Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes: Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Rockingham Free Public Library
Board of Trustees
Tuesday, May 4, 2021

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Present: Ellen Taetzsch, Martha Rowley, Brady Weinstock, Duane Whitehead, Don Tretler, Kathleen Hacker, Dale Kondracki, Celina Houlne

Absent: Claudia Sofield

LOCATION: To protect the health of the public, the meeting was held online via Zoom.

1. Call to Order 6:04 pm

2. Additions to Agenda for routine administrative matters and/or pressing matters that will require ratification at a future meeting: Adding discussion of Finance Committee to Other Business (item #9).

3. Public Comment (3 minutes per person): n/a

4. Approve Minutes of March 9, 2021 Meeting: Dale moved, Martha seconded. Motion passed unanimously with Brady abstaining.

5. Director’s Report & FY21 Budget Status Report: Today the library opened up for in-person visits. 30-minute appointments can be made by calling the library. Appointments are Tues, Weds, Fri. Curbside will still be available every day. Will continue to expand open hours with vaccinated staff and following governor’s orders. Friends are planning to hold the book sale, details still being worked out. Friends will hold the plant sale on June 5.

6. Financial Actions: Reserve Funds & FY21 Transfer of Funds:

Martha moves that the Treasurer of the Rockingham Free Public Library Board of Trustees is hereby authorized and requested to pay to the Town the FY 2021 Trust Income received to date in the amount of $8,087.47, such amount to be withdrawn from the River Valley Credit Union in a bank check made payable to the Town of Rockingham. Library staff will record the payment and deliver it to the Town. Don seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

7. Director’s Semi-Annual Evaluation: We will skip the semi-annual evaluation this year.

8. Executive Session – Personnel

Ellen moved that premature general public knowledge of the details concerning a personnel matter involving an RFPL employee will clearly place the employee and the Board at a substantial disadvantage by disclosing the personal details of this topic. Brady seconded. Motion was unanimously approved.

Ellen moved that the Library Board enter executive session for discussion of an evaluation of employee, under the provisions of Title 1, Section 313 (a) (3),and invite the Library Director, Celina Houlne, to attend. Mary seconded. Motion was unanimously approved.

Entered executive session at 6:27 pm.

Left executive session at 6:50 pm.

Ellen moved that the Board approve a 2 percent increase for the Director to bring her salary to the amount as budgeted, $61,523, retroactive to July 1, 2020. Duane seconded. Motion was unanimously approved.

9. Other Business: Discussion about Finance Committee. We will meet as a whole Board to discuss the budget in the fall instead of just having the Finance Committee look at it and then report back. Will decide on a date at the next meeting.

10. Review and Approve Warrants: Mary will go to the library and sign them.

11. Review Action Items, Proposed Agenda Items and Date for Next Meeting – July 6 at 6 pm: Next meeting we will review the budget more closely next meeting and the committees and their roles.

12. Adjourn: Ellen moved to adjourn, Martha seconded. Meeting adjourned at 7:07 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Brady Weinstock, Secretary