September 2024 Board Meeting - Minutes

September 26, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. 
Fleetwood Branch 

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

Regrets: Councillor Kooner, Trustee Kular and Trustee Sohal 

Staff: 

  • Surinder Bhogal, Chief Librarian 
  • Michael Ho, Director, Administrative Services 
  • Julie Balenzano, Director, Public Services 
  • Jenny Fry, Director, Programs and Partnerships 
  • Seline Kutan, Director, Communications and Advancement 
  • Nav Gill, Administrative Coordinator  

Guests: 

  • Rob Costanzo, City Manager 
  • Rhys Edwards, City Assistant Curator 
  • Amelia Boissoneau, Indigenous Services Coordinator 
  • Veronica Griffin, CUPE 402-02 
  • Jasper Wong, CUPE 402-02 

1. Call To Order & Land Acknowledgement

Trustee Gurm called the meeting to order at 6:01 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 Smith moved and Trustee Kaluarachchi seconded – CARRIED       

MOTION: “To move guest presentations before the Consent Agenda”

Trustee Werring moved and Trustee Gillies seconded – CARRIED

3. Presentations

  1.  Rob Costanzo, City Manager  
    Rob Costanzo provided a high level overview of the City’s priorities. 
  2. Rhys Edwards, City Assistant Curator 
    Rhys Edwards presented information about an Urban Arts Screen for the Civic Plaza which will be projected on the City Centre branch. 
  3. Amelia Boissoneau, Indigenous Services Coordinator 
    Amelia Boissoneau gave an overview of the Library’s services related to Indigenous history, culture and art. She also highlighted upcoming programs.

4. Adoption Of The Consent Agenda

  1. Approval of July 25, 2024 minutes of Regular Meeting of the Surrey Public Library Board 
  2. Financial Statement for the period ending August 31, 2024
  3. Correspondence to B.C. Ministry Municipal Affairs regarding provincial grant 
  4. Correspondence from InterLINK regarding net lender credit 
  5. Correspondence to InterLINK regarding net lender credit
  6. Mayor’s Literacy Month Proclamation 
  7. B.C.s Strategic Plan for Public Library Service: Refreshed Strategies and Actions 

Trustee Smith moved and Trustee Werring seconded – CARRIED

5. In-Camera Meeting

MOTION: “To move in camera pursuant to policy 1.2 Library Board Meetings.” 

Trustee Gillies moved and Trustee Kular seconded – CARRIED

MOTION: To adjourn in camera meeting and return to regular meeting. 

Trustee Pascal moved and Trustee Kular seconded  – CARRIED

6. New Business/Discussion

  1. Budget 2025 Proposal 
    MOTION: “To approve the 2025 operating budget for submission to the City of Surrey.” 

    Trustee Smith moved and Trustee Kular seconded – CARRIED

  2. Board Procedures for Serious Misconduct 
    MOTION: “To approve the proposed serious misconduct process for inclusion in the Board Procedures Manual.” 

    Trustee Smith moved and Trustee Gillies seconded –  CARRIED

  3. Board Self-Evaluation Process 
    MOTION: “To approve the board self-evaluation process with addition of six new statements to survey.” 

    Trustee Gillies moved and Trustee Pascal seconded – CARRIED

  4. October Board Thank You Phone Calls – Trustees encouraged to each make 5 calls next month to thank library donors. 

7.Information Items

  1. Verbal Updates
    1. Board Chair: None 
    2. InterLINK: Trustee Gillies attended the InterLINK meeting and reported that Surrey Libraries is projecting to be a net lender and consequently will receive a credit on the membership dues. InterLINK and other BC library federations are standardizing professional development training so employees from different regions can take advantage of learning. 
    3. Chief Librarian Updates: 
      1. Library received $35,000 funding from local government climate action preparedness (LGCAP) grant through the City for installing bike repairs stations outside branches. 
      2. Strawberry Hill branch landlord has extended the lease agreement at current favourable terms by one year to May 2026. 
      3. The library is posting a Security Services Manager, reallocating funds from a vacant manager position. The role will support City Centre, which has a proportionately high number of incidents, and provide a systems lens to enhancing safety and security at all branches. The position will report to the Director, Administrative Services. 
      4. Street Smart program, which provides resources and referrals to the unsheltered and unhoused, will be restarting at City Centre. The City will manage the overall contract with Lookout Society. 
      5. October is Canadian library month.  Instead of patron appreciation teas, the library will be piloting notepad giveaways on October 24 to all patrons as a thank you. 

8. Next Library Board Meeting

November 28, 2024, 6pm, Strawberry Hill Branch 

Meeting adjourned at 7:58 pm.