DUXBURY FREE LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MEETING MINUTES
APRIL 8, 2004
Members Present: Theodore Flynn (Chair), John Hill, Lynne Walsh, Carl Meier, Margaret
Lougee and Nancy Delano
Staff Present: Elaine Winquist (Director), David Murphy (Assistant Director), Nancy
Denman (Assistant Director), Rose Hickey (Acquisitions Librarian) and
Deborah Killory (Administrative Assistant)
The meeting was convened at 7:40 am in the Setter Room at the Duxbury Free Library.
Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees
Moved by Mr. Hill, seconded by Ms. Delano, to nominate Mr. Flynn as Chair of the Board of Trustees.
Vote: 6 – 0 in favor
Moved by Mr. Hill, seconded by Ms. Lougee, to nominate Mr. Meier as Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees.
Vote: 6 – 0 in favor
Moved by Ms. Walsh, seconded by Mr. Hill, to nominate Ms. Walsh as Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
Vote: 6 – 0 in favor
Minutes of previous meeting
The minutes of the March 11, 2004 meeting were presented.
Moved by Mr. Meier, seconded by Ms. Lougee, to approve the minutes of the March 11, 2004 meeting as presented.
Vote: 6 – 0 in favor
Chair’s Report
Mr. Flynn proposed a plan of action for the budget for the next fiscal year. He said that he felt it was important to protect what the library has and to accept not less than a FY06 budget with level services, based on FY04 services. The Chair asked that Ms. Winquist provide a bulleted list of the five or six most significant losses due to the budget cuts.
A proactive relationship should be formed with the Finance Committee to achieve a fully restored budget, approximately $990,000. In order to restore lost services, it will be necessary to restore staffing, requiring the restoration of about $60,000 to return to seven day operation. Trustees should attend Finance Committee meetings and get on the committee’s agenda as early as possible in the FY06 budgeting process. Mr. Flynn will address this with the Inc. Board at their meeting in early May and Ms. Lougee will address the budget issue with the Friends of the DFL. A column from the Trustees will be included in the upcoming issue of Library Lore stating that the Trustees are committed to full restoration of the Library Budget in FY06 and are looking for the support of library patrons
to make that happen.
Ms. Winquist proposed the following hours of operation for the library in FY05:
Monday 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday – Thursday 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday Closed
Moved by Mr. Meier, seconded by Mr. Hill, to approve the FY05 hours of operation as recommended by the Library Director.
Vote: 6 – 0 in favor
An article will be placed in the Clipper concerning the new hours. The Trustees intend to aggressively address the budget restoration with the Finance Committee and the Board of Selectmen, and will make it clear that they will take the issue to Annual Town Meeting in March of 2005 if necessary. It was suggested that there be a place on the website where patrons can email the trustees with their concerns and comments on the restoration project. In addition to asking for a place early on the Finance Committee’s FY06 budget schedule, the trustees will arrange a meeting in late August or early September with the Board of Selectmen. It was suggested that the agenda of Trustees meeting be sent to the Clipper.
Director’s Report
Ms. Winquist reported that the reception for Reggie Bannerman’s retirement had been well attended. The new website for the library will be unveiled within a week. A Jodi Piccoult author program was very successful and another program is planned with the Art Complex Museum as well as Westwinds Bookshop.
She expressed her concern that when capital monies are restored to the town budget, the library will be low on the priority list and suggested that the library look to the Inc. Board to support important capital projects such as fixing the lower level doors and an energy management system. The Friends have set a fundraising goal of raising money for a security system and will be leasing a copy machine for staff use. Mr. Meier suggested that it would be useful to show Town Meeting that funds for capital needs are being actively pursued through outside sources, when restoration of the operating budget is being requested.
The Director of the Angers library, Phoebe Marshall-Raimbeau, will be present at the next trustees meeting.
Department Reports
Reports of the Children’s, Circulation, Reference and Technical Services Departments were distributed.
Friends Report
Ms. Lougee will continue as the Trustees’ liaison to the Friends group. She reported that they are moving forward slowly and carefully on the tile wall fundraising project and will meet with the artist for a presentation on April 28. Their plans include money to lease a copier, to support the summer reading program and South Shore video contest, and to provide supplemental funding for materials.
Director’s Evaluation
Forms for the Director’s evaluation were distributed; they should be filled out and sent to Ms. Lougee by May 1.
Moved by Mr. Hill, seconded by Mr. Meier, to adjourn the meeting at 8:35 am.
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