Rockingham Free Public Library
Board of Trustees Draft Minutes
Thursday, March 6, 2025
Present: Margo Ghia, Martha Rowley, Ginger Driscoll, Bonnie North, Ginny Massucco, Mike Sola (on Teams link), Ian Graham (Director)

Public citizen: Carol Blackwood

Click here to download a pdf of these minutes

 

1. Call to Order
   Director Graham called meeting to order at 6:40 p.m.

2. Additions to Agenda for routine administrative matters and/or pressing matters thatwill require ratification at a future meeting:

1.                  M. Ghia adds a discussion to tonight’s agenda item 7 (below)
2. Public Comment (3 minutes per person)
   None

4. Election of Officers: Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, Secretary
   a.               B. North nominated M. Ghia for Chair, M. Rowley seconded.        Unanimously elected.
   b.             M. Ghia nominated G. Driscoll for Vice-Chair, M. Rowley seconded.   Unanimously elected.
   c.             M. Ghia nominated M. Sola for Treasurer, G. Driscoll seconded.   Unanimously elected.
   d.             M. Rowley nominated G. Massucco for Secretary, M. Sola seconded.  Unanimously elected.

At this point, the newly elected slate of officers assumed their duties, and Chair

1. Ghia presided over the meeting from this point forward.
2. Selection of Regular Meeting Date, Time, and Schedule for the Year

It was moved and seconded to meet at 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of odd-numbered months (Jan., Mar., May, July, Sept., Nov.)

The motion passed with one abstention.

6. Adoption of Rules of Procedure, Code of Ethics, and Continuation of Adopted

Policies

1.                  It was moved and seconded that the board adopt the RFPL

Board of Trustees Code of Ethics Policy.

Motion passed unanimously.

1.                  It was moved and seconded that the board adopt the RFPL Board of

Trustees Rules of Procedure For Meetings.

Motion passed unanimously.

1.                  It was moved and seconded that the board proceed with the

Continuation of Adopted Policies.

Motion passed unanimously.

Director Graham advised the board that per state law, each Vermont town has a  new Ethics Compliance Officer – Rockingham’s officer is Heather Hitchcock.

All town officials are mandated to take an ethics video training. Director Graham will send the link to the training to each trustee and attach H. Hitchcock’s email.

7. Discussion: Board Vacancies

Three trustees were elected to serve on Town Meeting Day, bringing the total on  the board to six at this time. The discussion revolved around Article I of the bylaws which states that the board be comprised of nine members. Because it  has been a struggle to keep all nine seats filled, the board discussed moving toward a seven-member RFPL board, which can be achieved by amending the bylaws. With that in mind, a motion was made and seconded to make a recommendation that the Town Select Board act to appoint Carol Blackwood to fill one empty seat on the RFPL Board of Trustees, and thereby bring the number of Trustees to seven. The motion passed unanimously.

8. Other Business: none
9. Review Action Items, Propose Agenda Items for Next Meeting:

RFPL Bylaws Article I: Trustee Election

10. Adjourn: 7:26 p.m.

Next meeting 6:30 p.m. March 20, 2025

Respectfully submitted,

Ginny Massucco