sentences were
changed to reflect these clarifications:
Friends of the Library: The Eagle Scout project book drive has gathered fifty more boxes of
books, in addition to the fifteen boxes that had already been dropped off at the Library.
Director's Report: Statistical report: The Computer lab use has lost quite a bit of ground due to
fewer open hours, the time of day open, and increased use of lap tops with wireless building
access. Eight stations are now powered for laptops.
Mary Berent made a motion that the minutes, as amended, for the 10 August 2009 meeting be
approved;Nancy Marshall seconded the motion and the minutes were unanimously approved.
Nancy Marshall made a motion that the bills be approved for payment; Maureen Germano
seconded the motion and the bills were unanimously approved for payment.
Friends of the Library Report (Friends' President absent)
Director Baker reported in the absence of the Friends' President.
Booksale (10 & 11 Oct 2009): The fall book sale is scheduled for the Columbus Day weekend.
The sale will be held on Saturday, 10 October from 9 am to 4 pm and on Sunday, 11 October
from noon to 4 pm. On Sunday all books are 50% off.
Eagle Scout book drive project: The Eagle Scout book drive project has been completed.
Assistant Director Janice Campbell has reviewed each item and has selected those that should be
added to the collection or given to the Friends for their sale.
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Director's Report
Appointment of Board Member Maureen Germano: On 25 August 2009, the City Council
approved Maureen Germano for a full 5-year term to expire on 30 September 2014. A new
Board Member orientation will take place during the first full week of October; actual date to be
determined.
FY09/10 Budget adoption: On 8 September 2009, the City Council approved the budget for
FY2009/10, including a 5 percent across the board salary reduction to start 1-October-2009.
Director Baker noted the Council's discussions of salary and benefits during the final budget
hearings were bad for staff morale,both at the Library and City Hall. Talk of arbitrary, last
minute salary and benefit cuts as a way to balance the budget or reduce the TAN upset the staff
members present at the hearings and reverberated throughout the whole City workforce.
Restoring the $245,000 to the Library Fund from the General Fund is absolutely necessary to
retain our present level of public service. In FY 2010/11, the Council will have to authorize a
shift in the tax levy in order to restore the library funds.
Statistical reports (handout): There is only about a 1% difference for circulation between this
year and the previous year. In fact, we are on track to surpass last year's circulation. We are
fielding more reference questions and some of the questions are quite complex.
A patron has complained about staffs working on Thursday even though the Library is closed to
the public. The patron felt that if staff is in the building, it should be open to the public. Director
Baker explained that the cut in hours and staff did not affect the workload. The work of the nine
RIFed employees is now being performed by the remaining staff members and a Thursday work
day is necessary just to keep up.
Library board roster (draft handout): Each Board Member was asked to review the handout and
advise Mrs. Lenigan on any changes. A final roster for FY 2009/10 will be completed after
election of officers at the next Board meeting.
Boise reimbursement and patron redirection campaign: Reimbursement will be discussed later in
the meeting.
Boise Public Library is mailing a postcard announcing the opening of The Library! at Cole &
Ustick. The card also lists the other BPL libraries and bookmobile locations and hours.
Periodicals campaign: Due to excellent patron response, the campaign has been extended until
the end of September. We will also ask EBSCO to provide a competing quote against our
current vendor, W. T. Cox.
Eagle Nazarene Church library: The Eagle Nazarene Church has decided to dismantle its library
and donate the books to Eagle Public Library. The donation did not include audio or youth
videos. Director Baker and Assistant Director Campbell will review the books and decide which
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should be included in the library's collection or given to the Friends for their sale. In addition to
many others, forty inspirational fiction books have been added to the collection.
IT staffing issues: We have had several IT staff setbacks. With the resignation of our Web
Master, Tim Bunch, staff member Ryan Pfleger was appointed to complete the web page.
However, Mr. Pfleger has also resigned his position. Fortunately, we were able to hire Dave
Nielsen, an Eagle based Web consultant, for a very reasonable rate. He will work on completing
the web page.
Our IT consultant, Robert Brownfield, was laid off from Biz-Net, Inc. It was agreed by Biz-Net
that Robert will still be available for up to six hours per week to consult on Library computer
problems without affecting has unemployment benefit.
New open hours: Effective week of 31 August, Wednesday open hours will be 11:00 am to 8:00
pm.
Library Liaison/City Hall Reports (Councilman Semanko)
The FY 2009/10 budget has consumed all of the Council's time. At the 25-August-09 budget
hearing,there were many unresolved issues. Therefore, the decision was made to allow written
comments to remain open until the 08-September-09 Council meeting. One major issued to be
resolved is whether it will be the responsibility of the public works department to maintain city
landscaping and property or allow Trautman Lawn & Landscape to re-quote their service
contract. Trautman's has contracted this service to the City for the past twenty years.
The budget was approved at the 08-September-09 Council meeting. Of note, the reserve amount
was lowered from $700,000 to $550,000, A TAN (Tax Anticipatory Note) will be issued to
cover cash flow between the beginning of the fiscal year and receipt of tax revenues in February
2010.
The Council will be working on determining the benefits of continuing to rent or the possibility
of buying the City Hall building. Rent has been re-negotiated from $240,000 to $227,000 per
year with the expectation that the difference will be repaid when the economy improves.
Owning the building would be an attractive option as it costs less to own than rent. However,
buying the building will require a bond election. There is some doubt that there is time to
include an advisory question on the ballot of the upcoming election in November.
Unfinished Business
There was no unfinished business.
New Business
Election of Library Board officers: Due to the excused absence of Danae Curtis, elections were
postponed to the top of the agenda for the October meeting.
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Cole &Ustick Library tour: During a recent tour of the facility, Margo Walter and Nancy
Marshall were very energized and thought this Library was a very exciting place to go. They
suggested that the remaining Board members and interested Library staff should also tour the
building.
Painting of the front pillars: Director Baker has noted that the front pillars should be re-painted.
Labor could be supplied by the public works department; paint could be solicited as a donation
from the local paint stores. The Design Review Committee would have to approve any color
change.
Meridian Technical Charter H.S. internship: As a partial answer to our IT problems, in intern
from the Technical High School could be enlisted to answer common questions at our public
tech lab computers. This intern would be very beneficial to our Circulation staff, freeing them
from answering time consuming questions, especially during the very busy afternoon hours. We
will have to develop a job description and interview the prospective intern.
Open Access Agreement for reimbursement between EPL & BPL (Action Item): The Open
Access Agreement has been finalized at $25,000 and includes the following data bases:
Idaho Statesmen
Learning Express
Novelist
Reference USA
Tumble Books
Mary Berent made the motion to accept the Open Access Agreement and give the authorization
to pass it on to City Council for its approval. Nancy Marshall seconded the motion, which
carried unanimously.
Additional Items or Public Comment
Candidate Forum: The Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a Candidate Forum on Tuesday, 13-
October-09 from noon to 1:30 pm at the Eagle Nazarene Church.
Selection of Next Meeting Date
The next regular monthly Board meeting has been scheduled for Monday, 12 October 2009, at
7:00 PM in the Community Room.
EXECUTIVE SESSION (pursuant to Idaho Code 67-2345 (1)(a): See attached form.
Mary Berent made a motion to convene an Executive Session pursuant to Idaho Code 67-2345
(1)(a)to consider a staff vacancy. Nancy Marshall seconded the motion, which carried
unanimously.
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Adjournment
There being no further business, Mary Berent made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Nancy
Marshall seconded and the meeting was adjourned at 10:15 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Terri T. Lenigan
Administrative Assistant
Motions:
Accept Open Access Agreement for Reimbursement between EPL and BPL
Topics:
Friend's booksale and Eagle Scout book drive
Appoint Board Member Maureen Germano
BPL patron redirection campaign postcard
Periodical Campaign
Eagle Nazarene Church dismantles Library/Donates to EPL
IT staffing issues
New open hours-Wednesday shift to 11-8:00 pm
Cole & Ustick Library tour
Re-paint front pillars
Meridian Technical Charter H. S. internship
Open Access Agreement EPL/BPL approved
Candidate Forum
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EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTION AND ORDER
Public Agency: Eagle Public Library, Eagle Idaho
Governing Body: Board of Trustees
Meeting Date, Time and Location: September 14, 2009, 7:00 PM, Community Room at Eagle
Public Library
Mary Berent, Board Member, moves that the Board pursuant to Idaho Code 67-2345 convene in
Executive Session to consider personnel matters [Idaho Code 67-2345 (1)(a)].
Purpose/Topic summary: To discuss filling staff vacancy due to resignation of Staff Member
Ryan Pfleger.
And the Vote to do so by Roll Call:
Convene At: 8:50 PM Adjourn At: 10:15 PM
YES NO ABSTAIN
Margo Walter, President X
Danae Curtis, Vice President(Absent)
Nancy Marshall, Member X
Mary Berent, Member X
Maureen Germano, Member X
Secretary to the Board: _
Terri T. Lenigan
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