Video Description:
Library Advisory Board Meeting – February 2023
Read along below:
Unknown Speaker 0:00
I have to duck out at 730 for a class I did not know I would have it 730 tonight so apologies for that.
Unknown Speaker 0:06
Okay, so we’ll we’ll kick this off is Suzy she’s she’s gonna be letting him. Okay, so I have 705 I’ll call the meeting to order a Frenchie to the agenda. First item of business is welcome to our new board member. So a pleasure seeing you and it’s also a pleasure hearing from you. Any comments from the public? Not at the moment but we’ll see what happens and this is your chance that it’s true not having any comments at this time I’ll push forward. I wanted to try and clean up a bunch of the upstanding minutes that we previously approved and that we need to sign so I believe Tracy has something for myself and Cynthia.
Unknown Speaker 1:37
I have to suddenly agenda to
Unknown Speaker 1:40
know that so minutes just go to the last pages.
Unknown Speaker 2:19
So I think that cleans up the old stuff. So So do I have a motion to approve this? tonight’s meeting minutes for men generally motioning to approve. Second, yes, I’m sorry. I didn’t get cut up. All in favor. Okay. Okay, tonight, the minutes for last night or for last meeting for tonight had been approved. We signed up to that I just saw his perspective. Okay. So having dispense with all that. And because of Katherine’s short time with us tonight, I wanted to try and get the afford officer elections out in front of the group. So we can figure out who our our officers are going to be going forward. I know for sure we said we would be voting on a chair and a vice chair. Tracy is going to be our secretary so you win the election. And as last I recall, the friends of the library liaison is up for discussion. So let’s start with the big one. Do we have a volunteer or a nomination for Chairman this?
Unknown Speaker 4:02
Volunteer?
Unknown Speaker 4:08
All in favor? Hi. Thank you.
Unknown Speaker 4:13
Congratulations, madam. Vice Chair. Do we have a Volunteer?
Unknown Speaker 4:21
Volunteer?
Unknown Speaker 4:24
Second and approved. Okay, so we have a vice chair. So the last one is friends and library liaison.
Unknown Speaker 4:43
Just when are those meetings? I’m glad that this is you know, it’s good. That’s all.
Unknown Speaker 4:51
Okay, we have a volunteer for liaisons. She has
Unknown Speaker 4:54
one of their meetings where somebody
Unknown Speaker 4:57
was wondering when those meetings are I guess Like if your liaison when you go or as curious sorry, if I’m holding anything up.
Unknown Speaker 5:07
You’re not holding anything up here or
Unknown Speaker 5:13
every, every month, I think you’re the third Wednesday,
Unknown Speaker 5:20
Wednesday, served Wednesday of the month
Unknown Speaker 5:24
that we had some discussion last meeting about whether to whether to continue every,
Unknown Speaker 5:31
why don’t why don’t you just review that for?
Unknown Speaker 5:35
I believe Rihanna that the questions were raised? Is it valuable for us to continue going to every meeting, and then Mark raise the point that in the past, the Board Liaison had voting privileges. And so that was another point of clarification that I don’t think we have reached out to receive clarity on yet. So previous to this year, I believe the leaves on my weekly this year, we tried switching off, which was only moderately successful. So it could it could change in the future.
Unknown Speaker 6:11
And a previous board I was on we had a backup in case the main person couldn’t make it to so could you try that instead?
Unknown Speaker 6:22
You’re cutting out from time to time real honest. So
Unknown Speaker 6:28
yeah, I think Oh, good. My question was answered. Thank you.
Unknown Speaker 6:32
Okay, so we have a volunteer, and if that motion carries that we have a liaison. And if you find that, you know, you can’t make it that just let us know. And we’ll see if we can call on somebody else for a month or whatever.
Unknown Speaker 6:53
So I don’t anticipate that being a problem. Okay. Great.
Unknown Speaker 7:03
Okay, I think that got through my baby issues. So, John, I’ll turn it over to you. Do you have things for us tonight? And can you also discuss the full disorder in the methamphetamine issue while you have the floor?
Unknown Speaker 7:21
Yep. So the bookstore is fully installed and operational. In fact, for those of us here, at some point, we can go take a look at it if you want and kind of see how it works. It’s kind of cool. So that’s we can we can kind of cross that off our list now finally, got installed had very two minor glitches with it the stopped operations of the sorter for like all of a half a day. So it’s, it’s working great. It’s helping with efficiencies, for sure. As far as getting materials in, and because of the weight of sorts, it puts them in these red categories to make it much faster to shelf. So very happy about that. In methamphetamine news, everyone’s favorite topic. We just sent out to staff I think last week or so. So the Boulder County Public Health put out some information on testing and what it means in public spaces versus residential spaces, and kind of adding not kind of actually adding clarity to all that’s going on in this which I think was much needed. I think I mentioned at the last meeting, we did do here some rapid tests that the city has the user in the housing authority as as a determining factor to see if they need to take next steps either in testing or remediation. And so we did that here and all the rest we did in the restrooms because that’s where it happens and all that came back negative we haven’t had any other cases since we have protocols in place so if we suspect any illegal drug use, we close the restaurant right away and clean it and that’s what the holder County Health recommends. And really nothing further after that, except for the public to continue to be conscientious and wash your hands and you know, all that kind of stuff. Yes.
Unknown Speaker 9:35
I unfortunately have a little experience with this based on a residential thing that happened to me when I was trying to buy a house and we had meth contamination come up so one thing they were they found it was in the air ducts. So I’m just curious if you’ve ever had the ducks tested or if you are aware of the city has ever had not you personally but
Unknown Speaker 9:54
yeah, so with as far as the ducks so I did have a meeting with our director for So what is here, Jeff? And I did and I asked those questions, particularly because that’s what happened at Boulder public. And the way this building is structured is not the same. So the the restroom exhaust fans just blow all the air out, right? In our intake. They’re not it’s so it’s not connected to the H vac system at all for one thing, and then the H vac system for the building is on the other side of the roof. So the potential for exhaust smoke to come out and be sucked back into this building is nearly impossible. That’s great. Yeah. So we don’t, I don’t think we have that same concern that happened in Boulder, and certainly residences is different as well. In fact, that’s what this the Boulder County Health Report, it was resident, the whole all these testing protocols were designed for residences, and actually developed for a toddler who was exposed to meth 24 hours a day. And so to use those in a public space actually doesn’t make sense. They would have to come up, someone will have to come up with distinct different testing protocols. So it’s highly unlikely that any we’ve ever experienced that here. But we did the rapid tests anyway, just in case because we had a case or two where we thought someone might have done something. So so that information is out, I’ve shared it with staff and made it available in case anyone from the public were to ask, you know what, what’s going on. And so we can hand that out. It’s kind of like an FAQ, a bunch of counties have been doing this. Ultimately, what they’re saying is, this isn’t a major public health crisis, it’s actually very low risk to have exposure in a public restroom. And that’s, for me, that’s good to get that that information out. And to maybe start downplaying a little bit of the hype that’s kind of come up about it. And in this kind of sense of extreme risk. That probably isn’t there, at least according to the health experts.
Unknown Speaker 12:05
So do you think boulder overreacted?
Unknown Speaker 12:08
I don’t think Bolden public did because their building actually did get take it in into their air ducts. And they tested that and it was in the air. So it was coming into the library. But that’s why I asked our facilities here, if we will be in that same situation. And they said no,
Unknown Speaker 12:27
they also reported that there was a camping right next to where the intake was. And
Unknown Speaker 12:37
not to mention that the use that they discovered and catching people in the act was rented, like a lot in a day. So you know, not not a one off, you’re there. And they’ve had complaints too from staff, we’re feeling sick, and dizzy and all kinds of stuff. So. So no, I don’t think boulder public really overreacted at all. I think it did create a sense of hype, John’s opinion. And some of these other libraries you’ve heard about, I believe preemptively tested and then ended up shutting down on protocols that weren’t designed for a public space. So I feel pretty good for a long long.
Unknown Speaker 13:19
It sounds like that. Check. You see, what do you see in the bathrooms, this
Unknown Speaker 13:23
is more of a one off then
Unknown Speaker 13:25
it’s a one off here. And in the end of the day, the one or two that we we’ve found basically the after effects. And you know, it’s like foil and ashes and you can kind of assumed probably that’s what it was. But actually, it could have been another drug. You know, could have fentanyl, it could have been anything. There’s a lot of things that could smoked. So whether it was method out we still don’t know except for the rapid test that we did which all came back negative. So with any luck we’ll talk about this lesson
Unknown Speaker 13:59
that’s good news. You haven’t seen a rise in the incidence of patrons that have been distressed this sacred distressed or the influence of drugs. You haven’t seen a rise not at all change in behavior now like that. No.
Unknown Speaker 14:20
I mean, really, the our day to day is still the same. I mean, you know, we occasionally have incidents of various things, you know, that could be one of them, but we certainly are paying attention that one has just been those more two times.
Unknown Speaker 14:39
Okay. Did you have any new items for No, no. Okay. I should apologize to you sent the if you want to run this
Unknown Speaker 14:54
copy to the
Unknown Speaker 14:58
next Good. Friends of the Library report we have anything from the French or
Unknown Speaker 15:12
German tree. Yeah. I mean, Jamie and I were at the retreat last long. Yeah, they have their I think it’s an annual retreat. And talked about kind of the year ahead and doing some planning and strategic planning. And one of those is happening tonight with one of the first of four book sales throughout the year
Unknown Speaker 15:35
to raise money. So but they I’m trying to think what else what else was a lot of
Unknown Speaker 15:45
what one might do at a beginning of the year retreat in terms of goal setting and reviewing priorities. And, you know, for the brief time that I was there, and kind of listening to the discussion, it struck me as a group that is trying to kind of step into a new, a new age, a new era, kind of maybe modernize and codify some of the things that they’re doing document things clarify, you know, whose roles or what, so cleaning up all of their organizational stuff, and looking how to be more effective, it did come up, and it’s come up in personal conversations with prudence, the President, you know, just wanting to continue to work on improving relations with library staff and with other volunteers, I guess, at the library is this. There’s some tension between the people who volunteer in the bookshop and the people who do other things who may be working on the sales, and you should all be one happy family and that sort of thing. So, yeah, and a lot of talk with individual members of that board, thinking ahead, wanting to do legacy planning, like what did we do in a couple of years when we can no longer do what we’re doing? And how do we leave? Whatever it is the the sales, organizing, or the sorting, or they’re talking about, like different places, maybe to sort books or store books, or what do we do next row? gets a new lead on that board.
Unknown Speaker 17:36
Okay, great. Nothing else on the friendzone will belong. Susie, do you have anything for us?
Unknown Speaker 17:47
Just a couple of dates. So we did recently had to reschedule our annual legislative dinner. The last time I think we had one that wasn’t able to attend the other ones that are joined virtually. And then the third one had to leave early. So we rescheduled so the dinner will be Friday, March 3 from six to 8pm at the senior center, that is open to the public. So if anybody got into to attend some of the topics that we put on the agenda to discuss the 2023 legislative initiatives, law enforcement reforms, mental health, housing, affordability, hopefully and house, preschool climate crisis, oil and gas, it’s pretty much everything. Workers Compensation, forest fire insurance coverage. And then with single use plastics. Yeah, so there’s few other few other items to discuss. And then I believe that there is a tax Republican budget to be heard. So if you wanted to post a comment at the end, you’re welcome to to attend. We did set our retreat agenda for March 10. And 11. It’s a two day, the first day Friday morning we’ll be actually doing a lot of Conflict Management Guide looking at guidelines on social media as far as council members was appropriate was was professional, courageous conversation training. And then pretty much I believe the only shift is rather than lunch meaning 1230 I know he kept it at 1230. So that afternoon, the afternoon that’s when we’re really going to be talking about city city issues. Surveys, public input the next day we’ll be looking at our vision and work plan and setting our goals for the future. In the second day, we’ll have more if you wanted to I’m here with as far as our goals and what our priorities are for the next year. The second day, I think has more topics to be discussed.
Unknown Speaker 20:12
So will there be any time on the agenda? Do you believe to talk about the proposed cultural texts, initiative? descriptors that make it to your job?
Unknown Speaker 20:26
So I’ve seen so like that we were looking at the employee survey, the what staff, what does staff need from Council satisfaction survey? It sounds like as we’re looking at our roadmaps, there’s opportunity to bring in those things, because I know on council, we have a lot of questions.
Unknown Speaker 20:49
opportunity at this retreat, or, hopefully, we
Unknown Speaker 20:52
get we get we are able to hear before then I thought something was gonna be coming to us. So it’ll be around the same time.
Unknown Speaker 21:01
So I’m sorry, Susie, I couldn’t hear you there when you turn away.
Unknown Speaker 21:06
So here, are you? Maybe I’ll bring this closer. It’s a long day. It’s kind of muttering. You know, there might be opportunity for us to discuss in here, if we haven’t heard from it at Council beforehand. But I do yeah, I do want something to come back through as I was looking at the timeline that you all sent. And I believe it wasn’t their March. March, so I might, my interpretation was that it was going to come to us at a city council meeting in the month of March
Unknown Speaker 21:42
for children.
Unknown Speaker 21:49
Okay.
Unknown Speaker 21:56
We are going to rethink how we’re going to distribute the Bronco money over the stadium. It’s a heated conversation. Are you all in the meeting?
Unknown Speaker 22:15
No, I told you I’m a district negotiator. I don’t. I can be patient until a period of time. And so I just I was not happy with how the process was initiated to begin with. I think there should have been something stipulated beforehand rather than people are starting to throw in their resolutions and ideas and have to wait, you know, a timeout. So yep, we’re gonna try again.
Unknown Speaker 22:46
Is there a deadline where you have to make a decision? I
Unknown Speaker 22:48
know I I know, we’re gonna have to report out next year and what we use the money for so.
Unknown Speaker 22:56
So I’m missing the discussion, but it was my understanding that because it was a one time benefit, you were target the council was targeting one time, expenses is
Unknown Speaker 23:07
something that would only require a one time expense. So if we’re looking at funding programs, you know, once that money’s gone, those programs will go and fund it.
Unknown Speaker 23:20
Sure. So and then how, again, I’m sorry for missing No, no, no. How was he set up for which one is getting picked on which ones don’t.
Unknown Speaker 23:31
So that’s where so I had brought up an idea of rather than having Council decide because the other thing was weird once they started presenting on supporting the Youth Center, and having the money allocated for the dome. It just felt weird as I’m presenting. I’m like, I feel like that I shouldn’t vote on this. If I have my skin in the game that I shouldn’t vote on. Chiquita shouldn’t vote on it. Timpson both, you know, so then it’s, so that’s where I was like, this is this is a weird, this is a weird process. This isn’t working. We’re gonna have to read rethink the proposal I brought, and we’re gonna we’re tabling it until the mayor comes back with what she heard from the stadium, district liaison
Unknown Speaker 24:25
is
Unknown Speaker 24:26
that we carve out 200,000 That would go towards nonprofits who apply and then the rest of the money really I would like I would like to see it go to children’s. But or just hand it back to staff and find the appropriate because they’re, they’re the ones that are out there. With the public with the one with the kids with the especially youth camps in our youth center. They’re the ones who are who are in the trenches with that and so you are going to hear So, I mean, that was initially what I was thinking of before, do people start throwing in their resolutions and all that? And I was like, Okay, I gotta act now. Otherwise, you know, if I don’t say anything, it’s it’s not gonna happen.
Unknown Speaker 25:17
So it’s really to try again. So does Council come up with the ideas or the city staff? Present the ideas in council and then you guys rank for how to spend the money?
Unknown Speaker 25:29
No, there was no process other than what the mayor’s had said, Okay. Well, we had councilmember Yarborough and myself, who had the idea for allocating it for space for the center, and or recreation and or for dual purpose in that regard. And then councilmember waters have the resolution for the expansion of the Children’s Museum.
Unknown Speaker 25:53
Okay, well, you can probably read where my head’s going on this library headed. shovel ready project. And
Unknown Speaker 26:03
that’s what I thought, what I thought we were not going to select any one department, because then it pits one department over the other. And then as we were digging in and looking, you know, for the facility, you know, first a one time. So then we’re told that, you know, the other thing we were told was that we cannot use it for capital improvement. So that would make the most sense. So that’s one time. It says it’s one time. So that’s where, you know, my head was just like, I haven’t given up. Yeah. So then then it was the point. Okay, well, we’ll just do the families. I’m done. I’m done. But no, I hear you.
Unknown Speaker 26:53
I hear you. Well, I mean, that. I mean, we’ve addressed disorder. So So that’s water. Well, and I think I mean, it was
Unknown Speaker 27:03
well, the first round that it the first time it came back to us, we were told, or it was under the assumption that it was supposed to go to something athletic. So some kind of youth sports or recreation sports or something to that degree. So movement, so we thought fitness, nutrition,
Unknown Speaker 27:24
storytime.
Unknown Speaker 27:25
Yeah. So So then, you know, we’re thinking along, okay, how can we address that need, but really, it was targeting what we wanted to do is target and this I’m talking about councilmember Yarborough myself, are targeting the kids who are maybe on the cusp of getting involved with gang activity, criminal activity, the ones that are not engaged in school. But if we are able to expand the use center, and bring especially with if we had it near to rely, getting some of those kids engaged and seeing having them be exposed to your healthy role models, healthy adult role models, and that’s, that was what we kind of envisioned is really targeting. The need is we’re seeing an increased number of kids and I work at a title one school, and I see it with former students with my students, kid, older siblings and parents is just that involvement with pregame activity. criminal activity. United, we’re seeing a rise in the community. So what what can we do that is proactive? So that’s kind of where my mind was going with this. And then I don’t know it just kind of everything swelled up out of control. I think we were all with good intentions. But it’s time to take it back to the drawing board.
Unknown Speaker 28:51
Okay, well, I know your your Sofer is good, I would just recommend that maybe the library has a program that fits everything you’ve said, yeah, it can be a single use expense.
Unknown Speaker 29:09
Don’t just have not been asked our opinions. Well,
Unknown Speaker 29:15
again, with without having seen that debate, I feel like I’m probably misinformed. But it just seems from listening to you talk that there’s not a real good process for getting in front of you. You will delay.
Unknown Speaker 29:31
No less I ended up doing is I conducted a really quick impromptus survey the targeted educators in the district. My former students to see you know, everything that I had an infinite campus I just pulled up grabbed emails, that was over 500 and either shout shout those out, shout out to our union members, to children to the family. So we use counsel was engaged in that process. So it was really ideally what we were targeting was students.
Unknown Speaker 30:11
Okay
Unknown Speaker 30:17
unless you have something else for us Yeah. I’m not sure how to turn this next one over to UHF or even John to talk about the city’s cultural appropriation.
Unknown Speaker 30:31
I’ll start, John can jump in as soon as he can. So in your packet was the timeline that staff have developed for the tax initiative. With the next big thing occurring is the polling city has City Council has appropriated up to $40,000 to create a survey that will be still statistically valid. So we aren’t ever all everybody in this room is not going to get emailed the survey. So we can’t just go online or ask people to go online, because we want it to be valid and really represent the broader community, in their opinion on on the different questions. So the to the city assistant city managers and Becky Doyle are finalizing the polling questions. City council had the opportunity to look at those questions. But because of the timing issue, none of the boards have been asked or given the opportunity to look at those questions. It’s what from what John and I were told last, that that survey should be going out soon, with the results to be presented back to council in
Unknown Speaker 32:10
March. So so the board will not be asked well, because
Unknown Speaker 32:15
of the timing in needing to get it turned around. Once that information has been provided to counsel, John and I and Tracy will provide that those survey results you just as soon as we can. If you want to based on what feedback, John and I have been given, I can just kind of share kind of how it relates to the library if you’re interested in. So just as a reminder, included in the tax initiative right now is pointing $2.7 million for a 30,000 square foot ranch library, as well as a little over $3 million for operating of that branch library. That includes all cost operated, as well as a capital replacement fund. So that as things in the branch would need to be replaced. There is a resource to have money to do that work. Right now, within the city system. We do not have that type of funding source. And at times, I believe it puts us behind as it relates to being able to maintain our facility. So that is included. Again, it’s statistically valid survey should be going out soon. Included in that survey. There are questions about often the use the 12 facilities, the library being one of those recreation Museum, golf and the use center in there and asked specifically about the library, at least the draft does I don’t want to get ahead of myself and say this is final but the last draft that I did see what include what the property tax would increase and what sales tax would increase to cut help cover the operation. And just ballparking it just to give you kind of an an idea is the property tax would go up approximately $38 a year for a home that’s valued at $500,000 and sales tax will would increase by 11 cents on $100 of taxable purchases. It also asked that same question about the museum, about recreation, and about about Park enhancements. Again, that information will be collected over the next month and presented to council. Again, we’ll get that information to you as soon as it is available.
Unknown Speaker 35:35
Well, thanks for sharing that. So you can, because I was a little slow in hearing all the good points you were making. I just want to kind of go through what I what I thought I heard. So did you say Well, first of all, from an overall perspective, the survey as it relates to the library identifies all this all these things that you’re asking the public to weigh? Yeah. Okay. And then did you say 22? million is capital budget for the branch? 22? Point 7.7. Milk for the for the branch for the branch library? And does the initiative have other capital? Not for the funding for the library just for the branch is the branch just the branch
Unknown Speaker 36:26
at a near so I think I know where you’re going at a while. I don’t know what, because it’s only the one branch. There are things in motion that John and I are working on, for the budget process to ask for the funding for a store storefront library as well, which would be separate from this initiative. Because based on on the study, recommended both a brand large branch library and a storefront. So John and I are working
Unknown Speaker 37:05
incidentally, folders just moving forward on your your portable library branch that made the paper today.
Unknown Speaker 37:13
John and I talked about that branch will probably go over and visit that
Unknown Speaker 37:19
company yet. So. So then, in terms of what you’re asking the public to weigh in on, can you comment as to what level of service you’re trying to fund? Now remember, there’s preferred level of service and baseline level of service? Is any of that
Unknown Speaker 37:43
that is not in these numbers. This is specifically about capital and operational dollars to operate the branch, which would move us towards the preferred level, but it does not get us to the top 1%.
Unknown Speaker 38:00
It wasn’t it was one component of the preferred level. So there’s there’s that other aspect, if I may, to the feasibility study that really hasn’t been baked into anything going to the voter is, you know, work or do you think of will or do you think?
Unknown Speaker 38:20
I don’t believe it? Well, what John and I have talked in please, John, jump in, is trying to address that some of that with a first phase proposal in request, excuse me request for the 24 budget. So these things would be done in conjunction, we really want to have the store front in that request so that we would have an alternative if the tax initiative would fail.
Unknown Speaker 38:52
Okay. Well, I think it’s great that the city’s embracing the concept of a branch and the storefront. Yeah. To me, half of the message from the feasibility studies, not in terms of what needs to be done here in turn in terms of staffing, facilities, stuff like that, and somehow not all of us, I would hope that that gets embraced and addressed. I mean, there’s a lot of money, of course, Toronto to shore.
Unknown Speaker 39:29
And I think, as we’re moving forward in this process, and we’re trying to define what would be in a branch library, that it would provide opportunity that maybe doesn’t have to be at the Main Library, which then could result in us restructuring what happens here so that we’re trying to provide a wide variety of library experiences across our community.
Unknown Speaker 39:57
That’s fair. I mean, that’s, that’s a fair or response in my mind, it’s just understanding what that all. And because there are deficiencies here in terms of programming, staffing, facilities, maintenance, stuff like that, that I think
Unknown Speaker 40:12
those are all things we will be reporting back to you as we start getting ready for the 24 ounces. Right.
Unknown Speaker 40:22
And those things, yeah, they need to be brought forward. Because I think many times in the past, we were hearing that it was articulated to city, you know, the powers that be us that that was a need. Yeah. So that was also very frustrated. It’s like you hear the side conversation. But once it came to officially, you know, making that request, it wasn’t happening. Yeah, well, thank you. Thank you. That’s okay.
Unknown Speaker 41:02
I appreciate the support you just put in
Unknown Speaker 41:06
to me.
Unknown Speaker 41:08
The fact excuse me that the boards don’t get to weigh in, then kind of shields the public from those issues. That unless the city that somehow figures out how to put him back in front of the public to weigh in on, they just won’t get a dress. But
Unknown Speaker 41:26
and yes, I agree with that. I guess my response would be this after this. The polling results are back, I think that will educate the city on what really should move forward. Or maybe it doesn’t move forward in the tax initiative. And again, that’s based on direction from Council. And then based on that direction, will include boards in the community involvement processes, attending different community events to get word out and gather information, that sort of thing. So there will be a time and I and I think soon that the board will have more of an active role in that. Once the polling
Unknown Speaker 42:22
is done, okay. I’m kind of stepping on somebody’s toes a little bit here. But you had mentioned last time that maybe we should get Becky Doyle in to talk to
Unknown Speaker 42:41
the group. I wanted to present this information that is anti church. And we can certainly do that. I will also share that, in the meetings when John and I are there, we’re sharing the board’s point of view with the main thing that we’re trying to represent is your interest in having dedicated taxes that are committed to the library. I don’t, I can’t really respond, because there’s no decision or no direction that’s been giving. But I will assure you all that we are sharing that message often as much as we can.
Unknown Speaker 43:26
Well, well thank you for that, because there’s really nothing I could point to to say. It’s been protected. I mean, you’ve you’ve targeted some money, right? But I mean, I can go away over time, or whatever. So I mean, it’s how, how do we manage it? So the LARPers pretend that you’ve heard that message? Or?
Unknown Speaker 43:56
Again, I’ll concentrate on the mobilizing new compensation or Oh, for one more. I’ve seen some stuff in the paper where where the city is struggling but but trying to figure out how to move forward on a bunch of initiatives that already has because of inflation, deflation impact. Do you see that impacting what you’re trying to do here was a cultural Initiative, or do you think this is good money? Or do you think it needs to do more and do you think it’s going to get superseded by the bourbon season that day, so to speak or the exigencies meaning
Unknown Speaker 44:40
if we go to a vote and this money be used for something different?
Unknown Speaker 44:45
Well, meaning that there’s so much attention to not being able to do the things you’ve already approved that that somehow this this gets superseded is
Unknown Speaker 44:57
that’s probably a question for you. Suzie more.
Unknown Speaker 45:01
Do you want me to take another shot at?
Unknown Speaker 45:03
I think I’m so I’m trying to figure out what your So are you saying that in due to the you know if inflation and the cost to build that branch library exceeds Is that what you’re talking
Unknown Speaker 45:14
about? I’m not exactly where my head was at was that if this if the city is struggling now with the money, it’s allocated for these projects, because it’s not enough to try and overcome that gap so to speak, they’re going to try and find money to complete those projects and bye. Bye, bye by putting that demand back on the community plus this demand for additional monies on the communities and somehow kill.
Unknown Speaker 45:46
I’m trying to dairy. Something is to go another initiative was to go on the ballot, because to cover the water. Other water repairs. Elson Flanders and I think what was the other one that was it price park that exceeded the cost is exceeding what was anticipated? Well, one, you cannot use the money if the voters voted on this, that money cannot be used to a
Unknown Speaker 46:16
more political capital thing. If the voters have to pony up a little bit more for what’s already been approved. pony up for this initiative,
Unknown Speaker 46:26
this this this initiative go away for a while and effort to
Unknown Speaker 46:30
i That’s not my understanding, and I wouldn’t actually have that better way.
Unknown Speaker 46:39
I’ve not heard that. I have not heard that. Okay. The but to respond to something else you did say mark is the amount of money that we have. You know that we estimated that the project’s cost that was done last fall. And John and I have made? Yeah, and we’ve, we’ve made a suggestion that based on being six months later, and knowing what we’re seeing in costs, for current projects, do we need to revisit our estimates to make sure we’re not setting the city up for gold, another set of issues that they’re facing with the current projects.
Unknown Speaker 47:33
I was involved in the capital project for a new high school building, shining, that modern school. And just because everything takes so long was getting on permitting, but love, before we even broke ground on that building. The costs have skyrocketed, a Moore’s COVID had come in and all of these other contributing factors to inflation, but now we were looking at having another huge gap to to breach. So that would be a concern of mine, you know, what is the contingent it’s like all about contingency plans. And, you know, thinking about the initiative, if that doesn’t go as favorably for the library as we would like, What’s plan B? What are the alternative funding structures that we want to pursue
Unknown Speaker 48:21
next? Even
Unknown Speaker 48:31
as a taxpayer, I think you can appreciate it if the number gets too big, it’s just not going to vote.
Unknown Speaker 48:43
Right. But as this group who has a goal, right, it’s like we’ve got to be ready to pivot to like, alright, well, that was a great idea didn’t go the way we wanted to.
Unknown Speaker 48:52
I can’t wait to see how you guys do that.
Unknown Speaker 49:06
Well, I think I’ve I’ve monopolized enough time here. Do you all have questions you want to get in front of chapter John on this before?
Unknown Speaker 49:15
Yes, just to clarify, and my understanding is correctly that a lot of things are still up for possible changes based on the polling results in July is when that will be finalized?
Unknown Speaker 49:28
Because Council has to set the ordinances in August and add one thing that brought up something that was talked about last month. City Council’s sets the ordinances and sets the valid questions it does not have to go to Boulder County
Unknown Speaker 49:49
Central Park box. The one other question is How am I this is a smaller part because is my understanding from what you just said? Is it this one and moves forward, there’ll be requests for large budget increases, can you remind us of what this schedule for a budget is for the city
Unknown Speaker 50:10
capital improvement projects, generally staff make our requests in April, for the General Fund, which will be the operating dollars for the library that is done in May. And that usually shuts off the system shuts off, right around the 31st of May, and depends on when that weekend follows. But that that’s our timeline. Those are the only times we can really make requests for.
Unknown Speaker 50:45
When you hear about
Unknown Speaker 50:47
we, we see what is proposed in late August with the city manager is required to submit a budget to city council.
Unknown Speaker 51:03
Will you be able to share that with this group before the city weighs in? Let me try that a different way. So in April and May, I don’t want to supersede your conversations with your fellow staff members, but I’m just being nice. At the beginning of the process. I know what you’re trying to ask for certain. So whatever political weight this group will fly, to help you would like to.
Unknown Speaker 51:35
Yeah, so based on that schedule, we should probably plan on talking about the capital improvement, the capital side of it at the March meeting. Okay. And then the general fund budget at the April meeting.
Unknown Speaker 51:49
I think that’s, that’s great. Is it possible that the outcome of this polling would inform
Unknown Speaker 51:59
what you asked for
Unknown Speaker 52:01
that you will help drive that?
Unknown Speaker 52:05
There is a connection?
Unknown Speaker 52:09
Yeah, we, I don’t, I don’t assume this is going to happen. But if the community comes back with are going comes back with, we don’t want any of this stuff, that that really sets a different standard. I don’t think that’s what’s going to happen. Because I think our community is pretty supportive of libraries and museums and recreation and often are asking, what not Why are you doing it? But why aren’t you doing more? And I hope that’s what comes out. But if it doesn’t then jump in two pencils to
Unknown Speaker 52:59
so to like, really distill it to the very basic essence the polling is to test the receptivity of the community to this idea of an increase in taxes.
Unknown Speaker 53:12
Yeah. So and, and the question, and I’m sorry, I didn’t find common thought is that it talks about what the question is, how lucky we are to vote for increased taxes, specific to the library and recreation. They’re all separate questions.
Unknown Speaker 53:40
Any other questions? Riona. You have any questions to get out on the table?
Unknown Speaker 53:47
Not on this one.
Unknown Speaker 53:50
Okay, I had just a couple, I guess in closing, so this this timeline or whatever? Is it the two city managers and Becky that are spearheading this whole effort? They’re the leaders. Okay. And then you see a more detailed chart and something coming up. This pretty brush. Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 54:16
I think it has to because August is rushing out is
Unknown Speaker 54:21
just inquiry. That’s one of those.
Unknown Speaker 54:25
I was just happy to get this. It’s a good start. Yeah, it’s a good so, yeah, so I guess what I would just kind of enclosing, at least from staff side. Let’s see how the polling results go next month. And then we can identify whether we need to invent invite Becky Doyle to our next to a meeting.
Unknown Speaker 54:55
That’s right. Okay. I’ll leave that up to Cynthia terms
Unknown Speaker 55:05
Okay, unless there are additional questions on this one, hopefully going long one library district committee, I don’t have anything to report out on this is anything from the public health report out on the snow still waiting on you guys. Okay. I didn’t put it on this agenda, but I probably should have under new items. We had talked about this a little last time. So it’s not completely new. But I think Jeff brought up the fact that the board hadn’t approved new bylaws since 16. And you said 16 or more, but I checked was 2016. So that probably shouldn’t be something that the group should think about going forward. What if any of those bylaws should? Absolutely. With that, I don’t have anything additional. Does anybody else have anything additional? They want to put on the table for discussion? No. Not seeing any. Any comments from any of the board members on anything? Nope.
Unknown Speaker 56:29
You’re looking to update your bylaws. We just did that with our union bylaws. Three months, super bowl out of six, six more hours to hurry up and get them all out. It is a grueling.
Unknown Speaker 56:45
What’s our low easier? Okay. Yeah, it was. All right. Well, that’s good advice. Yeah. So we’ll see how it goes. So with that, I will put out the next month. meeting date is March 20. And with that, I will close the meeting. And Kate those three Thank you. Thank you, everyone.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai