DUXBURY FREE LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MEETING MINUTES
JANUARY 19, 2005
Members Present: Theodore Flynn (Chair), Carl Meier, Nancy Delano and Jack Hill
Staff Present: Elaine Winquist (Director), David Murphy (Assistant Director), Rose Hickey
(Head of Technical Services) and Deborah Killory (Administrative Assistant)
Also Present: Deborah Bornheimer (Inc. Board)
The meeting was called to order at 7:41 am in the Setter Room at the Duxbury Free Library.
Minutes of previous meeting
The minutes of the December 16, 2004 meeting were presented.
Moved by Mr. Meier, seconded by Ms. Delano, to approve the minutes of the December 16, 2004 meeting as presented.
Vote: 4 – 0 in favor
Director’s Report
Ms. Winquist presented her written report. She noted that she had recently spent six full days on technology, with XP computers now in place at all stations where they are required. She reported that she is currently vice president of OCLN, which means that she will be president next year. ALA met in Boston this past weekend; Ms. Winquist attended the Sunday session and met with SIRSI (with other OCLN members) and with 3M concerning a security system. Mr. Murphy and Ms. Snoeyenbos also attended sessions. The director also reported that the HVAC system continues to have problems related to the computer control end of the system.
Department Reports
Reports of the Children’s, Circulation, Reference and Technical Services Department were distributed.
Friends Report
Ms. Winquist attended last week’s meeting and commented on how impressed she is with the new board. The Friends have collected $20,000 so far this year and are providing money for the lease of new copy machines. Hopefully, they will be contributing $10,000 toward materials and will continue to fund the summer reading programs for both children and young adults. The Friends have also indicated a desire to raise money for a security system for the library.
Lynne Walsh arrived at 7:49.
FY06 Budget
Ms. Bornheimer stated that she felt that the restoration of hours of operation of the library were paramount and expressed her hope that by September, Sunday hours will be restored, through either public or private funding. Mr. Flynn said that the trustees do not want to privately fund what should be municipally supported. Although the FY06 budget will be approximately $49,000 short of the amount needed to restore the budget to FY04 levels, thus restoring personnel positions and allowing the hours to be restored, the percentage of the budget will be higher than it has been the last two years. It appears that the selectmen and finance committee will increase the budget by the approximately $2500 required to reach state certification levels.
Mr. Meier agreed that the restoration of hours of operation is important, as indicated by the choice of commons as one of the service responses voted by the community focus group for the long range plan. He noted that the trustees are on record as saying that salary money must come from the town. He pointed out that it is difficult to get materials onto the shelf with the current staffing levels in technical services. He also pointed out that it was a major change that the finance committee is looking for the money to help the library meet state certification requirements.
Mr. Flynn said that the trustees have a fiduciary responsibility to the town as well as to the library, and if funds are tight, he felt that it was reasonable to ask for the restoration of the library’s share of the budget rather than insist on a return to service levels of the past. Ms. Bornheimer presented the trustees with comparative information with other towns of similar size and character.
Ms. Winquist said that the Fiscal Advisory Committee has not yet met, but that the Finance Committee asked for information on past and projected capital budget requests. She noted that he biggest item is the computerized control of the HVAC system, which NORESCO staff has said is nearing failure. Money seems not to be available for this until the system actually fails. $30,000 of the $100,000 awarded to the library for technology in the FY01 capital budget remains; more funds will be needed in FY10. Future needs include repair of the north wall, landscaping, carpet replacement and reupholstering of furniture.
The current operating budget request is for $984,312, with $990.000 needed for state certification. Assuming $3,500 in management salary increases (the same amount awarded this fiscal year, an additional $2,000 - $3,000 will bring the budget into compliance with state requirements.
Long Range Planning Update
Mr. Meier reported that the Long Range Planning Committee will be meeting on January 20 to draft a mission statement and begin discussing goals in the service response areas of commons, general information and lifelong learning. During the month of February, Ms. Winquist and the management team will use this direction in drafting goals and objectives. In late February to early March, the staff will work on developing activities to meet the goals and objectives. In April the plan should come to the trustees for review, at which time the budget will be looked at in relation to the activities.
The meeting room schedule for the first half of 2005 was set for the following Thursday mornings at 7:30 am: February 17, March 17, April 14, May 12 and June 9.
Moved by Mr. Hill, seconded by Mr. Meier, to adjourn at 8:38 am.
Vote: 5 – 0 in favor
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