Minutes of Regular Meeting
ELISHA D. SMITH PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEES
Elisha D. Smith Public Library Gegan Room
November 20, 2014
Call to order at 4:00 p.m. by President Murray.
Present: Crawmer, Eisen, Golz, Kiley, Murray, VanderHeyden, Wicihowski, Kaminski, Nichols joined the meeting at 4:10.
Absent: None.
Also Present: Director Lenz, K. Beson (Head of Children’s Services) J. Bongers (Head of Adult Services) and K. Dreyer (Administrative Assistant).
Public Comment/Communication
• Murray congratulated the Fundraising Committee and those who helped at the Chili Cook-Off for a great first-time event.
• Lenz thanked the board for the sympathy cards she received after her mother passed away.
• The Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region 2014 Report to the Community was passed around for the board to review, and for Golz to take with him.
• Murray thanked Kiley for his years of service on the board and committees.
Consent Business
Motion made by Golz to approve the Library Board meeting minutes from October 16, 2014, and accept the Fundraising Committee meeting minutes of October 16 and October 28, 2014 and the Building and Grounds Committee meeting minutes of October 16, 2014, seconded by Wicihowski. Motion carried unanimously.
Authorization of Bills
A current list of bills was passed out adding Office Depot and a materials reimbursement. Motion made by Eisen to authorize payment of the November list of bills from the 2014 budget as presented, seconded by VanderHeyden. Motion carried unanimously. (Note: The list of bills was correct but the formula did not calculate correctly. The total should be $29,664.01 rather than $28,249.21.)
Director’s Report/Information Items
1. October Statistics. Circulation is down 5.0% this year. The combined use of public computers and wireless Internet access increased by 17% over 2014, and attendance at library programs is up 4%.
2. Budget Update. Lenz reported that 79.5% of the budget is spent and 83.3% of the year has passed.
3. Endowment Report. The Community Foundation Trust Fund balances are as of September 30, 2014, since the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region did not yet have the October month end report completed. The First National Bank allocated fund balances were as of October 31, 2014.
4. Staff Reports.
• Bongers and Vanessa Taylir attended the WLA Conference in the Wisconsin Dells the first week in November.
• Over $1,382 in fines was forgiven for Food for Fines which benefitted the Double Portion Soup Kitchen.
• Volunteers have been cataloging the Theda and Tamblin Clark Smith Family Foundation books. We would like to put this catalog of books on our website and send an announcement to book sellers.
• Beson provided a list of the fall reading club numbers from 2009-2014. This year, there were 155 children enrolled in the Great Gumball Challenge Fall Reading Program. We gave out 46 books during the Fall Book Fest Week. The winter reading program will begin in January.
• Last month, the board approved $5,000 for technology. Currently we have 10 computers running Windows XP. With these funds, we will be able to replace 6 computers and upgrade the remaining computers to Windows 7.
5. Strategic Plan Update. This report shows the goals and objectives that have been completed in blue; those green are in process. Since some items need to be completed on an annual basis, they were moved from blue to green.
6. Winnefox Report: Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction has been charged by state officials with developing a Strategic Vision for Library Systems in the 21st Century, and they have asked the Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) to draft recommendations. This draft, which was recently approved by COLAND, includes an assessment of what Wisconsin’s library systems do now as well as recommendations for the future, with the goal to reduce duplication and increase efficiency in delivering the services that systems offer.
7. Fundraising Committee Report.
• The First Great Menasha Library Chili Cook Off’s total revenue was $4,482.25 with expenses of $796.21 netting $3,686.04. The committee feels that, for a first time event, it went well. They have decided to hold it again next year but to expand the restaurants outside Menasha, start the basket bids higher, sell off the remaining chili, announce the silent auction more often, have more music, have smaller bowls/ladles and tweak the time.
• The next fundraiser will be the Read and Eat Around Menasha. We will get a percentage of the proceeds from a restaurant on a particular evening and have guest readers.
• The committee suggested creating a pamphlet for people to honor someone with a gift to the library. These pamphlets will be at the service desks, in the newsletter, and sent with the year-end giving letter.
Discussion/Action Items
8. Black Friday/Patron Appreciation Day. The Neenah Library celebrates Black Friday with half price fines, refreshments, and movies throughout the day to encourage families to include a stop at the library during that busy day. It was suggested that our library hold a similar event. Motion made by Nichols to approve half-price fines and light refreshments for patron appreciation day on Friday, November 28, seconded by Wicihowski. Motion carried unanimously.
9. Framing of Doty Island Memory Paintings. Bill Casper from The Hang Up in Neenah provided an estimate to clean, varnish, and re-frame the six Doty Island Memory Paintings at a cost of $1,500. Motion made by Vander Heyden to approve cleaning, varnishing and reframing the Doty Island Memory Paintings by The Hang Up for $1,500 from budget line 24-03, seconded by Golz. Motion carried unanimously.
10. Plan for Library Entrance. The Building and Grounds Committee met regarding the veteran’s plan to remove their monument from the entrance of the library. Paul Riederer from Miron designed a planter that resembles the current planters to fill in the space. The committee felt that we needed something other than just cement since someone could drive in the front door. The planter could be filled with flowers or a statue. Eisen feels that the library should not incur an expense for this project. The area currently occupied by the Children’s Room wing was at one time Veterans Park. Since the veterans forfeited that space for the library’s expansion, the monument was moved to the library entrance. The committee does not want to charge the veterans. Lenz will ask Building Superintendent Alix to get quotes on a planter.
11. 2015 Budget. The library’s 2015 budget has been approved by the Common Council which included the capital improvements, a modified materials budget, and 1% cost of living adjustment. At this point trustees may still make line item adjustments and approve a final 2015 budget. Motion made by Eisen to approve the 2015 budget as presented with no line item adjustments, seconded by Wicihowski. Motion carried unanimously.
12. Review of Trustee Essentials: Chapter 22. Crawmer reviewed chapter 22 which focuses on Freedom of Expression and Inquiry. Next month, Eisen will review Chapter 23.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn the meeting at 4:56pm was made by Kiley and seconded by VanderHeyden. Motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Dreyer, recording secretary
