Minutes
Ottawa Public Library Board
September 10, 2012
A regular meeting of
the Ottawa Public Library Board was held on Monday September 10, 2012 at 16:30
hours at Ottawa City Hall in the Colonel By Room, 110 Laurier Avenue West,
Ottawa, ON.
Present: Chair Jan
Harder
Vice-Chair Jim
Bennett
Amelita
Armit
André
Bergeron
Patrick
Gauch
David
Gourlay
Christine
Langlois
Danielle Lussier-Meek
Doug
Thompson
Tim
Tierney
Marianne
Wilkinson
Rose
Zeidan
Regrets: Keith
Egli
Shad
Qadri
Also Present: Chief Executive Officer Danielle
McDonald
Div. Mgr. Facilities and Business Services Elaine Condos
Div. Mgr.
Service Excellence Monique
Désormeaux
Div. Mgr. System-Wide Services & Innovation Jennifer Stirling
Manager, Financial Services Unit Brenda Gorton
Recorder Marc
Pellerin
Observer Jacques
Levesque
1.
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 16:30.
2.
In Camera
TOPIC: IN CAMERA
MOTION: 057-12
Moved by Trustee Bennett, seconded by Trustee Armit
to move in camera to discuss labour relations or
employee negotiations.
-CARRIED.
TOPIC: RETURN TO OPEN SESSION
MOTION: 058-12
Moved by Trustee Gauch, seconded by Trustee
Langlois to return to open session at 17:06.
-CARRIED.
3.
Excused Absences
Regrets were received from Trustee
Egli and Trustee Qadri. Trustee Thompson
joined by teleconference.
4.
Declarations of Conflict of Interest
None declared.
5.
Approval of Agenda
TOPIC: APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
MOTION: 059-12
Moved by Trustee
Tierney, seconded by Trustee Wilkinson that the agenda be accepted as amended.
Addition of Item
1a) Recommendation to approve the tentative Memorandum of Settlement between
CUPE 503 Library Group and the Management Bargaining Team.
-CARRIED.
6.
Approval
of Memorandum of Settlement
TOPIC: APPROVAL OF MEMORANDUM
OF SETTLEMENT
MOTION: 060-12
Doc #1a) Approval of Memorandum of Settlement between CUPE 503 Library
Group and Management Bargaining Team
Moved by Trustee
Thompson, seconded by Trustee Armit that the
Board approve the tentative Memorandum of Settlement reached between CUPE 503
Library Group and the Management Bargaining Team as the 2012-2015 Collective
Agreement, governing working conditions for unionized library employees.
-CARRIED.
7.
Finance
and Budget Committee Report
TOPIC: FINANCE AND BUDGET COMMITTEE
MOTION: 062-12
Doc #2 Finance and Budget Committee Report
Moved
by Trustee Bergeron, seconded by Trustee Lussier-Meek that the revised Terms of
Reference for the Finance and Budget Committee be approved.
-CARRIED.
8.
Claude
Aubry Recognition
Chair
Harder thanked Trustee Bergeron and Monique Désormeaux, Division Manager, Service Excellence for their efforts in coordinating
activities with respect to the recognition of Claude Aubry. She further announced that an award ceremony
will take place on October 20 at the St-Laurent Branch in honour of Claude
Aubry.
TOPIC: CLAUDE AUBRY RECOGNITION
MOTION: 063-12
Doc #3 Claude Aubry Recognition
Moved
by Trustee Langlois, seconded by Trustee Bergeron that the OPL Board recognize and commemorate
Claude B. Aubry, former Chief Librarian of the Ottawa Public Library
(1953-1979) by naming the Children’s Room at the St-Laurent Branch in his
honour and by installing a bronze reading bench in his name at the entrance of
the St-Laurent Branch.
-CARRIED.
9.
Approval
of Consent Items
TOPIC: APPROVAL OF CONSENT ITEMS
MOTION: 065-12
Be it resolved that the OPL Board receive
the following reports:
-
Doc #5: September 10/12: Monthly Report (Summer
Special Release)
-
Doc #6: September 10/12: Monthly Report (September)
-
Doc
#12: September 10/12: Canadian Library
Association Conference
Trustee Reports
-
Doc
#13: September 10/12: 2012 Calendar of
Reports, Outstanding
Inquiries, Motions and Unscheduled Reports
-
Doc
#14: September 10/12: Monitoring Report:
A.19.1 Fundraising:
Acceptance of Donations
-
Doc
#15: September 10/12: Monitoring Report:
A.19.2 Fundraising:
Acceptance of Sponsorships
-
Doc
#16: September 10/12: Monitoring Report:
A.19.5 Fundraising:
Issuance of Receipts
-
Doc
#17: September 10/12: Monitoring Report:
A.19.6 Fundraising: OPL
Naming Commemorative and Non
Commemorative
-RECEIVED.
10.
Chair’s Remarks
Chair Harder gave her
verbal report.
Chair Harder welcomed
Jacques Levesque, Transform Management Consulting Inc. as a meeting observer. Mr. Levesque has been working closely with
the Governance and Audit Committee to complete the Board Self-Evaluation and
Governance Review.
A call for nominations was sent in August to
trustees and managers for the upcoming Order of Friendship nominees. Chair Harder advised the Board
that nominations must be submitted to the Order of Friendship Committee through
the Library Board Assistant by Friday, September 21.
Trustee Gourlay, Danielle
McDonald, Chief Executive Officer, Chair Harder, and Hunter McGill, Ottawa
Public Library Foundation were invited to take part in a tour of the local Sam
Bat Factory. Sam Bat credits much of its
success thanks to Ottawa’s many research institutions and resources, including the
OPL.
The James Bartleman
Archives and Library Materials Centre has been awarded Gold level LEED
certification for its design and construction.
Chair Harder thanked all those who worked to take the environmentally responsible approach
to the design and construction of the facility that made the Gold Level LEED
Certification possible.
Chair Harder
congratulated Jennifer Stirling in her new position as Division Manager,
System-wide Services and Innovation. Mrs.
Stirling brings with her a wealth of knowledge of OPL’s Information Technology,
as she was previously OPL’s Digital Services Manager. Under Mrs. Stirling leadership, Digital
Services has expanded customer self-service through technology, offering
enhanced services on the OPL website and supporting the integrated library catalogue
including the Symphony migration and implementation of BiblioCommons. Over the years, Mrs. Stirling has proved
herself to be an indispensable part of the OPL, having brought the OPL to new
heights as an innovative and cutting-edge library system.
11.
Main Library Building Condition Assessment Update
Trustee Langlois asked as
to why the Main Library Building Condition Audit and Structural Assessment
Report was presented to the OPL Board without first being presented to the
Facilities Planning Committee. Chair
Harder advised that the focus on the Main Library and its importance within the
OPL Board’s Places and Spaces Strategic priority made it crucial to have the
report received by all members of the Board, with subsequent discussion taking
place at the Facilities Planning Committee.
Trustee Langlois further
inquired as to why the Main Library Building Condition Audit and Structural
Assessment Report was not included in the Board’s meeting package
materials. Chair Harder responded that
there was insufficient time to include the report in the Board’s meeting
package.
Trustee Langlois asked as
to when the Facilities Planning Committee will be awarded the opportunity to
discuss the contents of the report.
Danielle McDonald, Chief Executive Officer responded that a Facilities
Planning Committee meeting is being scheduled in the month of September. An invitation will be extended to all members
of the Board to attend the next Facilities Planning Committee meeting.
Trustee Thompson inquired
about the topic of accessibility linked to the Main Library facility. Elaine Condos, Division Manager, Facilities
and Business Services advised that accessibility was referenced in the scope of
work and was further acknowledged as a need to update the facility, incorporating
major work requirements to meet today’s accessibility standards as identified
in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) as well as the
Ontario Building Code.
Chair Harder asked as to
whether or not accessibility updates have been included in the estimated
renewal cost of the Main Library facility.
E. Condos explained that the estimated renewal cost only included expenditures
aimed at maintaining the operational functionality of the building. The OPL Board directed staff to gather more
information on the subject and report back to the OPL Board.
Trustee Bennett asked that
an amendment be made to the main motion to add the following: “and/or the
building of a new Main Library facility”.
The amended motion would serve to not only focus on the renewal of the
existing Main Library facility, but would also incorporate the option to review
the process of planning for a new Main Library facility.
Trustee Lussier-Meek
expressed concern over the information provided in Board Document #4 Main Library Building Condition Assessment
Update, as she believed that it contradicted previous information provided
to the Board pertaining to the structural soundness of the Main Library
facility. She requested that this
contradictory information be reconciled in a future report. Chair Harder explained that the results of
the newly released Main Library Building Condition Audit and Structural
Assessment report confirm that the building is in generally good condition and
is structurally sound.
Trustee Gourlay mentioned
that the Board had agreed to undertake an external
building condition assessment of the Main Library building only. He reminded members of
the Board that a full discussion on the existing Main Library facility will
take place at the Facilities Planning Committee.
Trustee Armit endorsed Trustee
Bennett’s proposed motion to amend. She emphasized the importance of not only
evaluating the state of the existing Main Library facility, but to also allow
for some flexibility within the evaluation process to consider all scenarios,
both for the renewal of the existing facility as well as the potential planning
of a new Main Library facility. Chair
Harder advised that it was the Board’s decision to carry out a building
condition assessment of the existing Main Library building.
Trustee Langlois noted that the Main Library
Building Condition Audit and Structural Assessment should have been initially
presented to the Facilities Planning Committee.
Chair Harder explained that the importance of the document warranted it
to be fully disclosed to the Board and that the Audit and Structural Assessment
process was initiated by Board motion.
Trustee Wilkinson requested that an amendment be made to the main motion to add the
following: “That the report be referred
to the Facilities and Planning Committee for consideration.” She also requested that the staff report be
brought back in November, not October.
TOPIC: MAIN LIBRARY CONDITION
ASSESSMENT
MOTION: 064-12
Doc #4 Main Library Condition Assessment
Update
Moved by
Trustee Thompson, seconded by Trustee Wilkinson that the Board receive the Main Library Building
Condition Audit and Structural Assessment (Morrison-Hershfield Report No.
2123051.00 July 24, 2012) report; and
That the report be referred to the Facilities
Planning Committee for consideration; and
That staff bring a report to the Board in
November 2012 on recommended next steps in planning for renewal of the existing
Main Library facility.
Chair Harder requested a recorded vote be taken on
Part 1 (highlighted section) of motion 064-12.
The results were as follows:
Yeas:
Trustee Armit, Trustee Bennett, Trustee Bergeron, Trustee Gauch, Trustee
Gourlay, Trustee Harder, Trustee Langlois, Trustee Lussier-Meek, Trustee
Thompson, Trustee Tierney, Trustee Wilkinson, Trustee Zeidan
Nays:
None.
As a result of the recorded vote, the above-noted
motion to amend was carried.
CARRIED
MOTION FOR AMENDMENT
Moved by Trustee Bennett and seconded by
Trustee Lussier-Meek that motion 064-12 relative to the Main Library Condition
Assessment Update, be amended by adding the following: “And/or
building of a new Main Library facility”.
Part 2 of the motion would read:
“That staff bring a
report to the Board in November 2012 on recommended next steps in planning for
renewal of the existing Main Library facility and/or
building of a new Main Library facility.”
Chair Harder requested a recorded vote be taken on
Part 2 of the motion to amend motion 064-12.
The results are as follow:
Yeas:
Trustee Armit, Trustee Bennett, Trustee Langlois, Trustee Lussier-Meek, Trustee
Zeidan
Nays:
Trustee Bergeron, Trustee Egli, Trustee Gauch, Trustee Gourlay, Trustee Harder,
Trustee Thompson, Trustee Tierney, Trustee Wilkinson
As a result of the recorded vote, the above-noted
motion to amend was defeated.
DEFEATED
The approved motion reads:
MOTION: 064-12
Doc #4 Main Library Condition Assessment
Update
That the Board receive the Main Library Building
Condition Audit and Structural Assessment (Morrison-Hershfield Report No.
2123051.00 July 24, 2012) report; and
That the report be referred to the
Facilities Planning Committee for consideration; and
That staff bring a report to the Board in
November 2012 on recommended next steps in planning for renewal of the existing
Main Library facility.
CARRIED
Chair Harder
encouraged trustees to forward their questions on the Main Library Building
Condition Audit and Structural Assessment report to staff. The OPL Board directed OPL staff to
consolidate all questions and answers, to be forwarded to all trustees on a
weekly basis.
Trustee Thompson
left at 17:54.
12.
Q2 Report on Major Capital Projects
Trustee Bennett
referred to page 3, Capital Facilities
2012 Lifecycle Projects and asked as to why the two Sunnyside Branch lifecycle
projects were postponed by the City’s Infrastructure Services Asset Management
Branch. Richard Stark, Manager, Library
Facilities, Planning and Development noted that property line issues forced the
project to be postponed as there was a need to establish precise property line
measurements. The projects are expected
to be undertaken in 2013.
TOPIC: REPORT
ON MAJOR CAPITAL FACILITIES
MOTION: 066-12
Doc #7 Q2 Report on Major Capital Facilities
Be it resolved that the OPL Board receive
the Q2 Report on Major Capital Facilities.
-RECEIVED.
13.
Q2 Performance Measurement Report
Trustee Bennett
referred to page 10, section 5.1 Virtual
Visits and inquired as to whether or not the OPL separates data on virtual
visits between the French and English versions of the OPL website. Jennifer Stirling, Division Manager,
System-Wide Services and Innovation noted that it is technically possible to
provide the requested data.
Trustee Bennett
referred to page 14, section 6 Programs
Offered and asked as to what languages were programs being offered to
preschoolers and their parents or caregivers and further inquired as to how
data is collected on the subject. Elaine
Condos, Division Manager, Facilities and Business Services answered that
programs are offered in French, English, as well as some offered in a bilingual
context. J. Stirling added that data is
collected via the registration tool, which categorizes a program as bilingual,
French, or English.
Trustee Bennett
asked as to whether data was being collected on the program attendance language
reach in which the program is offered.
J. Stirling confirmed that the registration process captures this data. Trustee Bennett inquired as to whether such
data would prove to be useful in planning for program offerings throughout the
city. Chair Harder confirmed that this
data is essential and is currently being used for planning purposes.
Trustee Lussier-Meek
asked as to how the OPL tracks the number of program participants in programs
for which pre-registration is not required.
Justin Van Dyk, Planning Consultant answered that staff record the data
during the program, and then compile it.
Trustee Bennett
referred to page 17, section 8 Other
Surveys and asked as to whether data provided to the identified parties
consisted of 2011 or 2012 figures. J.
Van Dyk responded that 2011 figures were provided. Trustee Bennett asked about the possibility
of providing the OPL Board with a summary of the data provided to the
organizations referenced on page 17, on an annual basis, beginning with
2011. Danielle McDonald, Chief Executive
Officer advised that OPL staff will follow up on this question.
Trustee Zeidan
referred to page 10, section 5.1 Virtual
Visits and inquired as to whether or not Smart Phones were encompassed in
the section. J. Stirling noted that
current data does not segregate users accessing via Smart Phones and other
tablets. OPL staff is currently working
to resolve this issue.
Trustee Bergeron
referred to pages 11 and 12, section 5.3 Public
Internet Access Computer Usage and section 5.4 Wireless Internet Sessions and spoke to the current trends with
respect to accessing the internet. He
suggested that more resources be invested in the large increase in wireless
internet sessions and added that the loss of the Computer Access Program (CAP)
funding should not prompt the OPL to invest its own financial resources in
public internet access computer usage, in a time when wireless internet
sessions are peaking. J. Stirling
explained that the CAP funding provided limited funding to the OPL. She added that the OPL will be working
towards meeting user needs. Trustee
Bennett mentioned that there is a segment of the population that cannot afford
wireless devices to access the internet.
He added that the elimination of public computers should not be
considered, unless there is an attempt to increase the number of wireless
devices offered by the Library.
TOPIC: PERFORMANCE
MEASUREMENT REPORT
MOTION: 067-12
Doc #8 Q2 Performance Measurement Report
Be it resolved that the OPL Board receive
the Q2 Performance Measurement Report.
-RECEIVED.
14.
Approval of Minutes
TOPIC: APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
MOTION:
061-12
Doc #1b) Approval of Minutes: June 11, 2012;
June 27, 2012
Moved by Trustee Gauch, seconded by Trustee
Tierney to approve the minutes dated June 11, 2012 and June 27, 2012 as
presented.
-CARRIED.
15.
Q2 Financial Report
Trustee Bergeron asked for
a staff update on OPL’s current financial status.
Monique Désormeaux,
Division Manager, Service Excellence explained that a number of mitigation
measures had been adopted by staff to remedy OPL’s projected deficit. Front line managers were involved in the
process and were asked to review their scheduling practices, decelerate the
hiring process, and re-examine their discretionary expenditures. The OPL will also be reviewing reimbursement
for the cost of bargaining as outlined in the Collective Agreement. With mitigation measures in place, the OPL is
now projecting a $108,000 deficit.
Further discussion will take place at the management level to determine
implementation of next steps to eliminate the projected deficit.
TOPIC: financial
report
MOTION: 068-12
Doc #9 Q2 Financial Report
Be it resolved that the OPL Board receive
the Q2 Financial Report.
-RECEIVED.
16.
2011 OPL Capital Works In Progress (WIP) Closure
Trustee Wilkinson referred
to page 5, Appendix 2: Capital Projects
Requiring Completion Date Changes and asked as to why all capital projects
were not included in the report. Brenda
Gorton, Manager, Financial Services Unit responded that the requested
information could be found in the OPL quarterly report on Major Capital
Projects (Agenda Item 12). She mentioned
that the table provided in the report meets Council policy. She further
added that the report name will be changed to “Capital Closure Report” to avoid
any confusion.
TOPIC: oPL
CAPITAL IN PROGRESS CLOSURE
MOTION: 069-12
Doc #10 OPL Capital Works In Progress (WIP)
Closure
Be it resolved that the OPL Board receive
the OPL Capital Closure Report.
-RECEIVED.
17.
2011 Audited Financial Statements
Trustee Gauch asked which
firm was tasked to conduct the OPL’s audited financial statements. Brenda Gorton, Manager, Financial Services
Unit advised that Ernst & Young completed OPL’s financial statements, as included
in the City’s audited financial statements.
She advised that the auditor’s name will be included in the future.
Trustee Gauch referred to page 5 and requested clarification on the
figure listed under “Change in the fund balance for the year”. B. Gorton explained that the amount includes
all operating, capital and tangible capital assets, as per legislative
requirements.
TOPIC: 2011 Audited financial statements
MOTION: 070-12
Doc #11 2011 Audited Financial Statements
Be it resolved that the OPL Board receive
the 2011 Audited Financial Statements.
-RECEIVED.
TOPIC: ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: 071-12
Moved by Trustee Gourlay to adjourn the
meeting at 18:15.
-CARRIED.
Minutes approved by:
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