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December 16, 2025 at 9:22 PM
And with that, the Detroit Library Commission meeting is adjourned at 4:20pm.
December 16, 2025 at 9:21 PM
The approval of the Routine Finance Report is approved.
December 16, 2025 at 9:20 PM
The motion to approve the DPL FY2027 – FY2030 proposed budget was approved.
December 16, 2025 at 9:18 PM
To clarify, the Representative from the DPL is the Chief Financial Officer, Antonio Brown.
December 16, 2025 at 9:17 PM
The board is discussing the approval of the DPL FY2027 – FY2030 with a representative from the DPL.
December 16, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Under the Committee on Finance, action item 5 is approved – the approval to allocate $250,000 to support the creation and support for a national search for the position of DPL Executive Director. There is some clarification that this is in preparation for a future time when a new director is needed.
December 16, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Action items 1, 2, 3, and 4 all failed. There was some discussion and uncertainty within the board regarding which committees these items should be referred to. Commissioner Hicks expressed some frustration, suggesting that it is unclear how to effectively put ideas forward within the board.
December 16, 2025 at 9:04 PM
The commission is now discussing action item 3 under the committee on finance: to "allocate 1.5 FTE’s (Full-Time Equivalent) to act as direct administrative support to the Board. Said positions should be a direct report to the Board." (from the agenda)
December 16, 2025 at 8:53 PM
This first action item fails. As does the second, which seeks to allocate $200,000 for internal/staff legal counsel to advise the administration and Board in matters related to the Library.
December 16, 2025 at 8:51 PM
…Furthermore he suggests that the dollar amount may be different, but he wants the idea to be put forward to the library.
December 16, 2025 at 8:46 PM
A few of the commissioners suggest that the need for this should be assessed. Commissioner Hicks suggests that when these services are gone, it can be hard to quantify the need, and furthermore that the service ended because of Detroit's "period of austerity", as opposed to a lack of needing it.
December 16, 2025 at 8:46 PM
The first action item – the approval to redevelop DPL’s municipal reference library with the $200,000 allocation per year for five years and then reassess the relative need for the above service including tract utilization/request for service – is being discussed.
December 16, 2025 at 8:46 PM
The Committee on Finance is now presenting five different suggestions for inclusion in DPL's FY2027 proposed budget. They are listed in the agenda under line item XIII. Here is the link to the agenda again: detroitpubliclibrary.org/news/decembe...
News | December 2025 Closed Session and Regular Commission Meeting | Detroit Public Library
Detroit Public Library
detroitpubliclibrary.org
December 16, 2025 at 8:36 PM
…He suggests to the commission that it may be prudent to think of other repairs to make to the Knapp branch while it is necessarily closed for emergency.
December 16, 2025 at 8:30 PM
The DPL rep presents that the Knapp branch's HVAC coil system is broken is a way where is cuts in and out (making it hard, obviously, to sustain service), and that a necessary closure to acquire parts and make repairs is necessary. …
December 16, 2025 at 8:30 PM
… e.g. to streamline the acquisition of parts, and to consider acquiring new parts, rather than after-market parts that are acquired related to funding and the nature of emergency breaks requiring urgency).
December 16, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Furthermore, there is agreement that a separate facilities plan may be necessary for the libraries to better organize their maintenance system …
December 16, 2025 at 8:30 PM
The presenter from the DPL is responding to some concern from the commission regrading communication between the smaller branches and facilities (i.e. when a library needs building repairs, how can we ensure that maintenance is happening after that so that emergencies don't happen again).
December 16, 2025 at 8:19 PM
A presentation is being shared regarding a facilities enhancement proposal (line item XI in the agenda).
December 16, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Conference Technologies INC, out of Troy, MI, has been approved for a contract to upgrade the audio-visual system in the Main Library's auditorium.
December 16, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Both of these policies under the Committee on Books and Literacy are approved.
December 16, 2025 at 8:05 PM
There is some discussion regarding simplifying the language of the borrowing policy.
December 16, 2025 at 8:05 PM