Post Office Box 357, Williamston, Michigan 48895-0357 

Telephone: 517-655-5140 

Website: www.wclf.info

Email: contact@wclf.info 

 

MEETING MINUTES 

 

WILLIAMSTON COMMUNITY LIBRARY FOUNDATION 

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS REGULAR MEETING 

Wednesday, 12 September 2007 

 

MEETING LOCATION:

Williamston Annex, 175 East Grand River, Williamston, Michigan. 

 

CALL TO ORDER:

The meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. by President, Susan Graff. 

 

DIRECTORS PRESENT:

Jeff Bartrem, John Brazier, Fred Campbell, Tom Clay, Marlene Epley, Susan Graff, Frank Kolasa, Julia O'Connor, Fran Schaffer.  

 

INTRODUCTIONS and OTHERS PRESENT:

Bob Hanna, Virginia Taschner, Nancy Williams. 

 

ADDITIONS and CHANGES TO AGENDA/APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

Add:        CADL Task Force

        Draft of Brochure by Jan Quiring

        Request from Habitat for Humanity for WCLF participation in fundraising effort.

        WCLF/RiverHouse Inn property line update - Leo

 

PUBLIC COMMENT:

None. 

 

MINUTES OF 11 JULY: 

Correct 2 errors on page 2, Motion by Fred, seconded by Tom, to approve the minutes as written. No further discussion. Passed by voice vote.

 

TREASURER REPORT: 

Written report submitted.  

Tom also reported that two of three of Ryan Carver's rent checks cleared. Mr. Carver does not have sufficient funds to cover the third check.

Fred expressed appreciation for the clear, well organized treasurer reports.  

Tom proposed that WCLF open a money market account at Edward Jones, a local brokerage firm. WCLF could double its interest rate and there would not be limits on the number of checks written. Edward Jones cannot accept cash deposits; a checking account would need to be kept open at a bank to deposit cash and in turn, a check written to the funds in the Edward Jones account. He suggests that the bank checking account balance be kept at $2,000 to $3,000 and the remainder deposited in the Edward Jones money market account. Citizens did not waive the checking fee. Motion by Fred, seconded by Marlene, that within the next month, the checking account be moved to Independent Bank and the other funds be invested with Edward Jones. Passed by voice vote.

Motion by Fred, seconded by John, to approve Treasurer's Report. No further discussion. Passed by voice vote.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

None 

 

PRESENTATION BY NANCY WILLIAMS AND VIRGINIA TASCHNER REGARDING LOCATING THE SENIOR CENTER IN THE NEW LIBRARY BUILDING:

The presentation included: 

• A Community Room in a new library building could also serve as a Senior Center.

• All directors on the Senior Center Board are in favor of the proposal.

• The current situation of the Senior Center being in the same building as the Library is convenient for the senior citizens.

• A dream list was presented and a list of "must haves" was presented. 

• Nancy shared copies of a document from the Health Department regarding requirements for a commercial kitchen. 

• Senior Center currently has a commitment from the City to stay in the Community Center for 10 years at no rent or low rent. 

• Current problems: No trash take-out, janitorial services are poor, poor building maintenance, problems with roof leak, cumbersome process to get repairs.

• Currently the Senior Center has use of two room(s) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Meals are currently served on Wednesday and Thursday but beginning in October the Senior Center will also be serving lunch on Tuesday.

• The City can rent the rooms to other organizations during all other times and this has been problematic. 

• Susan asked about licensing for kitchen. Nancy answered that the kitchen is a serving kitchen and is licensed.

• Fred asked about the need for 2 sinks. Nancy: need a double well sink and a deep sink.

• Currently 100 people are being served; the body limit of the room is 125. Ideally need a room to accommodate 150 people because space is also used for games, cards, reading, programs, etc.

• Susan: WCLF is considering a multiuse space; financial help and participation from the seniors would be needed.

• Frank: need to know the amount of space the Senior Center has now and how much they would need in the new library; supply a rough diagram and the amount of square footage actually needed.

• Jeff volunteered to help Nancy with a space proposal.

• Fred: how many offices are needed? Nancy: a director's office and a volunteer office.

• Fred: need a list of activities and the number participants. How much storage space and for what it is used? 

• Susan asked Fred to visit the Senior Center. 

• Marlene: suggested that each WCLF Board member visit the Senior Center, have lunch and take a tour. Also that the Senior Center poll their people regarding ability and willingness to contribute financial support to the new library and the extra costs that would be incurred to accommodate a Senior Center.

Motion by Fred, seconded by Tom, to accept the proposal and express WCLF interest as the process moves along to finalization of building plans. Passed by voice vote.

 

ACTION ITEMS:

• Ryan Carver, first floor tenant:

        Mr. Carver is not making headway at catching up on his arrears. Susan noted that a motion to evict Mr. Carver has already been approved so WCLF can proceed with eviction and Jeff can continue with that task.

• Capital Campaign:

        Susan stated that WCLF is not ready to proceed with a campaign until a WCLF position is established regarding the CADL Campaign.

• CADL Improvement Plan:

Yesterday, 11 September, Fred and Susan met with Sue Hill, CADL Director. CADL is pushing back by six months, all of their plans to go public with their campaign. A press release will come out within a couple weeks. CADL is intending to have the millage on the ballot by November 2008. Sue Hill indicated that CADL did a survey for a 1.2 mill passage and the survey was 65% positive. Sue Hill did not have the numbers from across the county. The survey was conducted with 400 likely voters who were not necessarily library users. Marlene asked for a copy of the feasibility study when it is made available. Susan said she will obtain it.

Marlene asked if the CADL Board of Directors has approved the CADL Campaign. Susan and Fred answered that the Campaign plan has been approved by the CADL Board.

CADL is expecting the land to be supplied by each community. CADL engineers visited the WCLF site and reported that the size of the site limits the size of the library to 10,000 square feet.  

If the millage is approved the design phase would be started by the end of 2009; the building would be completed by July 2012; cost of the building would not exceed $3,844,000; $366 per square foot, WCLF Building Committee would be allowed "input" into the design; extra money contributed by WCLF could be spent on amenities not covered by the CADL proposal.

Marlene asked why technology, audio-visual, copiers, interior signage, etc. is included in the CADL proposal for the new millage? Those expenses are already included in the CADL millage that is currently in effect. Susan said she would ask these questions of Sue Hill.

Tom explained that this proposal is not a budget. A budget includes expenses and revenues and this proposal does not include revenues. The implicit assumption is that enough money would be raised to pay for it.  

Fred noted that with the CADL plan the building would be built in approximately three years of the millage passage. He questioned whether WCLF would be able to accomplish this in that amount of time?

Susan asked Bob Hanna if the CADL proposal would be supportable by the City. Bob said that at the time of Sue Hill's presentation to City Council she was talking about a proposal of less than a mill. City Council questioned why the Williamston Library would not be started first, given that it has been declared the community with the worst need.

Leo stated that the Williamston DDA is going to suck up a lot of the money from this CADL millage and the DDA should be purchasing the additional property to build the library that Williamston needs. WCLF should be approaching the DDA to secure the money. With a DDA contribution and WCLF additional fund raising, Williamston could have a nice library building.

• Habitat for Humanity is asking each service group in the community, including WCLF, to donate a decorated Christmas tree which will be raffled and the proceeds will go to Habitat. The group consensus is that WCLF does not currently have the funds to participate.

• Proposed brochure by Jan Quiring regarding IRA transfers. Consensus that the brochure would be worth producing. Susan said that Jan and Marlene can produce and distribute the brochures. Each WCLF Board member should receive a brochure.

 

DISCUSSION ITEMS:

• Marlene shared that Katie Van Allsberg suggested WCLF raffle the house on the lot. Susan will call Katie to follow-up.

• The Williamston football stadium will be dedicated this coming weekend, Friday, 14 September. Leo suggested that WCLF be a presence at the event. Susan asked if anyone is interested in pursuing. Jeff volunteered to ask Marci Scott to obtain four passes/tickets to the infield.

 

REPORTS:

• Building Committee – no report 

• Fundraising Committee – Marlene delivered an oral report.  

• Township Board meetings – no report. 

• Fence between WCLF and RiverHouse Inn – Leo reported that the RiverHouse Inn survey has established the property lines and RiverHouse Inn is having R&R Fence install a 6 foot simulated cedar fence 24 feet off the back of the house and a 4 foot anodized fence the rest of the way down to the river. The fence will be installed fully onto RiverHouse Inn property. Leo suggested that WCLF sell RiverHouse Inn property 4 feet east of the current property line. Susan asked that Leo approach the RiverHouse Inn people with the proposal and see if they are receptive. Also ask what their plans are in regard to the electrical box. Leo said that he would ask Sue Nichani.

 

CORRESPONDENCE:

• A thank you note was received from one of the people who won a book at the Art Fest drawing. 

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS 

None. 

 

BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS 

None. 

 

ADJOURNMENT 

Susan adjourned the meeting at 9:20 p.m. 

Respectfully submitted: 

 

Marlene Ann Epley, Secretary 

 

 

 

                                                                                Approved:10 October 2007