Rockingham Free Public Library
Board of Trustees
Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021
Present: Ellen Taetzsch, Martha Rowley, Brady Weinstock, Duane Whitehead, Claudia Sofield, Dale Kondracki, Celina Houlne
Absent: Mary Shepard, Kathleen Hacker, Don Tretler
LOCATION: In the Library’s Youth Program Room, and also online via Zoom.
Click here to download a .pdf of these minutes.
1) Call to Order: 6:35 pm
2) Additions to Agenda for routine administrative matters and/or pressing matters that will require ratification at a future meeting: n/a
3) Public Comment (3 minutes per person): n/a
4) Approve Meeting Minutes of August 4, August 26, & August 30: Martha moved, Claudia seconded. Motion passed unanimously with Dale abstaining because she was not in attendance for two of the meetings.
5) Director’s Report & FY22 Budget Status Report: Friends’ fundraiser at the Guilford Welcome Center was a great success. Library is not holding indoor events currently because of the rise in Covid cases, but it is still holding outdoor programming.
6) Personnel Policy Amendment – Pay Plan:
a) Ellen moved to add the following language to the Personnel Policy Pay Plan: All employees will receive the same annual wage increase that is given to the members of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 98. Brady seconded. After discussion, Ellen moved to amend the motion to grant the annual wage increase for the director and the two non-union part-time employees for this current fiscal year retroactive to July 1, 2021. Martha seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
b) Ellen moved to increase the personal time from 2 prorated days to 3 prorated days per year for the director and the two non-union part-time employees retroactive to July 1, 2021. Martha seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
7) Tree Removal: Ellen moved to authorize that the expense of tree removal be paid by reserve funds from “Reserve-Whitcomb-Landscaping” and “Reserve-Landscaping” as needed. Dale seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
8) Other Business: Building Masonry Repair: Celina met with a contractor to evaluate what can be done to prevent future damage on the front wall where ice fell from the roof and knocked off a piece of masonry. She is waiting for an estimate for masonry repair to the wall and to the steps at the side entrance, and for a plan for the roof work.
9) Executive Session — Personnel Employment:
a) Brady moved that premature general public knowledge of the details concerning a personnel matter involving a future RFPL employee will clearly place the employee and the Board at a substantial disadvantage by disclosing the personal details of this topic. Ellen seconded. Motion was unanimously approved.
b) Brady moved that the Library Board enter executive session for discussion of a personnel issue, under the provisions of Title 1, Section 313 (a) (3), and invite the Library Director, Celina Houlne to attend. Ellen seconded. Motion was unanimously approved. Entered executive session at 7:19 pm.
Left executive session at 7:44 pm.
Ellen moved to hire Andrew Ian Graham as the Rockingham Free Public Library director, effective Nov. 1, 2021. Martha seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
10) Review and Approve Warrants
11) Review Action Items, Proposed Agenda Items and Date for Next Meeting: Review masonry items, discuss ways to announce the leadership transition at the library, and discuss the pay plan. Next meeting is Oct. 25 at 6 pm TBD which will include review of next year’s budget.
12) Adjourn: Ellen moved to adjourn, Martha seconded. Meeting adjourned at 7:59 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Brady Weinstock, Secretary