OHIO COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Members Present:
Mr. Ted Hess, Sr. Mary Jude Jochum, Mr. Mike Baker
Members Absent: Mr. Charles Monfradi, Miss Sally Carroll
Also Present:
Dottie Thomas, Library Director, Louis Horacek, Michelle Blum, Tom West, Adda Thornton, Judy Fugate, four political science students from Wheeling Jesuit University
Call to order:
Mr. Hess called the meeting to order at 7:20 P.M
Minutes
Mr. Baker moved that the minutes of the October meeting be approved as distributed. Sr. Mary Jude seconded.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Sr. Mary Jude | yes |
| Miss Carroll | absent |
| Mr. Baker | yes |
| Mr. Monfradi | absent |
Financial Report:
The Financial Report for October had been distributed with the board package.
INVOICES AND WARRANTS
Mr. Baker moved to approve the Financial Report and approve payment of invoices and warrants; Sr. Mary Jude seconded the motion.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Sr. Mary Jude | yes |
| Miss Carroll | absent |
| Mr. Baker | yes |
| Mr. Monfradi | absent |
DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Ms. Thomas recapped the written Director's Report which had been distributed in the board packet. (see Attachment)
Presentation by Mr. Tom West
Tom West, of Johnson Boiler discussed the state of the HVAC system. He reported that the humidity problems in the summer and temperature control during the winter can be at least partially attributed to deterioration of the air-control dampers. He provided an estimate of $7,471 for repairs and/or replacement.
He also provided a quote of $22,422.00 for replacement of the pneumatic control system with a direct digital control system. He said that the pneumatic system had deteriorated to the point where some of the controls no longer worked at all, including the auto change-over control that responded to changes in outside air temperature. He felt that it would be better to spend money to replace the system rather than try to repair it.
Repairing the dampers was the first priority.
He said that shutting the boiler down for more than a few hours at a time causes condensation which rusts and corrodes the boiler tubes and the boiler housing if the water temperature falls below 110 degrees.
Mr. Hess asked what additional expenses could be expected with the damper repairs. Mr. West said he could not know until the duct work around the dampers had been opened up. He said that there is no other way to see the condition of the dampers. He said that his estimate was not a worst-case scenario. Mr. Baker asked if he thought it could exceed double the estimate. He said he doubted it.
Mr. West said that converting to digital controls could be done in stages. The software could be added later, and the smaller air handlers for the basement could be done later.
Mr. Baker asked if he could provide an estimate for the exploratory work. Mr. West said he could do that. He would break out the first two items on the estimate from the rest of the items and provide 2 separate quotes for all the items included in the $7,471 quote. Then he said he would provide another quote after he had examined the dampers.
Mr. Baker moved to proceed in that fashion. Ms. Thomas will poll the board with the final price for the damper repairs. Sr. Mary Jude seconded.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Sr. Mary Jude | yes |
| Miss Carroll | absent |
| Mr. Baker | yes |
| Mr. Monfradi | absent |
Mr. Baker said he would have someone look at the estimate for the control system and the pneumatic system itself. Mr. Hess said that Mr. Monfradi should examine all the estimates also.
Announcements
Ms. Thomas said that the week of Nov. 14-20 would be fine-free week in honor of Children's Book Week.
She said that the library would soon receive a check for $5,165 from the Cincinnati Insurance Company for recent repairs to the chiller pump.
Mrs Thornton of the Wheeling Area Genealogical Society said that she would be visiting some area schools to encourage genealogical research, and would be suggesting OCPL to the students as a resource. She said she would like to suggest that high schools have students volunteer in the Wheeling Room on Saturdays to fill their community service requirements. Ms. Thomas said that there could be security concerns if the students were working all alone. Judy Fugate suggested that they team with WAGS volunteers.
Mr. Hess said they might even consider approaching colleges to set up internships working with WAGS and the library.
Ms. Thomas said she would consult with the library's professional staff as a first step.
OLD BUSINESS
Northern Library Network
Ms. Thomas distributed a chart detailing OCPL's catalog records added to the NLN database. Mr. Horacek said that he had been entering the library's holdings into the NLN catalog and that as many as half the titles were new titles for NLN. OCPL has the largest book budget in the consortium. Ms. Thomas also said that an issue of NLN patrons paying an annual out-of-state fee had arisen at OCPL. NLN paying this fee at another NLN library expected that payment to cover all NLN libraries including OCPL. The northern panhandle library directors will be meeting soon to discuss this and other NLN issues, Ms. Thomas said. She told the board she would report to them after that meeting.
New Administrative Rules and Regulations
Ms. Thomas distributed copies of the draft prepared by the WVLC staff and urged board members to read them critically, as there were potential problem areas as they stood. The legislature would consider them in 2006.
NEW BUSINESS
Guardrail for Parking Lot
Ms. Thomas presented a quote for a guard rail from Green Acres . She said that it was the only company that actually made standard guardrail and would submit a proposal. She said she had contacted several companies in her search for guardrail. In relation to the price quote document Mr. Baker asked what "retainage" meant and the definition of "state work". Mr. Baker moved that the proposal be accepted, assuming a maximum of 2% over the proposal ("state work"), and requiring that it be done by December 15. Sister Mary Jude seconded.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Sr. Mary Jude | yes |
| Miss Carroll | absent |
| Mr. Baker | yes |
| Mr. Monfradi | absent |
Indoor Enclosure for the Outdoor Book Drop
Ms. Thomas said that currently books from the book drop fell on the floor in a public area inside the library. She stated that it was common for patrons to report that they had returned books through the book drop yet the library staff cannot locate the books and they are never checked in. She said that within the last few months three interlibrary loan books, returned through the book drop had gone missing. She presented quotes from Walter Construction and Herco to build an enclosure. Mr. Baker moved to accept the Herco quote, but said that the ILL policy should be amended to prohibit returning interlibrary loan books in the book drop. Sr. Mary Jude seconded.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Sr. Mary Jude | yes |
| Miss Carroll | absent |
| Mr. Baker | yes |
| Mr. Monfradi | absent |
Computer Needs
Mr. Horacek reported that the main file server supporting Athena needed to be replaced. It was approaching obsolescence and uses Windows NT which was no longer supported by Microsoft. Ms. Thomas distributed a letter from WVLC Technician Jane Kraina explaining why WVLC thought a new computer was needed as well as a written explanation and description by Mr. Horacek. The total cost would be $2700 plus a small amount for software. Sr. Mary Jude moved to proceed with the purchase. Mr. Baker seconded.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Sr. Mary Jude | yes |
| Miss Carroll | absent |
| Mr. Baker | yes |
| Mr. Monfradi | absent |
Mr. Horacek said that there had been requests for wireless access to the internet in the library for people with laptop computers. The Library Commission had prepared specifications for wireless access. The total cost is $520 and WVLC staff do the installation.
Mr. Baker moved to purchase the equipment. Sr. Mary Jude seconded.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Sr. Mary Jude | yes |
| Miss Carroll | absent |
| Mr. Baker | yes |
| Mr. Monfradi | absent |
Executive Session to Discuss the Social Security Property
Mr. Baker moved to enter executive session. Sr. Mary Jude seconded.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Sr. Mary Jude | yes |
| Miss Carroll | absent |
| Mr. Baker | yes |
| Mr. Monfradi | absent |
The Board entered executive session at 8:30.
The executive session ended at 9:25 PM
The meeting was adjourned at 9:25 PM.