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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-09-28 LBOT MinutesBoard of Library Trustees Minutes: September 28, 2017 1 PALM SPRINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES MINUTES Palm Springs Public Library September 28, 2017 City Hall Large Conference Room 1. CALL TO ORDER President Courtright called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL PRESENT Harry Courtright Yes Ashley Dunphy Yes Linda Futterer Yes Ed McBride Yes Ron Willison Yes STAFF PRESENT: Jeannie Kays, Director of Library Services. CITY STAFF PRESENT: Lisa Brock, Library Operations and Collection Manager; Julie Warren, Library Services and Public Relations Manager. PUBLIC PRESENT: Cathy Brant, Jacque Wachs, David Gray, Staci Schafer, Tom Garcia 3. POSTING OF AGENDA: Director Kays reported that the agenda was posted on the Library’s website and at City Hall on or before September 21, 2017. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF: The minutes of July 27, 2017 meeting were accepted. 5. ADDED STARTERS: None 6. PUBLIC COMMENTS: David Gray from the Welwood Patio ad hoc subcommittee encouraged the Library Board to move forward with the Welwood Patio Project. 7. TREASURER’S REPORT: Treasurer Futterer gave the report. Director Kays has put in a request to move the funds from Accessing the Past into the Future Library Projects fund. She will check with Franco Laurie from Public Works on the remaining funds in the Sun Shade and LED Sign funds to see if the remaining balances can be moved to the Future Library Projects fund. 8. REPORT FROM FOPSL LIAISON: Jacque Wachs gave the report. The Friends are partnering with ONE-PS to hold a candidates forum Sunday, October 1st from 2-4:30 p.m. at the Library. Friends of the Library week is October 16th - 21st. The Friends will have special activities that week and will announce the winner of the bookmark design contest they held at Cahuilla Elementary. They are planning two Modernism Week events on February 22nd; a self-guided tour of Dr. Hugh Stephens home and a lecture by Alan Hess on Desert as Muse. Their annual meeting will be at the Gloria Swanson estate on Sunday, March 25 at 2 pm. The Friends have partnered with the Palm Springs Cultural Center to host Palm Springs Speaks. They are bringing three authors to the Coachella Valley: Dan Savage, Deepak Chopra, and Lisa Scottoline. Tickets for the series are $150 for general admission and $250 for VIP; more information and tickets are available at www.palmspringsspeaks.org. President Courtright opened the Annual Meeting. Board of Library Trustees Minutes: September 28, 2017 2 9. ANNUAL MEETING 9. A. Report by Nominating Committee, McBride and Dunphy Trustee McBride reported that the Nominating Committee nominates Ron Willison as President, Ashley Dunphy as President Pro Tem, and Linda Futterer as Treasurer. MOTION: (Courtright, no second 5-0) To accept the nominating committee’s report. 9. B. Election of President Ron Willison was elected as President of the Library Board of Trustees. 9. C. Election of President Pro Tem Ashley Dunphy was elected as President Pro Tem of the Library Board of Trustees. 9. D. Election of Treasurer Linda Futterer was elected as Treasurer of the Library Board of Trustees. 9. E. Appointment to Committees, Friends Liaison President Willison took over the meeting and appointed the following:  Friends of the Library Liaison: Linda Futterer President Willison kept all other committee appointments the same. President Willison closed the Annual Meeting. President Willison opened the Regular Meeting. 10. LEGISLATIVE ACTION 10. A. Welwood Patio Update and Fund Request Director Kays gave each Board member a memory stick with a complete history of the Welwood Patio project. Tom Garcia, City Engineer and Director of Engineering Services and Staci Schafer, Director of Facilities and Maintenance were present to answer any qu estions the Board might have. On the proposed design the irrigation shown is new and would need to be added, the cost is included in the estimate. Questions about the proposed gates were brought up. President Willison stated that these plans are just the concept and if funding is approved that is when things like logistics and materials will be decided on. Ad Hoc Sub-Committee member, David Gray, asked that the sidewalk on the Tahquitz side of the Welwood be looked at because there are multiple types of surfaces (tile, cement, etc.). Treasurer Futterer asked if the current water spigots are working and Staci Schafer said they are not working. The wall for the ADA access was brought up and it was asked if the City would be paying for that part of the project. Staci Schaffer said the City has ordered two demonstration benches and hope to have a demonstration corner set up with the benches and trash receptacles so city residents can give feedback. Treasurer Futterer is worried that people will continue to litter in the patio area and that the space will not be properly cared for. Tom Garcia said that if the Welwood was impacted by budget cuts public works would come back to the board and recommend another course of action. What Public Works needs is approval to move on to the next phase of the project. He brought up that if the HVAC was covered with the same material as the gates it would be very expensive. Staci Schafer discussed the safety concerns the landscapers currently encounter in the existing Welwood pati o. The gravel makes clean up very hard and because of the openness of the patio they often find Board of Library Trustees Minutes: September 28, 2017 3 people in the patio area in the early morning hours; the gates will hopefully deter some of the activity that currently goes on. Director Kays said that this plan would help the Library because we would be able to do programming on the patio and rent out the space to the public. MOTION: (Courtright/Willison, 4-1, Nay: Futterer) To approve funding up to $150,000 for the project with the understanding that if the City closes the Welwood due to budget cuts the project can be voided. 10. B. Strategic Plan Trustee McBride reported that ad-hoc committee met with the Friends of the Palm Springs Library and the Library Foundation and both groups would like to be part of the project. Director Kays contacted the City to see how this project would move forward. Director Kays would be the contact person and would work directly with Procurement to start the Request for Proposals (RFP) process which typically takes about four months. The next step is telling Procurement what the Library is looking for in the RFP. 10. D. was moved up at this time. 10. D. Report from Library Trust Fund Ad Hoc Committee Treasurer Futterer reported. The sub-committee would like to change the way funds are discussed and approved. They would like for any requests for funds be requested through a formal process using an application. The applications would be turned into a Budgeting sub- committee for review by the committee. The committee would then bring those applications to the Library Board. This process would keep a record of projects and requests for funds. Trustee Courtright brought up that the records should not stay with the board members but should be turned over to the Library. Director Kays added that the City Clerk is the actual record keeper and should have those items in addition to the Library keeping a copy. 10. C. Library Bylaws President Willison requested more time for the Library Board to review the proposed changes to the Bylaws. Director Kays reported that any proposed changes will have to go to the City Attorney for review. Treasurer Futterer said that they are working with the City Attorney to see when some changes were made and documentation to support those changes. The City Attorney said that the City Charter trumps the bylaws so that might need to be discussed when considering changing parts of the bylaws. Trustee McBride suggested taking the bylaws in sections and working on updating one section at a time. President Willison asked Director Kays to work with the Bylaws committee to break it up into sections to cover over the next two or three meetings. 10. E. Library Annual Report – Request for Approval Director Kays presented the Library Annual Report and thanked Julie Warren for compiling the report. She asked that the Library Board approve the report and then it will be submitted to City Council as a “receive and file” document in their Council packets. MOTION: (Courtright/Futterer, 5-0) To accept the Library Annual Report. 10. F. Damaged Library Art Sculpture Director Kays and Julie Warren reported. The sculpture was commissioned by Melba Bennett and put in the Library courtyard in December 1975. Approximately two years ago the Public Arts Commission came and removed the piece because of damage to the base of the item. The Public Arts Commission is working to find an artist to repair the sculpture; they have recently found a Board of Library Trustees Minutes: September 28, 2017 4 local artist that will be making an estimate on repair costs in the next couple of weeks. It was requested that this item remain on the October agenda. 10. G. Discuss Joint Organization Meeting Trustee Courtright suggested another joint organization meeting after the November Library Board Meeting. President Willison appointed President Pro Tem Dunphy and Trustee Courtright to the Advocacy Ad-Hoc Subcommittee. 11. REPORT FROM STAFF REPRESENTATIVE Summer Reading Program: 2,453 books given away; 1,988 children and teens new books; 465 adults redeemed book vouchers. The Library hosted 41 programs during the six-week period with 2,238 attendees. Solar Eclipse Party: Over 650 people attended. Were about 100 pairs of glasses short but everyone had fun. Children’s and Teen Librarians going to Back to School Nights and MS/HS registrations to do outreach. Comic Con Palm Springs: saw thousands of people and spoke with many about libraries. City Manager approved continuing appropriations $30,000 for new computers and $50,000 for new furniture. These are unspent library funds from last fiscal year that will be carried forward. National Night Out: The Library and Friends of the Library will be participating Tuesday, October 3, Palm Springs Stadium, 5-8 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to attend this free event. Halloween Party: Wednesday, October 25 at 6:00 p.m. Teens will be able to enter our annual “pumpkin” decorating contest. Contest runs October 2-30. LED Sign continues to be very helpful in promoting our events. Palm Springs Speaks: Tickets on sale now. www.palmspringsspeaks.org Library will be closed Friday, November 3 for All Staff Day. 12. REPORT FROM LIBRARY FOUNDATION LIAISION No report. 13. TRUSTEE COMMENTS & REQUESTS President Pro Tem Dunphy mentioned that the City of Coachella is getting a new library. President Willison thanked Director Kays, Julie Warren, and the Camelot Theater for all of their hard work with Palm Springs Speaks. 14. ADJOURNMENT The September meeting adjourned at 4:52 p.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Jeannie Kays Director of Library Services