Birmingham Public Library Board Minutes

Call To Order

• The meeting called to order by President Kimberly Richardson.
• Willie S. Davis III gave the invocation.

Public Voices

• Elodia Miller, a patron and citizen of Birmingham, visits libraries throughout the region and believes the library should raise the copy machine rate from 15 cents to 25 cents. Miller believes the raised rate in addition to money from the vending machines should be put towards the library.
• President Kimberly Richardson thanked Elodia Miller for her timely comments and stated to all in attendance that now is the time to advocate for the proper support and funding for the library.

Presentations

• Advocacy Committee members Gwendolyn R. Amamoo and Eunice Johnson Rogers presented Innovation Awards on behalf of the Board. Saundra Ross and Marie Nash from North Avondale accepted two awards, one for Love to Color @ My Library, an adult coloring program and the second for Cowboy Boots and Books program. Alisha Johnson, Ensley accepted two awards, one for Ensley’s Science Club for children and the second for Ensley’s Reading Gems, an adult reading club with trivia. Sandra Crawley and Byron Williams from Pratt City accepted two awards, one for Career Survival Kit for Boys and the second for Career Survival Kit for Girls. Maya Jones, Denise Allen Ford, and volunteer Joan Black from West End accepted two awards for the West End Crochet Program.
• Gwendolyn R. Amamoo acknowledged Dora U. Sims in her absence for her hard work for the Innovation Award initiative.
• Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch commented she visited all the libraries and invited Board members who have not visited the libraries to visit and see the cool things going on.
• Kimberly Richardson commented she appreciates staff members coming to Board meeting for acknowledgements. Richardson believes the library can leverage more support and donations from the community and organizations.

Approval of Agenda

Angela Fisher Hall requested an addendum to the agenda to discuss the closing of the library on Saturday, June 4, 2016, due to the Steel City Jazz Festival in Linn Park. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch moved to approve the agenda as amended. Georgia Morgan Blair seconded the motion. All were in favor.

Approval of Consent Agenda

• Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch made corrections to the April 28, 2016 board meeting minutes. Tiffanie Jeter’s title needs to be changed to Development Associate, and the location of the April Board meeting needs to be changed to the 1st Floor Conference Room.
• Sandi Lee distributed an updated financial report. Lee explained that additional money has been transferred to the security line in the expense revenue. The amount $28,000 should be $40,000. The last page of the report is the income statement for the police officer fund with a balance of $15,000.
• Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch moved to approve the Consent Agenda as amended. Eunice Johnson Rogers seconded the motion, and all were in favor.

Terry Oglesby, City Architect

Terry Oglesby was not in attendance for this meeting.

Nicole King, City Attorney

• Attorney Nicole King gave an update on the Memorandum of Understanding that is in the Transactions Department for review. Attorney King informed the Transactions Department, based on Board discussions, to put a hold on the memorandum until there are specifics for the BPL and Foundation.
• King presented information about an Executive Order passed by the Mayor on February 16, 2016, on the Distracted Driving Policy. Under the order, it is city policy for city employees to not use phone, wireless devices, laptop computers while driving on official city business. Attorney King brings this to the Board since BPL has adopted city policies. Angela Fisher Hall asked if there should be a reference to refer to the Executive Order in the Personnel Policies. Attorney King stated that would be fine. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch asked Attorney King if BPL employees should sign this document, and Attorney King stated it would be a good idea.
• Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch moved to adopt and amend the existing policy to make reference to the Executive Order. Georgia Morgan Blair seconded the motion, and all were in favor.

Operational Items Requiring Board Approval

Angela Fisher Hall stated the music from the Steel City Jazz Festival in Linn Park was so loud last year that patrons and employees could not hear in both buildings. Hall requested to close the both buildings at the Central library on Saturday, June 4, 2016, and reopen Sunday. Hall stated no employees would be scheduled, therefore, no one will be paid. Employees will rearrange schedules. Judge Scott Vowell moved to approve closing the library Saturday, June 4, 2016. Eunice Johnson Rogers seconded the motion, and all were in favor.

Committee Reports

Advocacy Committee

• Gwendolyn R. Amamoo reported the Advocacy Committee met on May 18, 2016, to discuss the award winners. Amamoo thanked Angela Fisher Hall for designing and printing the certificates.
• Judge Scott Vowell commented that the presentation is important for the Board. Judge Vowell thought it was excellent and helped put in focus the things the Board deals with and how they are serving the people in the way they are supposed to.
• Eunice Johnson Rogers reported on an update of passport services. The Advocacy Committee recommends consideration for the services to be offered at the regional libraries where post offices are not located. The application would have to be submitted, approved by the Department of State, and then, the staff would need training. The library would make approximately $25 on each passport application.
• Eunice Johnson Rogers reminded the Board about the Board Fund Pledges due by December. On behalf of the Advocacy Committee, Rogers recognized Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch donated a gift to the Board Fund in memory of her friend Elizabeth Love Moore who recently passed away. An acknowledgement letter will be sent to the family for the gift. Rogers suggested to the Board that if a Board member would like to do something in memory of someone, they can make a donation to the Library Board fund. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch made a correction to the Advocacy Committee minutes for the May 18, 2016, meeting. Sherman Heights should be corrected to South Hampton High School, and Alisha Johnson’s name should added to the list of certificate recipients for the Innovation Award.
• The Advocacy Committee made the recommendation that the money made from the passport fees, upon passport services approval, would be allocated to the Staff Day fund.
• Eunice Johnson Rogers moved to approve that upon approval by USPS for passport services for BPL, the money made from passport applications would be allocated to the Staff Day Fund. Gwendolyn R. Amamoo seconded the motion, and all were in favor.

Long-Range Planning Committee

• The Long-Range Planning Committee met on May 9, 2016. There was a change in the Strategic Planning contract with consultant Jim Sisson of Vantage Associates to state BPL would pay up to half of the professional and general liability insurance.
• The Long-Range Planning Committee produced a list of stakeholder interviewees for Jim Sisson. Twenty-one interviews were conducted including Board members and staff. Pilkerton amended the minutes, stating the Long-Range Planning will prioritize the list of stakeholders instead of Jim Sisson prioritizing the list.
• Patty A. Pilkerton recommended each Board member send her their top five picks for stakeholder interviewees and a second top five list. Pilkerton will then prioritize the list and send it to Jim Sisson. Board members will contact the interviewees prior to Jim Sisson scheduling the interview with them.

Policy Committee and Ad Hoc Committee

• At 9:22 a.m., Attorney King recommended the Board go into Executive Session under Alabama State Code 36-25-A7 to discuss professional competence and potential litigation.
• At 9:39 a.m., the Executive Session ended. Kimberly Richardson announced two actions as the result of the Executive Session. The first action is to request an audited financial statement from the BPL Foundation within 90 days of the end of their current fiscal year. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch moved to approve, and Gwendolyn R. Amamoo seconded the motion. All were in favor, and it was approved.
• The second action item is in relation to the personnel action that there is no evidence of a hostile work environment or harassment as filed by Carrie Campbell. Campbell will continue in her position and will report to Sandi Lee. Upon availability on an open position, she will transfer to ALS. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch motioned for approval, and it was seconded by Judge Scott Vowell. All were in favor, and it was approved.

Unfinished Business

There was no unfinished business.

New Business

There was no new business.

Director's Report

• Some staff members will meet with the Foundation attorney to discuss the official name change to Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library.

• Staff from administration will meet with Peggy Polk in a rescheduled meeting to discuss adding security guard positions in lieu of off duty police officers. The meeting was rescheduled because Barbara McGrue needs to be in attendance. Supervisors of the off-duty officers will go through with the evaluation process and will move forward from there. Administration will update the Board as soon as possible on what action will need to take place in regards to adding security guards in lieu of off duty officers.

• Sandi Lee mentioned that due to the time change of the regular Board meetings, the June meeting will likely not have a reconciled bank statement distributed with the Board packet. The bank statement does not arrive until the 6th or 7th of the month, so it may have to be handed out during the meeting. The statement might also be shorter due to the transition.
• Kimberly Richardson inquired about the meeting with Little Library on May 23, 2016. Angela Fisher Hall reported that several library staff members were in attendance representing Central and several branches. There are many ways to partner with the organization. Several little libraries will be placed throughout the city in parks with a goal of 8 in total. They are targeting ages 0 to 12th grade, and the books are for young people. Internal meetings at BPL will need to take place to discuss the ways BPL can partner. Kimberly Richardson commented there could be information posted on the boxes about how to get a library card.

Board Members' Comments

• Willie S. Davis III had the opportunity to tour East Lake and visit Inglenook, North Birmingham, Pratt City, and Springville Road.
• Gwendolyn R. Amamoo thanked the Board for funding the Innovation Awards. Amamoo hopes more libraries will apply.
• Kimberly Richardson attended the Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. Richardson stated the staff did a great job putting the event together, and it was an opportunity to see what was going on in other libraries in addition to the different ways people volunteer their time to give back to our library system. Richardson welcomed Board members to attend the event next year if they have the opportunity. She expressed thanks to Friends who provided funding for the luncheon.
• Kimberly Richardson, Angela Fisher Hall, and Sandi Lee had the opportunity to attend the first city council budget hearing on May 25, 2016. The Mayor has presented his proposed budget for operating funds and capital funds and neither contained BPL’s request for $15 million. There was an item that was approved on last week’s council agenda for the repair of the elevators. Richardson stated there will be another series of budget hearings held throughout the community, and if people are available to attend the hearings, to say thank you for the support that they do give us in addition to express the need for an investment in the library for more support in terms of programming and updating of facilities. Councilor Kim Rafferty recommended an additional $150,000 for BPL when she saw there was a deficit for utilities. Richardson stated as issues with the library are being spotlighted to remind all that an investment is needed for the library system.

Next Board Meeting is June 14, 2016

Submitted By

Mary McCann, Senior Secretary