MINUTES

Board of Trustees Regular Meeting

Thursday, December 14, 2000

Traverse Area District Library

(minutes are unofficial until approved by the Board of Trustees)

            The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by President Welch.  Present were Welch, Brown, Maxson, Mesch, Schermerhorn and Lawrence.  Also present were Judson (Counsel), McGuire, Schneider and Buchanan (Staff).

 

            Motion by Brown, supported by Lawrence to approve the minutes from the Regular Meeting of November 9, 2000.  Carried.

 

            McGuire gave the trustees the “Tallied Results of the Strategic Planning Session.”  He asked that the trustees go over the list of goals and contact him with any questions or changes.  He will then review the results and list things that can be done to achieve the goals.

 

            One of the goals was to immediately improve technical support.  A couple of strategies to achieve this have already been implemented:  the department now has a cell phone so that they can more easily be reached whenever any of the libraries is open; and they have designed a trouble ticket for reporting and prioritizing problems.

 

            The holiday dinner for staff was a success.  Several people sent their thanks to the Board.

 

            The new book returns have been installed.  Welch commented that they work much better than the old ones.

 

            McGuire has invited Dorothy Biegler (writer of a letter to the editor of the Record-Eagle regarding the desirability of a branch library in Blair Township) to meet with the Facilities Committee.  He suggests that they meet sometime during the first full week in January.

 

            McGuire mentioned a letter from Counsel regarding tctv2 that was included in the meeting packets.  Judson said that he would like to schedule a meeting with McGuire and City Manager Richard Lewis in early January to discuss the status of lease negotiations with TBA.

 

            Ethel Kage gave a brief report on the QUIX program.  This year, the only day that tutors are regularly here is Wednesday, and the only tutors on Wednesdays are for math.  Students with other needs are asked to call TADL to make arrangements.  So far this arrangement seems to be working pretty well.

            Maxson reported that the Finance Committee had met to review proposed budget adjustments, which would be dealt with as an agenda item later in the meeting.  A financial report for October was included in the meeting packets.  He reported that there should be a good budget surplus at the end of the year.

 

            Brown reported that the Personnel Committee had met with McGuire regarding contract adjustments for administrative staff.  The committee is not quite ready to approve the recommended changes but will meet again and have its recommendations ready for the January meeting.

 

            Lawrence reported that the Policy Committee met to review the borrower’s card application form and the “Unattended Children” policy, which will be dealt with later on the agenda.  The committee wants to look at all of the Library’s policies to see what needs to be reviewed and updated.

 

            There were no other committee reports.

 

            Pat Metzger, Peninsula Community Library, brought holiday greetings to the TADL Board and thanked the Board for the holiday dinner.  PCL’s annual report has been issued, and their audit should be completed soon.

 

            There were no other Member Library reports.

 

            Art Burns reported for the Friends of the Library that the Live! At the Library author series continues to have good response.  The Friends receive 20% of the proceeds from books sold the night of the program.  The next scheduled author is Tom Grace on January 25, 2001.  Poets’ Night Out grows every year and showed a profit for the first time this year.  The gift shop preview went well, showing a profit of about $600 for the weekend.  The Friends hope to be able to open it permanently (with hours yet to be determined) in the spring.  The Foundation will be sending out solicitation letters.  The Friends’ Board lost two long-standing members last month.  They have recently added two new members but still have three openings.  They are looking for people to serve on the Board and in fund-raising.

 

            Betty Parker, League of Women Voters Library Committee, reported that City is still taking applications for the vacancy on the TADL Board.  They will not be making a decision until after the first of the year.

 

            There were no other reports or communications.

 

            Schneider explained the proposed budget adjustments.  He said that the budget discrepancies this year were mostly because the budget was done prior to a full year’s experience in the new building, so it was difficult to know what to expect.  With two years’ experience in the building, he feels that the 2001 budget is much more realistic.  Motion by Maxson, supported by Brown to amend the 2000 General Fund Budget by increasing the expenditures for “Supplies” by $67,300 and “Other Services and Charges” by $65,200.  Carried.

 

            Motion by Brown, supported by Mesch to authorize payments to member libraries as follows:  Fife Lake Public Library, $47,521; Interlochen Public Library, $98,966; and Peninsula Community Library, $94,236, after sufficient income has been received from the tax levy.  Motion carried, with Maxson abstaining.

 

            Consideration of amendments to administrative contracts was tabled at the request of the Personnel Committee.

 

            Motion by Lawrence, supported by Mesch to amend the Library’s “Unattended Children Policy” as recommended by the Policy Committee.  Motion carried, but following Board discussion, the Policy Committee agreed to look at it again for further refinements of wording, especially regarding when authorities should be notified. 

 

            Following brief discussion of changes to TADL’s agreement with Elmwood Township, Welch requested that McGuire arrange a meeting with Elmwood Township officials to discuss the issue.

 

            The meeting was opened for public comment.  B. Parker commented that the LWV Library Committee recently visited Peninsula Community Library and was impressed with the changes they have made.  She suggested that the TADL trustees should visit PCL to see the changes themselves.  E. Kage commented that the age specified in the “Unattended Children Policy” might be too young.  Mesch asked about the status of the donor wall and was told that it is in the final process at the sign company.

 

            Welch told the trustees that the Finance Committee of the Friends’ Foundation is very concerned about whether donations to the Library are directed to the Library or to the Foundation.  Concerns were raised specifically regarding memorial donations for Frank Senger.  Welch apologized on behalf of the Board if anyone was offended by the way the donations were handled and asked that a letter be sent to all donors asking them to indicate the intent of their donation.  Then any donations that were intended for the Foundation but addressed to the Library could be transferred.  He also suggested that TADL hasn’t done enough to help the Friends publicize the Foundation.  Judson suggested that maybe a policy should be drafted to deal with the issue of where to direct donations.

 

            There was no further public comment.  The meeting was adjourned at 6:36 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Dawn Buchanan

Recording Secretary

 

John Welch

President

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