MINUTES MARINET BOARD MEETING (approved)
Thursday May 25, 2000, 9:15 a.m.

Marin County Civic Center Room 410B

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Debbie Mazzolini, Chair
Carol Starr, Marin County
Cathy Blumberg, Mill Valley
Sara Loyster, San Anselmo
Mary Richardson, Sausalito
Vaughn Stratford, San Rafael
ALSO PRESENT: Val Morehouse, MARINet Administrator

  1. Public Comment: no public present

  2. Introduction of guests: no guests present

  3. Minutes of April 17, 2000, MARINet Board Meeting:
    Carol Starr noted that the minutes of April 17, 2000 did not include the fact that the Board discussed the INN REACH program, and wanted to support and be part of that program, and designated Carol Starr as the MARINet representative for INN REACH. The Board unanimously agreed that the minutes be amended to include the discussion of INN REACH. (M/S Richardson/Starr)
    Val Morehouse noted that the budget figures in the April 17, 2000 minutes were presented by her to the Board of Directors were inaccurate. The revised budget figures will be discussed at today's meeting.

  4. Announcements: no announcements

  5. Agenda:
    • Under "VI Old Business; B Personnel" Mazzolini added #3 "Workplan Discussion." Mazzolini asked that the minutes reflect that she asked via a May 19th e-mail that workplan discussion be added to the agenda
    • Under "VII New Business, B System Update" Mazzolini added #4 "$10,000 Recon Grant."
    • Under "VII New Business, B System Update, #2 IUG enhancements" Mazzolini asked Val to discuss the recent IUG conference.
    Agenda approved as amended. (M/S Blumberg, Richardson)

  6. Old Business:

    1. Proposed Budget FY 2000/2001

      Morehouse submitted a "final" budget to the Board at its last meeting that was inaccurate. Morehouse presented the final revised MARINet operating budget for FY 2000/2001 with those inaccuracies corrected:
      MARINet Operating Budget $470,217
      REVENUE SOURCES
      Member Libraries' Contribution to Operating Budget (subject to cost-sharing formula) $427,168.50
      Carryover and Contingency $43,048.50

      The Board reviewed the line-item operating budget prepared by Morehouse. In response to a question Morehouse explained that the personnel line in the budget has increased from $151,215 in the current fiscal year budget to $188,233 for fiscal year 2000/2001. The primary reason for this increase is the addition of a half-time Intermediate Clerk, and the reclassification of Glade's position from Computer Technician to Computer Specialist. The personnel budget also includes a 3% COLA and step increases for staff, and $3,000 for extra-hire help.

      The Board adopted a resolution (M/S Mazzolini/Starr)

      1. Rescinding the Budget Resolution adopted at the MARINet Board Meeting of 4/17/00
      2. Approving a $470,217 operating budget for FY 2000/2001 for MARINet
      3. Establishing the six member libraries' contribution to the FY 2000/2001 MARINet operating budget at $427,168.50.

      At the request of the Board, Morehouse will report on balances in the carry-over and contingency fund at the July 15, 2000 MARINet Board meeting

    2. Monthly Budget Update

      The Board reviewed "MARINet funds Summary Statement 7/1/99 - 5/19/00" prepared by Val in response to a previous Board request that at each Board meeting she provide the Board with a summary sheet that includes monthly transactions and current fund balances. The Board had the following comments:

      • The Summary Statement should include the total operating budget of $458,000 not just the $427,000 local library contribution.
      • The presentation in the Summary Statement is confusing. It was suggested that the Statement include three columns: revenues, expenditures, fund balance. This method of presentation would more clearly display financial information for the Board.

    3. Letter to Richard Arrow

      Letter to County Auditor: The Board agreed that a letter should be sent to County Auditor, Richard Arrow, requesting his attendance at a future MARINet Board meeting to discuss the Contingency Fund and Sinking Fund. The Board would also like to discuss the following with Mr. Arrow:

      • Description of the various MARINet funds, their purpose and function
      • Procedure to transfer money from the contingency fund to the sinking fund
      • Alternatives available to MARINet in terms of service funds, trust funds, and system development funds

      Stratford will draft the letter to the County Auditor

      1. Personnel
        1. Staffing Study: Mazzolini reported on her conversation with Joan Frye Williams. Joan believes that the staffing study is likely to be done in three phases. These phases would be outlined in her response to a scope of work prepared by MARINet. Loyster suggested that rather than a staffing study the Board consider a full-fledged network assessment, one component of which would be the staffing study.
          Loyster will draft a scope of work for a network assessment.
        2. System Administrator's Projects Report (submitted in writing to the Board)
          Val reported that she had received a copyright violation complaint from EBSCO that at least on high school is using MARINet's Masterfile Select as its "sole source" for a magazine index through the high school library. Some members of the Board felt that violations of this sort are virtually impossible to control. Val mentioned that she was told the County Library issues a "corporate library card" which would also encourage this kind of copyright abuse. Starr said she is not aware of a "corporate card" but will investigate. Board members suggested that the MARINet web page include a warning that the EBSCO database and other databases are provided for use by individuals only.
          Starr asked if we have received the final audit. Val replied that she expects to receive the final report from the auditor in June or July.

    As time was running short the Board agreed to postpone a discussion of the Brown Act, and to next briefly discuss "System Update" items out of sequence in the Agenda

  7. New Business

    1. System Update:
      1. Recon Grant, $10,000 Mazzolini reported that the Board of Belvedere-Tiburon does not want their library to be fiscal agent for this MARINet grant. The Board agreed that MARINet would accept the $10,000 from Bel-Tib, and pay bills for expenses incurred under the grant. (M/S Starr/Loyster)

      2. Release 2000: June 6th is the tentative date for loading Release 2000. The load will take about three hours, and a full back-up of the database will be made prior to the load. The staff and public will need to be trained in the use of the My Webpac feature of the new software. Some Board members wanted staff training to occur before Release 2000 is turned on. Val will try to find a training module which staff can access before Release 2000 is turned on for the public.

    1. Old Business:

      1. Personnel
        1. Workplan Discussion (prepared by Valerie Morehouse, dated 5/10/00).
          Board Comments:
          Mazzolini: the Mill Circ workplan is on the right track. The task list on most of the work plans includes too many small tasks. Tasks and activities have been incorrectly labeled objectives. Tasks are often out of sequence. The workplans should be divided into major objectives (pre-planning, implementation etc.)with the associated activities/tasks that support the objectives. Follow the model of the Mill Circ workplan when revising the other workplans

          Richardson: Would like to have an executive summary and overview of each project which would accompany each workplan. The executive summary would outline how the project would be done, and what the major tasks are.

          Loyster: Agree with Mazzolini, too much detail. Feels that the workplans push responsibility on to others, and that the system administrator is not taking responsibility for accomplishing the projects.

          Stratford: Mill Circ workplan is the model to follow.

          Starr: Are the projects which the system administrator chose the most important? Dates in workplans are too fuzzy, refine beginning and end dates. System administrator should take more responsibility for accomplishing tasks outlined in workplans.
          Regarding the Web page workplan, objectives 9-10 should come first. Tasks Objective 11 has already been worked out in the links committee. One year to accomplish Web page project is too long. Do we really need a consultant and project director to revise the Web page? Loyster added that the administrator should convince the Board of the need for a consultant and project director

          Blumberg: Would like the administrator to prepare a one-page narrative outlining the major issues/projects facing MARINet. Would like administrator to recommend to the Board which should be done 1st, 2nd, etc.. What's easy to do, how long will things take, what things are priorities.

          The Board asked that the administrator revise and rework workplans for the following projects:

          • Staffing study,
          • Release 2000,
          • My Webpac training,
          • Web page revision,
          • Mill Circ,
          • LTI project.

          System administrator was asked to write an executive summary and narrative for each project.
          Val stated that the Board must approve an expenditure for Mill Circ. Mazzolini replied that before approving such an expenditure, the Board needs more information and library staff need to have the opportunity to evaluate the program. Mazzolini said that Val should arrange a demonstration of Mill Circ for the Board and staff as has been discussed on several occasions.

          Loyster said that the focus of the next Board Meeting at Bel-Tib on June 22nd should be the MARINet Web Page. All Board members agreed that they would find examples of model Web pages to bring to that meeting

          Mazzolini concluded the public meeting by saying that developing goals, objectives, and a workplan are standard administrative tasks. She expressed her frustration that it has been so hard, and such a struggle to get the administrator to produce these items. She said that she is hopeful that the administrator after this meeting will produce understandable and professional workplans for the Board

      At 12:40 the Board adjourned to a five minute closed session to discuss the MARINet Systems Administrator's evaluation. Since there wasn't adequate time the Board set a special meeting on June 1st at 3:00 p.m. at Falkirk Cultural Center with a closed session to discuss the MARINet Systems Administrator's evaluation.

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