LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD UNAPPROVED
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 7, 2008
Session 08-09 a Regular Meeting of the Library
Advisory Board was called to order on October 7, 2008 at 6:03 pm by Chair
Michael Hawfield at the Homer City Hall Cowles Conference Room located at 491
E. Pioneer Avenue, Homer, Alaska.
PRESENT: BOARDMEMBERS
MARTIN, WAGNER, LORD, HAWFIELD, SEAMAN, FAULKNER, LARSON
STAFF: LIBRARY
DIRECTOR HILL
DEPUTY
CITY CLERK KRAUSE
Approval of the Agenda
FAULKNER/WAGNER – MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
Lord/hawfield - requested
the agenda to be amended to allow Boardmember Wagner to give her reports since
she had to leave early for a prior commitment.
There was no discussion.
The amended agenda was approved by consensus of the
Boardmembers.
Public Comments Regarding Items on the Agenda
There were no public
comments.
Reconsideration
There were no items for reconsideration.
Approval of the Minutes
A.
Regular Meeting
Minutes from September 2, 2008
LORD/SEAMAN – moved to aPPROVE the minutes from the
last meeting as AMENDED.
Boardmembers
Lord and Faulkner noted two corrections to the minutes regarding Library hours
and comments.
VOTE.
YES. NON-OBJECTION. UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
Motion
carried.
Visitors and Communications
A. Friends Report –
Boardmember
Lord stated she did speak with Friends Boardmember Elaine Burgess to review the
topics discussed at the last meeting. She herself did not attend the meeting
and she will be unable to attend a Friends meeting for the remainder of the
year as she teaches a class on Wednesdays.
The
topics discussed were the upcoming Book and Plant Sale, the Flag Presentation
and the need for new boardmembers. The next meeting will be October 15, 2008,
however it was not definite they would have a quorum.
Library
Director Hill reported that she did attend the meeting and Boardmember Lord’s
report was accurate.
There
was no further discussion.
Library Director’s Report
A. Director’s Report for October
2008
Library
Director Hill reviewed her report for the Boardmembers. She commented about
receiving a suggestion this past month regarding placement of a bench under the
awning at the entrance. Boardmember Martin reported that she has not received
confirmation from Parks Maintenance Coordinator Hagerty regarding placement of
the order for the benches. It was noted that Ms. Hagerty was on vacation by
staff. Boardmember Martin stated she did call before Ms. Hagerty went on
vacation, she went into the public works office, and she spoke to Public Works
Director Meyer personally about getting these benches ordered. She has not been
contacted or able to speak to anyone to confirm that the benches were
definitely ordered.
There
was further discussion regarding previous trouble with vandalism, but that
placement of a convex mirror at the entrance did help with that problem and the
banned books display using chained books to express our freedom to read.
Boardmember Martin asked the status on the parking signs that were ordered last
year and Library Director Hill responded that she has been unable to focus
attention on the follow-up with Public Works due to other more pressing
matters. She will try to meet with the Public Works Director Meyer to check on
the status before the next meeting.
Chair
Hawfield requested information from Library Director Hill regarding the request
she submitted to Public Works. He did not feel that Public Works was giving
serious attention to the Board’s requests. He understood that the department is
very busy but the requests the Library Advisory Board has submitted are very
minor. He will draw up a memo to submit to City Manager Wrede regarding all the
issues that have not been addressed by public works. The Boardmembers were very
concerned about going through another winter season with the handicapped
parking spaces not being designated.
Library
Director Hill responded to an inquiry regarding the procedures or policies
regarding donating books. She clarified that books can be donated anytime and
actually they have room for more donations.
There
was no further discussion.
B.
Monthly Statistics –
October 2008
Library
Director Hill reviewed the statistics. They showed that things were dropping
off a little. She had a good meeting with Ms. Carey James, the new Coordinator
for Friends, regarding incorporating the Friends volunteer hours into her
monthly report. This will be a more accurate reflection of the total volunteer
hours and programs.
She
has not yet submitted the grant application to the Rasmussen Foundation. She
confirmed that the annual grant received from the State is used to stretch the
book budget.
Library
Director Hill reported about another organizational grant that would benefit
the Friends that is available.
Chair
Hawfield offered to assist Library Director Hill with the applications.
There
was no further discussion.
Committee Reports
A. Art Selection Committee Report – Eileen
Faulkner
Boardmember
Faulkner reported that more pictures of Fireweed in Fall were received from
MacNeil Canyon Elementary and will be on display soon in the Children’s Room;
at the last selection meeting it was agreed that the request for art will be
released again and local artists will have until December 1, 2008 to submit
their work for consideration. A notice has been distributed to all the art
galleries. A public service message will be aired by KBBI and a notice will be
printed in the Homer News and Homer Tribune. Discussion evolved regarding
soliciting work from individual artists and using larger pieces of work in the
higher areas; having the advertisement placed in the culture section of the
newspapers; once the program is started the Boardmembers agreed they will get
ample submissions.
The
hanging of the Machetanz was finally settled. Public Works Director Meyer did
the work himself. Boardmember Lord inquired about the light issue. Chair
Hawfield stated he made a decision to hang the painting and over the following
year to take light tests. There will be no degradation or harm caused to the
painting in that length of time. This will allow the painting to be hung for
everyone to enjoy. He noted that testing equipment will be loaned to them and
he can read the meter. This test will be conducted quarterly. Testing will be
arranged with Library Director Hill. The first test can be conducted as soon as
the third week of October. Chair Hawfield asked to be notified as soon as the
painting was hung so he could perform the first test.
Boardmember
Lord inquired about the Flag ceremony being held on October 20, 2008 at 6:00
p.m. Library Director Hill explained that the Library is being presented with
one of the original 49 star flags. Chair Hawfield will be conducting a
discussion on democracy and political process with a playoff of an initiative.
Boardmember Lord offered to be present and read something as the State Writer.
Chair Hawfield thanked her for the offer.
There
was no further discussion.
B. Landscape Committee Report – Kyra
Wagner
1.
Landscape Committee
Synopsis
Boardmember Wagner reported that she has been
collecting fireweed seed; Boardmember Martin has spread the Lupine seed; they
talked about fireweed for the east side of the building; it was decided to make
a permanent funding mechanism or landscape person a top priority. Chair
Hawfield commented that he did speak with City Manager Wrede. It was planned to
re-appropriate those remaining funds for a new purpose and was to be
accomplished in the next two months.
Boardmember Wagner confirmed that three benches were
ordered. She also commented that the mulch used on the Margaret Pate Garden had
grass seed in it and with the high volume of rain the cornstarch did not desiccate
the seeds. She reported that all plants that were planted are doing well. The
grass that was growing in the area of the parking lot has been taken care of by
the contractor on direction from Boardmember Martin.
Chair Hawfield stated he would like to add a few
comments regarding landscaping. He did have a draft copy of the memo he sent to
the City Manager regarding the estimates for the wire fencing have not been
received and a seasonal employee for one day each week using the funds
currently unspent from the Landscaping. He also included the benches.
These memos will be included in the November packet.
There was a brief discussion on changing the meeting
time to accommodate Boardmembers Wagner and Larson temporary schedules. It was
noted that November would be the last time they would be required to leave
early. It was agreed the Board could amend the agenda to accommodate
Boardmembers Larson and Wagner early departure from the meeting.
Boardmember Martin inquired about placement of a
bench at the entrance, she commented on the pathways to the various gardens.
There was no further discussion.
C. Library
Sign Task Force
Boardmember
Wagner stated that a new RFP would be released. This has a due date for the end
of January. This will allow the new Coordinator for the Friends, Carey James to
promote the request for proposal (RFP). This is expected to receive a better
response. There were no changes to the RFP. It was reviewed and believed to be
very clear in what was required and expected from the proposers. The tentative
schedule is for the Library Advisory Board to review the proposals during the
February meeting. The chosen proposal will then go before the Planning
Commission and City Council for approval with production, installation being
scheduled for March through May of next year.
There was no further discussion.
Public Hearing
None.
Pending Business
A. Survey
-
Chair Hawfield addressed submitting a summary to the
City Manager and suggested using Boardmember Lord’s letter, as it was a good summary
of the Survey.
The Boardmembers agreed by consensus to submit the
letter to be included in the next City Council packet. Chair Hawfield will
attend that council meeting.
Further discussion included submitting copies of the
detailed survey results to City Councilmembers. It was determined that if City
Councilmembers wished to see the individual results a copy could be provided to
them by the Clerks Office.
There was no further discussion.
B. Library
Improvement Plan
Chair Hawfield did not have any items under this to
discuss at this meeting. Boardmember Lord recommended that they stay focused on
the suggestions from the survey.
There was further discussion on the status of the
remaining funds from the landscape budget. It was questioned whether they
should purchase the fencing materials and comments from the Boardmembers were
noted that issue has been stonewalled.
There boardmembers agreed by consensus that the
fences were needed to keep people out of the gardens and using them as
short-cuts and creating spontaneous trails. This will be included in a memo to
City Manager Wrede.
There was no discussion.
C. Library
– Comments, Responses, Issues and Challenges.
Boardmember Wagner reported that there have been
discussions since the building has been built regarding the mechanical systems.
People who did not participate in the construction of the building have looked
at the systems and have commented on them greatly. Mr. Bill Smith, city
resident and project manager for Puffin Electric does not approve of the system
as it is currently set up, but he is aware that adjustments can be done. Since
it is all mechanical you can program how often the air in the building
circulates; there are CO2 monitors that can determine due to occupancy levels
how often to circulate the air and expel the warm air outside; this offers a
better indoor environment however does nothing to conserve energy. Boardmember
Wagner did speak with Brian Hirsh who is the Sustainability Coordinator for the
City. He admitted that they were not planning to look at the Library since it
was already LEED certified. Mr. Smith took Mr. Hirsh on a tour of the Library.
Mr. Smith pointed out the system “tweaks” that were needed. Mr. Hirsh was
unaware that the computer that operated the system was here but is monitored by
a firm in Anchorage via the Internet. He offered to hire Mr. Smith as a
subcontractor, which Mr. Smith turned down, and offered his services for free.
Mr. Smith was denied access to the computer system by Public Works so he submitted
a list of “wants” off that computer to the City and has not received a response
as of yet.
Boardmember Wagner reminded the Boardmembers that if
they want to send a memo to the city to address the energy efficiency this
would be appropriate to include that they do have Deerstone Consulting and it
was a concern of the survey also.
Discussion evolved
regarding the procedures that would be required to access the computer, getting
something else accomplished by Public Works; and sending a memo to the City
Manager regarding this problem. Chair Hawfield asked for some specifics to
include in the memorandum to City Manager Wrede.
There was no further
discussion.
NEW BusinesS
None.
Informational Materials
A. Letter from Nancy Lord to Homer News Point of View September
11, 2008
Library Director Hill
requested the letter be included in the Council packet for the meeting
scheduled on October 13, 2008. The Clerk will double check but felt it would be
timely to include in the packet.
Chair Hawfield will attend
that meeting to speak a few words about the summation of the information
generated from the survey.
Boardmember Lord received
no comments regarding her piece in the newspaper and inquired if anyone else
heard or received comments. She did circulate it to everyone prior to
distribution and Library Director Hill submitted constructive advice.
Deputy City Clerk explained
correspondence between the Boardmembers, even email must be conducted through
the clerk’s office in the future so that no Boardmember is accused of
impropriety or information being withheld from the public. This action is
classified as having a meeting that the public is not privy to which therefore
makes it illegal.
There was no further
discussion.
B. Ordinance 08-24(S-2)(A)
Deputy City Clerk Krause
gave a brief summary of the new ordinance and answered questions regarding
submittal of the disclosure form. She confirmed that this form was required
each year in November.
None.
COMMENTS OF THE CITY STAFF
Library Director Hill will be attending the yearly
retreat in Girdwood this week. She will be unavailable until later in the
month.
Deputy City Clerk Krause had no comments.
Comments from the Board
Boardmember Martin commented on her trip to Soldotna
and visit to the Library there.
Boardmember Lord had no further comments.
Boardmember Seaman had no comments.
Vice Chair Faulkner had no comments.
Boardmembers Larson and Wagner left at 6:25 p.m.
COMMENTS OF THE CHAIR
Chair Hawfield commented on the radio show Talk of
Alaska. He thanked everyone for his or her attendance. He thanked Boardmember
Lord for writing the letter for the newpaper. He hoped to see everyone at the
Flag Ceremony on October 20, 2008 at 6:00 p.m.
There being no further business to come before the Board,
Chair Hawfield adjourned the meeting at 7:30 p.m. The next Regular
Meeting is scheduled for November 4, 2008 at 6:00 pm in the City Hall
Conference Room located upstairs at 491 E. Pioneer Avenue, Homer, Alaska.
Renee
Krause, Deputy City Clerk I
Approved: