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[EBR Library Board of Control on May 16, 2024]
WELCOME TO THE EAST LANGUAGE PARISH LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL MEETING.RONNIE, CAN YOU RE, UM, SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOR US? SORRY.
PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
CANDACE TEMPLE HERE, DARREL HEARST.
HERE, LET THE RECORD REFLECT WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF APRIL 16TH, 2024.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION? THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS SPECIAL ORDERS.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPECIAL ORDERS AT THIS TIME.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO REPORTS BY THE DIRECTOR.
MS. PI WILL READ THE FINANCIAL REPORT AS OF APRIL 30TH, EXPENDITURES ARE $9,604,529 AND 33 CENTS ARE 18.23% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET THROUGH APRIL.
WE SHOULD HAVE SPENT NO MORE THAN 33% OF THE BUDGET.
CASH COLLECTIONS FROM PROPERTY TAXES FOR 2024 ARE SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF THOSE COLLECTED IN 2023 AS WE ARE APPROXIMATELY 3.6 MILLION AND SEVEN POINT 17% AHEAD OF THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL REPORT? THANK YOU.
SYSTEM REPORTS WILL BE READ BY MARY STEIN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
I NEVER REMEMBER WHERE FULL SCREEN IS.
576 PEOPLE
OUR ONE BOOK, ONE COMMUNITY SERIES FEATURING MAX MILLER.
SOME CAME IN COSTUME REPRESENTING AN ERA THAT THEY WERE FOND OF.
UH, I WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE THE CROWDS, THE COMPLEXION OF THE CROWD.
GENERALLY AT A ONE BOOK, ONE COMMUNITY FINALE, THE CROWD TENDS TO AGE BEYOND AGE 55.
THIS CROWD WAS GEN XERS, MILLENNIALS, AND THOSE OF US WHO WILL NOT SEE 55 AGAIN.
SO IT WAS A FABULOUS BLEND OF ALL AGES, RACES, AND EATING STYLES.
AND THE FABULOUS RODINA HART FROM THE LOUISIANA STATE MUSEUM WAS OUR MC.
AND THEY HAD A FABULOUS CONVERSATION.
AND THEN MAX DAY FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS, SIGNING, SIGNING AND SIGNING AND SPEAKING TO EVERYONE WHO CAME THROUGH.
SO SOME PEOPLE REALIZED THEY COULDN'T QUITE FIT IN THE ROOM, SO THEY WENT ELSEWHERE IN THE LIBRARY AND THEN CAME BACK AND STOOD IN LINE TO GET THEIR BOOKS SIGNED.
THE BOOKSELLER SOLD 125 COPIES, AND THE REST OF THE CROWD BROUGHT THEIR OWN.
SO IT WAS REALLY A FANTASTIC FINALE TO A REALLY INTERESTING SERIES.
UM, JUST SO PLEASED WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, PLEASING BLEND OF HERBS AND SPICES THAT CAME THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE SERIES.
AND HERE YOU SEE A FAMILIAR, FAMILIAR HAND HELPING HAND AT THE PRIDE CHENEY V BRANCH'S ANNUAL COMMUNITY HISTORY FEST.
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YOU MAY RECOGNIZE THE MAN HANDING OUT SOMETHING DELICIOUS TO THE COLOR GUARD.WE HAD A WONDERFUL GROUP OUT AT PRIDE CHENEY, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS IS THE 14TH YEAR THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS.
THEIR THEME WAS HIGH SCHOOL REUNION, BUT THEIR THEME REALLY IS JUST COMMUNITY.
SO IT WAS REALLY A LOVELY EVENT, A MORE SERIOUS EVENT TOOK PLACE HERE AT THE MAIN LIBRARY FOR THE THIRD YEAR.
WE'VE DONE A LISTEN AND LEARN ABOUT THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC.
THIS KIND OF STARTED WITH THE LIBRARY DOING A SERIES BY BEN PEABODY ART AND ADDICTION.
AND THE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THAT WAS SO POSITIVE AND PEOPLE WERE CLAMORING FOR MORE PROGRAMMING THAT WE DID SOME ELECTRONICALLY VIRTUAL PROGRAMS. AND THIS ONE WAS IN PERSON.
UH, SO A WONDERFUL GROUP HERE.
AND THEY'VE CONTINUED THIS WITH SOME VIRTUAL PROGRAMMINGS AS WELL.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT ALL FUN AND GAMES.
UH, ANOTHER SERIOUS PROGRAM, BUT SO POSITIVE FOR REENTRY WEEK.
THIS IS THE SECOND CHANCE JOB FAIR EXPO.
WE TOOK, IT TOOK PLACE HERE AT THE MAIN LIBRARY.
THE ROOM WAS FILLED THERE, YOU SEE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE JOB.
THE AMERICAN JOB CENTERS LOUISIANA WORKS.NET, UH, MOBILE OUTREACH, UH, TRUCK AT THE TOP.
OUR OWN STAFF WAS HERE FROM THE CAREER CENTER.
AND HERE'S SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES.
WORKFORCE COMMISSION WAS HERE.
UM, ALL THE FRIENDS WERE HERE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO WERE LOOKING FOR THEIR SECOND CHANCE.
UH, ANOTHER KIND OF SECOND CHANCE, UH, ACTIVITY THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE HERE AND ELSEWHERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN MEET HERE AT THE LIBRARY.
AND THERE YOU SEE SOME OF THEM FOR THEIR REGULAR MEETINGS AND FOR SPECIAL TRAININGS.
BUT WE HAVE GONE TO THEM FOR THEIR STATEWIDE CONFERENCE HELD JUST RECENTLY AT THE HOLIDAY INN.
SO THERE YOU SEE, UH, MADISON, TARA AND BRANDY WITH OUR YOUTH DEPARTMENTS, CHILDREN AND TEEN SERVICES, SHOWCASING WHAT THE LIBRARY HAS TO OFFER FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE GRANDPARENTS WHO HAVE TAKEN ON THIS TASK.
AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
THEY, THEY DON'T KNOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
UH, SO IT WAS WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO MEET THEM.
I WAS HONORED TO SPEAK TO THE GROUP AT THEIR LUNCH.
AND SO IT'S YET ANOTHER WAY THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT.
THEY COME TO US AND WE GO TO THEM.
SO FOR, I DO WANNA WISH YOU HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.
AND AT THE BOTTOM, YOU SEE, WE HAVE SO MANY TALENTED PEOPLE IN OUR BRANCHES.
AND DAR AND BUTLER, THE BRANCH MANAGER AT THE DELMONT GARDENS BRANCH, UM, IS ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE ARTISTIC PEOPLE WE HAVE ON STAFF, BUT SHE'S NOT ALONE.
BUT I WAS JUST BLOWN AWAY BY HER HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY BOOK DISPLAY.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE IT, UH, WITH THAT FLORAL THEME IN MIND.
GARDEN DISCOVERIES THIS LAST WEEK, FEATURED THE FABULOUS CLA FONTANO, WHO IS A MASTER GARDENER, WHO'S BEEN HELPING WITH LIBRARY PROGRAMS FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES.
SHE'S OUT THERE IN THE DAY, LILLY AND THE IRIS GARDENS AND THE ROSE GARDENS EVERY WEEK.
AND SHE WAS THE SPECIAL SPEAKER TALKING ABOUT DAY LILIES FOR GARDEN DISCOVERIES.
AND SO I KIND OF FELT THAT WENT WITH MOTHER'S DAY.
AND HERE'S SOME OF THE KIDS AT JONES CREEK, AGAIN, WITH THE FLOWERS, AGAIN, WITH THE MOTHER'S DAY, SHOWCASING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE.
SO THERE'S A LOVELY FLOWER PALETTE CLEANSER, AND, BUT YET THERE'S MORE, MORE FLOWERS I'VE PASSED OUT FOR YOU TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE COMMENTS GIVEN TO US BY THE MELROSE ELEMENTARY THIRD GRADERS, UH, AT THE END OF THE HOME LIBRARY PROJECT FOR THEIR SEASON.
THE MORE I READ, THE MORE THAT I KNOW READING WILL TAKE ME ANYWHERE I WANT TO GO WITH MUCH JOY.
THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF LITERACY.
AND SOMETHING ELSE, UH, WRAPPING UP IS THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN PHASE ZERO.
UH, CARSON BLOCK, OUR CONSULTANTS SINCE LAST YEAR WAS HERE ON SITE TO DELIVER THE SURVEY RESULTS TO THE STAFF GROUP AND THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND
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THE GREATER BATON ROUGE FEDERATION OF CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.ASKED FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, SO WE RAN YET ANOTHER LITTLE SURVEY WITH THEM TO SEE IF WE COULD GRAB JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE INPUT.
WE DID GET THOUSANDS OF RESPONSES, WHICH IS AN EXCELLENT RESPONSE.
REMEMBER, THEY CALL POLITICAL ELECTIONS, EVEN AT THE STATE, REGIONAL AND FEDERAL LEVEL ON 400 TO 600 RESPONDENTS.
SO GETTING MORE THAN 3000 RESPONDENTS TO OUR FIRST PASS WAS PRETTY DARN GOOD.
BUT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, SOMETHING ELSE, LOOKING FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE.
IN BATON ROUGE CAMPAIGN LAUNCH TOOK PLACE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WE WERE THERE.
UM, THERE YOU SEE SOME OF THE SMALL BUSINESS SERVICE STAFF AT THE LAUNCH PARTY, GETTING PEOPLE INVOLVED IN AR VR, SHOWCASING THE SKILL MILL AND THE TRANSFERS PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
BUT ALSO, JUST FOR FUN, THERE WAS A WONDERFUL VIRTUAL TOUR OF BATON ROUGE THAT WE SHARED.
SO THAT CAMPAIGN IS LAUNCHED NOW, AND WE'LL BE USING A LOT OF THOSE DELIVERABLES IN OUR OWN PROMOTIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
IN FACT, I REDID THE ANNUAL REPORT, UM, TO SAY LIBRARIES ARE BETTER IN BATON ROUGE.
A WONDERFUL EVENT THAT ALSO KIND OF ROUNDED OUT MOTHER'S DAY FOR ME IS CONNECTING WITH LOUISIANA YOUNG HEROES.
THIS IS A PROGRAM THROUGH LPV.
WE RECRUIT TEENS TO BE PART OF THIS.
WE RECRUIT OUR TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS AND PEOPLE WHO HELP WITH TEEN GROUPS TO RECRUIT TEENS TO APPLY.
AND THERE, YOU SEE, IN THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER, OUR DIRECTOR SPEAKING TO THE HONOREES AT THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION.
SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY A LOVELY EVENT.
UM, THESE TEENS HAVE DONE A LOT OF HARD WORK AND THEY DESERVE TO BE CELEBRATED.
SPEAKING OF CELEBRATIONS, THE ANNIE LAURIE MOODY CHAPTER OF THE DAR HAS A DEPOSIT COLLECTION UPSTAIRS IN SPECIAL COLLECTIONS THAT THEY MAKE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE TO LOOK AT RELATED TO GENEALOGY.
SO WE ARE KIND OF THE TEMPORARY CARETAKERS OF THAT COLLECTION, AND WE'VE WORKED WITH THEM FOR DECADES TO HOUSE AND MAKE AVAILABLE THESE IMPORTANT RESOURCES FOR GENEALOGY RESEARCHERS.
AND THEY CONTACTED US AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO CELEBRATE THE LIBRARY FOR NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK.
AND THEY WANTED TO BE HERE CELEBRATING US.
SO THEY WERE, AND THEY HAD A WONDERFUL RECEPTION, KIND OF LIKE AN OPEN HOUSE FOR ANYONE IN THE LIBRARY.
AND PEOPLE IN THE LIBRARY KIND OF ROLLED THROUGH.
WE HAD OUR NEW BANNERS UP THAT KIND DISCUSSED OR, UH, SHOWCASED THE VARIOUS HIGHLIGHTS FOR EACH SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS WAS OF COURSE, THE ONE MOST IMPORTANT TO THIS GROUP BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE LOCAL HISTORY AND GENEALOGY RESIDE.
BUT, UH, THEY BROUGHT IN SOME, UM, REGIONAL OFFICERS FOR THIS.
AND OF COURSE, UPSTAIRS IN THE BATON ROUGE ROOM, WE WERE CELEBRATING NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK WITH SOME WONDERFUL PHOTOS FROM THE PAST.
AND, UH, WE'VE ALREADY SCHEDULED ONE FOR NEXT YEAR, UH, BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A LOVELY EVENT.
SO WE ASKED HER TO COME AND BE OUR SPECIAL GUEST LECTURER FOR THE SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LECTURE SERIES.
AND BASICALLY STORIES FROM THE ADVOCATE WAS SCENIC HIGHWAY EVER SCENIC? THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS.
UH, THESE ARE, HER TALK WAS BASED ON THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT THEY GET.
AND OFTEN THEY CONSULT OUR BATON ROUGE ROOM FOR THE ANSWERS.
SO IT'S A VERY RECIPROCAL ARRANGEMENT, BUT WE ALSO FOCUSED ON GENEALOGY WITH THIS MONTH'S LIBRARY CHANGE LIVES.
AND THERE YOU SEE LENA BRISTER WHO HAS COME HERE AS PART OF HER GENEALOGY JOURNEY.
AND THERE SHE IS WITH OUR OWN JOHN RICKA.
AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE REALLY ENJOYING HEARING THESE LITTLE SLICES OF LIFE TO SEE HOW LIBRARIES ARE, UH, NOT COME TO FRUITION.
HOW LIBRARIES HAVE AN IMPACT ON A DAILY PERSONAL LEVEL.
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NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN READING THE PAPER, WATCHING THE NEWS, UH, SEEING TELEVISION, LOOKING AT SOCIAL MEDIA READING 2, 2, 5.BUT IF YOU HAVE, MAYBE YOU HEARD, WE'LL BE HOSTING THE BATON ROUGE SOUL FEST SOUL FOOD FESTIVAL HERE.
SA FRI, UM, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OF THIS WEEK.
IN FACT, I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH MR. HENRY TURNER.
UH, HE RUNS THE LISTENING, UH, HENRY TURNER'S LISTENING ROOM.
HE RUNS A FILM FESTIVAL OF REALLY INTERESTING DOCUMENTARIES THAT WE HAVE WORKED ON FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WITH HIM.
AND HE ALSO RUNS THE SOUL FOOD FESTIVAL.
AND THIS WORK, IT'S GONNA BE EXPERIMENT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OVER THE CAMPUS.
AND HE'S GOT ALREADY 30 PEOPLE BRINGING FOOD PLUS HIS OWN FOOD THAT HE BRINGS.
THERE WILL BE MUSICAL ON THE STAGE.
THERE WILL BE COOLING ROOMS FOR THEIR VIPS IN ROOM 1 0 2.
AND THEY'LL ALSO BE SHOWING SOME OF THE DOCUMENTARIES THAT MAKE SENSE WITH THIS KIND OF TOPIC.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THEY'RE DOING A BIG AWARD CELEBRATING ETHEL SNACK SHACK.
SO IT, IT, IT'S KIND OF LIKE IT MEANT IT WAS MEANT TO BE.
IF WE WERE STILL RUNNING OUR ONE BOOK, ONE COMMUNITY SERIES, THIS WOULD BE THE FINAL NOTE, WOULDN'T IT? UM, THAT WE'RE GOING TO END WITH A LOCAL FOOD TRADITION AND, AND TALK ABOUT OUR FOOD WAYS.
THAT'S REALLY AN ETHNOGRAPHICAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY.
SO WE, WE LOVE BEING PART OF THIS.
LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS COMING UP SOON.
AND ACTUALLY AT YOUR SEATS, YOU HAVE YOUR PERSONAL INVITATION TO JOIN THE ADULT SUMMER READING PROGRAM.
READ THREE BOOKS AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED.
BUT OF COURSE, THE REAL IMPETUS IS TO KEEP INCENTIVIZING CHILDREN TO AVOID THE SUMMER SLIDE BY READING ALL THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
DON'T READ ALL AT ONCE, GET YOUR PRIZE, AND THEN QUIT READING.
NO, NO READ EVERY WEEK A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME.
SO THAT'S WHY WE RESTRUCTURED THE PROGRAM TO BE MORE OF A DRIP, DRIP, DRIP.
THE MORE THEY READ, THE MORE CHANCES THEY HAVE TO WIN PRIZES DONATED BY OUR PATRONS OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY OR LOCAL MERCHANTS.
BUT EVERYONE IS INVITED TO READ.
AND WE WILL KICK IT OFF ON THURSDAY, MAY 30TH, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT OUTSIDE.
AND WE'RE GONNA STOP AT ONE O'CLOCK 'CAUSE IT'S HOT.
UM, CUDDLES THE MASK, THE BEAR WILL BE HERE.
AND SOME OF OUR WONDERFUL FRIENDS IN THE STEM INDUSTRY THAT SERVE YOUTH VIRTUAL AUTHOR TALK SERIES, ME AND THERE HAVE BEEN SUCH GOOD AUTHORS.
AND THE NICE THING IS YOU CAN GO BACK AND WATCH THEM WHENEVER IT'S CONVENIENT FOR YOU COMING UP SOON, WE'LL DO BABBLE AND YELLOW FACE AND FOR THE LOVE OF MARS.
AND THEN CREEPY, CREEPY, THE HOUSEMATE IS WATCHING.
UH, WE ALSO DOING WONDERFUL THINGS WITH STRICTLY BUSINESS.
WE JUST HEARD FROM ANN EDELMAN YESTERDAY AND REALLY INTERESTING INSIGHTS.
THIS ONE WAS ON CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS.
IT'S SOMETHING WE NONE OF US EVER WANT TO NEED, BUT IT'S NICE TO HAVE PAID ATTENTION BEFORE YOU WOULD NEED THAT.
AND FINALLY, A REMINDER THAT OUR NEW CALENDAR IS ONLINE FROM LOCAL HOP.
REMEMBER THE OLD CALENDAR, THE COMPANY JUST WENT AWAY.
SO LUCKILY THE WEBSITE DESIGNER THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH ALREADY HAD THE SOLUTION PLANNED, SO WE JUST IMPLEMENTED IT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
SO IT LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
AND THERE'S A HOLE RIGHT HERE ON THE WEBSITE.
IT WAS NOT WORTH FILLING IT WITH A, A FEED OR A CRAWL.
BY THE TIME WE WOULD'VE FIGURED THAT OUT, THE NEW WEBSITE WOULD BE HERE.
SO IF YOU WANNA SEARCH THE EVENT CALENDAR, JUST CLICK IT AND THIS IS WHAT WILL COME UP.
YOU CAN STILL FILTER BY BRANCH, FILTER BY AGE, FILTER BY OTHER THINGS, AND YOU ACTUALLY CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON EACH ENTRY.
ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I GET OUT OF DODGE HERE? UM, OKAY, I WILL LEAVE.
MOVING ON TO OTHER REPORTS, MAINTENANCE AND ADDITIONAL CAPITAL
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PROJECTS.THE MAINTENANCE AND ADDITIONAL CAPITAL REPORTS PROJECTS, PROJECT REPORTS WILL BE READ BY PATRICIA HUSBAND, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
SO, UM, I THINK ALL OF US REMEMBER THE STORM THAT HAPPENED MONDAY NIGHT, BLUE BONNET AND ZACHARY HAD TO CLOSE A LITTLE EARLY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY POWER.
BLUE BONNET DID NOT HAVE POWER UNTIL LATE TUESDAY EVENING AROUND, I DON'T KNOW, NINE OR SO.
SO THEY DID OPEN ON WEDNESDAY.
UM, THE MOTOR ON THE CHILLED WATER PUMP ON CHILLED WATER PUMP ONE FAILED.
AND IT DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE POWER.
IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE MONTH.
AND FACILITIES ORDERED A NEW ONE AND THEY'LL SCHEDULE INSTALLATION OF THE PUMP WITH THE VENDOR.
UM, AT SCOTLANDVILLE, WE WERE HAVING ADDITIONAL ISSUES WITH OUR PLUMBING.
UM, BUT AS OF WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, IT SEEMED TO BE RESOLVED AND THAT WE THINK THAT WAS CONTRACTOR RELATED FROM BACK IN DECEMBER WHEN THEY HAD THAT, THAT DEBRIS AND EVERYTHING.
THEY BROKE THE WATER LINE AND THEN THEY GOT DEBRIS IN IT AND THEY HAD TO WORK ON IT SEVERAL TIMES.
AT CENTRAL, THEY REPLACED A CONTROLLER MODULE ON THE BOILER.
AT JONES CREEK, A VENDOR INSTALLED BASIN HEATERS FOR THE COOLING TOWERS.
THE HEATERS WERE INSTALLED AS A PREVENTIVE MEASURE TO KEEP THE COOLING TOWER FROM FREEZING IN THE COLD WEATHER LATER THIS YEAR OR NEXT JANUARY.
UM, WE'VE BEEN HAVING SOME, SOME INTERESTING FREEZES, AND SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE A FAILURE THERE.
UM, AT FAIRWOOD, ONE OF THE EXTERIOR AND AIR HANDLER, UM, THE COILS HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY HAD FROZEN DURING THE FREEZE EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO GET PARTS TO FIX IT.
AT MAIN, THE MOTOR IN AIR HANDLER, ONE HAD TO BE REPLACED.
AND FACILITIES HAS BEEN TRIMMING TREES IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS, WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE HURRICANE SEASON IS COMING UP.
AND SO IF WE HAVE SOME WINDY WEATHER, OR IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE HURRICANE SEASON, IT COULD JUST BE A BAD STORM THAT FLIES THROUGH.
UM, THIS, THIS IS A GOOD PREVENTIVE MEASURE.
UM, AS FAR AS OUR MISCELLANEOUS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UM, AT OUTREACH, THE HVAC UNITS HAVE ARRIVED AND ARE BEING INSTALLED AND THEY'RE CALLING THEM CRACK UNITS, WHICH STANDS FOR COMPUTER ROOM ACS.
UM, WE HAVE TO LOOK IT UP, BUT ANYWAY,
AND THEN THE STOREFRONT DOORS ARE SCHEDULED TO BE INSTALLED TOMORROW.
UM, AND OUR MULTI-BRANCH PROJECT, THE MEETING ROOM FLOORING AT DELMONT HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
THE FLOORING ON THE PUBLIC COMPUTER AREA HAS BEEN DELAYED BECAUSE OF A BACK ORDER OF THE, THE MATERIALS AND THE WORK ON THE WINDOWS AT DELMONT ON THE SOUTH.
PART OF THE BUILDING WILL START NEXT WEEK.
UM, FOR THE ROOFING PROJECT, THE WINDOWS AT THE CUPOLA AT JONES CREEK HAVE BEEN REPLACED, BUT THE STUCCO WORK STILL NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED, AND THE FRAME COVERS NEED TO BE INSTALLED.
SO WE'RE STILL NOT DONE THERE.
WE HAD A FEW NEW LEAKS AT JONES CREEK.
SOME WERE DUE TO THE ROOFING REPLACEMENT PROJECT, AND SOME WERE NOT, BECAUSE THEY WERE ON FLAT ROOFS.
UM, AND THE FLAT ROOFS, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THEY'LL GET CLOGGED.
AND, AND THEN, UH, AND SO OUR STAFF GO OUT ABOUT ONCE A MONTH AND CLEAN OUT THE, CLEAN OUT THE FLAT ROOFS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S PINE NEEDLES AND THERE'S, THERE USED TO BE CRATE MYRTLE LEAVES AND, AND, BUT STILL, THEY STILL GET CLOGGED UP SOMETIMES.
SO THEY HAVE TO, THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THEM.
AND THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER LEAKS ON FLAT ROOTS THAT MAY NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH CLOGS.
UM, THEN THERE'S, AT ZACHARY, UM, WE GOT A FEW NEW LEAKS WITH THE CON, WHICH THE CONTRACTOR NEEDS TO ADDRESS.
AND THEN THERE'S MISCELLANEOUS WORK THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED ON THAT.
FOR THE BOILERS, FOR EDEN PARK IN GREENWELL SPRINGS ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES IS DRAFTING AN RFP.
AND ONCE THAT'S ISSUED AND THE RESPONSES ARE RECEIVED AND A VENDOR IS AWARDED THE CONTRACT, THE ACTUAL DESIGN PROCESS CAN BEGIN.
AND FOR THE BLUE BONNET RENOVATION ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES IS ABOUT TWO THIRDS THROUGH THE REVIEW OF THAT DOCUMENTATION.
SO ONCE THEY'RE DONE, THEY SHOULD BE READY TO GET THE, THE PAPERWORK TOGETHER AND SEND THAT OUT FOR BID.
AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH, I DO.
UM, ON THE DELMONT ONE, WAS THAT MORE OF A, UH, COSMETIC IMPROVEMENT OR WAS IT A NEED BASED ON SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED? UM, THE FLOOR, WELL, THE FLOORING HAD JUST BEEN WORN OUT.
THE FLOORING WAS PRETTY MUCH WORN OUT.
SO WE WERE REPLACING THAT, UH, IN THE COMPUTER AREA, IN THE, THE MEETING ROOM WE HADN'T ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO REPLACE IT, BUT THE VINYL COMPOSITE TILE THAT WAS IN THERE HAD BEEN IN THERE FOR 19 YEARS, AND IT WAS, IT WAS READY TO BE REPLACED.
AND I WAS ONLY ASKED, I KNOW THAT THERE HAD BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT BUILDING A NEW FACILITY.
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UM, AND WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF FINDING SOME LAND TO DO THAT.I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THREE ACRES RIGHT NOW.
SO LIKE IF, YOU KNOW, I KNOW Y'ALL WANTED TO FACE PLANK ROAD, AND PLANK ROAD IS REALLY HARD TO FIND LAND BIG ENOUGH FOR WHAT YOU GUYS WANT TO DO.
UM, I HAD THE PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT I ACTUALLY CONTROL IS THE CHARLES KELLER COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND THE ONE THING THAT I KNOW THAT COUNCIL AND AGENT WANTED TO DO IS THAT WE'RE, THEY'RE OUTGROWING THAT BUILDING.
UM, AND I INITIALLY HAD TALKED TO A COUNCIL ON AGENT ABOUT BUILDING A FACILITY BEHIND WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE SENIORS KIND OF GET STUCK IN THEIR WAYS, IT CREATURES OF HABIT AND DON'T WANT TO CHANGE.
SO SIMILAR TO THE LIBRARY, PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY UTILIZE IT FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING RIGHT THERE ON LOAN FELL WHERE IT CURRENTLY IS.
SO THIS WILL BE MOVING AT TWO DOORS DOWN.
UM, AND THEN BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A LARGE PARKING LOT ALREADY, UM, WE CAN ALWAYS EXTEND IT.
BUT THEN THERE'S ABOUT A THREE ACRE FIELD THAT CAN BE USED FOR THE STRUCTURE ITSELF.
AND THEN TYING TO THE EXISTING PARKING LOT, WHICH IS WHAT I TOLD COA, AND THEN JOINTLY BILL WITH COA SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE A SENIOR CENTER IN THERE.
SO YOU HAVE BUILT IN PEOPLE EVERY DAY, WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO.
BUT IT WAS JUST A THOUGHT I HAD IN MY HEAD.
BUT, UM, NOW THAT I SEE THAT YOU GUYS ARE MAKING SOME OF THOSE INVESTMENTS, SO THAT I DON'T GO TOO FAR, I HAD THE, UH, LAND SURPLUSED LAST YEAR SO THAT I COULD DONATE IT TO BOTH YOU AND COA.
AND I DID TALK TO THE PREVIOUS, UH, LIBRARY DIRECTOR ABOUT IT SOMEWHAT, BUT, UM, I JUST WANNA OFFER THAT TO YOU GUYS AS WELL.
WELL, UM, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU ALL, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? LAND PROBLEM SOLVED? IS THAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID? I'M, I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING
UM, BUT, UM, ANYWAY, THAT WILL BE MADE BY OTHERS THAN MYSELF.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS BY THE LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL UNDER OTHER REPORTS? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT UNDER OTHER REPORTS? MOVING ON TO REPORTS, UM, OF COMMITTEES.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS.
OH, I THOUGHT SHE SAID MISCELLANEOUS.
OH NO, I JUST HAVE A FEW POINTS.
MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS WILL BE READ BY
OH, FIRST UP, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS PATRICIA HUSBAND'S LAST MEETING WITH US.
PATRICIA IS GOING TO BE MISSED VERY MUCH.
UH, I KNOW I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE A SHORT TIME AND I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH HER.
AND I'M SORRY I DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO WORK WITH YOU LONGER, PATRICIA.
UH, JUST A QUICK WORD ABOUT THE JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY.
UH, WE HAD INITIALLY BLOCKED OFF MEETING ROOM RESERVATIONS FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19TH IN ANTICIPATION OF THE HOLIDAY.
UH, BUT WE DID NOT RECEIVE NOTICE, UH, FROM MAYOR, PRESIDENT BROOM'S OFFICE THAT THE CITY PARISH WOULD OBSERVE A HOLIDAY ON MONDAY, JUNE THE 17TH UNTIL JUST THIS PAST WEEK.
SO BY NOW, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, WE ALREADY HAVE SEVERAL RESERVATIONS FOR MEETING ROOMS THAT DAY, AND IT'S JUST TOO LATE TO ATTEMPT TO ASK PEOPLE TO RESCHEDULE.
SO, UH, ALL E-B-R-P-L LOCATIONS WILL BE CLOSED ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19TH TO OBSERVE JUNETEENTH.
UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WITH REGARDS TO THE DECISION? NO.
UH, JUST ANOTHER QUICK WORD ABOUT THE STORM REPORT.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION ALSO THAT WE HAD DEPLOYED THE STAFF, UH, FROM BLUE BONNET, UH, TO OTHER LOCATIONS UNTIL THE POWER WAS RESTORED, UH, THIS PAST TUESDAY.
UH, FINALLY, UH, WE HAVE ASKED MR. J DANIELS TO ATTEND THE JUNE BOARD MEETING.
UH, WE'VE INVITED HIM TO SPEAK ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE EARL K LONG SITE, WHICH WE HAVE SCOPED UP FOR THE NEW START LIBRARY.
UH, IS THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? UH, THAT IS ALL I HAVE, UH, THAT IS IN THE BEST DISTRICT IN BATON ROUGE, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
WAS THAT DISTRICT 12?
I I DO HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT ON THAT TOO.
I WAS ASKING NICOLE, SO Y'ALL KNOW I'M NEW TO THIS STUFF AND I'M, I'M SEVERAL DIFFERENT BOARDS AND EVERYBODY CONDUCTS THEIRS DIFFERENTLY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS, IS
[00:30:01]
VERY CONSISTENT WITH NO DIFFERENT THAN THE COUNCIL WHAT IT SHOULD BE, RIGHT.INTRODUCTIONS, THINGS THAT HAPPEN.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE RECEIVE REGULARLY IS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT HEADS COMING UP AND TALKING TO US.
AND WHAT THAT DOES FOR US IS IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THOSE FOLKS, TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH 'EM, TO ASK QUESTIONS TO FIND OUT WHAT SOME OF THE NEEDS ARE.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE AVAILABLE DATES FOR BUDGET MEETING.
BUT I DON'T, THE ONLY THING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, I'M LOOKING AT, I'M ASSUMING THIS IS GONNA BE TALKED ABOUT AT SOME POINT, RIGHT? IF I HAVEN'T ALREADY MISSED IT, THEN A LOT OF TIMES THE REASON WHY I'M SAYING THAT IS BECAUSE HOW DO I KNOW WHAT A DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO EVEN KNOW HOW TO REALLOCATE FUNDS FOR A SPECIFIC BUDGET OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
SO WHEN WE HAVE SOME OF THESE REPORTS DEALING WITH SOME OF THESE FACILITIES OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER PROGRAMS, WHATEVER YOU, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I THINK IT WOULD BE FAVORABLE FOR THE LIBRARIANS FROM THOSE PARTICULAR BRANCHES ARE THE PERSON THAT'S RUNNING THOSE PROGRAMS TO SOMETIMES GIVE THOSE REPORTS.
I JUST THINK IT, IT, IT BUILDS COMFORTABILITY FOR THEM TO COME TALK TO US, UM, TO KNOW WHO'S ON THE BOARD.
YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE HAVING THE MANAGERS BUDGET AND WE HAVE NO CLUE WHAT YOU DO.
SO I'M LITERALLY PUTTING ON BLINDFOLDS SAYING, HEY MARY, THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED.
YOU KNOW, AND NOT, NOT THAT IT'S GONNA CHANGE MUCH, BUT I THINK SOMETIMES, LEMME JUST SAY THIS FROM A CITY PARISH STANDPOINT, SOMETIMES THE WORKERS ARE SCARED TO TALK TO THE DIRECTORS.
NOT BECAUSE OF YOU, BUT BECAUSE THE BRANCHES CREATE BARRIERS.
SO YOU WON'T HAVE A JOB, RIGHT.
AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, BUT US BRINGING THEM IN AND OR EVEN US SCHEDULING TOURS TO GO VISIT DIFFERENT LIBRARIES COLLECTIVELY TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT.
SO, UM, IF I MAY, UH, IN YEARS PAST, WE WENT THROUGH A VISIT E EVERY WEEK AT EVERY MONTH SOMEBODY CAME AND DID A LITTLE, A LITTLE THING.
AND THEN THERE WERE SEVERAL YEARS WHERE WE EVEN HAD THE BOARD MEETINGS AT EVERY BRANCH, WHICH WAS A LITTLE AWKWARD FOR LOGISTICS.
UM, BUT WE CAN REVISE AND ASK OUR VARIOUS SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO, UM, BE A REGULAR PART OF THE, OF THE SCHEDULE.
AND WE CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, 10 MINUTES, I DON'T WANT TO DRAG Y'ALL ON.
I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, I MIGHT BE KIND OF LONG.
FIVE, YEAH, JUST A LITTLE BRIEF.
AND YOU MAY HAVE SEEN LIKE WHEN TARA COMES, OR EVERY NOW AND THEN, WE FORCE BRYCE TO COME
I DID WANT TO ASK THAT WE COULD, IF WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE THE, UH, NEW MANAGER FOR THE SOUTH BRANCH TO COME SO WE CAN OH, YES, YES.
AND I'M ALSO OPEN FOR THE TOURS AS WELL.
LIKE, I DON'T KNOW HOW Y'ALL, I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME, BUT IF ONCE A MONTH WE DID, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL OPEN FOR THIS, BUT CAN SIGN UP, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A QUORUM ISSUE HERE, LIKE WE WOULD IN OTHER MEETINGS.
SO YEAH, SO YOU DO THREE GO ON A TUESDAY, THREE GO ON A THURSDAY.
BUT WE PICK ONE WEEK WHERE WE VISIT A BRANCH, RIGHT.
AND THEN WE DO THE SAME THING.
AND THEN HOW, HOW MANY BRANCHES TOTAL? 14.
SO IN 12 MONTHS THERE'S GONNA BE A TEST.
WELL WE ARE ALREADY HERE ANYWAY.
RIGHT? SO WE WOULD EXCLUDE GOODWOOD, SO IT'LL BE 13 BRANCHES IN 12 MONTHS.
I'M SURE WE CAN FIT THAT IN THERE SOMEHOW.
I TOUR THE BRANCHES EVERY YEAR.
AND I'VE, I GO TO 'EM AND I SAY, HEY, I'M ON THE BOARD.
GOT A RIVER PASSES, I MEAN, PASSED FOR, FOR THE PARKING DOWNTOWN.
SO I'VE DONE STUFF, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE SPORADIC.
IT'S MORE LIKE, HEY, I'M HERE.
HOW YOU DOING AT AN EVENT? AND, AND EVEN IF WE JUST DID DIFFERENT HOURS ON THE SAME DAY, MAYBE IT'D BE LOGISTICALLY YEAH, THAT'D BE EVEN BETTER.
10 TO 12 AND THEN SOMEBODY COMING.
YOU KNOW, ONE TO THREE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS BY THE LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL UNDER REPORTS BY THE DIRECTOR? NOPE.
KATRINA, YOU, YOU'VE ONLY BEEN IN TOWN A FEW MONTHS AND YOU'RE ALREADY HOLDING COURT AT THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION.
I WAS JUST AS SURPRISED AS YOU
UM, RYAN AND I RECENTLY HAD A CONVERSATION AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I DISCUSSED WITH HIM ABOUT MY VISION, UM, ESPECIALLY AS PRESIDENT, TO JUST BE MORE, UM, TO BE, TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE BRANCHES WITH
[00:35:01]
THE STAFF AS WELL, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE SERVING THEM WELL TOO, UM, SERVING THE WHOLE PARISH.ANYWAY, UM, MOVING ON TO REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY REPORTS BY ANY COMMITTEES AT THIS TIME.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION ON THAT.
WHAT COMMITTEES DO WE HAVE? SO YEAH, SO SOMETIMES WE ESTABLISH COMMITTEES DEPENDING ON WHAT, UM, THE NEEDS ARE.
AND THEN, UM, THEY'LL REPORT BACK.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS UPDATE ON THE SOUTH BRANCH LIBRARY.
UM, MS. PATRICIA, HUSBAND AND MAYOR STEIN, ALL HER.
I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THIS.
OKAY, SO I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND THEN I'LL TAKE YOU ON A TOUR.
SO FOR THE PAST MONTH, THE CONTRACTORS COMPLETED THE FOLLOWING WORK.
THE EAST PARKING LOT HAS BEEN POURED.
THE HOUSEKEEPING PADS WERE POURED IN THE MECHANICAL ROOM.
THEY'VE DONE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE INTERIOR STEEL FRAMING.
95% OF THE PLUMBING ROUGH INS, 85% OF THE DUCT INSTALLATION, 10% OF THE BRICK INSTALLATION, 75% OF THE ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION IS COMPLETE ON OVERHEAD AND IN-WALL.
AND AS PART OF THIS PROCESS ON MAY 10TH, LIBRARY STAFF MET AT THE SITE TO REVIEW PLACEMENT OF MONITORS ON THE WALL BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BLOCKING IS IN THE RIGHT SPOT AND THAT THE CONDUITS, UH, COME OUT AT THE RIGHT SPOT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE, THE, THE ELECTRICAL BOXES IN THE CORRECT LOCATION FOR THE, THE MONITORS.
UM, AND WE NEED THE BLOCKING BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE MONITORS.
THE CONCRETE FOR THE EXTERIOR PORCH HAS BEEN POURED.
AND THIS IS THE AREA ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE COURTYARD.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN A MINUTE.
WE HAVE SPACE FOR TABLES AND CHAIRS IN THIS AREA.
THE BRICK MOCKUP IS COMPLETE, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE, THE PICTURE HERE.
AND, UM, THE METAL PANEL SAMPLES ARE ON ORDER.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THOSE.
UM, WHEN THOSE PANELS COME IN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PLACE 'EM UP AGAINST THE BRICK MOCKUP TO SEE HOW THEY LOOK.
UM, WE REVIEWED, WE VIEWED THE MECHANICAL YARD SPACE AND IN THIS AREA AND IN THE ISLAND NEAR THE NORTH ENTRANCE, WE'VE, UH, WE HAVE CONDUIT IN ANTICIPATION OF INSTALLING EV CHARGING STATIONS SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE.
SO IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD INSTALL AND, UM, IT WOULD BE A PAY, YOU KNOW, A, A PAYING CHARGE, PAY CHARGING STATION.
WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'D WORK OUT THE FINANCIALS OF IT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD COLLECT ANY MONEY.
THEY WOULD JUST, IT WOULD JUST BE A SERVICE THAT'S THERE.
UM, AND THEN THEY'VE STARTED INSTALLING DRYWALL.
WE'VE REVIEWED AND RESPONDED TO SEVERAL SUBMITTALS.
LET'S MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT FLOORING, LET'S MAKE SURE IT'S THE RIGHT COLOR OF THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WE CONTINUE TO HOLD WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THE INTERIOR DESIGNER TO FINALIZE THE FURNITURE PACKET, FURNITURE PACKAGE.
AND SO FAR THE COMPLETION DATE IS DECEMBER 31ST, THOUGH, AS I ALWAYS SAY, THAT MAY CHANGE.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT SOME PICTURES.
AND YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THIS FLOOR PLAN THAT'S GOT NUMBERS ON IT.
AND THE REASON I DID THAT IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE PICTURES, IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF STEEL AND IT IS.
BUT, UM, THIS WILL TELL YOU WHERE THE STEEL IS.
SO THIS PICTURE NUMBER ONE, IF YOU WERE STANDING OUTSIDE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT, UH, YOU WOULD SEE THAT, YOU WOULD SEE THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
AND OVER HERE ON THE SIDE, THIS TALLER AREA IS THE PORTICO SHARE, WHERE THE ENTRANCE IS TO THE NORTH SIDE, NORTH ENTRANCE OF THE BUILDING.
THIS IS ONE VIEW INSIDE THE, UH, FROM THE GALLERY INTO ONE OF THE LARGE MEETING ROOMS. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE CORNER MEETING ROOMS AS WELL.
SO THIS IS ON, THIS IS, UH, THE SIDE THAT FACES GLASGOW.
NUMBER FOUR IS A VIEW FROM THE CIRCULATION AREA, UM, INTO THE TEEN AREA.
AND NUMBER FIVE, IF YOU'RE LOOKING, YOU'D BE LOOKING ACROSS, ACROSS HERE AND DOWN DOWN THIS CORRIDOR.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S ALL FRAMED UP, BUT THEY HAVEN'T STARTED DOING THE SHEET ROCK YET.
SO YOU HAVE TO USE YOUR IMAGINATION A LITTLE BIT.
UM, THAT BIG OPEN SPACE RIGHT HERE IS THE LAPTOP BAR, THE SPACE FOR THE WINDOW AND THE LAPTOP BARS ARE GONNA BE RIGHT IN FRONT OF IT.
AND THEN THIS BOTTOM PICTURE IS LOOKING INTO THE CHILDREN'S
[00:40:01]
SERVICES.UM, SO THAT LARGE PICTURE WINDOW IS FACING TUPELO ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AND THEN THERE'S, I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE CONCRETE POUR ON THE BACK PORCH.
THAT'S, THEY WERE ACTUALLY POURING IT WHEN WEVE WENT AND VISITED.
SO THE CONCRETE WAS STILL WET.
AND THEY HAD TO, OF COURSE, TELL MARY NOT TO STEP ON IT, BUT, 'CAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT, WE DIDN'T WANT HER TO LEAVE HER FOOTPRINTS.
I WAS GONNA DRAW AND THEN I, I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU A PICTURE OF THE COURTYARD WITH THE OAK TREE.
IT WAS STILL STANDING WHEN WE WENT MAY 10TH.
I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY TRAGIC STORIES, SO I ASSUME IT IS STILL STANDING.
AND HERE IS AN AERIAL PICTURE FROM APRIL 22ND.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE ROOF DECKING AND THE BUILDING'S REALLY TAKING SHAPE NOW.
AND THEN THE NEXT MO NEXT WEEK, UH, APRIL 29TH, WHERE YOU SEE MORE OF THE EAST PARKING LOT, UH, BEING POURED.
SO I DON'T USUALLY DO THIS FLOOR PLAN, BUT WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE PICTURES, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR YOU TO SEE WHERE YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH THE BUILDING.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT SOUTH? OKAY, WE ARE GONNA GO TO SCOTLANDVILLE.
NEXT UPDATE ON THE SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH LIBRARY.
WHERE'S SCOTLANDVILLE? WHERE? OH, OKAY.
THEY'RE BOTH SOUTH, BUT ONE OF 'EM WAS SCOTLANDVILLE EARLIER TODAY, SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT WENT TO.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT THEY, WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING.
SO FOR THE PAST MONTH, THE CONTRACTOR HAS COMPLETED INSTALLING INSTALLATION IN THE ROOF.
THEY'VE BEGUN THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR FRAMING.
THEY'VE BEGUN INSTALLATION OF TEMPORARY LIGHTING AND POWER TO THE BUILDING.
THEY STARTED INSTALLING PLYWOOD AND SHEATHING ON THE BUILDING.
AND THEY STARTED THE ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING ROUGHING INSIDE THE BUILDING, UH, INCLUDING INSTALLING CONDUIT IN BOXES.
UM, THEY DID START INSTALLING, INSTALLING EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR DOOR FRAMES.
THEY CONTINUED WORK ON THE INTERIOR FRAMING AND THEY STARTED INSTALLATION OF THE DUCT WORK.
AND THE CONTRACTOR ANTICIPATES THEY'LL COMPLETE THE WATERPROOFING ON THE BUILDING IN TIME FOR A MAY 13TH INSPECTION.
SO I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT INSPECTION HAS OCCURRED.
I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY REPORTS, UM, AFTER MAY 13TH.
SO THE STAFF, IN ANTICIPATION OF ALL THIS, THE COMPLETION OF THE ARCHIVES BUILDING THIS LIBRARY STAFF WENT TO SCOTLANDVILLE TO REVIEW THE SHELVING AS PART OF THE PLAN TO MOVE INTO THE BUILDING.
SO YOU MAY RECALL THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE, UM, TO MOVE INTO THE ARCHIVES ONCE IT'S DONE, AND THAT'LL BE OUR TEMPORARY LIBRARY.
AND SO, UH, PART OF THIS IS DECIDING WHAT FURNITURE WE'RE GONNA PUT INTO THE ARCHIVES BUILDING AND HOW MUCH SHELVING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AND WHAT SHELVING THAT'S GOING TO BE.
AND THEN, UM, THEN ONCE WE'VE DECIDED THAT WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE PLANS TO GET THE REST OF THE FURNITURE AND THE SHELVING AND THE REST OF THE COLLECTION OUT OF THE BUILDING AND INTO A TEMPORARY STORAGE.
AND SO THAT'S ONE MOVING PART.
AND THEN ANOTHER MOVING PART IS INSTALLING THE, THE COMPACT SHELVING AND THEN ANO INTO THE MOVING IT FROM THE, THE BUILDING, THE LIBRARY INTO THE ARCHIVES.
AND THEN, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THE COMPUTER TABLES ARE MOVED INTO THE ARCHIVES AS WELL SO THAT THEY CAN USE THEM.
WE ARE GONNA REUSE THE TERRAIN TABLES THAT WE BOUGHT A FEW YEARS BACK BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL IN EXCELLENT SHAPE, JUST AS WE DID AT GREENWELL SPRINGS.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE FURNITURE PACKAGE WE WON'T HAVE TO REPLICATE.
UM, AND THEN WE REMOVED, UM, WE REVIEWED THE TIMELINE WITH ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHEN TO SEND THE PHASE TWO RENOVATION PROJECT TO BID.
AND UNLESS THINGS CHANGE, WE ANTICIPATE GOING OUT TO BID IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.
SO THE COMPLETION DATE FOR THE ARCHIVES IS LISTED AS OCTOBER 26TH.
AND, UM, AND SO WE'LL BID BE BIDDING FOR THE NEW, THE NEW BUILDING, AND THAT'LL TAKE A FEW MIN MONTHS.
WE ANTICIPATE MOVING IN AND GETTING EVERYTHING CLEANED OUT OF THE OLD BUILDING SO THAT BY THE TIME THEY GET A NOTICE TO PROCEED, WE'LL THE BUILDING WILL BE EMPTY AND THEY CAN START DEMO AND RENOVATION.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GONNA HAVE PICTURES FOR YOU.
THEY'RE THINKING, THEY'RE THINKING.
[00:45:03]
PATRICIA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.YES, YOU ARE WELCOME, MISS YOU.
CAN I SEE THAT JUMP RIDE? BECAUSE I CHANGED IT OUT.
WE, BECAUSE YEAH, THE ONE ON THE SCOTLANDVILLE FOLDER WAS, LET'S SEE, MAYBE THAT MM-HMM IS RIGHT HERE.
IT WAS THE BOARD MEETING AND THEN SCOTLAND HILL'S FOLDER.
SO THE PF FOR THAT ONE WAS JUST A SOUTH GRID.
YEAH, THE POWERPOINT MAY BE CORRECT, NOT LETTING ME DELETE IT.
JUST CLOSE THE CURRENT TAB AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO OPEN UP THE POWERPOINT, SEE THE POWERPOINT IS CORRECT, JUST THE POWERPOINT.
AND I'LL JUST TAKE EXTRA MINUTE TO DO THE POWERPOINT.
HOW DID I DO THAT? IT'S JUST, IT WAS RENAMING THE FILE.
UM, I MEAN, IT'S, TRY, TRY THE POWERPOINT.
UH, THE POWERPOINT IS, UM, IF IT'S IN YOUR EMAIL AND YOU WANNA LOG IN YOUR EMAIL, UM, THE WEB BROWSER RIGHT HERE, TRY THAT.
THIS ONE? NO, THIS ONE RIGHT HERE.
YEAH, THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT WE JUST LOOKED AT.
UM, SO GO TO YOUR EMAIL WITH, UM, OPEN UP A NEW TAB.
JUST GO TO OUTLOOK, JUST TYPE IN OUTLOOK.
YOU KNOW WHAT, GO TO THE, UM, GO TO THE INFO GUIDE AND AT LEAST YOU CAN SHOW.
SO IF YOU CAN SIGN IN THE OWNER REPORT FOR SCOTLAND.
JUST TYPE IN YOUR EMAIL AND THE LOG YOU IN.
YEAH, BECAUSE WE CAN DOWNLOAD IT STRAIGHT FROM EMAIL.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THE EMAIL WAS LABELED? IT MIGHT BE.
UH, I REMEMBER WHAT I SENT TO YOU WAS THE LAST NO, YES, OF COURSE.
WE ARE GOING TO ARRANGE A TOUR OF THE NEW SOUTH BRANCH AS SOON AS THE SHEET ROCK GOES UP.
UH, WE WILL, UH, WE HAVE ENOUGH HARD HATS FOR EVERYONE AS MARY'S SPECIAL ORDERED HARD HATS WITH THE LIBRARY LOGO ON IT.
SO, UH, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL LOOK INTO SOME DATES AND WE'LL, AS SOON AS WE FIND OUT WHEN THE SHEET ROCK GOES UP, WE WILL LET YOU ALL KNOW AND ARRANGE, UH, TO WORK.
SO THAT WE CAN SEE IF THERE IS A JOINT OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
THIS IS AN IMAGE OF THE SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE ROOF PANELS AND THE ROOFING INSTALLATION.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE DUCT WORK AND THE ELECTRICAL ROUGH, THE ELECTRICAL ROUGH INS GOING IN AND THE DOOR FRAMES.
AND THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE THE WEEK OF APRIL 22ND TO THE 28TH.
THEY STARTED THE EXTERIOR SHEATHING.
AND NOW WHEN WE WERE OUT THERE, MAY 6TH, IT LOOKS PRETTY WELL FRAMED UP AND THIS IS THE INSIDE OF IT.
SO THIS IS THE VIEW FROM THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING LOOKING INTO WHAT'S GOING TO EVENTUALLY BE THE VIRTUAL LIFT MODULES FOR THE COMPACT SHELVING, UM, STORAGE.
AND THEN, UH, THIS WALL, THIS PLYWOOD WALL AT THE BACK, THAT WHOLE AREA BEHIND THAT, THAT, UH, FRAMING IS, IS, UM, BEHIND THOSE STUDS IS GONNA BE THE, THE FACILITIES WORKROOM ROOM.
[00:50:01]
AND THEN THIS IS AN INTERIOR VIEW OF THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.SO THIS WINDOW HERE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS GOING TO FACE THE SCENIC HIGHWAY, AND IT'S GOING TO MIRROR THE WINDOWS THAT ARE GONNA BE REPLICATED AT THE MEETING ROOM AND THE CHILDREN'S ROOM ON THE LIBRARY.
AND THAT WHICH MIRRORS THE ENTRANCE, THE TALL ENTRANCE, IT HAS, IT ALL HAS THE SAME SHAPE.
SO THE ADDITION IS GONNA LOOK, ALL THE ADDITIONS ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE THIS IS HOW THE BUILDING WAS, AND THIS, THIS ARCHIVES BUILDING.
IF IN THE FUTURE WE, WE DECIDE TO TURN IT INTO A PUBLIC SPACE, IT'LL HAVE THE SAME KIND OF LOOK TO IT.
SO IT'LL BE A COHESIVE, UH, ELEMENTAL LOOK THERE.
SO DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
LET ME GET BACK TO THE AGENDA NOW.
OKAY, NEXT ON THE AGENDA, DISCUSSED TRAVEL EXPENSES TO THE A LA MS. RONNIE PIERCE.
LAST PAGE, LAST MONTH YOU GRACIOUSLY APPROVED, UH, ALLOWING ME TO ATTEND A LA AND YOU APPROVED IT AT A BUDGET OF, UM, $3,845.
BUT WHEN I ACTUALLY TRIED TO BOOK MY VARIOUS RESERVATIONS, THE AIRFARE WAS SOMEWHAT MORE, BUT THE HOTEL WAS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE.
THE REASON BEING THAT, UM, BY THE TIME I WENT ONLINE, EVERY CONFERENCE RATE BOOKING HAD ALREADY BEEN TAKEN BY OTHER PEOPLE, OTHER ATTENDEES.
SO I HAD TO BOOK AT THE STANDARD HOTEL RATE, WHICH WORKED OUT TO AN AVERAGE OF $324 PER NIGHT INSTEAD OF WHAT I THOUGHT WAS GONNA BE 2 79 PER NIGHT.
AND THEN ALSO I HAD GUESSED, UM, TAXES AND FEES AT $300.
WELL, THAT, AT LEAST TO ME, THAT WAS AN ASTONISHING $774 FOR THE TAXES AND FEES.
SO IN THE END, BECAUSE, UM, BECAUSE THIS, 'CAUSE MY REVISED ESTIMATE IS RIGHT AT A THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE THAN YOU HAD APPROVED LAST MONTH, I WANTED TO BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY.
UM, I'VE GOT 4,835 LISTED AS MY NEW TOTAL.
UM, I WOULD SUGGEST MAYBE 48 50 OR POSSIBLY EVEN 4,900 JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE WIGGLE ROOM JUST JUST IN CASE.
THERE ARE A FEW MINOR EXPENSES THAT I'M NOT ANTICIPATING AT THE MOMENT, BUT REGARDLESS, IT IS A THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE THAN THAN LAST MONTH.
SO I FELT I NEEDED TO GET YOUR APPROVAL FOR THIS EXTRA MONEY, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE.
ANY OPPOSED? THANK, THANK YOU.
ANY COMMENTS BY THE LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL UNDER UNFINISHED BUSINESS? WELL, I DO WANT TO HAVE A COMMENT ON HIS, THERE IS A, UM, CONFERENCE IN NEW ORLEANS COMING UP IN JULY THAT I LOOKED AT AS WELL AS THE BLACK LIBRARIANS CONFERENCE, BLACK CAUCUS FOR LIBRARIANS.
UM, I'VE ATTENDED BLACK CAUCUS IN DC SO I WANT Y'ALL TO EXPLAIN, IT'S AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.
IT JUST TALKS ABOUT, UH, IT'S REALLY A LOT OF TEACHING.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK DURING THE DAYTIME.
SO IF Y'ALL COULD LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO, I WOULD LOVE TO ATTEND THAT CONFERENCE IN JULY.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS.
UM, LET'S SETTING A DATE FOR THE SPECIAL 2025 BUDGET WORK SESSION.
I DON'T HAVE, UH, A CHART, BUT I DON'T HAVE IT.
OH, THIS IS, UM, OKAY, YOU HAVE IT.
[00:55:01]
DON AND NICOLE, YOU HAVE ONE.TRY TO PULL IT UP ONLINE BECAUSE IT'S UPDATED ONLINE, BUT THIS ISN'T UPDATED, RIGHT? DAWN SAID HE VOTED TODAY.
SO I, IT HASN'T COME TO MY EMAIL YET FOR ME TO HAVE UPDATED, BUT THESE ARE CURRENTLY OKAY.
ON THE INDIVIDUALS WHO VOTED, UH, SATURDAY, JUNE 15TH AND 9:00 AM TO ONE, THOSE ARE THE, AND WEDNESDAY, JULY 10TH AND THURSDAY, JULY 11TH SEEMS LIKE THE, UH, DATES THAT ARE OPENED AND AVAILABLE, WHEREAS THOSE FOUR MEMBERS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO VOTED ARE AGREED UPON.
SO WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR YOU GUYS TO GO IN AND VOTE.
I SENT IT TO YOUR EMAILS LIKE LAST TWO WEEKS AGO.
YOU SENT TWO, UM, YOU GUYS, YOU SENT TWO REMINDERS.
UM, I SENT OUT A COUPLE OF TEXTS TODAY TO HAVE PEOPLE VOTE.
SO I KNOW NICOLE AND DON VOTED TODAY.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO, UM, SO IF YOU PULL IT UP ON YOUR PHONE, IT SAYS JUNE 6TH IS SEVEN, UM, IS THE TOP.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL IF THE STAFF IS WANTS TO GO BY THIS OR, UH, WHAT'S UPDATED ON, UM, ON THE DOODLE? YEAH, I JUST, UM, MADAM CHAIR, I DID PULL IT UP AS WELL AND, AND SAW THAT THE SEVENTH, UM, THAT THE MOST VOTES ARE FOR JUNE 6TH AND I THINK JULY 1ST.
UM, JULY 1ST IS THE JULY 1ST AND JULY 10TH SEEMS TO BE THE OTHER TWO.
UM, THAT HAVE THE MOST SIX VOTES.
I WAS, I WAS THINKING THE JULY 1ST BECAUSE, UM, MS. ETTE WOULD BE THERE, EVEN THOUGH THE TOP ONE IS JUNE 6TH.
YEAH, I'M, I'M OKAY WITH THE FIRST TWO.
RON, ARE YOU OKAY? STILL BE A IS WHY I HAD THE FIRST AND SECOND MARKED DOWN.
SO I'M JUST GOING BY THE, THE TOP VOTES AND THEN WHERE THE MS. NETTE CAN BE THERE AND THE STAFF.
SO THAT'S UM, JUNE 6TH AND THEN JULY 1ST, AND THEN JULY 10TH.
SO THE DAY SIXTH, MY PHONE THURSDAY AND THE 10TH IS WEDNESDAY EVENING.
CAN'T DO THE I KNOW THAT SIXTH IS, I'M, I'M GOOD.
SO JULY 1ST, WHATEVER DAY Y'ALL CHOOSE, I CAN'T DO THE FIFTH STAFF OKAY.
THIRD, BECAUSE REMEMBER IN THE PAST IF SOMEONE COULDN'T COME TO THAT MEETING AND THEY WANTED TO CATCH UP, WE'VE GIVEN THEM THEIR OWN.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR JULY 1ST FROM FOUR TO EIGHT? MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE, UH, TO HOLD THE BUDGET WORKSHOP ON JULY 1ST FROM FOUR TO EIGHT SECOND.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.
MOVING ON TO COMMENTS BY THE LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY AGAIN, PATRICIA, I REALLY ENJOY GETTING TO KNOW YOU AND SEEING LIKE HOW GREAT YOU ARE AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
YOU ARE ALREADY GOING, SO I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA ENJOY RETIREMENT
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE STAFF HERE.
I WANT TO ECHO WHAT, WHAT CANDICE SAID OR MADAM PRESIDENT SAID.
UM, BOTH YOU AND MARY ARE LIKE ROCK STARS IN THE, I'M SERIOUS, Y'ALL, Y'ALL, EVERYWHERE WE GO IN THE LIBRARY WORLD, Y'ALL ARE, Y'ALL ARE ROCK STARS AND PEOPLE RECOGNIZE YOU FOR BEING CONSISTENT FOR, UM, BRINGING THE LIBRARY FROM WHERE IT WAS TO WHAT IT IS.
AND NOT JUST THAT, BUT EVEN INVOLVING WITH THE PROGRAM INSIDE OF IT.
RIGHT? SO ONE THING I EVEN WHEN I EVEN TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITIES AND LACK OF ACCESS WITH ALL THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE STUFF THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW IT EXISTS.
'CAUSE THEY WOULD COME HERE FOR IT, RIGHT? SO BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE WHAT
[01:00:01]
YOU NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN PERSONAL BUSINESS AND ACADEMICS.AND SO I JUST THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THE LIBRARY AND WE WILL DEFINITELY MISS YOU AND THE TAG TEAM DUO THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN.
MARY, YOU GOT SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL.
'CAUSE NOW YOU GOTTA DO TWO PEOPLE'S JOB.
OH, NO, THAT'S NOT, OR, OR BUILD SOMEBODY UP.
BUILD SOMEBODY UP THAT CAN FILL THEIR SHOES.
AND I JUST, I CAN'T SAY ANY MORE THAN THAT.
I, AGAIN, I, IT'S BEEN, UH, A REAL COMFORT TO, TO HAVE YOU TO BE ABLE TO LEAN ON YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS, UH, TO, TO PICK YOUR BRAIN FOR YOU TO SHARE ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, PATRICIA AND, AND I DID HAVE JUST A MILD PANIC ATTACK WHEN
BUT I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK.
AND AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE LIBRARY BOARD AND THE LIBRARY SYSTEM.
I I WORK WITH SOME REALLY WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO, UM, HAVE WORKED WITH ME ON THESE BUILDINGS AND THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO.
PLUS I HAVE HER PHONE NUMBER, RIGHT? OH, YOU JUST GOING ON CONTRACT SOON? THAT'S WHAT THAT SOUNDED LIKE.
TECHNICALLY SHE'S NOT ALLOWED TO CONTRACT FOR TWO YEARS.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH ME THROUGH THE YEARS.
THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE SHARED WITH ME AND THE THINGS YOU'VE TAUGHT ME.
AND LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, WE WILL MISS YOU.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOIN? UM, I JUST HAD ONE MORE ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
SORRY, WHAT WAS MY BRAIN STOP QUESTION?
OH MY, OH, I DO WANNA MAKE A COMMENT.
SO I KNOW THAT WE HAVE ONE OPEN SEAT, UM, THAT'S COMING UP TO REPLACE NICOLE ON THE BOARD.
SO I WANNA PUBLICLY ADDRESS THAT.
UM, DURING THE MEETING AT THE COUNCIL MEETING, I WAS A LITTLE DISHEARTENED THAT IT WAS, UH, KIND OF, SHE WAS SOMEWHAT BAD MOUTHED.
AND THE SAME GENTLEMAN THAT WAS HERE BEFORE THAT WANTED TO SEE OUR CITY DO BETTER, UM, DIDN'T TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBSERVE, TO TALK, TO UNDERSTAND FROM THE BOARD'S PERSPECTIVE AT LEAST I DON'T THINK HE DID.
'CAUSE AS I'VE TALKED TO EVERYBODY BUT RONNIE ABOUT IT.
SO FOUR AND, AND, AND NO, INCLUDING THE LEADERSHIP AND NOBODY'S REALLY SEEN ANYTHING THAT IS CHALLENGED.
THEY'VE ONLY SEEN, UH, ATTRIBUTES THAT ADD VALUE TO THE BOARD THAT WE DON'T BRING.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS HER PARLIAMENTARIAN, UH, EXPERTISE IS WHAT ASHLEY BECK BRINGS TO THE COUNCIL.
AND I LITERALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT HER LIKE, AM I DOING IT RIGHT? YES.
BECAUSE NOT, I MEAN, WHEN YOU GET ELECTED, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU JUST SHOW UP AND THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, YOU'RE THE COUNCILMAN NOW.
LIKE, WHAT DO I DO? RIGHT? SO SAME THING ON THESE BOARDS.
AND SO I BELIEVE HER EXPERTISE, UM, AFTER LAST MEETING, SHE PULLED ME ASIDE JUST TO REALLY FORMALLY INTRODUCE HERSELF AND THEN START TALKING ABOUT SOME IDEAS THAT SHE HAD.
I ALWAYS TELL MARY I'VE NEVER SEEN HER EVEN WHEN SHE'S MAD.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, RIGHT? BECAUSE SHE'S ALWAYS SMILING AND SHE LOVES THE LIBRARY.
AND I GOT THE SAME LEVEL OF ENERGY FROM NICOLE BEING BOTH ON THE STATE LIBRARY BOARD AND OUR, OUR OUR OUR LOCAL PARISH LIBRARY BOARD.
AND SO THE VALUE THAT I SAW THERE IS YOU WANT SOMEBODY IN THOSE HIGHER SEATS.
YOU WANT SOMEBODY THAT CAN BRING THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE FROM THERE TO THE BOARD MEMBERS, BUT ALSO THE INTANGIBLES THAT YOU BRING WITH PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES.
SO I'M ENCOURAGING AND ASKING, UM, THAT IF YOU ARE FOR NICOLE, STAYING ON THE BOARD THAT YOU WRITE TO THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL BY EMAILING METRO COUNCIL@BLA.GOV.
SO IF ANYBODY'S LISTENING AT HOME AND WATCHING THIS LIVE OR RECORDED, HOWEVER IT'S DONE, YOU CAN DO THE SAME.
SHE HAS TREMENDOUS VALUE TO THIS BOARD.
SO THAT'S METRO COUNCIL@BLA.GOV, IT GOES TO EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UM, THERE IT DIDN'T VOTE, IT DIDN'T PASS.
IT'LL BE REINTRODUCED ON NEXT, NEXT WEDNESDAY AND WILL BE VOTED ON THE SECOND WEDNESDAY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS REINTRODUCED.
UM, SO I, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT EVERYBODY SHOW UP 'CAUSE YOU ARE GONNA NEED THAT.
AND EVERYBODY CONTACT THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER AND JUST TO SPEAK VOLUMES ABOUT THE WEALTH AND KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES THAT SHE CAN BRING TO THIS BOARD BASED ON WHO SHE IS, WHAT SHE DOES, AND JUST WHERE HER HEART IT IS FOR THE LIBRARY AND THE KIDS AND, AND FAMILIES THAT, THAT UTILIZE IT.
SO I WON'T BE HERE AND THAT'S WHAT
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FOLKS YOU HAD.BUT UM, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT THAT'S GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
SO I, AND THIS IS NOT THAT BODY, SO I FEEL COMFORTABLE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S LEGAL TO TALK ABOUT IT OR NOT, BUT, UM, I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO SHOW UP.
SHE DEFINITELY HAS MY SUPPORT.
AND I WILL, UM, WRITE A LETTER AS WELL.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU THE LETTERS ARE GOOD SHOWING UP.
THAT'S WHY MAYOR LIBRARY, CONTROVERSIAL.
AND IF I CAN, MADAM CHAIR COME BY THE WAY.
I, I DID HAVE ACTUALLY HAVE THE WRONG DATE ON MY CALENDAR FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
SO IT'S, I IN THE PAST I'VE BEEN THERE AND, AND I, IT WAS MY INTENTION TO BE THERE.
I JUST REALLY, UH, DID, YOU KNOW.
SO I, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING THERE AND WHAT THAT MESSAGE MIGHT HAVE SENT, BUT IT, I HAD EVERY INTENTION TO DO SO I JUST DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS ON.
UH, I I HAD THE WRONG DATE AND I'M GONNA HAVE ONE MORE.
I'LL BE THERE ONE MORE COMMENT ON THIS.
YOU KNOW WHY HE HAS SOMETHING TO DO.
I CAME LATE 'CAUSE I HAD ANOTHER MEETING BEFORE THIS AND LAST MONTH ON THE METRO COUNCIL WHERE I'M ELECTED, I HAVE A SON WHO'S A GRADUATING SENIOR THIS SUNDAY.
GOING TO XAVIER PREMED SCHOLARSHIP.
AND HE HAD TRACK MEETS, HE HAD OTHER STUFF AND I WAS NEVER GONNA SEE MY SON RUN TRACK AGAIN.
SO AS MUCH AS I LOVED THE CONSTITUENTS THAT ELECTED ME TO SERVE THEM, I LOVED MY SON A LITTLE BIT MORE.
'CAUSE I KNOW WHO GOD GAVE ME TO, TO GOVERN FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
AND SO I MISSED THE MEETING BECAUSE I HAD SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE OF A PRIORITY, WHICH WAS MY CHILD.
AND SO THINGS HAPPEN IN LIFE AND WHEN THEY DON'T SHOW UP, THIS IS NOT THE METRO COUNCIL, IT'S ONE MEETING A MONTH.
IT MAY BE TWO MONTHS WHEN I CAN'T BE HERE.
I GO TO AFRICA NEXT WEDNESDAY WITH THE COUNCIL.
SO HAD THIS BEEN NEXT WEEK, WHICH I THOUGHT IT WAS 'CAUSE IT STARTED ON THE THURSDAY, I BELIEVE, SO NEXT WEEK MAKES THE FOURTH THURSDAY INSTEAD OF THE THIRD.
I WOULDN'T EXPECT IT TO BE HERE.
MY POINT IS, WE HAVE THINGS THAT COME UP, AND THAT WAS THE THING THAT WAS USED TO SAY THAT SHE WAS NOT APPROPRIATELY SERVING THE, UH, THE CONSTITUENTS OF EAST BATON NU PARISH, NUMBER ONE.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO, UM, THAT SHE WAS DUAL OFFICE HOLDING, WHICH WAS DEEMED INCORRECT BECAUSE SHE WAS BOTH ON THE STATE AND THE LOCAL BOARDS.
AND SO WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, THERE'S NO REASON SHE SHOULDN'T BE HERE.
AND I, I HOPE, AND I EXPECT EVERYBODY TO SUPPORT.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS RIGHT NOW? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOIN? YES.