July 2024 Board Meeting - Minutes

July 25, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. 
Clayton Branch 

Present:  Councillor Kooner, Trustee Cuenca, Trustee Gurm (Chair), Trustee Gillies, Trustee Kaluarachchi, Trustee Pham, Trustee Smith, Trustee Sohal, and Trustee Werring 

Regrets: Trustee Kular and Trustee Pascal 

Staff: 

  • Surinder Bhogal, Chief Librarian 
  • Michael Ho, Director, Administrative Services 
  • Seline Kutan, Director, Communications and Advancement 
  • Nav Gill, Administrative Coordinator  

Guests: 

  • Niki Penz, Director, Collections and Technology 
  • Veronica Griffin, CUPE 402-02 

1. Call To Order & Land Acknowledgement

Trustee Gurm called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. and expressed appreciation working on the traditional territories of the Semiahmoo, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Kwantlen, Qayqayt, Musqueam and Tsawwassen First Nations. 

2. Adoption Of The Agenda

Trustee Sohal moved and Trustee Gillies seconded –  CARRIED

3. Adoption Of The Consent Agenda

  1. Approval of May 23, 2024 minutes of Regular Meeting of the Surrey Public Library Board
  2. Financial Statement for the period ending June 30, 2024
  3. Public Library Grant Award Letter from Public Libraries Branch, Ministry Municipal Affairs, June 28, 2024

Trustee Werring moved and Councillor Kooner seconded – CARRIED

4. New Business/Discussion

  1. Convening Nominations Committee
    Trustee Gillies, Smith and Sohal volunteered.
    MOTION: “To convene the nominations committee until the end of the year.”

Trustee Smith moved and Trustee Gillies seconded – CARRIED

5.Information Items

  1. Reports
    1. Key Strategic Initiatives and Measures Mid-Year Update
    2. Board Objectives Update Mid-Year Update
    3. Voice of the Customer Report: Jan-June 2024
    4. Surrey Libraries Facilities Master Plan Update
  2. Verbal Updates
    1. Board Chair: City Manager is attending the September meeting. After feedback from trustees, the October 31, 2024 meeting was canceled.
    2. Chief Librarian:
      1. The Board and Mayor received emails requesting cancellation of a private room booking on July 25, 2024 for the screening of documentary ‘Israelism’. Staff have responded that the booking cannot be canceled as it does not violate library policies or Canadian laws. No disruptions were reported at the event.
      2. Library has received funding for 1FTE librarian to help create a ‘Welcome Centre’ for newcomers at City Centre branch.
      3. Clayton Branch is closed for maintenance August 20 – 27, 2024, and open for limited hours on August 28 and 29, 2024.

6. Motion For Moving In-Camera

Trustee Gillies moved and Trustee Kaluarachchi seconded – CARRIED

7. Next Library Board Meeting

September 26, 2024, 6pm, Fleetwood Branch 

Meeting adjourned at 7:15 pm.