TOWN OF MARKHAM PUBLIC LIBRARIES

 

Regular Meeting

 

Minutes of Meeting held on Monday,; April 28, 2008 7:04 p.m.,

Markham Village Library – Administration, 6031 Highway 7,, Markham

 

Present from the Board:

Ms Patricia Durst, Chair

Ms Cheryl Giblon, Vice Chair

Councillor Alex Chiu (from 1.4.3; up to 1.6)

Mr. Justin Hung

Ms Deborah Jestin

Mr. William Jeyaveeran (from 1.4.3)

Ms Shamira Madhany

Mr. Mahendra Naik (from 1.4.3)

Ms Rashi Sharma

Ms Lan Sum

Councillor John Webster

 

Present from Staff:

Mrs. Catherine Biss, CEO and Secretary-Treasurer

Mr. Larry Pogue, Director, Administration & Operational Support

Ms Debbie Walker, Director, Library Strategy & Innovation (from 1.4.3)

Mrs. Diane Macklin, Marketing & Programming Strategist

Mr. Mohammed Hosseini-Ara, Director, Service Excellence

Mrs. Jane Byrnes, Board Secretary

 

 

Guests:

Mr. Joel Lustig, Director of Financial and Client Services

Mr. Allan Seabrooke, Acting Commissioner, Markham Public Libraries, Fire & Emergency Services, Recreation Services an Culture

 

Regrets:

Ms Ada Leung

Deputy Mayor Jack Heath

 

 

 

1.0               AGENDA

 

1.1               Call to Order/Approval of Agenda

 

The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m.

 

Moved by:         Ms Sum

Seconded by:    Ms Madhany

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The agenda be approved.

 

Carried.

 

1.2               Declaration of Conflict of Interest

 

None.

 

1.3               Due Diligence

 

Chair asked the CEO:  Have the taxes and GST been paid and are we in environmental compliance?  The CEO responded:  To the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

1.4               Delegation (Ownership/Linkages)

 

1.4.1          Appreciation to Northern Karate School Markham

 

The Chair informed the Board this item will be deferred until the May Board Meeting.

 

1.4.2          Gift to the Library – Councillor Webster

 

Councillor Webster attended a fundraiser for a mosque to be built in Markham.  He received a donation of books and tapes for the Library and presented it to the CEO.  A thank you note will be sent to the organization for the donation.

 

1.4.3          Funding Allocation – Messrs. Lustig & Seabrooke

 

Mr. Lustig gave a presentation on the Library Development Charges.  He provided the definition of development charges, the process of development charges, an overview of The Development Charges Act (1997), 2003 Library Average DC Service Levels, DC Background study vs. Master Plan and conclusion.  He indicated the bylaw for development charges must be updated every 5 years and will be up for review shortly.

 

He indicated there is a process to use development charges.  It was suggested that the Master Plan should specifically indicate the square footage expansion and new  libraries which are planned.  If additional square feet are given to one area that is not indicated in the Master Plan, it is in theory taken from another allocated area.  Currently allocation of development charges is not assigned to a specific area but it is used town-wide.  If additional square footage is given to a facility which does not appear on the development charges plans, an alternative funding source must be found.  The last Master Plan was updated in 2003, although it was not passed by Council.  It is being used by staff as a guide.  The Master Plan will recommend where the Town builds.  The new Master Plan will be developed commencing this summer and will take more than a year to complete.  It was noted there are intensification issues in the Thornhill and Milliken areas which cause overstressing.  A background study will be done in line with the Master Plan.  The Board was very concerned about the Milliken area.  They indicated that the lack of sufficient library space and the challenges of an ethno-culturally diverse community necessitates a more timely development of the Milliken Mills Library facility.  The proposed timeframe for developing the Milliken area was a major concern.  Proper information is needed to appropriately plan for any facility.  It was also noted that Council could direct staff to do a study on a specific area.

 

The Chair thanked Messrs. Lustig and Seabrooke for their presentation.

 

1.5        Chair’s Comments

 

The Chair noted the presentation to Northern Karate School Markham will be at the May Board Meeting.

 

The Chair requested the Board Members, preceding next month’s Board Meeting on May 26, to meet at the Armadale Community Centre at 6:45 p.m. for a 15 minute tour.  Town staff will provide the tour.  The Board Meeting will follow the tour at 7:30 p.m.  She requested Board Members to indicate to the Board Secretary their intentions of attending the tour at the Armadale Community Centre.

 

1.6        In Camera (heard after 9.0)

 

Moved by:         Ms Jestin

Seconded by:    Mr. Hung

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The Board meet In Camera at 9:43 p.m.

 

Moved by:         Councillor Webster

Seconded by:    Mr. Hung

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The Board returns to its regular meeting at 10:25 p.m.

 

AND THAT:  The motions In Camera be ratified.

 

Carried.

 

2.0               CONSENT AGENDA

 

The Chair asked if Members wished to pull any items from the Consent Agenda for discussion. 

 

            Moved by:         Ms Jestin

            Seconded by:    Mr. Hung

 

            RESOLVED THAT:  The consent agenda be received.

 

AND THAT:  The Consent Agenda comprising of items:

 

2.1

Approval of Consent Agenda

2.2

Minutes of Meeting – March 31, 2008

2.3

CEO’s Highlights

2.4

Communication and Correspondence:

 

2.4.1     “Karate Kids!”, The Markham Economist & Sun, Saturday, March 29, 2008

 

2.4.2     “Schools, towns part of Earth Hour”, The Economist & Sun, Thursday, March 27, 2008

 

2.4.3     “Postcards from camp”, The Markham Economist & Sun, Thursday, March 20, 2008

 

2.4.4     “Book lover learns new library awesome”, Letters to the Editor, Yorkregion.com

 

2.4.5     “A Calm Oasis in the Bustle of Modern Life”, 2008 Winter Newsletter, Michael Chan, MPP

 

2.4.6     A Message of Thanks to Volunteers

 

2.4.7     Markham Public Library 2008 Snapshot

 

2.4.8     Thank you letter to Northern Karate School Markham

 

2.4.9     Letter to Mayor re infrastructure grant

2.5

Monitoring Reports

 

2.5.1     GP – 2g Board members’ Code of Conduct – A.Leung

 

Are hereby approved as written and the CEO of the Library is hereby authorized and directed to take such action that may be necessary to give effect to the recommendations as thererin contained.

 

Carried.

 

Minutes of meeting – March 31, 2008

 

Moved by:         Ms Jestin

Seconded by:    Mr. Hung

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The Minutes of the meeting held on March 31, 2008 be approved.

 

Carried.

 

3.0               MONITORING (delegation-ownership linkages)

 

3.1               Compliance list of internal monitoring reports and Discussion Led by Members

 

3.1.1          Executive Limitations:  EL-2f Asset Protection – S. Madhany

 

Ms Madhany led the discussion on Executive Limitations EL-2f Asset Protection.  Although she did not receive any concerns, she had several questions herself.  She made a distinction between the security of hard assets such as buildings, equipment and materials, and the security of information and intellectual property held by the Library.  Under property assets, she requested clarification/definition of the security of hardware, software and the use of software.  Under 1(b) of the report she asked for the definition of intellectual property and what processes we have in place to protect copyright and personal information.  Under Financial Assets (f) she queried risk mitigation and if we had a mitigation strategy.  The CEO advised she would respond to Ms Madhany’s queries at the next meeting.  The CEO would be responsible for changing the wording to clarify the actual executive limitation if it was needed.

 

3.2               2008 Capital Budget Report – L. Pogue

 

The Chair informed the Board that the motions to approval the Library’s Capital Budget  and  Operating Budget t should have been presented at the last meeting along with the budget report.

 

Moved by:         Councillor Chiu

Seconded by:    Mr. Naik

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The Board adopts the amended 2008 Capital Budget of $435,900 for the Library’s portion of the Community & Fire Services Commission’s Capital Budget.

 

Carried.

 

3.3               2008 Operating Budget Report – L. Pogue

 

Moved by:         Councillor Chiu

Seconded by:    Ms Giblon

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The Board adopts the amended 2008 Operating Budget Revenue and Expenditures of $10,003,424 and Revenues of $811,987.

 

Carried.


 

4.0               ENDS

 

The Chair asked if Members had any Ends amendments to put forward.

 

The CEO advised she will be preparing a report on achieving some Ends that she will discuss during the In Camera session.

 

5.0               GOVERNANCE

 

6.0               OWNERSHIP LINKAGE

 

6.1               Outreach Reports

 

6.1.1          Outreach Events to attend

 

Future and past outreach activities were highlighted by the Chair.

 

6.1.2          South Markham

 

6.2               Meeting Reports

 

The Chair requested Members to share their outreach experiences.

 

6.2.1          Chair’s Visits

 

The Chair attended this year’s Battle of the Books, a Lawn Care Seminar and  the Pickering Public Library Board Meeting.  She invited Members who attended with her to speak on the events.

 

6.2.2          Members’ Visits

 

Ms Madhany attended the Lawn Care Seminar at Unionville Library.  She noted it was a packed seminar.  They had a very good speaker and he had an excellent presentation with good slides.

 

Ms Jestin attended the Battle of the Books.  She noted with was a great event.  She commended Ms Huffman on organizing the event.

 

Ms Giblon attended the Town Council Meeting and expressed the importance of the Library’s presence at these meetings.

 

Mr. Hung provided an overview of attending the Pickering Public Library Board.  He noted they also practice the policy governance model.  They are developing a strategic plan and provided a copy of a DVD they gave to Council.  The Chair noted the DVD will be played at the beginning of our next Board Meeting.  It was noted Markham plays a leadership role to other communities

 

Councillor Chiu raised the concern of the high cost of gas the Members have to absorb to attend outreach activities.


 

Moved by:         Councillor Chiu

Seconded by:    Councillor Webster

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The staff prepare a report on reimbursing Members for the escalating cost of gas to attend outreach functions other than Board Meetings.

 

Carried.

 

It was noted the calculation would be based from the Members’ residence to the outreach activity.

 

6.2.3          SOLS Meeting – J. Hung

 

Mr. Hung was unable to attend the SOLS Meeting.  The Board Secretary will contact Trustee Council 5 to see if they wish to hold their fall meeting at Markham Village Library.

 

7.0               EDUCATION

 

7.1        Board Leadership newsletter/Policy Governance – M. Naik

 

Mr. Naik will be providing policy governance information at the May Board Meeting.

 

7.2         PLA – D. Walker

 

Ms Walker prepared a report on her PLA experiences.  She was encouraged that MPL was not lagging behind.  She noted change is rolling throughout the profession”.

 

7.3         Balanced Scorecard Update – D. Walker

 

The CEO discussed the Balanced Scorecard Strategic Plan – 2007 and beyond.

 

Ms Walker presented a slide presentation on Dashboard, a progress report of MPL’s Balanced Scorecard Strategic Plan.  She recapped MPL’s vision and mission.

 

She presented an overview of the status of MPL’s strategies of:  proactive customer service, increasing active users and creating a “WOW” Space.  Ms Giblon requested information on whether customer information was encrypted on the Library’s Integrated Library System.

 

The Chair requested Ms Walker continue her presentation from the Merchandising section of her report at the May Board Meeting.  She also requested all Members to bring back the handout 7.3 for the continuation of the presentation.

 

8.0               INCIDENTAL INFORMATION

 

8.1               Markham Village Renovation Update – M. Hosseini-Ara

 

Mr. Hosseini-Ara noted that the majority of outstanding issues to be completed are on the exterior of the building and grounds.


 

8.2               Unionville Library Update – L. Pogue

 

The renovation is on scheduled and will start on Friday.  He provided an updated status report on each activity.

 

9.0               NEW BUSINESS

 

10.0            BOARD EVALUATION

 

10.1            The Conduct of the Board Summary

 

11.0            ADJOURNMENT

 

Moved by Mr. Jeyaveeran that the meeting be adjourned at 10:50 p.m.