Board of Trustee Meeting Minutes: Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Rockingham Free Public Library

Board of Trustees Meeting

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Click here to download a .pdf of these minutes.

Present: John Bohannon, Kate Kane, Ellen Taetzsch, Brady Weinstock, Susan Spaulding, Don Tretler, Célina Houlné, Mary Van Hartesveldt

Absent: Kathleen Hacker, Martha Rowley, Dale Kondracki

Guests: None

1. Call to Order : 6:17 PM

2. Additions to Agenda for routine administrative matters and/or pressing matters that

will require ratification at a future meeting : None

3. Public Comment (3 minutes per person) : Mary needs signers for the warrants; Susan and Brady will help out on Thursday afternoons.

4. Approve Minutes of the September 3, 2019, meeting : Brady moved, Susan seconded. Approved unanimously.

5. Director’s Report : RFPL was awarded a grant for 5 wifi hotspots; these will be circulated for people to use at home. RFPL is a beta study for this type of device circulation. Holiday Party is December 7th, not the 8th as Célina noted in her report. Célina will be writing annual appeal letter in early November

6. FY20 Budget Report and FY21 Proposed Budget: Projection for the FY20 budget to be approximately $4000 over budget.. Proposed budget notes: Shannon from Town Hall has given estimates about insurance. The health insurance and health insurance incentives are projected to increase more than expected. Town may be looking at restructuring insurance offerings. Traditional pensions (for past employees) are also a bit unpredictable, but they are part of the town’s pension plan. Includes a 2% cost of living expense increase. Union negotiations will take place for library employees in the late spring, after the town employees negotiate their contract. One large expense that may need to be undertaken this next year is a new book drop; Célina will also ask the Friends to help with this expense. Brady asked about Ancestry.com which is a significant expense, but Célina said that it is well-used and important to patrons. Susan moved that we accept the budget as written, Kate seconded; no further discussion was needed. Motion passed unanimously.

7. Director’s Evaluation Process : John moved that the board approve a revised chronology for the Director’s evaluation. Susan seconded. John presented changes in normal chronology due to the meeting schedule this year. Evaluation forms to be sent out first week in November, to be returned two weeks later. Personnel committee will meet, go over evaluations, summarize data and create a cover letter for the Board to review in January; Célina will have a chance to respond, either at a special meeting if requested, or at the March meeting. Célina requested that the words “in a committee meeting” be added to item #5. This change was agreed to by the Board. Item #6 was changed to read, “Mid December Personnel Committee meeting: prepare draft statistical and narrative evaluation and cover letter.” The motion passed unanimously.

8. Other Business – None

9. Review and Approve Warrants: Done

10. Review Action Items, and Proposed Agenda Items for Next Meeting: Director’s evaluation; discuss trustee candidates.

11. Review Date for Next Meeting: January 7, 2020, at 6:15pm

12. Adjourn: Ellen moved, Susan seconded. Meeting adjourned at 7:13 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Kate Kane, Secretary

Finance Committee Meeting Minutes: Thursday, October 24, 2019

Rockingham Free Public Library

Board of Trustees: Finance Committee Meeting

Thursday, October 25, 2019

Members Present: Martha Rowley, Susan Spaulding, Brady Weinstock

Absent: Kathleen Hacker

Staff Present: Mary Van Hartesveldt

Click here to download a .pdf of these minutes.

1. Call to Order: 3:36 pm

2. Election of Committee Chair & Secretary: Susan nominated Martha to continue as Chair; Brady seconded. Approved unanimously. Susan nominated Brady as Secretary; Martha seconded, approved unanimously.

3. Additions to Agenda for routine administrative matters and/or pressing matters that will require ratification at a future meeting: None

4. Public Comment (3 minutes per person): None

5. Approve Minutes of October 24, 2018 meeting: Susan moved, Brady seconded. Approved unanimously.

6. Review FY21 Budget: The budget for FY21 was discussed and reviewed.

Some points: Mary noted that auditors are still reviewing FY19. There are increases in payroll, pension/VMERS, and the insurance incentive that are out of the director’s control, as these are set by the town and negotiations with the union. An increase is anticipated in electricity/heat cost. GMP rates went up; while we do not yet know what the solar credits will be, they have definitely helped lower our electricity costs. Property and liability insurance cost has decreased, likely because statewide claims for Hurricane Irene have completed.

Susan moved and Brady seconded that the budget be presented to the board as a whole and that we recommend approval. Approved unanimously.

6. Other Business: None

7. Executive Session: None needed.

8. Review Action Items and Proposed Agenda Items for Next Meeting: Susan will introduce the motion to approve the budget at the October 29, 2019, Board of Trustees meeting.

9. Set Date for Next Meeting: Not needed.

10. Adjourn: Susan moved to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 4:40 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Brady Weinstock, Secretary

Board of Trustees Personnel Committee Meeting Minutes: Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Rockingham Free Public Library

Board of Trustees Personnel Committee Meeting

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Present: John Bohannon, Martha Rowley, Ellen Taetzsch, Kate Kane

Click here to download a .pdf of these minutes

1. Call to Order : 4:16 PM

2. Additions to Agenda for routine administrative matters and/or pressing matters that will require ratification at a future meeting : None

3. Public Comment (3 minutes per person) : None

4. Approve Minutes of April 16, 2019 meeting : Ellen moved, John seconded. Approved unanimously.

5. Evaluation Process : The chronology for the evaluation of the Library Director was discussed and revised.

6. Other Business : None

7. Executive Session – None needed.

8. Review Action Items and Proposed Agenda Items for Next Meeting : John will write up the new chronology and present it at the October 29, 2019, Board of Trustees meeting.

9. Set Date for Next Meeting : Thursday, November 21, 2019, at 4:15 PM.

10. Adjourn : Ellen moved to adjourn. Martha seconded. Meeting adjourned at 4:48 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Kate Kane, Secretary

Board of Trustees Meeting Agenda: Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Library Board of Trustees Meeting

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

6:15 PM

Location: Top Floor Meeting Room (or Youth Program Room)

Click here to download a .pdf of this agenda.

AGENDA

Call to Order

Additions to Agenda for routine administrative matters and/or pressing matters that will require ratification at a future meeting

Public Comment (3 minutes per person)

Approve Minutes of September 3 Meeting

Director’s Report

FY20 Budget Report and FY21 Proposed Budget

Director’s Evaluation Process

Other Business

Review and Approve Warrants

Review Action Items, and Proposed Agenda Items for Next Meeting

Review Date for Next Meeting: January 7, 2019

Adjourn

Posted October 25, 2019

Finance Committee Meeting Agenda: Thursday, October 24, 2019

Library Board of Trustees Finance Committee Meeting   

Thursday, October 24, 2019  

 3:30 PM   

Location: Top Floor Meeting Room (or Youth Program Room)  

  Click here to download a .pdf of this agenda.

      AGENDA  

  1. Call to Order  
  1. Election of Committee Chair & Secretary  
  1. Additions to Agenda for routine administrative matters and/or pressing matters that will require ratification at a future meeting  
  1. Public Comment (3 minutes per person)  
  1. Approve Minutes of October 24, 2018 Meeting  
  1. Review FY21 Budget  
  1. Other Business  
  1. Executive Session – If Necessary  
  1. Review Action Items, and Proposed Agenda Items for Next Meeting  
  1. Set Date for Next Meeting – If Necessary  
  1. Adjourn  

 

Posted October 18, 2019

Personnel Committee Meeting Agenda: Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Library Board of Trustees Personnel Committee Meeting

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

4:15 PM

Location: Top Floor Meeting Room (or Youth Program Room)

Click here to download a .pdf of this agenda.

AGENDA

Call to Order

Additions to Agenda for routine administrative matters and/or pressing matters that will require ratification at a future meeting

Public Comment (3 minutes per person)

Approve Minutes of April 16, 2019 meeting

Evaluation Process

Other Business

Executive Session – If Necessary

Review Action Items and Proposed Agenda Items for Next Meeting

Set Date for Next Meeting

Adjourn

Posted October18, 2019