September 18, 2007 Minutes

Anyone requiring these minutes in an alternate format, such as large type, Braille or an audiotape, please contact the Library at 384-3150.

Location: Central Services Building, 5205 Northwest Dr., Bellingham, WA 98226.
(Note: “Library” refers to the Whatcom County Library System-WCLS.)

1. Call To Order: The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Chair Amory Peck. A quorum was determined.

Roll Call: Trustees Present: Amory Peck, Nina Cox, Donna-Lee Elke, Jan Hunter
Trustee Absent: Janet Boyhan
Director: Joan Airoldi
Staff: Jeff Lazenby, Geoff Fitzpatrick, Sigrid Brorson, Sally Crouse, Robin Barker, Lizz Roberts, Susan Johns, Aubri Keleman, Lisa Gresham

2. Public Comment There was no public comment.

3. Minutes:

August 21, 2007
Regular Board Meeting:

The minutes of the August 21, 2007 regular Board meeting were reviewed.

Ms. Elke suggested adding the following sentence to the information recorded under item #5 Preliminary Budget Planning:
Mr. Lazenby explained under present legislation, the library rate could be as high as $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, but currently the increase in property taxes can only be 1% per year, plus new construction.

Mr. Lazenby pointed out a period that should be a comma in a financial figure in the third paragraph of item #5 Preliminary Budget Planning.

Moved by Ms. Cox to approve the minutes of the August 21, 2007 regular Board meeting with the changes noted. Seconded, carried.

4. Financial Report and Resolutions:

a. Expenditures: Mr. Lazenby reported on the August and September expenditures.

August 2007 payroll Nos. 4793-4953: $272,467.80.
August 2007 second set of claims Nos. 1-88: $144,542.37.
September 2007 first set of claims Nos. 1-195: $128,356.93.

Ms. Cox moved to approve the August and September payroll and claims. Seconded, carried.

4. Financial Report

b. Resolutions Mr. Lazenby presented the following resolution:

09/18/07-18
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
WHATCOM COUNTY RURAL LIBRARY DISTRICT
SUPPLEMENTING THE 2007 BUDGET

Moved by Ms. Hunter to approve resolution 09/18/07-18. Seconded, carried.

4. Financial Report

c. Budget Report Mr. Lazenby directed the attention of the Trustees to the August 2007 month end report. He reported that the expenditures are running slightly under budget for the month of August.

Mr. Lazenby and Ms. Airoldi were very pleased to report that another very successful financial audit has been concluded for the period January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2006. The audit was clean with no findings or management letters.

The auditors recommended the following two actions:
• Evaluate the cash management system at the branches.
• Update our Asset Policy.

Ms. Airoldi commended Mr. Teeter for shouldering much of the work during the audit while Mr. Lazenby was gone. His “calm during the storm” was greatly appreciated. She also commended Mr. Lazenby for the preparatory work that led to this successful audit.

Ms. Peck said she feels fortunate from the point of view of a board member to have this history of good audits. She believes it will help with anything we may take to the voters. Mr. Lazenby said he plans to put a copy of the audit report in the 2008 budget.

5. 2008 Budget:

a. Baseline Discussion Results The Trustees discussed their impressions and observations after reading the director’s “Baseline” report. This document reports staff impressions of things are “on the dark side,” “need work,” or are “going well” at WCLS.

Items mentioned in the discussion included:
• Workload comments.
• There are many comments in the “going well” column and not so many in the “dark side.”
• Color printers, including the Friends’ interest in providing these.
• The darkest “dark side” is the loss of PAMS. The RFP is being issued today.
• Timesheets: the main problem is for staff who work in multiple branches. Filling out electronic timesheets requires logging off and back on which takes time.
• Substitutes, a number of issues.

Ms. Cox complimented Ms. Airoldi and Ms. Brorson on the choice of Jeannette Blankenship as the new Ferndale Branch manager. The Trustees requested Ms. Blankenship be scheduled to come to a board meeting soon so they can meet her.

5b. 2008 Budget Planning Progress & Retreat Agenda Mr. Lazenby reported that the departments are currently working on their
non-personnel budget items planning. COLA figures are expected to be announced
September 19.

The Board budget retreat is planned for Oct. 2, from 1:00 to 4:00 at CS.

Mr. Lazenby referred to the report included in the handout packet entitled Assessed Valuations, Tax Rates and Taxes Levied Within the Various Taxing Districts of Whatcom County for 2005, 2006. A pie chart on page two shows how the Whatcom County property tax dollar is distributed. The library’s share is 2.37% and the chart shows how that figure compares to other agencies.

A chart titled Taxing Authority by Individual District shows the levy rate going down from .46706 in 2006 to .37481 in 2007. Whatcom County Assessor Keith Willnauer says that the appreciation rate of property values was about 30% at one point but the values are beginning to stabilize. He told Mr. Lazenby at a recent meeting that, for next year the new construction amount will be about the same as this year, but the levy rate will go down because the assessment of property is catching up with the dramatic increase in property values in Whatcom County.

Mr. Lazenby presented a second draft of his handout: WCLS Budget Talking Points. Mr. Willnauer stated that the median market price of a home in Whatcom County is $277,000 at this time. The Trustees suggested giving several examples to help communicate as much as possible.

Budget Retreat Agenda:
Ms. Airoldi told the Trustees a rough draft of the budget will be ready for the budget retreat and asked for suggestions of any background documents that would be useful.
• Ms. Elke asked for rough drafts of the department budgets.
• Ms. Cox asked for an excel document showing what the budget would look like if it stayed at 1%. Ms. Airoldi pointed out that the increase has been higher than 1% because of the funds from new construction.

6. Purchase of Mt. Baker School District Property Ms. Airoldi announced that the Fire District has authorized that the check for their part of this purchase be cut. The Library District check has already been prepared. The School district will be receiving three checks: one from the Friends of the North Fork Community Library, one from the Library District, and one from the Fire District. They will be issuing two deeds at closing. A three way purchase and sale agreement is now being drafted. Ms. Airoldi asked that she be authorized to sign on behalf of the library district.

In regard to the letter that was authorized at the August Library Board meeting regarding what would happen to the property if a library is never built, an agreement between the Library District and the Friends has been drafted by Atty. Deborra Garrett instead of a letter. This document needs to be discussed with the Friends but does not need to be signed before the purchase is completed.
Ms. Elke moved to authorize Ms. Airoldi to sign for the purchase of the Mt. Baker property not to exceed $100,000. Seconded, carried.

Moved by Ms. Cox to authorize Ms. Airoldi to complete and sign the agreement with the Friends of the North Fork Community Library.
Seconded.

Ms. Hunter said she is very uncomfortable placing a time limit on the project. She asked for more specifics about what is expected within five years and mentioned that it is possible the entire Board could be different by then. After a short discussion, Ms. Cox withdrew her motion. The item was referred to the Facilities Committee with a request to bring a recommendation to the October Board meeting.

7. Policy Updates: The FMLA policy has been revised, the appendix has been updated to clarify what qualifies and what does not qualify as a serious illness, and the request form was changed. The revisions have been reviewed by the policy committee.

Moved by Ms. Cox to accept the revision of the FMLA policy. Seconded, carried.

Ms Barker explained the reasons for the revisions to the Borrower’s Policy and the Internet Use Policy: Ms. Sarette and Ms. Keleman are interested in doing more to promote registrations for library cards, particularly among teens. The current policy requires applications be mailed home to parents and is not set up to enable handing out applications at public events or school functions.

A committee of Branch Managers and Coordinators made the decision to create a basic form that allows either filtered internet access or no internet access. Upon receiving the signed form, library staff will mail out a packet that includes an introduction to the library system for parents/guardians. Ms. Barker explained that in order to put these changes into effect, the Borrower’s Policy and the Internet Use Policy must both be modified.

Ms. Hunter moved to approve the changes to the Borrower’s Policy and the Internet Use Policy. Seconded, carried.

The Board took a 10 minute break at 10:40 a.m.

8. Strategic Plan Progress Ms. Roberts handed out the third draft of the Strategic Plan document intended for the general public. Ms. Airoldi said that the text was reduced due to encouragement from Ms. Elke to shorten the copy. Everything, including colors, font, and layout are subject to change pending the result of the work of the Identity Task Force with graphic artist Julie de Foer. There was discussion regarding various elements of the design—what should be placed where, what kinds of pictures and how many.

Ms. Roberts asked the Trustees’ opinion as to whether the published strategic plan is primarily for library users or non-library users.
• Ms. Hunter said her understanding has been that it is for library users.
• Ms. Cox thinks it is for a broad audience and primarily has a public relations function. She believes it should have multiple uses.
• Ms. Elke thinks it should contain the roles, values and principles of the library. She believes it is an external document that shows we have a plan. In her opinion that is why it is so important it be written in a way people outside of the system can understand and will want to read.

9. Facilities Plan Progress: Ms. Airoldi reported that she, Ms. Brorson and Mr. Lazenby met with architect Dave King selected from the RFP process. He will be visiting the branches to assess building needs. He will work on demographic analysis and include library statistical information. The results of his work will help inform the decision of whether to have a full county wide capital facilities bond measure or hold local elections for branches in specific areas.

10. Committee Reports: Whatcom County Library Foundation: Ms. Airoldi reported the Foundation Board has received an application for Board membership from a resident of Sudden Valley. If after attending the October meeting, she decides to join, then the Board will have the full complement of 10 members for the first time since being established.

Ms. Hunter reported that the group is currently working on financial policies in preparation for an audit at some point in the future. The Foundation is host of the WCLS annual Friends Gathering this year.

Personnel: Ms. Elke handed out copies of the draft of the Director’s mid year review to the Trustees in line with the changed calendar for this process. The following special meetings regarding the Director’s evaluation are scheduled so that the review is completed along with the library’s fiscal year:
October 16, 7:00 a.m., CS Conference Room
November 20, 7:00 a.m., Lynden Conference Room

11. Community Relations Coordinator Report Ms. Roberts reviewed her written report, making note of the highlights in the area of Strategic Plan, Community Relations, Press, Foundation, and Friends. She said she expects the Identity work to be done by mid November.
12. Summer Reading Reports & Related Plans Children’s and Teen Summer Reading: Aubri Keleman
Ms. Keleman reported both the Children’s summer reading and the Teen summer reading statistics were up this year with more participants than last year and presented a PowerPoint to illustrate her comments. The Teen program in particular grew with 86 more participants and 300+ more reviews than last year. Ms. Keleman had a lot of compliments for the work done by Ms. Johns as her assistant and also for her summer reading program at the Everson branch. Ms. Johns told some stories about what she does to get teens involved.

Ms. Keleman described how the teen blog took off in a new direction this year when she changed the format to allow participants to comment on each other’s posts. An author even responded to a teen’s post about her book! The conversation has been very vital and the added dimension has led to more posting. One of the discussions was about intellectual freedom. She also told the teens about the playaways which the kids got really excited about.

Upcoming events:
• Whatcomics October: 2; Manga artists coming up from Seattle
• Library Card Campaign Oct 15-Dec 19
• TAG group at Lynden and Deming
• Author Ann Rinaldi chat room online
• Teens Teaching Teens: grant from Foundation
• Summer Reading 2008

As part of her Fall programming, Ms. Keleman requested a waiver of fines for 9th graders.

Moved by Ms. Hunter to grant a waiver of fines for 9th graders. Seconded, carried.

Ms. Keleman asked for a $15 limit. Mr. Lazenby said a fine waiver requires a resolution which he will prepare and bring to the October Board meeting.

Adult Summer Reading:
Ms. Gresham reported that this is the first year WCLS has had an Adult Summer Reading program. Ms. Gresham said she wanted to make the program simple and fun so she made the materials herself using ALA graphics, and called the program “Summer Sleuthing.” Feedback was very positive, with 444 forms returned representing 10 books each. The biggest participation came from Blaine and the Bookmobile. She distributed 46 prizes, received $770 in donations. Every business she visited gave more than she asked for. She estimates she spent about 30 hours on adult summer reading.

13. Technology Update In the interest of time, the Technology Update was postponed until October.
14. Library News Ms. Brorson handed out a written report of Library News.

15. Director’s Report Ms. Airoldi submitted a written Director’s Report. Topics included:
• Fall Reading List: books to use to create a better library system
• Research on Communicating the Library’s Fiscal Picture
• Celebrating 5 years of service
Announcements and Bouquets: Mr. Lazenby announced he has received eight applications from around the county for the Citizen’s Advisory Committee dealing with the library’s fiscal picture. The deadline for applying has been extended to the end of September and ideally a consultant will be selected to work with staff on this project.

Thanks were again extended to Kyle Teeter for all his help during the audit and to the whole department staff for their efforts.

October 16, 2007 Board Meeting: The October 16, 2007 Board Meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. at Central Services building.

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 12.20 p.m.