NORTHVILLE DISTRICT LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Regular Meeting Minutes
Thursday, June 24, 2010 – 7:30 p.m.
Northville District Library Carlo Meeting Room
1. Chairperson Joe Corriveau called the
Regular Meeting to order at 7:32 p.m.
1.1 Roll Call -
Present:
Trustees Joe Corriveau, Robert Sochacki, Alan Somershoe, Judy Sherman,
Jean Hansen, Mike DeFrancesco, and Jim Morché.
Also present: Julie Herrin, Director; Anne Mannisto,
Assistant Director; Judith Williams, Administrative Assistant; and Paul
Snyder, President of the NDL Friends. In the audience:
Library staff member Al Smitley.
Absent: None.
1.2 Approval of the
Agenda:
MOTION: Alan Somershoe made a motion to approve the
agenda as
presented. Robert Sochacki seconded the motion.
Motion passed.
1.3 Approval of the Regular
Board Meeting
minutes for May 27, 2010: MOTION: Jean Hansen made
a motion
to accept the minutes for the Board Meeting of May 27, 2010, as
corrected. Robert Sochacki seconded the motion.
Motion passed.
1.4 Citizen Comments:
None.
2. Correspondence:
None
3. Director’s Report:
Statistics: Julie noted that the May
statistics continue to
show high numbers in circulation due to the closing of the Novi Public
Library. The door count and computer use also reflects the
Novi increase. Wi-fi usage reached an all time high of 521
during May. Database usage was down from April’s
numbers, but up over last year for May. Virtual Reference
statistics have been added to the monthly statistics report.
Youth Programming: The Summer Reading
Program started this
week. Currently there are 506 children registered.
Registration went smoothly due to the assistance of volunteers from the
Friends of the Library for the first three days of sign-up.
The first Summer Reading event, featuring a juggler, had 113 children
and adults in attendance; the second event, featuring a magician, had
an overflow crowd of 163 children and adults. The craft
program had 115 participants.
Adult Programming: The Adult Services
Department’s
Summer Reading Program has 165 registered. The Foreign Film
this month had 45 viewers, and the Book Discussion had 18 participants.
Teen Programming: The Teen Summer Reading
Program has 88
registered so far.
Technology: Michael has replaced the
server and has ordered
several replacement computers.
Public Relations: Julie reported that
there have been several
articles in the Northville Record recently featuring the Library,
including an article about the Trustee Election.
Facilities: Julie reported that Glasco, the company
who installed the
original windows in the Library, had sent a proposal to replace 3
windows in the meeting room with opening vents. (Their
original proposal was for 5 windows). Bob Sochacki made a
motion to proceed with the replacement of 3 stationary windows in the
Carlo Meeting Room with windows that contain opening vents at a cost of
$3,561. Jim Morché seconded the motion.
The motion passed and the Board agreed to proceed with the
project.
Strategic Plan: Julie Herrin distributed a
list of the Long
Range Objectives that were selected during the Strategic Planning
Session on June 11 for the 5-Year Strategic Plan 2010 -2015.
She noted that she would soon be contacting Board members, staff
members and other interested volunteers regarding the formation of Task
Forces to develop and formulate plans to reach these objectives.
4. Friends Report:
Friends
President Paul Snyder reported that he and Joe Thomas had been busy
picking up several truckloads of donated books this last
month. The Friends were very pleased with the recognition
they received at The Tipping Point Theater for their donation of books
as props during the run of the play, “Southern
Comfort”. The Friends have determined that they
would be able to legally contribute $2,500 to the Library’s
millage effort as well as offering the Friends Board’s full
support for this endeavor. Paul reported that the
“Books for Babies” Program will begin in September
with Judy DeFrancesco overseeing. He also reported that the
Next Chapter Book Store and Bistro donated 30 $5.00 gift cards to the
Friends for the Summer Reading Program. Paul also reported on
a meeting with himself, Library Administration, and Consultant Linda
Davis-Kirksey to discuss her services in planning a millage
campaign. This initial meeting provided much helpful
information; Davis-Kirksey recommended that no decision on a millage be
made until after the Public Information Session planned for July
21. Paul will speak with the consultant again to determine
her availability and willingness to divide her time between working
with the Library on a millage election and fund raising, given the
limited time and finances currently available.
5. Budget and Finance Review:
5.1 MOTION:
Treasurer Jean
Hansen made a motion to approve payment of the Northville District
Library List of Bills over $1,000 for June 2010 as presented to the
Board. Bob Sochacki seconded the motion. Motion
passed.
5.2 Jean distributed the
Financial
Reports for May. She noted that the Financial
Reports were on
target given that the Fiscal Year has now reached the half-way
point. Jean noted that two new Budget Categories will be
added to the Financial Reports beginning next month. The
categories would be for Strategic Planning and to report Endowment
Income and Expenses.
5.3 MOTION:
Jean Hansen made a
motion to revise the Budget line for staff wages to reflect the figure
$1,106,000. This is a closer projection of need due to a
lower number of staff members receiving step increases, since so many
have already reached the maximum salary step. Bob Sochacki
seconded the motion. Motion passed.
5.4 Jean distributed
budget estimates
that reflect 5-year income and expense figures possible with the
passage of .20 mill as well as .25 mill. She stated that the
Finance Committee was recommending a 5-year .20 millage proposal rather
than asking for a millage “in
perpetuity”. The Finance Committee’s
objective is to make a millage proposal as passable as
possible. There was discussion on alternative approaches,
support that would be required by community groups, and the message
that would need to be delivered to the public to gain support for the
Library, given the current economic conditions and public attitudes.
6. Committee Reports:
Finance Committee
6.1 The Finance
Committee for July will
be held on Tuesday, July 20 at 10:00 a.m., in the Storytime Room.
6.2 A preparation
meeting for the Public
Information Session was set for Thursday, July 15 in the Storytime Room
at 7:00 p.m.
6.4 A Public
Information Session on the
Library’s Budget Crisis has been scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in
the Carlo Meeting Room on Wednesday, July 21.
7. Announcements and Comments
The next Regular Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, July 22 at
7:30 in the Carlo Meeting Room.
MOTION: Robert Sochacki made a motion to adjourn the Regular
Meeting. Mike DeFrancesco seconded the motion.
Motion passed. The Meeting was adjourned at 9:35 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mike DeFrancesco
JW 6/28/10