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Special Board Meeting Lewis & Clark Room, Student Union Building, Montana State University - Billings October 21, 2008 MINUTES Present: Board Chair Tony Hines, Paulette Laszlo, Lloyd Mickelson, Shari Nault, Jean Warner; Bill Cochran, Library Director; Jim Peters, Assistant Library Director; Dee Ann Redman, Systems Administration; Nikki Broch, President of the Friends of the Library; MSU-Billings Associate Librarian Brent Roberts Chair Tony Hines called the meeting to order at 11:42 am Friends of the Library: Broch announced that the sale went very well and the Friends were quite pleased. Retail sales for the year totaled $30,011. BookFest: Nault reported that BookFest organizers are going into a mini-retreat to consider changes for upcoming events. In the sixth year of the BookFest, there has been an increasing decline in attendance. They will rethink the structure of the BookFest and may look for ways to engage people in the writing experience. Writers enjoy getting together, but audiences were small. Book Awards Event: Mickelson stated that the final attendance count at the dinner was 98. He received $1400 in checks and cash at the door, and anticipates that the event will be in the black. Everyone attending seemed to have a good time, and the writers involved expressed appreciation. He offered his thanks to all who worked on the Book Awards. Library Recommendations for City 2010-2014 Capital Improvement Plan: Cochran reported that City departments are required to submit their 5-year CIP projections by October 24, 2008. He encouraged Board members to provide input at the upcoming public meetings on the CIP, as the people who show up and comment have a big impact on the Council. The charge for today’s meeting is to decide what changes to make, if any, to the Library’s current CIP projects. He reminded all that the Funding Committee had provided information about funding options for different types of approaches for financing facilities. This work is not finished, but will be informed by today’s decisions. The Facilities Committee has adopted a plan with a three-location model. This would provide library facilities in Downtown, the West End and the Heights. The priority was to set up a West End location. WEST END: There are developments since the last Board meeting on October 9 for the Joint Community Library project. Cochran participated in a meeting of the ---PAGE BREAK--- City Administrator, University Chancellor and others earlier today to discuss how to match University system funding pieces and calendars with the City’s. He noted that planning and operating committees cannot move forward until some of this is worked out. The University systems funding for capital projects requires listing as a priority. The Joint Community Library project ended up as the 23rd funding priority among all Montana State University projects, and did not make the list of projects with either the Commissioner of Higher Education or the Governor’s office, although it is going forward as an ‘authority only’ item. Complicating planning for MSU-Billings, there were proposals at the last meeting of the Board of Regents to develop a new community college in the Bitterroot, add another COT in Missoula in conjunction with the University of Montana, and a proposal to move all the two-year institutions our of the University system into a new two-year education system, at which time the Billings COT would no longer be affiliated with MSU-Billings. The Board of Regents will have to take a position on the proposals in November. This brings up a consideration for the upcoming CIP project listing for the Joint Community Library project. The Library will not want to mandate a scheduled election when there may be a possibility for no University funding. Cochran suggested that the Board could add language to make the scheduling of a bond and/or levy election at the discretion of the Council, contingent on the University securing funds for its half of the project. The Chancellor believes they will have more information after the Regents meet next month. In the interim, the two entities may wish to explore an Interlocal agreement to cooperate to add weekend and evening hours and popular materials at the existing COT library to demonstrate the need for a joint-use facility. DOWNTOWN: With regard to the Downtown facility, the current CIP has $13.4 million included for FY12 to remodel. If the COT project is delayed, there is a danger that these projects might be presented to the community only a year or two apart. Cochran reminded everyone of the discussion at the last Board meeting about the Gainan’s building. They are looking to move the majority of their operations to the West End in about two years, and have expressed interest in having the Library use their current building. They would like to offer tours to the Board. Bill believes this location could work with an addition and renovation. He noted that there are two parking lots, and adjacent parking in both a ramp and on the street. This site would not require a new building or having to acquire property from multiple owners. There is also a possibility of a lease arrangement, which might be a favorable option as the nature of library service and the needs of the community change in coming years. The amount in the CIP would permit remodeling another building or building a new facility, but remodeling the current facility would not include the 4th floor. Bill thinks that one advantage with the library is that donating part of the cost of building such as Gainan’s might be tax- deductible. HEIGHTS: Cochran met recently with Mike Whitaker, Director of the City’s Parks Recreation and Public Lands (PRPL), who is interested in exploring a joint ---PAGE BREAK--- project with the Library for a future Heights facility. Mike talked to Chuck Barthuly, with the Better Billings Foundation (BBF). That organization has a HUD grant of $200,000 to establish a Heights community center with meeting room space. This is an excellent fit for a Library facility, which would need meeting space at any rate, and he also like the idea of working with the Library. Cochran distributed images of Sahara Park, a currently undeveloped site that is the highest priority for BBF, although other possibilities at Sierra or Castle Rock Parks have not been entirely ruled out. Bill suggested that the Board may wish to include funds in the CIP for a site evaluation study for the feasibility of using Sahara Park or other sites in the Heights for a future Library branch. This would likely be in the form of a supplemental budget request for library reserves. The Board considered options for recommended changes to the CIP for the upcoming 5-year period. MOTION: The Board moved to add a recommendation for the Community Library in FY 2010 that would add language for a contingency for Council to call election based on University securing funding. Mickelson/Nault Motion passed MOTION: The Board moved to use $150,000 from Library reserves for a site location study, also in FY2010, for a future Heights branch. Mickelson/Warner Motion passed MOTION: The Board moved to keep the FY2012 CIP budgeting for the downtown facility intact, but to change the language to "build new, acquire and remodel another building or remodel the existing" downtown facility. Nault/Warner Motion passed The Board indicated interest in accepting the offer from Gainan’s for a tour, preferably in conjunction with their planned retreat in January. MOTION: The Board moved to direct staff to continue conversations with Parks, Recreation and Public Lands, Gainan’s and the Better Billings Foundation regarding future Library facilities. Nault/Mickelson Motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 1:18 pm.