MINUTES OF THE MARINet BOARD MEETING
THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2000 9:15 A.M. (Approved).
MARIN COUNTY CIVIC CENTER ROOM 410B

Board Members Present: Debbie Mazzolini, Chair
Carol Starr, Marin County
Mary Richardson, Sausalito
Sara Loyster, San Anselmo
Cathy Blumberg, Mill Valley
Vaughn Stratford, San Rafael

ALSO PRESENT: Valerie Morehouse, MARINet Administrator; Glade Van Loan, MARINet; Jennifer Dyment, Marin County Library; Jennifer Waldren, Deputy County Counsel; Susan Forsyth, County Auditors Office.

MINUTES: Approved (M/S Richardson/Loyster)

AGENDA: Approved

NEXT MEETINGS: The Board set the next MARINet meetings for February ] 24th at 9:15 a.m. and March 28th at 1:30 p.m. The MARINet retreat is scheduled for April 14th

BUDGET/AUDIT

  1. Susan Forsyth of the County Auditors Office discussed a legal opinion rendered by Jennifer Waldren, Deputy County Counsel, gives the MARINet Board great latitude in amending the budget. The opinion also found that prior amendments to the budget by the Board were legal. Ms. Forsyth also said that the Board has the authority to move contingency carry-over funds from the reserve to the operating budget to fund programs. Forsyth told the group that the auditors office needed signature cards on file for each member of the Board for both funds under the MARINet Board's control.

Jennifer Waldren, the Deputy County Counsel, made the following recommendations:

  1. That the Board adopt a resolution which outlines its authority and the procedure and the process for amending the budget. The resolution should include the amount requiring a budget amendment, as well as any budgetary authority granted to the administrator to move funds between account categories within the operating budget.
  2. The Board should take formal action each year adopting the cost sharing formula with a revised calculation as to each jurisdiction's percentage total reflecting changes in the three elements of the cost-sharing formula (population, holdings, circulation).
  3. Waldren suggested that adoption of by-laws by the MARINet Board.

A draft resolution was proposed granting the MARINet administrator authority to transfer $5,000 between line-items within the operating budget. The amended would then be presented to the Board by the Administrator.

It was also proposed that any appropriations or other changes to the Sinking Fund or Contingency fund be presented to the Board in writing with a vote recorded in the minutes,

BROWN ACT: Mazzolini showed the Board a memo which she had found in her files dated March 1, 1994. It was a legal opinion from Jack Govi of the County Counsel's office stating that the MARINet Board is not subject to the Brown Act.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Sarah Loyster announced that San Anselmo had received an InfoPeople grant. San Anselmo will be offering individual tutoring of the public in the use of the Internet. A discussion ensued. Mill Valley, and Belvedere/Tiburon also offering individual tutoring. It was suggested that the MARINet Board might look into the possibility of more training for the public which would be done cooperatively.

Jennifer Dyment is developing standard training for Marin County staff in the use of the Internet.

STATE LIBRARY REPORT

Mary Richardson suggested that next year the figures for determining the number of registered borrowers in each of the MARINet jurisdictions be gathered centrally in order that all of MARINet libraries would be consistent in reporting to the State. All of the Board agreed. Valerie will bring this item back to the Board in June.

ADMINISTRATOR REPORT ON PROJECTS

Valerie Morehouse reported on her project list. The audit has been a big workload. Valerie is interviewing people to fill the part-time extra hire clerical position in MARINet. She's hoping to offer that job next week.

Mazzolini suggested that it was important for MARINet Board and staff to evaluate the current staffing situation in order to understand the type of personnel needed for the MARINet in the changed technological environment and also to increase the efficiency of the MARINet operation.

Valerie Morehouse will be on vacation the week of March 19.

Monthly Budget report November 30,1999 to January 24th, 2000:

  • According to law MARINet must receive the County treasurer's investment policy each year.
  • Valerie will develop forms for moving funds from contingency to reserve. Valerie will provide information on the balance of the contingency fund.
  • Moorehouse will call Debbie Mazzolini to set up separate accounts with a beginning balance and revenues and expenditures.

Loyster asked when the reports will be run on which next year's revised cost sharing formula will be based. Morehouse said those reports will be run by the February meeting.

SECURITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY:

Carol Starr presented various edits to the policy. Stratford will revise the policy to reflect those changes and it will be sent out with the MARINet agenda.

VIDEO SELECTION POLICIES:

It was the consensus of the Board that the video selection policies can be subsumed under the library materials selection policy. Although some libraries have adopted separate video policies that deal with use of videos by minors and adults.

LIBRARY OF CALIFORNIA:

Deborah Mazzolini updated the Board on the Library of California developments.

NEW BUSINESS:

  • REQUEST BY COUNTY EMPLOYEE TO SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION FOR AUTHORITY TO CHANGE PASSWORDS AND FUNCTIONAL AUTHORIZATIONS. After lengthy discussion regarding passwords and authorization authority reflecting the Board's concern about system security, a motion was made by Stratford, seconded by Loyster that Mill Valley's authorization to change passwords and functional authorizations be withdrawn and that the issue of individual jurisdictions having such authority be discussed at the February meeting.

    AYES: Richardson, Mazzolini, Stratford, Loyster. NAYS: Blumberg , ABSTENTION, Starr.

    The Board asked Val to do a report on appropriate authorizations for different classes of staff so that the Board understands what authorizations are appropriate for different functional areas. Morehouse will do such a report on authorizations and report back to the Board in February. Morehouse reported that Release 2000 was delayed.

  • Discussion of Ebsco Host was put over to the March agenda.

  • Millenium Preview training will take place in April or May at Belvedere-Tiburon Library.

  • Certain law library records are still in the MARINet database. Morehouse suggested that those records be deleted. Starr asked that Moorehouse print those records out so that they can be reviewed by David Dobbs of the County library.
  • The Board will discuss ideas for the annual retreat at the February meeting. Moorehouse asked the Board to decide on a timetable for the implementation of the Millenium system which is important for her to know for budgeting purposes.

ADJOURNMENT: Meeting adjourned at 12:15 p.m.

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