ROCHESTER PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD
ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA
JULY 18, 2001
4:30 P.M.

CALL TO ORDER

The regular meeting of the Rochester Public Library Board of Trustees was called to order by President Dick Hall. Also attending were Paul Barton, Ed Haskell, Betty Hutchins, Naomi Lipsky, Ann Larson, and Steve McMaster,

Members absent: Elisabeth Miller, Dave Nelson, and Jeanne Parker.

Staff present: Audrey Betcher, Director; Kim Edson, Head of Extension Services; Carrie Farrow, Interim Circulation Services Manager; Louise Moe, Head of Information Services; Kathy Olson, Office Services Coordinator; and Rebecca Splittstoesser, Head of Technical Services.

CONSENSUS AGENDA

Dick Hall requested that the minutes be corrected to reflect that Dick will bring the disaster recovery issue to the attention of the SELCO president and Executive Director.

Ed Haskell moved, Betty Hutchins second to approve the minutes from June 20, 2001, as amended. Motion approved.

Ed Haskell moved, Paul Barton second to approve the monthly bills and the Monthly Report. Motion approved.

FOUNDATION REPORT

At the last meeting, members of the Advocacy and Development Committees reported on their initial meetings.

Members of the Future Environment Task Force presented their report and it was well received. The Board requested that the Task Force create a presentation for the City Council and County Board.

SELCO REPORT

SELCO is discontinuing the contract for regional reference at the end of this calendar year. We received $18,200 from this contract so it will have an impact on our budget. This contract funds 10 hours of Roger Leachman and another part-time reference librarian. These salaries will be phased into the operating budget over a three year period.

SELCO also cut children's programming, publicity, and material grants.

Audrey, Kim, and Louise attended a SELCO workshop on the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). We will have to ensure that filtering remains a local decision not a regional decision. There are significant financial ramifications for SELCO if member libraries do not comply. Audrey is also working on this at the state level.

Dick spoke with Judy Harris regarding disaster recovery and the SELCO budget relative to the upgrade situation.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

The Personnel Committee met to discuss the mechanism for conducting Audrey's performance evaluation. Board members and administrative staff will be asked for comments on her performance.

The first four reorganizational postings should be up next week. These would be the Automation Systems Associate, Clerk/Typist in the Office, Circulation Services Manager, and Communications Manager.

The Steering Committee has not met but is in the process of starting additional study groups: technology and facilities will be starting up in next month or so.

2002 BUDGET

Audrey reviewed the proposed 2002 budget.

• An option is given to keep the library open for full Saturdays during the summer in 2002. The total cost to open the extra hours is $16,022. This item will be submitted as a separate request.
• The total materials budget including gift funds has increased by 8.6% over 2001. (Materials are 11.39% of the proposed 2002 operating; 2001 materials budget was 9.38% of the operating budget)
• With SELCO discontinuing the regional reference contract in 2002 at $18,200, we will transition the staff hours from the SELCO fund into the operating budget over 3 years.
• Staff costs (not including the increased summer hours) are 72.83% of the operating budget. (In 2001, the staff costs were 75.24% of the operating budget.)
• We significantly increased the Promotion line item to give the new Communications Manager a budget to work with.
• We have increased security by having an off-duty police officer occasionally scheduled.
• Although the number is eventually given to us by the City, we have anticipated a healthy increase in heating costs.
• The request in the operating budget is an 8.07 % increase from 2001 not including the extra hours.

Paul Barton moved, Ed Haskell second to approve the proposed 2002 budget request. Motion approved.

DIRECTOR'S INFORMATION ITEMS

We received a Gates grant for equipment and will be sending four people to Seattle for training in September.

As part of the space issue that we are encountering in the Computer Center for both staff and training, we will be purchasing equipment to create a mobile training lab out of this year's budget.

We have received approval of an IBM grant for a laptop which will be used as part of the mobile training lab.

Sarah Waletzki has completed her Masters in Library Science.

Ed Haskell moved, Naomi Lipsky second that the Board express congratulations to Sarah on her educational accomplishment. Motion approved.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Betty Hutchins,
Secretary

The next regular meeting of the Library will be Wednesday, August 15, 2001, at 4:30 p.m. in Meeting Room B on the second floor of the library.