Ann Arbor Library Board OKs Budget

Ann Arbor District Library board meeting (May 18, 2009): A new budget, a new agreement with the Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library, an upcoming documentary on the building of the Traverwood branch and a broken freight elevator were all items of discussion at Monday’s AADL board meeting. As discussed at their April meeting, the board voted to lower the tax rate that the library levies, citing the struggling economy and a desire to keep taxes as low as possible. Economic conditions were also the reason for keeping AADL director Josie Parker’s salary unchanged, though the board commended her performance as part of her annual review.

Traverwood Branch Recognition

During her director’s report, Parker noted that the Traverwood branch had been honored with a design award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Michigan, an award that was presented on May 15 at a ceremony at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel in Detroit. (The branch was designed by InFORM Studio of Northville; O’Neal Construction of Ann Arbor was the contractor on the project.) Parker showed the board a brochure the printer had just returned, which featured the building’s sustainable design elements, including the use of ash trees harvested from the site.

She said the project’s use of ash trees was something that had attracted documentary filmmaker Bill Kubota, who filmed construction of the building. But as he filmed, he became interested in the human element as well, she said, and recorded the different perspectives of the project, from the points of view of the designer, the owner and the builder. “It shows the tensions, it shows the comradrie – it is real,” Parker said. “Up from the Ashes” will air June 11 on WTVS Channel 56 at 8 p.m. The AADL will host a showing of the documentary sometime later in June, Parker said.

Friends of the AADL

The board approved a space use agreement between the AADL and the Friends of the AADL, a nonprofit that operates a used bookstore in the library to raise money for AADL. The board for the FAADL is expected to approve the one-year agreement at its meeting this Wednesday. It replaces a month-to-month agreement under which the Friends have been operating for more than two years. Margaret Leary, the board member who chairs a liaison committee to the Friends, said it’s a step in the right direction for solidifying relations between the two groups.

The document outlines obligations on both the part of the AADL and the Friends. Among other things, it lists the operational issues for which FAADL is responsible, such as getting audited financial statements each fiscal year and remitting applicable sales taxes. The AADL will provide maintenance, repair and janitorial services as well as utilities such as electricity, heat and water – but not phone lines or internet access. The agreement also gives AADL the right to suspend book sales on its premises if FAADL violates terms of the agreement.

Budget & Finance

The board held a public hearing on the 2009-10 budget, but no one came to speak about it. The board discussion was brief. Ken Nieman, AADL’s associate director, was asked what funds would be used if unforeseen major building repairs were needed. Such repairs would be paid from the fund balance, he said. Earlier in the meeting, he had said that the fund balance was expected to be as much as $6.8 million by the end of the year.

The issue of repairs was top of mind because Parker had mentioned in her director’s report that the downtown building’s freight elevator had broken on Friday. They don’t yet know the extent of the problem, she said, or whether it can be repaired. If it needs to be replaced, it would cost a significant amount of money, she said, and would need board approval. When Parker said the elevator was leaking hydraulic fluid, trustee Prue Rosenthal said, “It sounds like my car.” “Only your car can’t plummet four floors,” Parker quipped, quickly adding that they weren’t using the elevator and that she’d been assured it would not fall. Rosenthal noted that the building’s condition had been one reason why they’d decided to tear it down and construct a new facility – a decision they tabled late last year because of economic conditions. Rosenthal said she was still convinced that they’d made the right decision to postpone new construction. Parker noted, “The things we were concerned about happening to this building are happening, and we’ll just have to deal with it.”

Regarding the 2009-10 budget, Parker said it was very tight because they’d decided to levy just 1.55 mills in taxes. (One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s state equalized value, or SEV.) In the past they’ve levied 1.92 mills but have been operating on 1.55 mills – the difference was set aside and used to pay for building projects, such as the Traverwood branch. Barbara Murphy noted that when she first joined the board, AADL had been operating at 1.65 mills. She said that when Parker and her staff came on board seven years ago, they managed to lower the operating costs while improving service, and that they should be commended for that.

The board passed the $12.7 million 2009-10 budget unanimously. AADL’s fiscal year begins July 1. In a separate vote, they unanimously authorized the millage rate at 1.55 mills.

Director’s Evaluation

As part of Parker’s annual performance review, board chair Rebecca Head read a letter from the board summarizing their evaluation. The letter cited Parker’s vision, effective management and exemplary performance. Noting that Parker had recommended that her salary remain unchanged because of the need for fiscal prudence, the board agreed to keep her compensation at $143,115 for fiscal 2009-10. “The AADL financial management goals have been met and exceeded,” the letter states. “Josie, you continue to lead the AADL in the right course, carefully & creatively applying taxpayers’ dollars. Your conservative practice includes applying adequate resources to provide excellent services and materials while maintaining ample fund reserves.”

Among other things, the letter also congratulated Parker and her staff for taking on the Washtenaw Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled, calling it a new model for providing a specialized library within a public library.

When Head finished reading the two-page document, Parker received a round of applause from the board and staff members in the audience. Parker thanked the board for recognizing the efforts of her staff as well, saying, ”If this is what we can do in seven years, think about what we can do in 14.”

Present: Rebecca Head, Margaret Leary, Barbara Murphy, Jan Barney Newman, Josie Parker, Prue Rosenthal, Ed Surovell.

Absent: Carola Stearns.

Next meeting: Monday, June 15, 2009 at 7 p.m. in the library’s fourth floor meeting room, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [confirm date]