Birmingham Public Library Board Minutes

Call To Order

The Board meeting was called to order by President James A. Sullivan at 4:35 p.m. Eunice Johnson Rogers provided the invocation at 4:38 p.m.

Presentations

Board Technology Pilot

Executive Director Floyd Council played a recording on the new iPad the Board members are being given at the February 2020 Board meeting. Council discussed the 2018-2019 Annual Report, Strategic Plan, and Proposed Budget for Birmingham Public Library. Council discussed the Library’s two capital projects: Wylam Library and Central East Monumental Stairs renovations.

2020 Census ADECA Grant

Deputy Director Janine Langston discussed the $10,000 Census grant to Birmingham Public Library (BPL) from ADECA (Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs) to help BPL locations encourage the residents in our communities to complete the questionnaire for the 2020 Census.

• The Census is every Friday in March.
• There will be T-shirts advertising “Birmingham Counts” that will be given to all BPL staff and Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library members.

Public Voices

There were no public voices.

Approval of Agenda

Eunice Johnson Rogers moved to accept the annual report as presented. Sherri Nielson motioned to accept the annual report as presented. Fatima Carter seconded the motion to accept the annual report as reported and it was approved. Eunice Johnson Rogers moved to accept the agenda. James A. Sullivan motioned to accept the agenda.

Approval of Consent Agenda

Kimberly Richardson motioned to accept the consent agenda with the swearing in of Eunice Johnson Rogers as president and Willie S. Davis III as vice president. Lynn Flowers-Martin seconded the motion and it was accepted by the Board.

Terry Oglesby, City Architect

Terry Olgesby discussed the recent updates with the Monumental Stairs Project, the Wylam Library Project and the VOIP Project. In summary, he shared the following updates:

• The roof at Wylam Library is leaking and the crew will be back out to repair.
• The terrazzo for the Monumental stairs project will be delayed until the middle March.
• The revisions for VOIP system based on the new quotes.

Attorney Malera Wright, City Attorney

There was no report from Malera Wright.

Operational Items Requiring Board Approval

Damein Baity, Finance Reports

Chief Financial Officer Damein Baity presented the financial report to the board. Eunice Johnson Rogers moved to accept the financial report. Fatima Carter motioned to accept the financial report. Kimberly Richardson seconded the motion to accept the financial report.

Reports of the Committees

Nominating Committee Report

Judge Jameria Moore, Jefferson County Probate Judge, Place 2, provided the oath and swearing in of Eunice Johnson Rogers as the president of the Birmingham Public Library Board. Judge Agnes Chappell Circuit 10, Place 23 provided the oath and swearing in of Willie S. Davis III as the vice president of the Birmingham Public Library Board.

Special Called Finance Committee Meeting

Vice President Willie S. Davis III called the Finance Committee meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Fatima Carter provided the invocation.

Trustee Attendees: Willie Davis, Lynn Martin-Flowers, Fatima Carter, Mona Lisa Morris, James Sullivan Staff: Floyd Council, Janine Langston, Damein Baity, Edith Major On February 25, 2020, a special called Finance Committee meeting was held in the Central Library Boardroom.

Agenda

Willie S. Davis III informed the committee that the only thing on the agenda item was to review the staff-proposed submission of the 2021 budget proposal.

Proposed Budget Project/ Eastwood Library

Floyd Council provided the overview of how staff would present the Proposed Budget Project. Damein Baity would provide the financial proposal, including an explanation of the proposed 3% budget reduction and cost savings associated with closing.

Janine Langston was asked to provide a brief summary of proposed adjusted library hours, and some unplanned discussion about the public service staffing model was engaged. Fatima Carter expressed various concerns about the staffing model, how employees would be informed, and the reason for the changes.

Fatima Carter also communicated that a future personnel meeting was required to engage additional review. Floyd Council shared with the Board that the motivation behind the 3% budget reduction was the need to get on proper schedule with payment of the City of Birmingham pension fund. The current reductions would yield approximately $470,000 back to the City. All Trustees had concerns about whether the 3% reduction would include laying off any staff, and it was clarified that no staff would be laid off and that the reduction included only vacant positions. All Trustees had concerns about the proposed closure of Eastwood Library, and it was explained that the lease expired two years ago and the final extension would end on October 31, 2020.

Lynn Martin-Flowers had questions about security staff and if additional security staff would be added in the new budget. It was clarified for the committee that the City intended to move forward with the plan to have all security staff report to the Birmingham Police Department effective in July.

Floyd Council recommended that the Finance Committee accept the staff recommendation on behalf of the Library Board, and that the staff could submit the FY2021 Budget Proposal with associated 3% reduction (staff vacancies), closure of community libraries on Saturdays, and closure of Eastwood Library. The approval was made contingent upon additional review by the Personnel Committee concerning final staffing model review.

James A. Sullivan moved that the Finance Committee approve the staff recommendation as stated. Vice President Willie S. Davis III seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved by the committee. The meeting was adjourned at 6:38 p.m.

Advocacy Committee Meeting

There was no new business.

Unfinished Business

March Board Retreat

Floyd Council presented a draft of the Board meeting and Board retreat to the Board. Eunice Johnson Rogers assigned Kimberly Richardson to do the agenda for the Board Retreat. James A. Sullivan asked about the objective of the Board Retreat, the Strategic Plan focal point and the top goals of the Library Board.

Council discussed the Board retreat and the speakers:

• Board meeting: 9:00 a.m.
• Speaker: Tobin Cataldo
• Speaker: Nancy Pack
• Speaker: Robert Harrington
• Location: Innovation Depot
• Project: Strategic Plan updates
• Project: Draft of the MOU and get with legal
• Presentations: partners and committees

New Business

PLA Board Travel Discussion

Eunice Johnson Rogers introduced the Library Board members to their newly appointed committees. Rogers requested approval from the Board to attend the PLA (Public Library Association) in February in Nashville, Tennessee.

Eunice Johnson Rogers motioned to be approved to attend the PLA Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, in February. Kimberly Richardson motioned to accept the request of Eunice Johnson Rogers to attend the PLA Conference. Fatima Carter seconded the motion to accept the request of Eunice Johnson Rogers to attend the PLA Conference and it was approved. Richardson discussed the importance of members of the Board attending library conferences.

Board Members' Comments

Judge Scott Vowell congratulated Eunice Johnson Rogers for making library Board president Sherri Nielson thanked Birmingham Public Library for what they do and she congratulated Eunice Johnson Rogers for being sworn in as the Library board new president. Kimberly Richardson congratulated Eunice Johnson Rogers for making president and told her she would be available if she ever had questions.

Eunice Johnson-Rogers motioned to adjourn the library board meeting. Eunice Johnson-Rogers discussed with the Board about receiving their iPads for Library Board meetings.

Next Board Meeting is Saturday, March 14, 2020

Submitted By

Floyd Council, Secretary