May 2008 Board Minutes

Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees

Wayne County Public Library

Tuesday, May 20, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
Zion Lutheran Fellowship Hall, Doylestown

CALL TO ORDER: Mr. Shisler called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.

ROLL CALL: Present: Carroll Meyer, Kevin Power, Bill Bailey, Brian Questel, Richard Shisler, Not Present: Ruth Crowley, Doug Drushal

Also Present: Greg Lubelski, Director; Katherine Long, Clerk-Treasurer; Judi Kizzen, Human Resources Coordinator; Sara Hawk, Deputy Clerk- Treasurer; Rita Lowe, Branch Coordinator; Jon Craig, Facilities Coordinator; Linda Davis, Adult Services Manager; Dan Meehan, HB&M Architects; 62 guests

Mr. Power moved to amend the agenda to allow the Facilities Committee and Mr. Meehan to do a presentation on the drawings for the Doylestown branch library. Mr. Meyer seconded the motion, which then passed unanimously.

Mr. Meehan thanked everyone for coming out to see the presentation. He showed how the library will reinforce the streetscape of Portage Street. Then he showed the traffic patterns in the parking lot and the area available for future expansion of the building. In pointing out the drive-up book drop, he stated that there is a possibility of placing after-hours lockers next to the book drop at a later date.

Mr. Drushal arrived at 7:40 p.m.

Moving to the interior floor plan, Mr. Meehan showed where the collection, work space and meeting room are located within the plan. Then he presented exterior elevations and opened the meeting to questions.

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC: A gentleman asked why the two sections of the building did not run parallel to each other. Mr. Meehan explained that it was looking to the future and possible expansion. The design would open up that part of the building for an entrance.

A woman asked what could be done to make the Portage Street side more welcoming or appealing. Mr. Meehan stated that the drawings are in the beginning stages, and color drawings would show different textures and colors.

Another woman verified that most of the windows in the building were on the north side.

A man asked if there would be display cabinets for the public to use. Mr. Meehan pointed out several areas where items can be displayed. When asked if those areas were protected by glass, he replied that shelving ends are not, but there is one display which may ultimately have glass.

A man asked how many people would fit in the story hour room. The answer is 25-30 people.

Someone asked if there was any display area near the public entrance. That detail of the design has not yet been determined.

When asked how he arrived at the size of 5,000 square feet for the building, Mr. Meehan stated that the Board had given him that direction.

Someone asked what the dimensions of the building were, and commented that the roofline seems much less exciting than anticipated. Mr. Meehan pointed out the height of the building overall and the large bay window on the end facing the downtown.

One woman felt that the most inviting aspects of the building seem to be inside. Mr. Meehan again pointed out that the exterior elevations are still in a very rough draft form, that there is no color of bricks or trim, or details in the windows.

Someone commented that the windows look like jail windows and asked why there was only one bay window in the front of the building. It could possibly be balanced with another, but that will take place in later planning.

A man asked to verify if it was because of the budget for the project that the building was set at 5,000 square feet.

Several questions were asked in succession: How large are the shelves in the children’s area? How big is the garden area? Mayor Lindemann replied that the garden are is part of the Village lot and the Library has nothing to do with that.

A woman asked if the Library had considered having a local history area in the Library. Mr. Meehan said that had not been in the program.

A woman asked why the front of the building seems to be toward the back (the parking lot), and she was not pleased that patrons had to walk by the delivery area (which may be messy). She also said it seemed a long way for handicapped patrons to walk from the parking to the door and asked about handicapped parking on the street and an entrance on the front of the building. Mr. Meehan replied that the sidewalk is only about 50 feet long, and several issues arise when you have two entrances in a library. One is an issue of staff oversight – you now have to have two staff positions; the other is that it takes away shelving space.

When asked how many public computers there were, he responded that there are five – one stand-up and four sit-down stations.

Someone asked what kind of green/sustainable energy aspects are included in the design. Mr. Meehan stated that the walls will be thicker, and the ceiling and walls will be well-insulated. The HVAC units will be high-efficiency, and the glass will be high-efficiency.

Someone suggested placing another bay window in the young adult area.

How far is it to the circulation desk from the door? The answer is approximately 15 feet. There is one self check and one staff position at the circulation desk.

How much southern-exposure glass is in the building? Mr. Meehan responded that there are only three windows on the south side of the building.

Someone asked if there was a drive-up book drop. Mr. Meehan showed the proposed drop off and the driving pattern again.

Are there desks in the Library where people can sit with their own laptops? Mr. Meehan pointed out several study tables and other areas that could be used for that purpose.

A man asked for verification that the total project budget is $1.6 million, and that the funds are mainly being put into the building itself.

The Doylestown Lion’s Club has purchased a reader/viewer for the visually impaired and asked if there would be a place for it in the new Library. No one had been aware of the machine, so no space had been provided; however, Mr. Meehan noted it and will look into it.

A woman asked when the project would actually get underway. Mr. Meehan gave a brief overview of the schedule, with bidding taking place in August and construction beginning in September or October of this year.

A woman stated that there is a need for storage for local history items and asked if there could be a place in the Library. Mr. Meehan said that, because of the size of the building, it’s not really plausible.

Someone suggested that the Historical Society could check with the Village regarding the display cases that are in the current Library space.

Someone asked how thick the walls were and if there could be recessed areas for displays. All the exterior walls of the building are lined with shelving – any displays would take away shelf space.

Mr. Meehan again stated that the building will appear larger and will present a good face on Portage Street.

Is there a basement under the building? No - libraries are very heavy with all the book stacks. It is very expensive to put basements under libraries.

What are the next steps? Will there be major or minor changes made to the design? Will there be computer simulations available to get a better picture? At this time, Mr. Meehan was focused on getting the interior layout to work and finalizing the site plan. The next step would be to have more detailed, colored exterior elevations.

How long would the process take? It could be about four weeks. When asked how he could make the Portage Street side look more like the front of the building, Mr. Meehan responded that the glass is an attempt to make it look more like a store front.

Mr. Shisler thanked Mr. Meehan and all the concerned community members for attending the meeting. He then asked Ms. Long to comment on the project budget. She gave a brief overview of the history of the project. The Shreve addition was built with $1.2 million, so the Library had originally set aside that amount for the Doylestown project. Over the years it has increased, through transfers into the fund, to $1.4 million. Increases in construction costs have made it evident that that amount would still not be enough. Currently the Library has slightly over $1.6 available for the project. A man implied that the Library should have saved about $465k for this project from residing in the basement of the Village Hall over the past years. Mr. Shisler pointed out that State funding has continued to decrease in the past seven years. The same man questioned why $1.2 million was being put into the Larwill building. He feels there is more being done for Wooster than for Doylestown. Mr. Shisler stated that the Larwill building serves the entire Library system. It contains Technical Services (which processes all the books for the system), the Bookmobile department and the administrative offices – all of which serve the entire system. Back in 2000, the building was valued at $1 million, but no one would pay over $400k for it, so the Library decided not to sell but to use it.

Someone from West Salem confirmed that those in Doylestown can’t separate needs for certain townships or villages, because all areas use the entire system through services like Interlibrary Loan, Bookmobile and Homebound services.

A woman stated that, in her lifetime, two libraries have been built in Wooster, but what has Doylestown had? Mr. Shisler stated that the Wooster building was built very frugally. The economy is tough going, but the Library still wants to go forward with the project. He also gave some ideas of what would happen if the upcoming levy did not pass.

Mr. Questel pointed out that the levy is for operating costs; the Doylestown project can go forward because those funds are separate from operating funds.

Mr. Shisler thanked the Village for passing the levy last time. Mr. Barr complimented the staff of the Doylestown branch on their level of service given their current situation.

Mr. Kerr asked how the funds will be spent within the project – Ms. Long answered that $230k has already been spent on the property. There are architect fees, construction manager fees, and many other parts of the building and site development over and above the actual construction costs. It consists also of furniture, signage, permits and fees, etc.

Someone asked if the cost matrix could be made public. Ms. Long replied that once it belongs to the Library, it will be a public document, so yes. The Village planning commission also must view and approve it.

A woman stated that, even with the 25-person capacity in the meeting room, it will still be too small. Mr. Power reiterated that the Library is trying to build the best quality building with the budget available, and that we would welcome donations to help supplement the collection, the furniture, etc.!

A woman asked where the emergency exits were located, and Mr. Meehan pointed them out.

Another person asked how the building was going to be heated. The details of that are not settled yet, but it will be the highest efficiency unit for the lowest reasonable cost. Mr. Shisler thanked the Village and those present for their participation and concern with the project.

At this point, the meeting paused to allow the public to leave. Four community members remained for the rest of the meeting.

APPROVAL OF BOARD MINUTES: Mr. Bailey moved to approve the April 15th regular minutes, the April 20th work session minutes and the April 25th and May 13th special meeting minutes. Mr. Questel seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

ACCEPTANCE OF COMMITTEE MINUTES: Mr. Drushal moved to approve the May 15th Finance Committee minutes, and Mr. Questel seconded. Mr. Meyer pointed out the directive given to Mr. Lubelski in those minutes, and Mr. Lubelski replied that he has begun the process.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT: Narrative and statistical report as distributed. Mr. Bailey moved, and Mr. Questel seconded to accept the Director’s report. The motion passed unanimously.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
 

Finance and Audit:

April 2008 Bank Reconciliation:
 

April 2008 Balance Sheet and Income Statement:
 

Total encumbrances at April 30, 2008:

TOTAL: $1,884,845.28

Actual Revenue and Expenditures at April 30, 2004-2008, April 2008 Accounts Payable and Payroll: Mr. Meyer moved; Mr. Power seconded to approve all of the above reports. The motion passed unanimously.

Resolution #17-2008 – May 2008 donations: Mr. Meyer moved to approve this resolution; Mr. Drushal seconded. Mr. Drushal asked how the cash donations were tracked or receipted, and Ms. Long briefly explained the process.

Resolution #18-2008 – Additional Appropriation: Mr. Meyer moved to approve Resolution 18. Mr. Power seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Resolution #19-2008 – Move Remaining Balance: from Esther Long fund to Doylestown fund for children’s area. Mr. Meyer moved to approve the resolution, and Mr. Questel seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Facilities: Mr. Power reported that Larwill is painted and most of the cabinetry has been installed; the garage looks mostly complete. Mr. Lubelski informed the Board that the plumbers’ union is on strike, but otherwise the project is a couple weeks ahead of schedule. Mr. Power pointed out again that the building is a system-wide services building, not just for Wooster.

Human Resources: Narrative and Personnel report as distributed. The policy to be reviewed this month is the dress code policy: Ms. Kizzen had taken staff comments and revised the policy with advice from the labor law attorney. She had included the current policy and the revised policy in the packet. Mr. Bailey moved, and Mr. Drushal seconded to approve the revision. The motion then passed unanimously.

Operations: Mr. Questel updated the Board on the first program in the lecture series – Dr. Jim Loewen. Mr. Questel was disappointed with the turnout at the programs, but as a first step it was good. Mr. Loewen gave a good presentation.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: There was none.

NEW BUSINESS: Mr. Drushal began a discussion regarding writing letters to the editor. He would like to establish a schedule of Board members writing letters to inform the public about levy issues. One could address the “Taj Mahal”, another the current levy expiring, the difference between building v. operating funds, and why we kept the old building. Mr. Power feels that this information also needs to be given out as fact sheets at the branch locations, since some in those areas may not receive the Wooster paper. He would be willing to do a letter regarding the subject of the Larwill building. Mr. Power asked Mayor Lindemann what the reasons are that people want a library in a community. A councilwoman stated that the library is a privilege, but some people feel it is a right. Mr. Meyer pointed out that the cost of buying a book is twice as much as the tax burden of the levy would be on each taxpayer. One community member feels they need to be shown what they’re getting for their dollar. He needs to see the value he’s getting. It was decided that Mr. Drushal will assign subjects and email them to the Board members with some kind of schedule.

Mr. Shisler reminded the Board that a decision must be made on whether the levy will go on the ballot as a replacement or renewal. Mr. Meyer feels that it would be wise to wait until June, to get a better picture of State income trends. If the Board waits, however, there will have to be special Board meetings scheduled to pass the needed resolutions for the levy. Ms. Long pointed out that there also has to be a proposed 2009 budget handed to the County at the end of July. It will have to be approved at the regular July Board meeting. Mr. Meyer, Ms. Long and Mr. Lubelski will try to have the figures as soon as possible after the end of June. The State’s new biennium budget will be in effect at July 1, also. Mr. Drushal was ready to make a decision on the issue at that time. Mr. Power feels the likelihood of failure is higher with a replacement. Mr. Bailey feels the Board has a fiduciary responsibility to the system. Sufficient information needs to be disbursed to the public. Mr. Bailey asked Mr. Meyer the reason for waiting for the figures at the end of June – is it a decision-maker or is it back-up information? Mr. Meyer replied that his decision is already made; the information is for documentation. Mr. Drushal moved that an informal resolution be made to request administrative staff to work with counsel to prepare necessary documents to put a replacement levy on the ballot. Mr. Questel seconded. Mr. Bailey requested a roll call vote. Roll call vote passed the motion with everyone voting yes, except Mr. Power, who voted no. Mr. Bailey asked if a campaign committee was established. Mr. Meyer volunteered to continue to do the finance part of it; however, it isn’t a Board committee and a committee chair hasn’t been designated yet.

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC: There were none.

ADJOURNMENT: At 9:55 p.m., Mr. Drushal moved to adjourn, and Mr. Questel seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

May 2008 Board Minutes

Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees

Wayne County Public Library

Tuesday, May 20, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
Zion Lutheran Fellowship Hall, Doylestown

CALL TO ORDER: Mr. Shisler called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.

ROLL CALL: Present: Carroll Meyer, Kevin Power, Bill Bailey, Brian Questel, Richard Shisler, Not Present: Ruth Crowley, Doug Drushal

Also Present: Greg Lubelski, Director; Katherine Long, Clerk-Treasurer; Judi Kizzen, Human Resources Coordinator; Sara Hawk, Deputy Clerk- Treasurer; Rita Lowe, Branch Coordinator; Jon Craig, Facilities Coordinator; Linda Davis, Adult Services Manager; Dan Meehan, HB&M Architects; 62 guests

Mr. Power moved to amend the agenda to allow the Facilities Committee and Mr. Meehan to do a presentation on the drawings for the Doylestown branch library. Mr. Meyer seconded the motion, which then passed unanimously.

Mr. Meehan thanked everyone for coming out to see the presentation. He showed how the library will reinforce the streetscape of Portage Street. Then he showed the traffic patterns in the parking lot and the area available for future expansion of the building. In pointing out the drive-up book drop, he stated that there is a possibility of placing after-hours lockers next to the book drop at a later date.

Mr. Drushal arrived at 7:40 p.m.

Moving to the interior floor plan, Mr. Meehan showed where the collection, work space and meeting room are located within the plan. Then he presented exterior elevations and opened the meeting to questions.

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC: A gentleman asked why the two sections of the building did not run parallel to each other. Mr. Meehan explained that it was looking to the future and possible expansion. The design would open up that part of the building for an entrance.

A woman asked what could be done to make the Portage Street side more welcoming or appealing. Mr. Meehan stated that the drawings are in the beginning stages, and color drawings would show different textures and colors.

Another woman verified that most of the windows in the building were on the north side.

A man asked if there would be display cabinets for the public to use. Mr. Meehan pointed out several areas where items can be displayed. When asked if those areas were protected by glass, he replied that shelving ends are not, but there is one display which may ultimately have glass.

A man asked how many people would fit in the story hour room. The answer is 25-30 people.

Someone asked if there was any display area near the public entrance. That detail of the design has not yet been determined.

When asked how he arrived at the size of 5,000 square feet for the building, Mr. Meehan stated that the Board had given him that direction.

Someone asked what the dimensions of the building were, and commented that the roofline seems much less exciting than anticipated. Mr. Meehan pointed out the height of the building overall and the large bay window on the end facing the downtown.

One woman felt that the most inviting aspects of the building seem to be inside. Mr. Meehan again pointed out that the exterior elevations are still in a very rough draft form, that there is no color of bricks or trim, or details in the windows.

Someone commented that the windows look like jail windows and asked why there was only one bay window in the front of the building. It could possibly be balanced with another, but that will take place in later planning.

A man asked to verify if it was because of the budget for the project that the building was set at 5,000 square feet.

Several questions were asked in succession: How large are the shelves in the children’s area? How big is the garden area? Mayor Lindemann replied that the garden are is part of the Village lot and the Library has nothing to do with that.

A woman asked if the Library had considered having a local history area in the Library. Mr. Meehan said that had not been in the program.

A woman asked why the front of the building seems to be toward the back (the parking lot), and she was not pleased that patrons had to walk by the delivery area (which may be messy). She also said it seemed a long way for handicapped patrons to walk from the parking to the door and asked about handicapped parking on the street and an entrance on the front of the building. Mr. Meehan replied that the sidewalk is only about 50 feet long, and several issues arise when you have two entrances in a library. One is an issue of staff oversight – you now have to have two staff positions; the other is that it takes away shelving space.

When asked how many public computers there were, he responded that there are five – one stand-up and four sit-down stations.

Someone asked what kind of green/sustainable energy aspects are included in the design. Mr. Meehan stated that the walls will be thicker, and the ceiling and walls will be well-insulated. The HVAC units will be high-efficiency, and the glass will be high-efficiency.

Someone suggested placing another bay window in the young adult area.

How far is it to the circulation desk from the door? The answer is approximately 15 feet. There is one self check and one staff position at the circulation desk.

How much southern-exposure glass is in the building? Mr. Meehan responded that there are only three windows on the south side of the building.

Someone asked if there was a drive-up book drop. Mr. Meehan showed the proposed drop off and the driving pattern again.

Are there desks in the Library where people can sit with their own laptops? Mr. Meehan pointed out several study tables and other areas that could be used for that purpose.

A man asked for verification that the total project budget is $1.6 million, and that the funds are mainly being put into the building itself.

The Doylestown Lion’s Club has purchased a reader/viewer for the visually impaired and asked if there would be a place for it in the new Library. No one had been aware of the machine, so no space had been provided; however, Mr. Meehan noted it and will look into it.

A woman asked when the project would actually get underway. Mr. Meehan gave a brief overview of the schedule, with bidding taking place in August and construction beginning in September or October of this year.

A woman stated that there is a need for storage for local history items and asked if there could be a place in the Library. Mr. Meehan said that, because of the size of the building, it’s not really plausible.

Someone suggested that the Historical Society could check with the Village regarding the display cases that are in the current Library space.

Someone asked how thick the walls were and if there could be recessed areas for displays. All the exterior walls of the building are lined with shelving – any displays would take away shelf space.

Mr. Meehan again stated that the building will appear larger and will present a good face on Portage Street.

Is there a basement under the building? No - libraries are very heavy with all the book stacks. It is very expensive to put basements under libraries.

What are the next steps? Will there be major or minor changes made to the design? Will there be computer simulations available to get a better picture? At this time, Mr. Meehan was focused on getting the interior layout to work and finalizing the site plan. The next step would be to have more detailed, colored exterior elevations.

How long would the process take? It could be about four weeks. When asked how he could make the Portage Street side look more like the front of the building, Mr. Meehan responded that the glass is an attempt to make it look more like a store front.

Mr. Shisler thanked Mr. Meehan and all the concerned community members for attending the meeting. He then asked Ms. Long to comment on the project budget. She gave a brief overview of the history of the project. The Shreve addition was built with $1.2 million, so the Library had originally set aside that amount for the Doylestown project. Over the years it has increased, through transfers into the fund, to $1.4 million. Increases in construction costs have made it evident that that amount would still not be enough. Currently the Library has slightly over $1.6 available for the project. A man implied that the Library should have saved about $465k for this project from residing in the basement of the Village Hall over the past years. Mr. Shisler pointed out that State funding has continued to decrease in the past seven years. The same man questioned why $1.2 million was being put into the Larwill building. He feels there is more being done for Wooster than for Doylestown. Mr. Shisler stated that the Larwill building serves the entire Library system. It contains Technical Services (which processes all the books for the system), the Bookmobile department and the administrative offices – all of which serve the entire system. Back in 2000, the building was valued at $1 million, but no one would pay over $400k for it, so the Library decided not to sell but to use it.

Someone from West Salem confirmed that those in Doylestown can’t separate needs for certain townships or villages, because all areas use the entire system through services like Interlibrary Loan, Bookmobile and Homebound services.

A woman stated that, in her lifetime, two libraries have been built in Wooster, but what has Doylestown had? Mr. Shisler stated that the Wooster building was built very frugally. The economy is tough going, but the Library still wants to go forward with the project. He also gave some ideas of what would happen if the upcoming levy did not pass.

Mr. Questel pointed out that the levy is for operating costs; the Doylestown project can go forward because those funds are separate from operating funds.

Mr. Shisler thanked the Village for passing the levy last time. Mr. Barr complimented the staff of the Doylestown branch on their level of service given their current situation.

Mr. Kerr asked how the funds will be spent within the project – Ms. Long answered that $230k has already been spent on the property. There are architect fees, construction manager fees, and many other parts of the building and site development over and above the actual construction costs. It consists also of furniture, signage, permits and fees, etc.

Someone asked if the cost matrix could be made public. Ms. Long replied that once it belongs to the Library, it will be a public document, so yes. The Village planning commission also must view and approve it.

A woman stated that, even with the 25-person capacity in the meeting room, it will still be too small. Mr. Power reiterated that the Library is trying to build the best quality building with the budget available, and that we would welcome donations to help supplement the collection, the furniture, etc.!

A woman asked where the emergency exits were located, and Mr. Meehan pointed them out.

Another person asked how the building was going to be heated. The details of that are not settled yet, but it will be the highest efficiency unit for the lowest reasonable cost. Mr. Shisler thanked the Village and those present for their participation and concern with the project.

At this point, the meeting paused to allow the public to leave. Four community members remained for the rest of the meeting.

APPROVAL OF BOARD MINUTES: Mr. Bailey moved to approve the April 15th regular minutes, the April 20th work session minutes and the April 25th and May 13th special meeting minutes. Mr. Questel seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

ACCEPTANCE OF COMMITTEE MINUTES: Mr. Drushal moved to approve the May 15th Finance Committee minutes, and Mr. Questel seconded. Mr. Meyer pointed out the directive given to Mr. Lubelski in those minutes, and Mr. Lubelski replied that he has begun the process.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT: Narrative and statistical report as distributed. Mr. Bailey moved, and Mr. Questel seconded to accept the Director’s report. The motion passed unanimously.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
 

Finance and Audit:

April 2008 Bank Reconciliation:
 

April 2008 Balance Sheet and Income Statement:
 

Total encumbrances at April 30, 2008:

TOTAL: $1,884,845.28

Actual Revenue and Expenditures at April 30, 2004-2008, April 2008 Accounts Payable and Payroll: Mr. Meyer moved; Mr. Power seconded to approve all of the above reports. The motion passed unanimously.

Resolution #17-2008 – May 2008 donations: Mr. Meyer moved to approve this resolution; Mr. Drushal seconded. Mr. Drushal asked how the cash donations were tracked or receipted, and Ms. Long briefly explained the process.

Resolution #18-2008 – Additional Appropriation: Mr. Meyer moved to approve Resolution 18. Mr. Power seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Resolution #19-2008 – Move Remaining Balance: from Esther Long fund to Doylestown fund for children’s area. Mr. Meyer moved to approve the resolution, and Mr. Questel seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Facilities: Mr. Power reported that Larwill is painted and most of the cabinetry has been installed; the garage looks mostly complete. Mr. Lubelski informed the Board that the plumbers’ union is on strike, but otherwise the project is a couple weeks ahead of schedule. Mr. Power pointed out again that the building is a system-wide services building, not just for Wooster.

Human Resources: Narrative and Personnel report as distributed. The policy to be reviewed this month is the dress code policy: Ms. Kizzen had taken staff comments and revised the policy with advice from the labor law attorney. She had included the current policy and the revised policy in the packet. Mr. Bailey moved, and Mr. Drushal seconded to approve the revision. The motion then passed unanimously.

Operations: Mr. Questel updated the Board on the first program in the lecture series – Dr. Jim Loewen. Mr. Questel was disappointed with the turnout at the programs, but as a first step it was good. Mr. Loewen gave a good presentation.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: There was none.

NEW BUSINESS: Mr. Drushal began a discussion regarding writing letters to the editor. He would like to establish a schedule of Board members writing letters to inform the public about levy issues. One could address the “Taj Mahal”, another the current levy expiring, the difference between building v. operating funds, and why we kept the old building. Mr. Power feels that this information also needs to be given out as fact sheets at the branch locations, since some in those areas may not receive the Wooster paper. He would be willing to do a letter regarding the subject of the Larwill building. Mr. Power asked Mayor Lindemann what the reasons are that people want a library in a community. A councilwoman stated that the library is a privilege, but some people feel it is a right. Mr. Meyer pointed out that the cost of buying a book is twice as much as the tax burden of the levy would be on each taxpayer. One community member feels they need to be shown what they’re getting for their dollar. He needs to see the value he’s getting. It was decided that Mr. Drushal will assign subjects and email them to the Board members with some kind of schedule.

Mr. Shisler reminded the Board that a decision must be made on whether the levy will go on the ballot as a replacement or renewal. Mr. Meyer feels that it would be wise to wait until June, to get a better picture of State income trends. If the Board waits, however, there will have to be special Board meetings scheduled to pass the needed resolutions for the levy. Ms. Long pointed out that there also has to be a proposed 2009 budget handed to the County at the end of July. It will have to be approved at the regular July Board meeting. Mr. Meyer, Ms. Long and Mr. Lubelski will try to have the figures as soon as possible after the end of June. The State’s new biennium budget will be in effect at July 1, also. Mr. Drushal was ready to make a decision on the issue at that time. Mr. Power feels the likelihood of failure is higher with a replacement. Mr. Bailey feels the Board has a fiduciary responsibility to the system. Sufficient information needs to be disbursed to the public. Mr. Bailey asked Mr. Meyer the reason for waiting for the figures at the end of June – is it a decision-maker or is it back-up information? Mr. Meyer replied that his decision is already made; the information is for documentation. Mr. Drushal moved that an informal resolution be made to request administrative staff to work with counsel to prepare necessary documents to put a replacement levy on the ballot. Mr. Questel seconded. Mr. Bailey requested a roll call vote. Roll call vote passed the motion with everyone voting yes, except Mr. Power, who voted no. Mr. Bailey asked if a campaign committee was established. Mr. Meyer volunteered to continue to do the finance part of it; however, it isn’t a Board committee and a committee chair hasn’t been designated yet.

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC: There were none.

ADJOURNMENT: At 9:55 p.m., Mr. Drushal moved to adjourn, and Mr. Questel seconded. The motion passed unanimously.