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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-28-1996 Library Commission MinutesZ Saratoga Library Commission Meeting City of Saratoga February 28, 1996 7:30 p.m. Action Ninutes I. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:34 p.m. II. Ro1! Call Coemissioners Present: Ceppos, Grantham, Manzo, McLaughlin, Sessler, Towse Comaissioners ~nt: Foscato (notified absence) Others Present: Dolly Barnes, Susan Fuller, Irene Jacobs/ ~i~o// III. Report on Posting o£ CO~Ssion Agenda -tgl=~~N~/~ Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, the agenda was o properly posted on February 23, 1996. IV. Approval of N~nutes of January_ 24, 1996 Meeting The minutes, provided to the Commission by Jack Grantham in the absence of Irene Jacobs at the January meeting, were approved with a change noted by Commissioner Manzo which included filling in Clarence Cromwell's name that had been listed on page 2. V. Old Business A. Bookdrop: This item will be placed on the March agenda. Susan Fuller, County Librarian, will brief Commissioners on the cost estimates of the physical changes to the library proposedby Commissioner Manzo. Ms. Fuller's understanding up to this point is that the costs will be substantial. B. Budget Reguest to Council: There was discussion among the Commissioners regarding what should be requested of the City Council to assist with the improvements to the Library. It was decided that since there was no realistic chance of the City Council reinstating funding for Sunday hours, then the Commission should focus on the Council supporting one-time projects as they had suggested to the Commission at their joint meeting in January. Therefore Commissioner Ceppos made a motion to request the City to supply the materials and labor involved in moving the large dumpster in the parking lot and using that spot to create two new parking spaces. Commissioner McLaughlin seconded the motion and the motion carried with a unanimous vote. Sally Towse informed the Commission that she and Ms. Jacobs would draft a letter to the Council requesting the work to be done. C. Vision 2020: In reviewing the goals established in the Commission's Vision 2020, it was noted that the Commission was on schedule in meeting its goals. It was suggested that Vision 2020 be a topic that is discussed should the Commission schedule a Work Session (Retreat). VI. New Business A. Commission Retreat: Irene Jacobs suggested that the Commission consider scheduling a retreat or work session since they were planning to focus on the expansion of the library which ~was a issue that would require a lot of planning and direction. Commissioner Manzo suggested that a representative from the YMCA on Quito Road be invited to speak to the Commission and share how the YMCA raised funds from both public and private sources to fund the project. Commissioner Ceppos shared that the same concept had been used in the construction of the Children's Shelter in San Jose. Commissioner Sessler recommended that during the work session, the Commission should receive concrete advice on how to go about organizing a bond measure or some other method of fund raising. Susan Fuller explained that although private and public partnerships are a good idea, it would be difficult to raise money from public donations to the extent that is required to fund the expansion of the library. The Commission discussed the fact that Los Altos Library expansion was funded by a bond measure and it was suggested that the Library Commission tour the Los Altos Library to see the new library and to hear how the bond measure was passed. Commissioner Grantham made a motion to meet on Saturday, March 23rd in order to tour the Los Altos Library and then hold the Library Retreat afterwards. The motion was not seconded and during the discussion it was suggested that the tour and the Retreat/Work Session be scheduled on two different days. Different alternative days and schedules were proposed. Commissioner Grantham then revised his initial motion to meeting on Saturday, March 16th in order to tour the Los Altos Library and then moving the regular monthly Commission Meeting to March 20th from March 27th. Commissioner Manzo seconded the motion and the motion was passed by a unanimous vote. B. Needs Assessment: Commissioner Sessler made a motion to table the discussion of the Needs Assessment until after the tour of the Los Altos Library. The Motion was seconded by Commissioner McLaughlin and the motion was discussed. Dolly Barnes passed out a summary of the Needs Assessment and said that it would be a lot of work to update the entire document and suggested that the Commission attach an addendum to the original document. Commissioner Grantham said that the document should be used as an appendix rather than an addendum because there was a good portion that needed to be updated citing the computer aspects of the assessment as an example. Mr. Grantham said that the document needed to tell a story of what had taken place over these past years. The Needs Assessment and the idea of expanding the library had to be abandoned and they needed to concentrate on Measure A since there were no longer funds for operations. Now that the funding for operations aspect had been taken care of, the Commission is revisiting the idea of expanding the library. Commissioner Ceppos and Susan Fuller agreed with Dolly Barnes and felt that the document was still very workable in its present condition. They shared that it was perhaps a bit premature to put so much effort into updating the Needs Assessment at this point. Commissioner Sessler's original motion was carried and the Needs Assessment was tabled until after the tour of the Los Altos Library. Dolly Barnes suggested that when the issue of the Needs Assessment is revisited, Susan Fuller should share the County's building policy with the Commission. C. Library ChairNominatiQns: Commissioner S easier nominated the present Co-chair Ceppos who thanked the Commission but declined. Commissioner Ceppos urged both Commissioner McLaughlin and Commissioner Manzo to serve as Chair of the Commission. Commissioner McLaughlin thanked the Commission but declined. Commissioner Manzo was hesitant to accept the nomination since she was so new to the Commission but the current Chair to the Commission, Sally Towse, assured Commissioner Manzo that she would help her out. Commissioner Ceppos nominated Commissioner Manzo, Commissioner Sessler seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous to elect Commissioner Manzo as the new Chair of the Library Commission!!!!!! D.Reschedule meeting dates: This item was addressed under New Business. VII. RepOrts Susan Fuller, County Librarian Susan Fuller reported that the Appeals Board Hearing was scheduled for February 29th at the Quinlan Center in Cupertino. Ms. Fuller would stress to the board that whatever they decided upon would be setting a precedence and she would be reminding them that the purpose of the measure was to raise funds not to reduce the source of funding. The appeals process had proven to be quite time consuming and the staff had spent a lot of time preparing for this process. She also reported that the new topics for the partnership with the Mercury were,"Education and Juvenile Crime". The schedule of meetings should come out in early Spring. Dolly Barnes~ Community Librarian Dolly Barnes reported that the City Council, along with the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Saratoga Rotary Club would be planting trees outside of the library this weekend. She also reported that the Friends of the Library had hosted the last Chamber Mixer in the Library Community Room. It was attended by close to 100 people who also enjoyed tours of the library. Sally informed the Commission that Nancy Howe had recently been hired as the Adult Librarian. Irene Jacobs~ Staff to the Commission Staff member Jacobs passed out a copy of a letter that had been addressed to the Council from the City of Temecula requesting that Saratoga support their efforts of recovering state library funding that has been withdrawn from County libraries by the State of California. Ms. Jacobs asked that the Commissioners consider requesting the Council to pass a resolution supporting Temecula's efforts and this item would be discussed at the next meeting. Ms. Jacobs also informed the Commission that she had received a memo from the City's CDBG representative inviting them to submit an application for a CDBG Grant through the city. Sally Towse, Chair Commissioner Towse shared the most recent issues of the Friends of the Library Newsletter and February 14th issue of the Saratoga News which highlighted the Foundation and the shortage of space in the library. VIII.Oral and Written Communications None. IX. Adjournment Commissioner Manzo made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Commissioner McLaughlin seconded the motion. The motion carried with a unanimous vote. The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m. Prepared By: X~ene M. Jacq~s Administratt~ Analyst