Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes Morrill Memorial & Harris Library Trustees Meeting Monday Feb. 10, 2025 7:00 PM in Library
March 9, 2025Attendees: Cindy Binzen, Miriam Newman, Rachel Kurland, Becky Proulx, Carol Wilson, Melissa Strayton (Library Director), Kevin Lynch. Absent:
Action Item Summary
Miriam
Follow up on coyote talk regarding weekend time slot, all ages appropriate
Kevin
Biblio+/Libby show-and-tell.
Update current website to include Biblio.
Post policies on google drive.
Benevity listserv followup
Organize website review meeting first with Melissa, Carol then next meeting including James Taylor
Rachel
Finalize 2025 budget
Benevity followup with charity navigator and Masland’s office
Cindy
Ask Eric to skip mowing back field in 2025 and find someone to brush hog once yearly instead
Contact Steven Walker on salt issue.
Melissa
Coordinate thermostat installation with Tom Root
Regular weekend postings to the listserv should include noteworthy acquisitions and events
Pursue Fall (late 4Q) grant for roof replacement.
Carol
Next steps on baby books.
Secretary’s Report
Assign a secretary to take notes – Lynch
Approve minutes from December meeting - Moved Lynch, second Kurland, approved all.
Any items to add/remove? None
Rachel will be doing bills going forward. Thanks in advance.
Librarian’s Report
VT Dept of Library and Turrell are submitted. Subrecipient grant report for Courier submitted. Town Meeting write-up submitted.
Valentine’s construction activities had no attendees.
Saturday postings suggestions - story time, Biblio+, Covid tests, closings, passes.
- Ordering for collection - big children’s order circulating well, adult order nearing submission. B+T has huge delays for all categories; B+T has reduced discounts making it more advantageous to use non-profit pricing at Norwich and Yankee Bookstores.
- School age Saturdays, nursery time.
Roberta – bookkeeper update, Meg Albee for one month, potentially more.
Thermostat – Tom Root - Melissa to contact.
Dog-eared pages. Patron upset at dog-eared pages. Consider a message to patrons to love our books
Two candidates have expressed an interest in pre-school story-time on a volunteer, ad-hoc basis.
Benevity check for $957.00. Kevin to check legitimacy with Library Listserv, Rachel to check Masland office and Charity Navigator.
Friends Report
Melissa solicited volunteers from Friends.
Treasurer’s Report
Review profit and loss statement.
2025 budget approved
Meg Albee volunteering one month, unpaid for bookkeeping. May be open to continuing on a paid basis.
Appeals Letter – thank yous
Annual Appeals letter ~$5K
Other Business
Investment Committee update - Significant proportion of endowment investments are in ESG funds which are lagging the market and have poor outlook under Trump administration. In the interest of maintaining financial viability of endowment, we plan to lift the restriction to ESG funds thus providing both access to a broader mix of funds and providing liquidity (which reduces the risk profile of the portfolio). Move Newman, second Lynch, approve majority.
Rachel will add $1K to fund bookkeeper and finalize budget. Motion to accept budget Kurland, Wilson seconded, majority approved.
Architect proposals - nothing yet.
Website update - Kevin to organize meeting Melissa, Carol, Kevin
Adult programs – Libby Kevin, tech time Cindy S, Becky, Scams and Fraud, BBB, Wednesday March 26, Corey Cook and others April 30,
Coyote talk -$275. Approach conservation committee to co-sponsor. Miriam to investigate further to determine whether it is appropriate for all ages. Target would be the weekend.
Baby books - Carol has next steps.
Hazel memorial 17-May. We should consider putting out her scrapbooks.
WASPS! Need to find nest.
Salt being used is bleaching floors. Cindy to contact Steve.
January Monthly Duties
Prepare narrative and financial report for Town Meeting - done
EOY register Sec. of State governance - $20 due 2025 - done
February Monthly Duties
Annual fiscal report to Probate Court – Rachel
Change smoke detector batteries, blow out dust – Rocky
March Monthly Duties
Election of officers
Policy review
Include in minutes ”exclusion of officers of the Inc. from protection under St. of VT Workers Comp. Act”
Next meeting March 10, 2025 7pm at Library
Posted by Morrill Memorial & Harris Library.
