ANN ARBOR DISTRICT LIBRARY BOARD
343 S. FIFTH AVENUE, ANN ARBOR, MI
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012
12-214 I. CALL TO ORDER
President Leary called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.
12-215 II. ATTENDANCE
Present: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Barney Newman, Rosenthal
Absent: Surovell
Staff: Choate, Neiburger, Nieman, Parker, Wilson (recorder)
Others: Dan Schairbaum, Dykema
12-216 III. RECESS TO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR DISCUSSION OF REAL ESTATE
12-217 IV. RECONVENE REGULAR MEETING AT 7:00 PM
President Leary reconvened the meeting at 7:03 p.m.
12-218 V. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
(Item of action)
Vice President Rosenthal, supported by Trustee Kaplan, moved to approve the agenda.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Barney Newman, Rosenthal
NAYS: None
Motion passed 6-0.
12-219 VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF OCTOBER 15, 2012
(Item of action)
Trustee Head, supported by Trustee Kaplan, moved to approve the minutes of October 15, 2012.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Barney Newman, Rosenthal
NAYS: None
Motion passed 6-0.
12-220 VII. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS
Ingrid Sheldon
Hi, my name is Ingrid Sheldon and I am here tonight representing other than myself, Ellie Serras and the rest of the Our New Downtown Committee and we even have a couple more members of our committee here tonight. Though this committee worked very hard for the passage of the new downtown library bond, we are needlessly to say disappointed that it failed at the polls. That we did not convince the majority of the voters to support this investment in our community. But we are excited that we got so much of the Ann Arbor community talking about this community core institution, the Ann Arbor District Library. No one seemed to have real disparaging remarks about the importance of library services, we all love our library. In fact the quality of the service is recognized even nationally, perhaps the community takes all that you do for granted. When I visited the Traverwood Branch this afternoon almost every sitting surface and work station had someone at it. Mentors with mentees, small groups of middle school students working together, neighbors who do not have computers working at those available at the district library. Someone was even skyping to China and others were working or sitting quietly in the small workrooms. What we as a campaign committee could not convey to the community what that this demand is and will be needed at the main downtown library, the base, the trunk from which the branches draw their nutrients. The infrastructure needs of this building have not gone away with the defeat of the bond. But you now have a tremendous amount of citizen input from which the next community discussion can evolve. Many of us that served on the campaign committee want you to know that we are still willing to help the Ann Arbor District Library be even more than it is already. Thank you for your vision and your attempt to have the downtown main library be a facility that enhances and supports all learning. Thank you.
Lyn Davidge
Good evening, sorry ladies, I’m sure you thought you could get rid of me that easily but I’m back. My campaign to get more people out to board meetings looks like it is taking root. I’m so glad to see so many people here tonight. But of course, I have to set the example, so I’m here to say something and to say it fairly seriously. Although I won’t have an opportunity to join you in January, I think that my message during the campaign did resonate with a lot of the voters as evidenced but the number of votes that I did get. And I believe I have something to contribute to the ongoing discussions about the future of the downtown library. So my main reason for speaking to you tonight is to be if not the first, then one of the first people to volunteer to serve on the one or more citizen advisory committees that I hope you will be setting up around this topic very, very soon. If I’m remembering correctly, Nancy and I have both advocated the citizen advisory committees in the last two campaigns and I hope I’m not misquoting and maybe some of the rest of you have to, I don’t recall. But in the past I think these committees have in fact served a very important supportive role for the board and I think it may be time to, for you to consider bringing them back. As you look at this possibility and look to choosing advisors I’m hoping particular you will look for volunteers among the many talented and experienced people in town, in academia and the business community who can provide or a least point you to those who can provide really, new, up-to-date information about the possibilities or lack of possibilities for renovation of this building. I think there was a chunk of information that was missing during the bond campaign and that had to do with details about renovation or not as the case may be. So, I do hope that represented on your advisory team or whatever shape that takes there will be engineers, architects, folks from the university, folks from Eastern Michigan, people who have commented on AnnArbor.com and Ann Arbor Chronicle very knowledgeable about this. I also hope that as you seek advisors in these coming months you’ll look to the library staff and I don’t mean the administrators and the department heads, I think that there’s lots of interaction with them by board members, but I’m not sure that there’s that much interaction with the staff, the operating staff, the folks that makes this thing go very, very well every single day and I think they could add an important dimension to your discussions. And finally, I’m going to start and you may hear more of these as time goes on, with a modest proposal for improving communication with the community because that was one of the things I was talking about during the campaign. This one you could do tonight and it would be as easy as pie, I think, unless there is something about changing the agenda. One thing you could do is in addition to having citizen comments in the beginning of the meeting is reserve time at the end for people to respond to what has happened during the meeting, if they should choose to do so. You would benefit from some immediate feedback and who knows, maybe, more people would come and more people would want to comment, if they knew that they could in real time as it were, respond to some of your ideas or your discussions. So, you never know until you try and I hope you’ll consider trying it and I thank you very much.
12-221 VIII. FINANCIAL REPORTS
Associate Director Nieman reported October showed unrestricted cash balance just under $15 million. Tax receipts just over $10.6 million, reflecting 95% of the budgeted amount, have been received. The fund balance stands at $7.9 million. Five line items are over budget but are expected to come into line later in the year.
12-222 IX. APPROVAL OF DISBURSEMENTS
(Item of action)
Trustee Head, supported by Vice President Rosenthal, moved to approve the October disbursements.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Barney Newman, Rosenthal
NAYS: None
Motion passed 6-0.
12-223 X. COMMITTEE REPORTS
12-224 A. FACILITIES COMMITTEE
Vice President Rosenthal reported the Facilities Committee met after the failure of the bond proposal and will continue discussion regarding the downtown library building.
12-225 B. BUDGET & FINANCE COMMITTEE
Treasurer Murphy reported the Finance Committee had met and reviewed the draft 2011-2012 audit with Dave Fisher of Rehmann.
12-226 XI. DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Director Parker reported PPT (personal property tax) elimination legislation is now headed back to committee. If no replacement is guaranteed under this legislation AADL will lose approximately $630,000 from the budget.
Director Parker shared that the Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library donated $40,000 to AADL this month. These monies are earmarked for library programming.
Director Parker reported that AADL received notice it is once again a Library Journal 5 Star Library. This is the fifth year in a row this ranking has been received. We are Michigan’s only 5 Star Library. Congratulations and a well done was expressed to all staff.
12-227 XII. NEW BUSINESS
12-228 A. AUDITOR’S REPORT
Sherry Brubaker, Rehmann
Sherry Brubaker presented the Ann Arbor District Library 2011-2012 Audit Report. She reviewed the Management’s Discussion and Analysis section of the audit and balance sheet as of 6/30/12. No material audit adjustments were needed. No material weaknesses were found and a clean opinion was given.
12-229 B. RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT THE 2011-2012 FINANCIAL AUDIT
(Item of action)
Treasurer Murphy, supported by Trustee Head, moved to accept the 2011-2012 financial audit prepared by Rehmann Robson. That all resolutions and parts of resolutions that conflict with the provisions of this resolution are rescinded.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Barney Newman, Rosenthal
NAYS: None
Motion passed 6-0.
12-230 C. VOTE FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THE DECEMBER 17, 2012 REGULAR MEETING FOR OPINION OF LEGAL COUNSEL AND DISCUSSION OF REAL ESTATE
(Item of action)
Roll call vote
Trustee Head, supported by Treasurer Murphy, moved to hold an Executive Session at the December 17, 2012 regular Board meeting for opinion of legal counsel and discussion of real estate.
A roll call vote was taken.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Barney Newman, Rosenthal
NAYS: None
Motion passed 6-0.
12-231 XIII. ADJOURNMENT
Treasurer Murphy, supported by Vice President Rosenthal, moved to adjourn the meeting.
President Leary adjourned the meeting at 7:34 p.m.