ANN ARBOR DISTRICT LIBRARY BOARD
343 S. FIFTH AVENUE, ANN ARBOR, MI
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017
17-103 I. CALL TO ORDER
President Vander Broek called the meeting to order 7:05 p.m.
17-104 II. ATTENDANCE
Board Present: Victoria Green, Jim Leija, Jan Barney Newman (arr. 7:07 p.m.), Colleen Sherman, Ed Surovell (arr. 7:07 p.m.), Jamie Vander Broek
Board Absent: Linh Song
Staff: Josie Parker, Eli Neiburger, Karen Wilson (recorder)
17-105 III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
(Item of action)
Treasurer Leija, supported by Trustee Sherman, moved to approve the agenda.
AYES: Green, Leija, Sherman, Vander Broek
NAYS: None
Motion passed 4-0.
17-106 IV. CONSENT AGENDA
(Item of action)
CA-1 Approval of Minutes of May 22, 2017
CA-2 Approval of May 2017 Disbursements
Trustee Sherman, supported by Treasurer Leija, moved to approve the consent agenda.
AYES: Green, Leija, Sherman, Vander Broek
NAYS: None
Motion passed 4-0.
17-107 V. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS
There were no citizens’ comments.
17-108 VI. FINANCIAL REPORTS
Bill Cooper, Finance Manager
Finance Manager Cooper presented the May 2017 financials in the Board Packet. He noted that to date total overall spending was under budget by $787,448.
17-109 VII. COMMITTEE REPORTS
17-110 A. DIRECTOR’S EVALUATION COMMITTEE
President Vander Broek reported the full Director’s Evaluation Committee had not met. She reported that she and Vice President Song have had a preliminary discussion with a consultant regarding creation of an evaluation process and tool. She noted that for budgetary reasons, no contracts will be entered into until July.
Secretary Surovell inquired whether this committee was exceeding its authority in contracting a consultant without Board approval.
Director Parker noted that she is authorized to sign contracts for services as long as they do not exceed the Board authorized amount.
Treasurer Leija stated that the committee was charged with creating an evaluation process and a tool to complete that process.
17-111 VIII. DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Josie B. Parker, Director
In addition to the written report in the Board packet, Director Parker highlighted:
In recognition of Michigan Braille and Talking Book Libraries Awareness Day, Director Parker read Governor Snyder’s June 13, 2107 Proclamation. AADL was acknowledged as hosting the Northern and Midlands Regional Conference here earlier in June.
Play.aadl.org began on June 16th with 2300 players earning points since then.
On July 28th, the 2017 Urbanwood Tour will be stopping at Pittsfield Branch for lunch and proceeding to Traverwood Branch for a tour led by Director Parker. Verdant Stewardship, LLC sponsors this event.
In collaboration with AAATA free bus rides for library card holders will be offered on Saturday’s. Buses will be carrying summer game codes again this year.
Photos of the Downtown Library restroom rehabilitation, work done at Traverwood, the new location of the WLBPD on the second floor and the soon to be second floor security office were shown.
A timeline for website development will be presented at the July Board meeting.
The Archive’s equipment and furnishings are complete. Bulk microfilm scanning equipment has been ordered and will arrive soon. This equipment is being purchased with gift monies.
Public comments were viewed.
Attendance at A2CAF (comic festival) was 4,800 over Saturday and Sunday, June 17th and 18th. 625 calendar bookings (aadlfreespace, Westgate meeting rooms and rentals) for May were reported.
Treasurer Leija inquired about summer game promotion. Staff responded that it is promoted via the website, social media, and advertisements in MLive, Ann Arbor Observer, Ann Arbor Family and on AAATA buses. Banners are on branch buildings and weekly newsletters will be coming out in July with codes. FAADL also promotes the game on their social media.
Brief discussion regarding the Allen Creek Greenway, downtown road construction and MeLCat was also held.
17-112 IX. OLD BUSINESS
17-036 A. BOARD RETREAT REVIEW/ASSESSMENT
(Item of discussion)
President Vander Broek led the Board in discussion reviewing the Board Retreat held on June 12th. She read a draft summary of the retreat submitted by Bridgeport Consulting.
Board members discussed creating a resolution outlining benchmarks to maintain momentum of discussion.
Other comments included:
• creating a timeline
• establishing a stakeholder engagement phase/process
• using the summer game for input
• an EPIC-MRA survey
• engage public at AADL events
• engage professional assessment of downtown building
• examine real estate opportunities
• maintain conversation at monthly board meetings
Consensus of the Board was to assign background information gathering to the Executive Committee.
Treasurer Leija, supported by Trustee Green, moved to take a five minute break. The meeting recessed at 8:47 p.m. and resumed at 8:52 p.m.
16-201 B. UPDATE ON TRAVERWOOD BRANCH LIBRARY CAPITAL PROJECT
Len Lemorie, Facilities Manager
Facilities Manger Lemorie reported that the MDE wall at Traverwood has been removed. The upper rain garden is complete. 90% of the concrete work is complete. Completion is on schedule for 30 to 45 days.
17-019 C. UPDATE ON DOWNTOWN LIBRARY RESTROOM REHABILITATION CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
Len Lemorie, Facilities Manager
Facilities Manger Lemorie reported that the restrooms opened on schedule on June 3rd. Everything is running smoothly.
17-113 X. NEW BUSINESS
17-114 A. RESOLUTION TO AWARD CONTRACT FOR JANITORIAL SERVICES
(Item of action)
Len Lemorie, Facilities Manager
Treasurer Leija, supported by Trustee Sherman, moved the Board resolves:
1.) That the contract for janitorial services be awarded to All Inclusive Commercial Building Solutions for the next three years, 2017-2020, for the bid amount of $682,376.40.
2.) That all resolutions and parts of resolutions that conflict with the provisions of this resolution are rescinded.
Facilities Manger Lemorie reported that an RFP was issued for this service. Local businesses with good ratings were contacted. Three responses were received. All Inclusive was the lowest bidder and is being recommended.
AYES: Green, Leija, Barney Newman, Sherman, Surovell, Vander Broek
NAYS: None
Motion passed 6-0.
17-115 B. RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE 2016-2017 BUDGET
(Item of action)
Bill Cooper, Finance Manager
Treasurer Leija, supported by Trustee Barney Newman, moved the Board resolves:
1). To transfer $30,000.00 from Salaries and Wages to Custodial Services.
2). To transfer $10,000.00 from Salaries and Wages to Accounting/Audit.
3). To transfer $7,000.00 from Salaries and Wages to Communications.
4). To transfer $3,000.00 from Salaries and Wages to Materials.
5). To transfer $200,000.00 from Salaries and Wages to Operating Supplies.
6). To transfer $100,000.00 from Employee Benefits to Professional Services.
7). That all resolutions and parts of resolutions that conflict with the provisions of this resolution are rescinded.
Director Parker noted that in accordance with policy budget line items must balance by the end of the fiscal year. The Salaries and
Wages line item excess was due to several staff positions being vacant for most of the year.
AYES: Green, Leija, Barney Newman, Sherman, Surovell, Vander Broek
NAYS: None
Motion passed 6-0.
17-116 C. VOLUNTEER PROGRAM @ AADL
Shoshana Hurand, Volunteer Coordinator
Volunteer Coordinator Hurand gave an overview of the volunteer program at AADL. Westgate Branch re-opening was used as a pilot run for the program. A soft roll out began in January of this year. Regularly scheduled orientations began in March. Applications for adults are taken online and State background checks are performed.
The process for volunteers and staff alike was reviewed. To date there are 23 active teen volunteers with 82 prospective ones and 44 active adult volunteers with 62 prospective ones. From September 2016 to June 18, 2017 volunteers have served 728 hours.
Volunteers serve in a variety of capacities based on the skills, needs and interests. They do not replace staff and generally work behind the scenes and at programs.
17-117 D. LICENSING AND PUBLISHING @ AADL
Eli Neiburger, Deputy Director
Deputy Director Neiburger gave an overview of digital licensing and publishing done at AADL. Currently available commercial ebook products in general do not work with the public library model. AADL does participate in OverDrive through the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services Consortium for ebooks.
Direct licensing products available through AADL include Cherry Lake Publishing; Magnatune; Midwestern Gothic; Ghostly International; Spectral Sound; Poison Pen Press; WSU Press; Mochimochi Land (crochet and knitting patterns) and individual authors whose works we have licensed.
New and unique content is produced through podcasts and programming.
5th Avenue Press is a new publishing model developed by AADL. AADL selects completed submitted manuscripts with review, feedback and copy editing provided by AADL librarians. AADL will receive a digital copy of the finished product in perpetuity. We become a license holder not the rights holder. The author has the right to develop a print product. If a print product is developed AADL will purchase copies. November 2017 is the publishing target date for the first round of digital books.
Secretary Surovell inquired about the legal process of this program and felt it required further discussion by the Board. Deputy Director Neiburger responded that the licensing agreement was reviewed by AADL legal counsel. It was suggested the topic be forwarded to the Budget and Finance Committee for review.
17-118 XI. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS
Alice Liberson
All I’m going to say is that was so interesting. My first meeting and I agree it’s fabulous, with the potential there is huge liability but it’s so interesting and what you’ve done about like getting ebooks its incredible. O.K. and I’m going to come at the beginning of the next meeting to make my point.
Secretary Surovell asked Ms. Liberson to come to the podium to finish her comments.
Alice Liberson, 1129 Martin Place, Ann Arbor. I will come to make my comments at the beginning of the next meeting. But I did want to say how incredibly interesting, because I don’t know a whole lot about this, if anything that whole world is, about the licensing, ebooks and financing and about Ann Arbor standing against it and also the publishing. Who would have thought that, it’s great. O.K., see you next time.
Alex Farha
I probably should have definitely done this at the beginning. My name is Alex Farha, with the current janitorial vendor. Address 4722 S. State Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan. We also have an office down on Plymouth Road. Again, I do apologize, it is really late, but I’ll make this a quick as possible. It’s probably not going to make a difference at this point. I do want to thank you guys, Josie especially
and Len for the time, well we did have this contract for the last four and half years. We want to thank you guys for the opportunity. I do understand that though you guys have voted that it’s not really signed yet so there is an opportunity to open up the discussion again even though I know you guys are looking for July 1st start date, I do want you guys to take into consideration, I know that we were a little bit higher on pricing and I understand, and I’m actually glad to hear everything that’s going on, why the $60,000 though might not seem that big of a difference on certain projects it really does make a difference with what the library’s trying to accomplish. And I fully understand that, but I want you guys to take into, I want you guys to consider the aspect of fact that we have had a very good relationship and I think that you can talk to Len and he’ll tell you that one of the things that we’ve been very good at doing is being able to respond well in developing a relationship with you guys as not only a company, that is a local based company it has been around for a quarter of a century, but also as people. Our employees developed relationships with you guys here. Our day porter has especially done a good job down at Westgate. Our night employees who have really invested sweat and energy into make sure the library is getting the level of service. Another thing I want you guys to understand is that we are local and are born and raised in the Ann Arbor area. So one of the things that we’re going to consider is that there is going to be that transition period for you guys with regards to the new company. It doesn’t mean that they won’t get to the point of providing the same level of service we’re providing which they will, most companies do. But there is going to be that transition period and I want you guys to understand do you really want to have that type of thing come up while you guys are looking to get the votes to put in a new library. Do you want them to approach you and say hey, listen your library hasn’t been up to standards that were looking for, for the last three or four years. So take that into consideration. In addition to that we have brought ourselves into the technological world, so one of the things we’re able offer you guys is analytics reports. We do quality assurance reports with pictures of things of that nature. We have no problem showing you where we have failed as a company and give you the action plan taken and allow you to be able to monitor and better see how your money is being spent when it comes to the janitorial aspect. The other thing is we have a work order app so you’ll be able to see how our response time is in certain aspects in regards to stains on the floor and things of that nature. I know that doesn’t seem like a big deal, but believe me, stains on the floor people notice something make the biggest party of it. Another thing that I want you guys to consider is that we are a full service
facilities management company. We’ve been able to grow just like the library’s been able to grow and flourish as well. So one more thing that I want you guys to consider is we have talked about in the past with Len potentially being a single vendor in regards to your snow removal, we do that in-house. Landscaping, window cleaning, light maintenance work along with the janitorial and janitorial supplies. So I want you guys to consider the aspect of, though it might be $60,000 now, bundle it all up together down line and you’ll be able to see the discounts you are able get because of the fact that we’ll be providing service to you and were able to take off certain cuts and everything. One more thing that I do want to offer as a plea, and believe me ask anyone who knows me will tell you that I don’t plea that much, but this is the relationship that we have with you guys that we really want to maintain. I’m not sure how this will work but we’ll offer a ten percent discount. I should have said this to you, but I didn’t know the legalities of it. I will offer a ten percent discount from years one through three on the contract and then just maintain the price from there as well. So I want you guys to take that into consideration too. So I thank you guys for the time, this is probably something that I should have done at the beginning before you guys made your vote. I appreciate the opportunity. Thank you.
17-119 XII. ADJOURNMENT
President Vander Broek adjourned the meeting at 10:09 p.m.