In attendance were Nina North-Murphy, President, presiding; John Dubinsky, Alison Ferring (via phone), Jacque Land, Janet Rainford, Keith Savage, Thomas Schlafly, David Sweeney, and Vince Volpe (arrived at 5:55 p.m.).
Also present were Chief Executive Officer Waller McGuire and staff members Michael Cohen, Carrie Dietz, Jon Drakesmith, Wes Harbison, Cathy Heimberger, William Jackson, Tonnya Joy, Kathy Leitle, Mary Meyer, Jim Moses, Molly Pfeiffer, Daisy Porter-Reynolds, Anna . Strackeljahn, and Justin Struttmann; Liz Reeves, Foundation; Gina Martin, Stifel; Sean Flynn, GilmoreBell; and Lisa Stump, Lashly & Baer,
The meeting was called to order at 5:33 p.m. by Ms. North-Murphy.
Minutes: Mr. Schlafly's motion to approve the minutes of the October 7, 2019 Board Meeting, seconded by Mr. Land, was approved.
Public Comment: Michael Cohen, a shelver at the Kingshighway location, asked the Board to consider increasing the salary and add vacation benefits for part-time shelvers.
Chief Executive Officer's Report:
Mr. Jackson presented the Financial report and stated that the annual audit has begun.
Mr. Struttmann presented the HR report.
Ms. Reeves presented the Foundation report.
The Barr Digital location, modeled on Creative Experience at Central, will open in mid February. This will be a soft opening, with an event opening at a later date. Service at Cabanne is still suspended. The emergency physical repair is very nearly complete. The reopening date has not yet been determined, because the personnel at the location also has to be rebuilt, after the resignations of most of the staff. Mr. McGuire wants to work with Board Members on a transition plan for Board Members. Currently, most Members are serving in expired terms, which is allowed by law. Mr. Dubinsky suggested that Mr. Sweeney and Ms. North-Murphy work on a strategy with Mr. McGuire for a meeting with Mayor Krewson.
Fiscal Affairs Committee Report: Mr. Volpe presented the Fiscal Affairs Committee Report. He introduced Gina Martin, Stifel, who distributed a document with details of the refinancing of the current bonds to combine them into a single bond issue. The plan would substantially reduce the amount of the bond payments and shorten the end of the bonds by two years, 2048 instead of 2050. The Fiscal Affairs Committee recommended that the Library Board approve a resolution to move forward on this project.
Mr. Volpe's motion, seconded by Mr. Savage, to approve a “Resolution of the Board of Directors of the City of St. Louis Municipal Library District Authorizing the District to En Into a Lease Purchase Transaction and Execute Certain Documents and Actions in Connection Therewith” was approved. (Mr. Dubinsky, Mr. Schlafly, and Mr. Sweeney recused themselves from this discussion and vote because of other business each of them has with Stifel.)
Mr. Struttmann reported that there is now a page on the Library website called “Contract Opportunities.” This page will list any bids that the Library has out so that potential bidders will be able to more easily discover them.
Unfinished Business: Ms. Porter-Reynolds gave a presentation about the plan for the Library to go fine free. This change is part of the proposed changes to the Circulation Policy. She also presented an updated version of the Meeting Room Policy. After discussion, Mr. Dubinsky's motion, seconded by Mr. Savage, to approve the Circulation and Meeting Room Policies was approved.
The changes will go into effect January 6, 2020.
Ms. Heimberger reported that because of the changing policies, customers will also be given the opportunity to choose from five different card designs, including a Blues design. Marketing will be doing an advertising campaign in February about the new fines free change.
New Business: Mr. Struttmann gave a public safety overview of the Library system that included statistics and some of the changes that have been made to address concerns.
Mr. Schlafly's motion, seconded by Ms. Rainford, to go into Executive Session to Discuss Personnel Matters was approved by a unanimous roll call vote.
The meeting went into Executive Session at 7:04 p.m.
At the regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the St. Louis Pubic Library on December 2, 2019, the following actions were taken:
| Mr. Schlafly moved | that the Board approve the minutes of the meeting of October 7, 2019. MOTION APPROVED (In favor Mr. Dubinsky, Ms. Ferring, Mr. Land, Ms. North-Murphy, Ms. Rainford, Mr. Savage, Mr. Schlafly, and Mr. Sweeney.) |
| Mr. Volpe moved | that the Board approve a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the City of St. Louis Municipal Library District Authorizing the District to Enter into a Lease Purchase Transaction and Execute Certain Documents and Actions in Connection Therewith. MOTION APPROVED (In favor Ms. Ferring, Mr. Land, Ms. North-Murphy, Ms. Rainford, Mr. Savage, and Mr. Volpe.) |
| Mr. Dubinsky moved | that the Board approve the Circulation Policy and the Meeting Room Policy. MOTION APPROVED (In favor Mr. Dubinsky, Ms. Ferring, Mr. Land, Ms. North-Murphy, Ms. Rainford, Mr. Savage, Mr. Schlafly, Mr. Sweeney, and Mr. Volpe.) |
| Mr. Schlafly moved | that the Board go into Executive Session. MOTION APPROVED (In favor Mr. Dubinsky, Ms. Ferring, Mr. Land, Ms. North-Murphy, Ms. Rainford, Mr. Savage, Mr. Schlafly, Mr. Sweeney, and Mr. Volpe.) |
