March 17, 2010
LIBRARY CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES March 17, 2010 Room 278 City Hall Wednesday March 17, 2010 City Hall: Room 278 One Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco, California 94102 ORDER OF BUSINESS I. Call to Order, Roll Call/Introductions, Sue Cauthen, Chair
Present: Ted Bamberger, Sue Cauthen, Houston Garcia, Linda Guitron, Roger Kallen, Neil Mills, Clarice Moody, Jan Seeman, Gladys Soto, Peter Warfield
Absent: Enne Braun, Lucille Cuttler, Karen Magoon, Margaret Lee, Anne Wintroub, Dan Weaver
II. Select minutes-taker (Jean Barish)
III. Controller Audits & GOBOC Oversight
Robert Tarsia, Deputy Audit Director
Tonia Lediju, Director of Audits
Ms. Lediju and Mr. Tarsia highlighted these aspects of the City Services Auditor Report:
City Services Auditor (CSA) was created in 2003 by Proposition C.
CSA conducts performance audits, financial audits and attestation services of City departments; it also operates a whistleblower hotline & website.
Audits are performed in accordance with industry standards, and require
independence, competence, documentation, and quality control.
CSA's budget is 2/10 of 1% (.2%) of the city budget: about $12 million in FY 09-10.
Audit planning must consider risk/benefits. Purpose of audit is to add value and provide a valuable tool for management.
The City wants the Controller to show how to control costs and increase revenue.
Abraham A. Simmons, Esq., Chair, General Obligation Bond Oversight Committee (GOBOC)
The GOBOC is a nine member board that oversees all general obligation bonds and serves as an audit review board for these bonds. Its purpose is to assure that expenditures are made in accordance with the stated purpose of the bonds. While GOBOC is sensitive to public concerns, it is unclear if another BLIP audit is appropriate. at this time. GOBOC wants to look at projects not previously considered.
Public Comment
Joan Wood: Wants another BLIP audit to assure monies are being used for their intended purpose: i.e., renovations instead of new structures. She said the library is inviting a lawsuit because it wants to demolish the North Beach library and build a new branch on a site that was taken by eminent domain to be a park.
Charles Moody: The City Auditor report details cost overruns. A second BLIP audit is not in order.
LCAC Comments/Questions
S. Cauthen: How do you decide whether or not another BLIP audit is needed?
R. Tarsia: Audits must be performed selectively, based on risk and other criteria. Some audit monies are earmarked by department and funds. Some audits are required by law, others are discretionary.
A. Simmons: The general obligation bond sets monies aside for audits.
T. Lediju: Audits tend to be prioritized based on risk assessment. Additionally, there are limited resources to conduct audits.
S. Cauthen: Are there dedicated funds for BLIP audits? There is $159,000 for library audits in the current budget.
A. Simmons: Yes. Additionally, the best time for a BLIP audit must be considered. It may be premature for another audit.
C. Moody: Where does audit money come from?
R. Tarsia: Generally it is a percentage of the bond money.
P. Warfield: /Quarterly GOBOC meetings are inadequate. It seems as though the controller doesn’t look at the larger picture. How does .the controller’s audit budget compare to other cities’?
T. Lediju: San Francisco probably has more money for audits than other cities.
A. Simmons: Would like more frequent GOBOC meetings. SF Controller's Office is outstanding, which probably explains why SF bond ratings are so high.
T. Bamberger: What oversight does GOBOC apply to itself?
A. Simmons: GOBOC needs to communicate with the public about what the city does, including what is under the Controller's purview.
N. Mills: Is Laguna Honda audited?
T. Lediju: Yes. Simmons: There is interest in Laguna Honda’s cutback on beds.
Gladys Soto: Who audits the Controller? How do audits work?
R. Tarsia: A performance audit takes 2000 hours and costs $250, 000.
L. Guitron: Can audit money be spent for anything else?
R. Tarsia - That depends on the language of the bond.
H, Garcia: Does the money available for audits fluctuate??
R. Tarsia: The number varies depending on the city's budget.
S. Cauthen: Library renovations are paid for with general obligation and revenue bonds. How does that shift affect expenditures? What would trigger a library audit? Do revenue bonds incorporate audits?
A. Simmons: Needs to better understand what has happened with library renovations and where funds have come from. The timing of a BLIP audit depends on how much money has been spent. Asks for input from LCAC and public.
R. Tarsia: There is a revenue bond audit oversight board.
P. Warfield: Library funding is a "trail of broken promises." Auditors must be sure to get information from accurate and reliable sources.
R. Tarsia: Auditors are very cautious about evaluating people’s statements for veracity.
V. LCAC Mission
The chair distributed a copy of the LCAC mission statement, which states that its purpose is to review library programs and operations and make recommendations to the supervisors for improved library service. Hence the LCAC is an advisory and oversight body, not a library support group.
P. Warfield: "Public discussion" is an important issue. The LCAC is required to produce Minutes that are sent to the BOS, as well as an annual report. Views of library user groups must also be considered.
VI. Officer Reports
Chair Cauthen passed out an attendance report for 2009, which will be distributed to the LCAC appointing bodies: SFPL and Board of Supervisors
She announced that there are two new LCAC members: Supervisor Chiu appointed Karen Magoon to the District 3 seat, replacing Shanica Dismuke. The city librarian appointed Anne Wintroub, Friends of the Library staff in charge of communications and advocacy, to the technology/privacy seat, replacing Michael Olinger. We have asked Supervisor Dufty to appoint Lindsey Eng to the District 8 seat.
Cauthen called on Houston Garcia to discuss development of a Facebook page for the LCAC. He said that the purpose of a Facebook Page would be to provide information and encourage the public to attend meetings. It could be set up as a "Fan" page. Another option would be to create a web page, which might include a blog. Following comments from several LCAC members about differences and similarities of a Facebook page and a web page, it was agreed that Houston would give a presentation at the next LCAC meeting to explain a Facebook Fan Page and a web page and further explore this project.
Public Comment:
Henry Pan said a blog could be included on a website and agreed to work with Garcia to develop a Facebook page for LCAC.
Lindsey Eng said Facebook is a good way to reach out to youth. She will also work on the LCAC Facebook page and provided information about a Fan Page,
Bookmarks: They have been distributed to the libraries.
New SFPL Website: Clarice Moody: said that the BLIP portion of the new website needs updating. After discussion, the LCAC passed the following resolution:
Resolution: The LCAC resolves that the library's new website should include current information about each project in the BLIP program, and update it monthly.
Moved: C. Moody
Seconded: L. Guitron
Discussion: T. Bamberger: It might be better to review the entire new site then make a resolution addressing all issues.
P. Warfield: Supports Bamberger suggestion. BLIP material is too outdated. The new website downgrades books.
T. Bamberger: Withdraws amendment.
Aye: T. Bamberger, S. Cauthen, H. Garcia, L. Guitron, R. Kallen, N. Mills, C. Moody, J. Seeman, G. Soto
No: P. Warfield
Motion Passed
VII. New Agenda Items
T. Bamberger: Discussion of library distribution program for weeded books. Currently approximately 65,000 books are weeded (withdrawn from the collection) annually. These books are in storage, and a better system should be in place to distribute them. Cauthen said that the library’s view is that people do not want these books. It was suggested that the Council of Neighborhood Libraries could manage distribution. Bamberger will seek information on facilities in District 1 that would be interested in weeded books and report back in April.
Cauthen said the BLIP program and a budget wrap-up are planned for upcoming meetings. There is also an interest in more data on the new SFPL website.
VIII. Approval of February, 2010 Minutes
C. Moody moved to approve the February, 2010, Minutes; seconded by G. Soto
Aye: T. Bamberger, S. Cauthen, H. Garcia, L. Guitron, R. Kallen, N. Mills, C. Moody, J. Seeman, G. Soto, P. Warfield
The motion to approve the minutes was unanimously passed
.
IX. Meeting Adjourned 8:23 pm
