Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Program Room 2B
Rita Lichtenberg, Antonia Matthew, Mercy Rodriguez, and Tom Bunger
President John Walsh called the meeting to order at 5:48pm in Program Room 2B.
Sara Laughlin presented a revision to personnel manual section 5.5, coming forward from the Employee Forum Action Committee. Sara stated the Committee made slight changes in the language. It states breaks are not required by law but we will arrange to offer breaks (depending upon coverage). When patron activity is heavy, we may not be able to allow for breaks.
John Walsh asked if it was something the Board would take action on. Sara replied it was.
Fred Risinger said it looked fine to him.
Chris Jackson spoke briefly to the Board and explained that some staff wants breaks and others work right through them. Chris stated that staffing should be arranged to support breaks as a norm rather than an exception.
Steve Moberly asked Bara to speak on behalf of Circulation. Bara responded that it sometimes is quite difficult to offer breaks. Circ offers training to staff outside of Circulation and she is happy that people offer help outside of the Circulation department. Bara advises her Circ staff to plan ahead and not take spur-of-the-moment breaks.
Sara announced that, during this work session, Bonnie is attending a presentation by the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns to learn more about the budgeting process. Sara reported that she and Bonnie had attended the State Library's budget workshop in May. Sara provided information to the Trustees regarding the budget/operating funds and said the state encourages libraries to follow the county's budget schedule. Sara stated the assessed value growth quotient (AVGQ) will not be available until late July or early August.
Sara stated that we do not have a firm estimate on health insurance or PERF increases.
Sara briefly went through the charts showing MCPL Operating Fund income and expenditures (2000-2009).
Randy asked Sara what the darkest areas are on the graph that she presented (on page 3A). Sara responded that it is the county option income tax dollars.
Sara pointed out the expenditures for personnel services, library materials, furniture and equipment, and supplies. On page 3C, Sara pointed out that there hasn't been much difference over the last three years.
Page 3D shows expenditures. The personnel budget has accounted for most of the increasing expenditures.
Sara next presented the notice to taxpayers of budget estimates and tax levies, which is a public notice of our intent. Randy asked when this had to be done. Sara responded by this Friday, June 13.
Steve asked if the Bond Redemption Fund is the debt service bond that our library has. Sara responded it was.
Penny Austin asked if the officers needed to sign this document today. Tom Bunger replied that the officers do need to sign this.
Discussion followed regarding the budget estimates. Sara stated that our budget shows a 4.9% increase, which is slightly higher than we estimate the AVGQ will be. The County Council will not be approving the budget, just making a non-binding recommendation. They can recommend reducing, but not increasing the budget. We cannot spend funds, even if they come in, if we have not advertised and appropriated them. There is no margin in underestimating the total. This does not mean we are guaranteed to get or spend this much money.
Tom said the process is similar to that when we do a bond issue, we establish and approve a maximum amount. It cannot be more than that. While the timing of the budget process is changed, the process in setting the number is still the same.
Sara added she understand we are not likely to get this much money. If we pick a number too low, we cannot increase it.
Randy said this is exactly the type of thing that I don't think should be done in a work session. Tom replied we are not making this an action item.
Sara stated she couldn't have this ready before May. Tom reminded the Board they are not voting for this. Someone should direct that this notice should be published.
Discussion followed regarding the public notice. Tom recommended we send it out, and then put it on the next Board agenda.
Penny said it makes her feel like it's okay and we are trying to follow the guidelines, since it is a guestimate.
Steve suggested the Board have a special meeting on this. Perhaps before the Board meeting.
Discussion followed. The Board decided to schedule a special meeting on Monday, June 16 at 1 p.m. A notice will be sent to the media tomorrow (before noon) and posted to the public within the 48 hours notice.
John, Steve, and Randy are available Penny may not be able to attend. John mentioned that Janice or David may be available and will be contacted soon.
Sara reported on the staff changes in the 2009 Budget. She stated that in the personnel area, we have included a 2% cost of living increase and a 1% increment. We are estimating a 20% increase in health insurance and 0.5% in PERF. These are guestimates, as we do not have documents yet.
We are proposing a few staff changes: increasing the graphic artist’s hours, upgrading the reference assistance to a professional level, and upgrading the Children's Reading and Math Team coordinator. Both of these upgrades must go through the new process added to section 3.10 in the personnel manual. We propose to pay half of the VITAL clerk salary and add an additional page crew chief and additional summer paging hours. We also are proposing a 25 hour production assistant in CATS.
Sara said these are new positions, but they are not going to take us over our budget. Some staffing adjustments are also listed. We do have a vacant position in Adult Services that we have been holding to see what came out of strategic planning. Meanwhile, our Ellettsville staffing has a constant struggle to cover manager in charge duties. Penny, Stephanie, and Mickey are working almost every weekend. Sara stated that we propose to fill the vacant library position and share it between Ellettsville and Main's Adult Services. The weekend scheduling will be driven by the Ellettsville schedule.
Randy asked if our strategic planning would be completed to use for 2009. Sara responded that we will have part of the information to help us, and agreed with Randy that we will work with what we have so far.
Sara also proposed shifting 7.5 reference assistant hours from Ellettsville to the Main Library. The decrease in Adult Service hours is a paid intern position (a 15 hour a week position). With that intern position they gain a day. Without it they lose a day. Right now that position isn't in the budget.
Steve asked why there was a change from cost-of-living to cost-of-living plus increment. Sara replied there are two reasons: 1) A cost-of-living increase raises entry level hourly rates, but does not reward individuals for their service. For example, a circulation clerk newly hired tomorrow would be making the same hourly rate as a clerk who has been here three or four years. 2) We funded health retirement benefits for our retirees with the knowledge that we will save money when hiring a new person. If we don't move employees through the increments, those who retire will be replaced by new employees making the same salaries and we don't realize any savings. Everyone would get an increment unless they were at the top of the pay grade. There are only a handful of employees in that position. The Board could add an increment at the top of the pay grade, if it chose.
Steve noted that would cost money. Sara agreed.
Discussion followed. John asked Steve to remind us what was the reason for choosing a cost of living increase last year. Steve responded that the Board wanted to give all staff an increase.
The Board asked Sara to prepare an estimate for a 3% cost of living, one that included an increment to all staff (even the people at the very top), and one that included the increment for all staff at a lower percentage that didn’t increase total personnel costs.
Steve asked what these proposed increases would do to the overall number of employees of MCPL. Will we have fewer or more employees? Sara said she would look into it and get the numbers back to the Board.
Randy asked if the Associate Director position was included in the budget. Sara replied it was.
Sara stated the supply budget is down. All items on page 3G are in the budget.
Steve asked for verification that the total 2009 office supplies are going down 18.7% from this year's budget. Sara replied that was correct.
Sara said the other big increase is the increase in the materials budget.
Discussion followed.
Sara talked about the other funds, and went over page 3X. Sara stated in 2009 we will have 27 payrolls. We are proposing to take the 27th payroll out of the Rainy Day Fund.
Steve asked if Rainy Day Fund can be used for operating expenses. Sara responded that it can be used for operating or capital expenses.
Fred asked if $80,000 was the estimate for collective bargaining legal costs. Sara responded it is.
Steve said we could get another windfall in COIT. He expressed concern about using the Rainy Day Fund to pay the 27th payroll. Fred agreed with Steve. Steve said that State Board of Accounts might have another idea to share with us about covering the extra payroll.
Sara stated there is nothing much new with the Library Improvement Reserve Fund. The budget appropriates $350,000 for capital expenditures.
John asked if there were any additional comments or questions about the budget.
John stated there was general concern expressed by using half of the Rainy Day Fund. John told Sara if we could move things around and not use half of that Fund, that would be good.
Steve said he would like to see Sara look into other avenues like what MCCSC plans to do and also check with State Board of Accounts on other ideas.
John Walsh asked if there were any changes in the policy. Sara stated there were no changes.
Steve asked Ned Baugh if the problems in the PCC Center had calmed down. Ned said overall things had improved.
John reminded the Board that this will be an action item in next week's meeting.
Bonnie walked in at 7:03 p.m. Randy asked Sara if Bonnie could report on the meeting at the County Council.
Bonnie said she thinks we are on schedule with the County Council. We originally thought that the language in the new law that refers to units originally established by a city but now including territory outside the city referred only to approval of bond issues, but the IACT presenter thought the city would review our budget also. She asked a question about combining the operating fund and the capital project fund and the IACT representative said the two should remain separate.
Randy asked how this changes what we are doing now. Sara replied it doesn't. It means we are doing things right. Tom said we should continue where we are going.
Discussion followed.
Penny reminded the Board that we will meet on Monday at 1:00. John asked Sue Sater if she would call David and Janice to confirm their availability to attend the meeting. Sue replied that she would call them.
Antonia Mathew spoke to the Board. She complimented the article in the H-T newspaper today on the library and Sara's interview.
Antonia asked about the collection budget and why it is going down in 2009 with magazines. Pam Wasmer answered by saying it is partly a shift from print to electronic format and a reduction of the number of copies in a few very expensive titles.
Bara Swinson spoke to the Board about including an increment for staff. She stated that she had made the same request last year and had not received a clear explanation when the Board did not include an increment. The impact for her staff was that many longer-term employees make the same hourly rate as newly-hired employees.
Sara reported on the water damage in the Main Library last week from the rain. A foot of water stacked up by the children's garden area and two feet of water by the Grant Street entrance. As a result, we have wet drywall on the first floor (children's area along the east wall, the Grant Street entrance, the CATS hallway, and the bookstore).
Sara said Gary Harrison at IU Libraries advised contacting Rachael Adams, Indoor Environmental Quality. She came yesterday and tested the area. The water we experienced is categorized as category 3 water. We are taking a very cautious approach and beginning remediation immediately. Rachel will return and conduct another round of tests after the remediation is complete. Sara assured the Board she feels good about the process. Our insurance will cover it, minus a $25,000 deductible.
Sara also reported that our air-conditioning that was down from Monday through part of Tuesday. It is up and running now. Randy asked what the expense was. Sara said she would get back with the Board on the cost.
Randy said we need to give a lot of credit to the staff, because it was really hot.
Randy said we obviously didn't budget for this and asked where the money came from. Sara replied from LIRF, if necessary, but we will use building repair lines in the operating fund until they are exhausted.
Sara reported on a roof leak over the HR office (Marla's office) and the Collection Services office. We have had a core sample taken from the roof. The dripping of the rate doesn't seem to change whether it is raining or not, so there may be a reservoir of water under the roof. Sara has asked David Ferguson to suggest names of structural engineers, as the law requires that we involve an architect or engineer for projects totaling $100,000 or more.
Penny asked if it would be a repair or a new roof. Sara replied it probably will be a new roof.
The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.
After the meeting adjourned, Bonnie said a meeting on Monday is not necessary. It is just an initial posting.
Contact
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Updated:
July 23, 2008
° http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/board/200806wrk.html
