TOWN OF MARKHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY

 

Regular Meeting

 

Minutes of Meeting held on Tuesday, May 25, 2009, 8:32 p.m.,

Program Room – Main Level, Markham Village Library – Administration,

6031 Highway 7, Markham

 

Present from the Board:

Ms Cheryl Giblon, Vice Chair

Ms Ada Leung

Deputy Mayor Jack Heath (from 3.2)

Ms Deborah Jestin

Mr. William Jeyaveeran

Mr. David Jones

Ms Shamira Madhany

Mr. Edward McDermott

Mr. Mahendra Naik

Ms Lan Sum (from 1.3)

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

Mrs. Diane Macklin, Marketing & Programming Strategist

Mr. Mohammed Hosseini-Ara, Director, Service Excellence

Mrs. Jane Byrnes, Board Secretary

Ms Andrea Cecchetto, Manager, Markham Village Library

 

Guests:

Ms Jean Monteith, Monteith Brown

Ms Kate Leopold, KPMG, LLP

 

Regrets:

Ms Patricia Durst, Chair

Councillor Alex Chiu

Mr. Justin Hung

Ms Amanda Turner

 

 

1.0               AGENDA

 

1.1               Call to Order/Approval of Agenda

 

The Chair called the meeting to order at 8:32 p.m.

 

Moved by:         Mr. Jones

Seconded by:    Mr. McDermott

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The agenda be approved.

 

                        Carried.

 

1.2               Declaration of Conflict of Interest

 

None.

 

1.3               Due Diligence

 

The Vice 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)

 

None.

 

1.6         Chair’s Comments

 

The Vice Chair thanked the Members for coming early to attend the brainstorming session on the Master Plan.

 

She noted agenda item 3.2 Audit 2008 (Financial presentation KPMG LLP) will be heard at this time.

 

1.7        In Camera

 

2.0               CONSENT AGENDA

 

The Vice Chair asked Board Members if they wished to pull any items from the Consent Agenda.  The Members requested the following items to be discussed.

 

2.3

CEO’s Highlights

M. Naik, S. Madhany

 

2.4.2

New Chapter in Internet Publishing

D. Jones

 

            Moved by:         Mr. Jeyaveeran

            Seconded by:    Mr. McDermott

 

            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 April 27, 2009

2.4

Communication and Correspondence:

 

2.4.1

Letter dated April 24, 2009 from Edward McDermott

 

2.4.3

Board Newsletter - # 102 Mar-Apr 2009

 

2.4.4

Email letter sent to Kathy MacDonald

 

2.4.5

Newsrelease:  “PowerStream encourages participation in Energy Conservation Week,” May 11, 2009

 

 

2.4.4.1 “Learn to Conserve Workshops

 

2.4.6

Emergency Preparedness – Milliken Mills Community Library & “How To” Workshops on Natural Lawn Care

 

2.4.7

“A Better Way to Browse,” Mark of Excellence, March 2009

 

2.4.8

“Markham Public Libraries are great environmental resources”, Celebrate our Environment 2009 Community Calendar

 

2.4.9

“The Books:  Free.  The silence: priceless,” The Globe & Mail

 

2.4.10

Letter dated April 22 to Hon. Aileen Carroll re increase in operating grants by the Alberta and Northwest Territories governments

2.5

Monitoring Policy Review:

 

2.5.1

GP-2h Cost of Governance – D. Jestin

 

2.5.2

GP2i Ends Procedure - Staff

2.6

Executive Limitations EL-2i Community Relations (Please replace in your policy binder)

 

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 therein contained.

 

Carried.

 

Minutes of meeting – April 27, 2009

 

Moved by:         Mr. Jeyaveeran

            Seconded by:    Mr. McDermott

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The Minutes of the meeting held on April 27, 2009 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 – 2e Financial Condition – L. Sum

 

Ms Sum led the discussion on Executive Limitations EL-2e Financial Condition.  She indicated she did not receive any questions or emails from the Members.  She had reviewed the executive limitation and felt it was clear and self-explanatory.  The Members had various line item questions.  Mr. Pogue and the CEO responded to their queries satisfactorily.

 

Ms Leung asked for the classification of line item 5300 and 5400.  Mr. Pogue provided the distinction between those two line items.

 

Moved by:         Ms Sum

Seconded by:    Mr. Madhany

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The monitoring report Executive Limitations EL- 2e Financial Condition by received.

 

Carried.

 

3.2               Audit 2008 (Financial Presentation KPMG LLP)

 

The CEO introduced Ms Katie Leopold from KPMG LLP who performed the 2008 audit on the Library.

 

Ms Leopold noted the audit was clean.  She provided the highlights and reviewed the Statement of Financial Position, Statement of Financial Activities and the Statement of Changes in Financial Position. 

 

The Members went over the reports with Ms Leopold and did not have any major concerns and she responded to any concerns the Members had.

 

Moved by:         Mr. McDermott

Seconded by:    Mr. Naik

 

RESOLVED THAT:  That the Board approves the audited financial statements and accompanying notes to the financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, as prepared by the accounting firm KPMG LL), Toronto, Ontario.

 

Carried.

 

Moved by:         Mr. Jones

Seconded by:    Mr. Nailk

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The Board Chair or Vice Chair be authorized to sign the approved audited financial statements on behalf of the Board.

 

Carried.

 

4.0               ENDS

 

5.0               GOVERNANCE

 

6.0               OWNERSHIP LINKAGE

 

6.1               Outreach Reports

 

6.1.1          Vice Chair’s Report

 

The Vice Chair attended a karate demonstration by Northern Karate School - Markham that took place at Unionville Library this past weekend.  She also attended the Board of Trade Luncheon where the Mayor was the keynote speaker.

 

6.1.2          Members Visits

 

Ms Madhany attended a South Asian demonstration at Milliken Mills Library.  She noted it was highly attended. 

 

Ms Jestin attended the Battle of the Books and indicated it had a good turnout with 18 schools participating.  The Chair and CEO also attended.

 

There was a discussion on Toronto’s Word on the Street event.  Councillor Webster offered to provide Mr. Jones with some contact information. 

 

7.0               EDUCATION

 

7.1               Training Session Reminder

 

The Vice Chair reminded the Members of the dates for advocacy training with Ms Wendy Newman.  The first session is on October 4 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.  The second session will be before the Board Meeting on October 26.  The training session will start at 6:30 p.m. and the Board Meeting will follow at approximately 9:30 p.m.

 

The September Board was moved to Monday, September 21, 2009.

 

8.0               INCIDENTAL INFORMATION

 

8.1               2.4.2 New Chapter In Internet Publishing – Mr. Jones

 

Mr. Jones provided information and clarified misconceptions regarding the Google Book Search in the U.S.

 

Moved by:         Mr. Jones

Seconded by:    Mr. Naik

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The article on “New Chapter In Internet Publishing” be received.

 

Carried.

 

8.2               2.3  CEO’s Highlights – Mr. Naik and Mrs. Madhany

 

Mrs. Madhany inquired into the timeframe of the Milliken Mills Library feasibility study. The CEO provided a status update with Ms Walker.  The Members were concerned with the timelines and the importance of ensuring there were no delays.  The CEO will monitor the progress and keep the Board informed through the CEO’s Highlights.

 

Mr. Naik requested information on public access computers.  Mr. Hosseini-Ara advised the Town IT is working on voice and bandwidth issues and is trying to resolve it.  He also had questions regarding the Library’s statistics,  Mr. Hosseini-Ara advised that Mr. Feng will be present a report next month.

 

The status of the patent process on C3 was discussed.  Updates will be provided in the CEO’s Highlights.  It was suggested it would be worth contacting Archives Canada and the Library of Congress in assisting with the patent process.   Hiring the Library’s own legal consultant was also discussed.

 

Moved by:         Mr. Jones

Seconded by:    Mrs. Jestin

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The CEO’s Highlights be received.

 

Carried.

 

Moved by:         Ms Sum

Seconded by:    Mr. Jeyaveeran

 

RESOLVED THAT:  The CEO’s Highlights be moved out of the Consent Agenda.

 

Carried.

 

9.0               NEW BUSINESS

 

10.0            BOARD EVALUATION

 

10.1            The Board and the CEO Summary

 

The summary of the Board and the CEO survey was provided.

 

11.0            ADJOURNMENT

 

Moved by Mr. Jeyaveeran that the meeting be adjourned at 9:40 p.m.