Minutes for Dec. 11 Trustees Meeting

Present: Cindy Binzen, Curt Albee, Miriam Newman, Marty Frank, Rebecca Seibel (librarian), Carol Wilson, Rachel Kurland, David Webb (for the Friends), Melissa Strayton (librarian to be)

Minutes from the November meeting were accepted.

Librarian’s Report: Rebecca reported the screen door in the front had been removed to the basement where it awaits repair to the closing mechanism. Mike Tisdale dropped by recently to perform computer maintenance, including fixing the Deep Freeze application on one of the computers that had stopped working. The two filing cabinets that had been deemed expendable have been claimed. A check for $2,000 to support children’s programming was recently received from the Byrne Foundation. Donations in response to the appeals letter total $3,850 so far.

Friends’ Report: David reported that the Holiday Sale went very well. It grossed about $6,000, with expenses totaling about $2,000. The Friends plan to give about $4,200 to the library. One aspect of the sale that didn’t do as well this year was the selling of raffle tickets, perhaps because the location changed from near the checkout table to the front of the library.

Treasurer’s Report: Rachel presented the proposed budget she worked out with Rebecca, which calls for total spending of $53,559 (compared with a 2017 budgeted expense total of $55,020), and projected income of $53,577 (compared with 2017’s budgeted $52,202). Rachel noted that the budget anticipates receiving $1,500 from the Turrell Foundation (down $500) but generally makes few changes from the current budget. With more than $35,000 in the checking account and the library in good financial shape, the board decided to level-fund its request from the town at $34,000 rather than increase it by $500 as called for in the budget proposal. The money can be taken from cash on hand or by altering how the annual transfer of money to the reserve fund is accounted for (the library budget has counted that as an expense in previous budgets but a number of people have advised treating it as an expense when the money is actually spent). The budget, after incorporating the suggested changes, was approved unanimously.

Building and Grounds: Curt reported that Eli Mintz was planning on coming to do the tree work as soon as Dec. 12. Cindy told the saga of the library’s attempt to clean the soot left all over the basement after a Rymes technician performed the yearly furnace cleaning. At this point, Servpro has estimated the job at $4,000 and Rymes has agreed to cover the cost, but Cindy is still waiting for written confirmation from Rymes, which seems to think that we’re a church.

Miscellaneous: Rebecca and Melissa will get together to work out a transition plan, with the goal of getting the torch passed on Jan. 3. The reception at the library to officially introduce and welcome Melissa will take place Jan 13 from 10 to noon, with Carol organizing the affair.

Next meeting will be Jan 22.

Submitted by Martin Frank