Birmingham Public Library Board Minutes

Call To Order

• The meeting was called to order by President Georgia Morgan Blair. Dora Sims gave the invocation.

Public Voices

• There were no public voices.

Presentations

• There were no presentations.

Approval of Agenda

• Kimberly Richardson moved to approve the agenda. Willie S. Davis III seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Approval of Consent Agenda

• Dora Sims made corrections to the February 2017 board meeting minutes, adding her vote in the election of president and vice president. Kimberly Richardson moved to approve the consent agenda with the amendments to the minutes. Eunice Johnson Rogers seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Terry Oglesby, City Architect

• Terry Oglesby updated the board on the Trane projects throughout the system. Work has been done on HVAC systems, lights, transformers, and roof. The Southside library is scheduled to start roofing work beginning April 2017. Plumbing upgrades and retrofits have been performed at Five Points West, North Birmingham, Central/Linn-Henley, Avondale, Pratt City, East Lake, and Inglenook with more to come. Ensley, East Lake, Southside, Woodlawn, and Five Points West libraries received lighting upgrades. Installation of the transformer at North Birmingham has been completed.
• Oglesby is working with Sandra Vick Lee and Phillip Willingham to get the telephone system upgraded to Voice Over IP (VOIP) at the Central library.
• City architects are still working with Craig Hoskins, architect for the replacement of the escalators with stairs.
• Judge Scott Vowell inquired about Central’s recent roof repair since buckets had to be placed throughout the library due to leaks. Oglesby replied Central and Linn-Henley are scheduled to get a roof replacement at a later time. Willie S. Davis III asked the status of Woodlawn’s roof, and Oglesby replied that Woodlawn is on the list of upcoming repairs and to report leaks to Public Works.
• Oglesby clarified the work on city buildings are prioritized by public safety buildings then by degree of repair. Trane and the mayor’s office assigned the priorities.
• Richardson asked if Trane could give better notice of working on buildings. Oglesby confirmed that in the bi-weekly meetings, communication is stressed between Trane and building users.

Kayla Lawrence, City Attorney

• Kayla Lawrence certified the board needed to discuss matters of possible litigation and personnel in executive session pursuant to Alabama code 36-25-A22. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch moved to go into executive session. Dora Sims seconded the motion, and it was approved.
• After executive session ended, Kimberly Richardson made a motion to offer the director position to the highest scoring candidate to include currently allocated salary and benefits pending final approval. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch seconded the motion. All were in favor.

Operational Items Requiring Board Approval

Finance Reports

• Kimberly Richardson asked if the line items that are close to being totally expended will be covered by other line items and if these items were asked for an increase in the budget for fiscal year 2018 through the city. Sandra Vick Lee reported that it was determined to ask the city for increases in two areas, computer leases and janitorial services. When funds start to run out from the city, the library supplements costs with the Fund 60 account. Sandra Vick Lee will present the budget to the City Council Finance Committee on Wednesday, March 15, 2017, along with staff members.
• Kimberly Richardson made a motion to approve the budget. Eunice Johnson Rogers seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Reports of Committees

Executive Search Committee

• The executive search committee discussed matters during the executive session.

Special Called Meeting

• Kimberly Richardson asked if there were any additional increases requested in the FY 2018 budget. Sandra Vick Lee reported that in addition to increases in the two areas of computer leases and janitorial supplies, a match will also be requested for an LSTA grant $12,500 due April 2017 for roaming reference librarian pilot in which staff will be equipped with tablets to assist patrons.

Nominating Committee

• The Nominating Committee voted for officers at the February 2017 board meeting. The minutes to the meeting were included in the packet for record keeping purposes.

Unfinished Business

• Kimberly Richardson recommended coming up with a strategy to receive a response on the funds for the proposed reading initiative. The final step is the release of the funds by the mayor. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch sent an email to Terry Burney, Chief Administrative Analyst earlier in March 2017 asking what steps need to be taken to get the budget ordinance approved and is waiting for a response.
• Tyrone Silmon from the mayor’s office asked for Sandi Lee’s contact information in order to set up a meeting. Lee has not yet been contacted by Silmon and will follow up with him. Richardson questioned if the proposed initiative is not approved before the end of the fiscal year, if the funds would be rolled over to the next fiscal year.

New Business

• Sandra Vick Lee reported on the cut off date from the budget finance office for the requisitions for this year. Items will need to be submitted by April 14 to be included in this fiscal year ending June 30. Invoices will be coming in April and May, and Lee will request the City to honor the invoices.

Director's Report for February 2017

• In response to last meeting’s discussion about charging for parking at the Central library during the Steel City Jazz Festival, Attorney Kayla Lawrence recommended against it due to liability issues. Lee sent an email to the event organizers in regards to being involved as a community outreach and is waiting for a response.
• Canteen Vending turned down the inquiry to place vending machines in the Ensley library. Canteen cited the reason is due to the location and concern for safety of theft of property. Canteen suggested using Coca-Cola. The staff association handles all the library vending machines including Pratt City.
• Richardson asked for a report about how much funding is being generated by vending machines in BPL facilities. Lee read the Staff Association’s constitution and by-laws, and there is no indication that they are mandated report to board. Lee requested a meeting with the association and will request a financial report and about the election of current officers.
• Welch asked what criteria Canteen used to determine not placing a vending machine at Ensley. Danny Dorroh answered that Canteen was vague. Welch stated that according to the monthly statistics, Ensley has very high program attendance numbers. Welch expressed her concern and resentment that a business would decline their services without performing a study. Welch reminded the board about a patron’s suggestion of purchasing vending machines from Sam’s and benefiting from the proceeds.

• Lee informed the board the statistical report will include items from the virtual library which includes databases, downloadables, etc. Georgia Morgan Blair asked if there is a way to track WiFi usage, and Lee replied JCLC tracks usage annually for the county.

• Welch asked for the status of Wylam. Lee requested an update from Terry Oglesby, and he responded he was not comfortable discussing the Wylam funds without the library first meeting with Jarvis Patton and the mayor. Richardson stated Sherri Nielson from the mayor’s office said there was no funding for the design, and Craig Hoskins is reviewing the options. The discussion led to looking at a portion of the Wylam allocation as a source of funding for the design. Nielson will come back to the library with a figure. The designs from the previous total renovation design cannot be used because there were other design elements. Welch replied she cannot support taking funds away when they promised the Wylam community an updated library. Richardson informed Councilor Lundy that the library has been told by the city that additional funds will not be allocated, and the board could not move forward rebuilding without the total amount of funds needed to complete the project. Richardson recommended to Council Lundy that some type of advocacy would need to happen between him and the mayor. With notice, a board member or staff member can attend a neighborhood meeting and interact with the public about the Wylam library. The Long-Range Planning Committee will need to meet to discuss if the funds from the Daniel Foundation for the proposed renovations need to be put on hold in order to decide what to do with the funds given by the city.
• James Sullivan requested a monthly breakdown in social media statistics and other statistics if possible.
• Richardson requested applying hard deadlines in planning of Eat Drink Read Write (EDRW) to secure funding earlier in the year and stressed the importance of doing this going forward. The Development team will be taking over the planning of EDRW. Richardson asked if a keynote has been selected. Olivia Alison responded that the focus this year will be on local chefs, social media and food, and the Pizitz Food Hall. The owner of Slice, Skycastle Gastropub, and Saw’s BBQ has committed to being a part of the project and assisting with Lakeview events in coordination of the Young Professionals.
• Welch requested to consider involving Birmingham City Schools’ Wenonah culinary program with a display or demonstration. Richardson reminded the importance of maintaining relationships with partners from years past.
• In the Public Relations report, it states the total donation from the Best Bites book sales was $6,020.32. Welch asked the time frame of this figure since the library received more than $20,000 in total donations from Best Bites. Olivia Alison clarified that when al.com (Alabama Media Group) took over the book donation, the library went from receiving $14 per book to $2 per book. The total donation from Alabama Media Group is $6,020.32. One last donation check will be issued to the library in the spring.
• Sims asked the status on the Author’s Expo. Lee reported it can be scheduled for late summer/early fall for this year. The author vendor fee can be raised to help pay for the event, or the library could attempt to find a sponsor. Lee will relay the information to the Program Committee and will charge them with picking a date and explore raising vendor fees and sponsors.

Board Member's Comments

• Kimberly Richardson congratulated the newly elected board officers. Richardson expressed appreciation for members of the executive search committee and the board for their participation in the director search. Richardson thanked Edith Major and staff as well.
• Dora Sims congratulated the elected officers.
• Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch thanked the search committee. For Welch, it was interesting to hear different perspectives about BPL. Welch attended the program Cowboy Boots and Books and really enjoyed it. Welch complimented the Powderly program featuring the Wenonah choir and Ensley’s reorganization of furniture.
• Georgia Morgan Blair thanked everyone for the work towards the executive search.

Next Board Meeting is Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Submitted By

Sandra Vick Lee, Secretary