08/03/2017 LIBRARY BOARD MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
August 3, 2017
Present: Vice Chair Barbara Blakely, Board Member Barbara Ann Murphey, Board Member
David Loyd, Board Member Amy Wallon
Absent: Board Member Judith McSwine, Board Member Elizabeth W. Folk, Board Member
Rosemarie Kibitlewski
Also Present: Jennifer L. Obermaier— Library Director, Patricia O. Sullivan — Board Reporter
The Vice Chair called the meeting to order at 10:15 a.m. at the Main Library.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily
discussed in that order.
2 —Approval of Minutes
2.1. Approve the minutes of the May 4, 2017 Library Board meeting as submitted in written
summation.
Member Murphey moved to approve the minutes of the May 4, 2017 Library Board meeting as
submitted in written summation. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
3 —Citizens to be Heard re Items Not on the Agenda: None.
4— Library Director's Reports
4.1 East Branch/SPC Joint-Use
Library Director Jennifer Obermaier said construction of the East Branch Library was on
schedule. Clearwater and St. Petersburg College Library staff met recently. The St. Petersburg
College Library Director retired last week; the Interim Director was moving forward with the
project. The College will move into the library on November 1, 2017; the City will move in mid
March 2018 after the old college library and administration building are razed and the
Clearwater library parking lot is completed.
4.2 Closures/Main
Ms. Obermaier said installation of carpet squares in the Main Library will begin after
Thanksgiving; the facility may need to close for several days. High traffic areas will be tiled.
Concern was expressed that chemicals in new carpeting may aggravate patron allergies.
Ms. Obermaier reviewed planned updates for Meeting Rooms A and B, including Smart
televisions, cameras, and new audio visual equipment with broadcasting capabilities. The
meeting rooms served as a community hub for City departments and outside groups.
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Ms Obermaier said the library will close: 1) October 9 - Columbus Day - staff development (all
libraries); 2) October 15 - MAXIMA Concierto Herencia Hispana (Main Library); 3) October 19 —
Jazz Holiday (Main Library—early close); and October 21 —Jazz Holiday (Main Library).
Ms. Obermaier reported the Main Library had termites. The Building & Maintenance Department
will choose a treatment; previous efforts did not resolve the problem.
4.3 Imagine Clearwater
The City Council was scheduled this evening to approve the Williamson Dacar Associates bid to
complete a feasibility study to repurpose the Main Library as recommended by Imagine
Clearwater. The study will focus on potential development of the first floor and repurposing the
rooftop terrace. The second phase will focus on developing interior space allocation designs.
The study will be completed by early 2019.
Ms. Obermaier said a Water's Edge storefront will open in September to promote and explain
Clearwater's 2nd Century strategies, plans, and processes.
Ms. Obermaier said the summer reading program was successful, attracting many children and
families. The JWB (Juvenile Welfare Board) funded free lunch and snacks at the Main Library
for all children younger than 17. Due to a lack of space and equipment, food could not be
served at the branches. Main Library programming averaged 20 children daily and was offered
almost every day.
4.4 Tour of Maker Studios
See below.
5— Unfinished Business
In response to a question, Ms. Obermaier said State aid would be status quo from last year;
PPLC (Pinellas Public Library Cooperative) impacts were not anticipated. While one beach
municipality's library withdrew from the cooperative, the funding formula will remain the same.
It was stated that PPLC had not adopted a permanent funding formula and it should be
amended to be fairer, basing reimbursements on net lending. Dissention among PPLC
members was anticipated if State funding is reduced.
In response to a question, Ms. Obermaier anticipated next year's City budget will be status quo;
a 2.5 FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) increase was necessary to support longer hours at the new
East Library. She did not anticipate hours would increase at other branches; longer operational
hours required 2 shifts, which would be hard to incorporate with current staff.
6 — New Business
6.1 Election of Chair
Member Loyd moved to appoint Barbara Blakely as Chair. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
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Member Murphey moved to appoint David Loyd as Vice Chair. The motion was duly seconded
and carried unanimously.
7 — Reports
7.1 Library Foundation
Ms. Obermaier reported Library Foundation Chair Judy Melges had returned from vacation.
The volunteer coordinator resigned when her husband was relocated; three candidates for the
position will be interviewed.
7.2 Friends of the Library: None.
8 — Board Comments
Member Wallon reported the Clearwater Bar Association's "People's Law School" will offer 15-
weeks of free classes on various legal subjects at St. Petersburg College, starting in
September. Ms. Obermaier requested that her contact be shared with the bar association for a
possible partnership opportunity with the library.
9 — Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 10:45 a.m. followed by a tour of Maker Studios.
Chair — Library Board
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