REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR
Winnefox Library System
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
NOTE: Remember that this month’s meeting will take place via two-way educational video link
sites in
INTRODUCTION
TO INTERACTIVE VIDEO LINK TECHNOLOGY
Mark Arend and/or Bonnie Driesen
will briefly introduce the interactive video technology we are using for
today’s Board meeting. This will provide
an opportunity for all of us to learn by direct experience what the
possibilities are for two-way interactive video for the libraries we
serve. The member library directors and
their staffs have been invited as well. Action
Requested: none.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The Nominating Committee,
consisting of Merry Whipple (
TRUSTEE APPOINTMENTS
On behalf of the Board, I would like to welcome back those trustees that have been reappointed, and welcome our newly appointed trustees:
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John Brennan –
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Jo Dell’Antonia –
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Bonita Dresen –
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Jackie Jurkowski –
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Judy Malueg –
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Joyce Schoepel –
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Jeff Ogle –
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Debra Clark –
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Vern Hess –
We will schedule an orientation session(s) for new trustees as soon as possible.
RESOLUTIONS OF APPRECIATION
We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the service to the Winnefox Library System by retiring trustees Connie Mitchler (Winnebago County, Menasha), and Carol Stinson (Winnebago County, Omro/Winneconne). We have prepared Resolutions of Appreciation for each for your approval. Discussion. Action Requested: approve Resolutions of Appreciation as contained in Exhibit A.
2004 YEAR END FINANCIAL REPORTS
The financial reports, included for your information, constitute the end-of-year close-out figures for 2004. In general, we have ended 2004 in good financial condition. The Winnefox Cooperative Technical Services subprogram ended the year with an operating deficit of -$24,150 (shown as Net Income on the WLS Balance Sheet). This was actually anticipated. You will recall that we established a Collection Enhancement Grant program for WCTS member libraries using $50,000 of an Allocated Reserve fund. The Statement of Financial Control shows expenditures for those grants of $26,794 out of an anticipated $27,000 for the first year of three. Those funds are coming out of the Allocated Reserve Equity (Balance Sheet) and this is in essence the way QuickBooks allows us to show that. So, it was our intent to draw down our reserves through this three year grant program and we are doing so. With the exception of that, WCTS revenues and expenses were pretty close for the year.
The Winnefox budget ended the year with an operating surplus of $8,488 (shown as Net Income on the WLS Balance Sheet). In general terms, we took in slightly $8,488 less than we spent during the year for Operations.
As far as the WALS subprogram
budget is concerned, we also ended the year in good financial condition there
as well. When you look at the balance
sheet, some libraries will usually show an over expenditure and it is
frequently for needed computer equipment for the libraries. That is why all of the member libraries
retain a prior year fund equity account to handle unexpected contingencies
and/or for direct equipment expenditures.
All of the libraries had sufficient prior year equity funds to cover any
over expenditures except
The WALS equity accounts are for shared expenses for the system and we ended the year in a positive cash position ($19,271). This is a case where, when we do the WALS budget, we can’t always anticipate all the actual expenses, federal grant fund amounts, etc. Discussion. Action Requested: none.
2005
Exhibit B contains a memo from Mark Arend which explains a situation that arose late in the process of approving the Waushara County Library Services Agreement and Plan for 2005. Due to a calculation error in the Redgranite Public Library rural resident circulation that was not caught until late in the process, most of the libraries were well along in their local budget processes and anticipating mistakenly larger amounts for County reimbursements. Subsequent to our last Board meeting, the Waushara County Library Services Committee met to review the matter and decided that Redgranite should receive no less than they received in 2005 (which made up some of their lost funds but not all of them) and the County would attempt to mitigate the effects on the other libraries who would be losing money they anticipated in their budgets.
As a result, there is a new set
of reimbursement figures for the
Mark also describes the fact that we neglected to check the Redgranite figures when we were requested to do so. If we had, we would have probably caught the mistake and avoided the situation. Because we neglected to follow through on that request, I would recommend we make up the difference for Redgranite for 2005 of $2,586 with Winnefox funds. The funds can come from undesignated reserve funds. Discussion. Action Requested: 1) approve revised final compromise county reimbursement numbers as contained in Mark’s memo (Exhibit B) and 2) approve recommendation contained above for Winnefox to provide $2,586 for Redgranite Public Library for 2005.
Byron W. Olson, Sr. Trustee Scholarship PROPOSED GUIDELINES
Exhibit C contains a set of proposed guidelines as proposed by Mark for the Byron Olson scholarships. The funds for them were included in the 2005 budget. Having the guidelines for use will permit us to promote the availability of the funds with the trustees in the Winnefox Library System. Discussion. Action Requested: approve recommended guidelines as contained in Exhibit C.
2005 ANNUAL SYSTEM PLAN APPROVED BY DLTCL
Exhibit D contains the letter of approval from the Division of Libraries and Community Learning for our 2005 Annual System Plan. We are always pleased to receive this notification since it comes with our first System Aids funding distribution which represents 75% of our annual total. We will be receiving $837,003 in system aids for 2005 – the same level as we received in 2003 and 2004. Discussion. Action Requested: none.
MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS -
· REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - please take the time to review Mark’s report on System activities. It’s contained as Exhibit E.
· TRUSTEE MANUALS – It is the time of year when we need you to bring in your red trustee notebooks (if you have them) for updating by the staff. Please try to remember to do that for this meeting. It makes it easier for staff to do it if they have all of them at one time. We will be asking you whether you want your notebook back or plan to rely upon the web version of the manual. Most of you indicated you would prefer the latter when
we demonstrated the online version of the manual - http://www.winnefox.org/trustees/.
· Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) – I have been appointed by Gov. Doyle (letter included as Exhibit F) to this state library commission which advises the Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction on all matters pertaining to library service development in Wisconsin. The term runs through June of 2007. A congratulatory letter from Elizabeth Burmaster is also included in the Exhibit.
·
TABOR
PANEL - And there is a memo (Exhibit G) from Kathy Propp of the League of
Women Voters of Oshkosh for my participation as moderator for the panel
discussion on the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR). I’ve also included a copy of the article they
sent along. It was a very good panel on
a very important topic to the future of
·
BADGERNET
UPGRADE - Exhibit H contains a summary document describing the effects of
the BadgerNet converged network process and its implications for libraries (and
schools). I’ve highlighted some key
areas which I’ll briefly discuss at the meeting. I attended the last meeting of the Wisconsin
Collaborative Network Initiative committee in Madison (on which I represent
libraries) and, once a contract is signed with the selected vendor consortium
for the upgrade of the state network, there should be much more information
available.
·
·
BROADBAND
GROWTH - I have also included an interesting article about the growth of
broadband Internet access and its implications for libraries by Michael
Schuyler (Exhibit J).
· JERRY APPS DONATION – Exhibit K is a thank you letter from Mark to Jerry Apps who provided a very nice donation of 94 copies each of his books, Eat Rutabagas and Stormy. He is changing publishers and received these from his former publisher. I’m glad he thought of the libraries in Winnefox as a place for them.
Respectfully submitted,
John V. Nichols
Director