Minutes - September 11 2019
Meeting of the Board of Trustees
September 11, 2019 at 8:30am
Brockway Memorial Library Conference Room
The meeting was called to order at 8:49 by the President, Laura Farley. Present were: Laura Farley, President,
Kathleen Redmond, Vice President, Christine Gay, Secretary, Cheryl Gowing, and Michelle Brown, Library
Director.
Public Comment: none
Presentation: Susan Ackley, Fine Arts Commission (“FAC”) presented at 9am. There are two upcoming FAC
special events for Black History Month 2020 which will take place at the Library. Artist Leonor Anthony, who
makes 3D sculptures, will present her art in coordination with Roberto Polillo, who takes photos of Jazz
musicians. Both artists will be present at the event which is likely to be held Thursday, February 13, 2020, 6:30
pm – 8:00 pm. Polillo will be selling his book at the event. The exhibition will be up for 6 weeks, and will be
taken down by March 27, 2020. On April 2nd or 3rd, 2020, the FAC plans to present the work of Tina Salvesen.
Salveson makes books (sculptures) out of handmade paper that will be shown in acrylic boxes for protection.
Cheryl Gowing moved to approve the FAC exhibits and Christine Gay seconded. Motion passed.
Minutes: Cheryl Gowing moved to approve June 12, 2019 minutes, Christine Gay seconded. Motion passed.
Community Alliance Report: Kathleen Redmond attended the September Community Alliance meeting. The
new board was introduced. Donna Stewart is the new President. The Mayor and Tom Benton went over results
from the most recent Council meeting, which included a tie vote for the fifth member of our Board. The vote for
our new member will be taken up again at the September 17, 2020 Council meeting. The Alliance distributed
$56,000 in grants this past year. Almost everyone who applied for a grant received one. The Mayor’s Gala will
take place on March 14, 2020. St. Rose School is hosting their gala on September 28, 2019; Doctor’s Charter
will have their gala in October. The MTC season opener is October 26, 2019, with a presentation of The Very
Hungry Caterpillar. Permits were approved for outdoor seating for the two new restaurants on NE 2nd Avenue,
that should open at the end of September. The Village is testing new lighting on NE 2nd Avenue. The Library is
hosting the Alliance breakfast in April.
Financial Report: This month is the end of the Library’s fiscal year. We are at 85% for expenses and 91% for
revenue. Several more expenses being made this month and we are expected to get very close to using 100% of
the monies budgeted. The Library has live dry wood termites that were discovered at the beginning of the summer,
and must be tented. The tenting will cost $6,400. This expense will come from Finance Department’s contingency
fund. Tenting will take place the last weekend of September. The Library is still working on its fire alarm system.
There is a duct detector in a closet by the alley that will not function because the closet gets too hot. The decision
has been made to move entire system inside which will cost $1,000, but we have the money for that in our repair
budget. It will be completed this fiscal year. Hurricane shutters by men’s restroom do not close properly, and
public works is handling this repair. The Library earned $125.75 and $56.43 from Better World Books from book
donations. The Library earned $77 in raffle ticket sales at the front desk. Raffles will start again in October 2019.
The Library has 30 vendors registered for Artisan Fair which will take place on October 5, 2019, from 10am -
2pm. Monies earned at the Artisan Fair will go to the Library’s trust fund. Cheryl Gowing moved to approve the
financial report, Kathy Redmond seconded. Motion passed.
Circulation Report: For June, July and August 2019, there were 14,630 total circulations and 391 total holds
placed. The Library weeded out large print and fiction books to make more space in these areas. Over the
summer, the Library completed 280 book repairs, replacements and changes. The Library added 95 new patrons
2
over the summer, including 52 adult residents, 24 child residents, 5 adult non-residents and 14 child non-residents.
The Library digitized 130 items. Total number of patrons is 6,294. The Patron inventory project is complete.
Old Business:
• Construction update: The Library expansion plans are 90% completed. Stobbs had a construction meeting
on September 10, 2019. The Library expansion plans have not yet been presented or approved. No permits
have been issued.
• Construction grant: Florida Department of State did not give us any funding this year, as expected.
• Black History Month 2020: The Miami Shores People of Color are planning a Black History Month
program that will highlight black history in Miami Shores through the decades.
Other Items:
• 2019 Summer Program Annual Report: The Library presented 17 programs during the summer. In total
1,041 children and 472 adults attended. The program this year was outsourced to Miami Children’s
Museum. Miami Shores Summer Camp 3rd and 4th graders came to the Library on Wednesday afternoons
to work on their summer reading.
• Survey Results: Between July 11, 2019 and August 12, 2019, the Library collected 109 surveys. Of the
109 surveys, 10 of those people surveyed wanted the Library to be open later on Saturdays, which is about
9% of the surveys collected. In order to be open later on Saturdays, we would need to pay additional staff
hours, and changes would need to be made to the budget that has already been approved for the next fiscal
year. Later hours on Saturday will be reviewed again in the future. The Library received a lot of overall
positive comments on the surveys.
Announcements: – On September 12, 2019, Mary Benton will lead a gardening workshop for kids. Treece
Financial will present a program on September 17, 2019 at 6:15pm on “The Solo Ager.” Essence Nutrition will
present a program on September 19, 2019 on “The Great Microbiome and Your Health: The Gut.” The Library
and OSHER present Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love on September 26, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.
Public comment: None.
Adjournment: Meeting was adjourned at 10:18. Kathy Redmond moved, Cheryl Gowing seconded.
Respectfully Submitted,
Christine Gay
Secretary