MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF OCTOBER 18, 2005

The Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Bucks County Free Library was held at the Levittown Branch.  The meeting was called to order at 5:40 p.m.  Present:  Mary Ann Garton, President, William Draper, Vice President, Jerry Balchis, Treasurer, Joan Bowman, Secretary, Linda Brinker, Steven Dilliplane, Roberta Foerst, Martina Kominiarek, Executive Director, Susan Ziegler, Acting Assistant Director, David Bauer, Business Manager, Christina Snyder, Technical Services Manager, Javier Lanchang, Information Technology Director, Carolyn Lechelt, Secretary to the Board. 

A MOTION to APPROVE the minutes of the Regular Meeting of September 20, 2005 was made by Foerst, SECONDED by Bowman and unanimously APPROVED.

Staff Reports:

Jan Dickler, Levittown Branch Manager, presented a Branch report.  Stephen Rees, Reference Librarian, reported on Levittown’s outreach to seniors via senior expos and Levittown ’s goals and accomplishments meeting library user needs.

Levittown has been awarded a $5,000 Pennsylvania Community Development Grant from Rep. Anthony Melio.  This money will go toward carving out a teen area in the library.  A previous year’s grant of $10,000 went towards library materials and library equipment and programs. Levittown has been invited to apply for another $10,000 grant.  This money will be used for library materials, display units and One Book, One Bucks programming for both adults and children.

 

Report of Executive Director:

Welcomed Susan Ziegler, Acting Assistant Director/Training.

At the Commissioners meeting on November 2^nd, last year’s One Book, One Bucks Committee will receive commendations from the County Commissioners.  Next year’s One Book One Bucks title, “Kite Runner” will formally be announced at the meeting.

Now in the process of recruiting for the Executive Assistant position. 

Status report on Job Description Project - Drafts of Job Descriptions have been given to the Union for their review.

The Executive Director, Assistant Director and Children’s Coordinator will be visiting the Free Library of Philadelphia on October 19^th.  FLP is the site of a large LSTA grant.  The funds have been used in the past to hire 30 library trainees and send them to library school.  The big focus is on children’s librarians.  This LSTA grant is being extended to suburban area libraries and BCFL hopes to partner with FLP.  If we receive a grant we may be able to hire several trainees in the future.  The grant deadline is December 2005.

Report of District Consultant (written)

Report of Acting Assistant Director (written):

Special commendation to Levittown volunteer Marily Richards, Master Gardener, for the flower garden.  Ms. Richards is helping to start a children’s gardening program to be held in the summer.

Attended the 50^th Anniversary of the Samuel Pierce Branch last Saturday.

Distributed a list of Workshop Opportunities for Administrators and Board Members funded by the LSTA Training Grant.  Encouraged Board Members to attend.

Personnel Report for September 2005 submitted in writing.

Statistical Report for September 2005 submitted in writing. 

Report of Information Technology Director (submitted in writing)

Report of Technical Services Manager:

Reported on the Strategic Planning Project.  Second retreat held on September 29^th was well attended.  Attendees discussed the mission/vision statements and suggested some changes.  Board Members received a copy of new wording for Mission/Vision Statements and will have to decide whether to stay with the Mission Statement wording approved in June or adopt the suggested changes.  Board Members should also compare Vision Statement with previous draft submission and pick out best one for Board approval. 

Board received a draft of the Strategic Plan 2006-2010 for their review.

President thanked Ms. Snyder for all her efforts and to everyone who participated in the project.

Report of Business Manager:

MOTION to APPROVE the payment of bills for September 2005 in the amount of $485,809.06 was made by Brinker, SECONDED by Draper and unanimously APPROVED.

MOTION to APPROVE the Financial Statements (subject to audit) of September 2005 was made by Draper, SECONDED by Brinker and APPROVED unanimously.       

Board Reports:

Building Committee – Did not meet this month.  Mr. Lanchang reported a building emergency at the Langhorne Branch.  The HVAC compressor has failed.  It is the original unit (over 30 years old) and covers the entire building for heating/cooling.  Three bids have been received.  One  to replace the compressor, the others for replacement of entire unit.   Building Committee needs to decide whether to only replace compressor or whole unit.  Do not have a date, as yet, when work would start.  Mr. Lanchang and the Building Committee will discuss details via e-mail.  Because winter is fast approaching and the next Board meeting is not until mid-November, a MOTION was made by Foerst and SECONDED by Bowman, to allow the Building Committee to make a recommendation and ask the full Board for approval via e-mail.   

Finance Committee  - Chair reported that the County and IRS have increased the mileage reimbursement to .0485 cents.  Chair recommends that BCFL automatically follow the County and IRS guidelines regarding mileage reimbursement rather than seeking special approval each time it changes.  The Business Manager will report changes to the Board as they occur.  A MOTION was made by Brinker and SECONDED by Brinker to equate BCFL’s mileage reimbursement with the County and IRS .

Fundraising Committee:

Met before Board meeting.  Chair reported that the Silverman Family has sent out invitations to a fundraising dinner to be held on Monday evening, October 24^th.  40 to 50 potential attendees plus Library/Board Members are expected.

Gift Policy is being revised.

Personnel Committee – No report.  Will meet after today’s Board meeting.

Technology Committee - Ms. Bowman reported that the Committee met today.  Topics of discussion:

·         Comprise vs. Envisonware

·         Separation of BCFL & BCCC SIRSI system/s

·         Consortium

·         Doylestown Revitalization Project

·         Proposal by VoiceNet to lay conduits

·         E-rate deadlines and workshop held for CPLs.

IT Director reported that BCFL has received a $10,000 grant from Verizon to be used for ADA software.  Riegelsville, Fallsington and Southampton are also receiving grants from Verizon.

Two other grants submitted by the IT Director are pending – one for $72,000 and an LSTA grant for $92,000.

Next Technology Committee meeting scheduled for November 1^st – 4:30 p.m. in Doylestown.

President requested each Board Committee meet in November to review their sections of the proposed Strategic Plan and contact Executive Director before the December Board meeting if they have any changes or recommendations.  Plans are to approve the final version of the 2006-2010 Strategic Plan at the December or January Board meeting.                                         

Correspondence – Letter from Area Agency on Aging enclosing FY 2005-06 Agreement and allocation of $1,500.  Executive Director reported that this is a long-standing agreement between BCFL & AAA.  Funds are used to purchase library materials of interest to senior citizens. 

Meeting was opened to Public Comment.   No public in attendance.                                                  

Unfinished Business - None

New Business:

MOTION to APPROVE the 2006 Schedule of Board meetings was made by Bowman, SECONDED by Draper and APPROVED unanimously.

MOTION to APPROVE the 2006 BCFL Holiday Schedule was made by Bowman, SECONDED by Draper and unanimously APPROVED.

Executive Director reviewed 2006 County Coordination Budget approved by BCFL and CPLs and asked for approval. 
A MOTION to APPROVE the 2006 County Coordination Budget was made by Draper, SECONDED by Bowman, and so APPROVED.

Lanchang reviewed Snow Removal bids for 2005/2006 and recommended retaining the same vendors as last year except for the Bensalem Branch.  The bid for the Bensalem Branch has been rejected because the vendor did not perform satisfactorily last year.  Additional quotes will be obtained for Bensalem. 
A MOTION to APPROVE the IT Director’s recommendations for AWARDING the snow removal bids was made by Foerst, SECONDED by Brinker and APPROVED unanimously. 

President appointed Nominating Committee: Jerry Balchis, Chair, Linda Brinker and Roberta Foerst.  Committee will present proposed slate of officers for election at the December Board meeting.

There being no further business, a MOTION to ADJOURN was made at 6:30 p.m. by Balchis, SECONDED by Brinker and so MOVED.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Carolyn Lechelt

Secretary to the Board

APPROVED BY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NOVEMBER 15, 2005