Meeting Information

Draft Minutes

Meeting of January 21, 2009

Room 278, City Hall

San Francisco, California

Chair Sue Cauthen called the meeting to order at 6:02 PM.

Roll Call: Present: Enne Braun, Sue Cauthen, Lucille Cuttler, Linda Guitron, Roger Kallen, Margaret Lee, Neil Mills, Clarice Moody, Jan Seeman, Gladys Soto, Peter Warfield, Dan Weaver.

Absent: Ted Bamberger, Shanica Dismuke, Michael Olinger, Stina Skewes-Cox [1 vacancy].

Guests: Charles Moody, husband of member Clarice Moody, monitoring tape recorder; Joanna Schaller, volunteer taking the meeting minutes; Luis Herrera, City Librarian; Maureen Singleton, San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) budget manager.

Minutes: Joanna Schaller agreed to take the minutes for this meeting. Charles Moody, husband of member Clarice Moody, volunteered to monitor the tape recorder.

General Public Comment: There was no public comment at this time.

SFPL Budget: 2009-2010 Fiscal Year

City Librarian Luis Herrera and budget manager Maureen Singleton spoke about the library’s 2009-2010 fiscal year budget. Ms. Singleton presented a Power Point handout on the budget proposal, and also provided the Library Citizens Advisory Committee (LCAC) with a description of the budget change proposals: i.e., new items being added to the budget.. The City of San Francisco is facing a dire financial crisis, with an estimated General Fund shortfall of $460.4 million. Therefore, all city departments financed by the General Fund are being asked to cut their budgets by 25 percent. San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) is a Non-General Fund department, and is not subject to these budget cuts, due to its set-aside. However, because of the severity of the financial crisis, the library budget is conservative this year and the library is expected to absorb all cost increases in this year’s budget. Ms. Singleton stressed that these budget expenditures are estimates, and unknown costs do exist that could affect the budget’s final numbers, such as work order adjustments or other labor costs that may arise.

Highlights from this year’s budget include about $1.1 million allocated to enhancing library collections and access, which encompasses “opening day” library materials for newly renovated branches, media collections, digital scanners, database cost increases, and maintenance of the automated sorting system. The hours at the San Francisco History Center in the Main Library will be expanded, as will hours at the Bernal Heights, Potrero and Ingleside branches. Temporary sites will be opened when the Bayview and Ortega branches are under construction. A total of $675,000 is allocated to public safety and emergency preparedness, which includes hiring a full-time counselor and part-time health and safety monitors at libraries, as well as an emergency generator, and replacement of various software and equipment. There will also be improvements to technology that enhances access to library services, and additional translation services for print and online materials. Almost $50,000 is allocated to services for active adults over age 50 and other seniors, which includes expanded books-by-mail services to homebound users and new public programs. Over $2.6 million is allocated to annual payments for lease revenue bonds to finance several branches’ renovations.

LCAC members had concerns about the temporary sites for branches under construction and how declining property values affect the library’s budget, which is based on funds set aside from property taxes. Others concerns include funds allocated to increasing library collections, the large amount being spent on public safety and emergency preparedness, and the extent of translation services. Ms. Singleton reported that she took into account the declines in property taxes when she drafted the library budget this year, and that is one reason the budget is conservative. She will get more definitive income numbers from the Office of Public Finance on February 5 and will revise the budget to reflect this. The LCAC wanted to know if they can expect an analysis of expenditures for senior services by the end of January, and city librarian Herrera said he will look into this and report back to LCAC. The LCAC had questions about the high interest rates on revenue bonds. Ms. Singleton reported that the Office of Public Finance estimates an interest rate of 6.3 percent, and this is what she used in the budget as a conservative estimate. However, based on market rates, she said, it will probably be closer to five percent, so there is a chance of potential savings.

There was also concern about the status of the set-aside funds being voted on a special election, which could happen as early as June, 2009. LCAC members asked if SFPL is formulating any strategies in case the set-aside is affected. Mr. Herrera said there has not been any progress on this, but that he could use help since it is sometimes difficult to tell the Library Commission what to do. He stressed that LCAC can help by talking to their supervisors, and emphasizing to them the importance of libraries in San Francisco. Set-aside and budget issues will be on the agenda for the February LCAC meeting.

The meeting recessed from 7:06 to 7:11 p.m.

Communication: Supervisors, Mayor, SFPL, Public

Clarice Moody and Chair Cauthen spoke about how to create and maintain good communication with supervisors, the mayor, the library and the public. Ms. Moody reported that she communicates frequently with her supervisor, Carmen Chu, including emailing her after every LCAC meeting. She sees the importance in establishing communication and a solid working relationship with supervisors, not just voicing complaints when they arise. This is also a good way to get LCAC ideas heard. Members discussed other ways to improve communication with the Board of Supervisors, the mayor and the public. Chair Cauthen will seek to create a relationship with the mayor’s office and will send our documents to the mayor’s representative. Members discussed specific ways to notify the public of LCAC meetings. One idea was to post a flier in branches that lists meeting dates and invites the public to come and participate. Linda Guitron will draft a flier and bring a mock-up to next month’s meeting. Another idea is to ask librarians at branches what concerns, ideas, or questions they have, and discuss those at LCAC meetings. Outreach to the public will be discussed further at the February LCAC meeting.

Officer Reports

Because Joanna Schaller, the volunteer taking the minutes, will no longer be attending LCAC meetings, LCAC members will rotate taking the minutes. Chair Cauthen will establish a schedule and notify the individual before next month’s meeting. The LCAC thanked Ms. Schaller for her excellent service the past year.

The LCAC renewal date is on March 1, 2009, and LCAC needs to renew before that date. LCAC members are encouraged to call or email Chair Cauthen with ideas to present to the Board of Supervisors that illustrates LCAC’s accomplishments. Members are also encouraged to lobby their respective supervisor.

There was discussion about Branch Library Improvement Program (BLIP) meeting dates that conflict with LCAC meetings. A draft resolution was proposed and discussed, calling on the library and the BLIP not to schedule meetings on the same day as LCAC meetings. After discussion, the following resolution passed, which Chair Cauthen will present at the next Library Commission meeting on February 6:

HALT BLIP MEETING CONFLICTS

The Board of Supervisors Library Citizens Advisory Committee tonight passed the following resolution:

Whereas, the Branch Library Improvement Program (BLIP) held its December 17 meeting on North Beach library design the same night that the Board of Supervisors’ Library Citizens Advisory Committee (LCAC) meets; and

Whereas, the BLIP has scheduled its January 21 meeting on design for the Presidio Library on January 21, the same night that the LCAC meets; and

Whereas, the LCAC meets monthly on the third Wednesday at 6:00 PM; and

Whereas, members of the Library CAC would like to have the opportunity to attend the Branch Library Improvement Program meetings;

Therefore be it resolved that:

The Library Citizens Advisory Committee asks the City Librarian and the Branch Library Improvement Program to schedule future BLIP meetings in our neighborhoods at times that do not conflict with the LCAC monthly meetings.

Cuttler moved and Mills seconded a motion to accept the resolution, without additional amendments.

Yes: Braun, Cauthen, Cuttler, Guitron, Kallen, Lee, Mills, Moody, Soto, Weaver.

No: Seeman, Warfield

Motion carried 10-2.

Minutes: Guitron moved and Cuttler seconded a motion to approve the draft minutes of the December 16, 2008, meeting. The minutes were approved by a vote of 12-0.

Yes: Braun, Cauthen, Cuttler, Guitron, Kallen, Lee, Mills, Moody, Seeman, Soto, Warfield, Weaver.

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 18, 2009, at 6:00 PM in Room 278 of City Hall.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:07 PM.