BUCKS COUNTY FREE LIBRARY

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 21, 2006

 

The Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Bucks County Free Library was held at the Library Center , Doylestown.  The meeting was called to order at 5:36 p.m.  Present were:  Mary Ann Garton , President, William Draper, Vice President, Jerry Balchis , Treasurer, Joan Bowman , Secretary, Linda Brinker , Roberta Foerst , Steven Dilliplane, Martina Kominiarek , Executive Director, Susan Ziegler, Public Services Director, Janet Marnatti, Children’s Services Manager, David Bauer , Business Manager, Javier Lanchang, Systems Services Director, Paul Acampora , Development Director, Carolyn Lechelt, Secretary to the Board. 

 

A MOTION to APPROVE the minutes of the Regular Meeting of January 17, 2006 was made by Draper, SECONDED by Bowman and unanimously APPROVED.

 

Rob Micheletti, President of Employee Benefits Specialist, Inc. and Michael O’Connell, a representative from American Life Insurance Company (One America), gave a presentation and overview of the proposed alternative 403(b) pension plan.

 

Staff Reports:

 

Roberta Yakovich (Children’s Services Manager, Doylestown) reported on the use of Melinda Cox funds and was an advocate for children’s services.

 

Report of Executive Director:

 

Consortium Agreement Update - All Community Public Libraries have indicated they will sign the Consortium Agreement by February 28^th or shortly thereafter.  Executive Director asked for Board approval.  A MOTION to APPROVE the Consortium Agreement, as presented, was made by Bowman, SECONDED by Foerst, and unanimously APPROVED.  The Board thanked everyone who was involved in this process.

 

Balchis reported that the Finance Committee reviewed the Michener fund spending plan for 2006 and the request from the Doylestown Borough that BCFL purchase two gas streetlights to be placed outside the Library Center as part of the Doylestown Revitalization Project.  Balchis made a MOTION, SECONDED by Draper, to APPROVE using Michener Endowment Funds in the amount of $10,000.00 to purchase two gas streetlights to be placed outside the Library Center , Doylestown.  MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

A MOTION was made by Balchis, and SECONDED by Foerst, to APPROVE American United Life Insurance Company’s One America’s 403(b) Pension Plan as documented by Employee Benefits Specialist, Inc.  MOTION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

 

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At present, the TIAA/CREF Pension Plan does not allow employees to transfer (rollover) funds to another plan.  A MOTION to allow employees to move funds from their existing current plan to the new plan was made by Balchis, SECONDED by Bowman and APPROVED unanimously.

 

A Board Resolution to amend the TIAA/CREF Plan Document to allow transfers (rollovers) was signed by the Board President and Treasurer.

 

BCFL has changed its healthcare provider from Aetna to Keystone.  The plans are comparable.  Keystone has more doctors/specialists/hospitals in Upper Bucks County which will benefit employees who reside in that area. 

 

BCFL has received two LSTA grants:

 

• $9,600 to fund a centralized homebound-by-mail project.  This grant was submitted by Jan O’Rourke and is a pilot project this year to deliver materials to homebound users throughout the county.

 

• $69,445 to fund a countywide wireless access project.  This grant was submitted by Javier Lanchang.  All public libraries in the county will have wireless access for the public in the near future.

 

Report of Public Services Director – submitted in writing.

 

Branch Personnel Report – January 2006 (written)

Statistical Report – January 2006 (written)

 

Report of Development Director – submitted in writing.

 

Report of Business Manager:

 

A MOTION to APPROVE the payment of bills for January 2006 in the amount of $3,572,099.32 was made by Draper, SECONDED by Bowman and APPROVED unanimously.

 

No balance sheet is available for January 2006 until year 2005 is closed.  Mr. Bauer asked for approval of the profit and loss statement for January 2006.  A MOTION to APPROVE the January 2006 profit and loss statement (subject to audit) was made by Foerst, SECONDED by Draper, and unanimously APPROVED.

 

The auditors have completed their field work at the Library.  As requested by the Board, a letter was given to them stating that the audit, management letter and Form 990 must be submitted to the Library in a timely manner.

 

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Board Committee Reports:

 

Building – No Report

 

Finance:

 

• A MOTION was made by Balchis, and SECONDED by Draper, to APPROVE the Final 2006 Budget.  MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

• Executive Director reported that a few years ago a gift of stock in the amount of about $20,000 was given to the Yardley-Makefield Branch by Hamilton Disbrow.  This gift is not part of the Disbrow Endowment funds.  Finance Committee recommends that the Library sell this stock and use the proceeds to purchase electronic business resources.  A MOTION was made by Balchis, SECONDED by Foerst, and UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED to sell the stock donated by Hamilton Disbrow, in its entirety, and the proceeds used to fund the appropriate expenditures.

 

Development – Committee met today.  The Development Director recommended to the Committee that they accept the District Advisory Council’s proposal to fund a county-wide branding and marketing task force using District funds.  A MOTION to accept the District Advisory Council’s recommendation to use District funds to contract with the IVY Group for a Branding and Marketing Project in the amount of $19,400.00 was made by Brinker, SECONDED by Bowman, and APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

Ms. Brinker asked the Board to review the proposed policies regarding the patron database submitted to them by Mr. Acampora.  The policies will also be reviewed by Consortium members at CAC and CLC before approval.

 

Personnel – Mr. Dilliplane reported that the Committee met to:

• Work on the evaluation of the Executive Director.
• Review draft job descriptions.
• Set goals for next year.

 

Technology (Library Services):

 

Committee met on January 31 to:

• Discuss e-rate forms and changes proposed for the next funding year.   Filing deadline was February 16^th.  New contracts for cell phones, local/long distance telephone, WAN and Internet services have been negotiated by the Information Technology Manager/System Services Director.

 

 

 

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• In March, the name of the Committee will be changed to Library Services and Roberta Foerst will be the Chair.  The committee will widen its focus to review and monitor areas covered by the Library Services section of the Strategic Plan.

 

Bids were received from two vendors to replace the PBX at the Library Center , Doylestown.  A MOTION to APPROVE awarding the bid to Excelerant in the approximate amount of $43,000.00 was made by Garton, SECONDED by Bowman, and UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

 

Correspondence – submitted in writing.   Ms. Bowman passed around a letter she received from Gov. Rendell regarding his proposed 2006 budget for Pennsylvania public libraries.

 

Meeting was opened to Public Comment.  Present was Kristie Schwartz, a graduate student from Kutztown University .  Ms. Schwartz’s assignment was to attend a Board meeting of a System Library.  She asked questions about the logistics of delivery by mail to the homebound. 

 

Unfinished Business:

 

The Building Committee took under advisement the Union ’s request to change the 2006 Holiday Schedule to add Saturdays, December 23^rd and December 30^th.  Chair reported that the Committee’s recommendation is that no change be made to the 2006 Holiday Schedule.  Board accepted the recommendation. 

 

New Business - None

 

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

                                                                                   

Respectfully submitted,

Carolyn Lechelt

Secretary to the Board

 

APPROVED BY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MARCH 21, 2006