CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by President Chris Colby. Also attending were Muhammad Babur, Ken Brown, Don De Keyrel, Ann Farnell, Ed Haskell, John Hunziker, Jean Michaels, Sue Reinke, and Trevor Westrom.
Others Present: Audrey Betcher, Library Director; Tom Dyer, Communications Director; and Kathy Olson, Administrative Assistant.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion by Ed Haskell, seconded by Trevor Westrom, to approve the meeting minutes of August 25, 2004. Motion approved.
LIBRARY BOARD AND DIRECTORS REPORT
Audrey reported that we have received a grant from the MLA Foundation for creating book discussion kits. This will allow for book discussion guides and the purchase of 10 copies of books for the Book Discussion Groups.
Marge Brumm, a Library staff member, has completed the voluntary library certification program. She will be recognized at the Minnesota Library Association Conference in October.
Audrey has been elected Vice-President/President Elect of the Minnesota Library Association.
The City Council approved a higher preliminary budget levy limit than recommended by the City Administrator. This will give the Council some flexibility in looking at a couple of new positions in the Police, Fire, and Building Departments.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Advocacy: nothing to report.
Finance: will probably have a recommendation at the next Board meeting.
Development: The list for potential solicitations has been updated based on input at the last meeting. Board members need to review the list and see if there are organizations they are willing to contact. It is important to keep this moving. Some organizations may have made all their donations for this year, but we could get in the pipeline for next year.
Kathy gave an update on the 2004 fund drive. We are very close to last year's results, with three months left in the year. Total to date, excluding gifts to the endowment, is $22,500.
The Friends membership mailing was recently mailed.
Special Events: Tom reported that ten speakers are committed for Wit, Wisdom & Wine 2005; we are waiting to hear back from several others. We would like to get a financial planner as a speaker, so if anyone knows one that would be good, contact Tom.
Letters requesting underwriting have been sent to three previous underwriters: Merchants Bank, Royal Management, and Midwest Wireless. We have also sent out letters to the professional sports teams in the state asking for items for the silent auction. Any other ideas for items for the silent auction would be appreciated.
We have not done anything about publicity for the event; any ideas for promotion are welcome. One suggestion was to take advantage of organizations that Board members belong to and try to get the word out that way. It was also suggested that we try to get the event listed in the Mayo Source. Another suggestion was that we put together an e-mail summary that Board members could send to others.
We hope to have all details ironed out by early November, with a goal of mailing the invitations out right after Thanksgiving. This should avoid the holiday mailing rush and also give people more notice of the event.
We will list the event on the Foundation's web site, including a list of speakers and silent auction items.
PRESIDENTS REPORT
We are reviewing the by-laws regarding what constitutes a quorum and expect to have a recommendation at the next meeting.
Staff has been investigating donor recognition designs and the committee will meet in the next month to review the designs.
The terms of several Library Board members expire at the end of the year and two new members will be needed.
The next meeting is scheduled for October 27, 2004, at 4:45 p.m.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Shimek Olson
Secretary Pro Tem