AADL Board Meeting - February 28, 2022

Mon, 02/28/2022 - 1:36pm

When: February 28, 2022 at Downtown Library: 4th Floor Meeting Room

Watch the February 28, 2022 Meeting of the AADL Board of Trustees. Select an agenda item below to jump to that point in the transcript. For more information, please see the Board Packet for this meeting.

22-025 I. CALL TO ORDER Jim Leija, President
22-026 II. ATTENDANCE
22-027 III. RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION FOR DISCUSSION OF LABOR NEGOTIATIONS AND DIRECTOR’S EVALUATION
22-028 IV. RECONVENE TO REGULAR MEETING AT 7:00PM
22-029 V. APPROVAL OF AGENDA (Item of action)
22-030 VI. CONSENT AGENDA (Item of action)
CA-1 Approval of Minutes of January 24, 2022
CA-2 Approval of January 2022 Disbursements
22-031 VII. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS
22-032 VIII. FINANCIAL REPORTS Eli Neiburger, Deputy Director
22-033 IX. LIBRARY REPORT Sherlonya Turner, Associate Director
22-034 X. OLD BUSINESS
21-162 A. DISCUSSION OF LIBRARY DIRECTOR SEARCH Jim Leija, Chair (Item of discussion)
22-035 XI. NEW BUSINESS
22-036 A. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING O’NEAL CONSTRUCTION INC. FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR PARKLAND PLAZA FACILITY Len Lemorie, Associate Director (Item of discussion & action)
22-037 B. RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION TO DIRECTOR JOSIE PARKER ON HER RETIREMENT (Item of action)
22-038 C. VOTE FOR CLOSED SESSION AT THE END OF TONIGHT’S BOARD MEETING FOR DISCUSSION OF REAL ESTATE (Item of action)
22-039 D. VOTE FOR CLOSED SESSION AT THE MARCH 22, 2022 REGULAR BOARD MEETING FOR DISCUSSION OF REAL ESTATE AND LABOR NEGOTIATIONS (Item of action)
22-040 XII. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS
22-041 XIII. RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION FOR DISCUSSION OF REAL ESTATE
22-042 XIV. RECONVENE TO REGULAR MEETING
22-043 XV. ADJOURNMENT

For more information, see aadl.org/aboutus/board.

Transcript

[00:01:22] JIM LEIJA: [MUSIC] All right, everyone. Welcome. I'm calling us to order. These little café tables don't allow for the spreading out of papers that I'm used to at my home office. Can we take attendance? Thank you, Karen. We're coming back from our closed session. I just want to note that today is of course, a momentous occasion for us. Up there she is. As we're saying goodbye to our library director, Josie Parker, who has been here at the library for over 20 years, and this is her last official day in her service to AADL. I know we have some folks who'd like to speak to her and about her. We're also later in the agenda looking at our semi-finalists for our new director of search. Can I have a motion to approve the agenda?
[00:05:29] KERENE MOORE: Moved.
[00:05:29] JIM LEIJA: Thank you.
[00:05:30] DHARMA AKMON: Seconded.
[00:05:31] JIM LEIJA: Thank you. Discussion. I actually need to amend the agenda. In speaking with the staff, we have decided that we're going to strike item A in new business. We're going to bring that back to the agenda next month. I'm moving for an amended agenda that strikes Item A in new business. Can I have a motion for the amendment?
[00:06:05] ONNA SOLOMON: Moved.
[00:06:06] KERENE MOORE: Seconded.
[00:06:07] JIM LEIJA: Thank you. Any further discussion about the agenda? All in favor? Yes.
[00:06:18] DHARMA AKMON: Yes.
[00:06:18] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: Yes.
[00:06:19] JIM LEIJA: Any opposed? Agenda moves along. Can I have a motion to approve the consent agenda?
[00:06:30] ONNA SOLOMON: Moved.
[00:06:31] JIM LEIJA: Thank you to whoever that was behind the mask. [LAUGHTER] I think was it Onna first? Then a second.
[00:06:40] KERENE MOORE: Second.
[00:06:40] JIM LEIJA: Thank you, Kerene. Any discussion on the consent agenda? There's none. All in favor say yes.
[00:06:49] BOARD MEMBERS: Yes.
[00:06:50] JIM LEIJA: Any opposed? That moves us right into citizens' comments. Karen.
[00:06:59] KAREN WILSON: The first person on the list is Prue Rosenthal.
[00:07:05] JIM LEIJA: Welcome Prue.
[00:07:08] PRUE ROSENTHAL: Hello everybody. I am here to say about four words because there are other people coming behind me. I was on the board the shortest time of the three of us. For that time, I was on the board, I loved every minute. I was on the board for a little bit with with Jim and a little bit with Jamie. I was on the board always when Josie was in charge of the library. I first met Josie when I was chair of an organization called The Ladies Library Association which you'll hear more about. It's an organization that has for a long time bought art books, videos are all things that are for the library over a long period of time. I came in, I was new as a chair of a committee and I was probably pretty soon after you became director because it was a while ago. I sat down and we chit-chatted a little bit and I asked Josie where she was from and she says she was from Laurel, Mississippi. I happen to have two friends of my parents when I was growing up also lived in Washington but also came from rural Mississippi. Right away, I knew where she was from and we had a connection that we made over that. That started a wonderful friendship which I had for the years until I became--with her on the board. Josie taught me, I think she taught all of us, but I'm speaking for myself about not only how a library should be run, but what a library is and who the library is for. Challenge does to help her, Eli and his staff to think about what libraries can do for people. We did all the things that you're doing now, but we also were invited to look at the bigger picture as to how libraries function and who they function for. I really hadn't thought about it until she introduced me and I think many of us. I thank you profusely for that. You did. You were a wonderful guide for us and I love being on the board when you were on the board, and I appreciate it so much. Thank you. I hope you-all enjoyed as much as I did.
[00:09:23] JIM LEIJA: Thank you. Prue. [APPLAUSE]
[00:09:23] JOSIE PARKER: I’m going to be out of order and I’m just going to say that Prue and I talked about Laurel, her friend’s last name was Wisner and there are buildings in Laurel named Wisner. The only plae in town that anybody does any kind of fine arts. As an elementary school child the first time I saw a play on a stage was at the Wisner building.
[00:10:00] JIM LEIJA: Welcome Jan.
[00:10:02] JAN BARNEY NEWMAN: Thank you. Prue’s four words, grew a bit. [LAUGHTER] She was attracted to the microphone, and I'm attracted to familiar faces that I remember before you were members of board and when you were members and president of the board and when you were running for the board, I still have a campaign poster in my garage for you if you run again. [LAUGHTER] Other familiar faces here, especially Jim. I known Jim for a long time. But I'm not supposed to talk about me [LAUGHTER] so it'll be harder for me to figure something to say [LAUGHTER] out of this situation. I'm also a member of Ladies' Library Association, which Prue mentioned and we knew each other in that sense because as you heard earlier, if not today but yesterday, about the Ladies' Library Association, which is a 150 years old and now considering changing its name to something else because our new treasure is embarrassed when she goes into the office of her diet of the stock market to say, I'm here to talk about Ladies' Library and they all say, Ladies' Library? [LAUGHTER] We're going to hold on to that and see what really happens, but we've decided we're not ashamed of being ladies and you’re not ashamed of being a librarian. [LAUGHTER] But I'm also here because I didn't know much about libraries. I had various businesses in town and taught at Tappan in public schools. But the library told me what my community was about. When Josie, decided that indeed she wanted to bring more to the library than perhaps had been expected of the library director, she took a course in business at Harvard. That's a surprising thing to do. But she made up this institution one that familiarizes the community at large with its mission and govern that creates that mission by what works with the community. It strengthens our community. It makes it unusual community library and look at all of our branches and how well they function. I'm very proud to have been illuminated to that fact, through Josie and Eli, and very proud of an association and your continued deference. I also want to introduce to you the next speaker who really has something to say, [NOISE] because he was the first elected member of the board after the library became a district library. For 22 years he served on that board before he got to sit next to me in the library board meetings, and we just realized when we were looking at and you all see that we couldn't have whispered to each other. [LAUGHTER] I would like to introduce Ed. Are you awake Ed?
[00:13:41] EDWARD SUROVELL: I am here.
[00:13:42] JAN BARNEY NEWMAN: Okay. Then you're the next speaker.
[00:13:44] EDWARD SUROVELL: All right. I need to start by saying that I forgot something. I remember lots of things. Karen's telephone number [LAUGHTER] Is it not? [OVERLAPPING] But I have, [LAUGHTER] for years kept in a dresser drawer, which I forgot this evening, which little twigs made into pencils and erasers, which I meant to bring. I will bring them to you, Josie later on because I suspect you don't have any anymore. These were souvenirs of two of our branches, and it is worth saying that one of the things that is most important of all was the addition of better facilities sadly lacking the replacement of this one which looks beautiful [LAUGHTER] and I thank you. Although I agree with Jim, that it would have been no fun sitting in these [LAUGHTER] we couldn't visit with each other at any rate. [LAUGHTER] I wanted to say that when Mary Anne left us and I have subsequently visited Mary Anne a number of times in Orlando, she was a dear friend and we were to pick a new director. We did not go through a national search, although there were those on the board that wanted us to do so and created some conflict. But the decision amongst the very small committee that was appointed to choose a temporary director took us, I don't know, minutes maybe, and Mary Anne's greatest gift to the library was Josie. What we knew then was that she was the person we wanted in this case. She had the confidence of everyone who knew her. She had my confidence from the day I met her when she ran me down, or chased me down on Main Street in Chelsea to give me hell.
[00:16:54] JOSIE PARKER: I did?
[00:16:56] EDWARD SUROVELL: You did. [LAUGHTER]
[00:17:00] JOSIE PARKER: What are you talking about? [LAUGHTER]
[00:17:03] EDWARD SUROVELL: I had an office in Chelsea at the time, and I had walked into the library there and offered to give them a big fat, very expensive book. Those who in America, which Josie later pointed out to me on the street, that they had no business wasting their money on, but I happen to have a copy of that I didn't want and she was very sweet about it but very direct, and she's been both sweet and direct ever since. [LAUGHTER] What we knew when we asked her to be acting director was that she had a confidence, what we did not know was that she was a giant and that for the 20 years she has served this library, she has been like no other before her because I think everyone else has said everything that needs to be said. I can simply say that I will miss her. I am certain that AADL will miss her because she's going on to an equestrian world that I wake up with every morning in my life. I know that you will be happy and that we will be the better for it. Thank you for the honor of serving under you for all those years. [APPLAUSE]
[00:18:41] KAREN WILSON: We have a letter from the friends of the Ann Arbor District Library, and it says, congratulations, Josie from the friends of the Ann Arbor Library board and all our volunteers. Thank you, Josie, for making our library system a five-star one that is allowed for all libraries over Michigan in the United States. Thank you for hiring an amazing staff who prove their mettle during the pandemic, offering support of all kinds to our community. Thank you for managing the AADL budgets so ably that you've created new branches and provided new services to meet the evolving needs of the Ann Arbor area. Thank you for supporting the panel or FAADL with your perspective, council, and understanding, and thank you for your outstanding leadership and best of luck learning to sail. [LAUGHTER] The next one we hear about in the list is Alan Haber.
[00:19:59] ALAN HABER: Hello, board. I'm Alan Haber of the Alan and Odile story that LaRon Williams told yesterday [LAUGHTER] for those of you who were there. First, I'm here to apologize for the distress caused by my question about bringing Juneteenth to the center of the city. You might ask me in great distress, how could I and so to explain LaRon is an old friend. He had those of you who who were there row with me across seas and lakes and climb with me up mountains and hills for the meaning of life and what it is all about. Then he told the story about going through the woods and you just have to keep asking. When the question time came, any questions even political, several children asked and then there was silence and he asked again, anymore. And I had to ask about what he and I had just talked about before his story started for Black History Month. How to get Juneteenth in the Ann Arbor black community celebrating and recognized in the center of our city on June 19th. Usually, the parade and the party are off on the edge Fuller Park to Wheeler Park. Now, true, I'm an activist for the community comments across the Library lane and Liberty Plaza. It is not my project. It was voted into the city charter ideally as a partnership with the library, also a commons. I did not mean to intrude this one's contentious question into the celebration for Josie. I love Josie. I love the work you have done, she has done. I came to join in celebrating her good work. I appreciate that she once called me her avatar. [LAUGHTER] I didn't anticipate LaRon was going to tell me a story, y ou just have to keep asking. But then I do just have to keep asking. We should all see the block as a center of the city, as a partnership between the library and the community commons initiating committee and the whole process through to the creation of a beautiful and deep development in the center of Ann Arbor for the bicentennial and forever as Ann Arbor destination, for everyone of every community can find themselves welcome, safe, and well represented and reflective. And second, that was first as a request not out of place I wish and hope the library board would schedule a meeting or a big time on your agenda to hear the plans of the initiating committee and the green team gardeners and the process underway. We should be partners. It would be good. Thank you.
[00:23:33] JIM LEIJA: Thank you, Alan.
[00:23:42] BETH FITZSIMMONS: Good evening. This is a tribute to Josie Parker. To paraphrase the children's book, Millions of Cats, as the old woman said to her husband, "We have the most beautiful cat in the world. For we have seen hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats." As the former chairman of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Services NCLS, from 2004-2008. I may not have seen thousands of libraries, but I know that Ann Arbor has the best library system in the country. How do I know this? Unbeknownst to you. I was regularly receiving calls from professional recruitment agencies asking about our library and specifically Josie Parker. For well, Josie was adding branch libraries to our system. Many large library systems around the country were dying, either from poor management or poor funding. Although many of the job positions were interesting and more lucrative, Josie chose to stay in Ann Arbor. Clearly, she was well supported by the trustees both the former board and the current one. For that, I say thank you. What then makes this woman so special with that wonderful southern accent? [LAUGHTER] Josie is a library leader, not only in Ann Arbor but in Michigan and around the country. She is often ahead of the curve in many library developments in technologies. She has a unique business acumen [NOISE] and a solid understanding of financial matters. She has developed good partnerships with the city and with the university. But most importantly, as was mentioned earlier, Josie knows her community. This is the key to her success. She knows what people want to read and their needs that the library can meet. [NOISE] She knows why and how libraries need to change and how to keep them relevant. Bridget Lamont a former Illinois State librarian said, Josie Parker is amazing. She is the reason that the Ann Arbor Public Library has thrived. To a good friend and a professional colleague, I wish you Josie, a well-deserved retirement for a job well done for all of us. You have made us proud. [APPLAUSE]
[00:26:43] KAREN WILSON: We have one last one, an audio file, please.
[00:26:43] LARRY NEAL: Hi Josie. This is Larry Neal, your little brother colleague over here at the Clinton-Macomb Public Library. [LAUGHTER] I say little brother because it feels as though I've been looking up to you and trying to follow in your footsteps for the last 20 years. You earned your library degree from Michigan and became the director of a library system you love, then I did. You became the president of the Michigan Library Association. After the dust settles from a badly needed overhaul, then I did. You built awesome library branches which provided inspiration for my new branches. Finally, in a moment of questionable sanity in 2017, I at last caught up to you when we both became adjunct associate clinical professors at the University of Michigan School of Information. Well, I have to admit that I tried taking your course on personnel management, but did not pass. [LAUGHTER] However, as this happens so often over the years, I was inspired by your practical comments on and brilliant approach to running a world-class library system. Just a small snippet of your wisdom caused me to re-think and completely restructured my library system in 2020. Even now, I still find myself asking, what would Josie do when much of the library world is going in one direction, such as closing for the recent snowmageddon and I'm paddling the opposite? Yes. I did check the AADL website just to confirm [LAUGHTER] my thoughts on remaining open. Congratulations on starting a new chapter in your lives tomorrow. Thank you is hardly enough to express my gratitude for your 20 years of inspiration, leadership, vision, and the sharing of your talents for the betterment of your community, the library community, and the library profession. I'm a better director because of you and wish you all the best in the future. [APPLAUSE]
[00:28:44] JIM LEIJA: Thanks, Karen. I love that we are receiving accolades through all forms of media for Josie tonight. I also do want to thank Jan, Prue, and Ed for coming out, especially to celebrate and congratulate Josie on her retirement. These are legends and leaders of this library board, former board members. I had the great privilege and pleasure of serving with all of them when I started. I just thank you for building us a foundation and thanks for coming to celebrate Josie tonight. That will move us on from citizens comments. That's just the first part of the meeting. Let's go swiftly to financial reports, Eli, you have financial reports for us this month. Thank you.
[00:29:40] ELI NEIBURGER: Financial report begins on the page labeled 26 in your packet, That's PDF page 28. Just to touch on some of the highlights, we've received 99 percent of our annual budgeted tax receipts. Fund balance is holding steady at $5.2 million as of January 31st. Moving on to the next page. We have received $10 million of accrued revenue at this point. Again, that's 99 percent of our expected revenue has already been received for the year, so we're in good shape as far as revenue goes. Our expenditures total $9.6 million, of which 456,000 has not yet been paid, meaning a prepaid use that's usually subscriptions and things that are paid over the course of the year. Year-to-date expenditures. Our year-to-date revenues exceed expenditures by just short of a million dollars. Our revenues are 58 percent of the approved budget and expenses are at 52 percent of the approved budget because of the accrual, you can generally count on the percentage of revenue representing the percentage through the year that we are. You can see we're spending a bit behind the revenue, which is where we like to be at this time of year. Actual cash receipts, as we said 99.4 percent of the budget, actual cash expended is 55 percent of the budget. The grants and memorials, the friends balance is currently $10,000 and you can see in your packet the balance of the other funds. Then we have the balance sheet showing our current status. One thing to draw your attention to on the statement of revenues and expenditures. You can see the interest income was negative again this month. That's to be expected as we cannot invest in securities we can only invest in bonds. Bonds get hit hard when inflation goes up. A big part of the inflation is the impact on the expected revenue. We receive less revenue than expected from the interest on bonds. That's what you see there. It's not actually loss of money, it is reported as loss of money because of the accounting. Any questions about anything in the financial packet? [BACKGROUND]
[00:31:46] ELI NEIBURGER: Thank you all very much.
[00:31:47] JIM LEIJA: Thanks, Eli. Next we're going to turn to Sherlonya who joins us tonight with the library report.
[00:31:58] SHERLONYA TURNER: All right.
[00:31:58] JIM LEIJA: Thank you. Just make sure your mic is good.
[00:32:01] SHERLONYA TURNER: Okay. Next slide, please. This is showing you how we have updated our signage about masking in the library according to the new CDC guidance. What you see is there are three possible levels; the low, the medium, and the high as the CDC has put out, and three different masking signs. If the levels are low, our signs will just state that masks are welcome in the library. If we are at medium as we are currently, our signage states masks are recommended in the library and should we move to high, the signage will return to saying masks are required in the library. We keep in mind that we have all sorts of users and all sorts of situations here. Which is why even though the CDC guideline currently says that people can be unmasked indoors, we are trying to walk that balance and be considerate of all so that the library can be as safe as possible for all of our users. That's what you're seeing there. You also see the note at the bottom that talks about our mitigation strategies that we are maintaining during this time. We will continue to monitor the ventilation. We will continue to ask our staff to wear masks. We anticipate that that will be the case for quite some time and we will continue the staff screening that we do. Each day, staff are filling out a screening questionnaire and we will continue with the testing and reporting that we have in place right now. Next slide, please. Events are starting backup. I'll walk you through the list of what we have planned currently. But I first want to tell you that we have based this on the demand that we're hearing. Everything that you see on the slide today are things that we've heard about more or less the first ones. Preschool Storytime. In March, there will be one occurring weekly in the system. Letterpress Lab will be resuming in the spring. It's something we've heard about throughout the suspension of events. Emerging Writers is another one. We have two of those on our schedule for March. You can see them now. Sewing Lab will also resume in the spring. We have to do a couple of things to make sure that all of the equipment is in running order for that. We're still looking at the possibility of Records Store Day. Just as last year, we are actively engaged in Summer Festival Planning. There'll be more to come. There are one-off events that we're adding to the schedule as it makes sense. Just stay tuned. Next slide, please. Self booking of rooms is coming soon. We are working on an easier interface to make those easier to use for people. We're also working on Zoom and room integration, so that one can just go in a room, be all set with the Zoom setup. We are planning to launch this quietly in March for April dates. As soon as we get the improvements that we have planned up and running, that's when we'll launch. We know that there is some interests for this in the community, which is why as soon as we're able to turn that on, we will be doing so. That's what's meant by the quiet launch. Our intent is to be back to our pre-pandemic model once we reach April. Next slide, please.
[00:35:34] JIM LEIJA: Can I ask a question [OVERLAPPING] about that?
[00:35:36] SHERLONYA TURNER: Yes. Please do.
[00:35:36] JIM LEIJA: What you're saying is you essentially book a hybrid setup, ultimately. People want to be in a room but also be able to Zoom from the room at the same time.
[00:35:45] SHERLONYA TURNER: Correct. [OVERLAPPING]
[00:35:46] JIM LEIJA: Got it.
[00:35:46] SHERLONYA TURNER: Using the screens that are in there. [NOISE] This is a new addition to the lobby. We were contacted by Home of New Vision and asked if we would provide a space for this vending machine in order to provide a Narcan here in the buildings. We said yes, [NOISE] you can see that right in the lobby. Once it's stocked, it's not stocked currently, these products will be available for free for patrons or library users who would like them. Next slide. Fool Moon and FestiFools are happening this year. We've always been involved in these events and this year we have taken on more of a co-producer role. We're super excited for that. These are all ages events that are exactly the thing that the library likes to participate in and upcoming are a series of luminary and public making workshops that will take place out at the plaza. AADL merch is available through the Friends Shop. You'll see these hoodies and crewnecks both in the style that comes in at the waist and the style that is more square. That is available through March 7th. Next slide. Second Grade Visit Kits. As most of you know, normally pre-COVID times, we would have the initiative where we bring each 2nd grader in our district through to the library. We've been unable to do that, but what we've done during this time are to provide Second Grade Visit kits that are friendly introduction to the library. There's a craft activity in there. What you're seeing here is the library delivering these kits to the schools where they're able to get in the hands of the 2nd graders. Through these kits, there's also an opportunity for parents to sign up for a library card for their children. We tend to try to do that at 2nd grade as that's when many of our readers become independent readers. Next slide. Here we have our social media comments. We have a fun interaction here. Somebody was looking for some Captain Underpants books. Then when they get a response from our staff, they realized that it was one of our librarians who they knew from Storytime. That was super fun to see. Next slide. We also connected a beloved bookmark with its owner when it came [LAUGHTER] to us through the drop box and made someone super happy with that. Next slide. We had a first time visitor at Westgate and someone was impressed. They found it to be more modern than Downtown, but seemed to be pretty happy that it didn't have that sterile feeling that modern buildings can have. Next slide. We're going from new to old. We had someone who was excited to find out some local history information. They were doing a bit of genealogy, and then they found out that they could view old newspapers through the library and we're very excited to find that. Next slide. Old is new again, record. Someone's super thrilled to be able to find out that they could check out records at the library. It looks like they're into trying something new, each week on Tuesdays and these records seem like they're going to be a part of their quest. Next slide, please. This one was super fun. We have one of our artists who made this post. This is somebody who came to us through our call for artists that we did earlier. Part of what we did with that project was to select art prints for our collection. This is somebody who is super excited to see that these are indeed in the collection and he continues on. You can't quite see it there to mentioned by name the staff members who we worked with. That was also pretty fun to see. We have some desk comments. One patron thanking us for the content on the iPads, somebody expressing their love for Malletts Creek. Also more love for the iPads here. We have someone who is excited about the Easy Reach hold shelf. This is something that we did in response to patrons who are having difficulty pulling their holds off of the shelf. We allow our patrons to designate Easy Reach shelves and then they don't have to go through the same bending that they would have done before. Finally, we have this fun mural. I think you recognize the color, it's right above the picture books in the youth department it's on Davidson. You can see that it's right up there celebrating what happens here in the libraries and it's in recognition of Josie's service. Thank you.
[00:41:01] JIM LEIJA: Thank you. Any questions, reflections?
[00:41:08] JIM LEIJA: Yes. Go ahead, Molly.
[00:41:09] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Sorry. I had a couple of questions.
[00:41:11] JIM LEIJA: Please.
[00:41:12] MOLLY KLEINMAN: For the once a week preschool, is it going to be weekdays, weekends? Is there going to be alternating?
[00:41:18] SHERLONYA TURNER: Sure. What we have currently is, they are right now the ones that we have on the schedule, they're happening during the week, during the day. What we know from our numbers is that that's usually the bread and butter time when our audience is most likely to use them. As we begin to fill in our calendar, we will increase more into the type of schedule that we've seen before. But as we build all of our events, what we're doing at this moment is looking to see what that use looks like and then we'll take it from there. We understand that we're walking into a new normal and not the old normal, so we're taking things step-by-step so that we can come up with a plan that makes sense for the use that we have.
[00:41:58] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Awesome. I have another question.
[00:41:59] SHERLONYA TURNER: Go for it.
[00:42:00] MOLLY KLEINMAN: It is about the CDC risk levels.
[00:42:03] SHERLONYA TURNER: Yes.
[00:42:04] MOLLY KLEINMAN: My understanding is that the new way that the CDC is calculating risk levels actually tolerates a much higher level of risk, but still calls it low. I'm curious if you've considered other ratings or if it's just we've got to stick with the CDC despite the acceptance of a risk.
[00:42:21] SHERLONYA TURNER: I'm going to have Eli talk to that one.
[00:42:26] ELI NEIBURGER: We're eager to get out of the public health business. [LAUGHTER] One of the things that's part of this decision-making process was looking at how that corresponds to the actual risk in the community and the trend lines. While there's certainly a fair amount of criticism happening online, it is also fairly well recognizing of the level of risk that we've observed from our staff and from the public at the library. There is a higher level of new cases in these different levels. We're very much recognizing that what they're setting up for is to be able to say it's going up again, time to put the masks back on and have people listen. We don't want to depart from the standards that are being put out for the community. Again, there's a lot of different opinions about it. We also see that there's a fair amount of opinion in support of this set of moves in recognition of the public sentiment. While that's not a great thing to make public health risk decisions based on, it is very much part of the adherence calculation. We basically don't want to be in the position of having to decide what level of masking is required. We're already by saying in medium the masks are recommended, being more conservative than what the guidelines call for, which is to say that no masks are required at all indoors and we will not be picking fights about masks inside the building. We've not been doing that for quite a while. Does that answer your question, Molly?
[00:44:00] MOLLY KLEINMAN: It does, yeah. Thank you.
[00:44:01] ELI NEIBURGER: Thank you for asking.
[00:44:05] JIM LEIJA: Scott.
[00:44:08] SCOTT TRUDEAU: Just one question. I think I heard you say that we're planning to have events related to FestiFools at the plaza. I just want to make sure I heard that clearly just for the public that refers to the facility we purchased, Parkland Plaza in Scio Township for the archives and other purposes. I'm excited to see that the public is going to start to get some use out of that space. Not so much a question, I just want to make sure I heard that correctly. [LAUGHTER]
[00:44:35] SHERLONYA TURNER: Yeah, you're correct.
[00:44:37] JIM LEIJA: That's exciting. Using the new space. Sewing lab, a personal favorite of mine. Jamie.
[00:44:48] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: This is not a question but just something I wanted to note that I thought was nice. The way you described the different options for the staff gear that we can purchase through March 7th [LAUGHTER], but the shapes of the clothing I thought it was really inclusive and nice, and thank you for doing it that way.
[00:45:06] MOLLY KLEINMAN: You're welcome.
[00:45:08] JIM LEIJA: Noted. Indeed, it did not go unnoticed, I should say.
[00:45:12] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: Oh, good.
[00:45:12] JIM LEIJA: Yes.
[00:45:13] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: Anyway. Carry on.
[00:45:14] JIM LEIJA: Very good. There was another hand, I think.
[00:45:18] MOLLY KLEINMAN: I was just snapping.
[00:45:19] JIM LEIJA: I was snapping. [LAUGHTER] Very good.
[00:45:20] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: It's so hard with not being able to--
[00:45:22] JIM LEIJA: I know. I wanted to circle back around on the Narcan dispenser, and just make sure everyone is aware that it's happening. We discussed--the leadership team and I discussed this last week. I asked some questions about just height of buttons and kids and that kind of thing. It's all checking out. I think as we often do our participating in an important public health initiative. But it's also the kind of thing that you shouldn't be surprised once people start seeing it, that they might have questions about it. That's just for everyone to just have that heightened awareness of it. Now back to sewing lab, which I'm excited to see has come back, [LAUGHTER] which is a perfect [OVERLAPPING] favorite of mine. Yes. Thank you. [LAUGHTER] [NOISE] Anything else on library report? Moving us along. Thank you, Sherlonya.
[00:46:27] SHERLONYA TURNER: You're welcome.
[00:46:30] JIM LEIJA: We return to old business and our discussion of the library director search. In a couple of minutes, I'm going to text Karen Miller, our search consultant, and ask her to join the call via Zoom. We'll only hear her, we won't see her today. She's really here to listen and chime in as we need her. Before I ask Karen to join, I want to say a few things just to give us some orientation on where we're at. As a reminder, Kerene, Dharma, and I are the Executive Committee and also serving as the Search Committee. We have been meeting with our search consultants on a regular basis. We have vetted a pool, a very healthy and robust pool of very qualified candidates. As of last week, we interviewed eight highly qualified semi-finalists, which were chosen by the Search Committee with the guidance from Bradbury Miller. Tonight we're bringing to you four candidates who we believe have the greatest potential for this position at the library. In advance of this meeting, you received the complete materials of all applicants for the job, and you also received our recommendation of the four finalists for discussion tonight. That catches us up on process so we're all out in the open here. As you continue to move through this process, we move very squarely out into the public space for the next phase. Before we dig into the finalists, I want to ask you all to do a tiny little exercise. Dharma, Kerene, and I have done this exercise already, and it's a spontaneous one that often happens in interviews like this. When the candidate turns to you and says, "What are you looking for in the next director?" Which is really a question about what we're looking for in a leader, but also what we're hoping for in our system, in our organization, in our community. I'm going to give you five minutes to sketch a couple of ideas. Nothing too complicated, but I want to hear from everyone, what are you looking for in the next library director? I'll just give you a few minutes to free write and reflect on that. In the meantime I'm going to summon Karen [LAUGHTER] via text to join us. [BACKGROUND]
[00:50:46] JIM LEIJA: Will you all in the booth let me know when Karen is, she's there, okay, thank you.
[00:50:51] KAREN MILLER: I'm here.
[00:50:51] JIM LEIJA: Oh, hi, Karen? You're like the voice of God in our room [LAUGHTER].
[00:50:58] DHARMA AKMON: So pervasive.
[00:51:00] JIM LEIJA: Karen also has the most amazing microphone because she is an amateur podcaster. This is her. She has really good audio when you talk to her. [LAUGHTER]
[00:51:13] KAREN MILLER: That was alarming, Jim, but thank you. [LAUGHTER]
[00:51:18] JIM LEIJA: All right, just a few more seconds to finish your thought. Of course, pretty much every single candidate asked us this question, which is a very common question to ask when you're interviewing for a job like this, which put us a little bit on the spot. I thought this would be a good warm-up actually for us to get ready to have these conversations next month and which are both wonderful and awkward in the way that they are entirely public. I'm going to call on the first person and you can share one or two of your thoughts and please popcorn and choose another person and we'll go on like that. Try to stick to your notes to avoid that halo effect, to just go with what you're thinking. I'm going to start with Onna Solomon.
[00:52:20] ONNA SOLOMON: All right. There were two main things that came to mind for me, one is the continuation of the current vision of the Ann Arbor District Library. I really feel like things are going in a good direction, I feel like the creativity and playfulness and innovation, the work on diversity, equity and inclusion are all really going very well and so I think that that piece is important, that the person aligns with all of those aspects. Then the second one, which I think we've heard so many people say about Josie's leadership, which is it's so relationship-centered both in the staff and in community partnerships and so I think the person who steps into that role has big shoes to fill in continuing to really value relationships and people at the center of their leadership. Scott.
[00:53:33] SCOTT TRUDEAU: On a similar note, the first thing I wrote was people. One of the things I said when Josie announced her retirement was that great leaders build great teams and think that's been a big strength of this library as we have an incredible team thanks to Josie's leadership. In doing that knowing when to trust people and to empower them to really run forward when they have great ideas and not be afraid to be a leader and try new things and not just look at what everybody else is doing and really understand what the institution's role is in the community and how we can best serve it. I will go to Dharma.
[00:54:22] DHARMA AKMON: I said someone that will continue the culture of innovation to meet the community's ever-evolving needs and also just keeping in mind to meet even more of the community's needs. I guess I see continuity again in culture of innovation, but that by itself means it's always got to be responding to constant change. Then I think closely related to that is, I think we were really well-positioned because of that culture of innovation to respond to an unprecedented crisis, and that I think that's a real strength that we should try to maintain. I'm going to popcorn it to Kerene.
[00:55:02] KERENE MOORE: Similar to what everyone else said, my top one was someone who will continue to say yes to creativity, innovation, and inclusion. I also wrote someone who is willing to build. Finally, someone who will work well with the existing team. I guess I will popcorn it to Molly.
[00:55:30] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Yeah, one of mine is very similar to yours. I said someone with an inclination towards yes, I think we've seen the value of that with Josie's leadership, and the cultivation of people is another one. Someone with an orientation towards community needs and curiosity about the whole community and seeking out the needs and interests of the people who are maybe less vocal in Ann Arbor. I feel like everything has said it at this point, so I'm going to popcorn it to Jamie. You haven't gone yet.
[00:56:06] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: I was worried mine was boring, but now I feel good because it's different. [LAUGHTER] I love that we always have enough money for stuff. If there's a cool idea, it's always like sure, we can swing that, we have a little bit back here, we can put towards that. I think what I am looking for is this continued balance of creativity, but almost like a conservativism with financials where there's like, we're never like stretching too far so that when the next cool thing comes, we have a little bit back so that we can try it. But it's like something I love about being on the board because I never feel stressed that we're right on the razor's edge with money. I would love to see someone take the reins who has a similar approach there.
[00:56:55] JIM LEIJA: Terrific. I think I'm the last person, right? For me, as almost everyone else has said, we realized that we have something special going here, and the idea that we don't want to do anything to disturb, disrupt the specialness of the creativity, the innovation, the being a leader in the field and getting out ahead. I'm not waiting to be told what the next thing is, but like creating the next big thing that is. I would also say, there is I think a need for a person who understands, I think maybe it was Molly who gestured towards this of like the parts of the community that aren't so vocal that we're not serving as well for whom the library is not convenient and I think there's room to explore there and that I'm looking for a person who can show us that path and also really have that vision for the next 20 or five or however many it may be. How'd that feel everybody? Any reflections, synthesis, thoughts?
[00:58:34] DHARMA AKMON: I'm glad we were consistent. I think that's good.
[00:58:36] JIM LEIJA: Yeah. What else?
[00:58:44] ONNA SOLOMON: We just described Josie. [LAUGHTER]
[00:58:49] JIM LEIJA: Well, there's no one like Josie.
[00:58:52] ONNA SOLOMON: I know.
[00:58:52] JIM LEIJA: We are very lucky in that way. Karen's with us and I'm going to go back to my notes here. Thanks for indulging that exercise. I think it will help us move through the next bit of business. What I want to frame out is you all looked at finalists and I think part of a strategy for understanding what we might need is imagining something that complements what we have, or something that changes what we have, or something that accelerates what we have and all of these folks bring a little bit of a different kind of skill set. What we have put in front of you as finalists and let me remind you, you have a key to the finalists and we will be discussing finalists A, B, C, and D. We are refraining from saying their names in the meeting tonight to allow Bradbury Miller to contact them all before their names go entirely public later this week. We have two candidates here in this pool, as you've probably seen with significant and meaningful experience at the director level. Leading systems that are similar to the Ann Arbor District Library with similar challenges and similar communities. We have two candidates who are working as very high-level administrators in library systems and are very, very ready clearly for the next step into the director level.
[01:00:47] JIM LEIJA: I can probably say a little bit about each, to frame out maybe and summarize what we think we're looking at with each of these candidates. We can have some dialogue about them. I just want to remind you that we are making a recommendation to you and that what we will do is we'll make a motion for these four finalists to go ahead for a full interview process. It is within your right and purview to pull somebody else out of the pile for discussion if you like to do that, and we can we can do that here tonight. I do just want to remind you they've been very heavily vetted by a search firm and by a group of your peers working in committee spending many, many hours. [LAUGHTER]
[01:01:42] ONNA SOLOMON: Can I ask a question?
[01:01:43] JIM LEIJA: Yes. You may. Please.
[01:01:46] ONNA SOLOMON: Just briefly really, I don't need you to go in depth, but of the eight candidates.
[01:01:53] JIM LEIJA: Yeah.
[01:01:57] ONNA SOLOMON: How did you choose these four? I don't know, and anybody who is a part of that process can jump in to answer that question. But I'm just curious and, you know, and short answer. [LAUGHTER]
[01:02:12] JIM LEIJA: Sure, I think that all four of the folks that were suggesting move forward, were standout interviewees, and their interviews brought additional texture to the skill set that we saw on the page. We also went in with each of them with a kind of unique question based on what we had gathered from their resume and cover letter materials that we were probing on. Some handled that question better than others, and so in certain cases those were really tailored to their specific skill set where we have question like, would what they do apply to what we do or what we need out of the process? I think for me oftentimes those questions were decisive in certain ways. Search committee?
[01:03:15] KERENE MOORE: I would add that after we went through the interviews, before we had any discussion, we did an independent ranking of who our top candidates were, and I think we were pretty on the same page independently and so it was very easy for us to go from there to pick the top floor.
[01:03:36] ONNA SOLOMON: That's good to know.
[01:03:37] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: I have a process question.
[01:03:42] JIM LEIJA: Yes, please.
[01:03:42] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: Are we attempting to an addition to their names keep them entirely I guess, should we refrain from referring to their institutions or other details that are in their packages while we have our discussion tonight.
[01:03:54] JIM LEIJA: I think that that's the safest approach. Ultimately, pretty much by the end of the week, this will all be public knowledge. But we're trying to give folks a couple of days to make sure that everybody knows they’re--
[01:04:08] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: Yeah totally.
[01:04:09] JIM LEIJA: Going public in that way. How should we proceed from here? This is one of the strange things about doing this in public, we're all learning as we go.
[01:04:24] ONNA SOLOMON: You had said that you would maybe talk us through a little bit about each of the four candidates that'd be super helpful. I think I might have questions about one of the four who aren't on the list, but I think it probably makes sense to save that that till after.
[01:04:37] JIM LEIJA: Yeah, absolutely. Let me find notes, here we go. First candidate working in a system of very similar scale to the system that we are currently in. In terms of some of the highlights. Let me just parse through my notes here, which is a part of the challenge of doing this. I want to make sure that I'm not speaking out of turn. One of the things that I walked away with candidate A, is an understanding that they had worked their way up through the system and had done many, many jobs in the system and has been now the director of the system I believe for six years. There have been some interesting initiatives during that time, one that I was particularly interested in was an initiative in terms of cultivating relationships with all of the superintendents of the local public schools in order to better deliver library cards and services to the children that were in these schools. I think that was a very interesting indication of their ability to think about relationship-building within the community, working with many public officials and leaders to be able to cultivate and actually move towards programmatic or programmatic initiative. With many of these candidates mentioned a very specific DEI, initiatives. This candidate in particular, really thinking about anti-racism in the context of their work. Imagining and deploying how that works in terms of procedures and policies, which is work that we have also done here. I think we were all surprised to learn that this candidate has 19 direct reports, which is an incredible number of direct reports for any person. Which also raised I think a question of whoa, that's a very big structure that maybe you need to address to make your life as a leader and a manager more efficient. It's going to be one of the things I think we want to probe on. He also indicated that they're not looking for a job, that they love their current job, but that this job, in Ann Arbor was very special, unique one. Another recurring theme with candidates this is a plum job in case you didn't know. [LAUGHTER] job that everybody wants. They're happy to let us know how great they think we are. [LAUGHTER]
[01:08:05] JIM LEIJA: It's in the board.How did I do with that first candidate?
[01:08:06] DHARMA AKMON: I would also say that this candidate very clearly did their homework and looked at the functioning of the board and called out the effectiveness and the relationship between leadership and the board is being something that was really appealing.
[01:08:22] JIM LEIJA: Yeah.
[01:08:26] JIM LEIJA: I think it's also fair to say one of the things that we are challenging amongst ourselves is this question of what our biases are towards the way certain kinds of leaders looked. The specific question we asked was about a comment that they made in their pre-interview, which was about trying to resist what they referred to as comfort hires. The hire that everyone would understand as a legible person to be in that role and how they're trying to push against that bias in hiring in their own space. So we asked, why wouldn't you be a comfort hire for us? I think it's important to say that this person actually, in a lot of ways, is an obvious and good fit and a good choice, which is why they are being proposed as a finalist. But also it is not unconventional in any way they are very much on track. Candidate A. It's really hard to do this [LAUGHTER]
[01:09:49] MOLLY KLEINMAN: You're doing great.
[01:09:50] JIM LEIJA: Okay.
[01:09:52] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: It's fine for us. I think and you're in the hot seat. You're doing a great job.
[01:09:55] JIM LEIJA: I know. My mask feels like 700 degrees right now [LAUGHTER]
[01:10:00] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: You're doing fine. Keep going.
[01:10:01] JIM LEIJA: Also, this candidate let us know that they watch our board meetings so they know what our dynamic is like, and it's [LAUGHTER] also fun. Okay. Candidate B does not have director-level experience but is a director of programs, community engagement at a major urban library system. Creative, innovative, just entrepreneurial programmer, and community engagement master. They're very impressively over the period of 10 years turned a $50,000 budget into a million-dollar budget and completely reorganized the community engagement and development efforts around which was in their own words a suburban or ex-urban population to actually serve the neighborhoods and the people in those neighborhoods. In what is a majority-black surface area. Clearly, I'm very attuned to what it takes to build the relationships to do that work and also working in a model of true co-authorship or essentially handing the means of the library system over to the communities and having the communities do with those resources what is most important to them. Impressive, exciting mind, interesting to think about what a person like that could bring to a system like ours. What else does the search committee want to add?
[01:11:56] KERENE MOORE: That was a really good summary.
[01:11:58] JIM LEIJA: Okay. Questions? All right. Next candidate, Candidate, C. Candidate C, many of us are aware of this person's resume. Also, a high-ranking administrative official working in a system that we know very well. This is an internal candidate that we are very pleased has made it to the finalist round. I will not speak further on this candidate except to say, it was an excellent interview and we're looking to learn more, and I wonder what search committee members would add. Welcome. [LAUGHTER]
[01:12:55] KERENE MOORE: I wouldn't add anything because I think we are all so familiar with this candidate and I definitely learned a lot from the resume, cover letter and interview and has a lot going for them [LAUGHTER].
[01:13:13] DHARMA AKMON: Is it okay to say that this person came up in several of the interviews as being a leader in the field?
[01:13:21] JIM LEIJA: Very good point.
[01:13:22] KERENE MOORE: Yeah. Oh yeah.
[01:13:25] JIM LEIJA: We have in our midst a person who is really recognized as just an incredible and innovative leader in the field, broadly speaking, has shown incredible innovation internally. Many of the programs and projects that we know and love have been shepherded, created, stewarded by this person and I think that we've all seen this person take on a variety of responsibilities, including financial work, including working very closely with many, many team members on the staff. This person brings a lot to the institution already and that is why they are in the finalist pool. All right, Karen, are you still there?
[01:14:25] KAREN MILLER: Sure am.
[01:14:26] JIM LEIJA: Okay. [LAUGHTER] Lastly, Candidate D, another candidate with significant director-level experience. I should have put my notes in order before I started this meeting. I think this person brings a very clear kind of mentality about what it takes to live in a civic ecosystem as a public library, I think one of the most impressive stories that we heard this person tell was of arriving in their current position and then being told essentially a month later, that the city was pulling its funding entirely from the district and that they would need to go out and run a millage campaign in order to keep the system going, which was done over the period of about five months, and that millage was secured and it is not a millage in perpetuity so this director has to go out and work on that millage on a cyclical basis. I believe it's every four years, but I don't have my notes in front of me. Also has to work, of course, within the limits of what a director can do in order to support those kinds of campaigns and worked very closely with the leadership board like ours. I think questions about this particular person have to do with the leadership style and whether or not it is a leadership style that will sync with the culture that already exists, that we're so very aware of its specialness that we want to preserve it in some form, in its entirety if possible. Those are some questions that we were coming back to. Very confident, straightforward approach to the work. This person didn't speak a whole lot on program initiatives and so, which is not uncommon when you're talking about the executive director level, especially in a situation like this where there's such great attention to the financial needs and health of the system so that may be an area that we will want to probe more. Search committee.
[01:17:18] DHARMA AKMON: I think you covered it for me.
[01:17:20] JIM LEIJA: Okay.
[01:17:21] KERENE MOORE: Same.
[01:17:24] DHARMA AKMON: Nice job.
[01:17:26] JIM LEIJA: All right. Those are the finalists that we're proposing to you, A, B, C, D. Questions, additional feedback thoughts about other finalists? Yes. Molly.
[01:17:42] MOLLY KLEINMAN: I have like feedback about one of them, questions about another one. On paper, I was not super impressed with candidate D's experience in diversity equity inclusion.
[01:17:54] JIM LEIJA: Say D as in.
[01:17:56] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Candidate D.
[01:17:57] JIM LEIJA: D as in dog.
[01:17:59] MOLLY KLEINMAN: D, yes sorry.
[01:17:59] JIM LEIJA: Thank you.
[01:18:00] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Delta.
[01:18:01] JIM LEIJA: Thank you.
[01:18:03] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Their experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion on paper. It didn't seem like a lot and I'm curious about if there was more that came out in the interview.
[01:18:16] JIM LEIJA: I have to go back and look at my notes and it might be.
[01:18:27] KAREN MILLER: I have something I can add something.
[01:18:30] JIM LEIJA: Thank you, Karen.
[01:18:31] KAREN MILLER: Yes, and by the way, Brian is here too.
[01:18:33] JIM LEIJA: Oh, hi Brian. [LAUGHTER]
[01:18:34] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: You're looking through the ceiling as if you're there. [LAUGHTER]
[01:18:39] KAREN MILLER: I like that Jim keeps looking at the ceiling.
[01:18:40] BRIAN HARE: I'm here.
[01:18:41] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: I looked at the ceiling too [LAUGHTER]
[01:18:45] KAREN MILLER: It's really weird to be a disembodied voice. [LAUGHTER] I would just like to add that the candidate D, as in dog, that we're discussing, that person described some major programming that they were doing that was very focused on EDI principles and certainly trying to bring diverse individuals to the community that they serve. I think that that's where the focus was, but that's certainly an area to continue to learn more about.
[01:19:19] JIM LEIJA: Yeah, and I'm looking back at my notes now as well in a previous role was responsible for starting an English Language Learners Program, working with BIPOC populations in the late '90s and is also a member of the MLK Commission in Mid-Michigan. Also mentioned working on a land acknowledgment for the system. There was more than I think was in the materials.
[01:19:55] MOLLY KLEINMAN: That's helpful. Some of the stuff that was in the materials felt more symbolic to me. The words versus actions thing. That's helpful. Thank you. Then I was curious about candidate H. I forget what the call sign per page is.
[01:20:12] JIM LEIJA: Yes. H as in Henry. I don't know. [LAUGHTER]
[01:20:14] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Henry. Yes. I was really impressed with the application. Again, I only saw the paper, so I'm curious about what came out in the interviews that put this candidate farther down.
[01:20:29] JIM LEIJA: This was a terrific candidate, no doubt, and I think if there was anyone that was just below the line, it was candidate H. We were looking to bring you a balance of folks with director level experience and those at that high administrative level who are ready for the next step, and they unfortunately just didn't make it in terms of our limiting ourselves to seeing four candidates in the final. But yes, terrific. I think of the folks who fell below the line, really one of the best. A candidate that was hard to let go of. I think your instincts are right on there, and a candidate that Bradbury Miller has their eye on, I think for other opportunities too, which is what I keep telling myself is that, every person, there is an opportunity for them.
[01:21:39] KAREN MILLER: Yes. Candidate H definitely is on my list for future evaluations and recommendations.
[01:21:49] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: This matrix that we have is really nice, and I guess I'm not the one that candidate H is an outlier in the size of budget that they've had to work with. That would be a big jump. That is the only thing I noticed in the materials.
[01:22:04] JIM LEIJA: A lot of these folks are handling budgets that are significantly larger than that. I would say that we didn't have any concern in terms of the interview. Many of the folks that are working at this high administrative level are involved in that annual budget process, they are involved in facilities planning. It's really impressive to see just the raft of responsibility.
[01:22:40] MOLLY KLEINMAN: I guess, I can understand the rationale a little bit about having people at a variety of levels. But it feels like if that's the piece that's limiting to us, I'm wondering what you all feel in terms of, is it important that we maintain that breadth of its director-level experience versus not in those final four, or would you feel okay about bringing in overall, more people without director level experiences does that feel dangerous?
[01:23:13] JIM LEIJA: No. Not at all. I think it's pretty much like a conversation that we had internally. I think you want to see, given that we have an internal candidate, who's in that profile, you want to see other candidates that look like that for sure. So that you understand what candidates like that can offer in general. We could make a change tonight from the recommendation that we're making. Do you-all want to add to that?
[01:23:51] DHARMA AKMON: I think I would just say that the three of us, if I recall the exercise correctly, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I think we all independently had the same three that we definitely wanted in this pool before we engaged even a conversation. I would say when it came down to the fourth, that's where there was a little bit of disagreement, and I think that's where we started to think about balance.
[01:24:22] KAREN MILLER: I would add that you have a very strong pool of candidates, and it can be hard to choose because there's so much talent in this pool, in my opinion.
[01:24:34] KERENE MOORE: In many ways, we would add many of these applicants to our team, [LAUGHTER] but when it came to, okay, would they be the best fit as the director, we started to make difficult decisions.
[01:24:48] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Yeah, that's helpful.
[01:24:49] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: That's very helpful. What were you like, well, we talked to everyone, we're going to ask them their opinion about this, or was there anything that you felt the three of you were somewhat limited in your ability to review, that you were relieved that you get to come back out to the bigger group to ask us to weigh in?
[01:25:22] KERENE MOORE: I'm very direct, so I think I was very direct with [LAUGHTER] other committee members. I definitely don't think there's anything that I didn't feel comfortable sharing with them when we were deliberating.
[01:25:39] JIM LEIJA: I'm excited for you all to meet these people. You'll see other things, undoubtedly, that's why we have a process like this.
[01:25:54] DHARMA AKMON: Also to be clear, these were short or were they half hour each?
[01:25:57] JIM LEIJA: Yes.
[01:25:59] DHARMA AKMON: There's a lot to be learned, I think, when we bring the candidates on site.
[01:26:07] JIM LEIJA: How many questions was it, Karen? Ten?
[01:26:15] KAREN MILLER: We had eight questions.
[01:26:16] JIM LEIJA: We had eight questions in three minutes. I think we actually learned a lot. It's hard for you to weigh in on exactly what these folks are going to be like until you meet them. I think that's the bottom line.
[01:26:41] KAREN MILLER: Yeah, paper is one thing. When we sat down with just the committee early on in the process just to start talking about candidates, we had already had a phone conversation, Brian and I had, and so we had an opportunity that the others didn't, but we brought that information in note form to the discussion. They've seen the documentation, they've heard it from us, our notes from those phone conversations, they've had an opportunity to spend 30 minutes with each one, which doesn't sound like a lot, but eight questions gets you a lot of information, I think. Then you'll have another opportunity to have even more interaction. Plus you'll have the opportunity to access feedback from anyone who participates in any kind of presentation or interaction with the candidates down the road.
[01:27:34] JIM LEIJA: I also think Jamie to come back around to your question it's amazing and also challenging situation we find ourselves in with a very viable internal candidate and also folks that are really accomplished in their own ways. Coming back to the beginning of this agenda item. What do we want out of a new director? Where do we see the system going in the next 5,10,20? What each of these people can offer in terms of that way forward. I think it's very tricky. It's hard to know because when open up the box of possibilities, I think for me my mind can go into a million different directions and each of these people would offer something different, and interesting as a path forward. Do I hear a motion to move candidates A, B, C, D, forward for final interview?
[01:28:53] MOLLY KLEINMAN: So moved.
[01:28:53] JIM LEIJA: Thank You. Can we have a second.
[01:28:55] KERENE MOORE: Second.
[01:28:56] JIM LEIJA: Thank you. Any further discussion?
[01:28:59] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: Just appreciation for you three, it's a lot of work. Thank you for doing it and thank you for doing what you just did. I know it was really difficult to do that knowing that all of them are listening to this.
[01:29:11] JIM LEIJA: That's right.
[01:29:13] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: That's what it means to do this publicly, and I'm really grateful to do it with all of you. Thank you.
[01:29:19] JIM LEIJA: Thanks. Thanks for bearing with me. I like all of you have never done this before. I want us to have a process where we all are participating and feel like we can raise the hand and say actually this doesn't feel right to me or this feels right and we should move ahead. I appreciate that. I'm like, oh, I just sound like a clade tonight. Thanks for following along. If there is no further discussion, we will take a vote. I don't think we have to do roll call, we can just do it. Thank you. All in favor? Ayes.
[01:29:58] BOARD MEMBERS: Ayes.
[01:29:59] JIM LEIJA: Any opposed? Terrific. Well, congratulations. It's a big step. Big, big step.
[01:30:08] ONNA SOLOMON: Thank you. Voices in the sky. [LAUGHTER]
[01:30:13] BRIAN HARE: You're welcome.
[01:30:14] KAREN MILLER: I'm not kidding. Great job, you guys.
[01:30:18] JIM LEIJA: Thanks, Kerene and Brian. You're welcome to stay with us. I have a couple of more things. Actually, if you can hold on one second. I want to cover something while you're still listening. I'm going to pass around. Please also, if you made copies of anything that has candidate name information on it. Please take it with you, do not leave it on the table. Pass that around. I'm passing around a little table that I've made based on key dates that Brian and Kerene and I have discussed. Today is February 28th, we have just confirmed finalists. Bradbury Miller will be calling and notifying those finalists of the next steps. Later this week, around March second. Bradbury Miller will be sending us a draft interview questionnaire for the Board to review. I really asked you to please be on the lookout for that and ready to respond promptly with your feedback on the questionnaire. Then we move into interview week. Monday, March 14th mark your calendars. We have held this time already. But we will be back in this room and we will begin at 6:00 PM. We will be having candidate presentations. These are public meeting because we are all gathered. We have decided to allow the finalists to give their presentations via Zoom so that they can take their masks off and feel comfortable doing their presentation. We will watch them on the screen. We will be live streaming the meeting. Will be about a 10 minute presentation, followed by 20 minutes of Q&A. We'll see all four of them between 6:00 and 9:00. Tuesday, March 15th from 9:00-12:30, candidates will interview with two groups of staff. They'll interview with a leadership group and then with a diverse staff group made up of about 10-12 people for 30 minutes each. Sherlonya is coordinating the composition of those groups as we speak. Those conversations will be facilitated by Bradbury Miller. We as a Board are not participating in Tuesday at all. The Board will receive staff input via a survey. We will not receive that survey information until we have completed our interviews on Wednesday, so as not to bias our process. Tuesday Afternoon, candidates will be invited on a self-guided branch tour and exploration of Ann Arbor. Again, Board does not participate. Candidates will receive instructions from Bradbury Miller for these self-guided branch tours. Then we are back here. On Wednesday, March 16th this is our full day. We'll be in this room at 9:00 AM. We will be conducting one hour public interviews with each candidate. We will have a break for lunch. Lunch will be provided. That'll be from about 9:00 AM-2:15. I believe we start in the morning with a little bit of prep time for us as a group. Of course, in public and then candidates will be welcomed in for their interview. If all goes as planned, we will break at 2:15 and then we'll come back for deliberation, and perhaps the decision. It's very important that once we open up the process that we do not discuss any details of the process outside of the public meeting. Just as a reminder. When we have lunch, we will hang together in this room. We'll just do everything we can to not be able to steal away and have conversations which inevitably happen. We just want to prevent and work against that as much as possible. Deliberation, decision-making in public. 2:15 to question mark, question mark, question mark. Perhaps the sky will open, the sun will shine and the answer will reveal itself very quickly. Perhaps will be deliberating into dinner time. In that case, we'll have some dinner brought in and we'll keep on it. But please mark everything down in the calendar. That's why it created this for you. Kerene and Brian will be following up with more details on that. Then another bit of business that we need to take care of for the process. For the presentational interviews, we need a topic. Kerene and Brian have suggested a couple and I'll shoot those out. But open to any and all suggestions. I just like to leave tonight with a decision about what that topic is. One topic might be to choose an aspect of the strategic plan and show us how you would implement it. Another option might be show us what Year 1 looks like under your leadership or whatever time period you'd want to invoke. Open to other ideas if there are any thoughts off the top of your head.
[01:35:45] KAREN MILLER: May I add something, Jim?
[01:35:47] JIM LEIJA: Yes, Karen.
[01:35:49] KAREN MILLER: Disembodied voice in the room. I will also suggest that you consider keeping your topic fairly broad. The goal is not to get someone to say the right answer. The goal is to see where they go with a topic. You want to give them some free reign or at least some headroom. The goal would be to see that if you give everyone the same topic that you still get four different presentations.
[01:36:21] ONNA SOLOMON: I was just going to say, if we're going to pick between those two that you're throwing out. I like the first one better because I just think it gives someone room to really show their interests, show their strength.
[01:36:44] JIM LEIJA: Gravitate towards.
[01:36:45] ONNA SOLOMON: Yeah.
[01:36:46] JIM LEIJA: Yeah, exactly. That's the strategic plan idea.
[01:36:49] ONNA SOLOMON: Yeah, exactly. That's my first.
[01:36:53] DHARMA AKMON: I actually liked the other one better. Of course, because I feel like it would answer a lot of what I want to know. What's going to be your priority when you first step in the door? Who are you going to be paying attention to? Who are you going to engage with? What is your style? I just feel like it could tell us, I guess like you're saying. But it maps up for me a picture of how they're engaging in becoming a leader of this place.
[01:37:21] ONNA SOLOMON: I guess my fear with that is that they're all going to be like, well, I'm going to get to know the organization.
[01:37:28] JIM LEIJA: I wondered about that too.
[01:37:29] ONNA SOLOMON: In various ways.
[01:37:31] MOLLY KLEINMAN: I have an idea that was similar and I would love Karen's opinion about whether this is actually a terrible idea. Which would be they're giving the annual report five years hence and what are they telling us about as a chance to get beyond that first year, and it would help us have some of those sense of priorities and what they care about. I would imagine that will really be different. It also gets us out from under COVID a little bit. Everyone's going to be stuck addressing COVID by continuing to address in that first year.
[01:38:08] JIM LEIJA: The idea is essentially to say it's five years from now and you're giving your annual report on library activities. What happened that year?
[01:38:16] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Yeah. Potentially for a minute such a way that they don't have to tell us everything but focus on some key initiatives or however we want to do that. But to put it a little bit farther ahead.
[01:38:31] KAREN MILLER: Well, I personally love that idea. I think it's very creative way to approach what does the future look like?
[01:38:38] BRIAN HARE: And fortunately, it's a public meeting so we can steal that. Thank you, Molly.
[01:38:44] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: I'm like not CC-BY or whatever.
[01:38:47] BRIAN HARE: It's a great idea.
[01:38:49] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: Attribution.
[01:38:50] JIM LEIJA: A smart candidate will also look at the strategic plan and build it into--
[01:38:58] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Yeah, I think that actually does. It combines the two things.
[01:39:04] JIM LEIJA: Other ideas that are floating around or inclinations?
[01:39:13] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: It's so difficult to tell, but Dharma, does that satisfy? I can't tell. [OVERLAPPING]
[01:39:17] DHARMA AKMON: Yes, sorry. [LAUGHTER] I was just thinking through about the fact that we have a lot of opportunity to ask specific questions about, how are you going to engage the community? Things that I really do want to know, but this is just one part of a very full, s it?
[01:39:34] JIM LEIJA: Well, why don't we go with this five-year prompt?
[01:39:37] ONNA SOLOMON: If it's going to be in the future, do they get to wear costumes? [LAUGHTER]
[01:39:44] JIM LEIJA: We hope so. It's in the future are they wearing masks, that's what I want to know. [LAUGHTER]
[01:39:50] KAREN MILLER: You laugh, but that has happened.
[01:39:51] JIM LEIJA: Yes.
[01:39:53] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: A costume? Wait [LAUGHTER]
[01:39:55] KAREN MILLER: It has happened once.
[01:40:00] JIM LEIJA: I do seem to recall we did interview a candidate who mentioned costumes very specifically. [LAUGHTER] You never know what to expect.
[01:40:09] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: I used to go to a different art librarian conference that had a costume element to it. It was an evening costume party. It was a very big surprise when I was first a grad student, I went to that. But anyway.
[01:40:24] JIM LEIJA: It sounds like we're doing the five-year prompt.
[01:40:26] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: Yes.
[01:40:27] JIM LEIJA: It's year five and you're giving your annual report. What happened that year?
[01:40:33] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: That's cool.
[01:40:34] DHARMA AKMON: I like that.
[01:40:35] JIM LEIJA: Terrific. Well, thanks, Karen and Brian. That was the part I wanted you to hang around for so that you would know what we were doing. I think that is all to update on now. I want to also let you know that I'm back talking to our lawyers again, our general console about how to handle negotiations and contracting, and so forth. I'm in that conversation again. I also just want to acknowledge that Sherlonya and Karen are going to run point on a lot of the logistics, rooms and food and people and moving staff and candidates around, and we really appreciate it. [LAUGHTER] Thank you.
[01:41:23] ONNA SOLOMON: Thank you.
[01:41:24] KAREN MILLER: We do too.
[01:41:26] MOLLY KLEINMAN: I have a calendar question.
[01:41:28] JIM LEIJA: Yes.
[01:41:29] MOLLY KLEINMAN: I've been holding his whole week. Can I release everything that's not on this thingy?
[01:41:34] JIM LEIJA: Unless we're like a hung jury and we need to come back on. No, this is all we need you to commit to you for now.
[01:41:42] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Thank you.
[01:41:42] JIM LEIJA: Yeah. We do. By the way, I believe we have another public meeting in March. We have a regular business meeting later in the month, so just don't forget about that. That one is on a Tuesday, if I remember, the 22nd. Thank you. It's the following week.
[01:42:01] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: Yes, [INAUDIBLE]
[01:42:02] JIM LEIJA: Yeah. Just to remember and then we'll move into our new reality. Any other search-related questions, thoughts? Awesome.
[01:42:14] ONNA SOLOMON: One last question is, so would the start date be April 1?
[01:42:19] JIM LEIJA: The start date will depend on the candidate. I think all of these candidates have significant jobs which require a significant period of ramping down in order to ramp up. That would be what we would negotiate with the candidate, the start date.
[01:42:39] KAREN MILLER: I would agree. Most people in roles at the level that these individuals are aside from your internal candidate, which might be a little bit more easy to navigate, they will probably need to give a month's notice, at least.
[01:42:54] ONNA SOLOMON: That makes sense.
[01:43:00] JIM LEIJA: You-all, thank you.
[01:43:04] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Thank you for all your work search committee.
[01:43:11] JIM LEIJA: I believe that that moves us to a fun thing. [LAUGHTER] We are opening one chapter and closing another with Director Parker tonight, and we have a resolution of appreciation to Josie Parker upon her retirement. We're going to read the whole thing. Should we do a read-around like we did last time?
[01:43:43] DHARMA AKMON: Well, what page is that?
[01:43:44] ONNA SOLOMON: [OVERLAPPING] This is separate.
[01:43:45] JIM LEIJA: I'll start and we'll go clockwise. Thank you. Whereas Josie Parker has announced her plans to retire from her tenure as director of the Ann Arbor District Library, AADL.
[01:44:08] DHARMA AKMON: Whereas her generous and innovative leadership has contributed to decades of extraordinary programs, collections, customer service, and community engagement. AADL has thrived under her leadership.
[01:44:21] SCOTT TRUDEAU: Whereas under Josie's leadership, AADL has been consecutively named a library journal five-star library for the past 13 years. The designation based on library usage stats like circulation, door count, and event attendance.
[01:44:38] KERENE MOORE: Whereas in fiscal year 2020, AADL's Libraries welcomed more than 1.2 million people through the doors with library events drawing nearly 120,000 attendees.
[01:44:51] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Whereas Josie was responsible for overseeing the evolution of AADL into what it is today.
[01:44:56] ONNA SOLOMON: Whereas this evolution includes the addition of AADL's unusual tools collection which offers telescopes, musical instruments, science tools, giant games, and other items for use by the public.
[01:45:14] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: Whereas Josie oversaw the establishment of AADLs on publicly owned publishing in print for public press.
[01:45:21] JIM LEIJA: Whereas Josie oversaw the expansion of the AADL summer reading program to create a wildly popular summer game.
[01:45:30] DHARMA AKMON: Whereas Josie oversaw the transition of the Washington Library for the Blind and print disabled from the county to the Ann Arbor District Library in 2008.
[01:45:40] SCOTT TRUDEAU: Whereas in collaboration with the Ann Arbor News, Josie oversaw the storage and digitization of its vast collection of photos and articles and the AADL archives.
[01:45:52] KERENE MOORE: Whereas in 2013, AADL also partnered with the African-American cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County to launch the Living Oral History Project, an ongoing collection of interviews, photos, and articles that serve as a road map illustrating what African-Americans in the Ann Arbor area witnessed, experienced and built in the community.
[01:46:14] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Whereas Josie also oversaw the construction of three new branch libraries and the remodeling and reimagination of a fourth branch at the Westgate Shopping Center.
[01:46:24] ONNA SOLOMON: Whereas both Mallets Creek and Traverwood Branch each earned awards from the American Institute of Architects for design.
[01:46:35] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: Whereas Josie was named an honorary affiliate member of AIA Michigan in 2010, a rare honor for a non-architect or designer for her stewardship of AADL and its new libraries. Now, therefore.
[01:46:47] JIM LEIJA: The board resolves to officially thank Josie Parker for 20 years of outstanding service as library director to the Ann Arbor District Library. That it has been a great honor and privilege for members of the board of directors to serve during her tenure, and that her warmth, compassion, and steadfast leadership will be missed. That all resolutions and parts of resolutions that conflict with the provisions of this resolution are rescinded. [LAUGHTER] Can I hear a motion to approve this resolution?
[01:47:21] KERENE MOORE: So moved.
[01:47:22] JIM LEIJA: A second, please?
[01:47:23] ONNA SOLOMON: Second.
[01:47:24] JIM LEIJA: I'm sure there's going to be some discussion before we vote on it. [LAUGHTER] We have a little gift for you, Josie.
[01:47:31] JOSIE PARKER: Thank you very much. Thank you for that inviting recitation. [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING]
[01:47:41] ONNA SOLOMON: I have a box where you can bring that home. [OVERLAPPING]
[01:47:45] JIM LEIJA: Well, I think Ed Surovell hit the nail on the head when he said, "Sweet, direct, and confident." [LAUGHTER] I'm going to ask you over a drink later when that's got you in trouble, how did you get out of it? [LAUGHTER] Because I could use that advice. [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] I just cannot think Josie enough for being such an incredible colleague in this work and for allowing me to be up here to her in this role, even though she has many, many, many more years of experience doing exceptional leadership work, than like any of us have. It has really just been a privilege to work with you on this board and to also be your president in this period where you're transitioning to retirement. I do think it's something that you said when we were talking to you earlier in director's evaluation that your job was to say yes. Honestly, the evidence is all around us, even in this room, which looks entirely different than it did when I started on the board eight years ago. Thank you. I dream of having like an ounce of the leadership capability that you have demonstrated over all these years here at the library. We just really appreciate your service to our community.
[01:49:20] JOSIE PARKER: Thank you.
[01:49:21] JIM LEIJA: Thanks, Josie. You don't have to come up here. [LAUGHTER]
[01:49:27] JOSIE PARKER: I'll say it in the microphone for the recording. How much I appreciate the list of things that you highlighted in the resolution. The conversations we've had about what to library is done. What I will say, you talk about leadership, what I'd never been in an elected official. I admire people who step up to do that. Because if you aren't doing what you do, I couldn't do what I do. I really do appreciate all this work. Clearly, a ton of work that has gone into transition. I thank you and it comforts me to know the team that you are and the team that they are will complement and move the library forward and a wonderful way. I thank you for the opportunities, I truly do. It's been amazing. Thank you. The community and for me, it's always about the people. It'll still be about the people. It's about being sweet Jim, but at the same time, being very direct. [LAUGHTER]
[01:50:41] JIM LEIJA: I know some others may want to say thanks. I want to open the floor to my fellow trustees.
[01:50:49] DHARMA AKMON: I just feel really lucky. I think, like everyone that's come into contact with your leadership styles that I've definitely learned a lot just by being in your orbit, and you're just such a good model. I'm glad that I got to work with you for the short time that I did. Thank you.
[01:51:09] KERENE MOORE: I don't do well with change and transitions, believe it or not. But I think Josie, you being you and you're saying this is okay and helping us trust everyone that you set up to help run this in your absence while we work through this transition has really made me very comfortable. I'm not stressed about it. I just really appreciate that about you because I normally just cannot, you know what I mean? I would just make you stay. [LAUGHTER] But I have too much respect for you. You've totally earn this and thank you for believing that we can take this on and make it work.
[01:52:01] ONNA SOLOMON: I'm a little mad that I didn't get to work with you for very long. [LAUGHTER] But in this process of everybody saying goodbye to you and of us starting to look for a new director. It's been really wonderful for me as a new board member to learn everything that you have done. All the stuff that's in the resolution and the stories that people told yesterday and seeing the people who showed up to honor you really gave me a history lesson of the last 20 years of the library that has been so helpful to me as a new trustee. I have known you for a long time, but haven't worked with you for too long and it's been really over the last months, really interesting, and informative, and touching to hear all the stories that I've heard.
[01:53:05] SCOTT TRUDEAU: I don't have much to add other than I could similarly to Onna. My biggest disappointment is I don't get to spend more time learning from you and working with you. I think in the short time we've known each other, which has been essentially the time I've served on this board. I have an immense and even greater amount of respect for your leadership style and the person that you are. As much as I've loved the institution and recognized how much a part of that you've been, getting to know you, it's been pretty special. I appreciate it and I'm sad I don't get to spend time with you, but I'm very happy that you get the time you have in your retirement and you're more than earned it. We are all grateful for you.
[01:53:56] MOLLY KLEINMAN: I have this memory of the first time that I met you. I was a baby librarian coming [LAUGHTER] to an event at the AADL. I remember just being awed by your presence. Everything about the way that you were so approachable and so accessible and at the same time, so clearly such a leader. You've really I think been a model for generations of librarians at this point. I'm not a librarian anymore, but I still feel that sense of aspiration. Thank you.
[01:54:36] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: I told a story yesterday and I've learned that it's easier to say emotional things when you're wearing a mask. I'm going to make myself take it off. [LAUGHTER] so you get what you deserve in terms of connection. [LAUGHTER] I told this story yesterday that I wanted to share more about tonight. But basically I remember sitting in your office with Jim and it was probably Lynne. We were the Executive Committee at the time and you had served us LaCroix because a few years ago like LaCroix were like the thing that we all needed to have at all times. [LAUGHTER] and our phones were charging all over the room. Periodically one of us would just get up from the meeting and walk across the room and look at our phones. We were probably also eating food that we had in our backpacks. I remember thinking that we must have felt like a little chaos to you. The reason that I bring this up is because I realized that the next-generation always probably feels a little chaos to the generation that is currently in a role like a director or running anything. The reason I want to be you when I grow up is because [LAUGHTER] I think you have a choice when you're in the role that you were in to either dig in your heels and I think that would be the easy choice and say, ''Well, that's not how we do things and we're going to do things the way we always have done or you can do as I have seen you do over the 15 years that I've been in your orbit.'' I have witnessed, kept an open mind and an open heart and I feel that is how we have gotten where we have gotten. That you see in people what they can bring and move forward into the future and that is rare. Now, the older I get, the more I realized that is so hard. It's so hard to do that because it requires humility and it requires questioning everything you already think that you know. To truly listen to the people who are in your room and to encourage them to be the best that they can be. The people in this room I see Sherlonya, and Eli, and Glenn. People that I worked with when I was here. I think you have flourished in this place and it is because you have made this place what it is. Thank you for being you and you're an inspiration to me and to so many people. I'm sad to see you go, but I'm also really excited for you because I know that you are so much looking forward to what you will do next. Thank you, Josie.
[01:57:19] JOSIE PARKER: Thank you Jamie. Thank you very much.
[01:57:21] JIM LEIJA: Well, if there's no further discussion, [LAUGHTER] I believe we have to vote on this [LAUGHTER] resolution. All in favor say aye.
[01:57:38] BOARD MEMBERS: Aye.
[01:57:39] JIM LEIJA: Any oppose? I would hope not. Well, Josie the staff has helped us organize having this resolution graphically designed and we will sign it and frame it for you as a memento of your time here and with us. Thank you.
[01:58:01] JOSIE PARKER: [INAUDIBLE] Thank you very much. [APPLAUSE].
[01:58:26] JIM LEIJA: Well, we'll think of you when you're holding on to that rope on the sailboat trying to keep yourself up right. We have a couple items of business left. We need to vote for closed session at the end of tonight's board meeting, brief closed session for discussion of real estate. Can I hear a motion for closed session at the end of tonight's meeting for real estate.
[01:58:47] KERENE MOORE: So moved.
[01:58:48] SCOTT TRUDEAU: I second.
[01:58:49] JIM LEIJA: Thank you, Scott. Any discussion? We need a roll call vote.
[01:58:58] KAREN WILSON: Dharma Akmon.
[01:58:59] DHARMA AKMON: Yes.
[01:59:01] KAREN WILSON: Molly Kleinman.
[01:59:02] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Yes.
[01:59:02] KAREN WILSON: Jim Leija.
[01:59:03] JIM LEIJA: Yes.
[01:59:04] KAREN WILSON: Kerene Moore.
[01:59:04] KERENE MOORE: Yes.
[01:59:05] KAREN WILSON: Onna Solomon.
[01:59:06] ONNA SOLOMON: Yes.
[01:59:07] KAREN WILSON: Scott Trudeau.
[01:59:07] SCOTT TRUDEAU: Yes.
[01:59:08] KAREN WILSON: Jamie Vander Broek.
[01:59:09] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: Yes.
[01:59:10] JIM LEIJA: Motion passes. Now, I need to hear a motion to have closed session at the March 22nd meeting for discussion of real estate and labor negotiations.
[01:59:22] KERENE MOORE: So moved.
[01:59:23] JIM LEIJA: Thank you.
[01:59:23] SCOTT TRUDEAU: I second.
[01:59:24] JIM LEIJA: Thank you. Any discussion?
[01:59:27] ONNA SOLOMON: Is that going to be before or after?
[01:59:29] JIM LEIJA: It will be before 6:00 PM. Any other discussion questions? Roll-call vote.
[01:59:39] KAREN WILSON: Dharma Akmon.
[01:59:40] DHARMA AKMON: Yes.
[01:59:40] KAREN WILSON: Molly Kleinman.
[01:59:41] MOLLY KLEINMAN: Yes.
[01:59:42] KAREN WILSON: Jim Leija.
[01:59:43] JIM LEIJA: Yes.
[01:59:43] KAREN WILSON: Kerene Moore.
[01:59:44] KERENE MOORE: Yes.
[01:59:45] KAREN WILSON: Onna Solomon.
[01:59:46] ONNA SOLOMON: Yes.
[01:59:46] KAREN WILSON: Scott Trudeau.
[01:59:47] SCOTT TRUDEAU: Yes.
[01:59:48] KAREN WILSON: Jamie Vander Broek.
[01:59:49] JAMIE VANDER BROEK: Yes.
[01:59:50] JIM LEIJA: Motion passes. Terrific. Have we any additional citizens comments?
[01:59:57] KAREN WILSON: I have not received any.
[02:00:00] JIM LEIJA: Thank you, Karen. Well, that brings us to go into recess for closed session. I know it's been a long night. We will try to be brief. I think we're going to go back into the other room and then we'll close out for the evening.

Media

February 28, 2022 at Downtown Library: 4th Floor Meeting Room

Length: 02:00:25

Copyright: Creative Commons (Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share-alike)

Rights Held by: Ann Arbor District Library

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Video - 393 MB

Subjects
AADL Board Meeting