[PAGE 1] West Fargo Public Library Board of Directors Meeting Date: July 8th, 2021 Time: 5:30 P.M. Place: West Fargo City Commission Chambers and streamed live on YouTube Roll Call: Liann Hanson, Alanna Rerick, Jodie Haring, Tony Stukel, Commissioner Mandy George. Also attending: Carissa Hansen, Library Director, Maria Kramer, Deputy Director of Public Services and Alisha Reis, Office Coordinator. 1. Call to order Rerick called the meeting to order. 2. Approve order of agenda Commissioner George moved and Hanson seconded to approve the order of the agenda with the election of the officers being moved from 4.V to 4.I. No opposition. Motion carried. 3. Consent agenda - approve the following: Stukel moved and Hanson seconded to approve the consent agenda. No opposition. Motion carried. a. Approval of Minutes – June 17th, 2021 b. Approval of Financial Reports Regular Agenda: 1. Election of officers (action) • After discussion, Commissioner George motioned and Haring seconded to appoint Liann Hanson as President. No opposition. Motion carried. • After discussion, Rerick motioned and Commissioner George seconded to appoint Jodie Haring as Vice President for an additional term. No opposition. Motion carried. • After discussion, Rerick motioned and Stukel seconded to appoint Alisha Reis, Library Office Coordinator as Secretary. No opposition. Motion carried. 2. Discuss findings related to question of library mill cap • Due to the City’s home rule charter, the City of West Fargo can allocate any number of mills it wants to the library or any city services as long as it stays within the City wide mill cap that is outlined in Century Code. There is no specific mill cap for the library. The library board discussed with no further action. At the next board meeting John Shockley, City Attorney, will be able to provide more information on this item. [PAGE 2] 3. Approval of 2022 library budget draft (action) • Commissioner George motioned and Rerick seconded to approve the 2022 library budget draft. No opposition. Motion carried. After further discussion, the Board will be submitting a letter and library financial history to the City Commission to seek an additional mill due to the mill reduction in past years because the library can’t continue to operate using its reserves. 4. Update to board on facility funding options meeting • Hansen, Rerick, Tina Fisk, City Administrator, Tim Solberg, Assistant City Administrator and John Shockley, City Attorney met to discuss high-level legal steps and processes on how to purchase land or build. The first step would be to get the approval from the Commission which would include a public hearing that would take place at a commission meeting. If the Commission approves, then the Commission can establish a library building fund. The funding mechanism used for the building determines whether or not the project requires a referendum. • Hansen suggested the Board receive updates from the City on potential collaborative projects so this item can continue moving forward. Rerick recommended the Board invite City administration to either the August or September meeting for them to discuss any questions the Board may have and/or provide any updates regarding this item. The item will be discussed again at the August meeting with John Shockley, City Attorney, so he can also answer questions from the Board. 5. Discuss rescheduling of October and November regular board meetings (action) • Hansen requested that the August meeting also be considered for rescheduling due to a library event on August 12th. Rerick motioned and Haring seconded to approve rescheduling the regular library board meetings for the following months: August 12th, 2021 to August 19th, 2021, October 14th, 2021 to October 7th, 2021 and November 11th, 2021 to November 18th, 2021. No opposition. Motion carried. 6. Director’s Report Hansen presented the following items for the Director’s Report: • The library received several donations in May and June 201. Prairie Public donated $2,000 to the library to run ads for the Little Red Reading Bus throughout the summer. Bee Seen Gear also provided discounted gear for Summer Boost prizes and t-shirts. Finally, a library patron donated $1,000 to the library because of many years of enjoying the library. The funds will be used to purchase an internet access point for the Little Red Reading Bus. Thank you to all of these supporters! • Hansen gave an update on the library’s monthly statistics, as the library’s outreach efforts have been able to reach more people than in past summers. In the month of June 2021, there were nearly 500 new card registrants. The library’s circulation in June 2021 has surpassed June 2019. Program attendance [PAGE 3] for the summer of 2021 is over attendance for the summer of 2019. The total number of hours read this summer as of June 2021 is almost equal to the total hours read throughout the entire summer of 2019. • Update on community-wide survey with Folkways. Hansen will send a results preview document to the Library Board. Folkways will present a complete version of the survey results to the City Commission at their August 2nd meeting. Hansen will present a full draft of the strategic plan to the Library Board at the September 9th meeting. • Maria Kramer, Deputy Director of Public Services, gave mid-summer update on the impact of the Summer Boost program, including the Little Red Reading Bus route. 7. Other Business • No other business. 8. Adjourn • Commissioner George moved to adjourn, Stukel seconded. No opposition. Meeting adjourned. Next meeting: 5:30 P.M., Thursday August 19th, 2021.