Gustavus Public Library Board Meeting

Members present:  Chris Spute, Sally Lesh, Lynne Morrow, Mary Hervin, Davita Marchbanks, George Jensen by telephone.    Others present: Kathy Leary

Last April 2004 meeting minutes were read.  Lynne motioned to approve the minutes with noted corrections and Sally seconded. Minutes were approved.

Budget Report: Kathy gave report.  Kathy did comparison with the Library and City Accounts Quickreports and P&L's.  The City has all the insurance and policies.  They've allocated these back to the city entities.  The insurance has gone up.  Kathy has been trying to get a city-wide policy.  Pre-school, clinic are much higher risk, so better for us to have our insurance combined with ins. for city hall.  Now we have city-wide insurance.  Doesn't look like our budget will need that much.  Argument needs to keep being presented to city council.  If we were on our own, we would not have the kind of insurance cost  How we are absorbing costs for the higher risk city entities, i.e. clinic, preschool, fire department.  See budget.  For insurance purposes we lowered Kathy to a lower risk position.   ~Books budget expendentures are combined with summer reading program.  They used to be separated, but now they are combined.  We have purchased new DVD and CD and the patrons are very happy with this new introduction to the library.  We turned over 15k to the city when we turned our books over. Kathy paid bills through November 04.  Electric and fuel okay, although we may go over electric by June.  We've met our commitment for fundraising this year.  Our commitment for 05-06 is 5k.  Lynne M. and George seconded.  Moved to approve budget.

Gov. asks State credit back for increasing electric costs in rural areas:Martha is to figure out what kind of credit Gustavus should get.  We can do a credit for electric We can give each person some money back.  We would not be eligible if we were not an incorp. City.  The intent is to mitigate the cost to the city for fuel and electrical, before you give a refund and follow the entities budget for a few years, before we give the refunds back to the individual citizens, and take care of the city entities first.  Fire Hall and City Hall do not pay for elect.  Still donated.  Kathy  asking for advocacy with the City Council about this item.  Email, call, go to meeting, somehow contact your council members as a board.  Everybody could get back about $120, but better idea to pay ahead on city entities first.  Discuss doing a letter as board and as members  Ken Klawunder  $44K and Chris will write a letter.  Pre school, gym, library, landfill, comchest, clinic.  They will be discussing this at the next city council meeting on Thursday.

P&L for Library: The state wants full costs disclosed for auditing purposes.  True expenditures and income.  We're not liable for 90 percent of it.  See Grants on first page, Erate subsidy, etc.  Just look at budget line items.  Realistic hours for the administrator.  20 hours a week for 11 months.  The CC a month ago, talked about making it two different positions.  Paycheck for 48 weeks salaried. Although paid across 12 months. 

We may have to do more fundraisers this year.  1k to 1500 dollars for Golf Course.  GVA will be offering a package for this year for next year.  (contact Rachel about this again)  Our rev. is projected to be $18,352.  We can ratify the budget as presented to the city council?  Lynne M moved and Mary seconded.  Approved the p&l budget.  Chris write a letter for 1)elect and fuel credit and 2)insurance liability on us, due to other entities.

Capital Grant or friends of the library account for 1500 for new display showcase.  Webjunction.com  statements need to be turned over to someone not affliated with board.  50l 3c status. We need to become non-profit with state.  Friends of the library in Juneau can help.  Pay for 501 out of the two accounts.   We qualify for Techsoup (Nate).  Lots of software for little money, because we qualify.  Spend some capital grant money on flat screens (saves on elec and Nate's pysche)  ask for a quote immed. And ask Carol for monies for it.  Resource Mate is upgrading it's program, and we could use grant money for this also, due in  October but if we pay for it now we can get a discount.  $160.  It's a shared system rather than individual computer, up to 3 computers at once.  Lynne Motion to approve and Davita seconds.  For equip, software, flat screens.  Cap grant has almost 5k.  Some of allocated for shelving, so if we have money left for new shelving.  Kathy also asked Martin to make a shelving for CD and DVD. It's a drawer thing for these items.  Waiting to see if Martin wants to do this.  Dictionary and Atlas stand didn't happen.  Sally will you ask someone to build a stand.  Spend money and use up those grants by July 1st.  Last bit of capital grant money hanging on. 

Library Vacancy: National Volunteers Week, the board should take care of this.  Position for these two facets.  One is administrative and the other cataloging.  The 2nd postion has been applied for by one person so far. Aja is always available for questions, Patience, Sue Sherif.  List of people to contact.  Name number and expert area.  Kathy will be available but there's a big learning curve.  Pay the bills, do the budget, argue with vendors about pricing, and there's people to help.  Kathy is moving historical files to computer.

  Reading Program Vacancy- Dawn Walker, will help activities coordinator, volunteer to do phone contacts, to help with Sylvia setting up activities.  We have 7 volunteers that will help with the little kids, need 7 more to help with the older kids.  June 8, planning is 7 hours a week, 10 hours a week average and program is over mid-August.  We have a check for the summer reading program from Title 1 for 2006.  Need someone to have a working relationship with the Chatham School District to make sure they are aware of the importance of these programs.  Advocacy with school district (new superintendent also). 

Desk Schedule: May: Beth is back and Mary Cook is available, but can't do Monday nights, because of writers group.  Sylvia is doing Fridays, and Thomas will do next two Thurs.  Penny begin May 26.  Rita Sat.  Dwayne Kelly is doing every other two weeks Mondays.  Nat will be doing when Dwayne can't.  11-1 shift on Tues.  Darlene doing the afternoon.  Every other Sat. and Tues 11-1.

Fundraising:  Mary discussed doing the book and bake sale going in June.  Memorial weekend sale Saturday the 28th.  Talk to Sean about having the kids encore to help.  Lynne will do pies and set up.  Chris will ask for donations. Send out letters June 11th. Get donation of airlines.   Fundraising folder, group files has all the letters from previous 4th.  Please get them to respond.  Free shipping.  Ask charter guys for fish Davita will do.  Larry Berryhill, TJ,  We need about 80 pounds.

Other Business:

Next meeting set for  ?

Meeting was adjourned at 10AM                                                                            

Minutes respectfully submitted by Chris Spute.