Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes

February 11, 2008

The St. Charles City-County Library District Board of Trustees met at 7:00 pm on Monday, February 11, 2008 at the Administrative Offices in St. Peters, Missouri. 

Board Members present:

• Mr. Gary Heggs
• Mr. Jerry Cook
• Ms. Myra Crook
• Mr. Greg Dohrman
• Ms Lisa Pelikan
• Mr. John Thoelke

Board member absent:

• Ms. Warlene Reed
• Ms. Laurie Stump
• Ms Gail Dreyer (resigned 11/19/07)

 

Library Staff present:

• Mr. Carl Sandstedt, Director
• Ms Betty Murr, Deputy Director
• Ms. Maggie Preiss, Children’s Resources and Marketing Coordinator
• Ms. Julie Cinco, Human Resources Coordinator
• Mr. Richard Schultz, Coordinator of Finance and Support Services
• Ms. Lisa Dunham, Development Specialist
• Ms Lynn Reichmuth, Volunteer Resources & Staff Training Specialist
• Mr. Jim Brown, Branch Manager, Spencer Road
• Ms. Ann King, Branch Manager, Kathryn Linnemann
• Ms. Pat Kern, Branch Manager, Middendorf-Kredell
• Mr. Tim DeGhelder, Branch Manager, Kisker Road
• Ms. Martha Radginski, Branch Manager, McClay
• Ms. Diana Tucker, Branch Manager, Corporate Parkway
• Ms. Lucy Lockley, Adult Collection Development Manager
• Mr. Brad Smith, Nonprofit Information Resource Manager
• Mr. Trevor Rees, Business & Public Management Manager

 

President Gary Heggs called the meeting to order with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Six members responded to roll call.  Mr. Heggs opened the floor for public comments.  No requests for time were received. 

MINUTES

MOTION:  Mr. Thoelke moved to approve the minutes of the January 14 meeting.  Ms Crook seconded.  Motion passed six affirmative, zero negative, zero abstentions, two absent. 

REPORTS

Financial Report

Mr. Schultz reported the January financial reports had been mailed with the Board Packets.  District currently has $19.5 million in cash & investments including $1 million for Spencer Road project.  Fy08 investment income will not meet budget estimate, but overall revenue should meet or exceed budget projections.  Mr. Schultz projected that fy08 expenditures would be under spent except in four separate line items:  Public Employees Deferred Compensation, Periodicals, Electric Utilities and Rent/Lease.  Rental costs at Blackhurst may slightly exceed the budget.  Mr. Schultz pointed out that the Board of Equalization adjustment in August raised the December 31, 2007 St. Charles County assessed valuation by approximately $181,000. 

Director’s Report

Mr. Sandstedt referred the Board to his written report. He reported that Reference Librarian Bonnie Dillard was retiring effective February 15 after 33 years with the Library District.  He announced she was very well known in the community and will be greatly missed.  Ms Dillard requested no public recognition of her service, and staff made a donation to St. Joachim & Ann Care Center in her honor. 

Special Report - E-Books and Electronic Resources Usage Statistics

Betty Murr, Deputy Director

Ms Murr reported that recording usage of electronic resources had not been standardized by vendors.  The District is in the process of implementing an Electronic Resources Management System (ERMS) that should help to provide management features, better statistics, and improve access to the databases by customers by July 1.  The Library District spends over $600,000 per year on the authoritative electronic databases and other electronic products.  Ms Murr provided a report on selected major databases for which usage comparable statistics were available.  Mr. Rees provided a report on usage of Business resources.  Ms Murr stated that over 1/2 million searches showed good usage of the products. 

Special Report - Update on Kathryn Linnemann Construction.

Ann King, Branch Manager

Ms King reported that the building project was progressing on schedule.  The contractor was working on drywall, plumbing, and brickwork.  The foundation for the expanded area on the Elm Street side of the building had been poured.  Mr. Sandstedt reported that city inspectors had noted the ceiling grid did not meet code for seismic activity standards.  He will investigate the situation with the architect. 

Statistical Report

Ms. Murr pointed out that the trend for increased circulation, gate count & computer check out by Linnemann customers at McClay and Spencer Road Branches continued in January.  South County Branch and Library Express at Discovery Village also showed increased circulation.  Fy08 circulation is going well in spite of winter weather conditions. 

Activities Report

Ms Preiss announced

• Friends of the Library Cabin Fever Book Sales in February and March.  Friends made $6200 at the adult paperback fair in spite of seven inches of snow.
• Lynn Reichmuth & Jan Bardon developed a Friends of the Library newsletter that was sent to membership and distributed in the branches.
• Ms Lucy Lockley served on the Reading List Council which selected the first Reading List Winners for best adult genre fiction published in 2007 at the ALA National Conference.
• Staff participated in the Independence Elementary Family Literacy Night in January
• Staff represented the Library District at Francis Howell Saturday Schools at Daniel Boone, Castlio, and John Weldon.
• Three Every Child Ready to Read clock hour workshops for daycare providers were presented at the Middendorf-Kredell Branch by Laurie Shaffer and Theresa Miller.  An ECRR presentation by Julie Henke was scheduled for the Francis Howell PAT parents.
• Trevor Rees presented information on business services to the Wentzville Rotary.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

08-39 Policy #E032.760 Request Under Fill Position at Lower Level.

The head of the Technical Operations Department is retiring.  The District is re-examining the relationship of the Technical Operations, Cataloging and Collection Management positions which are currently at the same salary track and recommends the position be under filled at the lower salary track Specialist Level. 

08-40 Policy #E032 Class Specs

Added FLSA exempt and non-exempt status to each classification specification.  Non-exempt classifications include non-track and Tracks A to E.  Exempt classifications include Tracks F to N. 

MOTION:  Mr. Dohrmann moved to approve the consent agenda.  Ms. Pelikan seconded.  Motion passed six affirmative, zero negative, zero abstentions, two absent. 

FORMAL AGENDA

08-28 Policy #A048-Bylaws of the Board of Trustees

Reviewed a few minor changes made on the recommendation of the Board and staff to further bring the proposed bylaw changes into compliance with current policy and procedure.   

MOTION:  Mr. Cook moved the Bylaws be tabled and the opportunity for further changes be closed.  Mr. Dohrman seconded.  Motion passed six affirmative, zero negative, zero abstentions, two absent.  

08-29 Policy #A112-Order of Business

08-30 Policy #A128-Time and Place of Regular Meetings 

MOTION:  Mr. Dohrman moved that formal agenda items Policy #A112 Order of Business, and Policy #A128 Time and Place of Regular Meetings be tabled and opportunity for further changes be closed.  Ms Pelikan seconded.   Motion passed six affirmative, zero negative, zero abstentions, two absent. 

08-41 Establishment of Finance & Audit Committee

A task force of Mr. Greg Dohrman, Mr. Cash Sweiven, Mr. John Thoelke, and Mr. Peter Cohen met and discussed the establishment and scope of a Finance & Audit Committee.  The task force reviewed similar investment and financial policies from other financial organizations and developed a policy. Mr. Dohrman reported the recommendation of the committee is for the Board to adopt the proposed formal policy #G024 which creates the standing committee and defines the scope of its functions.   

08-42 Policy #G024-Finance & Audit Committee

The policy outlines the formation, membership, purpose and responsibilities of the Finance & Audit Committee. 

MOTION:  Ms Cook moved to adopt Policy #G024 Finance and Audit committee.  Mr. Thoelke seconded.   Motion passed six affirmative, zero negative, zero abstentions, two absent. 

PRELIMINARY AGENDA

08-37 FY09 Budget Markup-Director’s Budget Message

Mr. Sandstedt discussed the first phase of developing the fy09 Budget.  Over the next several months, portions of the proposed budget will be brought to the Board before the completed budget is adopted by the Board at the June meeting.  Mr. Sandstedt reported that as in past years, his proposed fy09 budget will be based on conservative growth.  He is deeply concerned by the rapidly weakening economy.  Some of the major themes that will be addressed in the budget remain the same as past budgets such as emphasis on materials, holding the line on increase in fte, increasing employee contributions for health coverage, operating more efficiently especially in the areas of selection, cataloging, meeting room reservations, and check out of public access computers and utilizing electronic or downloadable materials when possible.  The District will also need to narrow the window for implementation of RFID and begin plans for the design of the Spencer Road Campus. 

08-38 SB711 & Other Property Tax Legislation

Mr. Sandstedt reported that the Missouri legislature would be considering new legislation that impacted reassessment of property.  He is in communication with local legislators to measure the impact of the proposed legislation which is somewhat confusing. 

08-43 2008 Salary Survey

Mr. Sandstedt reported he is in the process of assembling data.  Responses are still being sent from the larger libraries.  The survey results are used to help formulate the personnel budget for the Library District. 

MOTION:  Ms Pelikan moved to adjourn.  Mr. Dohrman seconded.   Motion passed six affirmative, zero negative, zero abstentions, two absent. 

The meeting adjourned at 7:47 pm. 

Respectfully submitted,

Margaret A. Preiss

Acting Recording Secretary