District Library to formally consider TV camera on the roof

Belleville Area District Library Board member John Juriga advised the board that he had asked the Belleville City Council to contact WDIV-TV to see if its weather camera could be put on the library roof instead of on the city hall antenna, as proposed.
He said the city is considering tearing down city hall and the television channel may reconsider where the camera is placed to show scenes in the Belleville area.
At the library board’s regular meeting on Feb. 13, Juriga said city manager Jason Smith told him he would call WDIV to suggest the idea. Juriga offered to make a motion to put the camera on the library roof.
Board president Sharon Peters said it was too soon for official action and there were lots of things to consider before a decision is made. There would have to be no liability to the library, she said.
President Peters said library director Mary Jo Suchy should listen to all the information and then she should make the decision.
“It would have to be done a certain way,” Director Suchy said, noting she would look into it.
Board member Joy Cichewicz said there could be privacy concerns by the library’s neighbors.
Juriga said at the city meeting someone was concerned about the bee hives on the roof, but he thinks the camera could be put on another part of the roof, facing the lake.
It was noted the architect would have to be consulted on whether the roof could hold a camera and they needed to look into whether camera technicians would be bothered by the bees.
Peters advised Juriga, “This is formally on our plate. This is formally before us.”
In other business at the Feb. 13 meeting, the board:
• Heard president Peters say that she attended the recent Friends of the Library annual meeting, which wasn’t very well attended, and then the Friends’ monthly business meeting. She said the library donors all got lifetime memberships in the Friends. She said she has suggested an event with the Friends, possibly in late September when other events aren’t planned, to encourage membership and enhance involvement. Linda Priest said the marketing committee could have an exploratory meeting on the subject;
• Heard Suchy say that she talked with Art Committee chairperson Michele Montour and the Art Committee needs a policy change to stagger the terms of members. It seems everybody is at the end of their terms. Suchy said they would like to have each board involved (such as Belleville Area Council for the Arts and the Friends) select its own member and length of term. The policy change will be put into writing and then sent to the attorney before coming to the board, she said;
• Heard Juriga note that 65 people attended the Phil Hale Jazz Quartet performance in the library in January. Suchy also reported that 150 people were in the children’s department to take part in games and activities during the Bluey Party on Feb. 3. She explained that Bluey is highly popular pre-school television series;
• Heard Suchy report that the heater in the library entryway, powered by the library’s boiler, sprang a leak and has been fixed. She said now they know where the water shutoff valve is for unit;
• Learned the library is partnering with the Belleville Rotary Club on two programs: “Midnight – Detroit and the Underground Railroad” on Feb. 27 and “The Potato Famine” on March 12;
• Was advised the new circulation clerk is Sully Gregoire and outgoing staff includes Harper Klotz, Lisa Meadows, and Esther Walker. Suchy said COVID has continued to impact the staff with four staff members having to call off over the past month;
• Learned a staff committee from multiple departments has attended vendor demos for a needed change in the library’s events and room-booking software. Suchy said this is their immediate concern, but some of the companies also design website and the staff members are asking them some preliminary questions about those services, as well;
• Heard Suchy announce that the Friends’ and Belleville Area Council for the Arts’ classic movie series will show Alfred Hitchcock’s “Strangers on a Train” on March 14, with “Citizen Kane” shown in April, and Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” in May;
• Heard Juriga suggest bringing a paper-shredding truck monthly to the library, especially in April so people will be able to shred their old documents during the tax season. He said the library should pay for the truck. He was told they will look into it, but monthly is too often. Peters said Van Buren Township brings a shredding truck once a year but that’s only for township residents;
• Heard Peters encourage board members to visit the library and to attend library events, “to enjoy the fruits of our labor” expended when they worked to get the new library in place; and
• Was advised by Juriga that on Feb. 14, 21 years ago, he received seven heart bypasses and he is glad they worked.