MEETING MINUTES
Minutes Executive Committee Meeting of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Board of Trustees March 7, 2002
The meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library was held on Thursdsay, March 7, 2002 in the Central Library pursuant to due notice to trustees. The following members were present:
Daniel T. Roach, Chairman; Elaine M. Panty, Vice-Chair; Phyllis A. Horton; Rebecca L. Mahoney; Judith K. Summer; Robert J. Plache, Trustee Emeritus; George M. Zimmermann, Trustee Emeritus
The meeting was called to order at 4:02 p.m.
Deputy Director CFO Kenneth Stone presented the three items on the agenda.
Agenda item B.1. Resolution 2002-17 - Amendment to 2002 Budget, County Legislature Aid Items for Libraries. On motion by Ms. Summer and seconded by Ms. Horton, the following resolution was adopted unanimously:
RESOLUTION 2002-17
WHEREAS, Legislator Edward J. Kuwik has designated a total of $4,000 in Legislative Contingency funds to benefit the Lackawanna and Blasdell Libraries, and
WHEREAS, pursuant to an agreement entered into many years ago, Erie County is responsible for funding local branch libraries situated within localities throughout Erie County, andWHEREAS, libraries within Erie County are routinely in need of additional funds to provide services and materials to local patrons, and
WHEREAS, Legislators' strong support for the community's public libraries is greatly appreciated and helps the libraries support a great deal of use, and
WHEREAS, this allocation requires a change to the contracts with the Hamburg and Lackawanna Libraries, and
WHEREAS, pursuant to section EIGHTH of the 2002 contracts, these changes may be implemented by resolution and transmitting a revised Exhibit A to reflect same, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Executive Committee, on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, accept the Legislative funds for the Lackawanna ($2,000) and Blasdell ($2,000) Libraries, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Executive Committee, on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, approve a budget amendment to the 2002 budget to allocate revenues of $4,000 into SFG# 8209734206863200 (Inter-fund Subsidy) and expenditures into SFG department account 820973420, in the amounts and object accounts shown below:
Legislator Library Amount Use LibrarySFG# Kuwick Hamburg Libs. $2,000 Blasdell Library 830-168 Kuwick Lackawanna $2,000 Lackawanna 830-169 TOTAL $4,000 and be it further
RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution and a revised Exhibit A be transmitted to each library to implement the change.
Agenda item B.2. Resolution 2002-18 - Private Donation for Wellness Program. On motion by Ms. Mahoney and seconded by Ms. Panty, the following resolution was adopted unanimously:
RESOLUTION 2002-18
WHEREAS, on March 6, 2002, the Library received confirmation of an award of $550 from the Erie County Physical Activity Coalition for the purpose of conducting an Employee Wellness Fair this spring, and
WHEREAS, the proceeds will provide reimbursement for refreshments, promotional items, and parking expenses for health provider representatives attending the event, and
WHEREAS, it is appropriate and most expedient to accept and disburse these funds using the Library's private funds trust account, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Executive Committee, on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, authorizes utilizing the Library's private trust account to accept and expend the proceeds of this $550 donation to conduct an Employee Wellness Fair.
Agenda item B.3. Resolution 2002-19 - Martin Luther King Library Rent Increase. On motion by Ms. Horton and seconded by Ms. Panty, the following resolution was adopted unanimously:
RESOLUTION 2002-19
WHEREAS, for approximately twenty years, the Martin L. King branch has served the public from space leased on a monthly basis from the Towne Gardens Plaza at the same rate of $400 per month, and
WHEREAS, in December 2001, the Library received a notice of a proposed increase in combined rent/common area maintenance fees from the present $400 per month to $1,385, plus 10% if the library wanted to remain on a month-to-month term, and
WHEREAS, since the Library's 2002 budget was already in place and funding an increase of this magnitude was not included, staff entered into negotiations with Towne Gardens Plaza officials to address their concerns, while mitigating the impact on the Library's budget, and
WHEREAS, the resulting proposal phases in the rental increase over a five year period, recognizing both the need to move towards a more market competitive rate and the Library's presence as an amenity to the plaza's customers and nearby subsidized housing residents, and
WHEREAS, this approach reduces the impact on the 2002 budget, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that Executive Committee on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library authorizes the Library Director or her designee to enter into a lease agreement on these terms specified in Exhibit One, and be it further
RESOLVED, that Executive Committee on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library amends the 2002 budget to apply 2001 available ending fund balance in the amount of $2,364 to the MLK rent budget line (SFG 822).
Resolution 2002-19 Exhibit One
Martin L. King Branch Library
Towne Gardens Plaza Proposed Rental &
Common Area Maintenance (CAM) Fees
Year Monthly Annually Previous 2001 $400 $4,800 New 2002 $597 $7,164 2003 $794 $9,528 2004 $991 $11,892 2005 $1,188 $14,256 2006 $1,385 $16,620
Terms Definition 1 Lease 60 Months, subject to funding availability. 2 Combined Rent and CAM fees will be invoiced monthly following the above "Combined Rent and CAM Fees Schedule." 3 Should a "fiscal funding" shortfall necessitate an early termination, a minimum of 60 days written notice will be provided. The library's sole obligation would be the monthly rental payments through the end of the 60-day notice period or occupancy, whichever occurred later. 4 Effective upon execution, with new rate retroactive to January 1, 2002. 5 All other rental terms and conditions remain the same as those in effect in 2001.
Ms. Chrisman reported that she had sent a message to Buffalo News' reporter Charity Vogel, clarifying and correcting published statements she had made regarding the disposition of the Aaron Cohen Associates' strategic planning report.
Ms. Chrisman informed the Executive Committee that she, Foundation Director Kathryn Vedder and Deputy Director COO Michael Mahaney had met with Irene Liguori, founder of Buffalo's Mark Twain Museum. The meeting was cordial and enlightening. Both parties agreed to remain in communication, to avoid competing for limited grant funds and to seek opportunities to collaborate on projects that were mutually advantageous.
Ms. Chrisman advised the Committee that B&ECPL administrative staff had been in contact with Studio Arena Theatre regarding a potential public program involving playwright A. R. Gurney. Regrettably, Mr. Gurney is not disposed to participate in such a program at present. The consensus of the Executive Committee was that it is inappropriate for the Board of Trustees to sponsor a reception for Mr. Gurney at this time. Mr. Roach will inform Trustee Wisbaum of that determination as he had offered to co-host a reception in Mr. Gurney's honor.
Mr. Mahaney advised the Executive Committee that he and Service Evaluation and Planning Coordinator Peggy Skotnicki had met with architect Robert Coles and staff of the Buffalo Department of Public Works to discuss the North Jefferson Branch Library construction project. Subsequent to final design revisions, the project is expected to go to bid this spring.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:41 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Elaine M. Panty
Secretary