ANN ARBOR DISTRICT LIBRARY BOARD
343 S. FIFTH AVENUE, ANN ARBOR, MI
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
MONDAY, AUGUST 15, 2011
11-123 I. CALL TO ORDER
Vice President Rosenthal called the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m.
11-124 II. ATTENDANCE
Present: Head, Kaplan, Barney Newman, Rosenthal, Surovell
Absent: Leary, Murphy
Staff: Choate, Doll, Neiburger, Nieman, Parker, Wilson (recorder)
11-125 III. RECESS TO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR LABOR NEGOTIATIONS AND OPINION OF LEGAL COUNSEL
11-126 IV. RECONVENE REGULAR MEETING AT 7:30 PM
Vice President Rosenthal reconvened the meeting to order at 7:29 p.m.
11-127 V. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
(Item of action)
Trustee Head, supported by Trustee Kaplan, moved to approve the agenda.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Barney Newman, Rosenthal, Surovell
NAYS: None
Motion passed 5-0.
11-128 VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JULY 18, 2011
(Item of action)
Trustee Surovell, supported by Trustee Kaplan, moved to approve the minutes of July 18, 2011.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Barney Newman, Rosenthal, Surovell
NAYS: None
Motion passed 5-0.
11-129 VII. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS
Will Hathaway
Good evening, my name is Will Hathaway, I’m pleased to be here this evening, I am here representing a group of people who have been talking for the past few months together and thinking about how we might work as community to have a park next the library as part of the development of that site known as the Library Lot. Currently there is a parking structure being built underground there. It’s, I think, targeted to be completed in early 2012. Our hope is that part of what could go on top of it could be a public park and I know from talking with Josie, who was very generous in meeting with me and my mother Mary Hathaway, talking about the library and its interest in the surrounding sites downtown and I also talked with Ed Surovell, who was also very generous with his time, I learned a lot. We learned a lot about the library and some of the challenges the library faces and I wanted to share with you this evening, just briefly, I wanted to convey, I guess, how big an impact those conversations have had with our group. That we have been giving a great deal of thought to how development of the Library Lot might work to not only sort of address concerns that the library might have but also how it could be sort of a synergy whatever happens on that lot with the future of the downtown branch of the district library. And we’ve gone and met with a number of other folks who have a lot of experience with development in downtown Ann Arbor and we’ve been working on coming up with some drawings and sketches of what might happen there. But I want to use this brief opportunity to say that we’re, all of us, everyone involved in this, has taken to heart what we understand to be the aspirations, the hopes for the downtown library and how much everyone involved in our group cares about and wants to see the downtown library succeed, continue to thrive at the center of Ann Arbor. That’s really the message I want to convey tonight and then there’s some other folks from my group that want to speak.
Mary Hathaway
Thank you, thank you for letting me speak. My son Will has said really most of what I would have wanted to say. We look forward to a park that would be not only next to the library, but a real partner with the library as a cutting edge or growing edge state of the art new library for the future. To have a park there without the library would be a huge disappointment to us. We want to be partners with you and we’re determined to make our design such that it will address the problems, the very real problems that the library has faced, from another park in the vicinity. That’s part of our assignment is to solve that problem and not to create new ones. So we look forward to doing that and hope to be partners with you. Thank you.
Odile Haber
I am also part of this group for the common, we renamed the place Library Green in the hope of attracting somebody from the library. We have visions of maybe playground, fountains, playground for the children. Many mothers from the old west side have approached us and said it would be wonderful to have a playground where the children could play while we go get some books at the library. We would love to have the room for NGO, small NGO, when they want to have benefit because we only have the basement of the churches in Ann Arbor and a beautiful room could also serve for weddings and community functions. So a beautiful room would be nice, an amphitheater where we could hear some music, so there is many fun visions that people have kinda bring forth, to throw out, some people want table to play chess. So if the more things would happen the more people it would attract. Some people have the great fear of the homeless population sitting there or being there. I was living in Berkley before I came to Ann Arbor 15 years ago and in the wake of the campaign against apartheid we were left with a lot of homeless with us. So we started a homeless movement and the name was Homeless not Helpless. And we formed a band, we had storytelling, many homeless had skills with cement, with wood carving, they had many fantastic story to tell, so I’ve found that we need to look at the homeless not just as bums, you know, that have nothing to bring us, but also as our fellow that are being down and out and may need some help but most have something to contribute to society if they are engaged in the proper way. I’ve seen the readings on cell phones that would be enough cultural event and enough things happening that it would attract people and then it wouldn’t be just one of the group of people, it would be kind of a mix of diverse people coming around the library, so that’s the vision that we have. We did look at survey and continue to ask people what is it that they would like to see. The more people engaged and get active the better it will be. We hope that you will talk to the City and bring the image of the library behind the idea of the commons. Thank you.
11-130 VIII. FINANCIAL REPORT
Associate Director Nieman reported that July was a typical month. The Fund Balance reflects just over $7.9 million. July showed the unrestricted cash balance is at $6.7 million. Three line items are over budget, but will come back into line later in the year.
11-131 IX. APPROVAL OF DISBURSEMENTS
(Item of action)
Trustee Kaplan, supported by Trustee Head, moved to approve the July disbursements.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Barney Newman, Rosenthal, Surovell
NAYS: None
Motion passed 5-0.
11-132 X. DIRECTOR’S REPORT
In addition to her written report, Director Parker announced that AADL has been invited to participate in a NEH funded project From Bluegrass to Broadway. This grant was awarded to the Tribeca Film Institute in collaboration with ALA. Eli Neiburger and Tim Grimes have been asked to participate as advisors. This is the Library’s second NEH funded project participation within the last six months.
Director Parker has been introduced to Dr. Patricia Green, the new superintendent for Ann Arbor Public Schools. Director Parker reported that Dr. Green is very enthusiastic and excited to be here in Ann Arbor.
In 2004 AADL changed the process and vendors for collecting overdue/lost materials. Since that time the library has realized a return on investment of $7.12 for every dollar spent. From 2004 through July 2011, 10,233 accounts have been sent for collection. Over $600,000 in fines has been collected along with material recovery worth $122,000.
11-133 XI. NEW BUSINESS
11-134 XII. A. VOTE TO MOVE THE SCHEDULED DECEMBER 19, 2011 BOARD MEETING TO DECEMBER 15, 2011
(Item of action)
Trustee Head, supported by Secretary Barney Newman, moved to change the Monday, December 19, 2011 Board meeting to Thursday, December 15, 2011.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Barney Newman, Rosenthal, Surovell
NAYS: None
Motion passed 5-0.
11-135 B. VOTE FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THE SEPTEMBER 19, 2011 REGULAR MEETING FOR LABOR NEGOTIATIONS AND OPINION OF LEGAL COUNSEL
(Item of action)
Roll call vote
Trustee Surovell, supported by Trustee Kaplan, moved to hold an Executive Session at the September 19, 2011 regular Board meeting for labor negotiation and opinion of legal counsel.
A roll call vote was taken.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Barney Newman, Rosenthal, Surovell
NAYS: None
Motion passed 5-0.
11-136 XIII. ADJOURNMENT
Vice President Rosenthal adjourned the meeting at 7:46 p.m.