Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes: Monday, October 25, 2021

Rockingham Free Public Library

Board of Trustees

Monday, Oct. 25, 2021

Present: Ellen Taetzsch, Martha Rowley, Don Tretler, Brady Weinstock, Duane Whitehead, Claudia Sofield, Mary Shepard, Dale Kondracki, Celina Houlne, Mary Hartesveldt, Ian Graham

Absent: Kathleen Hacker

Location: In the Library’s Youth Program Room, and also online via Zoom.

 

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Agenda

1. Call to Order: 6:38 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 September 8 & September 27: Sept. 8: Mary moved, Don seconded. Mary and Don abstained because they were not present. Motion passed unanimously. Sept. 27: Ellen moved, Mary seconded. Brady abstained because she was not present. Motion passed unanimously.

5. Director’s Report & FY22 Budget Status Report: September’s monthly financial report is for 3 months, which is 25% of FY 2022. There is some additional salary cost with paid leave and part-time fill-ins to cover, but the numbers should even out later in the year. The Friends are organizing the fall cash raffle, which should be getting under way soon. The Friends will be paying for the new book drop, which arrived this week.

6. Authorization for Bank Signatures:

Mary moved to approve that the new Library Director, Andrew Ian Graham, and the Treasurer, Martha Rowley be signers, effective November 1, 2021, on accounts held at People’s Securities and 802 Credit Union (formerly River Valley Credit Union), and that Andrew Ian Graham, Martha Rowley, and Virgil Fuller be approved as signers on the TD Bank checking account, (also, Andrew Ian Graham and Virgil Fuller are authorized to have debit cards for that account), and bookkeeper Mary Van Hartesveldt is authorized to have information-only access to all of the above accounts. Martha seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

7. Authorization for Use of Reserve Funds:

Ellen moved to authorize the use of reserve funds from “Reserve-Building Repair” to cover balance due for slate roof repair, masonry work on rear stairs and front wall, concrete pad for book drop, and locks. Mary seconded. Brady abstained. Motion passed unanimously.

8. Authorization for Donation of Leave Time:

Ellen moved that Samantha Maskell may give some of her accrued vacation hours to Virgil Fuller to use this year. Brady seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

9. Review of FY2023 Budget & Budget Petition:

Ellen moved that the Library Board approve the proposed FY 23 Library Budget of Four hundred forty-four thousand, seven hundred five dollars ($444,705), with Three Hundred Ninety-Two Thousand, Four Hundred Dollars ($392,400) to be raised by taxes. Dale seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

Ellen moved that a petition be prepared and circulated for the proposed FY 23 library budget as approved by the Library Board, and that when a sufficient number of signers is achieved, the petition be presented to the Town Clerk to be added to the warning for the March 2022 Town Meeting. The petition shall read as follows:

“Article: Shall the voters of the Town of Rockingham raise and appropriate the sum of Four Hundred Forty-Four Thousand, Seven Hundred Five dollars ($444,705) in operating expenses for the support of the Rockingham Free Public Library, Three Hundred Ninety-Two Thousand, Four Hundred Dollars ($392,400) to be raised by taxes.”

Martha seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

10. Other Business: Board members will sign individual letters again for the annual appeal. Celina is ordering the replacement plaque for the building to cover the old book drop. Ian will attend a Selectboard meeting in December to present the budget.

11. Executive Session (If Necessary): n/a

12. Review and Approve Warrants

13. Review Action Items, Proposed Agenda Items and Date for Next Meeting: Next meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 4 at 6:30 pm.

14. Adjourn: Martha moved, Brady seconded. Meeting adjourned at 8:28 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Brady Weinstock, Secretary