Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes: Thursday, September 13, 2012

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2012
3:30 PM
AMENDED MINUTES

Location: Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Trustees present: David Buckley, Laura Senes, Steve Fuller, Duane Whitehead, Jan Mitchel-Love, Debbi Wetzel, Carolyn Frisa, Hope Brissette; Deb Wright arrived at 4:15. Additional members present: Célina Houlné (Library Director)

AGENDA: Called to order by Jan Mitchel-Love at 3:33.

1. Additions or changes to agenda
• Error discovered in April 2012 minutes – “worked with Personnel Committee to allow free Library memberships to All Town Employees…” should have been listed under general business rather than under “Personnel Committee Report”. A motion to correct the April 2012 Minutes was made by Steve Fuller, seconded by Hope Brissette and unanimously approved.
• A question was raised as to whether the Trustees would like to create a separate document defining the specific roles of the Trustee Renovation Representatives (Duane Whitehead and Hope Brissette) and Célina Houlné (Library Representative). The Trustees felt that what has already been written in various Trustee Meeting Minutes is sufficient.

2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
• None

3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – August 9, 2012
• Hope Brissette moved to approve them as submitted; seconded by Steve Fuller; approved unanimously by the Trustees.

4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
• see Director’s Report and Financial Report for details
• A question was raised concerning losses/profits of providing coffee to patrons. The Library Director will look into less expensive sources for coffee.
• A question was raised concerning the 169% budget line for Adult Programming. The Library Director provided an explanation of the overage and reported funds are available from the Friends to cover these additional costs.

5. Renovation Project Update – Update on Letter to Fred Baybutt and Review of Interior Finishes
• The Library Director provided the Trustees with copies of the response letter from Fred Baybutt (received earlier today). Discussion followed.
• The Library Director provided the Trustees with the Renovation Expense Report through 9-17-12. A request that a percentage line be added to future reports was made.
• The Library Director presented the Trustees with the interior finishes recommended by the Renovation Committee as a result of their meeting on Tuesday. Steve Fuller motioned to approve all recommendations made by Renovation Committee; seconded by Hope Brissette. No discussion. Unanimously approved. A discussion followed about the potential use of chalkboard or magnetic paint in the Youth Department area.
• Furniture: Jason Lacombe (SMP Architects) recommended contacting furniture consultant Heather Rowan at the Renovation Committee meeting. Creating a “wish list” is the first step in the process. A meeting with Ms. Rowan will be set up on either Sept. 24th or 25th at 5:00pm – Trustees are encouraged to attend.

6. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy – Nothing to report.
b. Building – Hope Brissette reported a meeting will be needed in late spring to organize information pertaining to all of the new equipment and systems in the building.
c. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa reported there will be a meeting on Monday, Sept. 17 at 2pm; the agenda has been sent to the Trustees and everyone is invited to attend.
d. Communications / Fundraising – Debbi Wetzel reported their will be a meeting on Monday, Sept. 17 at 1pm, that the fundraising project is going to pick up soon and the Holiday Open House date is tentatively Dec. 8, 2012. She also reported the November fundraising trip to NYC has sold out; possibly one seat is available that has not been paid for but there is a waiting list.
e. Finance – David Buckley reported the committee is satisfied with the report that was recently submitted by the Town Finance Director.
f. Personnel – Review of Trustee Duties and Rules of Executive Session
-Library Chairwoman Jan Mitchel-Love stated that the written evaluation of the library director is one of their three primary duties and reminded them that all discussions in executive session are confidential and that no decisions can be made in Executive Session.
-Library Director Célina Houlné discussed her ideas concerning the evaluation process and provided a written response to the evaluation draft she was previously given by the Personnel Committee.
-Jan Mitchel-Love recommended that the Trustees enter Executive Session today without the Library Director as Part I of the process to be followed by a second executive session at a later date in which the Director will be invited to attend and discuss her evaluation with the full Board.

7. The next Library Board of Trustees meeting will be on October 11, 2012 at 4:00pm at the Library unless otherwise warned.

8. Executive Session – Director’s Evaluation
-Jan Mitchel-Love motioned to move into an executive session with Trustees only; seconded by Deb Wright; unanimously approved at 5:10pm. -Executive session ended at 6:15pm.

9. A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Hope Brissette; seconded by David Buckley; unanimously approved at 6:15.

Minutes respectfully re-submitted by Carolyn Frisa, Co-Secretary October 18, 2012