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1 November 13, 2008 MINUTES Present: Board Chair Tony Hines, Vice-Chair Shari Nault Pullar, Paulette Laszlo, Lyn McKinney, Lloyd Mickelson, Dave Ward, Jean Warner; Bill Cochran, Library Director; Jim Peters, Assistant Library Director; Dee Ann Redman, Systems Administrator; Sandy Raymond, Senior Administrative Coordinator; Leslie Modrow, Development Director for the Library Foundation; Mike Whitaker, Director of Parks, Recreation and Public Lands; Mark Jarvis, Park Planner; Jon Thompson, Parks Superintendent Public Comment Introduction of Staff from Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Consent Agenda MOTION: Approve consent agenda except for Items B and C. Approved McKinney/Laszlo Item B Friends Report Peters reported on the funding requests: • $100 honorarium to Gabriel Farago, to present the Succeeding in the Music Industry program • $100 honorarium to Big Sky Chorus for a holiday program MOTION: Approve funding request. Approved Mickelson/McKinney Item C Foundation Report Modrow invited the Board to attend the Foundation’s 20th Anniversary events on November 20. MOTION: Approve Foundation report as presented. Approved Nault/Ward MOTION: Change the agenda order so that item 4 is the next item for discussion. Approved Mickelson/McKinney Sahara Park project potential for Heights Branch Cochran reported on the addition of $150,000 to the CIP in FY10 to evaluate a branch in the Heights. Whitaker reported on the work that is underway to develop a plan for a pool in the Heights with a site on Aronson currently under evaluation. Consideration is being given to adding a branch Library and Community Center at the same location. The Better Billings Foundation has a $200,000 grant for a new Heights ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 community center, which could also include a branch Library. A public meeting to discuss the projects will be held December 1, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. at the downtown Community Center. McKinney advised the group that it is important to inform the people living in the area of the plans for the project. Statement of Concern Peters reviewed the Statement of Concern and the staff recommendation regarding the book A Companion for Wolves submitted by Diane L. Croel. MOTION: Accept staff response. Approved McKinney/Laszlo Community Library Committee report Cochran reviewed the minutes from the August, September and October meetings. He reported that the University is pursuing funding for its half of the project which is second behind a new Science Building on the main campus. There are two additional issues that could impact the facility: • A change in the governance for MSU-B COT and all other two year state educational institutions that would move them away from the Board of Regents • The Governor’s budget message will soon be released and it will include his recommendations for bond funding The City’s portion of the project funding has been changed in the CIP plan so that it is contingent on the University receiving its funding. An article about the facility will be in the Gazette in the near future. Mickelson reported on the RFQ for the conceptual plan of the project that was prepared and distributed by MSU-B. There are six architectural firms which will be interviewed for the project the first week of December. MOTION: Accept committee report. Approved Mickelson/Laszlo Facilities/Funding Committee report Ward reported that the two committees have been meeting together because there is so much going on right now. Repairs to the Library have been delayed until a decision is made about the current site. Ward encouraged the Board to keep the Gainan’s property in mind when plans for a downtown Library are discussed. Tours of the Gainan’s site will be given at noon on November 19 and December 1. ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 Board Retreat Planning The Board retreat will be held Saturday, January 10 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Library. High Plains Book Award Committee report Nault reported that the awards went well although ticket sales were slow; she sees it as an event with a long life. Consideration is being given to changes to the High Plains BookFest and possibly combining the two events with a new date so that it is not at the same time as the Friends Book Sale. Meeting adjourned 1:30 p.m.