ANN ARBOR DISTRICT LIBRARY BOARD
343 S. FIFTH AVENUE, ANN ARBOR, MI
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2022
22-064 I. CALL TO ORDER
Jim Leija, President
President Leija called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.
22-065 II. ATTENDANCE
Board Present: Dharma Akmon, Molly Kleinman, Jim Leija, S. Kerene Moore, Onna Solomon, Scott Trudeau, Jamie Vander Broek
Board Absent: None
Staff: Eli Neiburger, Len Lemorie, Sherlonya Turner, Karen Wilson (recorder)
Others Present: William Stapleton, Hooper Hathaway
22-066 III. RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION FOR DISCUSSION OF LABOR NEGOTIATIONS AND REAL ESTATE
22-067 IV. RECONVENE TO REGULAR MEETING AT 7:00PM
President Leija reconvened the meeting at 7:05 p.m.
22-068 V. ATTENDANCE
Board Present: Dharma Akmon, Molly Kleinman, Jim Leija, S. Kerene Moore, Onna Solomon, Scott Trudeau, Jamie Vander Broek
Board Absent: None
Staff: Eli Neiburger, Len Lemorie, Rich Retyi, Sherlonya Turner, Karen Wilson (recorder)
22-069 VI. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
(Item of action)
Vice President Akmon, supported by Secretary Moore, moved to approve the agenda.
Trustee Vander Broek, supported by Trustee Solomon, moved to amend the agenda adding a vote for closed session for discussion of real estate on April 19, 2022.
The amendment was voted on.
AYES: Akmon, Kleinman, Leija, Moore, Solomon, Trudeau, Vander Broek
NAYS: None
Motion passed 7-0.
The amended agenda was voted on.
AYES: Akmon, Kleinman, Leija, Moore, Solomon, Trudeau, Vander Broek
NAYS: None
Motion passed 7-0.
22-070 VII. CONSENT AGENDA
(Item of action)
CA-1 Approval of Minutes of February 28, 2022
CA-2 Approval of February 2022 Disbursements
Secretary Moore, supported by Treasurer Trudeau, moved to approve the consent agenda.
AYES: Akmon, Kleinman, Leija, Moore, Solomon, Trudeau, Vander Broek
NAYS: None
Motion passed 7-0.
22-071 VIII. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS
There were no citizens’ comments.
22-072 IX. FINANCIAL REPORTS
Eli Neiburger, Deputy Director
Deputy Director Neiburger reviewed the financial report listed in the Board packet. He noted that the cash balance has decreased from $10,461,090 to $9,345,166 at the end of February.
The Fund Balance has increased from $5,236,982 to $5,572,877. Year to date revenue is at $12,152,565 with expenditures of $10,861,910. Actual cash receipts are 99.63% of the budget and actual cash expended is at 61.77% of the budget. There were no Grants & Memorial funds expended and the MPSERS monies were a onetime pass-through in December. Any needed budget adjustments will be brought to the Board in June.
22-073 X. COMMITTEE REPORTS
22-074 A. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Jim Leija, Chair
President Leija reported that the committee did not meet.
22-075 B. LIBRARY DIRECTOR SEARCH COMMITTEE
Jim Leija, Chair
President Leija reported the Director search was successfully concluded and congratulated Eli Neiburger who officially accepted the position beginning on April 1st.
22-076 C. BUDGET & FINANCE COMMITTEE
Scott Trudeau, Chair
Treasurer Trudeau reported new members to the committee received an orientation on the budget process. The committee will receive the draft 2022-2023 budget in April prior to presentation to the Board at the April Board meeting. He also noted that the Library was changing accounting software. Financial reporting to the Board will remain the same.
President Leija reported that he and Trustee Vander Broek met with members of the Friends of the Library Board and toured the Parkland Plaza location in anticipation of moving their activities there. Library Administration is in the process of reviewing and updating the Space Use Agreement reflecting a move of FAADL activities and the agreement will be brought before the Board in April for further discussion.
22-077 XI. LIBRARY REPORT
Sherlonya Turner, Associate Director
Associate Director Turner gave an overview of the 2020-2021 Annual Report.
Associate Director Turner continued with the following:
- AADL will be employing an Events Library Technician who will be dedicated to providing more inclusive program offerings.
- FoolMoon & Festifools final workshop will be this Sunday.
- The Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library will again offer library clothing for sale. They sold eighty-three items at their last sale.
- Online room bookings are resuming. Patrons may now book online two hours of room usage up to twelve times per year per library card per room.
- Indoor storytimes have returned.
- A Name Change Clinic Event will be hosted by AADL in partnership with the Jim Toy Community Center, the Outlaws Student Group at Michigan Law and the Spectrum Center on March 30th.
- A special live author event will be held in the Downtown Lobbytorium on April 6th. AADL will host Angeline Boulley author of Firekeeper’s Daughter.
- AADL will celebrate Arab American Heritage Month in April with online and in-person events. AADL will be hosting Performer Karim Nagi on April 13th in the Downtown Lobbytorium in partnership with the Arab American Museum.
- The AADL Seed Sampler is now open. AADL is partnering with local seed organizations to provide patrons with starter packs of seed and instructions. More information can be found at https://aadl.org/seedsampler.
- Social media comments were viewed.
22-078 XII. OLD BUSINESS
21-162 A. LIBRARY DIRECTOR SEARCH UPDATE
Jim Leija, Chair
(Item of discussion)
President Leija informed the Board that Communications and Marketing Manager Rich Retyi is working on an official press release announcing Director Neiburger’s appointment.
22-079 XIII. NEW BUSINESS
22-080 A. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PARKLAND PLAZA FACILITY UPGRADES AND CONTRACTING WITH O’NEAL CONSTRUCTION FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT OF THE PROJECT
Len Lemorie, Associate Director
(Item of discussion & action)
Associate Director Lemorie reported the original scope of the project housing the Archives has expanded to include more staff workstations, programming space and inclusion of a geothermal option.
He presented two options to the Board for their consideration. Option A with square footage of 12,500 includes two bays with twenty-eight workstations and an increase of 180% for paper storage over the current existing archive space. Option B with square footage of 18,750 includes three bays with forty-seven workstations and an increase of 230% for paper storage over the current existing archive space. Option A geothermal option is $414,000; Option B geothermal option is $458,045. Total budget construction for Option A is $3,036,383; Option B total budget construction is $3,502,173.
Board members asked several questions regarding use of the space and the traditional HVAC versus the geothermal option.
Trustee Kleinman, supported by Secretary Moore, moved that the Board resolves to authorize construction of upgrades and new workspaces at the Parkland Plaza facility with a budget of $3,502,173 to be paid from the Capital Fund; to authorize Associate Director Len Lemorie to enter into a contract with O'Neal Construction, Inc. to manage the construction work; that all resolutions and parts of resolutions that conflict with the provisions of this resolution are rescinded.
AYES: Akmon, Kleinman, Leija, Moore, Solomon, Trudeau, Vander Broek
NAYS: None
Motion passed 7-0.
22-081 B. VOTE FOR CLOSED SESSION ON APRIL 19, 2022 FOR DISCUSSION OF REAL ESTATE
(Item of action)
Roll call vote
Vice President Akmon, supported by Trustee Solomon, moved to hold a closed session on April 19, 2022 for discussion of real estate.
A roll call vote was taken.
AYES: Akmon, Kleinman, Leija, Moore, Solomon, Trudeau, Vander Broek
NAYS: None
Motion passed 7-0.
22-082 C. VOTE FOR CLOSED SESSION AT THE APRIL 25, 2022 REGULAR BOARD MEETING FOR DISCUSSION OF REAL ESTATE AND LABOR NEGOTIATIONS
(Item of action)
Roll call vote
Trustee Kleinman, supported by Secretary Moore, moved to hold a closed session at the April 25, 2022 Board meeting for discussion of real estate and labor negotiations.
A roll call vote was taken.
AYES: Akmon, Kleinman, Leija, Moore, Solomon, Trudeau, Vander Broek
NAYS: None
Motion passed 7-0.
22-083 XIV. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS
There were no citizens’ comments.
22-084 XV. ADJOURNMENT
President Leija adjourned the meeting at 7:59 p.m.