AGENDA FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
6:00 PM RFPL Meeting Room
(Please note new time for regular meetings)

Click here to download a .pdf of this agenda

1. Call to Order

2. Announcements from the Chair

3. Public Comments

4. Approval of Minutes of March 18, 2014

5. Directors’ Monthly Reports and Financial Reports

6. Old Business
a. Historical Collection Committee
i. Library Grand opening Celebration May 8, 9, & 10
b. Search Committee
c. Buildings and Grounds Committee
i. Outside Lights
ii. Outside Sign
iii. Roof Snow Concerns
iv. Landscaping

d. Mediation Meeting April 30, 2014
i. Trustee Training April 22, 2014 6:00 PM

7. New Business
a. Library Logo
b. Committee Assignments

8. Executive Session (if needed)

9. Other Business

10. Next Meeting May 13, 2014 6:00 PM

11. Adjournment

RFPL Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
6:00 PM
Meeting Room, RFPL, Bellows Falls, VTClick here to download a .pdf of these minutes.

Present: Doreen Aldrich, Carol Blackwood, Hope Brissette, Patricia Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, David Gould, L. Raymond Massucco, Janice Mitchell-Love, Trustees; Samantha Maskell, Mary VanHartesveldt & Emily Zervas, Library; Chris Garofolo, Eagle Times, Domenic Poli, Brattleboro Reformer, Press; Arnold & Elayne Clift, David DeRusha, Betty Haggerty and Celina Houlne; Others

Call to Order: The chair called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m.

Announcements from the Chair: Gould advised that he received a letter of resignation from board member, Paige Pietrzak and he accepted with regrets. The Trustees will now make a recommendation to the Select Board on an appointment to fill her position. Mitchell-Love asked us to consider a younger person. After the committee appointments, he would like the chairs of the committees to work out times with their committee members as to when they can meet, etc.

Gould said he tried to appoint people to committees and was informed by a citizen that he was in violation of the open meeting law so appointments will be taken up later this evening. He addressed the issue of public comments asking that people hold their public comments to three minutes and if what they want to speak to is an agenda item, would they wait until we get to that item on the agenda to make comments.

The chair advised that the board has warrants that need signing and asked the folks on the finance committee to do that at the end of the meeting.

Public Comments: David DeRusha said there has been a lot of talk about public trust of the board, etc. The Select Board takes an oath of allegiance and an oath of office by law. This board is not required to do so; but he questioned whether the board would be interested in considering an oath of office to say they take the job seriously. Frisa responded that Fowler talked about our By-Laws and that was one of the issues. They felt it was a good thing to pass.

Approval of Minutes of March 18 and March 11, 2014: Brissette asked if Aldrich would put the date when she completes and submits the draft minutes after her signature. Frisa pointed out that on page 2, it refers to Garrett as her husband and he is her partner. Blackwood moved to accept the minutes as amended, seconded by Frisa. The motion carried. No abstentions. Massucco moved to approve the minutes of March 11th as printed, seconded by Frisa. The motion carried. There were two abstentions.

Directors’ Monthly Reports and Financial Reports: Emily & Sam passed out their report. The new copier is working very well and is networked to all their computers. The E-rate filing has been completed. That is the filing that subsidizes our telephone and internet. There is an item not in their budget; it is an unforeseen expense for a floor machine. This library has far RFPL Trustee Meeting Minutes more hard floor than the last and they have been struggling this past winter. She had a person give a quote for cleaning. He gave the opinion that he didn’t think it could be done without a floor machine and if he was hired, would purchase one and leave it in the building. They looked at pricing and decided that the most cost effective thing would be for us to buy our own floor machine and have Bob operate it. Zervas advised that she has been looking at different models. It’s not in the “Fixtures” budget so it would be over-spending that budget and taking it out of other areas. There are a few different models, all under $4,000. They feel it is the best thing going forward and would save money in the long run. She added that technically they don’t need board approval; but she wanted to bring it to the board because it is not in the budget. She added that Mary has looked at cutting back in other areas to accommodate this need. Blackwood said she knows they talked about landscaping; but taking care of the floors is a higher priority. That might be an area to look at. Zervas explained that as much as the landscaping sounds like it would be nice, it is actually required by zoning so that is not optional. Arnold Clift referred to Ms. Zervas’ comment about not needing to come to the trustees for approval although it is not in the budget. He would have thought if something is not in the budget, she would have to come to the trustees. VanHartesveldt explained that they are not spending a lot of money out of the repairs and maintenance line this year so that is where the money would come from; but it will be posted to fixtures. Blackwood moved to make a change to the budget to allow up to $4,000 for the purchase of a floor machine, seconded by Frisa. Massucco said he’s guessing the cost per square footage for the marmoleum and hardwood floors is pretty significant; probably a couple hundred thousand dollars. We’re talking about $4,000 to protect that. Mitchell-Love asked if Bob would have time to take care of the floors. Zervas said she feels he would because it would save him a lot of time. Mr. Clift requested that the trustees consider having a discussion with the director as to what the delegated authorities are and the extent to which the director may switch budgetary digits from one subject to another. The motion to spend up to $4,000 passed. Sam went over her report. The “Friends of the Library” just donated two new folding tables. VanHartesveldt went over her report paying particular attention to the projections report. Fowler reported that she met with Linda Walker and she would like to meet with the Finance Committee to go over what to do with the other potential investments we have. We also renamed the annuity to be Rockingham Free Public Library, Town of Rockingham so it is clear that it is our fund and not the town’s because we are using their tax number.

Old Business:

Historical Collection Committee – Library Grand Opening Celebration May 8, 9, & 10

Frisa reported that they have had two special meetings in the last two weeks, the purpose of which has been to talk about the library’s grand opening celebration. She passed out a Calendar of Events that the committee has proposed for the celebration. They are working with the library staff and Friends of the Library. She has a sign-up sheet for people who would like to help. She was also hoping that we trustees would make some kind of monetary donation to cover the cost of the sheet cake. Massucco said he would sponsor the cake. A box was passed around for cash donations for paper plates, etc. Gould said he was impressed and thanked the committee for all the work they’ve done thus far.

Search Committee: Mitchell-Love said she doesn’t have a report because it is her understanding they will not be doing anything until after Friday the 11th. After that, the search committee will be doing something. Gould asked where we stand on the ad with the Vermont Library Association. Fowler said it is the American Library Association (ALA). Mitchell-Love advised that we have to pay it. They are telling her we should have a membership for $300 per year because we would have saved $116 on the ad. She asked why we don’t have the membership with ALA. Zervas wasn’t sure, it probably was an oversight. VanHartesveldt said as long as she has been doing the books, we have not been a member of ALA. We are members of Vermont Library Association. Fowler said we are being charged for the ad from March 11th through May 11th. Mitchell-Love said they charge two months no matter what. Fowler asked why we are only running the ad for the week. Mitchell-Love asked if they want her to run it for the full time. Massucco asked if there is a cost to edit it. Mitchell-Love didn’t know. Gould said at this point he has received one resume on the second go-around and it is somebody who applied on the first go-around that we chose not to pursue. Mitchell-Love said she got a call from someone that we are going to be really excited about who wants to re-apply. Arnold Clift said he is confused. Here we have a situation where the search committee has looked at the resumes and interviewed three candidates and came to the conclusion that there was no one they could recommend to the board “at this time”. Either a person is or is not worth pursuing. It seemed to him that the search committee came to the conclusion there was no one suitable. Common sense would say no, you’ve been through that. If there are new people, that is a different matter. We do have mediation with the former director scheduled for the 30th and he felt the trustees need to take that into account before asking a search committee to do more work on something that may or may not have a useful purpose. Brissette explained that what the search committee said was they didn’t feel they could recommend anyone at that point and time. They did not say they didn’t find anyone suitable. Fowler said the difficulty is that some people had taken other temporary jobs and might be available now. We were in a situation at that point that they were not ready to commit and we might be more able to see what’s going on at this point. We’re not really going to be doing anything until after the first part of the mediation. Elayne Clift reiterated that it makes no sense to her to even consider people until the situation under litigation is resolved. She feels the whole search committee needs to be put to rest until we know our former director is going to be reinstated. Mitchell-Love asked if we want the ad even though the due date would say April 11th. Would somebody submit their application and hope they would be considered? Brissette asked if we change the date, would we get charged. Frisa said her guess is that we would be. Elayne Clift said she’d like to understand to what end would the ad be running. She understands it’s a money issue but the money has been spent. To what end is the ad going to run given the circumstances that we’re in; that there is litigation that is not resolved. Arnold Clift suggested letting the ad run for what it’s worth. It’s hardly fair to people who are writing in. He suggests the trustees consider deferring any action on further searching for a director until at least April 30th and the mediation process is complete because that will be very important in determining to what extent you will need to recruit another director or not. Mitchell-Love was on the search committee. You are not going to get a committee together, people identified, the series of interviews, people hired by April 30th. For lack of a motion, the chair ruled that the search committee will meet after April 11th and proceed with whatever they need to be doing at that point with the understanding that the search committee will not even make any recommendations until after the mediation date of April 30th. We’ve paid for the ad, let it run.

Buildings and Grounds Committee:

Outside Lights: Zervas reported that Kevin Keefe said there is no shade available for the outside lights that we have and he gave her a quote for $165 to darken the lenses on three lights. She is going to move forward with it.

Outside Sign: Zervas advised that Pepper from the Town Highway Dept. took a look at it today. He says it’s in really bad shape which they know. She asked him if he could just make the bottom of the molding better in time for the grand opening and go forward from there until we have a new sign. They were planning on having Frank Hawkins do the new sign; but he is no longer going to be doing signs.

Roof Snow Concerns: Gould said his concern is the snow coming off the roof and blocking the fire escape. The building and grounds committee needs to look into that with some roofing people on how that might be diverted or stopped. He put it on the agenda so it doesn’t get forgotten when the nice weather comes.

Landscaping: Zervas reported that the staff will be the ones raising the money for the landscaping that we had talked about as being part of the grand opening. There are some issues with that. She looked at the plan that was approved by zoning and there are things we’re required to do now. It is in conflict with what’s back there now. We have crab apple trees that were planted; but not approved by zoning. We now have a planting list with certain things prioritized that need to go in this spring and certain things that can go in as needed. In the interest of fundraising, we’re not going to be having people adopt specific plants; but rather say if you donate at this level, it pays for a tree, etc. The committee needs to meet and bring a new plan to the zoning board. Mediation Meeting April 22, 2014 – 6:00 p.m. Blackwood suggested we leave this until the end and pick up with “New Business”. Arnold Clift said it was not clear to him that what we intend to discuss about the mediation is necessarily to be taken in executive session. He feels the public is entitled to know what the general arrangements are. There is nothing which prejudices the public interest by explaining the mechanism of the mediation and who is going to represent the trustees. Gould said after the executive session, we may make an announcement as to who will represent the board; but because mediation is part of the legal lawsuit, we can go into executive session. Clift asked if he was saying that the public was not entitled to know how the procedure works? Gould asked to hold off until they get to the executive session and deal with the library logo and committee assignments now.

Zervas added that VanHartesveldt had been waiting. She thought there was going to be a finance committee section where she could ask a question about the legal bills that need to be paid.

Fowler explained what the bills were for. There was a question on the bill concerning “Massucco Suit”. The other bills they expected. Mary will hold the bill concerning Massucco. Gould felt we should pay the others. Fowler signed the warrant; but said others would have to sign after the meeting.

New Business:

Library Logo: Maskell passed out two samples prepared by Carolyn’s partner, Garrett. Frisa moved to approve the square open book design, seconded by Mitchell-Love. The motion carried. There was one abstention.

Committee Assignments: See attached sheet. Frisa suggested, under Historical Collection Committee, that we not have a separate committee for the Grand Opening. Gould asked the trustees to cross out “Grand Opening Committee” and all the comments with it. Elayne Clift asked if the By-Laws called for at least three people. Gould said “yes”. It was brought up to him; however, he is ruling that we can change that because precedence has already been established that some committees have more than three. We need to address this in the By-Laws. Fowler said Paige has resigned so whoever fills her position, we can put in where we have only two. Brissette said the Search Committee is not a long term committee; it’s an ad hoc committee. Elayne Clift suggested a Community Relations Committee or community outreach. These would be folks to engage the community. Gould asked her to put something in writing for him.

Executive Session: David DeRusha said it is his understanding that executive session is to discuss mediation and to discuss nominating an additional board member. Gould responded that it is. Brissette asked how can we nominate another board member when we don’t know who wants to be another member. We may not be ready to nominate someone; but will discuss it. Arnold Clift asked if there was a process for advertising before one can take the position and one has to remember that this committee does not have the power of appointment; it has the power to recommend. His second point was if the trustees are going into executive session, they must state specifically, the subject and not discuss anything else. Brissette said we can discuss the process in open session. Frisa said if we want to throw out some names, we would do that in executive session. Before going into executive session, Gould explained how mediation works.

Elayne Clift said she doesn’t understand why everybody seems to dance around the issue that there is probably a majority on the board now that would reinstate Celina. That needs to come up for discussion prior to April 30th because it will hugely facilitate the resolution of all this. She suggested that the board revisit the evidence; but meet and vote prior to the April 30th date because it may be that is simply a negotiation for terms of reinstatement and then it’s done.

At 8:04 p.m., Massucco moved to go into executive session to discuss pending litigation where premature general public knowledge would clearly place the RFPL at a substantial disadvantage. Blackwood seconded the motion and the motion carried. The board came out of executive session at 8:38 p.m. We will warn a special meeting for April 15, 2014 at 6:15 p.m.

Blackwood moved to adjourn at 8:45 p.m., seconded by Mitchell-Love. The motion carried.

Respectfully submitted by Doreen Aldrich on April 11, 2014

Rockingham Free Public Library
Board of Trustees
Committee Assignments as of April 8, 2014
Committee Assignments
Personnel Committee
David Gould, Chair; Carolyn Frisa; Doreen Aldrich; and Pat Fowler (Present Board of Trustee Officers)

Budget and Finance Committee
Pat Fowler, Chair; Ray Massucco; Carol Blackwood; and Jan Mitchell-Love

Buildings and Grounds Committee
Hope Brisette, Chair and David Gould

Policy Committee
Carol Blackwood, Chair; Ray Massucco; Doreen Aldrich; and Carolyn Frisa

Historical Collection Committee
Carolyn Frisa, Chair; Pat Fowler; and Carol Blackwood

Fund Raising Committee
David Gould and Jan Mitchell-Love

Long Range Planning Committee

Search Committee
Jan Mitchell-Love, Chair; David Gould; Pat Fowler; and members of the community including Torin Brooks; Barbara Ternes; Cathy Bergman; Laura Senes; Amy Howlett; and Sam Maskell.

The only committee that needs to meet on a regular basis is the Budget and Finance Committee. All of the others can meet on a need-to basis or as issues come up. Each committee needs to elect its own chairperson and appoint its own secretary. Please remember when a committee meeting is called it must be warned at least 24 hours in advance, posted, and minutes of the meeting must be kept. Let’s do this by the book.

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING
AGENDA
Thursday, April 3, 2014
at The Rockingham Free Public Library, 2nd Floor Meeting Room
6:30pm

Click here to download a .pdf of this agenda

1. Call to order
2. Additions or changes to agenda
3. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
4. Approve minutes of March 27, 2014 Special Meeting
5. Planning Session for Library Grand Opening Event
6. Other Business (if necessary)
7. Review Task List
8. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING
Thursday, April 3, 2014
at The Rockingham Free Public Library
6:30PM
In attendance:
Committee Members:
Emily Zervas, Carolyn Frisa, Pat Fowler
Invited Guests and Members of the Public:
Kathy Michel
Jane Mitchell
Elayne Clift
Arnold Clift
Sam Maskall
Draft Minutes

1. Call to Order—Meeting called to order by Carolyn at 6:43 pm
2. Additions and changes to the agenda. None.
3. Public comment—Arnold said he thought that this was a Friends of the Library Meeting.
4. Approve minutes of March 27, 2014 Special Meeting: Pat moved the minutes be approved as written. Carolyn seconded.
5. Planning Session for Library Grand Opening Event. In addition to tweaking the schedule represented in the Google Docs Schedule, the group made the following assignments of duties:

-plaque discussion was put off as there isn’t enough time to design, order and install one.
-Emily will work on a Library History display
-dignitaries and special guests: local representatives, the governer, previous library staff, former board members etc
-Alan asked for guidelines for the photographs—Emily will look at his show at VT Pretzel and give him suggestions.
-FactTV will lend their monitor for Alan’s slide show
-Pat and Carolyn are working on food donations
-A sheet cake will be donated by the board.
-Sam will find a helium tank for deocartion balloons.
-Pat will borrow the Chamber’s ribbon cutting scissors
-PR: Save the Date PR is out and Sam will write and release more complete PR.
-The adobt a  plant display will be developed by Emily.

1. Other business: Next meeting set for Tuesday, April 15 6:30 (this was postponed til Monday 4/12 at 6:30).
2. Adjourned: 8:03pm meeting adjourned.

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING
Thursday, March 27,2014
at The Rockingham Free Public Library
6:30pm

AGENDA

1. Call to order
2. Elect new committee officers and set regular meeting time
3. Additions or changes to the agenda
4. Public comment
5. Planning Session for Library Grand Opening Event
6. Other Business (if necessary)
7. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE
SPECIAL MEETING
Wednesday, March 27,2014
at The Rockingham Free Public Library
6:30PM

Click here to download a .pdf of these minutes

In attendance: Committee Members: Emily Zervas, Carolyn Frisa, Pat Fowler
Invited Guests and Members of the Public: Carol Blackwood Alan Fowler Kathy Michel Jane Mitchell Donna Stevens Chris Turco
Press: Chris Garofolo (Eagle Times)

Draft Minutes

1. Call to Order—Meeting called to order by Carolyn at 6:37pm

2. Elect new committee officers and set regular meeting time—Pat moved to table this and other committee members agreed.

3. Additions and changes to the agenda. None.

4. Public comment—none.

5. Planning session for Library Grand Opening Event:
Group introductions were done.

General schedule: Carolyn gave a brief summary of the plans for the library’s grand reopening. The group decided to not go through with the Friday Night Fundraising component of the original plan as the lead time is not enough to organize that kind of event.

Instead the schedule will be:
Thursday, May 8: Bill Hosely’s More Than Books event
Friday, May 9: events during the day at the library, movie event at night
Saturday, May 10: Big grand opening party 10-2.

Alan Fowler Photographs: Alan Fowler talked about his photographs of the renovation and possibilities for showing them during the grand reopening festivities. We decided to have a slideshow and display in the main room before Bill Hosley’s talk on Thursday the 8th and then display the photos throughout the library in the area where they were taken, so people could see before/during/after the renovation.

Oral Histories: Alan also talked about facilitating an oral history project. He said he already has a few interviews. The group decided that this was a huge undertaking and that it would be better to use the grand opening to promote the project and then collect the “library memories” afterwards. Alan is seeking a few more individuals to interview about the library before the grand opening so that there can be sample interviews.

Plaque: Emily will look into the budget for getting a plaque for the library dedication.

PR for the Event: Sam and Emily will work on getting initial PR together for the event—at this point just “save the date” info.

Gratitude project: Carolyn showed some examples of “thank yous” that could be made by the library to thank the many volunteers. She wanted to enlist Sam’s help. Emily will make a list of all the volunteers and businesses who helped.

Food: Friends of the Library, staff and board members will all contribute food Carolyn and Pat will approach local restaurants to see if they would be willing to donate platters. The possibility of the trustees donating a cake was discussed. As was the idea of having the library’s new logo on the cake.

A cake raffle/musical chairs type event was discussed. No decision was made.

Music: The possibilities of the Saxtons River String Band playing was discussed. Kathy Michel.

Ribbon Cutting: A formal ribbon cutting was discussed.

Fundraiser: The Friends will be doing their “adopt-a-plant” fundraiser throughout the event. This will raise money for the library landscaping plan. Emily will find the approved landscaping plan and pass it on to the Friends with prices.

Scavenger Hunt: A scavenger hunt that encouraged exploring the new building will be designed by library staff! Donated prizes?

6. Other business: Next meeting scheduled for 4/3/2014 at 6:30 in at RFPL in the upstairs meeting room. Potluck again!

7. Adjourned: 8:08pm meeting adjourned.

Rockingham Free Public Library Board of Trustees
Special Meeting
March 18, 2014, 4:30 pm
Agenda

1. Call to Order
2. Move into Executive Session (To receive the report of Ms Pell, Attorney for Vermont League of Cities and Towns)
3. Approval of Minutes of February 18, 2014 and Minutes of March 11, 2014
4. Public Comments
5. Investment Information
6. Review Search Committee Process
7. Review Committee Requests and Assignments
8. Review By-Laws Revisions
9. Review Director’s Job Description
10. Establish date for Trustee Training Session with Amy Howlett
11. Other
12. Adjournment

 

RFPL Board of Trustees Minutes
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
4:30 PM at Meeting Room, RFPL, Bellows Falls, VT

Present: Doreen Aldrich, Carol Blackwood, Hope Brissette, Patricia Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, David Gould, L. Raymond Massucco, Jan Mitchell-Love, Paige Pietrzak, Trustees; Steven Ankuda Parker & Ankuda Law and Constance Pell, Law Office of English, Carroll & Boe, Attorneys; Samantha Maskell, Emily Zervas, Librarians
Press: FACTV, Chris Garofolo, Eagle Times; Susan Smallheer, Rutland Herald; Allison Teague, Commons
Others: David DeRusha, Steve Geller, Celina Houlne, Roberta Streeter, Donna Stevens

Call to Order: The chair called the meeting to order at 4:35 p.m. At 4:36 p.m., Fowler moved that the board enter into executive session to discuss pending litigation where premature general public knowledge would clearly place the municipality at a substantial disadvantage, and that Steven Ankuda be invited to attend; second by Frisa. The motion carried. The board came out of executive session at 5:04 p.m. No action taken. At 5:05 p.m., Fowler moved that the board enter into executive session to discuss pending litigation where premature general public knowledge would clearly place the municipality at a substantial disadvantage, and that Constance Pell be invited to attend; second by Mitchell-Love. The motion carried. The board came out of executive session at 5:55 p.m. No action taken. The special meeting resumed at 5:56 p.m.

Approve Minutes of February 18, 2014 and March 11, 2014: Moved by Massucco and seconded by Mitchell-Love to approve the minutes of February 18th. The motion carried. Two abstentions. Massucco moved to table the minutes of March 11th until everyone had enough time to read them. Mitchell-Love seconded. The motion carried.

Public Comments: None

Investment Information: Fowler advised that the annuity the board is looking at investing with Secure Fore 5 is not FDIC insured. They guarantee to return any principle less any withdrawals made. She has read from AM Best, one of the best national rating companies and they have an A- rating. They were recommended by People’s United Bank and People’s is very conservative. People’s needs documentation from the board that we agree to invest in Secure Fore 5 and that it is self-insured. The $125,000 is currently sitting in a checking account. It is a five year annuity allowing us to take out 10% if interest rates go up. It is only getting 2.1% now. There is also another $57,000 +/- to be invested. Massucco said he’d like for the board to approve the investment as presented by Fowler and so moved. Mitchell-Love seconded his motion. The motion carried. Two abstentions.

Review Search Committee: Mitchell-Love had a hand-out and asked for more latitude. It is being advertised where it was before. Applications are due on April 11th. She has not sent letters to the candidates who applied this last time. She would like to soften the wording on the
RFPL Meeting 3/18/2014 2.
letter to the applicants. She went on line and she has one for candidates that we would like to see apply again and for candidates that we would not want anything further. It would just say, “We are currently pursuing other candidates whose background and skills more closely fit our current needs” and for candidates that we’re interested in, “We’re most appreciative of the time and effort that you put into this application process. Unfortunately, after careful consideration and assessment with the search committee and the full board of trustees, we have decided not to proceed with any applications at this time”. Blackwood suggested, “We chose not to act on that posting, we’re internally re-evaluating our job description for library director and we have decided to re-open and feel free to reapply” and send it to everybody. The board was agreeable to that and Jan will send the same thing to everybody; but softer and invite them to look at the job posting and feel free to reapply.

Review Committee Requests and Assignments: Three board members were not present at the last meeting, Hope, Jan and Paige. He asked that they submit a list of three or four committees that they are interested in serving on. They will email him. Frisa added that at the last meeting, we discussed the grand opening celebration plans which are tentatively scheduled for the first week in May. She is spearheading that effort as part of the Historical Collections Committee. She wants to have a meeting this week or next week at the latest. She will attend the Friends of the Library meeting and talk with them also. If the three are interested in working with her, please let her know asap.

Review By-Laws Revisions: Gould explained that it got started; but not finished with the previous board and he thinks things need to be added to the revisions as we found out last Tuesday. That will be ongoing.

Review Director’s Job Description: Gould said we’ve been talking about that. Fowler said she made the suggestion that the personnel committee is the executive board.

Establish date for Trustee Training Session with Amy Howlett: Gould has contacted Howlett about a time when we might get together as a board for trustee training. She gave him some dates and they were passed on to the board members. Maskell said Howlett gave her Tues. in April and it looks like April 1, 22 or the 29th for all that responded. Brissette said she is not going. Pietrzak said she is fine as long as it is after 1:00 p.m. Mitchell-Love said she probably won’t be coming.

Other: Maskell said she has been working Frisa on the grand re-opening. She has been talking with Garrett, Frisa’s husband partner about doing a refreshing of our library logo. Before spending a lot of time on it, she asked what the board thought of it and do we have any input. You can email it to her.

The next meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m.

Adjournment: Mitchell-Love moved to adjourn at 6:34 p.m., seconded by Pietrzak. The motion carried.

Respectfully submitted, Doreen Aldrich, Secretary

 

RFPL Board of Trustees Warning
Board of Trustees Regular Monthly Meeting
Rockingham Free Public Library
Tuesday, March 11th, 2014
Time and Place: 4:30 p.m. at RFPL Meeting Room
This is a regular meeting of the trustees.

RFPL Board of Trustees Minutes
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
4:30 PM at Meeting Room, RFPL, Bellows Falls, VT

Present: Carolyn Frisa, Pat Fowler, Doreen Aldrich, Ray Massucco, David Gould & Carol Blackwood, Trustees; Absent: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette & Paige Pietrzak, Trustees; Emily Zervas & Samantha Maskell, Librarians & Mary VanHartesveldt, Staff; Steve Ankuda, Atty.; Alison Teague, The Commons, Chris Garofolo, Eagle Times, Chris Mays, Brattleboro Reformer, Susan Smallheer, Rutland Herald and Dagan Broad, FACT8, Press; Diane Brown, Donna Stevens, David DeRusha, Robert DeRusha, Betty Haggerty, Roberta Streeter, Susan Lampe-Wilson, Joseph Brissette & Joel Love, Others

Call to Order:
Pat Fowler, the only constitutional officer present, called the meeting to order at 4:36 p.m. Joel Love immediately called for a “Point of Order”. He said first off, this is an illegal meeting. It was improperly warned by your Article 2 and you do not have a quorum by Article 2 of your By-Laws. Fowler responded that we do have a quorum. Love read from the By-Laws: “A quorum shall consist of five members including the chairperson”. The chairperson is not here; you do not have a quorum. He added it is amazing you can accuse other people of breaking open meeting laws and you continue to do whatever you darnn well please when it suits your purpose. He asked to go on record that the trustees are breaking the open meeting law and violating their own By-Laws with this meeting which should be held next week. Fowler said there are situations where the chair is not re-elected. We have a co-chair that was not re-elected. The chair chose not to be here. Massucco said the By-Laws also provide for a vice-chair. There is no point in having a vice chair if they don’t serve in the absence of a chair. Mr. Love left the meeting at that point. Massucco continued, if Mr. Love’s argument, which is nonsensical, were to hold water we could never have a meeting. All the chair has to do is elect not to show up. That interpretation is absurd. We have a vice chair by our By-Laws. That position is currently vacant. The secretary’s position is currently vacant. The chair is not here. The only constitutional officer we have present is Pat Fowler. He added that he would take the position, as an individual board member, until we elect some of the other officers, Fowler is the acting chair. She is the only officer who can call this meeting. Six board members asked to have this meeting called. This is a regularly scheduled meeting, not a special meeting. The board had previously established the second Tuesday of each month to be the regularly scheduled meeting. The board has never changed that; they did not vote to change that. He understands the chair made an attempt to postpone or cancel this meeting. As long as she is chair, call a special meeting for next week. That may or may not occur depending on the outcome of today’s meeting; but for the time being Pat is the only constitutional officer we have. He didn’t see any other option for this board to function other than to call a meeting to proceed. The chair can simply elect not to attend and prohibit this board from ever meeting at any time. That makes no sense. The By-Laws also provide that the trustees shall assume their duties immediately upon their election which would have been 7:00 p.m. last Tuesday. This is the first opportunity we have had to meet as a board. Fowler said they did try to have an earlier meeting; but it was negated by the prior board. Brissette asked if the board feels it is acting in accordance with the By-Laws established by the library. Fowler responded, “Yes”. Brissette said he understands Massucco’s interpretation; but is that written in the By-Laws? Carolyn Frisa read Article 2 of the By-Laws to clear up the situation. Blackwood explained that because there has been an election and the By-Laws are a little bit vague about the first meeting, in essence, the person who held the chair from last year. There’s been a new election so you can have several scenarios. That person could still be on the board, that person could no longer be elected so really, right now there is no chair of this board and that is what this meeting needs to resolve and elect a new chair for the next year until the next town meeting. There is no provision in the By-Laws for the chairperson elected last year to continue to be chair to hold sway over a board that did not elect that chairperson. Steve Geller said this is a cynical attempt to prevent this board from carrying on its business. The way those By-Laws are written he believes from his experience, means the chair may be included as one of the numbers that make up the quorum. In order to distinguish the normal practice from the normal practices, the chair doesn’t vote except to break a tie. What that is saying is that there are five people including the chair that would be a quorum. The chair’s existed presence there is not excluded as the fifth member. It is in no way saying that the chair must be physically present in order for a meeting to take place. There are no By-Laws written on the face of this earth that are written that way. Serena Hickey asked if anyone had recognized that our librarian, Sarah Maskell, has been awarded the Ink Award by the Greater Falls Connection. There was applause. She added that hopefully we were going to vote on new officers and get on with hiring a library director soon. Bob DeRusha said he has had experience with other town boards and an understanding of the open meeting laws, an understanding of conflict of interest and also of nuisance requests. He agrees with Mr. Massucco’s reading 100%. He was speaking as former Zoning and Planning Commission chair. Blackwood said we have heard Mr. Brissette’s comments, that further debate on whether this is an illegal meeting is simply a waste of our time. She suggested that we continue with the meeting and if he chooses to discuss the legality with a lawyer, he has that option. Fowler asked Mr. Ankuda for his opinion. Ankuda responded he was asked by the chair to attend this meeting and as he understands it, it is a regularly scheduled meeting. By interpretation of the quorum, it takes five members of the board to have a quorum. He counts the chair as part of that quorum and you have six. His view of it is not so much governed by the By-Laws; but Vermont Statutes which says you have elected members of the library board of trustees and you are to have an organization meeting forthwith and the next regularly scheduled meeting though it may not be forthwith, may be later than forthwith. You could have met on town meeting night and had that meeting. He would think the constitutional officers, the appropriate person to initiate the meeting, the highest ranking officer who is also the lowest ranking officer that the first order of business would be to elect a secretary. Following Roberts Rules, the first rule is to keep order and that you hand over your role as soon as the chair is elected. Gould asked Ankuda for clarification; there was some statement about this meeting being illegal. His concern is that the board intends to take action that would not be legal without a proper quorum. He asked Ankuda if in his opinion we have a proper quorum and there is nothing illegal about this meeting. Ankuda responded that is his interpretation about the situation. His concern is that we are involved in some litigation and as the board’s attorney, he was reminding us not to talk about this. Ankuda added, that was his interpretation of why he was invited here today. Fowler asked Brissette if he wanted to say something else. Brissette said Mr. Ankuda’s interpretation was fine with him. Geller respectfully suggested that the former chair unilaterally requested the town attorney without hesitating, without board approval and that any charges that Mr. Ankuda levies should be charged to her individually and not the library. Fowler responded that is something for the board of trustees to discuss.

Organizational Business of the New Board:
Election of Officers: Massucco nominated Doreen Aldrich as Secretary, seconded by Blackwood. There were no other nominations. The motion carried. Blackwood nominated David Gould for chairman, seconded by Carolyn Frisa. There were no other nominations and the motion carried. Massucco nominated Carolyn Frisa as co-chair, seconded by Fowler. There were no other nominations and the motion carried. Gould then took over the meeting. Gould then nominated Fowler for treasurer, seconded by Frisa. There were no other nominations and the motion carried. As the new chair, he welcomed all of the board members and the new board members. He said it is a privilege to be serving the community. He thanked the public for being supportive of the library in its operation and helping us to get off to a good start. He also thanked Ankuda for being here and getting us started on the right foot. Thanks to the media for being here to help the community have an understanding of what is going on. Thanks to FACTV for filming the meeting. Ankuda said often governing bodies will elect to be governed by Roberts Rules for running a meeting. Massucco asked Ankuda if there was any preference to Roberts Rules or Roberts Rules for Small Boards. Ankuda responded, one of the questions that comes into play is whether the chair makes motions; whether the chair votes. Someone should make a motion and then discuss that. Massucco moved to adopt what is known formally as Roberts Rules of Order as distinguished from Roberts Rules of Order for Small Boards, seconded by Carolyn Frisa. Massucco added, as Mr. Ankuda mentioned, for small boards, because of the difficulty of obtaining quorums, etc. the chair would normally not make motions and only vote in case of a tie. Under the large board rules, the chair would be a fully participating member for purposes of motions, voting, etc. With nine members, he thought we could sustain adoption of the full rules; but would leave it up to the board to decide. There was no discussion and the board voted to adopt Roberts Rules of Order rather than Roberts Rules of Order for Small Boards. The motion carried.

Approval of Minutes of February 11, February 18 and February 25, 2014:
Frisa moved to approve the minutes of February 11th as printed, seconded by Gould. The motion carried. The secretary abstained. Frisa moved to approve the minutes of February 18th as printed, seconded by Massucco. There were two abstentions. The motion failed and the minutes of February 18th will be taken up at the next meeting. Frisa moved to approve the minutes of February 25th, seconded by Massucco. The motion carried with the secretary abstaining.

Establish Dates and Time for Trustee Meetings:
Gould asked to put off the “public comment” section until the board gets through the organizational portion of the meeting. Emily pointed out that Robert DeRusha submitted a letter that we might want to look at now. Blackwood said multiple board members have the same issues so it is not going to be a problem. Fowler asked the secretary if there is a conflict with Tuesday of the month. Aldrich responded that the only time it would be a conflict would be the Annual Town Meeting. She does prefer a later time. She works until 4:30 and had to leave at 4:00 today in order to have time to set up. Frisa said she was one that had requested a 4:30 time last year; but she had a two month old baby who is now 14 months so her life is very different. Blackwood added that she has similar issues with the time. She finishes work at 4:30 so the earliest she can get here is 5:03 if she leaves on time. Massucco moved to establish our regular meeting time on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:00; Carolyn Frisa seconded for discussion. Fowler said our member of the public asked that it be at 6:00. Frisa said she is open to that. DeRusha explained that 5:00 is still early. It is much the perception of access and being open. He finishes work at 5:00 and it takes a half hour to get here. He doesn’t have to come to meetings; but would like to. Blackwood added that the other thing about the perception of openness and she doesn’t know if the town or library has bought into this is to think about a subscription to something like “Go to Meetings” where people can observe the meeting over a PC of their choice in their own home to save the commuting issues. Massucco said he would welcome a friendly amendment if folks would like to push the meeting out later. Aldrich amended it to 6:00 and Massucco accepted that. Celina Houlne pointed out that Tuesday night is the same night as the select board meetings. Sometimes we have to go to those meetings. Frisa said she didn’t want to speak for Paige; but Tuesdays worked for her. Fowler added that Jan does not teach on Tuesdays so if we changed, it might not be good for her. Gould repeated that we have an amendment to establish our regular meeting time on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. Frisa asked about also having an end time. Gould said he would encourage the board to work toward two hour meetings max and maybe set policy saying at the end of two hours we are adjourned unless the vote that night is to continue the meeting. Maybe we don’t need it; but lets work diligently toward two hours. The motion carried.

Agenda Preparation and Meeting Warnings:
Massucco asked what the current confusion is. Gould said the confusion has been that the former director was charged with doing the warnings and that was changed so the chairperson was doing it. He just wants to know who is responsible from this point on. Massucco said from a statutory and By-Law position, the chair has the responsibility. The chair has the ability to delegate to the director. Massucco added, by establishing a regular meeting schedule, we are not obligated to warn the regularly scheduled meeting each month. If we wish to change the time, the day or the location we do. Special meetings have to be warned, emergency meetings not necessarily; but notice immediately given as we are able to do that. Even though we don’t have to warn the regular meeting now that it has been established, we still have to have an agenda. It would be nice to get them in advance. Frisa read from the Manual For Vermont Library Trustees that the librarian and board chair should develop the agenda together; but individual trustees should be able to add to it. She would like to follow those guidelines. Gould agreed. Blackwood moved that the board follow the recommended procedures by the Vermont Department of Libraries in its Manual for Vermont Library Trustees, seconded by Fowler. Blackwood said in addition, she would like to see the warnings in addition to the required paper locations be put on the town website and perhaps the library website. Frisa asked that the agenda also be posted there. Garofolo, Eagle Times, formally requested copies of the warnings and agendas. Zervas explained that the press has a standing request for special meeting warnings and agendas. Maskell added that it is a calendar year request. Frisa said we should discuss physical locations at which to warn meetings. She recommended that we be consistent with board and committee meetings. We posted this meeting at the bookstore, the kiosk and the library. Gould added that we should post at the store in Saxtons River. Zervas said she could post there. It was agreed to post at the clerk’s office, town hall lobby, the kiosk outside town hall, the public bulletin board in Saxtons River and the library. The motion carried. DeRusha brought up the necessity of having the minutes available five days after meetings. It can be done electronically and they should be noted “Draft”. Frisa added that they are posted on the library website and possibly the town website. Robert McBride suggested posting them on the screen before the movies begin. Geller asked that warnings and agendas be posted not just in as little time as required; but in as much time as possible and be made available for the public. It would be nice to put even the regular meetings on it and it would be good to have a regular procedure to put a notice in the calendar of the major newspapers that circulate in this area. Frisa asked when the chair feels the need to call a special meeting, that he call as many trustees possible first before setting the date.

Trustee Contact Information:
The chair asked for an up-to-date list of each board member’s name, email address, home address, etc. There were forms to be filled out and turned in by the end of the meeting. It was suggested that it be turned in to the Secretary. Frisa added that last year we established a specific email address which we would use. It would just be used for library business. Mary VanHartesveldt advised that the library maintains that list and will continue to do so if the board wants as they also need the information.

Trustee Contact Person with Attorneys Ankuda and Pell:
The chair asked to establish a contact person between the board and attorneys Ankuda and Pell during this time of litigation. Fowler suggested getting the full board’s approval first. Ankuda interjected that really is not workable because you have to have a meeting in order to authorize the chair. He added that is why you have a chair, the chair is the conduit. That’s how he works with every other board he deals with. Massucco supported Ankuda on this 100%. Massucco moved that we appoint the chair of this board to be the point person/contact person to interact with the attorneys for the board.; Steve Ankuda on behalf of the board and Connie Pell on behalf of Vermont League of Cities and Towns for the town and the board and that he use his discretion in those contacts with the request that he reports to the board on a regular basis and, if in his judgment, feels it necessary to call meetings, he do so. Frisa seconded the motion. Betty Haggerty asked why we would want to limit it to Ankuda and Pell; why not “attorneys”. Massucco said he would accept that as a friendly amendment; Frisa seconded the friendly amendment. The motion carried. DeRusha suggested the chair write a letter to the attorneys so it is unambiguous that there is one contact person. If anyone else wants to talk with them, it’s on their nickel. Secondly, Ankuda was requested to be here today by the board chair who is not now here. He suggested that since the board has gone through the open meeting law and public records access Mr. Ankuda could leave unless he chooses to stay here. Ankuda responded that he is happy to leave any time. He asked if next Tuesday’s meeting will be an executive session. He would like to be here to talk to the board about some things. Ray moved that Mr. Ankuda be invited to attend the special meeting of Tuesday, March 18th at 4:30 p.m. Frisa seconded the motion. The motion carried.

Review of Public Records Requests:
The chair advised that this is just a friendly reminder. If you are a new member, please review the Open Meeting Law. It is in the binder. Frisa asked that the board receive some training on this issue and on the next item, Review of Public Records Requests, in the near future. The chair advised that it will be discussed under Old Business, Invitation to Amy Howlett.

Committee Synopsis and Reports:

The chair said he had hoped there would be enough committee people who had committee experience to give about a two or three sentence description of what their committee does and then give a report on that committee. Budget & Finance: Fowler said she was on the budget & finance committee. They need more members. She is now the only member so she is looking for more board members and perhaps a member of the public with some expertise. She’s treasurer. She just went to the bank and reinvested our funds. The $125,000 she was designated to invest has been moved into a five year account at a bit over 2%. Unfortunately, that is as much as we can get. A copy of the paperwork has been given to Mary VanHartesveldt. Fowler said she would like to establish a binder where all this information is kept because it was difficult when she took over not knowing what the treasurer’s duties were. She has been working with Mary VanHartesveldt on the budget and with Sam & Emily on things and signing the warrants on Fridays. There was a By-Law change where we discussed that we would have two people sign; Hope has indicated that she would go; but we need to redo the By-Laws.

Policy: Frisa said in the most recent years, there were two policy committees and she was chair of one. The main thing done last year was to start reviewing the By-Laws. Her suggestion would be that there only be one policy committee going forward. Other than that, policy is pretty self-explanatory. The recommendation is that every year all library policies be reviewed by the board.

Communications/Fund Raising: Fowler advised that they did not meet the whole time and she suggested that there be no communications and fund raising committee. Rather there were questions and historical collection where either some fund raising or grants need to be looked at. There are questions about Buildings and Ground where there might be grants. She feels this committee should probably be disbanded and other committees assisted by the Budget and Finance group on whatever they want to do to develop a grant. She doesn’t think that having a stand-alone communications/grant group makes much sense.

Historical Collection: Frisa said the committee is responsible for the care and overseeing of historical collections from the library. This year there will be a lot of work bringing those things back to the library from temporary storage. They also want to start having rotating displays in the library as well. They have a couple of fundraiser projects they’d like to do. We just met last week and would like to come up with a work plan for the year. They also need new members.

Committee Assignment Requests: The chair asked board members to think about which committee the board members might like to serve on and put them in an order of 1-4. Blackwood asked about the By-Laws and Frisa explained that they are already outdated. The current By-Laws only establish three standing committees, Book, Building and Finance and such other committees as may be established. Ray & Laryssa Howard were on the book committee and they banned the books if necessary; however they never had to take any books off the shelves.

Fowler recommended that the personnel committee be made up of the officers of the trustees as is similar to the BFFDA Board and the Chamber Board, Parks Place and Our Place Boards. It is usually the chair, co-chair, secretary and perhaps the treasurer that are the personnel committee and they only meet when they have to. It is not a regularly scheduled thing. That is typical of all the organizations she has been involved with.

Frisa thought it would be a good idea to bring the board up to speed as to where they are on the By-Laws. A couple of weeks ago, the old board did meet to make the first round of recommendations; but those still have to be reviewed in writing twice and approved twice. The chair said his concern with the By-Laws is a description of what the committees do. Frisa said that is addressed in the Trustees’ Manual that each committee have something written down explaining their purpose.

Mary VanHartesveldt explained to the new trustees that what is in our binders are the By-Laws before any work was done on them, the policies before work was done on them. Any paperwork that has been generated that she did not have, the board does not have.

Public Comment: David DeRusha thanked the board members for their service. Joe Brissette asked who put together tonight’s agenda. Gould said he did with Pat Fowler. Brissette asked if she said last year’s board authorized the chair to put together the agenda and now this year you voted to have the chair get it together. Generally, it’s the job of the chair. Fowler said she being the treasurer did it. She and David discussed it, we came up with ideas, he printed it out for her. Joe’s point was that Jan was still chair so technically, it was still her job to make up tonight’s agenda. Massucco said he would take the position that she abdicated her responsibility. Brissette continued, she abdicated her responsibility now by not being here; but until this moment you didn’t know. Massucco replied that Jan indicated that she wouldn’t be here. Brissett said that this was an issue last year that citizens would come to the meetings citing violations of the open meeting law and it is not clear to him that David had the authority to make tonight’s agenda with Pat’s help. Fowler replied that she is sitting treasurer and Jan indicated that she probably would not be attending. This meeting was warned back in February. Frisa said if there is no chair coming to the meeting, it goes to the next lower down officer. Robert DeRusha said to move forward, there is other business to get to and every citizen always has the right to question through the Secretary of State’s Office open meeting issues. Serena Hickey said she appreciates the difficulties in getting this meeting going and appreciates that it was held now because it is convenient for her being a member of the public to see what this public board is up to. She also appreciates that the board has an agenda to work on and not just sitting here twiddling your thumbs. Steve Geller had a lengthy comment and submitted his written comments to be included in tonight’s minutes.

Director’s Report: The report was received. She asked if there were questions. Frisa asked Emily to explain the second to last item under “Other” concerning the E-rate grant. Emily said the E-rate grant is a federal grant for telecommunications funding for libraries and schools. We get a chunk of the state’s application monies because we have the state centered cyber connection. This is the first year that we are having it and we get it subsidized through the state. They do an application for all the different cyber libraries for the E-rate funding. We get a chunk from there and also a smaller chunk to help with the telephone service. The state chunk hasn’t come through yet in terms of what the rates were going to be. She has just been notified that it has just been processed. We will see a large credit on our Sovernet bills and from then on, we’ll see our Sovernet bills diminished. Right now it’s about $200 per month. We were anticipating the cyber internet was going to cost $100 per month. She thinks it will actually cost a little bit less based on what they’ve told her. She’ll know once the money comes down. We will get credit from Sovernet for the money already paid because the state money goes directly to them. One thing not on the agenda was to invite Mary Vanhartesveldt to take the board to the financial projection that she put together for us. Mary said she also wanted to let the new board members know about the reports they will be seeing monthly. There is a balance sheet, a budget status report both which come from the town and they reflect our account. At this point, they reflect the debt to the town largely due to the renovation. She asked if there were any questions. If anyone wants to come talk to her about the accounts, she will be happy to talk to individuals. The budget status report which comes out every month reflects our budget, our expenses and revenues so far and the per cents that we have achieved of our budget. The categories are grouped. At this point the renovation money is blended into it and reflected in the sub total for both revenues and expense. It can be taken out to look at the library’s month to month operations. The other report is a spreadsheet for the projections and has the same information but she has taken another step forward and tried to project to the end of the year what she thinks is going happen in different categories. She went over the financials with the board. Massucco thanked the public for supporting the library budget this year. He added that he thought Jiggs McAuliffe’s comments were also appropriate to be looking at how we eliminate our shortfall.

Old Business: Invitation to Amy Howlett for Trustee Training – The chair said he tried calling her today; but was not able to make contact. Fowler suggested an on-line package with meetings. We can get some dates from Amy and then people can comment. Gould said we will work through it. Library Grand Opening – Frisa said she has been thinking about this. One thing talked about at our most recent Historical Collection committee meeting is there is a date, May 8th where there is going to be a presentation here at the library. Emily said the library and the Historic Preservation arm of town hall have partnered to have Bill Hosely come and do a presentation about libraries, specifically historic libraries and how their services have changed and also about historic preservation of library buildings. He is available on that date. Frisa said her thought is that if that is an agreeable timeframe, it might be nice to plan a number of grand reopening events somewhere along that date of May 8th. Gould asked if anyone had stepped forward to chair this event. The response was “not yet”. Gould said this will fall under her bailiwick and he will be happy to step in. Frisa said once he has made the decision of committee members she would like to know as soon as possible. The committee is Carolyn, Pat, Paige and Emily at this time. We can adjust that if needed.

New Business: Copy Machine Lease – Zervas said she needs the board’s approval to sign a lease agreement with Canon. They are talking about doing a 16 month fair market value lease and the price with maintenance per month is $101 and then there is a charge for black & white copies and colored copies. It would be both the staff and public copier. The public computers will be able to print in color. Fowler asked what the cost per copy. Zervas responded that the copy for black and white is .0123 cents per copy. Our cost for colored copy is .08 cents per copy. We will charge more than that. Canon supplies the toner. It has been budgeted for since the beginning of the year; but because it’s a new contract she needs board approval. Frisa moved to approve the new contract for the copier as presented by Zervas, seconded by Blackwood. The motion carried.

Executive Session: Not needed.

Other: No other business.

The next meeting is scheduled for March 18, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. in the Library Conference Room to discuss pending litigation with Connie Pell, Attorney from VLCT and to conduct any other trustee business.

Frisa moved to adjourn at 6:25 p.m. seconded by Fowler. The motion carried.

Respectfully submitted
Doreen Aldrich, Secretary

Letter read by Steve Geller

Good afternoon. I’m Steve Geller. First and foremost, I want to congratulate the 4 new Trustees on their very successful campaign and election to the Board, and the voters of Rockingham for their good judgment and commitment to get out and vote in such large numbers to send such a clear and unequivocal message. What was that message? That they deserve a Board they can trust to serve the needs and interests of the Library, its patrons, and the community, in a transparent, civil and integrity-driven manner, instead of the narrow interests of a few individuals’ personal agendas.

How clear was that message? The election results tell it all. Let’s look at what they say: Deb Wright was the only member of the previous majority- the 5 whose actions drove the formation of the Trustees You Can Trust campaign -who ran for re-election. She was the embodiment of that majority- one of its primary leaders, and the architect of the allegations that were fabricated about the Library Director’s performance in order to justify their relentless drive to fire her, the truth be damned.

For that performance, Ms. Wright was fired by her employers, the residents of the Town of Rockingham, who soundly rejected her bid to remain on the Board to keep doing what she had been doing for the past 3 years. But the big news was not just her defeat; it was the scale of the defeat that is most significant:

• In the previous 4 elections, not a single Library Board candidate received as many votes as any of this year’s candidates, except for Wright.
• Wright, an incumbent (usually a large advantage), received only 143 votes, compared to 685, 757 & 837 for the other three-year-term candidates, which was only 6% of the total votes cast in that race; i.e., 94% of voters said essentially “Anyone but Wright’
• The next lowest vote-getter received 28% of the votes, compared to her 6%.
• If she had tripled her votes, she still would have been 128 votes short of getting elected. She would have needed to quadruple her votes to win a seat, and then it would have been by just 15 votes.

Let me be clear: My aim in focusing on the vote counts is not to disparage Ms. Wright’s re-election effort. Rather, it’s to make the point that elections have consequences: They convey the will of the voters to either maintain the status quo or to make needed changes going forward. The good news for the new Board is that you don’t have to guess about how to interpret the voters’ will in this case. Here’s why:

Ms. Wright was unambiguously, unapologetically clear and articulate in her defense of the previous majority’s actions and viewpoint: She insisted that they did the right thing every step of the way, had nothing to be sorry for, and would continue to do the same if given the chance; therefore the voters should re-elect her to fight to maintain the status quo for another 3 years. The scale of her defeat speaks volumes about the vehemence with which the voters rejected that argument, and by extension, the actions of the previous majority: The voters’ will was obviously to demand change, and for it to be immediate and dramatic.

This message is so self-evident that the term “message” is really inadequate to describe it.

It is truly a mandate…a mandate for the Board to:

1. Move forward toward community healing by swiftly turning back the reckless actions of the previous one-vote majority, in the areas of open meetings, public involvement, proper procedures, and, not least, the wrongful termination of the Library Director

2. Re-focus your efforts on the big picture – the mission, vision, direction, & fiduciary oversight- instead of micro-managing library operations. Empower and allow the Director and staff to do what they were hired for, and have the skills & professional experience to do best, instead of standing in their way and second-guessing them on every minute detail.

3. Stop worrying about how little community outreach and meeting notification, and public comment you can get away with doing, based on the minimum legal requirements, and start focusing instead on how much you can do to maximize the involvement of town residents, patrons, and other elected officials. Welcome and encourage community partnerships beyond what’s required rather than push away and discourage them.

4. Conduct your meetings, business transactions, relationships, and yourselves with the maximum feasible transparency, civility, and integrity.

The people of Rockingham have registered their demand for change with their votes and will be watching to see if their mandate is heeded and fulfilled. I know the new Board majority is committed to making that happen, and I and hundreds of other concerned individuals are excited to have contributed to that and to being a witness to, and a partner in its implementation going forward.

Thank you for your time and for listening to my comments. I request that they be made a part of the official record of this meeting.

RFPL Board of Trustees Warning
Special Meeting of Board of Trustees
Rockingham Free Public Library
Tuesday, February 25th, 2014
Time and Place: 4:00 p.m. at RFPL Meeting Room

1. Call to Order
2. Public comment: 2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments
3. Community Search Committee: report and recommendation
4. Buildings and Grounds: emergency item: ice on roof – north side of building
5. Work session by trustees on trustees’ bylaws: work through Committee B’s recommendations.
6. Executive session, if needed
7. Schedule next work session and/or pass on results to new board
8. Adjourn

RFPL Board of Trustees Minutes – Special Meeting of Board of Trustees
Rockingham Free Public Library
Tuesday, February 25th, 2014 Time and Place: 4:00 p.m. at RFPL Meeting Room

Attendees: Board – Hope Brisette, Elayne Clift, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, Jan Mitchel-Love, Ray Massucco, Paige Pietrzak, Laura Senes (phone), Deb Wright. Staff: Samantha Maskell, Mary Van Hartesveldt, Emily Zervas. Public – Arnold Clift, David deRusha, Steve Geller, David Gould, Célina Houlné, Sue Lampe-Wilson, Joel Love, Donna Stevens. Press: Chris Garafolo, Dominic Poli, Susan Smallheer, Brian Bashaw filming for FACT TV

1. Call to Order at 4pm

2. Community Search Committee: report and recommendation. No recommendation at this time after interviewing 3 of the 5 candidates from the pool of 19. Elayne Clift made a motion that no actions or decisions for a director or interim director be made by this current board but that we should notify the current applicants that they were not successful. Yes: Clift, Massuco, Frisa Fowler. No: Wright, Mitchell- Love, Brisette, Pietrzak. Motion failed. Pat Fowler made a motion that the Chair of the Search Committee notify the current job applicants that they did not match our needs at this time. Seconded by Frisa. All voted in favor. Pat Fowler moved that we re-run the ad in the ALA and other places through March 31 with applications due on April 11th. Massucco seconded. Clift opposed, 8 other trustees in favor, Motion Passed.

Laura Senes left the meeting at 5pm

3. Public comment: none

4. Buildings and Grounds: emergency item: ice is building up on the roof on the north side of building discovered by Eric Clark. Emily Zervas and the Building Committee were directed by the Trustees to solve the problem. Emily will ask the Town not to plow the sidewalk in front on the side and cones and “Danger” signage will be placed.

5. Work session by trustees on trustees’ bylaws- changes were made by the Board with suggestions included from the audience.

6. Executive session: none

7. Schedule next work session and/or pass on results to new board – bylaws work concluded. Draft Bylaws will be passed on to the new Board. Brisette and Pietrzak left the meeting.

8. Prior to adjournment, Carolyn Frisa made a motion that the Board of Trustees hold an organizational meeting on March 5th. (not on agenda, so not a legal motion) Yes: Clift, Frisa, Fowler, Massucco. No: Mitchell-Love, Wright. Motion failed.

Meeting Adjourned at 6:44pm Submitted by Pat Fowler

Agenda
Special Meeting of Board of Trustees

Rockingham Free Public Library
Tuesday, February 18th, 2014
Time and Place: 4:00 p.m. at RFPL Meeting Room

1. Call to Order

2. Public comment: 2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments

3. Finance Committee: update on investment of annuity – Pat Fowler

4. Executive session (pending litigation)

5. Work session by trustees on trustees’ bylaws: work through Committee B’s recommendations.

6. Schedule next work session

7. Adjourn

Minutes
Special Meeting of Board of Trustees
Rockingham Free Public Library
Tuesday, February 18th, 2014
Time and Place: 4:00 p.m. at RFPL Meeting Room

Trustees in attendance: Hope Brissette, Pat Fowler, Jan Mitchell-Love, Paige Pietrzak, and Deb Wright.
Trustees not in attendance: Elayne Clift, Ray Massucco, Carolyn Frisa and Laura Senes
Staff in attendance: Emily Zervas, librarian
Public Attendees: Arnold Clift, David Gould, and Constance Pell
Press in attendance: Chris Garafolo of the Eagle Times

1. Call to Order: the meeting was called to order by Jan Mitchell-Love at 4:11 p.m.

2. Public comment: 2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments: David Gould asked if the public, particularly the Search Committee, was going to be briefed on the litigation timeline. Ms. Pell told him “no.” Arnold Clift read a statement urging the Board of Trustees to wait until an injunction, filed by the terminated library director, is ruled on before hiring a new library director. Mr. Clift read this same statement to the Community Search Committee on Tuesday morning. (This statement is attached.)

3. Finance Committee: update on investment of annuity – Pat Fowler: Pat explained that the annuity is now in a money market account earning 1.9% interest as Security Benefits, where we were going to take out an annuity for 2.1% interest, is under investigation. Linda Walker of People’s Bank is hopeful she can soon identify an appropriate place to invest the monies.

–Pat also told the board there had been an issue with a discrepancy with federal i.d. number originally assigned to the $182,000 that needs to be resolved at some point in the near future. Pat suggests that we have a binder for the future of the library’s investments, locked away, where all the financial papers are so that future boards will have these documents readily available.

— There was a conversation about what to do with the $57,000 currently at TD Bank. Deb Wright made the motion and Hope Brissette seconded that the treasurer investigate the money market funds available for investing the remaining $57,000 and report back to the board. The vote was five for the motion, zero against, and zero abstentions, motion passed.

4. Executive session (pending litigation): Deb Wright moved that we enter executive session to discuss pending litigation and invite attorney, Constance Pell, to enter as well. Hope Brissette seconded. The vote was five for the motion, zero against, and zero abstentions. The Board of Trustees entered executive session at 4:23 p.m.

At 5:18 p.m. the Board of Trustees came out of executive session. No action was taken.

5. Work session by trustees on trustees’ bylaws: work through Committee B’s recommendations: it was decided that there was not time to accomplish anything meaningful as the Board of Trustees were due to attend a 6:00 p.m. Selectboard Meeting, so no bylaws revision work was done and the bylaws work will be rescheduled.

6. Schedule next work session: the board identified 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25th as the next meeting date. It was mentioned that this meeting also might have other items on the agenda than just bylaws revision.

7. Adjourn: Paige Pietrzak made the motion to adjourn, seconded by Deb Wright. The vote to adjourn was unanimous. The meeting was adjourned at 5:23 p.m.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Jan Mitchell-Love, Board Chair

Proposed Statement to the RFPL Search Committee on Tuesday February 18, 2014.

I understand from official sources that the Town of Rockingham has been served Notice of a Motion for Preliminary Injunction by Celine Houlne, former RFPL Library Director, to enjoin the Library Trustees from hiring a Library Director pending the outcome of her earlier Complaint to the Court for wrongful dismissal. I assume that this Notice has already also been served on the Board of Trustee or will be very soon.

In the interests of full transparency and proper integrity on the part of a public agency of government, I assume that this Search Committee will inform each candidate it interviews for the Library Director position, that this Motion to the Court for Preliminary Injunction has been filed and served on the Town.

I would appreciate hearing your intentions with regard to the matter I have just raised.

As there is no audiotape of this meeting, I request that the minutes of this meeting record as closely as possible to verbatim any further discussion of this matter in the Search Committee.

I request that this statement be entered into the record of this meeting.

Arnold J. Clift

AGENDA OF RFPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
Tuesday, February 11th, 2014
4:30 PM at Meeting Room, RFPL, Bellows Falls, VT

1. Call to order

2. Public Comment – 2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments.

3. Approve minutes of January 14th, 2013 trustees’ meeting and January 21st special meeting

4. Director’s Monthly Report
a. Report
b. Financial Reports
c. Procedure for notifying press of meetings
d. Records requests – trustees’ and RFPL’s responsibilities
e. Other

6. Committee Reports
a. Building and Grounds – update on neighbors’ concerns
b. Communication – no report
c. Finance – Deb Wright and Pat Fowler
Reinvestment of annuity
Attorney bills update
Part-time staff benefits: personal leave and sick leave
d. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa – update
e. Policy – Reminder: bylaws meeting (for all trustees) on February 18th, 2014 at 4:00 p.m.
f. Personnel – Jan M-L – Search Committee update

7. Old Business
a. 2014 workshop with Amy Howlett
b. Correspondence – Attorney General letter on Open Meeting Law/SMP Pre Mediation Demand letter

8. New Business
Selectboard meeting – Tuesday, February 18th at 6:00 p.m. (probably the start time)

9. Review agenda items for next meeting. Current meeting date is Tuesday, March 11th at 4:30 p.m. in RFPL’s Meeting Room.

10. Executive Session (if necessary)

11. Trustees’ Comments

12. Adjourn

MINUTES OF RFPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
Tuesday, February 11th, 2014
4:30 PM at Meeting Room, RFPL, Bellows Falls, VT

Board members in attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Deb Wright, Pat Fowler, Elayne Clift, Carolyn Frisa, Ray Massucco and Laura Senes.
Staff in attendance: Mary Van Hartesveldt and Emily Zervas.
Public attendees: Kathleen Michel, David DeRusha, Steve Geller, Celina Houlne, Arnold Clift, David Gould, Joel Love, Tim Dougherty and Joe Brissette.

1. Call to order at 4:35pm by Jan Mitchell-Love.

2. Public Comment: Several members of the public suggested that the hiring of a new director should be deferred until after March 4. Several members of the public stated that they feel the hiring process should continue.

3. Approve minutes of January 14th, 2014 trustees’ meeting and January 21st special meeting: Pat Fowler made a motion to approve the January 14th, 2014 minutes with the amendment that Carolyn Frisa made the motion to approve the December 10, 2013 minutes not Elayne Clift. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette passed with 6 in favor, none opposed and 1 abstention. Deb Wright made a motion to approve the January 21st special meeting minutes, with the amendment of changing ‘hiring committee’ to ‘search committee’ wherever it appears in the minutes. This motion, seconded by Carolyn Frisa passed with 6 in favor, none opposed and 1 abstention.

4. Librarian’s Monthly Report:
a. Report: Emily Zervas presented the Librarian’s monthly report. The ADA inspectors visited on Jan. 28 and 29 and inspected the top and bottom floors, but have not completed their inspection. The new story time rug is set-up in the youth program room. Copies of the Vermont Humanities Council Community Reads Book, “Wonder” are available. The first program will be on February 27 at 7pm.
b. Financial Reports: Mary Van Hartesveldt presented and responded to questions about the financial report. The library owes the town about $8,000 for FY12. There were questions about the increase in library liability insurance, which the Finance Committee will look into and report about at the next meeting.
c. Procedure for notifying press of meetings: Emily Zervas reports information from Sam Maskell who checked with the Secretary of State about standing orders from the press for notification of meetings. The press may make a standing order for notification of special meetings for 1 year. Emily Zervas will get the exact language and send it to board members. It was decided by consensus that the staff will be responsible for complying with this request, and whoever puts notification on the calendar will send out the warning. d. Record’s requests-trustees’ and RFPL’s responsibilities: Emily Zervas reports for Sam Maskell. The RFPL repository is a place to save public records, but it is still each trustee’s responsibility to comply with any public records requests. If a trustee needs to access the repository, he or she must come to the library to be helped by Sam or Emily.
e. Other: Emily Zervas reports for Sam Maskell to address questions about email forwarding from Celina’s library email address. This address still receives emails, which are then forwarded to Sam. Emails cannot be sent from this account. Wendy and Ed’s accounts are also still receiving emails.

5. Committee Reports
a. Building – Hope Brissette: The Building Committee checked with Lawrence and Lober who stated that the outside lights cannot be adjusted, but the glass can be painted and the timing can be changed. The Building Committee will meet again to address the noise issue, as any solution will need to wait until spring, and will need to go to zoning. (Carolyn Frisa leaves at 5:30.) Elayne Clift made a motion to pay to professionally adjust the lights at a cost of up to $300. Deb Wright seconds this motion with the friendly amendment to increase the amount to $350. Elayne Clift accepted this amendment. The motion passed with 5 in favor, none opposed, and 1 abstention. Hope will inform the neighbors.

b. Communication – no report

c. Finance – Deb Wright and Pat Fowler
Reinvestment of annuity: There is a discrepancy with the tax ID numbers that needs to get ironed out before we can reinvest. Pat has a call into Chip Stearns to figure this out and will update the board at the meeting next week. Attorney bills update: Deb Wright reports that the attorney bills have been paid. Deb Wright asked Mr. Ankuda about the charge for a conversation with Ray Massucco, but has not received any further clarification about this charge. Ray does not recall this conversation. Part time staff benefits: personal leave and sick leave: There is presently a bill in the state legislature requiring mandatory sick leave, which may be decided by town meeting day. It was agreed by consensus to table this topic until the March meeting.

d. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa – update: Presented by Pat Fowler. Recent tasks accomplished include repairs to the locks on the historical collections storage in the library, and repair and assessment of the grandfather clock. Upcoming projects were also presented.

e. Policy – Reminder: bylaws meeting (for all trustees) on February 18th, 2014 at 4:00p.m. There will also be an update by Pat Fowler on reinvesting the annuity. And Constance Pell the attorney from VLCT for the lawsuit will attend.

f. Personnel – Jan M-L – Search Committee update: The Search Committee has 5 candidates to interview. Also, the Search Committee would like the public to only address this Committee with issues pertaining to the Search Committee. Otherwise comments should be directed to the Library Board. Elayne Clift discussed a letter she emailed to the Board prior to the meeting that she had read at the Search Committee meeting. (Attached.)

6. Old Business:
a. 2014 workshop with Amy Howlett – This workshop has been cancelled because Amy Howlett had wanted to address this board.

b. Correspondence –Attorney General letter on Open Meeting Law/SMP Pre Mediation Demand letter: Jan Mitchell-Love will read a letter under director’s comments addressing the Attorney General letter. A letter has been sent to SMP stating intent to make claim for damages.

7. New Business: Selectboard meeting- Tuesday, February 18th at 6:00 p.m. (probably the start time): We will be first on the agenda, and then the Selectboard will enter executive session to discuss the lawsuit.

8. Review agenda items for next meeting. Current meeting date is Tuesday, March 11th at 4:30 p.m. in RFPL’s Meeting Room. Any agenda items should be sent to Jan Mitchell-Love.

9. Executive Session (if necessary): Not necessary.

10. Trustees’ Comments: Ray Massucco stated he believes the new Board should have input on choosing the new director. Deborah Wright disagrees. Elayne Clift expresses concern about hiring a new director considering the lawsuit. Hope Brissette thanked Laura Senes and Deb Wright for their service on the Library Board. Pat Fowler stated that she hopes recommendations for the new director go to the new Library Board. Laura Senes stated that the press and public should be more respectful in their treatment of volunteers if the public hopes to continue to get good volunteers from the community. Jan Mitchell-Love thanked those members who are leaving the Board and read a letter she wrote concerning open meeting law. (Letter attached).

11. Adjourn: Motion to adjourn made by Hope Brissette, seconded by Deb Wright, passed unanimously at 7:17 p.m.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Secretary Laura Senes on February 16, 2014.

Letter submitted by Elayne Clift
Statement to Search Committee, Feb. 10, 2014 by Elayne Clift, Trustee
First let me say that I appreciate the civility with which the Search Committee has conducted its business and the respect it has shown to members of the public who have attended your meetings.

However, I must say for the record that I have some deep concerns about recent decisions and actions taken by the committee. I am very disturbed by the letter that was sent on Friday to candidates selected for interview which failed to note either that the lawsuit in process cites wrongful dismissal and calls for reinstatement of the former director, or that within a matter of weeks there will be several new Trustees taking their seats. This is absolutely critical information for any prospective candidate to know. I am troubled that the letter sent to candidates is misleading in implying that the suit is without merit, that the Committee feels “secure” in the selection of a new director, and further, suggests that a “period of healing” has begun.

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth given that a majority of the current Board of Trustees were denied the opportunity – by some of their own colleagues, I note – to review and approve the letter sent to candidates, and that there has been total disregard for the new Trustees who will be seated in a mere 3 weeks. I think it is fair to say that not all of “our wonderful library and community” will be happy with the somewhat misleading letter sent to candidates, or with the fact that present and prospective Trustees have been shut out of the process by which a final candidate is being hastily identified and interviewed.

I suggest with some urgency that the Search Committee think very carefully indeed about what could happen once this runaway train crosses the bridge of the March 4th election. One scenario within the realm of possibility is that a candidate could be selected and resign his or her present position, only to find that before they have taken up the new post it is no longer available – a possibility that MUST be taken into consideration. Such an event, which cannot be ruled out, would create havoc and ill-will. It might even result in legal difficulties.

The Library Directorship has been open for several months now. While this has created a heavy workload for the present staff, the library is functioning well. What is to be gained by barreling ahead and ignoring the fact that new Trustees are soon to be seated which could result in important decisions being taken that are at odds with decisions taken by the present board? What is to be gained by ignoring the input of present Trustees? And most importantly, what could happen if you set up a situation in which an applicant might find themselves in a totally untenable position?

I ask you to carefully consider these questions before any damage is done. And I ask that this statement be entered into the record. Thank you.

Letter read by Jan Mitchell-Love:
To RFPL Board of Trustees and the Community-at-large:

I understand that at last night’s forum someone mentioned that I had broken Open Meeting Law six times. This is not a good thing. However, upon reflection it’s also not a very high number of violations. Just two days ago, on Sunday, one of the two trustees appointed to our board this summer – the one who is running for a three-year library position – violated Open Meeting Law by sending out a newsy e-mail to all the trustees. He’s been told time and again that this is breaking Open Meeting Law but continues to do it. About the same time the other trustee appointed to our board this summer – the one who is not running for a library position – sent out yet another of her long letters to all the trustees. She does this on a regular basis – my favorite e-mail from her came about a month ago when she stated that she knew she was breaking Open Meeting Law in sending out that particular e-mail but she had to – it was important.

My point is not that these two are terrible people for breaking Open Meeting Law. My point is it is hard NOT to break Open Meeting Law. Its concept is solid and laudable; we do want transparent government, and we do want citizens to be able to offer their opinions and insights at public meetings. But the current rules for Open Meeting Law make it almost impossible to follow the law without breaking it, and that is what is happening in many places, including our own town. My understanding is the legislature is going back and reviewing the Open Meeting Law details with the intention of making the law more user-friendly. In my opinion, this is a good thing because ultimately, you don’t want a law in place that people are not able to follow. You want public boards to be able to conduct their business and follow the Open Meeting Law – exactly — at the same time.

But let’s get back to me and my breaking of Open Meeting Law. The Attorney General identified several instances where I broke it, and I agree with most of them.

Number 1: the RFPL Board of Trustees did have an illegal vote in May to close the library. We were following our bylaws which turned out to be illegal when compared to Vermont law. This led to a lively discussion involving the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and several other state officials that went on for a couple of days at the state level. They decided late on a Friday afternoon that Vermont law trumped our bylaws and we needed to revote. I scheduled a meeting as quickly as I could get a quorum together and retook the vote. The Attorney General complimented me for taking care of this matter so quickly: I understand one of the library trustee candidates up for election – the one who is presently on the board because the Selectboard put him there – was critical of this at last night’s forum.

Number 2: I denied a citizen the right to speak at a July meeting. I did do this as I told the Attorney General. After the occurrence I went out on my own and researched the law, made the correction, and did not wait for the complaint from citizens to be made. I told this to the Attorney General when he wrote me about the complaint. In that letter, I also explained to him that I was following a precedent set by the Bellows Falls Trustees where I and other Rockingham residents were denied the right to speak because we were not Bellows Falls residents. Interestingly, this happened again at a January, 2014 joint Selectboard-Trustees meeting. I raised my hand to point out to Roger Riccio, Bellows Falls Trustees Chair, the Open Meeting Law violation he was committing, but someone else in the audience beat me to it.

So I said I agreed with most of the Attorney General’s findings in his December 16th, 2013 letter. Here is what I do not agree with, and interestingly, my disagreements all center around Elayne Clift’s complaints which only encompass about one third of the Attorney General’s letter.

First Disagreement: There is a quote from an April 3rd, 2013 e-mail I wrote – the contents of which we covered at our April, 2013 trustees meeting – where the first part of the quote is given but the last part is not. Basically what I said was that if you had a quorum showing up for a committee meeting, you had to warn the committee meeting as a trustees’ meeting or it either could not be held or some trustees had to leave – there cannot be a gathering of a quorum of trustees to discuss library business without warning it as a trustees’ meeting. The clear message of my e-mail and what I later said at the April, 2013 trustees’ meeting was that it was a simple matter of warning the committee/trustees meeting correctly so that any interested trustee could attend the meeting. The terminated director, Ms. Clift, and some of her followers have continued to only give the first line of this e-mail message and contend my intent was to prevent committees from meeting. To quote one line out of context and without the rest of the lines that go with it is a form of lying. I did not know until receiving the Attorney General’s December letter that Ms. Clift had said this about my April 3rd, 2013 e-mail, or I would have corrected the record with the Attorney General earlier. If I had sent the Attorney General the full e-mail message, my assumption would be that the Attorney General would have had no objection to what I said because it is correct: again, if a quorum of the board shows up for a committee meeting, the committee meeting has to be warned as a board meeting, not a committee meeting or it either cannot take place or some trustees have to go home.

Second Disagreement: Ms. Clift again lifts a line from a February 4, 2013 e-mail about Personnel Committee meetings not being public meetings. She failed to report that that was an inadvertent error on my part – quickly corrected so that the phrase reads that executive sessions of Personnel Committee meetings are not public. Ms. Clift has been corrected on this detail multiple times, so again I did not realize until receiving the December 16th Attorney General’s letter that she had reported this e-mail phrase to him without the correction. He correctly said that Personnel meetings were public meetings; I’m sure he would agree that the executive sessions of Personnel meetings are not.

Third Disagreement: Ms. Clift apparently told the Attorney General that I stated that the minutes of a meeting should only include votes taken with no discussion. I cannot account for this as a misinterpretation or twisting of my words on Ms. Clift’s part; this one is a total fabrication (that’s a synonym for lying). As a matter of fact, twice in the past eighteen months, in the fall of 2012 and again in the spring of 2013, I have brought in copies of the Open Meeting Law for all trustees, and we have reviewed what the law has to say on minutes. And it most definitely does NOT say that minutes should omit any discussion details — it does say that minutes should not include a blow by blow accounting of the discussions and that every public official is responsible for taking his/her own notes to augment what the minutes have to say. But minutes should give a flavor of the discussions that take place.

Fourth Disagreement: no minutes of the Personnel Committee were posted on the RFPL website. This is true; as a board, the trustees decided to only have minutes of trustees’ meetings on the website, not committee meetings. If members of the public wanted minutes of committee meetings, they could request them. However, Mr. Reynolds knows quite well that minutes were kept of the Personnel Committee meetings as, when five Friends of the Library wrote the original complaint to him in April, 2013 that Ms. Clift has apparently augmented as the year has gone on, one of the things he requested from our board was agendas and minutes for all committees for the preceding calendar year. Interestingly, the only missing minutes were from two of the signers of the April letter – former board members, Debbie Wetzel and Duane Whitehead – who could not produce some of the sets of minutes from the committees they chaired. The Personnel Committee’s paperwork was in excellent order as was every other trustees’ committee except for theirs.

Sorry to have gone on for so long, but linking my name to Open Meeting Law violations in an effort to besmirch my reputation and my board’s reputation has gone on for too long. Last night’s aspersions from one of the candidates for the new library board – the one who was appointed by the Selectboard against trustees’ wishes – made it clear to me that these charges should be answered.

I respect Open Meeting Law. As a matter of fact, I, along with Pat Fowler, were the only two library trustees who bothered to show up for the Secretary of State’s most informative November presentation. Certainly Ms. Clift was not present. My assumption is that attendance was not a high priority for her because that might involve getting her facts straight, and that does not appear to be what she is interested in. Character assassination, yes. Accurate fact reporting, no.

Lastly, I owe Mr. Reynolds a thank you. I appreciate your careful attention to the details shared with you about our RFPL board. I appreciate all the time you have taken in listening to our citizens. I appreciate the fact that you saw and stated that neither I nor my Board have ever intentionally violated Open Meeting Law. And your point is well taken that we should all continue to educate ourselves on the law. And we are endeavoring to do so. The November visit from the Secretary of State that I attended was immensely helpful in that regard.

Thanks to all for listening.
Most sincerely,
Janice Mitchell-Love

RFPL Board of Trustees Warning
Special Meeting of Board of Trustees
Rockingham Free Public Library
Tuesday, January 21st, 2014
Time and Place: 4:30 p.m. at RFPL Meeting Room

This is a special meeting on the trustees’ bylaws plus follow-up on several other items discussed at January 14th’s trustees’ regular meeting.

 

Minutes
Special Meeting of Board of Trustees
Rockingham Free Public Library
Tuesday, January 21st, 2014
Time and Place: 4:30 p.m. at RFPL Meeting Room

Board members in attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Deb Wright, Elayne Clift, Paige Pietrzak, Carolyn Frisa, Ray Massucco and Laura Senes.
Staff in attendance: Emily Zervas
Public attendees: Arnold Clift, Betty Haggerty, Celina Houlne, David DeRusha, Ian Ludders, David Gould, and Joel Love.
Press in attendance: Domenic Poli (Brattleboro Reformer)

1. Call to Order 4:39 by Jan Mitchell-Love

2. Public comment: None.

3. Second floor security update: Emily with rekeying expense information and possible lockout: No update as of yet. Emily has not received calls back.

4. Hiring Search Committee for new director: Personnel Committee presents list of interested possible members: The Personnel Committee suggested the following committee: Jan Mitchell-Love, Laura Senes, Pat Fowler, David Gould, Heidi Lucas-Moccia, Torin Brooks, Barbara Ternes and Amy Howlett will also advise. Alternates include Cathy Bergman, Jeremy from J & H Hardware who is thinking about it, and the Personnel Committee is still seeking a volunteer from Chroma. The Personnel Committee requested the staff compile a list of possible interview questions. It was decided the board would also like to see one staff member be a non-voting member of the Hiring Search Committee. Arnold Clift presented the board with a public records request to see the applications. Other members of the board also stated they would like to see the applications. Confidentiality of applicant information was discussed. Deb Wright made a motion that the Board accept the list for the Hiring Search Committee as presented by the Personnel Committee with the addition of one staff member, to be decided by Emily Zervas and Sam Maskell. This motion, seconded by Paige Pietrzak, passed with 7 in favor, none opposed.

5:26 pm. Carolyn Frisa leaves.

5. Work session by trustees on trustees’ bylaws: finished last bylaw under Policy Committee A and tried to work through Committee B’s recommendations: Bylaws VIII-X discussed, possible changes recorded by Jan Mitchell-Love.

6. Schedule next work session: Next work session will be on February 4, 2014 at 4:30 pm in the RFPL meeting room. Discussion will begin with Bylaw XI.

7. Executive session (if necessary): None

8. Adjourn: Motion to adjourn by Elayne Clift at 6:12 pm, seconded by Paige Pietrzak, passed with all in favor at 6:12 pm.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Laura Senes on January 26, 2014.

 

AGENDA OF RFPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
Tuesday, January 14th, 2014
4:30 PM at Meeting Room, RFPL, Bellows Falls, VT

1. Call to order

2. Public Comment – 2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments.

3. Approve minutes of December 10th, 2013 trustees’ meeting; January 3rd special meeting; and January 7th special meeting

4. Update on new library director job posting/Search Committee formation

5. Librarians’ Monthly Report
a. Report
b. Financial Reports
c. Other

6. Committee Reports
a. Building – Hope Brissette: issue with neighbors/issue with building security
b. Communication – discuss committee
c. Finance – Deb Wright
* Reinvestment of annuity
* Attorney bills update
* Compensation to staff for extra duties: September, 2013 onward
* Part-time staff benefits: personal leave and sick leave
d. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa – update
e. Policy – Reminder: bylaws meeting (for all trustees) on January 21st, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. Committee appointments and the bylaws
f. Personnel – Jan M-L

7. Old Business
a. 2014 workshop with Amy Howlett – discuss venue
b. Correspondence – Highway Department thank you/Attorney General letter on Open Meeting Law

8. Review agenda items for next meeting. Current meeting date is Tuesday, February 11th at 4:30 p.m. in RFPL’s Meeting Room.

9. Executive Session (if necessary)

10. Trustees’ Comments

11. Adjourn

MINUTES OF RFPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
Tuesday, January 14th, 2014
4:30 PM at Meeting Room, RFPL, Bellows Falls, VT

Board members in attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Deb Wright, Pat Fowler, Elayne Clift, Paige Pietrzak, Carolyn Frisa, and Laura Senes.
Staff in attendance: Mary Van Hartesveldt, Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell.
Public attendees: Kathy Michel, David DeRusha, Steve Geller, Bob DeRusha, Ian Eddy, Arnold Clift, David Gould, Joel Love and Celina Houlne.
Press in attendance: Domenic Poli (Brattleboro Reformer).

1. Call to order at 4:35pm by Jan Mitchell-Love.

2. Public Comment: None

3. Approve minutes of December 10th, 2013 trustees’ meeting; January 3rd special meeting; and January 7th special meeting: Carolyn Frisa made a motion to pass the December 10, 2013 minutes after fixing the typographical error of “baggig” to “bagging” under #8. This motion seconded by Deb Wright passed with 7 in favor, none opposed. Hope Brissette made a motion to pass the January 3, 2014 minutes after changing the misspelling of Elayne under #6. This motion, seconded by Carolyn Frisa, passed with 6 in favor, 1 abstention. Hope Brissette made a motion to approve the January 7, 2014 minutes after deleting “2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments” under #2. This motion, seconded by Pat Fowler, passed with 6 in favor, 1 abstention.

4. Update on new library director job posting/Search Committee formation: Jan Mitchell-Love reports an excellent pool of candidates so far; all applicants have post-graduate degrees, and most have a MLS. Elayne Clift read a letter concerning the hiring of a new library director, with specific concerns of a pending lawsuit by the previous director seeking rehiring.

(1 minute recess 4:53pm. Resume meeting 4:54pm)

Deb Wright made a motion to task the Personnel Committee with selecting the Search Committee members, which will review and evaluate applications, interview viable candidates, and make a final recommendation to the board on someone to hire, motion seconded by Hope Brissette. After discussion Deb Wright and Hope Brissette accepted the friendly amendment that the Personnel Committee will put together a list for the Search Committee and bring it to the next board meeting on January 21, 2014. This motion passed with 6 in favor, 1 opposed. Any suggestions should be sent to the Personnel Committee.

5. Librarians’ Monthly Report:
a. Report: Emily Zervas and Sam Maskell thanked all the volunteers that helped to shelve the book collection. The end panels have been installed. The library is doing a Food For Fines food drive, donations going to Our Place Drop-In Center. The Board thanked Emily Zervas and Mary Van Hartesveldt for an excellent presentation of the budget to the Selectboard. Emily Zervas encouraged the Board to meet with the Selectboard and Chip Stearns to discuss the renovation overruns before the annual meeting. Jan Mitchell-Love will contact the Selectboard to set up a meeting.
b. Financial Reports: Mary Van Hartesveldt presented and responded to questions about the budget.
c. Other: Emily Zervas requested that we use donated funds to purchase computer tables for the adult section and 1 ADA compliant table for microfilm and Internet access. Deb Wright made a motion to approve expenditure of $5030.00 from donated funds for the purchase of ADA compliant and non-compliant stations. This motion, seconded by Paige Pietrzak, passed with 7 in favor, none opposed. Sam Maskell requested that we use donated funds to purchase a story-time rug for the youth department. Pat Fowler made a motion to allow funds, not to exceed $700, from the Whitcomb donation to purchase a rug for the youth department. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with 7 in favor, none opposed.

6. Committee Reports
a. Building – Hope Brissette: The Building Committee is planning a meeting with the neighbors to resolve issues. Also discussed concerns of the lack of ability to monitor activities in the third floor vestibule and bathrooms. Emily Zervas will look into the cost of rekeying the bathroom doors. Hope Brissette will research possible regulations involving monitoring and bathroom access.

b. Communication – discuss committee

c. Finance – Deb Wright
Reinvestment of annuity: Pat Fowler discussed the need to reinvest the annuity and would like approval for the Finance Committee to reinvest. Deb Wright made a motion to allow the Treasurer to reinvest the money as Mary Van Hartesveldt and Pat Fowler have discussed, seconded by Hope Brissette. Carolyn Frisa made a friendly amendment to allow the Treasurer to invest the minimum necessary to attain the greatest interest on the annuity account previously recommended through People’s Bank. Friendly amendment accepted by Deb Wright and Hope Brissette. This motion passed with 5 in favor, 3 opposed. Pat Fowler will make sure this investment is FDIC insured.

(Pat Fowler leaves 7:10)

Attorney bills update: Tabled until Ray Massucco is present.

Compensation to staff for extra duties: September 2013 onward: Carolyn Frisa made the motion that we approve a 15% pay increase as well as two additional comp. time days per month for Emily Zervas and Sam Maskell, and that we approve a 10% pay increase for Mary Van Hartesveldt and Ellen Allman, retroactive to September 18, 2013 until the new director’s start day, with the understanding that staff duties and salaries will be reevaluated at that time. This motion, seconded by Paige Pietrzak, passed with 5 in favor, 1 abstention.

Part-time staff benefits: personal leave and sick leave: The Finance Committee does not have a recommendation regarding part-time staff benefits. The finances are not extremely significant, approximately $4,000. (Deb Wright leaves 7:37.) Tabled until February Trustees meeting.

d. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa – update

e. Policy – Reminder: bylaws meeting (for all trustees) on January 21st, 2014 at 4:30p.m. Committee appointments and the bylaws: Elayne Clift read a letter to the Trustees concerning the board (see attached), and made a motion to suspend Bylaws discussion until a new Board is seated following March elections. This motion, seconded by Carolyn Frisa, failed with 2 in favor, 3 opposed and 1 abstention. This meeting will include the additions of the presentation by the Personnel Committee of suggested Search Committee members for approval by the Board and security in the third floor including the cost of rekeying the locks.

f. Personnel – Jan M-L

7. Old Business
a. 2014 workshop with Amy Howlett – discuss venue: Elayne Clift suggested moving the workshop until after the next board is seated and stated that Amy Howlett thought we should wait. Jan Mitchell-Love will email Amy to ask. The workshop will take place in the RFPL meeting room.

b. Correspondence – Highway Department thank you/Attorney General letter on Open Meeting Law

8. Review agenda items for next meeting. Current meeting date is Tuesday, February 11th at 4:30 p.m. in RFPL’s Meeting Room. Unfinished agenda items, from the Part-time benefits on, with the exception of 7a, will be tabled until the next regular Trustees meeting.

9. Executive Session (if necessary)

10. Trustees’ Comments

11. Adjourn: Motion to adjourn made by Hope Brissette at 8:01, seconded by Paige Pietrzak, passed unanimously.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Secretary Laura Senes on January 19, 2014.

Letter read by Elayne Clift
“Re: By-laws: On Jan. 9th I sent to all Trustees a lengthy document suggesting multiple revisions to the existing by-laws. This document represented many hours of work and a great deal of time and energy spent in the interest of developing a meaningful “working manual” for future Trustees of the Library. Sharing it ahead of the next meeting was the courteous and professional thing to do. It was my hope that my colleagues would read and consider it before our next meeting.

On Jan. 10the I received an email from Vice-Chair Deb Wright accusing me of being “self-aggrandizing,” “pretentious,” and “foisting this material on to all trustees.” In that email she refused to read the document “until [I] bring it to the meeting.”

This is not the first email of its kind that I’ve received from Ms. Wright (and I might add another Trustee) and frankly; I’m tired of them. Messages like this are rude, insulting, and unacceptable. No Trustee should be subjected to such discourtesy and lack of respect from another. This particular tone is striking insofar as Ms. Wright is seeking another term as Trustee.

It is clear that my recommendations will not be considered by Ms. Wright, or indeed by some other Trustees, although they are worthy of serious discussion. I therefore am left with no alternative than to Move that By-law revisions be tabled until such time as a new board is seated following March elections.”

AGENDA OF RFPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
Tuesday, January 14th, 2014
4:30 PM at Meeting Room, RFPL, Bellows Falls, VT

1. Call to order

2. Public Comment – 2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments.

3. Approve minutes of December 10th, 2013 trustees’ meeting; January 3rd special meeting; and January 7th special meeting

4. Update on new library director job posting/Search Committee formation

5. Librarians’ Monthly Report
a. Report
b. Financial Reports
c. Other

6. Committee Reports
a. Building – Hope Brissette: issue with neighbors/issue with building security
b. Communication – discuss committee
c. Finance – Deb Wright
* Reinvestment of annuity
* Attorney bills update
* Compensation to staff for extra duties: September, 2013 onward
* Part-time staff benefits: personal leave and sick leave
d. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa – update
e. Policy – Reminder: bylaws meeting (for all trustees) on January 21st, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. Committee appointments and the bylaws
f. Personnel – Jan M-L

7. Old Business
a. 2014 workshop with Amy Howlett – discuss venue
b. Correspondence – Highway Department thank you/Attorney General letter on Open Meeting Law

8. Review agenda items for next meeting. Current meeting date is Tuesday, February 11th at 4:30 p.m. in RFPL’s Meeting Room.

9. Executive Session (if necessary)

10. Trustees’ Comments

11. Adjourn

Agenda
Special Meeting of Board of Trustees
Rockingham Free Public Library
Tuesday, January 7th, 2014
Time and Place: 4:30 p.m. at RFPL Meeting Room

1. Call to Order

2. Public comment: 2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments

3. Work session by trustees on trustees’ bylaws

4. Schedule next work session

5. Adjourn

 

Minutes Special Meeting of Board of Trustees
Rockingham Free Public Library
Tuesday, January 7th, 2014
Time and Place: 4:30 p.m. at RFPL Meeting Room

Trustees in attendance: Hope Brissette, Elayne Clift, Ray Massucco, Carolyn Frisa, Pat Fowler, Deborah Wright, Jan Mitchell-Love, and Laura Senes
Staff in attendance: Emily Zervas and Sam Maskell
Public in attendance: Celina Houlne, Steven Geller and Joel Love.

1. Call to Order: 4:41p.m.

2. Public comment: None

3. Work session by trustees on trustees’ bylaws: Review of previously discussed changes to Bylaws, Articles I-VII. Beginning discussion of other possible Bylaw changes. Carolyn Frisa recorded the discussed changes.

4. Schedule next work session: The next work session will be Tuesday, January 21, 2014, 4:30 pm. at RFPL Meeting Room.

5. Adjourn: Motion to adjourn, made by Hope Brissette, seconded by Deb Wright. Passed unanimously at 5:40 pm.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Laura Senes on January 8, 2014.

 

Warning and Agenda
Special Meeting of Board of Trustees
Rockingham Free Public Library
Friday, January 3rd, 2014
Time and Place: 2:00 p.m. at RFPL Meeting Room

1. Call to Order

2. Public comment: 2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments

3. Discuss and vote on 2015 library budget

4. Plan to attend Tuesday, January 7th’s Rockingham Selectboard meeting to support library budget presentation

5. Discuss and approve moving January meeting schedule back to original plan: bylaws revision meeting on Tuesday, January 7th and trustees monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 14th

6. Other

7. Adjourn

 

MINUTES OF THE ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
Friday, January 3, 2014
2:00 PM
LOCATION: Meeting Room, RFPL, Bellows Falls, VT

Board members in attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Ray Massucco, Deb Wright, Pat Fowler, Elayne Clift, Laura Senes and Carolyn Frisa (by phone).
Staff in attendance: Mary Van Hartesveldt, Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell.
Public attendees: Arnold Clift and Joe Brissette.
Press in attendance: Domenic Poli (Brattleboro Reformer) and Allison Teague (The Commons).

1. Call to order by Deb Wright at 2:09 pm.

2. Public Comment: None

3. Discuss and vote on 2015 library budget: (Jan Mitchell-Love arrives at 2:18). Elayne Clift states she cannot approve a budget that does not include a 2% salary increase for staff. The staff has worked hard to present a level funded budget. Pat Fowler reports that it has been a difficult budget to manage even without potential staff increases. Deb Wright made a motion to approve the FY 15 budget at $364,270 of which $320,800 will be raised by taxes. This motion, seconded by Ray Massucco, passed with five in favor and two opposed.

4. Plan to attend Tuesday, January 7th’s Rockingham Selectboard meeting to support library budget presentation: The meeting is at 6:00 pm. Mary Van Hartesveldt and Emily Zervas will present the budget, but all trustees should attend if possible to show support.

5. Discuss and approve moving January meeting schedule back to original plan: bylaws revision meeting on Tuesday, January 7th and trustees’ monthly meeting on Tuesday January 14th: Discussed and agreed upon.

6. Other: Eagle Times article and back up docs: Elayne Clift gave a letter she wrote on behalf of the board thanking the highway department and information on the upcoming panel discussion to Jan to send out. Elyane Clift made a motion to appoint Ray Massucco to the Finance Committee. Jan Mitchell-Love stated that the motion was out of order because it is the chairperson’s job to assign committees and that you cannot take action on items under other business. Elayne Clift requested this be put on as an agenda item for the next Trustees meeting. Emily Zervas urged the board to vote on the staff compensation for taking on extra duties. This will be done at the next Trustees meeting. Pat Fowler asked about the outstanding bills for Stephen Ankuda. Deb Wright stated she has asked his office for further clarification and not received a reply. These bills were signed for. Hope Brissette thanks J+H hardware for sponsoring the filming of our meetings. Deb Wright presented an Eagle Times article about removing the library board as the governance of the library and making it an appointed position. Elayne Clift reminded everyone of the panel discussion on what your library can do for you on February 6, 2014.

7. Motion to adjourn: Deb Wright made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Hope Brissette, passed unanimously at 3:50 pm.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Laura Senes on January 8, 2014.

 

AGENDA OF RFPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
TUESDAY, December 10th, 2013
4:30 PM at Meeting Room, RFPL, Bellows Falls, VT

1. Call to order

2. Public Comment – 2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments.

3. Approve minutes of November 12th, 2013 trustees’ meeting

4. Share new library director job posting materials

5. Discuss next steps for DOL paperwork for terminated library director
Executive Session (if necessary)

6. Director’s Monthly Report
a. Report
b. Financial Reports
c. FY15 Budget
d. Other

7. Committee Reports
a. Building – Hope Brissette
Pat Fowler on neighbor’s concerns
b. Communication – no report
c. Finance – Deb Wright
d. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa
e. Policy – reminder: bylaws meeting (for all trustees) on January 7th, 2014
f. Personnel – Jan Mitchell-Love

8. Old Business
a. 2014 workshop with Amy Howlett

9. New Business
a. Thank you to Highway Department

10. Review agenda items for next meeting and meeting date. Current meeting date is Tuesday,
January 14th at 4:30 p.m in RFPL’s Meeting Room.

11. Executive Session (if necessary)

12. Trustees’ Comments

13. Adjourn

 

MINUTES OF THE ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
TUESDAY, December 10, 2013
4:30 PM

LOCATION: Meeting Room, RFPL, Bellows Falls, VT
Board members in attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Ray Massucco, Deb Wright, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, Elayne Clift and Laura Senes.
Staff in attendance: Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell.
Public attendees: Barbara Stickney, Arnold Clift and David Gould.
Press in attendance: Susan Smallheer (Rutland Herald), Chris Garofolo (Eagle Times) and Allison Teague (The Commons).

1. Call to order 4:40 PM

2. Public Comment: One member of the public asked about an update on the board looking into raising the non-resident fee so it would be in line with the amount paid by taxpayers. This will be discussed under the Finance Committee. One member of the public asked about where meetings are warned, and commented that he found no warnings for the Personnel meeting on November 25th. Meetings warnings are always posted at the town hall and on the kiosk outside the town hall. They will now be posted on the bulletin board in the vestibule of the library. Another member of the public commented that it is difficult to hear if more than one person is talking at the same time.

3. Approve minutes of November 12, 2013 trustees’ meeting minutes: Ray Massucco made a motion to approve the November 12, 2013 trustees’ meeting minutes with the following changes; Ray Massucco’s name will be removed from list of those in attendance on 12/10/ 2013, Ray Massucco’s name will be removed from #8 as having attended the state workshops, #5 will be changed from Director’s Monthly report to Librarian’s Monthly Report, and Ray Massucco’s email that was discussed during the meeting will be added as and addendum to the minutes. This motion, seconded by Deborah Wright passed with 7 in favor, none opposed.

4. Share new library director job posting materials: Tabled until next week after the Personnel Committee has time to complete the job description and members of the board have time to review the job posting and description.

5. Discuss next steps for DOL paperwork for terminated library director. Executive Session (if necessary): Jan Mitchell-Love received and email from Chip Stearns asking if we wanted to appeal the benefits for unemployment for the terminated library director, which would be due by the end of the next business day, 12/11/13. Hope Brissette made a motion to have the department of labor look into an appeal on the terminated library director. This motion, seconded by Deborah Wright did not pass with a vote of 2 in favor, 5 opposed, no abstentions. No executive session necessary.

6. Librarian’s Monthly Report
a. Report: Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell presented the monthly report. The staff has initiated a fundraiser to adopt new library items. This year’s calendars are for sale for $12. Shelving is installed and volunteers have been helping with shelving books. More shelving volunteers are welcome to call to schedule a time.
b. Financial Reports: Deborah Wright asked a question about insurance costs, as over half the insurance budget has been spent and we are not quite half way through the fiscal year. Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell will ask Mary Van Hartesveldt and let the board know.
c. FY15 Budget: Tabled until next meeting.
d. Other: We receive about $2700/year in non-resident fees. Presently Westminster elementary school students must pay non-resident fees to use the RFPL. All other WNESU school students receive free student library cards. Ray Massucco moved to extend free student library cards to all Westminister public school students PreK-grade 6. This motion, seconded by Deborah Wright passed with 7 in favor, none opposed, no abstentions.

7. Committee Reports
a. Building-Hope Brissette: The committee has not met. Nothing to report. Will set-up a metting.

Pat Fowler on neighbor’s concerns: Pat Fowler received and email from David Kersula with complaints about noise from the compressors outside the library and the outdoor lighting. There is a need for noise screening, and for the light timing and direction to be fixed. The building committee will meet with the staff to take care of these issues.

The meeting was recessed until December 17th at 4:30 in the RFPL meeting room. Resume meeting December 17, 2013

In attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Ray Massucco, Deb Wright, Paige Pietrzak, Pat Fowler, Elayne Clift and Laura Senes (by phone).
Public in attendance: Joel Love, David DeRusha, David Gould, Wendy O’Connell, and Arnold Clift
Press in attendance: none signed in

Call to order at 4.37 p.m.

4. Share new library director job posting materials: tabled from last week. Deb Wright moved the following: “I move that the job posting for library director be submitted to the VT State Library listing sites, as well as all other appropriate posting locations, immediately, to be available online no later than 12/20/13.” Hope Brissette seconded. After discussion, including input from the public, the vote was taken. The motion passed with seven (7) in favor, none opposed and no abstentions.

A discussion followed on the Search Committee for the new director.

Laura left the meeting at 5:32 p.m.

6. c. FY15 Budget: tabled from last week. Mary Van Hartesveldt joined the meeting by speaker phone.

The trustees went over the FY 15 budget. Included is a 2% cost of living increase for staff. There is a total of a 3.5% increase or $11,234.00 increase. A discussion ensued over the amount allocated to fundraising on the proposed budget, the 2% staff increase, and the amount for legal bills. Elayne spoke in favor of staff receiving compensation. Then Emily Zervas went through the budget line by line noting, among others factors, that repairs and maintenance are going up. Pat Fowler made the following motion: “ I move that we approve this budget.” Elayne Clift seconded. More discussion followed. A member of the public noted that if the budget passed the board, both the Friends of the Library and the Board of Trustees should fundraise. Ray Massucco mentioned the possibility of a capital campaign. The vote was taken: the results were two (2) for, two (2) against, and one (1) abstention.

6. d. Other. Pat Fowler updated trustees on the People’s Bank annuity. The check will be mailed, the funds will be deposited in the TD bank account, and we will reinvest funds.

6. d. Other. Did not discuss financial compensation for Emily Zervas and Sam Maskell for their performance of co-director duties on top of their work in their regular positions.

7. Committee Reports

c. Finance: the following was mentioned: the part-time staff benefits in rescinded 2012 Personnel Policy – this has been sent to the Finance Committee for discussion.

d. Historical Collection: no report as Carolyn Frisa was not present.

e. Policy – reminder: bylaws meeting (for all trustees) on January 7th, 2014. Ray Massucco proposed that we move the trustees’ meeting to January 7th and the bylaws meeting to January 14th. All present agreed to that.

f. Personnel – no report

8. Old Business
a. 2014 workshop with Amy Howlett – the group decided on a Tuesday, January 28th date from 4:30 to 7:30 with either a potluck dinner break or people brown bagging their dinners. The snow date would be Tuesday, February 4th.

9. New Business
a. Thank you to Highway Department – Elayne Clift will write this and send it to the chair to sign and send out. 10. Review agenda items for next meeting and meeting date. Current meeting date is Tuesday, January 14th at 4:30 p.m. in RFPL’s Meeting Room. This trustees meeting has been switched to January 7th at 4:30 with bylaws meeting taking place on January 14th at 4:30 p.m. Both meetings will take place in RFPL’s Meeting Room. Hope Brissette and Paige Pietrzak left at approximately 6:15 p.m.

9. New Business – Emily brought up two more new business items.

b. Emily would like to ask Wendy O’Connell to fill in on desk shifts on an as-needed basis at a salary of almost $13.00 an hour. Those trustees still present thought this was a good idea since Wendy has worked at the library and would require no training. As this would cost no money (Wendy would fill in for part-timers who would not be paid when they could not work or for full-timers who would be taking vacation), no vote was necessary.

c. Emily would like to replace the current adult computer table which is not ADA compliant. Since Gaylord’s is having a 20% off sale through 12/31/13, she would like to move ahead with the purchase. As there was not a quorum of trustees left, a vote on this could not be taken. Emily is going to check to see if Gaylord’s will extend the sale until the January 7th meeting; if not, trustees can hold a special meeting to vote on this before December 31st.

11. Executive Session (if necessary) – none needed

12. Trustees’ Comments: Pat is disheartened at the workload of her committee work. Jan thanked everyone for coming out to meet despite the snowy conditions

13. Adjourn – the meeting was adjourned at 6:58 p.m.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Laura Senes and Jan Mitchell-Love on December 19, 2013.

 

AGENDA OF RFPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
TUESDAY, November 12th, 2013
4:30 PM at Meeting Room, RFPL, Bellows Falls, VT

1. Call to order
2. Public Comment – 2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments.
3. Public records requests – Library attorney, Stephen Ankuda, available for trustees’ questions (sent legal opinion letter on November 8th, 2013)
4. Approve minutes of September 10th, 2013 trustees’ meeting and the following special meeting minutes: August 29th, 2013, October 1st, 2013, October 22nd, 2013, and October 29th, 2013.

5. Director’s Monthly Report
a. Library sign – information and quote
b. Coordination of library ‘thank you’ effort
c. Generating a Library Wish List
d. Meeting Room – draft Policies and Procedures
e. Financial Reports

6. Committee Reports
a. Building – Hope Brissette
b. Communication – no report
c. Finance – Deb Wright and Pat Fowler
Information from Pat Fowler’s meeting with Mary Van Hartesveldt
Peoples’ Bank informational/training meeting for trustees — Pat
d. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa
e. Policy – schedule bylaws committee meeting
f. Personnel – present director job description/get approval for next steps

7. Old Business
a. Get approval to correct DOL paperwork on terminated former director.
b. Update on installation of lockout feature for library’s elevator
c. Update on plans for library’s grand opening celebration

8. New Business
a. Discuss possible 3 hours workshop/retreat with Amy Howlett – schedule if agreed to?
b. Reminder: Attorney General’s Open Meeting law presentation on November 22nd.
c. Reminder: Selectboard/Library Board of Trustees joint meeting, 6 p.m. on November 13th

9. Review agenda items for next meeting and meeting date. Current meeting date is Tuesday, December 10th at 4:30 p.m in RFPL’s Meeting Room.

10. Executive Session (if necessary)

11. Trustees’ Comments

12. Adjourn

MINUTES OF THE ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12th, 2013
4:30 PM
LOCATION: Meeting Room, RFPL, Bellows Falls, VT

Board members in attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Deb Wright, Paige Pietrzak, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, Elayne Clift and Laura Senes.
Staff in attendance: Mary Van Hartesveldt, Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell.
Town Attorney: Stephen Ankuda
Public attendees: Arnold Clift, Kathleen Michel, Anne Parkman, Donna Stevens, Célina Houlné, Wendy O’Connell, David Gould and David DeRusha.
Press in attendance: Susan Smallheer (Rutland Herald), Chris Garofolo (Eagle Times). Domenic Poli (Brattleboro Reformer) and Allison Teague (The Commons).

1. Call to order 4:38 PM

2. Public Comment: None

3. Public records requests- Town attorney, Stephen Ankuda, sent a legal opinion letter on November 8th, 2013 and presented at the meeting to answer trustees’ questions. Elayne Clift made a motion to establish an email address as a repository for the RFPL public records. This motion, seconded by Carolyn Frisa, passed with 7 in favor, none opposed. Carolyn Frisa made a motion that the Board of Trustees not blind copy (BCC:) in sending emails. This motion, seconded by Deb Wright, passed with 7 in favor, none opposed. A motion was made by Carolyn Frisa that the Board of Trustees create a policy regarding Trustee email communication. This motion, seconded by Pat Fowler, passed with 7 in favor, none opposed.

4. Approve minutes of September 10, 2013 trustees’ meeting and the following special meeting minutes: August 29th, 2013, October 1st, 2013, October 22nd, 2013 and October 29th, 2013-Deborah Wright made a motion to pass the September 10, 2013 trustees’ meeting minutes. This motion seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with 5 in favor, 2 abstentions. Deborah Wright made a motion to pass the August 29, 2013 recessed meeting minutes with the amendment that the meeting recessed at 10:10, not 11:10. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with 6 in favor, 1 abstention. Hope Brissette made a motion to pass the October 1st, 2013 meeting minutes with the addition of the names of 2 public attendees. This motion, seconded by Deb Wright, passed with 7 in favor, none opposed.

A motion was made by Elayne Clift that in keeping with best practices re: meeting minutes, this Board includes in its minutes all action items that arise during the course of a regular Board meeting, that any documents shared with the Board be appended, that all Trustees receive Draft Minutes within five days of any Trustee meeting as required by law, and that all participate together in making amendments, corrections, or additions during regular Board meetings in order that those minutes can be adopted. This motion, seconded by Carolyn Frisa, passed with 5 in favor, 1 opposed and 1 abstention. A motion was made by Carolyn Frisa to pass the October 22, 2013 minutes after the removal of a public attendees’ name that is also listed under attendees from the press. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with 7 in favor, none opposed.

A motion was made by Paige Pietrzak to pass the October 29, 2013 minutes with the amendment that brief public comment will be allowed on all agenda items. This motion, seconded by Carolyn Frisa, passed with 7 in favor, none opposed.

5. Director’s Monthly Report
a. Library sign- Frank Hawkins has provided us with a design and broad quote. Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell will take this to the Building Committee.
b. Coordination of library ‘thank you’ effort-This will be tasked to the Communications Committee.
c. Generating a Library Wish List- Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell are compiling a wish list for fundraising. This fundraising will be tasked to the Communications Committee, with the exception of the cleaning of the antique clock that will be tasked to the Historical Committee.
d. Meeting Room-draft Policies and Procedures– Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell presented a Meeting Room Regulations and Application form. A motion was made by Hope Brissette to approve the Meeting Room Regulations and Application form with suggested amendments. This motion, seconded by Carolyn Frisa, passed with 7 in favor, none opposed. Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell will send the amended form to the Trustees.
e. Financial Reports- Mary Van Hartesveldt presented the FY13 budget status and balance sheet. Pat Fowler informed the board that our ING Annuity fund matures on November 18, 2013 and the Finance Committee and Ray Massucco will meet with Linda Walker to look at other options to invest this money. Pat Fowler made a motion that the Treasurer’s special committee meeting with Linda Walker from People’s Bank on November 25th to evaluate the ING annuity account be given the authority to surrender the ING RFPL policy if it is financially beneficial to the library because of Market Value adjustment. This motion, seconded by Carolyn Frisa, passed with 8 in favor.

Carolyn Frisa made a motion to recess the meeting until November 19 at 4:30 in the RFPL meeting room. This motion, seconded by Paige Pietrzak, passed with 7 in favor, none opposed.

Resume meeting November 19, 2013

In attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Ray Massucco, Deb Wright, Paige Pietrzak, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, Elayne Clift and Laura Senes.
Public in attendance: David DeRusha, Célina Houlné, Betty Haggerty, Steve Geller, and Arnold Clift.
Press in attendance: Chris Garofolo (Eagle Times) and Domenic Poli (Brattleboro Reformer).

Call to order at 4:39 PM.

6. Committee Reports
a. Building-The committee has not met but will schedule to meet with Frank Hawkins about the sign.
b. Communications-The committee has not met but will schedule a meeting to work on the wish list
c. Finance-Deb Wright will call to clarify certain items on the attorney’s bill. The staff is working on next year’s budget, which will be ready to present in December. Finance will also find out from Chip Stearns if this is needed in December or January.
d. Historical-The Historical Committee is meeting the first Wednesday of every month for one hour. The Historical Committee will take on the task of fundraising to clean the antique clock.
e. Policy-The next meeting to work on Bylaws is scheduled for January 7, 2014 at 4:30 in the RFPL meeting room.
f. Personnel-The committee presented the Job Posting they were tasked to create. They will meet again to work on this further with Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell.

7. Old Business
a. Get approval to correct DOL paperwork on terminated former director-A member of the public stated that this must be done in executive session.
b. Update on installation of lockout feature for library’s elevator-The lockout feature is installed.
c. Update on plans for library’s grand opening celebration-The celebration will take place in the spring, after the new shelving is installed. A date will be picked at the January Board of Trustees meeting. The FOL Holiday party is December 7th at noon. Raffle tickets are on sale and donations are being accepted for the raffle.

8. New Business
a. Discuss possible 3 hour workshop/retreat with Amy Howlett-Jan Mitchell-Love will check with Amy about possible dates and the requirement that everyone attend.
b. Reminder: Attorney General Jim Condos will be giving a presentation on Open Meeting law on November 20th at the Bellows Falls Opera House.
c. Reminder: Selectboard/Library Board of Trustees joint meeting, 6 p.m. on November 13th-Already occurred.

Emily Zervas asks the board if it is appropriate to call the highway department for certain small jobs in the library. Pat Fowler made a motion to allow Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell to call the highway department for small items as needed and inform the trustees in the director’s report the next month. This motion, seconded by Ray Massucco, passed with 7 in favor, 1 abstention. Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell will also contact the town manager as needed for information about which vendors to talk to if building problems arise.

Elayne Clift reported on visiting state workshops with Pat Fowler. The importance of involving the community in strategic planning was discussed. There is a panel discussion planned for 2/6/2014 to answer questions about the library and what it does for the community. The FOL would also like to plan a meeting with the community and Trustees in April. Elayne Clift will type something up to put on the agenda for the December Trustees meeting.

Ray Massucco discussed an email he wrote to the Trustees concerning emails between Jan Mitchell-Love, Deb Wright and Chip Stearns. Ray Massucco expressed concern that Jan Mitchell-Love and Deb Wright were acting outside the limit of their authority and wanted reassurance that this would not continue. Jan Mitchell-Love and Deb Wright explained that they felt they did not step outside of their authority in the emails with Chip Stearns, and also stated they would not take authority from the Board.

9. Review agenda items for next meeting and meeting date: Current meeting date is Tuesday, December 10th at 4:30 p.m. in RFPL’s meeting room. Send agenda items to Jan Mitchell-Love

10. Executive Session-Hope Brissette made a motion to go into executive session to talk about the DOL paperwork and a personnel matter. Ray Massucco said there must be a more specific reason given than personnel matters. The matter by which the director was terminated is inaccurate on the DOL paperwork. Hope Brissette made a motion to have Deb Wright contact the DOL to amend the reason for termination of the previous director as the evaluation, not the CAP. This motion, seconded by Laura Senes did not pass, with a vote of 2 in favor, 3 opposed and 3 abstentions.

Compensation for Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell was discussed. Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell request the whole board approve any action items they are being asked to do. Also, that Trustees should send any director related emails to both Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell. Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell suggest a 15% pay raise and 2 days vacation/month as compensation for the increased work load in taking on director’s duties, retroactive to September 18th. They also suggest Mary Van Hartesveldt and Ellen Allman each receive a 10% pay raise. The Finance Committee will look into this further and report at the December 10th meeting.

11. Trustees’ Comments– Carolyn Frisa would like to see this agenda item be consistent going forward.

12. Motion to adjourn made by Paige Pietrzak, seconded by Deb Wright, passed with 7 in favor, none opposed at 7:52p.m.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Laura Senes on November 24, 2013.

Letter from Ray Massucco

Dear Trustees,

If the leadership of the Board of trustees had not already done enough damage, they have now managed to totally dismantle any support from the Municipal Manager, and in all likelihood, the Selectboard. It is inconceivable to me that they can be allowed to continue to operate as petty tyrants without authorization from the full board taken at a duly warned meeting.

When was Deb Wright authorized to dictate that Sam Maskell and Emily Zervas [whom she incorrectly characterizes as “…the RFPL appointed interim directors …”] could not continue to work with the Municipal Manager to efficiently and productively orchestrate the re-installation of the library? It appears to me that Chip, Sam and Emily were simply trying to coordinate the efforts by the Town to help minimize any additional costs to the Library. I am not aware of any board action that authorized Deb or Jan to exercise any direct control over either Sam or Emily. We do not have a library director, nor any interim directors. Neither Jan nor Deb are authorized to act in that capacity. Only the board as a whole has any authority at this point. I have spoken to both Emily and Sam personally and confirmed that neither of them feel as though they have been managed or controlled in any manner by Chip; in fact, they are grateful for his practical and accessible assistance during and after the move.

As a direct result of Deb’s and Jan’s interference, we may have lost the use of the Highway Department at no cost to the library. That is absolutely unacceptable and should be condemned by the rest of the board. Jan’s accusations to Chip regarding the Highway Department are absurd and her willingness to make totally unfounded charges demonstrate complete unfitness to lead the board of trustees. Perhaps Jan or Deb will offer to pay the costs that may now be charged to the library by the Town.

Jan’s email to Chip of November 7, 2013 is equally disturbing [she also appears to be unaware that Sam and Emily are not the “interim library directors.” She makes the unequivocal statement that Celina “…was terminated in part for taking unauthorized salary increases…” when there was no such finding of fact to support that in the board vote. If Celina did not have a legal cause of action against Jan for defamation previously, I believe she does now. She is clearly not speaking for all trustees when she says that “…the Library Trustees are ready – no, eager – to respond to the State Department of Labor (DOL).” If the DOL allows the unemployment filing to be reopened, only the entire board will be authorized to re-submit a response.

Unfortunately, I will be in Boston at the time of today’s board meeting and unable to attend. However, I would urge the board to take two actions:

1. Pass a resolution condemning and censuring Jan and Deb for their unreasonable interference with a process that had been working quite smoothly between Sam, Emily and Chip and for acting outside the scope of any authority granted to them by the entire board of trustees.

2. Remove Jan as Chair and Deb as Vice-Chair from the board of trustees, and elect other trustees to those positions. Their conduct in operating independently and without board authority repeatedly is totally out of control at this point and cannot be condoned. If the board continues to turn a blind eye to their conduct, they are implicit in their support of such rogue behavior.

If the board fails to act decisively and soon, there is a genuine risk that the end result will be the dismantling of the library governance structure and the library will become just another town department under the direct control of the Municipal Manager. There is already a movement to do just that.

Please enter a copy of this email into the minutes for today’s meeting in its entirety. Since Jan had previously informed me that she would no longer inform me of meetings, agendas, etc, I do not know what is on the agenda today other than the informational attendance of Steve Ankuda and a preliminary discussion of the open library director’s position. Here is the text from the email which Jan sent me on October 25, 2013. As the chair, one of her obligations is to inform other board members of the date, time and place of any meetings. There is no requirement that she may limit her communications to email [former trustee, David Buckley, did not have email and was informed by phone or hard copy, hand delivered].

“Hi Ray — Got your e-mail. Since e-mail is the way notices of Board meetings, agendas, etc. are warned, I will expect you to check in regularly by phone? mail? or whatever method suits you to keep yourself up to date on what is going on with the Library Board of Trustees.

As requested, I’m now removing you from the distribution list.

Jan M-L, Cha

P.S. As I wrote you earlier today, I’m trying to set up a special trustees’ meeting for next week ,and I asked about your availability. Since you have not responded, I’m letting you know there will be a meeting, but I do not know when it will be as yet. You can call or write to find out.

JLM-L”

Unlike whichever board member included the media on their communications with Chip, I have not, so they will not be aware of this unless they show up at the meeting this afternoon.

Ray Massucco
L. Raymond Massucco, Esq.
Massucco & Velto, P.C.
90 Westminster Street
Bellows Falls VT 05101-1537
802.463.3303 ext 101 Voice
800.726.3203 Toll Free
802.463.2222 Fax
ray@massuccolaw.com

http://www.reformer.com/localnews/ci_24502520/tensions-rise-at-library-trustees-accuse-municipal-manager# Page 1 of 2 Nov 12, 2013 09:15:11AM MST
Trustees accuse municipal manager of abusing power
By DOMENIC POLI / Reformer Staff Brattleboro Reformer

Posted: Reformer.com
BELLOWS FALLS — The municipal manager has fired back at the Rockingham Free Public Library trustee chairwoman, who says the manager abused his power while overseeing the renovation of the newly reopened facility at 65 Westminster St.

Willis D. “Chip” Stearns II replied to an e-mail in which Chairwoman Janice Mitchell-Love claims Stearns overstepped his authority by managing the library’s interim directors after Célina Houlné was terminated from the position in September. Mitchell-Love also suggests the library’s board of trustees has not been kept adequately updated on the renovation project and has learned second-hand about important aspects of it.

Stearns apologized for any confusion but said assisting the interim library directors should not be perceived as managing them.

“I am sorry again, the Municipal Manager does not work for the RFPL Trustees, though I have been answering questions/attending meetings as requested by RFPL Trustees and staff,” Stearns wrote in his reply. “My intentions continue to be for cooperation with all requests to best of my abilities.” He also said he never abused his authority, as the library is owned by the town and governance of the library was taken over by the Rockingham Selectboard after general contractor Baybutt Construction failed to uphold its end of its contract when it ran into financial problems.

Rockingham Selectboard Chairman Tom MacPhee defended Stearns and said he never overstepped his authority.

“The library is owned by the town. The day-to-day operations of the library are handled by the library trustees,” he told the Reformer. “But we had to take over the construction when things went south. “We would never be anywhere near where we are today if it wasn’t for Chip,” he continued. “He’s been trying to turn it back over to the trustees but there has been no direction from the library trustees that I’m aware of.”

MacPhee also said going over budget was probably inevitable because of the issue with Baybutt, which had been hired by the Selectboard but had its contract terminated after not paying its subcontractors for work already done. MacPhee said items were dropped from the initial wishlist in order to save money. Stearns previously told the Reformer custom-made metal shelving is still needed to make the renovations complete, and MacPhee defended the decision to get new shelves, saying it would have cost nearly as much to reinstall the older, less attractive shelving.

Houlné, who was fired in September following allegations of misconduct from the trustees, also said Stearns always worked very well with library staff and never crossed any sort of line.

“He was a really good listener and he was very responsive,” she said. “We didn’t know what would happen with Baybutt. He had to figure out a way to save (money) but that doesn’t mean that you don’t still run into unforeseen problems.”

She also said it is crazy to suggest Stearns tries to boss around library staff or town employees. Mitchell-Love had also been disappointed the Rockingham Highway Department was used on the project without that information being given to the trustees. She said she was shocked to hear Stearns tell the Rockingham Selectboard on Tuesday that he had authorized 381 hours of highway department labor to assist library staff, which she says will add to the renovation project’s overrun, which Stearns said has reached $151,734.73

“I was also shocked to hear that you have exceeded your original deficit estimate by over 300 percent — and counting! I am sure that the taxpayers will want a detailed and accurate accounting of this. Unfortunately, you will be reporting next Wednesday in the joint Selectboard/Library Trustees meeting on monies already spent that you did not correctly forecast,” she wrote, referring to the meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Rockingham Town Hall Lower Theatre. “Perhaps this would not have happened if you had kept the Library Trustees in the loop; we had, among other cost-saving measures, volunteers lined up to help move.”

She told the Reformer she is simply trying to protect town taxpayers, who will have to foot the bill for the overrun.

MacPhee said things still needed to be done at the library and Stearns was using some of town employees to do them.

Stearns, in his reply, took responsibility for his use of the highway staff and said the department’s workers have not been expensed against the renovation, though that may happen in the future. He also said it was disheartening to feel such ungratefulness toward the workers and volunteers who helped get the library reopened on Friday, Nov. 1.

For her part, Mitchell-Love said she is dismayed over what she perceived as a lack of intention to return the governance of the library to the trustees and over having no control of the accumulation of bills. “This is my job and I am trying to do right by the taxpayers,” she said. “The deficit is three times what it was supposed to be.”

The library trustees have a meeting scheduled for 4:30 p.m. in the library’s meeting room today. Domenic Poli can be reached at dpoli@reformer.com, or 802-254-2311, ext. 277. You can follow him on Twitter @dpoli_reformer.

RFPL Board of Trustees Special Meeting Notice

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING

The Rockingham Free Public Library Trustees Board of Trustees will meet on Tuesday, October 29th, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. at Town Hall, 3rd floor meeting room, Bellows Falls, VT

This is a special meeting on personnel, library move-in update, and housekeeping issues.

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013 at 2:00 PM
LOCATION: Town Hall, 3rd floor meeting room, Bellows Falls, VT

Board Members in Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Ray Massucco, Elayne Clift, Deborah Wright, Paige Pietrzak, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, and Laura Senes.
Staff in Attendance: Sam Maskell and Emily Zervas.
Public in attendance: Arnold Clift, David Gould, and Barbara Stickney,
Press in attendance: Susan Smallheer (Rutland Herald), Chris Garofolo (Eagle Times) and Allison Teague (The Commons).

1. Call to order to order at 2:09 pm by Chairwoman Jan Mitchell-Love.

2. Task Personnel Committee to begin Director search process—Jan Mitchell-Love requests the board task the Personnel Committee with developing a job description to use to recruit a new director, using past job descriptions, descriptions from other libraries and input from Sam Maskell and Emily Zervas. The Personnel Committee will bring recommendations to the November 12 board meeting. The board agrees with this plan.

3. Library move-in update — Sam Maskell and Emily Zervas report a successful move. The staff has been working hard and there have been a lot of volunteers from the community. The board thanks the staff and community for all their hard work. The board also thanks Pat and Alan Fowler and the Friends of the Library for donating chairs for the upstairs meeting room. The library opened Friday, November 1, 2013.

4. Housekeeping Details—public record requests, open Treasurer position, and scheduling committee meetings—Deb Wright made a motion that Pat Fowler fill the open Treasurer position and sit on the Finance Committee. Pat Fowler accepted. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with 7 in favor and 1 abstention. Pat is making arrangements with People’s Bank to have a budgeting workshop for all Trustees to attend.

Two newspapers have requested emails from all trustees. Elayne Clift presented documents about public records law and requests they be included with the minutes. Carolyn Frisa reports having consulted her own attorney, who advised her to consult the board’s attorney. Ray Massucco presented bills for consultation by Jan Mitchell-Love to Mr. Ankuda concerning previous requests for public records. Elayne Clift made a motion to invite Mr. Ankuda to attend a board meeting to educate the board on public records requests for 1/2 hour time limit. This motion passed with 7 in favor, 1opposed. Jan Mitchell-Love will see if Mr. Ankuda can give us something in writing earlier for us to discuss at the November 12 meeting.

The next by-laws meeting will be scheduled at the November 12 meeting.

5. Other Business

5 a. The interim co-directors, Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell, were asked and agreed to print out the following for monthly trustees’ meetings: a list of every warrant and the monthly payroll list.

5 b. Deb Wright passed out copies of the legal penalty for not filling public record requests by their due date.

5 c. Deb Wright reported that the Town responded to the Vermont Department of Labor about the former director’s termination – rather than her employers, the Trustees — because the library does not have an EIN number and, instead, uses the Town’s. Chip Stearns stated he has no copy of the paperwork. Jan Mitchell-Love was tasked with asking Chip for copies of the paperwork for the Trustees.

6. Executive Session – if necessary: there was no executive session.

7. Public Comment –

7 a. Comments were made urging public comment be scheduled at the beginning rather than the end of meetings. Jan Mitchell-Love agreed to do this for the next regular trustees meeting on November 12th.

7 b. Carolyn Frisa requested a public records request in her name from the newspapers. Chris Garafalo did this orally to Elayne, Carolyn, and Rayfor the Eagle Times and the Rutland Herald. Carolyn said she would comply.

8. Adjourn – the meeting was adjourned at 3:40 p.m.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Laura Senes, Secretary.
November 5, 2013

 

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013 at 5:00 PM
LOCATION: Lower Theater of the Town Hall in Bellows Falls, VT

Board Members in Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Ray Massucco, Elayne Clift, Deborah Wright, Paige Pietrzak, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, and Laura Senes.
Board Attorney in Attendance: Stephen Ankuda
Public in attendance: J. Celina Houlné, Arnold Clift, Ann DiBernardo, David Gould, Steve Geller, Nancy Korakeff, Deirdre Fuchs, Lynne Lewandowski, Alma Beals, Eric Bye, Donna Stevens, Diane Brown, Carol Blackwood, Allison Teague, Allegra Maskell, and Joel Love. Press in attendance: Susan Smallheer (Rutland Herald), Chris Garofolo (Eagle Times). Domenic Poli (Brattleboro Reformer) and Allison Teague (The Commons).

1. Call to order to order at 5:05 pm by Chairwoman Jan Mitchell-Love.

2. Executive Session – deliberative session on the Celina Houlné appeal. Deborah Wright made a motion to go into a deliberative session on the Celina Houlné appeal for the evaluation of an employee. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with 5 in favor, 4 opposed. Attorney Stephen Ankuda was invited into executive session. Enter executive session, 5:13. Exit executive session at 7:06 with no action taken. Ray Massucco made a motion that based upon the evidence including the exhibits and testimony presented at the two public hearings and the board’s deliberation in executive session this evening that we vote to reverse our September 18, 2013 decision to terminate Ms. Houlné. This motion seconded by Carolyn Frisa, failed with 5 opposed, 4 in favor. Deborah Wright made a motion that based upon the exhibits and testimony presented at the hearings that we not reverse our September 18, 2013 decision to terminate Ms. Houlné. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with 5 in favor, 4 opposed.

3. Public comment-Many members of the public expressed their disappointment with the board’s upholding the decision to terminate Ms. Houlné. Members of the public also expressed disapproval of placing public comment at the end of the agenda. One member of the public thanked the board for their time and service to the community.

4. Motion to adjourn made by Deborah Wright, seconded by Paige Pietrzak, passed unanimously at 7:25 pm.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Laura Senes, Secretary. October 29, 2013

 

RFPL Board of Trustees Special Meeting Notice
WARNING AND AGENDA

The Rockingham Free Public Library Trustees Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, October 10th, 2013, at 7:00 p.m. at the Lower Opera House in Bellows Falls, VT

This is a hearing on Célina Houlné’s appeal.

RFPL Board of Trustees Special Meeting Notice
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING

The Rockingham Free Public Library Trustees Board of Trustees will meet on Tuesday, October 1st, 2013, at 4:00 p.m. at Village Square Booksellers in Bellows Falls, VT

This is a special meeting on the interim director’s position.

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
MINUTES FROM BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013
4:00 PM at Village Square Booksellers in Bellows Falls

In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Ray Massucco, Deb Wright, Paige Pietrzak, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, Laura Senes, Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell.
Public in attendance: Alma Beals, Joel Love, Serena Hickey, Donna Stevens

1. The meeting was called to order at 4:03 pm by Chairwoman Jan Mitchell-Love.

2. Public comment: None.

3. Discuss candidate recommendations to Selectboard for open trustees’ position: The board was unable to find a time with enough trustees to make a quorum to discuss this position. Members received an email with letters of interest from Elayne Clift and Tim Dougherty and were asked to respond with their preference. Jan received 5 responses in favor of Tim Dougherty and informed Chip Stearns. The other three members of the board stated they were in favor of Elayne Clift. Jan stated she would share the recommendation of 5 in favor of Tim Dougherty and 3 in favor of Elayne Clift at the Selectboard meeting scheduled for this evening.

4. Discuss interim director duties (Executive session if necessary): Prior to this meeting the Personnel Committee went through the Director Overview and Job Description to come up with a list of duties and then met with Emily and Sam for input. The Finance Committee met to determine fair compensation for these duties. A motion was made by Ray Massucco to appoint Sam Maskell and Emily Zervas to be interim directors until further direction of the board. Carolyn Frisa made a friendly amendment to state that Sam Maskell and Emily Zervas will share the directorial duties but retain their present job titles. This motion, seconded by Deb Wright, passed with all in favor. The board reviewed the duties with Sam Maskell and Emily Zervas. Trustees will help with searching and writing for larger grants, using the Communications Committee or the committee to which the grant pertains. Sam Maskell and Emily Zervas will continue to seek and write grants pertaining to their areas. Sam Maskell and Emily Zervas asked for help in dealing with records requests. Ray Massucco will advise. Next year’s budget will be proposed by Sam Maskell, Emily Zervas and Mary Van Hartesveldt, with the help of the Finance Committee. Sam Maskell and Emily Zervas stated they received a lump sum and vacation time after filling the position of temporary interim directors in 2008. The Finance Committee will look into this prior to giving a recommendation on compensation for the additional work of taking on the duties of director.

5. Discuss future employee hirings (timeline, etc.): Tabled.

6. Appeal date and location: Thursday, October 10, 2013, 7 PM Lower Theater of the Town Hall.

7. A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Hope Brissette, seconded by Deborah Wright, and unanimously approved at 5:29 pm.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Laura Senes, Secretary.
October 7, 2013

 

RFPL Board of Trustees Special Meeting Notice
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING

The Rockingham Free Public Library Trustees Board of Trustees will meet on Tuesday, September 17th, 2013, at 5:00 p.m. at Village Square Booksellers in Bellows Falls, VT This is a special meeting on the trustees’ bylaws.

RFPL Board of Trustees Meeting Notice

NOTICE OF MEETING

The Rockingham Free Public Library Trustees Board of Trustees will meet on Tuesday, September 10th, 2013, at 5:00 p.m. at Village Square Booksellers, in Bellows Falls for its regular meeting.

MINUTES OF RFPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10th, 2013
5:00 PM at Village Square Booksellers, Bellows Falls

In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Ray Massucco, David Buckley, Deb Wright, Paige Pietrzak, Pat Fowler, Laura Senes and Célina Houlné.
Public attendees: Willis D. “Chip” Stearns, II, Duane Whitehead, Mary Van Hartesveldt, Betty Haggerty, Deirdre Fuchs, Wendy Kress, Emily Zervas, and Joel Love.

1. Call to order at 5:04 pm

2. Public Comment – Betty Haggerty read a letter signed by members of the FOL written in support of library director Célina Houlné. Letter attached as requested.

3. Approve minutes of August 12th, 2013 trustees’ meeting-Hope Brissette made a motion to approve the minutes of 8/12/13 and to include the director’s report of 8/7/13. This motion, seconded by Deb Wright, passed unanimously.

4. Renovation/moving update from Chip Stearns-We received a full certificate of occupancy yesterday. Some vendors will need to come back and do training on new systems. The projected budget overage will be $50,000-$70,000, money the town hopes to recoup. Members of the board and public thank Chip for all his hard work in helping to complete the renovation project.

5. Director’s Monthly Report-9/6/2013 Director’s report included in minutes. Holiday Party is planned for December 7th.

Financial Reports-It is early in the fiscal year, and we are waiting for final reports for FY13.

6. Committee Reports
a. Building – Hope Brissette-The Building Committee will meet to help plan the move. The sign is rotting and needs to be replaced. The new sign will be double sided and turned sideways. Frank Hawkins is working on a plan. The antique clock needs to be cleaned; the estimated cost is $1000.

b. Communications – no report

c. Finance – Deb Wright-Deb Wright made a motion to instruct the treasurer to sign the attorney’s bill to pay the for services incurred. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with 5 in favor, 2 opposed and one abstention.

Deb Wright made a motion that any costs that could be included in the renovation budget should be moved into the renovation budget, such as money spent on library relocation costs, rent, propane, attorney’s fees, and related items. This motion, seconded by Ray Massucco passed unanimously.

The Finance Committee will meet on 9/19/13 at 9:00AM to review the financial impact of the changes made in the currently rescinded 2012 Personnel Policy.

d. Historical Collection – Pat Fowler reports Carolyn Frisa will be chair of the committee and Emily Zervas will be secretary. We received a grant for display cases on the first floor. Discussing a special exhibition for the grand reopening of the library. Next meeting is scheduled for 10/2/13 9:00AM at Works on Paper.

e. Policy – next meeting is Tuesday, September 17th, 5 p.m.

f. Personnel-Continuation of 8/29/13 special meeting to take place 9/18/13 9:00AM in third floor of town hall.

7. Old Business
a. Staffing – discuss open position, etc.-Review of Job description for Programming/Community Relations Librarian. Célina Houlné will remove part -ime benefits of pro-rated personal and sick leave from the description. Ray Massucco makes a motion to authorize Célina Houlné to fill the position of Programming/Community Relations Librarian, to place advertisements as appropriate for positions of this type, interview and hire. This motion, seconded by David Buckley, passed with 8 votes in favor.

b. 2008 Personnel Policy- The board will meet after the Finance Committee meeting meets and provides financial guidance.

8. New Business
a. Communications — discuss recent correspondence, etc.-Jim Mitchell asked if the Board of Trustees had any knowledge of the agenda item to remove handicapped parking from in front of the library to be discussed at the 9/10/13 Bellows Falls Village Trustees meeting. The board was unaware of this agenda item.

9. Review agenda items for next meeting and meeting date. Current meeting date is Tuesday, October 8th at 4:30 p.m.

10. Executive Session (personnel)-Not needed at this time. Will schedule executive session for 10/18/13 9:00 AM at the Town Hall.

11. Public Comment – Joel Love thanked the board for its decision to close the library.

12. Directors’ Comments

13. Adjourn- Paige Pietrzak made a motion to adjourn at 7:10, seconded by Ray Massucco, all in favor.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Laura Senes, September 17, 2013.

LIBRARY DIRECTOR’S REPORT September 6, 2013 Célina Houlné

Staff
* Emily and Sam continued to work out some of the kinks in the VOKAL migration.
* Emily reviewed technology layout and fiber delivery for renovated library.
* Sam begun planning for youth programs in the renovated library.
* Emily provided reference services at the Windham County Historical Fair.
* Staff members have been covering for each other as we’ve been taking vacation.
* I prepared for and attended the monthly board meeting, Special Board meeting, Historical Collections Committee meeting and the Building Committee meeting.
* I worked on the preliminary FY13 budget report. * I arranged for Chip to give the staff a tour through the renovated building. * I worked on layout plans for the collections and offices in the renovated library. * I’ve been working on my response to my annual evaluation by the Personnel Committee. Programs
* Upcoming fall programs: Bully – this is a collaboration with several organizations and will include multiple screenings of the documentary around the community.
* School visits will be happening when we’re settled in the new space, and Youth Services will have storytimes, afterschool programs, family programs and Halloween programs.
* BFUHS Literary Kick-Off: The book we’ve been reading is “The Last Shot” by Darcy Frey, we will be hosting documentary screenings of related films in the fall and the winter. More information to be announced.
* September is Library Card sign-up month; students in K-12 have until Sept 20th to show their card at the Library to enter into a drawing to win a $10 gift certificate to the Village Square Booksellers.

Building * I met with the Building Committee and Ray was given some questions to ask Chip.
* The town manager is finishing up the punch list and once the inspection is complete we’ll be emptying the trailers and begin setting back up.
* Eric Clark will resume mowing the lawn.

Budget/Finance
* August’s end-of the month financial reports: we are just two months into FY14 and there is not anything notable to report.
* A preliminary FY13 budget analysis has been done and will be emailed to you.
* Auditors have been reviewing FY13 financial records for the last two weeks so we may have a final FY13 report next month, which will depend on the town manager.
* When town buildings get looked at for insurance purposes this fall, the library will be appraised at that time.
* The Friends of the Library will have a table at SEVCA’s Annual Flea Market on September 28 and will be selling raffle tickets, drawing to be held at the holiday party on December 7.

An open letter to the Rockingham Free Public Library Board of Trustees

At a meeting of the Friends of the Rockingham Library on September 4, 2013, members present were shocked to learn that on August 29, 2013, the Personnel Committee of the Rockingham Free Public Library Board of Trustees recommended to the Trustees the dismissal of Célina Houlné, as Director of the Library. The Trustees adjourned the meeting to be reconvened on September 18, 2013, to give Ms. Houlné time to respond to the charges against her.

The leadership of the Friends of Rockingham Library, an organization of patrons and citizens designed to support the library in its mission, is appalled by the actions of the Personnel Committee. Many of us on the Friends’ board have worked closely with Ms. Houlné and know that she has served with the utmost professionalism during her tenure, has the full and abiding endorsement of the library staff, the support of a large number of library patrons, and the respect of other librarians throughout the state of Vermont. She has done an outstanding job of providing library services to the library patrons and the general public throughout the very difficult period of the library building renovation, and has overseen the relocation of the library into temporary space during the final phases of the renovation. Ms. Houlné has provided stellar leadership with grace, charm, and integrity. Rather than seeking to dismiss Ms. Houlné, the Personnel Committee should be writing letters of commendation and recommending a salary increase in appreciation for a job well done.

As a result of our first hand knowledge and experience with Ms. Houlné, we feel the Personnel Committee has made a grievous error in judgment and that the error must be rectified.

Therefore, at the reconvened meeting of the Rockingham Free Public Library Board of Trustees on September 18, 2013, we the undersigned, as officers and other board members of the Friends of the Rockingham Library and as concerned citizens, call for: A) the Personnel Committee to withdraw its recommendation for Ms. Houlné’s dismissal, and/or B) the library Trustees to vote down the Committee’s recommendation. For the Personnel Committee or the Trustees to do otherwise will be a miscarriage of justice that will affect our library for years to come. We ask that members of the Personnel Committee and all of the Trustees of the Rockingham Free Public Library set aside any personal issues that may be involved, and do what is right for Ms. Houlné, the library, and our community at large.

Elayne Clift President, FOL Arnold Clift, FOL Board member
Nancy Kovaleff, Vice President, FOL Susan Warner, FOL Board member
Betty Haggerty, Secretary, FOL Susan Lampe-Wilson, FOL Board member
David Gould, Treasurer, FOL

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
at Works on Paper (7 The Square, Bellows Falls)
9:00 – 10:00 AM

1. Call to order
2. Additions or changes to agenda
3. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
4. Election of officers (chairperson and secretary)
5. Review of work done in 2012
6. Plan for moving collection post-renovation
a. Discuss timeline and logistics for move
b. Review available storage and exhibition spaces
7. Exhibition planning for Library Grand Reopening
8. Next steps for Historical Collections Committee / set new tasks
9. Review agenda items for next meeting / set meeting date
10. Adjourn

AGENDA
SPECIAL MEETING OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES
ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29TH, 2013
9:00 a.m.
LOCATION: Town Hall, 3rd floor meeting room; Bellows Falls, VT

1. Call to order

2. Public Comment – 2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments. Note: Public comments are limited to non-agenda items.

3. Executive session – personnel

3. Adjourn

 

SPECIAL MEETING OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES
ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29TH, 2013
9:00 a.m.
LOCATION: Town Hall, 3rd floor meeting room; Bellows Falls, VT

In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Ray Massucco, David Buckley, Deb Wright, Paige Pietrzak, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, Laura Senes and Célina Houlné.
Public attendees: Dutch Walsh

1. Call to order 9:09 AM

2. Public Comment: None

3. Executive session – personnel: Laura Senes makes a motion to enter executive session for the purpose of discussing personnel issues. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette, passes with 7 in favor, 2 opposed. Enter executive session 9:15 AM. Leave executive session 11:03 with no action taken.

Hope Brissette makes a motion to approve the director’s evaluation as written, seconded by Deb Wright. Ray Massucco makes a friendly amendment to alter the motion to provide the director with a copy of the evaluation and allow her time to read and respond to the board in writing or orally in 15 calendar days. This friendly amendment accepted by Hope Brissette. Motion passes with 8 votes in favor. Deb Wright makes a motion to recess the meeting until September 18 at 9:00 AM in order to allow the director time to read and respond to the evaluation. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette, passes unanimously. Meeting recessed at 11:10 10:10 to resume on September 18, 9:00AM, location to be announced.

Resume meeting September 18, 2013 at Town Hall, 3rd floor meeting room

In attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Ray Massucco, Deb Wright, Paige Pietrzak, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, Laura Senes and Célina Houlné.
Public in attendance: Jacqueline Hewitt, Bob Hewitt, Barbara Stickney, Joel Love, Anne Parkman Debbi Wetzel, Adam Wetzel, Susan Lampe-Wilson, Richard K. Bowen, Esq., Alma Beals, Deirdre Fuchs, Betty Haggerty, Sam Maskell, Steve Geller, Andrew Smith, Lynne Lewandowski, Kathleen Michel, Donna Stiles, Helen P. Carroll, Wendy O’Connell, Deborah Bump, Diane Brown, Joe Brissette.

Call to order at 9:05 AM. Deb Wright made a motion to enter executive session for the purpose of discussing personnel issues. This motion seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with 5 in favor, 3 opposed. Enter executive session 9:08 AM. Exit executive session at 9:56 AM. Deborah Wright made a motion that the Trustees of the Rockingham Free Public Library vote to approve the library director’s 2013 evaluation and terminate Celina J Houlne, Library Director, in accordance with Section 14, Subsection F-5, of the Rockingham Free Public Library’s Personnel Policy and Procedures Manual, Adopted June 19, 2008, such termination to be effective immediately. This motion seconded by Hope Brissette passed with 5 in favor, 3 opposed. Deborah Wright made a motion to make Emily Zervas acting interim director of the RFPL. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette passed with 5 in favor, 3 opposed.

4. Motion to adjourn made by Deborah Wright and was seconded by Hope Brissette, passed unanimously at 9:58 AM.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Laura Senes on September 23, 2013.

 

WARNING/AGENDA
SPECIAL MEETING OF BUILDING AND GROUNDS COMMITTEE
ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30th, 2013
9AM
LOCATION: Massucco & Velco P.E. 90 Westminster St Bellows Falls VT1. Call to order

2. Updates on construction exiting the building from Chip

3. Cleaning plans
A. Options and costs
B. Volunteers-FOL, others
C. Antique clock needs professional cleaning. moving and possibly appraisal?

4. Moving plans
A. Options and costs
B. Volunteers-FOL, others

5. Grounds
A. Town plans-Ellen Howard
B. Lawn care and snow removal
C. Plant installation

1. Plant Donations
2. Maintenance and care

6. Adjourn

AGENDA OF RFPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
MONDAY, AUGUST 12th, 2013
5:00 PM at Village Square Booksellers, Bellows Falls

1. Call to order

2. Public Comment – 2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments. Note: Public comments are limited to non-agenda items

3. Approve minutes of: July 22nd, 2013 trustees’ meeting, July 31st trustees’ special meeting, and August 7th trustees’ special meeting

4. Director’s Monthly Report

Financial Reports — if available

5. Committee Reports
a. Building – Hope
b. Communications – no report
c. Finance – Deb Wright
d. Historical Collection – no report
e. Policy – bylaws revisions, discuss future policy on handling of public information requests and board notification
f. Personnel – schedule special meeting for CAP and draft evaluation discussion

6. Renovation update

7. Old Business
a. Staffing – discuss timing of Ed’s replacement, etc.
b. Open Meeting Law tweaks – online meetings
c. Privacy issues – e-mails

8. New Business
a. 2008 Personnel Policy – moving forward
b. Communications — discuss recent correspondence, etc.

9. Review agenda items for next meeting and meeting date. Do we change the day? Current meeting date is Monday, September 9th at 5:00 p.m.

10. Executive Session – personnel issues: CAP update

 

Rockingham Library Board of Trustees
August 12, 2013
Held at Village Square Booksellers

Attendees: Library Trustees- Hope Brisette, David Buckley, Carolyn Frisa, Pat Fowler, Ray Massucco, Jan Mitchell-Love, Paige Pietrzak, Laura Senes, Deborah Wright. Celena Houlné, Director
Public Attendees: Deidre Fuchs, Elayne & Arnold Clift, Alma Beals, Wendy O’Connell, Serena Engermann, Steve Geller, Audrey Boerum, Joe Brissette, Donna Stevens, Lisa Delmar, Chris Garafalo (Press), Alison Teague (Press)

Meeting was called to order at 5:05pm

Public Comments- Arnold has questions about the activities of the vice chairman. He gave a letter to Jan who indicated that the questions would be covered under the agenda. Elayne read a letter from the US Postal System about the sending of a postcard addressed to the Rockingham Library Board of Trustees to an individual PO Box in Saxtons River.

July 22 minutes- Carolyn moved as approved Hope seconded- aye votes from all Trustees except Ray who abstained.
July 31 minutes- Arnold asked that it be added into the record that Mr Massucco did not withdraw his candidacy – Pat stated this was an error on her part in interpreting Ray’s email to Jan. Carolyn noted that trustees found out on the 31st that clarification was needed on who actually appoints the position- the trustees or the select board. The continuation of the Trustee meeting was on personnel issues discussed in executive session. Six trustees voted to pass the minutes: David & Ray abstained.
Aug 7 minutes – moved by Carolyn, seconded by Ray. Passed unanimously

Director’s report of August 7: Library will need to start to move back to our building.

Financials- no report yet. KOBO will be donated to the Friends of the Library Raffle from Village Square Booksellers & Vermont Festivals has donated Roots on the River June 2014 tickets. The Friends will have a booth at the SEVCA flea market Sept 28 The Friends have planned to have their holiday party on December 7.

Donna asked about the staff reporting of informational requests requested by Library Personnel Committee. Jan indicated that this will be discussed later during the meeting.

Building Report by Hope- Ray has agreed to be on the Building Committee. We will have a Certificate of Occupancy EOM, then the contractor will have to do punch list – priority will be set on what the construction company will pick up, the building needs to be cleaned end to end. Celina will be off 9th-20th for a wedding. Are there any groups that can be approached to help with the cleanup? We will need volunteers. Discussion ensued. Outside landscaping- Hope has plants ready to plant. For cleaning, we need a list of materials and equipment necessary- ladders, wetvac? Should we use ServPro? What can be covered under the Repairs and Maintenance budget? Carolyn asked if we can get cleaning quotes. Can we use student volunteers for community service? Steve suggested we get quotes showing differentiate levels of cleaning. Donna wondered if we can ask the master gardeners to assist in outside planting. Celina reminded the board that we have a landscaping plan from Julie Moir Messervy. Deb asked that the landscaping issue be put on the agenda for the September meeting. Celina will talk to Chip about utilizing the $100 day prison system.

Finance- Deb indicated that Pat has agreed to be on the Finance Committee with David & Deb. We need to evaluate the financial impact on benefits. Deb has asked Chip for more information. Arnold asked that copies of documents be made available during discussion. Deb has an over/under budget worksheet.

Historical Collection– no info

Policy Committee- board will be meeting on August 26th.

Personnel Committee- public information requests- Concern that documents not given to trustees, but public have them. We need a future policy on this. Handout from Jan discussed. operating budget is a public record. Ray indicated that the owner of document has control of it. We need to know who is custodian of the document?. State of Vermont- requires that we comply within 10 days. Carolyn suggested that any documents handed out at the meeting should be added to the minutes. And be made available online. Ray indicated that the town & village have a one page form. Laura moved that if the library director gives out public info document about library business (such as individual bills), that the trustees should also be included in the distribution. Deb seconded but the motion did not pass.

Aug 26th meeting to discuss bylaws will be a Personnel executive session instead to discuss the CAP report and evaluation.

Renovation update covered in earlier email with info from Chip.

Staffing- Celina asked about replacing Ed’s position. Pat asked if there is money in the budget for benefits- personal and sick time and vacation costs. Celina can review. This is a 25 hour position. Deb mentioned that benefits might be an unfunded liability; can a person bank the time? We need Finance Committee meeting to evaluate. The Finance Committee should present info on this to the board at next meeting. Personal leave is not in finance report from Chip.

Discussion on open meeting rules – in reference to online meetings – emails- can send out but cannot answer to “all”. Ray indicated that it is an “invitation to conversation” if you put an item into an email that requires an answer. We can ask who can attend meeting but there can be no substantive discussion of library business. This refers to FaceBook postings also. Use reply to sender if asking when you can meet. Discussion on public contact information for Trustees: phone, email address, etc-

Break for 10 minutes – reconvened at 7:04. Deb left during break for family emergency. Joel Love indicated that he will give us some advice on privacy and contact info – and we can choose what info can be distributed to the public.

Agenda item 7c Personnel Policy- we need a financial policy and need to settle the issue by Sept 30th. Finance Committee is David, Pat, and Chair Deb.

Agenda item 8a- done-

8b- correspondence. letter from Martha Reid. Reply was made by several individual Trustees.

Need an agenda item to schedule dates in September & October and coordinate with Martha.

Diedre asked if Jan had received a letter from the Attorney General’s office about observing open meeting law. Jan sent info from Jan. 2012 to mid-May 2013- warnings, agendas & draft meetings for committees. She also sent 1 set minutes from the committees – finance, communication & policy missing. There is a backlog and we have no reply yet. She sent the items through Town Attorney Steve Ankuda. 5 individuals thought we were not following open meeting law. Jan is not allowed to comment per attorney. Secretary of State indicated that we need to educate folks about open meeting law- he will help us learn about it if need to- it was an inquiry, research.

Carolyn indicated that the Attorney General has not answered her query either or the citizens group. Jan has received letter from the Attorney General about allowing Mr Geller to speak since he is from out of town. Carolyn asked if all letters re business of full board should be reviewed by the whole board- board’s action as a whole. Jan reminded Caorlyn that the board reviews all letters when they come in. Arnold asked if letter from the Attorney General is public record.

Discussion on the postcard: since Deb was called away, she will have an update for next meeting. The objection is that the postcard is addressed to the Board of Trustees c/o a PO box. PO box is not owned by member of the Board of Trustees. However, it appears that the Board sent it out- it has the library logo. It may be a federal case of mail fraud. Deb has the federal case number since it involves the US post office (no mail delivered to houses in Saxtons River). The PO Box holder must list authorized names with the post office-One of the postcards was dropped on the street and picked up. Elayne spoke to the post office today. She asked if Deb Wright’s call to the Reformer was discussed with the full board prior to talking to them about the postcard. In Elayne’s letter she stated that the Friends of the Library were not involved in the post card campaign; it was the friends of the library with a small ‘f.’ However, the postcard looked like the Board of Trustees had sent it out because it did not have a return address. Arnold apologized for any misconception as it was unintentional and asked that his apology be entered into the minutes.

Next regular meeting Sept 10 at 5pm

Next Personnel Committee special Meeting August 26

Bylaws meeting Meeting adjourned at 7:52 pm

Pat Fowler

 

RFPL Board of Trustees Special Meeting Notice
NOTICE OF MEETING

The Rockingham Free Public Library Trustees Board of Trustees will meet on Wednesday, August 7th, 2013, at 5:00 p.m. at Village Square Booksellers in Bellows Falls, VT This is a special meeting on the trustees’ bylaws.

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
Wed Aug 7, 2013 5:00 PM
LOCATION: Village Square Booksellers in Bellows Falls

In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brisette, Laura Senes, David Buckley, Ray Massucco, Deb Wright, Pat Fowler, Paige Pietrzak, Carolyn Frisa and Célina Houlné.
Public members in attendance: Elayne Clift, Arnold Clift

Meeting was called to order at 5:15 PM by Jan

A vote was taken to go into Executive Session. Y- Hope, Jan, Deb, Paige. N- David, Carolyn, Ray, Pat. Motion failed. (Laura was late attending the meeting)

Jan welcomed Ray Massucco as a new member of the Trustees.

Arnold Clift asked why there was no Public Comment section at this meeting- Jan stated that this is a Special Meeting for a special purpose and Public Comment is not required. Public comments are limited to the topic under discussion. Jan reminded the public that no formal decisions were going to be madethis is a working session to discuss making changes to the Bylaws. Paige stated that at least two meetings will be required.

Jan asked that all Trustees take their own notes on the changes to the Bylaws so that they can refer to their notes at future meetings.

Discussion of Bylaws from Article I to VIII.

Carolyn offered to revise her draft copy of the Bylaws to reflect the changes we are considering so that we have an updated copy to consider at the next Bylaws meeting.

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees to discuss the Bylaws will be held on August 26 from 5- 6:30pm at Village Square Booksellers.

Meeting adjourned at 6:35pm

These minutes respectfully submitted by Pat Fowler on Aug 10, 2013

 

WARNING/AGENDA SPECIAL MEETING OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES
ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
WEDNESDAY, JULY 31ST, 2013
Meeting time: after conclusion of adjourned July 22nd Trustees’ Meeting
LOCATION: Village Square Booksellers; Bellows Falls, VT

1. Call to order

2. Formally recognize addition of new trustee to RFPL Board of Trustees

3. Adjourn

 

SPECIAL MEETING OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES MINUTES
ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
WEDNESDAY, JULY 31ST, 2013
Meeting time: after conclusion of adjourned July 22nd Trustees’ Meeting
LOCATION: Village Square Booksellers; Bellows Falls, VT

In Attendance: Hope Brissette, Jan Mitchell-Love, Deborah Wright, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, Paige Pietrzak, Laura Senes and Célina Houlné.
Public in attendance: Arnold Clift and Steve Geller

1. Call to order 6:00pm

2. Formally recognize addition of new trustee to RFPL Board of Trustees: At the July 22nd meeting the library board of trustees voted to recommend Tim Doherty to the Selectboard to fill the vacant position. The library bylaws state, “Should a vacancy occur in the board for any cause other than the expiration of term of office, such vacancy shall be filled by the Library Board with the approval of the Board of Selectmen until the next Town Meeting.” The Vermont Director of Elections, Will Senning, says that our bylaws conflict with Vermont statute 24 V.S.A. §963, which states that the Selectboard shall fill any vacancies on the board. This needs to be changed in the RFPL bylaws. In accordance with the library bylaws, Laura Senes made a motion to recommend Tim Doherty to the selectboard and if approved he will be recognized as a new library trustee at the beginning of the next meeting. Motion seconded by Carolyn Frisa, passed unanimously with 7 votes in favor.

3. Motion made to Adjourn by Deb Wright, seconded by Hope Brissette, approved unanimously. Meeting adjourns 6:20pm.

Respectfully submitted by Secretary Laura Senes on August 7, 2013.

 

AGENDA OF RFPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
MONDAY, JULY 22nd, 2013
5:00 PM at Village Square Booksellers, Bellows Falls

1. Call to order

2. Public Comment – 2 minutes per person; 15 minute time period for all public comments. Note: Public comments are limited to non-agenda items

3. Approve minutes of: June 10th, 2013 trustees’ meeting, June 4th, 2013 trustees’ special meeting, & June 25th, 2013 trustees’ special meeting

4. Director’s Monthly Report

Two Financial Reports: Library Balance Sheet (2 pages) and Library Status Report (4 pages)

5. Committee Reports
a. Building – no report
b. Communications – no report
c. Finance – Deb Wright

Executive Session – if necessary

d. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa
e. Personnel – schedule special meeting on bylaws revisions

6. Renovation update

7. Old Business
a. Report on move to 41 The Square & moving expenses
b. Director’s updated staffing schedule for time at temporary location (41 The Square)

8. New Business
a. 2012 Personnel Policy – request Finance Committee report for August trustees’ meeting
b. Communications: discuss possible retreat
Discuss trustees’ training

9. Review agenda items for next meeting and meeting date. Current meeting date is Monday, August 12th at 5:00 p.m.

10. Executive Session – personnel issues: Board of Trustees’ opening and Director’s evaluation

11. Adjourn

RFPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING MINUTES
MONDAY, JULY 22nd, 2013
5:00 PM at Village Square Booksellers, Bellows Falls

In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Laura Senes, Deborah Wright, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, David Buckley, Paige Pietrzak, and Célina Houlné
Public members in attendance: Alma Beals, Emily Zervas, Betty Haggerty, Barbara Stickney, Wendy O’Connell, Serena Hickey, Steve Geller, Elayne Clift, and Arnold Clift.
Representatives from the press: Domenic Poli (Brattleboro Reformer) and Allison Teaugue (The Commons)

1. Call to order at 5:10 PM.

2. Public Comment: Several members of the public expressed appreciation that public comment was placed at the beginning of the meeting. Also, members of the public expressed that audio recordings should be made of all meetings. The public asked if the board has received any response from the Attorney General about the letters sent. The board has not received any response from the Attorney General. The public raised questions about legal fees being accrued by the board and the board’s reversion to the 2008 Personnel Policy. The board was presented with 2 petitions, one with signatures of public not wanting the library to close, the second calling for the chair and vice chair of the board to resign. Questions were also raised about the cost of moving the library. Carolyn Frisa read a letter written by Deirdre Fuchs wondering about taking money from annuity funds to pay for moving. This will be addressed under Finance.

3. Approve minutes: Motion to approve draft minutes of June 10th, 2013 trustees’ meeting, with the inclusion of the letter read by Arnold Clift, made by Hope Brissette, seconded by Carolyn Frisa, passed unanimously.

Motion to approve draft minutes of June 4th, 2013 trustees’ special meeting with the addition of ‘These minutes respectfully submitted by Secretary Laura Senes, June 11, 2013,’ made by Carolyn Frisa, seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with a vote of 7 in favor and 1 abstention. Motion to approve June 25th, 2013 trustees’ special meeting draft minutes made by Hope Brissette, seconded by Deb Wright, passed with a vote of 7 in favor and 1 abstention.

4. Renovation update: Chip Stearns presented detailed update on the renovation. The renovation is on target to be completed August 30th. Trustees will get a tour this week in groups of 4 or fewer. Financial projections at this point show slightly under $12,000 unclaimed, but some costs are still unknown.

5. Director’s Monthly Report: Staff has been busy with the move. The library has changed over to a new computer system and is working out a few quirks. Over 100 people attended the program about turtles. The library will be set up for Old Homes Days for Lego and face painting.

Two Financial Reports: Library Balance Sheet (2 pages) and Library Status Report (4 pages): The end of the year report should be ready in August. It appears the library is over budget, but this money will be covered by the renovation. The library should end the year with a surplus.

6. Committee Reports

a. Building – no report
b. Communications – no report
c. Finance – Deb Wright. The finance committee has not met. Pat Fowler has agreed to take Steve Fuller’s place on the committee. Deb expresses concerns of areas over budget. The idea of using money from the investment accounts to pay for moving the library was discussed. The board agreed by consensus not to use this money if it is not necessary. The idea of using inmates from the offender work program and students needing community service hours was discussed. The money for the move so far has been taken from the repairs and maintenance budget.

The bill from the lawyer was also discussed. This bill covers personnel matters, to determine if the library director has a contract and related to CAP, review of the 2012 Personnel Policy and matters related to letters written to the Attorney General. The library doesn’t have a line in the budget to cover legal fees. It was agreed by consensus to include this in future budgets. Members of the public expressed concern about incurring legal costs.

d. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa. Nothing to report
e. Policy– A special meeting on bylaws revisions will be held at 5:00 on Wednesday, August 7th at the Village Square Booksellers.

7. Old Business
a. Report on move to 41 The Square & moving expenses. The library has $100 plus left for the move.
b. Director’s updated staffing schedule for time at temporary location (41 The Square): Staffing is as previously discussed. Both Sam and Emily are working 40 hrs. per week. The staff is rotating vacation time, and no one has been hired to fill the vacant position, giving a savings of about $4000.

8. New Business
a. 2012 Personnel Policy – request Finance Committee report for August trustees’ meeting. Célina Houlné expressed her belief that the revised policy did go through proper channels, because the board agreed on the changes and that it did not need to be reviewed by the Policy Committee. A date will be chosen at the August 12 board meeting for the Policy Committee to meet.
b. Communications: discuss possible retreat: Dot Reed has offered a place to hold a board retreat. Discuss trustees’ training: Martha Reid, State Librarian, has offered to train on the different duties of the library trustees, Friends, and Director.

9. Review agenda items for next meeting and meeting date: Next meeting will be held Monday, August 12th at 5:00 p.m at the Village Square Booksellers.

10. Executive Session to discuss personnel issues: Board of Trustees’ opening and Director’s evaluation. Motion made at 7:37 to enter executive session to discuss personnel issues made by Hope Brissette, seconded by Deb Wright, passed unanimously. Leave executive session at 8:00 with no action taken, with unfinished business. Deb Wright made a motion the trustees recommend Tim Dougherty to the Selectboard as a replacement for Steve Fuller, seconded by Paige Pietrzak. Motion passed 5 in favor with 1 abstention. Adjourn/recess at 8:05 and will reenter July 22nd meeting to complete executive session on July 31, 2013 at 4:30 at the Village Square Booksellers. Call to order July 31, 2013 at 4:38. Motion made by Carolyn Frisa to enter executive session to discuss the director’s evaluation, seconded by Hope Brissette, passed unanimously. Enter executive session at 4:41. Leave executive session at 5:53 with no action taken.

11. Motion to adjourn made by Carolyn Frisa, seconded by Deb Wright, passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned 5:55pm. Respectfully submitted by Secretary Laura Senes August 2, 2013.

 

RFPL Board of Trustees Special Meeting Notice
NOTICE OF MEETING

The Rockingham Free Public Library Trustees Board of Trustees will meet on Tuesday, June 25th, 2013, at 3:30 p.m. at BFMS (Bellows Falls Middle School). The meeting will be in the Community Room on the lower level. Look for directional signs. This is a special meeting on the 2012 Personnel Policy.

Request: if you are a potential audience member and have a portable, fold-up chair, would you mind bringing it to sit in for the meeting? We have no idea what the availability of chairs will be. Many thanks in advance for your help on this.

 

RFPL Board of Trustees Special Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, June 25th, 2013, at 3:30 p.m.
Community Room, BFMS (Bellows Falls Middle School; Bellows Falls, VT)

In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Laura Senes, Deborah Wright, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, Paige Pietrzak, and Emily Zervas.
Public in attendance: about a dozen members of the public were in attendance, but did not sign in.

1. Call to order 3:35 pm.

2. Executive Session – Personnel-Hope Brissette made a motion to enter executive session to discuss a personnel issue. The motion, seconded by Deborah Wright, passed unanimously. Exited executive session at 4:05 with no action taken and resumed the regular meeting.

3. 2012 Personnel Policy-The 2012 Personnel Policy was not approved of properly, as it never went through the Policy Committee before being voted on at a regular meeting. A motion was made by Deborah Wright to rescind the 2012 Personnel Policy and revert back to the 2008 Personnel Policy.

A friendly amendment was made to include an anticipated completion date to review the Personnel Policy by 9/30/2013. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with 5 in favor, 1 opposed and 1 abstention. The 2012 Personnel Policy will go to the Finance, Policy and Personnel Committees and the Town’s attorney. A letter written by Ellen Allman, read by Carolyn Frisa, expressed the importance to the part-time staff of keeping their present benefits. The board discussed the idea that any benefits consistent with the 2012 Personnel Policy may be approved retroactively to July 1st, 2013 if the 2012 Personnel Policy is reinstated after review.

4. Executive Session – Not needed.

5. Public comment-Members of the public expressed the fact that they would like to see public comment be moved to the beginning of the meeting.

6. Adjourn-The next monthly board meeting will take place on July 8th at 5:00, location TBA. Steven Fuller has stepped down from the board. Anyone interested in being appointed to the board should write a letter to the RFPL Board of Trustees, in care of Jan Mitchell-Love, Chair. The trustees will pass a recommendation of an appointee to the Selectboard that will make the appointment. Motion to adjourn made by Hope Brissette. This motion, seconded by Carolyn Frisa, passed unanimously at 5:10 pm.

Respectfully submitted by Secretary Laura Senes, July 1, 2013.

RFPL Board of Trustees Meeting Notice

NOTICE OF MEETING

The Rockingham Free Public Library Trustees Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, June 10th, 2013, at 4:45 p.m. at WOOL-Radio, 33 Bridge Street, in Bellows Falls for its regular meeting.

 

RFPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING MINUTES
MONDAY, JUNE 10th, 2013
4:45 PM at 300 Bridge Street, Bellows Falls

In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Laura Senes, Deborah Wright, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, Steven Fuller, David Buckley, Paige Pietrzak, Emily Zervas and Sam Maskell.
Public members in attendance: Elayne Clift, Anne Parkman, Diane Brown, Arnold Clift, Barbara Stickney, Jackie Hewitt, Betty Haggerty, Allegra Maskell, Bob Hewitt, Bob Patch, Ed Warner, Wesley Nies, Deirdre Fuchs, Alma Beals, Donna Stevens, Debbi Wetzel, Adam Wetzel, Susie Peters, Cathy Bergmann.

1. Call to order 4:52 pm.

2. Executive Session: A motion was made by Hope Brissette to move into executive session to discuss a personnel issue. This motion, seconded by Deborah Wright, passed with 7 in favor and 2 abstentions. Executive session ended with no action taken. Call meeting back to order 5:03.

3. Approval of past minutes: May 13th, 2013 trustees’ meeting: The draft minutes have two errors. Under #4 Director’s Monthly Report and Financial Report, the motion was to move the funds available from propane from the renovation budget to the operating budget to cover the expense of the new phone system. Célina Houlné can approve the work order as soon as possible. Under #7 Renovation plans the minutes should say ‘Monday-Friday 9-2, and Friday evening 7-9.’ Motion to approve May 13, 2013 minutes as amended, seconded by Steven Fuller, passed with 7 in favor and 2 abstentions.

May 18th, 2013 trustees’ special meeting: Motion made by Hope Brissette to approve the draft minutes for May 18, 2013, seconded by Paige Pietrzak, passed with 7 in favor and 2 abstentions.

May 22nd, 2013 trustees’ special meeting: Motion made by Hope Brissette to approve the draft minutes for May 18, 2013, seconded by Laura Senes, passed with 7 in favor and 2 abstentions.

Outstanding, unapproved draft minutes: April 8th, 2013 trustees’ meeting, April 17th, 2013 trustees’ special meeting, May 1st, 2013 trustees’ special meeting, and May 6th, 2013 trustees’ special meeting: Jan Mitchell-Love and Pat Fowler will meet next week to review these minutes to check for accuracy, professionalism and legality and then bring recommendations back to the full board.

4. Monthly Financial Report: three documents: a. Balance Sheet Current Year – Period 11 May (2 pages); b. Current Yr Pd: 11 Year Budget Status Report (4 pages); & c.

Investment Accounts July 2012-May 2013 (1 page): Review of reports. Any questions may be directed to one member of the finance committee (Deborah Wright, Steven Fuller and David Buckley) who will email Mary Van Hartesveldt.

5. Committee Reports
a. Building – there will be no reports until we are back in the library building.
b. Communications – no report, as the committee has not met.
c. Finance – Deb Wright will contact Mary with any questions.
d. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa: Committee has not met. Planning on meeting in the next few weeks.
e. Personnel – Jan Mitchell-Love: The committee will meet on June 13th, 9:30 at Mack’s Café in Grafton about this year’s evaluation.
f. Policy A: Has not met again.
g. Policy B – Hope Brissette: Met in an emergency meeting to discuss Union membership, which will be covered under agenda item #9b. They also reviewed the bylaws from #9 to the end. A meeting will be planned with policy group A to review all suggested revisions.

7. Renovation plans – see Chip’s e-mailed report of June 6th, 2013/9 a.m. sub meeting on Tuesday: The elevator is now scheduled to be installed in late July. At this point the town is about $62,000 short on the library project.

8. Old Business from 6/4/13 meeting

a. Updated moving expense report – Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell present new and revised estimates. Sovernet has waived the fees for moving circuits, and there will be no fee for the security system. Our accident policy through the Vermont League of Cities and Towns covers up to $50,000. Deborah Wright made a motion to extend up to $2000 in moving costs, not including network money or rental costs. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with 6 in favor, 2 opposed and 1 abstention.

b. Director’s staffing schedule for next 2 months at 41 The Square location: Not needed, covered at the last meeting.

c. Review/Discussion of 41 The Square contract requiring authorized RFPL signature to execute: Pat Fowler made a motion to allow the chair of the trustees to sign the contract to rent 41 The Square for the period necessary for the elevator to be installed and certified, and a certificate of occupancy is issued. This motion, passed with 6 in favor, 2 opposed and 1 abstention.

d. Discuss Letter of Concern – Deb: Discussion of letter written from Carolyn Frisa sent to State Librarian Martha Reid, the Deputy Secretary of State and the Vermont Attorney General, with a copy to the town lawyer. Deborah Wright discussed the need to support each other as a board. Carolyn Frisa stated that the letter reflected her personal opinion and that she sought legal counsel prior to sending the letter. Jan Mitchell-Love advised that letters should not be sent to the town lawyer, as we will be charged for his time.

9. New Business

a. 2012 Personnel Policy: This version of the policy was not approved of properly, as it never went through the Policy Committee before being voted on at a regular meeting. Steven Fuller made a motion to send the 2012 Personnel Policy back to the Policy Committee to compare to the 2008 policy, and bring back recommendations to the board. This motion, seconded by David Buckley passed with 8 votes in favor and 1 abstention.

b. Union #92 membership request – Emily Zervas and Samantha Maskell: An emergency policy committee meeting was held to discuss union membership request of the full time library employees. Deborah Wright made a motion to voluntarily recognize local #92 for an appropriate bargaining unit to be determined. This motion, seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with 6 in favor, 1 opposed and 2 abstentions.

10. Executive Session: Not needed.

11. Review agenda items for next meeting, Monday, July 8th at 4:45 p.m.: Agenda items to include the training by Amy Howlett and discussion of 2012 Personnel Policy. The meeting time will be changed to 5:00 pm, by consensus.

12. Public comment: Several members of the public questioned the safety of having volunteers help move to 41 The Square. Members of the public discussed having public comment at the beginning of the meeting and being accepted during the meeting. Arnold Clift requested his letter written to the Rockingham Board of Trustees be read and included in the minutes.

13. Adjourn: Motion to adjourn made by Hope Brissette, seconded by Paige Pietrzak, passed unanimously at 6:44 pm.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Secretary Laura Senes, June 19, 2013

Letter submitted to the public record by Arnold Clift:
ARNOLD J CLIFT
P O BOX 299, SAXTONS RIVER, VT 05154
June 6, 2013

Dear Trustee,
For your information I attach a copy of a Statement I made to the Town of Rockingham Select Board on June 4 2013, regarding the Trustees’ handling of current matters affecting the Rockingham Free Public Library. I request that this statement be read aloud at the next meeting of the Trustees and entered into the record. Thank you.

Sincerely yours,
(Arnold J Clift)

STATEMENT TO THE ROCKINGHAM SELECT BOARD June 4, 2013

Members of the Select Board and some of the public present here today will be aware of the decision of the Library Trustees to close the Library building until current renovations are complete. There are no valid reasons why the building should not have remained opened. The decision by the Trustees was made despite a unanimous resolution passed by the Select Board that the Library should remain open. It was also made with complete disregard for the views of many library users, including Friends of the Library, who also felt strongly that the library should remain open during renovations. The library has already been closed for a week and we still do not know for certain when library services will be available at an alternative location.

I have just come from a Meeting of the Library Trustees where estimates were discussed for moving library services during renovations to the old Merchant Bank building. These estimates ranged from $7,000 to $10,000—of taxpayers’ money. Why did not the Trustees not consider cost factors before reaching a hasty and ill-considered decision to close the Library building? At to-day’s meeting the Board could not even agree to finance the cost of moving nor sign the contract for leasing the Merchants Bank’s space. What a fiasco! More immediately, members of the public have recently become aware that the Library Director has herself come under direct personal criticism from a number of Trustees for the way in which she has performed her duties. These Trustees have concocted an eight page “Corrective Memorandum” which, among other things, accuses her of “improper fiscal management” and imposes unreasonable additional demands upon the Director. Some believe that this is all part of a campaign by some of the Trustees to create a pretext for dismissing the Director.

Those who are close to the Library and use its services are quite appalled at this turn of events. Many current library users, including a number of former Trustees, can attest to the diligence, efficiency, enthusiasm and total dedication of the Librarian and her staff in making Rockingham a model library. As a leader, the Librarian has won the respect and strong support of all her staff. They are together a wonderful team and the public must not allow their achievements to be undermined.

I urge members of the public to make their views known by writing to the Board of Trustees c/o the Rockingham Library.

Arnold J Clift

 

RFPL Board of Trustees Special Meeting Notice

NOTICE OF MEETING AGENDA

Tuesday, June 4th, 2013, at 4:00 p.m
WOOL-Radio, 33 Bridge Street, in Bellows Falls

1. Call to order
2. Director’s revised moving expense report-Celina
3. Director’s staffing schedule for next 2 months at 41 The Square location-Celina
4. Review and Discussion of 41 The Square contract requiring authorized RFPL signature to execute
5. Discuss Letter of Concern-Carolyn
6. Renovation Project update-if any
7. Executive Session – if necessary
8. Discuss change in Trustees’ Regular Meeting date from Monday June 10, 2013
9. Public comment
10. Adjourn

 

Minutes for RFPL Board of Trustees Special Meeting
Tuesday, June 4th, 2013, at 4:00 p.m
WOOL-Radio, 33 Bridge Street, in Bellows Falls

In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Laura Senes, Deborah Wright, Pat Fowler, Carolyn Frisa, Steven Fuller and Célina Houlné.
Public members in attendance: Samantha Maskell, Ponnie Derby, Alma Beals, Betty Haggerty, Edward Warner, Joe Brissette, Arnold Clift, Elayne Clift, and Donna Stevens.

1. Call to order at 4:07 p.m.

2. Director’s revised moving expense report: Célina Houlné reviews handout of Estimated Moving costs to #41 the Square. Volunteers were used to pack boxes. Laura Senes made a motion to approve moving costs and hire BC Moving to move on Friday. This motion seconded by Carolyn Frisa and failed with a vote of 3 in favor, 3 opposed and 1 abstention. Trustees requested the library director seek out two other moving quotes and check with our insurance carrier about liability coverage if using volunteers to help move. Carolyn Frisa made a motion to approve costs for network, internet and phone lines at 41 the Square once the contract for lease is approved. This motion, seconded by Laura Senes, failed with a vote of 3 in favor, 3 opposed and 1 abstention.

3. Director’s staffing schedule for next 2 months at 41 The Square location: Célina Houlné reviews employee schedule and payroll budget for summer. She will schedule 4 librarians per hour on site. She will not refill Ed’s position until the end of summer but will increase Emily Zervas and Sam Maskell’s hours slightly to make up for the extra work. This will provide a savings of about $3,900. Célina Houlné will be taking medical leave starting Thursday for 3 weeks. Emily Zervas and Sam Maskell will be in charge of library operations in her absence.

4. Review and Discussion of 41 The Square contract requiring authorized RFPL signature to execute: The contract has been checked and amended by the town lawyer who also requested we check to make sure our insurance will cover the library at alternate sites. This was checked and confirmed. Pat Fowler made a motion authorizing the chair to sign the contract to rent 41 the Square, seconded by Laura Senes. The motion failed with 2 in favor, 1 opposed and 2 abstentions.

5. Discuss Letter of Concern-Carolyn: tabled until next trustee meeting on June 10th.

6. Renovation Project update: Chip will give an update at Monday’s board meeting.

7. Executive Session: not needed.

8. Discuss change in Trustees’ Regular Meeting date from Monday June 10, 2013: No longer necessary.

9. Public comment: One member of the pubic asked where and when meetings were posted and why there has been no agenda with the notification recently. Notification of meetings can be posted at any public building but generally can be found at the town hall and police station. For special meetings it may be difficult to set the agenda early enough to post. The State Attorney General has confirmed that agenda does not need to be posted with notification of meetings. One member of the public requested that the board of trustees revisit the decision to close the library building and asked why minutes have not been posted online for the past 6 weeks. A committee has been formed to review the minutes of April 8th, April 17th, May 1st and May 6th to check for accuracy, professionalism and legalityand to then bring recommendations back to the full board. This committee is scheduled to meet next week. Any changes will be altered in open meeting.

10. Adjourn: Motion to adjourn made by Hope Brissette, seconded by Steven Fuller, and passed unanimously at 5:48 p.m.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Secretary Laura Senes, June 11, 2013.

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
Tuesday, May 28th, 2013
5:00 PM at 33 Bridge Street, Bellows Falls Warning and Agenda

1. Call to order
2. Approve minutes of 10/29/12, 4/25/13 finance committee meeting Minutes of 10/29/12 finance committee not submitted to date
3. Review proposed contract for rental of Merchant’s Bank building for submission to RFPL board Review town attorney recommendations on proposed contract
4. Executive Session – if necessary
5. Adjourn

RFPL Board of Trustees Special Meeting Notice

NOTICE OF MEETING

The Rockingham Free Public Library Trustees Board of Trustees will meet on Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. at WOOL-Radio, 33 Bridge Street, in Bellows Falls for a special meeting on renovation/off-site library locations update and personnel.

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
MINUTES FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2013
9:00 AM at 300 Bridge Street, Bellow Falls

In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Laura Senes, Deborah Wright, Pat Fowler, Paige Pietrzak, and Célina Houlné. Public members in attendance: Samantha Maskell, Emily Zervas, Michel LaLiberté, Adam Wetzel, Steve Geller, Mary Van Hartesveldt, Jackie Hewitt, Bob Hewitt, Martha Rowley, Susan Warner, Edward Warner, Nancy Tusinski, Joel Love, Tim Doherty, Ed Graves, Debbie Wetzel, and Bob Patch.
Representatives from the press: Chris Garofolo (Eagle Times) and Domenic Poli (Brattleboro Reformer).

1. Call to order at 9:05 AM

2. Update on renovation plans-moving forward: Chip Stearns provided an update on the renovation. There have been a few snags, but also a lot of great progress. Deborah Wright discussed the Selectboard’s decision to reconsider the library’s use of the Waypoint Center under certain criteria. Célina Houlné discussed her visit to the Waypoint Center and Train Station and presented a handout outlining the various library needs and services and what is available at the Waypoint Center, Train Station and the old Merchant’s Bank location. Deborah Wright made a motion that the RFPL rent the old Merchant’s Bank location from early June until we can repossess the existing library building. Motion seconded Paige Pietrzak, passed with 5 in favor and 1 abstention.

3. Executive Session-if necessary: Jan Mitchell-Love made a motion to enter executive session for personnel reasons. Seconded by Deb Wright and passed unanimously. Enter executive session 9:54 AM. Leave executive session and reenter the regular meeting at 10:10 AM. Deborah Wright made a motion that the Trustees approve the Corrective Action Plan presented to the Director on Tuesday, May 14, 2013, authorize the board chair and vice-chair to act as the Trustee’s representatives in the meeting with the Director as provided in the CAP, report the progress in achieving the CAP to the Personnel Committee after such meetings and the Personnel Committee report on such progress at each regularly scheduled Trustee’s meeting and sooner if the Personnel Committee determines that the CAP needs to be modified or other action needs to be taken. Célina Houlné voiced her concern that she works for the full board and that the CAP has not been discussed by the full board. She also stated that she has sought the advice of legal counsel. The above motion seconded by Hope Brissette, passed with 5 votes in favor and 1 opposed. Célina stated that she will request a meeting with the full board.

4. Public comment: Chair Jan Mitchell-Love requested that members of the public state their name and place of residence when recognized and that only residents of Rockingham are welcome to speak. Jan Mitchell-Love also stated that she has never applied for and is not interested in the position of Library Director. One member of the public was not recognized by the chair to speak, as a nonresident. Many members of the public expressed displeasure with the board and wanted to have nonresidents recognized to speak. One member of the public expressed concern about the CAP and that the board is trying to micromanage the library director. One member of the public thanked the board for making a decision about choosing the temporary library location and moving forward.

5. Adjourn: Hope Brissette made a motion to adjourn. Motion seconded by Deb Wright, passed unanimously at 10:25 AM.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Secretary Laura Senes, May 28, 2013

 

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
MINUTES FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
MONDAY, MAY 18th, 2013 MINUTES
7:00 PM at 300 Bridge Street, Bellow Falls

In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brisette, Laura Senes, Deborah Wright, Pat Fowler, Paige Pietrzak, and Célina Houlné. Public members in attendance: Steve Geller, Arnold Clift, Susan Warner, Edward Warner, Nancy Tusinski, Lois Smith, Ponnie Derby, Nancy Kovaleff, Joel Love, Tim Doherty, Joe Brissette, Gary Fox, and Susan Smallheer from the Rutland Herald.

1. Call to order at 7:04 PM

2. Update on renovation plans-moving forward: On Friday it was discovered that the RFPL bylaws that require a simple majority to pass a motion does not follow state law that requires a majority of the full board. Steven Ankuda, the town lawyer, recommended taking another vote on the library building closure. Pat Fowler made a motion that in the interest of serving the public, we continue services (book browsing and loans, computer services, historical research, children’s programming) in the present building until such time as the Board of Trustees have an alternative site confirmed (plans designated and building spaces committed-leased or loaned). The motion was not seconded. Deb Wright maked a motion that the RFPL, which is currently closed, remain closed until end of July 2013, or until such time as the new elevator is certified fit for use and the fire suppression system is complete. This motion seconded by Hope Brissette, with the friendly amendment to state that it is the library building, which will remain closed. Laura Senes reads a letter that she had sent to the local papers explaining the reasons for her supporting closure of the library building. This letter is included at the end of the minutes. Motion passed 5 in favor, 1 opposed.

3. Executive Session-if necessary: Laura Senes made a motion to enter executive session for personnel reasons. Seconded by Deb Wright, and passed unanimously. Enter executive session 7:25. Leave executive session at 7:31 with no action taken. There will be a special meeting of the board of trustees on Wednesday, May 22nd, 9:00 AM at 300 Bridge Street.

4. Public comment: There were several members of the public who felt it was disrespectful to leave public comment to the end of the meeting. Also, there were members of the public who complained about the short notice and timing of this meeting. Another member of the public expressed confusion with the board’s decision to close the library building, but to allow the staff to continue working in the building. A couple of members of the public thanked the board of trustees for all their work, and expressed concern with members of the public pursuing issues with the superior court and costing taxpayers money.

5. Adjourn: Deb Wright made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Paige Pietrzak, passed unanimously at 8:05 PM.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Secretary Laura Senes, May 23, 2013

To the People of Rockingham,

I am writing this letter as a Trustee of the Rockingham Library. This letter does not represent the views of the entire board. I feel a need to express some points that do not seem to be getting across to the general public. People are up in arms about the decision to close the library building in order to finish up construction, and seem not to be listening to the many reasons why the board has voted to close the library building.

Before discussing the reasons, I want to point out that the board voted to close the library building, and to find another site to provide services to the community. We do want to make sure the community has a place to go to enjoy the library services this summer. People seem aware of the fact that part of the reason to close the library is due to the lift not working, and therefore being inaccessible for some patrons. Perhaps you don’t think that is important, and perhaps some people who can’t get into the library don’t mind the inconvenience in the short term.

Another reason the board has decided to close the library is that the sprinkler system is not working, so there is no adequate fire suppression system. If the library were to remain open, we would be utilizing just the front, historic section of the library (where I should point out, there are no bathrooms). I do not believe it is safe to have patrons, potentially overcrowded, in a building undergoing major renovation, without a fire suppression system. Apparently the fire chief will let this slide because construction is in the process and this is only temporary. But do you think it is safe? Do you want your kids spending time in a construction zone that is not up to code? We have had enough difficulties during this renovation; the last thing we need is a serious disaster.

Another big issue is money. Every week we go over deadline (August 31st) will cost taxpayers an additional $10,000 per week to pay the contractors. I believe this project has the potential to be finished faster if there are no patrons in the building. If we move the library we can provide services in a safe and accessible space. Yes, it costs some money to move. Yes, it is a lot of work for our library staff. Our staff has done incredibly with the strain of the renovation, and I know moving may feel like the straw that broke the camel’s back. But part of my job as a trustee of the library is to make sure the staff is working in a safe environment. I do not believe this to be true anymore. I also believe that they are a fantastic staff that can handle the move, and then we will be able to move back into a completed, accessible and safe building.

I was not at the meeting during which the board voted to close the library building and find another site to provide services. But I do agree with the decision. Now the community can get behind the board it elected to help us find a place to provide services, or people can keep wasting our time and money. I believe if the community would support the decision of the board, and work with us to help find a solution, we can have safe facilities and be able to provide services that everyone in the community will be able to access this summer.

Thank you,

Laura Senes
Saxtons River
Trustee for the Rockingham Library

 

RFPL Board of Trustees Meeting Notice

NOTICE OF MEETING
The Rockingham Free Public Library Trustees Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, May 13th, 2013, at 4:45 p.m. at WOOL-Radio, 33 Bridge Street, in Bellows Falls for its regular meeting.

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
MINUTES FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES MONTHLY MEETING
MONDAY, MAY 13th, 2013 MINUTES
4:45 PM at 300 Bridge Street, Bellow Falls

In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brisette, Laura Senes, David Buckley, Deborah Wright, Pat Fowler, Paige Pietrzak, Carolyn Frisa, Steven Fuller (arrived at 5:15) and Célina Houlné.
Public members in attendance: Martha E. Rowley, Carol Blackwood, Willis D. “Chip” Stearns II, Donna Stevens, Nancy Witherill, Susan W. Brace, Ponnie Derby, Michel Joseph Lucian LaLiberté, Deborah A. Wetzel, Adam Wetzel, Martha Deacon, Susan Venman, Guy Payne, Allegra Maskell, Samantha Maskell, Roberta Streeter, Barbara Stickney, Jackie Hewitt, Bob Hewitt, David Gould, John Janiszyn, Stephen Geller, Emily Zervas, Ed Graves, Ian Eddy, Mark Piepkorn, Beth Elaine Smallheer, Susan Warner, Edward Warner, Nancy Korakeff, Arnold Clift, Elayne Clift, Kathleen Michel, Moira Brace, Ronald Lake, Serena Hickey, and Jeremy Maskell. (One name on the attendance sheet was signed and not legible).
Representatives from the press: Susan Smallheer (Rutland Herald), Chris Garofolo (Eagle Times), Domenic Poli (Brattleboro Reformer). Filmed by Joe Brisette.

1. Call to order at 4:54 PM

2. Executive Session- if necessary: not necessary.

3. Discuss accuracy, professionalism, and legality of minutes: how to move forward.

List of draft and unapproved minutes:
April 8th trustees regular meeting
April 17th trustees special meeting
May 1st trustees special meeting
May 6th trustees special meeting

Deborah Wright made a motion to form a committee to review the minutes of April 8th, April 17th, May 1st and May 6th to check for accuracy, professionalism and legality, and to then bring recommendations back to the full board. This motion seconded by Hope Brisette, passed with a vote of 5 in favor, 2 opposed and 1 abstention. Jan Mitchell-Love and Pat Fowler volunteer to be on this committee. Steven Fuller will be asked if he would like to be on the committee.

Carolyn Frisa made a motion that all draft minutes from this time forward will have ‘DRAFT’ stamped across it. This motion seconded by Deborah Wright, passed unanimously.

It was also agreed by consensus that all draft minutes will be retained.

4. Director’s Monthly Report and Financial Report:
Célina Houlné reviewed the Director’s monthly report. Reports a successful book and plant sale, in which the Friends of the Library raised over $500. Also, reports failing phone system that will be replaced during the renovation. She has received 3 bids, and the cost will be about $2600.

Célina Houlné reviewed the financial report. A motion was made by Deborah Wright to move the bill for expenses of propane from the renovation budget to the operating budget. This motion seconded by Steven Fuller, passed unanimously. Célina Houlné can approve the work order as soon as possible.

5. Review access to Board meeting minutes: Célina Houlné proposed this agenda item, to clarify a decision made at the April 8 meeting, #6 on the agenda. Draft minutes will not be posted online, but will be available upon request within five business days of the meeting. Carolyn Frisa recommended posting online approved minutes for all trustee and committee meetings, and agendas of all trustee meetings and committee meetings. Approved minutes from January 1, 2012 to the present will be posted online and remain on the website for 1 year. Due to the potential of a great time lapse between committee meetings and approval of draft minutes, Carolyn Fisa suggested posting a short written summary of 2-3 sentences for committee meetings until approved minutes are available. Agreement reached by consensus.

6. Committee Reports and Issues
A. Building- Hope Brisette: Nothing to report since there have been no meetings. The board requests Chip Stearns contact Hope Brisettte as the liaison for the trustees if they are having meetings. The board also requests Chip Stearns provide a weekly written summary of the renovation project, to which he agrees.
B. Communications-no report
C. Finance-Deb Wright: Nothing to report, as they have not met since the last report.
D. Historical Collection-Carolyn Frisa: The last items have been moved. The grandfather clock and historic painting will be protected and kept on site. Next meeting will be June 4th at Works on Paper.
E. Personnel-Jan Mitchell-Love: Presented draft minutes of last meeting.
F. Policy A-Carolyn Frisa: Constructive first meeting. Discussed and decided on recommendations, which are included in draft minutes. Will meet with Policy B after they have met.
G. Policy B-no report as have not met yet.

7. Renovation plans – moving forward: Jan Mitchell-Love sites Robert’s Rules which state that the only way to reconsider a motion is if someone who voted for the motion asks to reconsider the decision.

Jan Mitchell-Love received a phone call from Kim Brittenham from the Vermont Center for independent living, who stated that if the library is open we are required to provide equal access to programs and services. Providing services by taking books and magazines out to the curb for patrons is acceptable.

July 16th is the municipal training on ADA liability access at the Bradford Library.

Hope Brisette contacted Heidi Lucas-Moccia who said we could use the BFMS community room from July 8-August 2, Monday-Friday 7-9, Monday-Friday 9-2, and Friday evening 7-9 for no cost. Cost would be $30/hour for off hours.

We can have programs at Wool radio for free.

Samantha Maskell is planning to have the summer reading program at other sites, such as the recreation center.

Deborah Wright is still looking into the Waypoint Center, as the library does provide educational and historic information to the public. Merchants bank would be $500/month, and is 2200 square feet. Pat Fowler brings up concerns of parking and safety issues if using this site, especially for children and elderly patrons. There is an unattended children policy in place that requires children must be 8 years old to be left unattended. This space would be available June 4th.

Deborah Wright made a motion to close the library building effective June 3rd until the end of July. This motion seconded by Hope Brisette, amended by the group to change the date to close the library to no later than June 7th. This motion did not pass, with 4 opposed, 2 in favor, 2 abstentions.

The library will be closed from May 15th-May 18th for asbestos abatement, and will not reopen to the public on May 20th.

6:45: Jan Mitchell-Love calls for a 3 minute break
6:50: Call meeting back to order

7. Other Amy Howlett’s trustee orientation: Will take place at the next meeting Trustee meeting, on June 10th.

Phone system—potential needs and updates: Covered during Director’s report.

Social Media—policy needed?: Carolyn Frisa suggests we need a policy for social media for trustees. The board decided by consensus to table this discussion until we meet with Amy Howlett.

Breakdown in communication between trustees and director/staff: David Buckley made a motion to table this discussion. Motion seconded by Steve Fuller, passed unanimously.

8. Executive Session, if necessary: Deborah Wright made a motion to enter executive session to discuss a contract matter. Seconded by Laura Senes, approved unanimously. Célina Houlné is invited to be included. Executive session ended. 7:10: Call meeting back to order

9. Review agenda items for next meeting: Meeting will be Monday, June 10th at 4:45 pm, agenda to be determined.

10. Public comment: Many members of the public spoke against the board’s decision to close the library, and informed the board that a petition is circulating to keep the library open. One member of the public asked that Jan Mitchell-Love step down as chair of the board. Several members of the public requested that the entire board step down.

11. Adjourn: Motion to adjourn approved unanimously at 7:38.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Secretary Laura Senes, May 18, 2013

 

AGENDA (REVISED)
SPECIAL MEETING OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES
ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
MONDAY, MAY 6th, 2013
4:15 PM
LOCATION: Village Square Booksellers in Bellows Falls

1. Call to order

2. Public comment

3. Update on renovation plans – moving forward
A. Scenario A
B. Scenario B

4. Executive Session, if necessary

5. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
AGENDA FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1st, 2013
5:30 PM
LOCATION: Village Square Booksellers in Bellows Falls

1. Call to order

2. Additions or changes to agenda

3. Public comment (3 minutes per person)

4. Update on renovation plans

5. Discussion of written communication

6. Executive Session, if necessary

7. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
SPECIAL FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
Thursday, April 25th, 2013
5:00 PM at 33 Bridge Street, Bellows Falls

1. Call to order
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Approve minutes of October 29th finance committee meeting
4. Discuss financial aspects of library construction impact scenarios
5. Executive Session –if necessary
6. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
POLICY COMMITTEE GROUP A MEETING AGENDA
Tuesday April 23, 2013 at the Library
1:00 PM

1. Call to order
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Election of committee chairperson and secretary
4. Phase I of Revision of Library Trustee Bylaws 1-9
5. Set New Tasks
7. Review Agenda Items for Next Meeting and Set Meeting Date
9. Adjourn

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
POLICY COMMITTEE GROUP A MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday April 23, 2013 at the Library
1:00 PM In attendance: David Buckley, Carolyn Frisa, Laura Senes and Emily Zervas

1. Call to order at 1:05 PM

2. Public comment (3 minutes in person): No public in attendance

3. Election of committee chairperson and secretary: A motion was made to elect Carolyn Frisa chair and Laura Senes secretary for Policy Committee group A. The motion passed unanimously.

4. Phase I of Revision of Library Trustee Bylaws 1-9: Committee members read through the bylaws of our library and several other libraries. Some minor revisions were discussed, which will be typed up by the secretary.

5. Set New Tasks: Suggested revisions will be sent to Policy Committee group B. Confer with Policy Committee group B after they have met.

6. Review Agenda Items for Next Meeting and Set Meeting Date: Next meeting agenda and time to be set.

7. Adjourn at 1:55 PM.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Secretary Laura Senes on April 25, 2013

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
AGENDA FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
WEDNESDAY, April 17TH, 2013
4:45 PM
LOCATION: WOOL Radio, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls

1. Call to order
2. Additions or changes to agenda
3. Public comment (3 minutes per person)
4. Update on renovation plans
4. Executive Session – (Contract and Personnel Matters)
5. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
AGENDA OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
Monday, April 8th, 2013
4:45 PM at Immanuel Episcopal Church

1. Call to order
2. Additions or changes to agenda
3. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
4. Approve minutes of February 14th Board meeting
Approve minutes of March 14th Board meeting
5. Director’s monthly report & financial report
6. Discuss access to Board meeting minutes – Celina
7. Review dates for meeting with Amy Howlett, and Town Officers Education Conference
8. Review content of Trustees’ notebooks
9. Discuss committee assignments and meeting schedule
10. Other
11. Renovation Project update – Hope Brissette
Discuss April 5th Selectboard meeting and future project plans
12. Executive Session – if necessary
14. Review agenda items for next meeting, Monday, May 13th at 4:45 p.m.
15. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
AGENDA OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, March 14th, 2013
3:30 PM at Immanuel Episcopal Church

1. Call to order
2. Additions or changes to agenda
3. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
4. Approve minutes of February 14th trustees’ meeting
5. Election of Officers:
Suggested Slate of candidates: Chair, Janice Mitchell Love; Vice-Chair, Deborah Wright; Co-Secretaries Carolyn Frisa and Laura Senes; Treasurer; David Buckley
6. Set Date & Time of Board Meetings
7. Discuss Committee Appointments
8. Discuss Trustees’ Orientation & Training
Annual Town Officers’ Education Conference: April, 2013
9. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
10. Committee Reports
a. Policy – Steve Fuller
b. Building – Hope Brissette
c. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa
d. Communications – Deb Wright
(fundraising on hiatus) – David Buckley
e. Renovation – committee in hiatus – no report
f. Finance – David Buckley
g. Personnel – Jan Mitchell-Love
11. Renovation Project Update – Hope Brissette
12. Other
a. Code of Conduct – Jan Mitchell-Love
12. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
13. Executive Session – if necessary
14. Adjourn

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
DRAFT MINUTES OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, March 14th, 2013
3:30 PM at Immanuel Episcopal Church

In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brisette, Laura Senes, David Buckley, Steven Fuller, Deb Wright, Pat Fowler, Paige Pietrzak, Carolyn Frisa and Célina Houlné. Public members in attendance: Duane Whitehead, Deb Wetzel, Bob Hewitt and Steve Geller.

1. Call to order 3:39 PM

2. Additions or changes to agenda: None

3. Public comment (3 minutes in person): Several members of the public commented on concerns about statements made in a local blog. The board was urged to take some type of action on this. Concerns were also raised about the conduct of the trustees in general.

4. Approve minutes of February 14th trustees’ meeting: Tabled until April meeting.

5. Election of Officers:
Suggested Slate of candidates: Chair, Janice Mitchell Love; Vice-Chair, Deborah Wright; Co-Secretaries Carolyn Frisa and Laura Senes; Treasurer; David Buckley: Carolyn Frisa stepped down as a candidate. Motion was made to approve the slate of candidates. Motion approved unanimously.

6. Set Date & Time of Board Meetings: Monthly board meetings will be held on the second Monday of each month at 4:45. Location to be determined.

7. Discuss Committee Appointments: Board members were asked to give their top 4 choices for committees to Jan Mitchell-Love, who will compile this information and make appointments.

8. Discuss Trustees’ Orientation & Training
Annual Town Officers’ Education Conference: April, 2013: 5 board members are planning to attend this conference.

9. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report: Fundraising trip to Boston is planned for April 13th. If enough tickets are not sold to break even by March 28th, the trip will be cancelled. Poet Laureate of Vermont, Sydney Lea will be presenting at the library on April 1 at 6 PM. See the director’s reports for more details.

10. Committee Reports
a. Policy – Steve Fuller: Nothing to report
b. Building – Hope Brisette: Nothing to report
c. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa: Two items from the historical collection will be loaned out to a museum in Connecticut. The museum will be paying to have these items appraised.
d. Communications – Deb Wright: Working on organizing trip to Boston.
(fundraising on hiatus) – David Buckley
e. Renovation – committee in hiatus – no report
f. Finance – David Buckley: Nothing to report
g. Personnel – Jan Mitchell-Love: Nothing to report

11. Renovation Project Update – Hope Brissette: Engelberth should be finished up the beginning of next week. The lift needs at least $2500 to possibly work. A motion was made by David Buckley to not pay any money to fix the lift. This motion was approved unanimously. Jan will also contact the town to look into the warranty.

12. Other
a. Code of Conduct – Jan Mitchell-Love: There is presently no code of conduct in the library board of trustee guidelines. Jan will ask Amy Howlett if she has any recommendations, and check with the town of Rockingham and the League of Cities and Towns. The policy committee will be involved in adding this to the trustee guidelines.
b. A motion was made to reject any implication that the library director has conducted herself with anything but professionalism and integrity. This motion was made by Hope Brisette, seconded by Deb Wright and amended by the board. Approved unanimously by the board.

13. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date: The next meeting will be held April 18th at 4:45.

14. Executive Session – if necessary: No executive session.

15. Adjourn at 5:48

These minutes respectfully submitted by Secretary Laura Senes on March 21, 2013

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
AGENDA OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2013
3:30 PM at Immanuel Episcopal Church

1. Call to order
2. Additions or changes to agenda
3. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
4. Approve minutes of January 10th trustees’ meeting
5. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
6. Annual Town Meeting on Monday, March 4th at the Bellows Falls Opera House
7. Committee Reports
a. Policy – Steve Fuller
b. Building – Hope Brissette
c. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa
d. Communications – Deb Wright
(fundraising on hiatus)
e. Renovation – committee in hiatus
f. Finance – David Buckley
g. Personnel – Jan Mitchell-Love
7. Renovation Project Update – Hope Brissette
(going forward from here)
8. Future plans:
a. long-range planning
b. request for monthly staff payrolls, comp time, overtime reports, etc.
c. request for monthly bills and warrants
8. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
9. Executive Session – if necessary
10. Adjourn

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
DRAFT MINUTES OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2013
3:30 PM

Location: Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Trustees present: David Buckley, Steve Fuller, Duane Whitehead, Jan Mitchell-Love, Carolyn Frisa, Hope Brisette and Deb Wright Additional persons present: Célina Houlné (Library Director); Mary VanHartesveldt

1. Called to order by Jan Mitchell-Love at 3:35.

2. Additions or changes to agenda
• Carolyn Frisa asked that we review Open Meeting Law rules. See Section 10 below.

3. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
• Mary VanHartesveld thanked David Buckley for his involvement with recent fundraising efforts.

4. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – January 10, 2013
• Célina Houlné requested that the heading include the word “Minutes”. Steve Fuller moved to approve them with this change; seconded by David Buckley; approved unanimously by the Trustees.

5. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
• Célina Houlné summarized the information previously provided to the Trustees in the two reports.
• Additional information – a second donation from the Richard and Barbara Whitcomb Foundation in the amount of $10,00 has been received. These funds have been deposited into the Library’s CD account.
• Duane Whitehead questioned changes to staff responsibilities mentioned in the report. Célina Houlné explained that Ed Graves now performs some additional public relations duties.
• Deborah Wright asked about the recent meeting of the Director with the Town Financial Officer and Mary VanHartesveldt. Célina Houlné explained this meeting was held to review the town-provided insurance policy.
• Deborah Wright questioned why the revenue for the annual budget is lower than projected. Célina Houlné explained this reflects a reduction in from the funds in savings accounts and lower interest rates. She reported the library has also been less busy due to construction, as expected, therefore generating less revenue from late fees. Late fees were also recently waived due to the closure of the library for renovation.
• Duane Whitehead questioned why programming was higher than expected. Célina Houlné explained this was due to a $500 donation from the Friends after expenses were reported. These funds will cover the rest of the expenses for the year.
• Mary VanHartesveldt reported that the line item of $16,900 for insurance was not accurate and will be lower; this figure will be corrected on the next financial report.
• Hope Brissette asked if the budgeted amount for repairs and maintenance was sufficient and if it carried over annually. Célina Houlné explained that it does not carry over and that if funds were left over they were put into the Library’s CD.
• Deborah Wright questioned why CD is listed as “cash”. Mary VanHartesveldt explained this categorization is determined by the town and a CD is considered to be a “cash asset”.
• A discussion about the projections for the following year ensued.
• Deborah Wright asked who was responsible for managing the library’s CD and savings account. Célina Houlné reported this has been done by local lawyer, Ray Massucco, in the past. Library accounts and management procedures will be reviewed by the Finance Committee this December.

6. Annual Town Meeting Day on Monday, March 4th
• Jan Mitchell-Love reminded Trustees of this upcoming event and encouraged all to attend. Célina Houlné provided Trustees with printed copies of the Town of Rockingham Annual Report.

7. Committee Reports
• Policy – Steve Fuller
-nothing to report
• Building – Hope Brissette
-see under renovation
• Historical Collections – Carolyn Frisa
-Library received an AIC grant to upgrade an antique bookcase to archival display standards.
-The Connecticut River Museum has requested two items from the collection be loaned for an exhibit on historic bridges. The objects are the Tucker Toll Bridge Sign and an oil painting of the bridge. The exhibit will take place from April – October 2013.
-A motion was made by Steve Fuller to approve the loan; seconded by Deborah Wright; and unanimously approved.
• Communications – Deborah Wright
-Deborah Wright is the new Chair and anticipates a name change in the coming year. She reported on the success of the NYC trip and encouraged Trustees to promote the upcoming trip to the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum on April 13.
-the next Friends meeting is on February 20 at 9:00am at the library and will include election of officers.
• Renovation – committee in hiatus
• Finance – David Buckley
-nothing to report
• Personnel – Jan Mitchell-Love
-meeting was held on 2/6/13 included discussion of long range planning (see below). Future goals include a review or Personnel Policies, including the generation of a contract for Célina Houlné, which most likely involve council from the Town Attorney.
-A motion was made by Deborah Wright to authorize Jan Mitchell-Love to consult the Town Attorney to discuss the potential need for a contract for the Library Director. Hope Brissette seconded the motion; discussion ensued; the motion was unanimously approved.
• Célina Houlné requested that it go on record that her job duties have been changed now that it is up to committee chairs to warn their own meetings and formulate their own agendas without the assistance of the Library Director unless requested.

8. Renovation Project Update – Hope Brissette
-Roof is on and building is weather tight. Town officials continues to handle the project; all information from the Town Manager sent to Jan Mitchell-Love is then sent to all Trustees by Jan. The Town Manager asked that only one trustee attend the meetings and Hope Brissette is doing this. Discussion ensued.
-David Buckley asked that Mary VanHartesveldt continue to print and organize all renovation-related project information.

9. Future Plans
a. long-range planning
-Jan Mitchell-Love spoke with local library representative, Amy Howlett, and her recommendation was that the Trustees wait until a few months after the renovation project is over. Ms. Howlett will be making a presentation on this topic to the Trustees in the next few months.
b. request for monthly staff payrolls, comp time, overtime reports, etc.
-Jan Mitchell-Love asked Trustees what type of format would be best. Célina Houlné reported staff do not get comp time or overtime and that the other information is available in print at the library for Trustees to review.
c. request for monthly bills and warrants
-Jan Mitchell-Love requested that a change be made to current policy so that any Trustee (i.e. not just officers) be able to review and sign warrants. No further action was taken at this time.

10. Other – Review of Open Meeting Law for Committees
-Discussion revealed there is still uncertainty about how Open Meeting Law applies to Personnel Committee meetings, and until this is determined they will follow these regulations.

11. The next Library Board of Trustees meeting will be on April 14 3:30pm at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church unless otherwise warned. Amy Howlett will most likely present information to Trustees on Open Meeting Law.

12. Executive Session – No Executive Session was necessary.

13. A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Steve Fuller; seconded by Carolyn Frisa; unanimously approved at 5:25pm.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Carolyn Frisa, Co-Secretary March 20, 2013

 

Rockingham Free Public Library
Board of Trustees Personnel Committee Meeting
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Time and Place: 8:30 a.m. at The Dish on Main, Saxtons River, VT

1. Call to Order
2. Public comment (3 minutes per person)
3. Mid-year update
4. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013
4:00 PM at Lower Theater in Bellows Falls

Regular trustees meeting after executive session at the Immanuel Episcopal Church

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Executive session with Rockingham Selectboard at 4 p.m. in Lower Theater
Regular meeting afterwards at Immanuel Episcopal Church at close of Executive Session

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Approve Minutes of December 10, 13 and 18 Board Meetings
4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
5. Annual Town Meeting and Nomination Petitions
6. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy
b. Building
c. Historical Collection
d. Communications – Fundraising
e. Renovation
f. Finance
g. Personnel
7. Renovation Project Update
8. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
9. Executive Session – Contract
10. Adjourn

Library Board of Trustees
Communications Committee Meeting
Wednesday, January 9, 2013

9:00 AM at Dish On Main Restaurant Saxtons River

Agenda

1. Public Comment
2. Additions or Changes to Agenda
3. Approve minutes of November 7
3. Report on NY City Trip & Open House, follow-up comments
4. Fundraiser Committee
5. Friends of the Library events, sales
6. New business: Spring Trip, Book Sale
7. Tasks for February

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012
4:00 PM

LOCATION: WOOL Radio, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Approve Minutes of November Trustees meeting and special meetings.
4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
5. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy
b. Building
c. Historical Collection
d. Communications
e. Renovation
f. Finance
g. Personnel
6. Renovation Project Update – discuss Tuesday, December 18th Selectboard Meeting
7. Fundraising Committee Update
8. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
9. Executive Session: Personnel
10. Adjourn

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING MINUTES
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012
4:00 PM

LOCATION: WOOL Radio, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls

Trustees in attendance: David Buckley, Duane Whitehead, Hope Brissette, Carolyn Frisa, Deborah Wright, Deb Wetzel, Jan Mitchell-Love, and Laura Senes. Also present: Célina Houlné (Library director) and Serena Hickey for public comment.

AGENDA: Called to order by Jan Mitchell-Love at 4:05.

1. Additions or changes to agenda-Change made to add the discussion of contracts to the executive session portion of the meeting.

2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)-Serena Hickey presented to thank the board for not meeting at the library, as the meetings can be loud at times. This is especially true now with the reduced available space in library. The board will continue to have board meetings outside of the library until there is room available.

3. Approve Minutes of November Trustees meeting and special meetings.-
Motion to approve as written the minutes for the special meeting on November 8, 2012 passed unanimously.
Motion to approve as written the minutes for the monthly trustee meeting on November 14, 2012 passed unanimously.
Motion to approve as written the minutes for the special meeting on December 10, 2012 passed unanimously.

4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report- Célina Houlné gives directors report, including renovation update. Célina is working on the annual appeal letter and needs the trustees to come in and help write personal notes on them.

5. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy-Nothing to report
b. Building-Nothing to report
c. Historical Collection-Carolyn Frisa reports that there was a meeting of the Historical Collection committee. We did not receive the grant we had applied for. They are presently planning the grand opening exhibit.
d. Communications-Deb Wetzel reports the NYC trip was a success and made about $1800. There were about 75 people present for the open house.
e. Renovation- Célina Houlné suggests the trustees approve of PR-13 for the full $1213.00 for essential electrical work. At the last meeting the trustees approved to pay for $905. A motion was made to approve paying the whole $1213. This motion did not pass with 3 votes for, 3 votes against, and 2 abstentions. Any issues with the architect or Baybutt on this matter will be directed to Jan Mitchell-Love.
f. Finance-Nothing to report
g. Personnel-Nothing to report

6. Renovation Project Update – discuss Tuesday, December 18th Selectboard Meeting- The Selectboard will meet on Tuesday. There will be an executive session to discuss contract matters starting about 7:00 that the library trustees will attend. The library trustees will meet at 6:45 in the hall for an update from the Tuesday construction meeting.

7. Fundraising Committee Update-Nothing to report

8. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date-The next meeting will be January 10th at 4:00, location to be announced.

9. Executive Session: Personnel and contract matters-Motion to go into executive session at 4:45 approved unanimously. Discussion of personnel and contract matters. Executive session adjourned at 5:50.

10. Adjourn-Motion to adjourn meeting 5:58 approved unanimously.

These minutes respectfully submitted by Co-Secretary, Laura Senes on December 21, 2012.

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
AGENDA FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
MONDAY, DECEMBER 10TH, 2012
4:30 PM
LOCATION: TBA

1. Call to order
2. Additions or changes to agenda
3. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
4. Executive Session
Contract Matter
5. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
MINUTES FROM BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
MONDAY, DECEMBER 10TH, 2012
4:30 PM
LOCATION: WOOL RADIO MEETING ROOM
Trustees in Attendance: David Buckley, Duane Whitehead, Laura Senes, Hope Brissette, Carolyn Frisa, Deborah Wright, and Jan Mitchell-Love.
Invited Guests in Attendance: Célina Houlné (Library Director), Tom MacPhee (Rockingham Selectboard Chairman), Tim Cullenen (Rockingham Municipal Manager), Chip Stearns (Rockingham Finance Director), Peter Stolley (Renovation Committee) and Pat Fowler (Renovation Committee).

The meeting was called to order by Chairwoman, Jan Mitchell-Love at 4:37pm.

No additions or changes to the agenda were made.

No public comment was made.

David Buckley moved that that the Trustees and invited guests enter Executive Session; the motion was seconded by Deborah Wright and unanimously approved. Discussion ensued. Carolyn Frisa motioned to adjourn Executive Session at 5:40pm; the motion was seconded by Deborah Wright and unanimously approved.

Hope Brissette motioned to adjourn the meeting at 5:41; the motion was seconded by David Buckley and unanimously approved.

These minutes were respectfully submitted by Co-Secretary, Carolyn Frisa on December 12, 2012.

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
3:00 PM

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Update on Packing/Storing Historical Collections Remaining on First Floor / Mezzanine of Library during Renovation Project
4. Update on Grant Applications
5. Next Steps for Historical Collections Committee
6. Review Previous Task List and Set New Tasks
7. Review Agenda Items for Next Meeting and Set Meeting Date
9. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
AGENDA FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14th, 2012
5:00 PM

1. Call to order
2. Additions or changes to agenda
3. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
4. Discuss Proposal Requests 11, 12, 13 & 14
5. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
MINUTES FR0M BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14th, 2012
5:00 PM

1. The meeting was called to order at 5:05 by chairwoman Jan Mitchell-Love.

2. No additions or changes to the agenda were made.

3. No public comments were made.

4. Discussion of Renovation Project Proposal Requests #11, 12, 13, & 14
• Proposal Request #11 – Costs associated with wiring the HP3, HP4 and ERV in crawl space (external heat pumps) $5,419.00
-David Buckley motioned that the Trustees accept the proposal provided by Baybutt as written. Jan Mitchell-Love seconded the motion. Discussion ensued – this figure includes the $368 for labor to re-enter crawl space and excludes the OH/profit markup of $812 previously proposed by Baybutt.
-The motion to approve Project Proposal Request #11 (including the amount of $5,419.00) was passed by the Trustees.
• Proposal Request #12 –
Costs associated with Elevator Lockout Feature $1,006.00
-Steve Fuller motioned that the Trustees accept the proposal provided by Baybutt as written. Jan Mitchell-Love seconded the motion. Discussion ensued – includes $131 OH/profit markup.
-The motion to approve Project Proposal Request #12 (including the amount of $1,006.00) was passed by the Trustees.
• Proposal Request #13 – Costs associated with switching the breakers for ERVs to accommodate three-phase power $1,213.00
-Steve Fuller motioned that the Trustees accept the proposal provided by Baybutt as written. Deborah Wright seconded the motion. Discussion ensued – there are inconsistent calculations on the paperwork provided by Baybutt and Lawrence & Lober (electrical subcontractor), including a double charge for the subcontractor markup for OH/profit ($158) on the proposal from Baybutt (the $1,055 includes the $158 subcontractor markup in the quote from Lawrence and Lober. Trustees feel the cost of labor should not be the responsibility of the Library as this was an error made by a subcontractor.
-The motion to approve Project Proposal Request #13 (including the amount of $1,213.00) was rejected by the Trustees.
-Deborah Wright made the motion to amend Proposal #13 by changing the amount of funds approved from $1,213.00 to $905.00. Hope Brissette seconded the motion. Discussion ensued – this cost includes one charge for OH/profit and excludes the labor costs as this error was not the fault of the Library.
-The motion to approve Project Proposal Request #13 with the amended amount of $905.00 was approved by the Trustees.
• Proposal Request #14 – Proposed Roofing Change – 1909 Bay Window
-An explanation of the proposed change was explained in greater detail. No vote to approve the proposal request was needed as no cost is associated with this change order.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:45pm. Trustees in attendance: Duane Whitehead, David Buckley, Deborah Wright, Steve Fuller, Hope Brissette, Jan Mitchell Love and Carolyn Frisa. Additional parties present: Célina Houlné, Library Director. These minutes were respectfully submitted by Carolyn Frisa, Co-Secretary, on November 15, 2012.

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MEETING MINUTES
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2012

Meeting called to order at 4PM

Present: Celina, Hope Brissette, Debbi Wetzel, Jan Mitchell-Love, Deb Wright, Steven Fuller and Duane Whitehead

No changes or amendments to the agenda no public comment

Minutes approved from September 13th meeting…look back and approve Oct.23rd minutes when ready and amended

Directors report given by Celina

Committee Reports:
Policy- Steven had nothing to report
Building-Hope asks if storage is being checked regularly, answered yes.
Historical Collection -discussion on process for display cases and report of bronze plaque for book drop empty space
Communications-Debbi reported on successful trip to NY with about $1,500 profit. Volunteer baskets to be given out before Thanksgiving and staff breakfast scheduled.
Finance – new bill from Baybutt, renovation expenses chart, and unseen changes expense chart , distributed to Board. FY budget 14. Celina gives details on biggest change in line item (pg 3 of financial report) pertains to data base, the new tech equipment includes cost of new server, to make change this fiscal year in Feb. KOHA agreement will be changed to VOKAL (annual fee $1,000 savings). Motion made by Steven Fuller to move $1,000 out of line 120 on FY 14 Budget automated library system, move to property and liability insurance line…all in favor..approved.
Make an * notation for tech equipment savings and maintain to pay for server upgrade and electric all in favor…approved.
Renovation – PR#12 pertaining to lock out feature of new elevator vote.
PR #11 vote tabled to be dealt with by special meeting asap.
PR #14 pertaining to change in roof flashing /edging, after consideration by Ellen Howard at town office. Motion to approve made by Deb Wright…all in favor..approved.
Personnel Committee- no report

Next Trustees Board meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 13 @ 4PM

Meeting adjourned at 5:30 PM

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
Monday, October 29, 2012
1:00 PM

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Discussion of budgets for Fiscal Years 2013 and 2014
4. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE MEETING
Thursday October 25, 2012
5:00 PM

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Update on Packing/Storing Historical Collections Remaining on First Floor / Mezzanine of Library during Renovation Project
4. Tru-Vue Grant Application Summary
5. Next Steps for Historical Collections Committee
6. Review Previous Task List and Set New Tasks
7. Review Agenda Items for Next Meeting and Set Meeting Date
9. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Thursday October 25, 2012
5:00 PM

The meeting was called order at 5:05pm by Chairwoman, Carolyn Frisa.

1. Additions or changes to agenda
• Duane asked that we discuss display furniture and shelving – to be covered under Next Steps (Item 7).
• Duane asked whether we needed to create a timeline for upcoming projects. This will be done on an as-needed basis.

2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
• No public comment.

3. Update on Packing/Storing Historical Collections Remaining on First Floor / Mezzanine of Library during Renovation Project
• Packing supplies have been obtained by Emily.
• Emily plans to pack Friday, Oct. 26 from 9:00 – 3:00 and any help is welcome. She will continue to pack on Monday and Tuesday of next week. Carolyn is available to help on Tuesday.
• Thursday November 1 is the final packing and moving day. Debbi will provide a vehicle and help. Others are also welcome to assist with the move. Exact time to be determined by Emily.
• The packing of the historic clock is nearly complete. Packing materials will be installed just prior to crating by Baybutt.
• Baybutt is also responsible for protecting the oversize painting with polyethylene sheeting.

4. Tru-Vue Grant Application Summary
• Emily provided the committee with a summary of the grant application which is due on Nov. 1. If funded, the historic 5-shelf barrister’s bookcase will retrofitted to make it museum-quality and theft-proof. Emily will provide the committee with a copy of the grant application when it is complete. Grant notification should be approximately 6 weeks from submittal deadline.

5. Next Steps for Historical Collections Committee
• Insurance assessment for entire Library will occur following renovation project. The committee will prepare a list of items identified as potentially needing separate riders (the clock is currently the only item in the collection with a separate rider).
• Continue to work on exhibit plans for Renovation Opening Display. The theme will be the History of the Rockingham Public Library and will most likely include original photographs and enlarged display copies, as well as other library-related ephemera/memorabilia. Exhibits will be rotated every four months (i.e. three times per year).
• Create either a specific line item within the Library Budget or create a separate Historical Collections bank account to ensure donations designated for the Historical Collections are clearly designated and spent accordingly.
• Establish an amount of $500 for Historical Collections in the new FY 2013 budget. This will include $250 for rehousing supplies and $250 for rotating exhibits expenses.

6. Review Task List
• Previous tasks were reviewed.

• Emily
1) purchase plastic sheeting to protect items on Mezzanine.
2) contact Karen Becker (clock restorer) re: current insurance value on clock
3) contact Brattleboro Public Library re: shelving units for historic reference books in reading room
4) assess remaining display units / shelves on 3rd floor with Carolyn (to reuse or discard)
5) pack and move remaining Historic Collections items by end of next week
6) continue researching deaccessing methods. Contact VHS re: borrowing books on subject
7) complete and submit Tru-Vue grant by November 1

• Carolyn
1) assess remaining display units / shelves on 3rd floor with Carolyn (to reuse or discard)
2) assist with packing of Historic Collection
3) continue researching deaccessing methods
4) assist with Tru-Vue grant application
5) provide vendor information and cost estimates for creating historic photo facsimiles for display

• Celina
1) provide furniture/display catalogs and websites for next meeting
2) make additions to FYI budget for Historical Collection
3) bring architectural renderings of first floor showing potential location of display and shelving units to next meeting

• Duane
1) bring criteria list for historic reference book collection shelving to next meeting

• Debbi
1) assist with packing and moving and provide transportation to complete project by end of next week.

7. Next meeting is set for Tuesday, November 20th at 3:00pm.
• The primary topic will be display cases and book shelving units. This will include cases to be used for rotating exhibits of various types of objects from the collection as well as bookcases for the Local History Reference Collection.

9. The meeting was adjourned at 6:19pm.

Committee Members in Attendance: Célina Houlné, Emily Zervas, Duane Whitehead, Debbi Wetzel and Carolyn Frisa.

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
AGENDA FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23rd, 2012
5:00 PM

1. Call to order
2. Additions or changes to agenda
3. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
4. Discuss renovation: for example, needed elevator part and its cost
5. Executive Session, if necessary (contract matter)
6. Adjourn

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
MINUTES FROM BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23rd, 2012
5:00 PM

1. The meeting was called to order at 5:05 by Chairwoman Jan Mitchell-Love.

2. No additions or changes to the agenda were proposed.

3. No public comment was made.

4. Discuss of Renovation Project Issues
• Discussion of PR 11 (proposed change to elevator key access control panel) and PR 12 (proposed changes to heat pump unit / system
• The Trustees recommend Baybutt’s waive the markups for overhead and profit for BOTH PRs.
• The Trustees recommend that the Library be responsible for paying for materials ONLY on both PRs. Ideally this price will reflect the cost of materials when the orders for the elevator and heat pump unit systems were made initially.
• The Trustees ask that David Buckley negotiate these matters with the architects and construction management companies as appropriate.
• Duane Whitehead stated that the elevator decision must be made by November 9.

5. An Executive Session was not called.

6. A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Steve Fuller, seconded by Deborah Wright, and unanimously approved at 5:39pm.

Trustees Present: Jan Mitchell-Love, Debbi Wetzel, Steve Fuller, Duane Whitehead, Carolyn Frisa, Hope Brissette, and Deborah Wright. Also present: Célina Houlné (Library Director) Minutes respectfully submitted by Carolyn Frisa, Co-Secretary October 23, 2012

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
AGENDA FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18TH, 2012
3:30 PM

1. Call to order
2. Additions or changes to agenda
3. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
4. Roles in the Renovation Project:
a. Trustees at the Contractors’ Meetings
b. Trustees’
c. Library Director’s
5. Executive Session
Contract Matter – Negotiating Update
6. Set date for special meeting on 115.1, missing part for elevator.
7. Adjourn

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
MINUTES FROM BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18TH, 2012
3:30 PM

Trustees present: Deborah Wright, Hope Brissette, Steve Fuller, Carolyn Frisa, Laura Senes, Duane Whitehead, )Jan Mitchell-Love, David Buckley Additional members present: Célina Houlné (Library Director)

1. The meeting was call to order at 3:36 by Chairwoman Jan Mitchell-Love

2. No additions or changes were made to the agenda.

3. No public comment.

4. Review of Roles in the Renovation Project
a. Trustees at the Contractors’ Meetings
b. Trustees
c. Library Director

Discussion about roles covered the Trustees responsibility as individuals and as a whole Board of any money spent and that the Library Director acts as the primary advocate for library staff and building.

5. Executive Session on Negotiating Contracts for Renovation Project
A motion to enter executive session was made by Carolyn Frisa; seconded by Duane Whitehead; unanimously approved at 3:57pm. The Executive Session ended at 4:17pm.

6. The motion tabled during the Board Meeting on 10.18.2012 concerning the negotiation of renovation project contracts was withdrawn by Duane Whitehead.

Steve Fuller motioned that David Buckley act as negotiator on behalf of the Trustees to negotiate the renovation project contracts as necessary; seconded by Deb Wright; no discussion; unanimously approved.

6. The next Special Meeting concerning the missing part for the new elevator will take place on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at 5:00pm at the Masonic Temple.

7. A motion to adjourn was made by Carolyn Frisa; seconded by Steve Fulller; and unanimously approved at 4:20pm.

Respectfully submitted by Co-Secretary Carolyn Frisa, October 18, 2012.

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY |
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012
4:00 PM

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – September 13, 2012
4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
5. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy
b. Building
c. Historical Collection
d. Communications – Fundraising
e. Renovation
f. Finance
g. Personnel
6. Renovation Project Update
7. Fundraising Committee Update
8. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
9. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012
4:00 PM

In Attendance: Jan Mitchel-Love, Hope Brisette, Laura Senes, Duane Whitehead, David Buckley, Deb Wright, Deb Wetzel, and Célina Houlné.

AGENDA: Called to order 4:10

1. Additions or changes to agenda: None

2. Public comment (3 minutes in person): none

3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – September 13, 2012
• Motion to table approval of minutes to allow Caroline an opportunity to resubmit minutes if she wants. Motion approved unanimously.

4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
• Celina Houlne reviewed the director’s report. Fall programs have begun. 65 people came out to the Star Wars Reads day, and the Eagle Times covered this event. The Banned Books week was observed and broadcast on FACT-TV. Celina also solicited questions on the financial report.

5. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy: none
b. Building: Hope asked about having the masonry of the chimney looked at. Celina will ask Jason LaCombe about this so he can be prepared to address this at next Tuesday’s construction meeting.
c. Historical Collection: The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for next Thursday at 3:00.
d. Communications – Fundraising: The committee just had a meeting. The New York City trip is sold out, with just four seats left on the bus to sell. This trip will make a profit of about $2000. For the holidays, the open house is scheduled for December 8. There will also be a staff appreciation breakfast paid for by the Friends of the library. The volunteers will receive gift baskets. The Friends are also hosting the cocktails for a cause event next Thursday at Popolo’s.
e. Renovation: David reports that the furniture committee met with the company representative, who will get back to the committee with more information.
f. Finance: Celina is presently working on the budget for FY14. She also pointed out that the financial reports have been improved to include percentages of the budget spent.
g. Personnel: Laura Senes made a motion to pass Celina Houlne’s personnel evaluation. The motion was approved unanimously. Celina will write a response that will be included with the evaluation in her file.

6. Renovation Project Update
• David Buckley made a motion we ask each party involved in the renovation project to pay 1/3rd of the additional payment requested by the architects. This motion was tabled. David read the contract, which states that the architects are contracted to work for 20 months from when the contract was signed. This differs from the letter received by from the architects. The board authorized David Buckley to call Eric Palson to clarify this issue.
• A motion was made to approve the change orders for removal of the cement wall and to sheetrock the wall in the children’s room. The motion was passed unanimously.

7. Fundraising Committee Update
• The fundraising committee met and will be looking into getting donations from foundations connected with Vermont, and with an interest in libraries. They are also requesting all members of the board of trustees of the library financially contribute.

8. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date: Review of the agenda items deferred at this time. Next meeting set for November 8 at 4:00.

9. Adjourn: Move to adjourn meeting approved unanimously at 5:40.

Library Board of Trustees
Communications Committee Meeting
Thursday, October 11, 2012
3:00 PM

Agenda

1. Public Comment
2. Additions or Changes to September Minutes
3. Report on NY City Trip
4. Fundraiser meeting
5. Holiday Open House
6. Staff Appreciation
7. Set next meeting date

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
AGENDA FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9TH, 2012
4:00 PM

1. Call to order
2. Additions or changes to agenda
3. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
4. Renovation Project Discussion
5. Adjourn

Rockingham Free Public Library
Board of Trustees Special Meeting
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Time and Place: 4 p.m. at Masonic Temple

1. The meeting was called to order by Chairwoman Jan Mitchell-Love at 4:15.

2. Public comment (3 minutes per person) –No public comment.

3. Renovation Update
-The Trustees are still waiting for update from architects on how to handle additional architectural consulting fees due to extended completion date.
-Duane Whitehead reported SMP Architects plan to present options at the upcoming Trustee meeting on October 11

4. Executive Session with Trustees only – Personnel
-Steve Fuller moved to go into Executive Session; Laura Senes seconded the motion; the motion was unanimously approved at 4:20.
-Carolyn Frisa motioned to come out of executive session; Duane Whitehead seconded the motion; the motion was unanimously approved at 6:33.

Carolyn motioned to accept the draft of the director’s evaluation with edits as recommended by Trustees. Duane seconded the motion; the motion was unanimously approved. Jan will send the final evaluation to Trustees and the Director.

5. Adjourn
-Carolyn Frisa motioned adjourn the meeting; Duane Whitehead seconded the motion; the motion was unanimously approved at 6:35.

Trustees in attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Steve Fuller, Duane Whitehead, Hope Brissette, Laura Senes, Deborah Wright, and Carolyn Frisa.

Additional Attendees: Célina Houlné (Library Director)

Rockingham Free Public Library
Board of Trustees Special Meeting
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Time and Place: 4 p.m. at Masonic Temple

1. Call to Order
2. Public comment (3 minutes per person)
3. Renovation Update – David Buckley
4. Executive Session – Personnel
5. Adjourn

Rockingham Free Public Library

Board of Trustees Special Meeting
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Time and Place: 4 p.m. at Masonic Temple

1. The meeting was called to order by Chairwoman Jan Mitchell-Love at 4:15.

2. Public comment (3 minutes per person) –No public comment.

3. Renovation Update
-The Trustees are still waiting for update from architects on how to handle additional architectural consulting fees due to extended completion date.
-Duane Whitehead reported SMP Architects plan to present options at the upcoming Trustee meeting on October 11

4. Executive Session with Trustees only – Personnel
-Steve Fuller moved to go into Executive Session; Laura Senes seconded the motion; the motion was unanimously approved at 4:20.
-Carolyn Frisa motioned to come out of executive session; Duane Whitehead seconded the motion; the motion was unanimously approved at 6:33.
Carolyn motioned to accept the draft of the director’s evaluation with edits as recommended by Trustees. Duane seconded the motion; the motion was unanimously approved. Jan will send the final evaluation to Trustees and the Director.

5. Adjourn
-Carolyn Frisa motioned adjourn the meeting; Duane Whitehead seconded the motion; the motion was unanimously approved at 6:35.

Trustees in attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Steve Fuller, Duane Whitehead, Hope Brissette, Laura Senes, Deborah Wright, and Carolyn Frisa. Additional Attendees: Célina Houlné (Library Director)

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE MEETING
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2012
2:00 PM

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Plan for Packing/Storing Historical Collections Remaining on First Floor / Mezzanine of Library during Renovation Project
4. Update on NEH Preservation Assistance Grant Application
5. Next Steps for Historical Collections Committee
6. Review Task List
7. Review Agenda Items for Next Meeting and Set Meeting Date
9. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2012
2:00 PM

Members Present: Carolyn Frisa (Chair), Debbi Wetzel, Emily Zervas and Célina Houlné

Call to order at 2:10pm.

AGENDA

1. Additions or changes to agenda
• None.

2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
• None.

3. Review Plan for Packing/Storing Historical Collections Remaining on First Floor / Mezzanine of Library during Renovation Project
• Carolyn & Emily reported approximately 20 framed artworks and the grandfather clock remain in their original locations on the first floor and these need to be either packed and move or protected in place ASAP to prevent potential damage during renovation.
• Discussion followed about how best to deal with the oversize painting of Bellows Falls – until the basement is finished and storage space is available, the painting should be protected with polyethylene sheeting (taped securely to walls surrounding painting). Emily will purchase the sheeting from J&H Hardware and Célina will ask Baybutt to install it. Once on-site storage space is available, the painting will be packed and moved to the basement or third floor (before the painting process if not sooner). Baybutt will also be enlisted to help deinstall and move the painting at this time.
• Célina will ask Baybutt to construct a protective wooden crate for the grandfather clock and Emily will protect the clock bonnets with Ethafoam (Carolyn will check her studio for scraps to donate). Carolyn suggested that Emily create a sign to post on the crate explaining why it is there; Emily agreed to do this.
• Discussion about what do to with items currently stored on Mezzanie. These were packed and stored here because they were deemed either too fragile, too valuable, or too awkward to safely transport to VS Books for storage during the renovation project.
-some items in boxes could be moved to VS Books
-chairs that are regularly used by library patrons can also be moved
-The remaining items will be covered with one large piece of plastic sheeting in addition to the small sheets currently covering objects locally. Emily will also create a large sign indicating CAUTION is necessary when working near this are.
• Emily questioned when pack/move the objects (mostly books) in the Haynes Room. Célina will get the schedule from Baybutt and these items will be moved to VS Books prior to construction in this area.
• Debbi offered to donate a new roll of bubble wrap and Emily will order any additional packing materials in the next few weeks.
• Emil will solicit volunteers to help with the packing process; Debbi and Carolyn can provide vehicles to transport items to VS Books; Célina suggested we also ask Bob to help (he typically works Mon, Wed, Fri from 8-11am).

4. Update on NEH Preservation Assistance Grant Application
• Emily provided an update on the NEH PAG application. She and Carolyn worked on this proposal and it was submitted on May 1, 2012. Notification of awards is scheduled for November 2012. She will email a copy of this application to the Committee.
• Focus of grant application was on rehousing and storing the rest of the Historic Photograph Collection (the rehousing of the other part of this collection was funded in 2010 by a grant from IMLS which Emily and Carolyn also worked on). Items requested included a new flat file and folders for storage of oversize photographs, housing materials for the very large glass plate negative collection, and an electronic data logger to monitor environmental conditions in the new collections storage room. Carolyn explained that having this data logger in place is highly recommended for future successful grant applications for the Historical Collections.

5. Next Steps for Historical Collections Committee
• Take steps to clearly define the deaccessioning process for the items that need to be deaccessioned. Books have been identified as the most likely first group to be deaccessioned.
• Develop program for rotating exhibit for grand reopening celebration of library; there will be at least one display on each floor of the Library. This also includes deciding what types of display cases are necesary to do this.
• Set up specific bank account for Historical Collections.

6. Review Task List

• Carolyn
1) post query on online forum, Connecting to Collections, about what methods other I nstitutions have used for deaccessioning.
2) look for ethafoam scraps at studio and deliver to library for clock.
3) look into potential funding for display cases from Tru-Vue

• Emily
1) purchase necessary packing supplies and organize pack/move dates with volunteers
2) send NEH PAG grant application to Committee
3) create wish list of new display cases/furniture prior to meeting with furniture consultant Heather Rowan
4) make signs for clock crate and mezzanine areas

• Debbi
1) deliver donated bubble wrap roll to Library
2) work with Emily to establish packing/moving dates and provide use of van

• Célina
1) Talk to Baybutt about constructing crate for clock, protecting oversize painting with plastic sheeting, and work schedule for all areas on first floor with historic collections
2) Include display furniture items in final wish list for new library furniture to be presented to Heather Rowan
3) Set up Historical Collections bank account.

7. Next meeting will take place on Thursday, October 11 at 2pm at the Library.

8. A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Carolyn; seconded by Debbi; unanimously approved at 3:30.

Rockingham Free Public Library
Communications Committee Minutes
September 17, 2012

Meeting started at 1:00 PM.

No Public Comment.

No add/changes to August Minutes.

Report on November trip to NYC…..tickets sold out, and 6 seats sold. Ask $60 for just seat on bus to NY. Make handout for spring trip to Boston with clip board. First choice will give map of area to hand out.

Fundraise meeting will be held October 3 at 6Pm Jan Mitchell- Love will take over direction .

Holiday Open House – check with Friends for agree on date December 8, time 2-4 ?

Staff Appreciation and donation of small gift baskets and certificates to volunteers. Debbi- 6 baskets, Jan-cookies, Celina-clementines and certificates, will make addition from Friends contribution. Breakfast for staff of 10at Dish on Main in Saxtons River in October…Debbi check with restaurant for open dates, and will Friends pay.

Date for next meeting October 11 at 3:00 before Trustees meeting.

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2012
3:30 PM
Location: Emmanuel Episcopal Church

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – August 9, 2012
4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
5. Renovation Project Update – Review finishes
6. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy
b. Building
c. Historical Collection
d. Communications – Fundraising
e. Finance
f. Personnel – review of Trustee duties and rules of Executive Session
7. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
8. Executive Session – Director’s Evaluation
9. Adjourn

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2012
3:30 PM
AMENDED MINUTES
Location: Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Trustees present: David Buckley, Laura Senes, Steve Fuller, Duane Whitehead, Jan Mitchel-Love, Debbi Wetzel, Carolyn Frisa, Hope Brissette; Deb Wright arrived at 4:15. Additional members present: Célina Houlné (Library Director)

AGENDA: Called to order by Jan Mitchel-Love at 3:33.

1. Additions or changes to agenda
• Error discovered in April 2012 minutes – “worked with Personnel Committee to allow free Library memberships to All Town Employees…” should have been listed under general business rather than under “Personnel Committee Report”. A motion to correct the April 2012 Minutes was made by Steve Fuller, seconded by Hope Brissette and unanimously approved.
• A question was raised as to whether the Trustees would like to create a separate document defining the specific roles of the Trustee Renovation Representatives (Duane Whitehead and Hope Brissette) and Célina Houlné (Library Representative). The Trustees felt that what has already been written in various Trustee Meeting Minutes is sufficient.

2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
• None

3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – August 9, 2012
• Hope Brissette moved to approve them as submitted; seconded by Steve Fuller; approved unanimously by the Trustees.

4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
• see Director’s Report and Financial Report for details
• A question was raised concerning losses/profits of providing coffee to patrons. The Library Director will look into less expensive sources for coffee.
• A question was raised concerning the 169% budget line for Adult Programming. The Library Director provided an explanation of the overage and reported funds are available from the Friends to cover these additional costs.

5. Renovation Project Update – Update on Letter to Fred Baybutt and Review of Interior Finishes
• The Library Director provided the Trustees with copies of the response letter from Fred Baybutt (received earlier today). Discussion followed.
• The Library Director provided the Trustees with the Renovation Expense Report through 9-17-12. A request that a percentage line be added to future reports was made.
• The Library Director presented the Trustees with the interior finishes recommended by the Renovation Committee as a result of their meeting on Tuesday. Steve Fuller motioned to approve all recommendations made by Renovation Committee; seconded by Hope Brissette. No discussion. Unanimously approved. A discussion followed about the potential use of chalkboard or magnetic paint in the Youth Department area.
• Furniture: Jason Lacombe (SMP Architects) recommended contacting furniture consultant Heather Rowan at the Renovation Committee meeting. Creating a “wish list” is the first step in the process. A meeting with Ms. Rowan will be set up on either Sept. 24th or 25th at 5:00pm – Trustees are encouraged to attend.

6. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy – Nothing to report.
b. Building – Hope Brissette reported a meeting will be needed in late spring to organize information pertaining to all of the new equipment and systems in the building.
c. Historical Collection – Carolyn Frisa reported there will be a meeting on Monday, Sept. 17 at 2pm; the agenda has been sent to the Trustees and everyone is invited to attend.
d. Communications / Fundraising – Debbi Wetzel reported their will be a meeting on Monday, Sept. 17 at 1pm, that the fundraising project is going to pick up soon and the Holiday Open House date is tentatively Dec. 8, 2012. She also reported the November fundraising trip to NYC has sold out; possibly one seat is available that has not been paid for but there is a waiting list.
e. Finance – David Buckley reported the committee is satisfied with the report that was recently submitted by the Town Finance Director.
f. Personnel – Review of Trustee Duties and Rules of Executive Session
-Library Chairwoman Jan Mitchel-Love stated that the written evaluation of the library director is one of their three primary duties and reminded them that all discussions in executive session are confidential and that no decisions can be made in Executive Session.
-Library Director Célina Houlné discussed her ideas concerning the evaluation process and provided a written response to the evaluation draft she was previously given by the Personnel Committee.
-Jan Mitchel-Love recommended that the Trustees enter Executive Session today without the Library Director as Part I of the process to be followed by a second executive session at a later date in which the Director will be invited to attend and discuss her evaluation with the full Board.

7. The next Library Board of Trustees meeting will be on October 11, 2012 at 4:00pm at the Library unless otherwise warned.

8. Executive Session – Director’s Evaluation
-Jan Mitchel-Love motioned to move into an executive session with Trustees only; seconded by Deb Wright; unanimously approved at 5:10pm. -Executive session ended at 6:15pm.

9. A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Hope Brissette; seconded by David Buckley; unanimously approved at 6:15.

Minutes respectfully re-submitted by Carolyn Frisa, Co-Secretary October 18, 2012

 

Rockingham Free Public Library
Minutes of Board of Trustees Personnel Committee Meeting
Friday, September 7, 2012
Time and Place: 10 a.m. at Masonic Temple

In attendance: Hope Brissette, Carolyn Frisa, Celina Houlne, Jan Mitchell-Love, Laura Senes, and Duane Whitehead

1. Call to Order – called to order at 10:17

2. Public comment (3 minutes per person) – there were questions about the evaluation process in general, where the trustees and the Personnel Committee were currently with the 2012 evaluation process, and what could be tweaked in future processes after the current evaluation is finished. This will be discussed with all of the trustees present; the current evaluation will be discussed on Thursday and future evaluation processes will be discussed after the director’s 2012 evaluation is completed. Celina expressed her preference to not discuss the evaluation with the Personnel Committee but wait to discuss it with the whole Board of Trustees. The Personnel Committee, though eager to get Celina’s feedback to make sure the current draft is as complete as possible, told Celina that she would need to express this preference in executive session.

3. Executive Session – Director’s Evaluation – moved, seconded, and passed to go into executive session at 11:30. The committee plus Celina came out of executive session at 11:35.

The Personnel Committee chair stated no action was taken.

4. Adjourn – moved, seconded, and passed to adjourn at 11:36

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012
5:10 PM

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Renovation Project Letter about Schedule
4. Renovation Project Update
5. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012
5:10 PM Board Members in attendance: David Buckley, Duane Whitehead, Laura Senes, Steve Fuller, Carolyn Frisa, Deb Wright, and Jan Mitchell-Love. Additional Attendees: Célina Houlné (Library Director), Peter Stolley (Renovation Committee), and Pat Fowler (Renovation Committee).

The meeting was called to order at 5:15 by Jan Mitchell-Love.

AGENDA:

1. Additions or changes to agenda
No additions or changes were made.
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
No public comments were made.

3. Renovation Project Letter about Schedule
• Jan Mitchell-Love recapped the scheduling/delay issues recently presented to the Renovation Committee by Baybutt. The most recent schedule (sent on August 6) states that Phase I of the project is scheduled for completion on January 18, 2013. No schedule was provided at this time for Phase II.
• Jason LaCombe (consulting architect from SMP) recommended the Board write a letter to the owner of Baybutt Construction voicing our concern. He provided Célina and Jan with list of suggested topics to include prior to this meeting. Jan wrote a draft letter that was sent to Board Members and Renovation Committee Members for review prior to this meeting.
• Célina Houlné reminded reported that one major issue is the Library only has funds allocated to cover architect’s consulting fees/attendance at Renovation meetings through December 31, 2012 as this was the previously agreed completion date for the entire project.
• Discussion ensued and edits to the letter to Fred Baybutt were proposed and approved accordingly. Carolyn Frisa agreed to send the edited version of the letter to Jan and the rest of the Trustees by the next day.
• This letter will then be sent to Fred Baybutt by USPS and via email.

4. Renovation Project Update
• The meeting room on the 2nd floor was recently given a maximum capacity of 49 people during a fire safety inspection performed by the State of Vermont. At this point, it is unclear as to why such a low figure was given; John Edwards (Baybutt Project Manager) believes it because of the size and orientation of the original 1909 doors leading to the stairs. He will be following up with the state inspector to confirm this and to formulate a plan to remedy the situation (most likely will be to replace the doors with ones that better meet current safety codes).

5. Adjourn
• A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by David Buckley at 6:00pm. It was seconded by Steve Fuller and agreed upon unamimously.

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING |
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2012
4:00 PM

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – July 12, 2012
4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
5. Renovation Project Update & Revised Schedule
6. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy
b. Building
c. Historical Collection
d. Communications – Fundraising
e. Finance
f. Personnel – Director’s evaluation
7. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
8. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2012
4:00 PM
In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Laura Senes, Duane Whitehead, David Buckley, Deb Wright, Deb Wetzel, Célina Houlné and Carolyn Frisa (by phone).

AGENDA: Called to order 4:07

1. Additions or changes to agenda

• Change to agenda to cover committee reports first, and then cover renovation project update and revised schedule.

2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)-None

3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting
• July 12, 2012-Motion to change “renovation committee meetings” to “construction meetings” approved unanimously.

4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
• August 29 and 30 talk on Lyme disease will be at the Mason’s.
• The part time job has been offered to Ed Graves from Rutland. He will start after Labor Day.
• There will be a break in programs after finishing up with the summer programs. The Masons do not heat during the winter, so other arrangements will need to be made for the winter.
• This is the first month of the fiscal year. We are still awaiting final numbers from last year’s budget.

5. Renovation Project Update & Revised Schedule
• Because the renovation is behind schedule and to ensure the new heating system will be installed in time for the cold weather, it has been recommended the library close temporarily. Last night the renovation committee narrowly voted to recommend closing the library from August 18th to Sept. 3rd. A motion was made to approve a two-week closure, form August 18th to Sept. 3rd. This motion passed 6:3.
• One of the leaded windows that the board of trustees previously approved to have a minor repair for $200 will need a more extensive repair. A motion was made to approve an additional cost of $600 to fully repair this window. The motion passed 7:1.
• Continued discussion about lien wavers. The decision was made to not pursue lien wavers at this point. A motion was made to table this discussion until the next meeting. The motion passed unanimously with one abstention.
• The next renovation committee meeting will be Wed. August 12th at 5:00.

6. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy- Nothing to report
b. Building– Nothing to report
c. Historical Collection- Nothing to report
d. Communications – Fundraising
• There are just 3 tickets left for the trip to NYC. There are also a couple of seats on the bus for sale.
• December 8 from 2-4 will be our annual open house and raffle.
• The next fundraising panel development meeting will be August 28th, time to be determined.
e. Finance
• Still awaiting final end of year numbers from the town.
f. Personnel – Director’s evaluation
• Committee is still working on the director’s evaluation and will have it completed by next month.

7. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
• Next meeting September 13th at 4pm at the library.

8. Adjourn-Move to adjourn meeting approved unanimously at 5:56.

Library Board of Trustees
Communications Committee Meeting
Thursday, August 9, 2012
3:00 PM

1. Approve minutes of June meeting
2. Trip to New York City
3. Friends of the Library
4. Fundraiser panel developments
5. Christmas plans
6. Any help with renovation project
7. Other business

Rockingham Free Public Library Communications Committee Meeting

December 10, 2011 3PM

Call to Order @ 3:15 PM

No Public Comment

Approved November Minutes…none

Holiday Open House and Raffle, December 10, 3-5 PM, ticket packets handed out to Trustees, and round up all 27 donations for display. Poster seen at BF Opera House movie screen, list for food donations for party, set up at 2:00, ask Betty Haggerty to announce winners, tree for next year to decorate, send tax deduction forms and thank you letters

Fundraiser trips discussed. Jan contacted Paul Guftason at GFT ( Greater Falls Travel ) Montreal by train is out, Boston Red Sox game late June, request more catalogs from First Choice Tours.

Appeal letter date for signing by Trustees December 14th at 9AM

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2012
4:00 PM

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – June 14, 2012
4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
5. Renovation Project Update
6. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy
b. Building
c. Historical Collection
d. Communications – Fundraising
e. Finance
f. Personnel – Director’s evaluation
7. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
8. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2012
4:00 PM

In Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brissette, Laura Senes, Duane Whitehead, Steven Fuller, Deb Wright, Carolyn Frisa, Debbi Wetzel, and Célina Houlné

AGENDA: Called to order 4:05pm.

1. Additions or changes to agenda-Change to the agenda to cover the renovation project update first, and then will cover the director’s monthly report.

2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)-None

3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – June 14, 2012:
• Change to record presence of Steve Fuller. Motion to amend and approve minutes passed unanimously.

4. Renovation Project Update
• Fire Chief William Weston attends to discuss his recommendation of installing a municipal master alarm box. The advantage of this system is that the fire department is contacted directly. Other alarm systems go through a second party before reaching the fire department. The fire chief recommends his system, but agrees that as long as the system used meets UL requirements it would be adequate. A motion was made to not accept the master box recommendation. This motion passed with 7 votes in favor, and one opposed.
• Jason was in attendance by phone to answer questions about changes regarding the scope of the window work at the 1909 and 1929 sections of the building. These changes will be made at no additional cost. A motion was made to accept Baybutt’s proposal, with a change that the new replacement windows match the present design of the 1929 windows. The motion passed unanimously.
• Hope will begin attending renovation committee meetings, in addition to Duane. A motion was made that Duane will continue to be a primary signer to approve of needed changes under $5,000. Hope will be a secondary signer if Duane is not present. This motion passed unanimously.
• Discussion on whether the library should request subcontractor lean waivers from Baybutt, and if so, for jobs over what dollar amount. Celina has a call in to the town attorney for a recommendation, and she will forward this response to the board. This will be discussed again at the next meeting.
• Celina is the contact person for construction meeting notes. She will forward these minutes to trustees. Any responses or questions should go through Celina.
• The insulation in the roof is almost done. Installation of the front lift begins tomorrow, and will be tested early next week.

5. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
• Celina is still waiting for the final end of year figures.
• There is a poetry workshop coming up on Wed. at 7 pm.
• The next Friends of the Library meeting is Monday at 9 pm.
• We received our first donation of the year, from Michael Obuchowski.
• We are getting a banner that says “Open During Renovation.”

6. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy-Nothing to report
b. Building-Nothing to report
c. Historical Collection-Nothing to report
d. Communications – Fundraising
• There are only 9 tickets left for the trip to NYC. We also have 6 seats on the bus we can sell.
• Next fundraising meeting will be August 7th. The time is still to be determined.
e. Finance-Nothing to report
f. Personnel – Director’s evaluation-Individual trustee evaluations are being compiled, and written up for presentation to Celina. The final draft will be ready for the board in August.

7. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date.
• Next meeting August 9th at 4 pm at the library.

8. Executive Session – Personnel Issue- Motion was made to enter executive session, which passed unanimously. Executive session begins 6:30. Motion was made to leave executive session, which passed unanimously. Executive session ends 7:08.

9. Adjourn-Move to adjourn meeting approved unanimously at 7:10.

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
THURSDAY, July 5th, 2012
5:00 PM

AGENDA: Call to order
1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Library renovation update
3. Library renovation – review/discuss master firebox change order request
4. Library renovation – review/discuss communication
5. Other
6. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING DRAFT MINUTES
THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2012 AT THE LIBRARY
5:00 PM

Trustees in Attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Hope Brisette, Laura Senes, Duane Whitehead, Deb Wright, David Buckley, Carolyn Frisa, and Debbie Wetzel Invited attendees: Célina Houlné (Library Director)

The meeting was called to order by chairwoman Jan Mitchell-Love at 5:08pm.

1. Additions or changes to agenda
• None.

2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
• None.

3. Library renovation update
• Nothing to report on general progress since most recent regular Trustees meeting.

4. Library renovation – review/discuss master firebox change order request
• Discussion about purpose of firebox included questions about whether or not this is required by the Bellows Falls Fire Department, the possibility of modifying or upgrading the existing firebox and alarm system that is currently monitored by Countryside Lock and Alarm, and concern that if it is required, why this was overlooked (and by whom – Baybutt or SMP? Both?) and not included in the original project budget. A quote for installation from the subcontracted electrician was provided and discussion about who is responsible for covering the cost followed.
• The Renovation Committee will be meeting with the Fire Chief and Jason from SMP Architects on Tuesday, July 10 at 10:00pm. Jan Mitchell-Love will also attend the meeting and asked Trustees to send her any additional questions or concerns about the issue and she will send the final list of questions for review to the Trustees before the meeting.
• A motion was made by Deborah Wright that any decisions regarding the additional firebox be deferred until after the meeting on Tuesday. Steve Fuller seconded the motion. No discussion followed and the motion was unanimously approved by the Trustees.

5. Library renovation – review/discuss communication
• Discussion about whether construction meeting minutes (generated by general contractor Baybutt) should be provided to all Trustees and members of the Renovation Committee. This was requested by some members of the Trustees and Renovation Committee – discussion followed and everyone agreed it would be helpful to receive these minutes on a weekly basis. Célina Houlné will email a copy all minutes to the Trustees and Renovation Committee and also provide a printed copy at the Library for David Buckley.

6. Other – no additions or changes to the agenda were made.

7. Move to adjourn meeting made by Steve, seconded by David and unanimously approved at 6:10pm.

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2012
5:00 PM

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – May 10, 2012
4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
6. Renovation Project Update
7. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy – Leaves
b. Building
c. Historical Collection
d. Communications – Fundraising
e. Finance – Projection
f. Personnel – Part-time position, Directors’ Evaluation Update
9. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
10. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2012
5:00 PM

In Attendance: Jan Mitchel-Love, Hope Brisette, Laura Senes, Duane Whitehead, Deb Wright, David Buckley, Carolyn Frisa, Célina Houlné, Debbie Wetzel

AGENDA: Called to order at 5:05pm.

1. Additions or changes to agenda – None.

2. Public comment (3 minutes in person) – None.

3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – May 10, 2012
• Change to record presence of Deb Wright. Motion to amend and approve by Steve and seconded by Laura, approved unanimously.

4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
• Two Changes to Summer Program Brochure: Mark Breen will be presenting July 9 at 7pm for Myth-steries: Stories in the Sky. Puppets Dream Big will be on July 12 at 5pm.
• Please read the email sent by Célina about Library Advocacy – Commitment Online Educational Program, especially relevant for Communications. Register directly online.
• Célina reviewed the Director’s Report previously sent to the Trustees.
• Preparing for summer session (today was first day of summer break).
• Sam is redesigning the website using Adobe Cloud. Once in place, this will incur a monthly fee of $50.00, hopefully starting in July.
• Electrical engineer is coming Friday June 15 at 2pm to review cable/fiber optic plans. Célina is sourcing estimates from two telephone companies for design for new phone system lines.
• Célina is finalizing job description (part-time public services position) and will interview in July, hire in August. This will be a 20-24 hour position.
• So far progress is going well on renovation project. Minor delay in the temporary lift, but it has shipped out and is on the way.
• Roofer visited this week and informed Célina that the slate is the best quality slate (no longer available). He thinks there will be approximately ¼ to 1/3 that needs to be replaced (less than initially thought). A similar kind of slate can be sourced from Canada for replacement pieces. Deb Wetzel is going to talk to roofer about keeping some of the broken slate for fundraising projects.
• While dumpsters are here, Waste Management Service is on hold since rubbish can be thrown into dumpster (saving of approximately $40/month).
• Budget report for month shows RFPL is slightly under annual budget.
• Friends will have table at Saxtons River Parade selling popsicles and frozen candy bars. They need volunteers to help run the booth.
• Because the new position will only be part-time, Célina plans to raise the existing part-time positions to the next pay level (Grade 4). This is still one level below the recommended pay grade for their positions. Jan requested that Célina present information to let us know what would be necessary to raise pay levels to a more competitive level over the next few years.

5. Renovation Project Update
• Primary work is going on in basement, attic and exterior of building.
• Discussion this week about sprinklers in the top floors and other locations in the building.
• Rory Brennan has been stabilizing the plaster in the third floor.
• Jan asked for an estimated time of arrival for elevator. It should arrive next week and will then take a couple of days to install once it arrives.
• Someone will be cutting the grass outside in the next couple of days.
• Someone reported unsafe practices being done by roofers to OSHA, but OSHA came and found no infractions.
• David asked that Duane find out from Baybutt what has not yet been finalized in terms of contracts for the project.
• Steve asked that Duane make sure the new slate looks good with the old slate (either a close match or if different, mixed in a way that is inconspicuous).
• David proposes a Renovation Committee Meeting / Tour be held June 26 in morning or midday (exact time to be determined).

6. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy – Leaves
• See revised policy concerning leaves. Part-time and full-time employees will both get pro-rated sick leave and vacations days.
• Carolyn motioned to adopt the policy changes as written; seconded by David. Discussion followed. Approved with one abstention and one no vote  passes.
b. Building
• Nothing to report.
c. Historical Collection
• Nothing to report.
d. Communications – Fundraising
• Deb Wetzel reports the Christmas Spectular program is underway and passed out flyers. These 15 tickets need to be sold ASAP to secure deposit funding.
• Fundraising Brainstorming session tonight at 7:00pm.
• Excellent job on plant, book and bake sale.
e. Finance – Projection
• Nothing additional to report.
f. Personnel – Part-time position, Directors’ Evaluation Update
• Evaluation forms were sent by Jan earlier today. They are due June 22, 2012.

7. Discussion about tonight’s Fundraising Open Meeting
• Duane has several questions he feels the Trustees may need to address?
1) Do we need to hire a consultant to help with this process? Preferably not since this would require additional money. Hopefully brain storming session will come up with good ideas.
2) What about funding needed for fundraising? This will hopefully also be discussed at tonight’s meeting and will involve donations. A budget will eventually be necessary once fundraising plan is place.
3) What kind of training is appropriate for fundraising? Jan has had capital campaign training. Carolyn suggested that someone attend the September 17-18: Maintaining, Adapting and Fundraising for Public Buildings session hosted by the Preservation Trust of Vermont.
4) What amount of money are we looking for
 $106,000 for solar
 $20,000 for restoring leaded windows
 $70,000 for furnishings
 $10,000 for landscaping
TOTAL: $206,000
5) Will fundraising be a Library driven or Community driven? Hopefully community. Separate account would be setup and run through the Friends of the Library for non-profit reasons. Duane passed out helpful information on campaigning to Trustees.

8. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
• July 12 at 4:00pm at Library.

9. Move to adjourn meeting made by Steve, seconded by David and unanimously approved at 6:30pm.

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY

BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2012
4:00 PM

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – April 12, 2012
4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
6. Renovation Project Update
7. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy
b. Building
c. Historical Collection
d. Communications – Fundraising
e. Finance – Projection
f. Personnel
9. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
10. Adjourn

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2012
4:00 PM

In attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Duane Whitehead, David Buckley, Hope Brissette, Steve Fuller, Debbi Wetzel, Laura Senes, and Celina Houlne.

Call to order: Jan Mitchell-Love called the meeting to order at 4:04pm.

Additions or changes to agenda: No additions or changes.

Public comment: No public comments to report.

Approve Minutes of Board Meeting: April 12, 2012-The minutes were approved unanimously by the Trustees.

Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report: Celina reports the renovation has begun. The spring programs are winding down, then there will be a little break, then programs will start up heavily again with the summer reading program. At this point we are looking at a financial shortfall of about $8,000 (it might be a little less). This is better than last year but not what we hoped for for this year. There is still some money from insurance that could possibly be applied to this shortfall.

Also discussed was the impact of the renovation on our price of insurance. The cost of insurance will be reassessed after the renovation.

Renovation Project Update: the Renovation Committee presented bids from HVAC and plumbing contractors to the board. Not all contractors have the required certification from Mitsubishi. A motion was made to accept the renovation committee’s and architect’s recommendation to hire ARC Mechanical for HVAC Mechanical and Pluming, who are Mitsubishi-certified. This motion was accepted unanimously.

The board also requested some information on the new heating system. Celina will get this information to the board. Baybutt has started demolition in the children’s room. They will finish taking out asbestos tiles which will occur when the library is closed.

The elevator and stairs will be built first. Details will be worked out in the next few weeks.

The board discussed fundraising projects to cover the costs of new furniture and solar panels and of restoring the lead windows, a $200,000 goal in all. A fundraising strategy meeting is to be held June 14th from 5-6. The board will ask members of the community to come, in hopes that a committee will be formed as a result. Jan will write something up for the newspaper.

Committee Reports and Issues
Policy: Nothing to report
Building: Nothing to report
Historical Collection: Nothing to report
Communications: A fundraising event, a Book, Plant and Bake sale is planned for May 19, from 8 to 3 p.m. Debbi will send out a sign-up email for trustees to work the book sale. Donations are now being taken for books, and plants go to Betty. Also, the committee is planning a NY city weekend trip before Christmas.
Finance: Nothing to report
Personnel: Will schedule time to work on evaluation forms and getting forms out to be completed by trustees and staff.

Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date. The next meeting will be June 14th at 4:00.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

 

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012
4:00 PM

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – March 8, 2012
4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
6. Renovation Project Update
7. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy
b. Building
c. Historical Collection – Update
d. Communications – Fundraising
e. Finance – Projection
f. Personnel – Review meeting dates
9. Report on Town Officers’ Education Conference
10. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
11. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012
4:00 PM

The meeting was called to order at 4:05 by Jan Mitchel-Love.

1. Additions or changes to agenda
Celina requested that we add a discussion of extending free library membership to Rockingham Town employees who are not town residents. This will be added under personnel on the agenda.

2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
No public comments.

3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting –
March 8, 2012 Steve motioned to approve. Deb Wright seconded. Unanimously approved.

4. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
• Library staff and volunteers have done an excellent job so far in preparing for the Renovation Project. This sentiment was echoed by numerous board members.
• Sam and Emily are sharing some of Wendy’s previous duties and the part-time staff have picked up the other components. A new person will be hired in summer (probably advertise in June) so the new employee will be trained and ready to start in the fall. This will be changed to a part-time position.
• Spring programs are coming to an end, there will be a short break, and then summer programs for adults and kids are going to begin and will include all-ages events. Summer programs will be promoted at the Opera House before movies and live events.
• Board members wholeheartedly approved the upcoming 3% pay increase for Library staff.
• Book sale and plant fundraiser is coming up on May 19th. Board and staff will provide books to add to existing sale books (can’t do as many because of storage space issues).
• Approximately $600 was raised at the GALA dinner; $125 prints of Debbie Wetzel’s painting are now for sale.

6. Renovation Project Update
• Progress continues on bids.
• Duane motioned to reinsert the bonding line for Baybutt Construction for$21,000. This will be accomplished by removing the $26,685 allocated to leaded window restoration. The excess $5,685 will move into the owner’s portion of the expenses and go towards restoring the window in the worst condition on the front of the building above the steps. The Library will contract with the window restorer for this part of the project. Steve seconded the motion. Unanimously approved.
• Duane suggested that Trustees get a copy of the Schedule of Values for the final bids awarded.
• The next renovation meeting will be Wednesday, April 18th at 3:00 or 4:00pm. Celina will confirm time via email.
• Carolyn brought up that the current plan for historical collections storage is not sufficient, but some changes are in the works.
• Duane questioned the process for approving change orders without calling a special meeting for discussion amongst the Renovation Committee. Changes of $5,000 or less can be made without calling a Renovation Committee meeting with a cap of $15,000 accumulative changes. Historical and aesthetic changes may need to be determined without consideration to change in expense. The Renovation Committee will also be approached for these recommended changes when warranted. Trustees are always kept informed about Renovation Committee meetings via email and are invited to attend.

7. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Policy – Nothing.
b. Building – Nothing.
c. Historical Collection – See info under renovation project update.
d. Communications – Nothing.
e. Finance – See Director’s report for info about insurance.
f. Personnel – Meeting will be set for early May.
• Library cards for Rockingham Town Employees, including WNESU, be given to anyone who can present a payroll stub. This offer will be sent to the appropriate manager’s to send to their employees. Hope motioned we approve. Steve seconded. Unanimous approval.

9. Report on Town Officers’ Education Conference
• Jan has extra copies of the Manual for Vermont Library Trustees. This info is also available online.
• She reported on the various sessions she attended.
• There is an upcoming free online training for public advocacy within libraries that a Communications Committee member is encouraged to attend.

10. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
Next meeting is set for Thursday, May 10th at 4:00pm in old meeting space on 1st floor.

11. A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Carolyn at 5:40. Seconded by Steve. Unanimously approved.

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2012
4:00 PM

AGENDA: Call to order

1. Additions or changes to agenda
2. Public comment (3 minutes in person)
3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – February 9, 2012
4. Election of Officers
Slate of candidates: Chair, Janice Mitchell Love; Vice-Chair, David Buckley; Treasurer, Duane Whitehead; Co-Secretaries Carolyn Frisa and Laura Senes
5. Set Date & Time of Board Meetings
6. Appointments to Committees
7. Orientation & Training for Trustees
Annual Town Officers’ Education Conference: April 10 or April 18
8. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
9. Renovation Project Update
10. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Building
b. Historical Collection – Project
c. Communications – Fundraising
d. Finance
e. Policy
11. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date
12. Adjourn

ROCKINGHAM FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2012
4:00 PM Called to order at 4:09 by Jan Mitchell-Love

In attendance: Jan Mitchell-Love, Duane Whitehead, Deborah Wright, David Buckley, Steve Fuller, Carolyn Frisa and Célina Houlné.

1. Additions or changes to agenda: None

2. Public comment (3 minutes in person): No public comments.

3. Approve Minutes of Board Meeting – February 9, 2012
-page 2 should be Deborah Wright, not Deborah White.
-Steve moved to pass as amended, seconded by Deborah Wright. Unanimously approved.

4. Election of Officers
Slate of candidates: Chair, Janice Mitchell Love; Vice-Chair, David Buckley; Treasurer, Duane Whitehead; Co-Secretaries Carolyn Frisa and Laura Senes
Steve moved to pass slate as written, Deborah Wright seconded. Unanimously approved.

5. Set Date & Time of Board Meetings – Will keep current date and time (second Thursday of every month at 4:00). May need to move location during renovation project.

6. Appointments to Committees
Carolyn Frisa will chair the Historical Collection Committee.
David Buckley will chair Finance Committee.
Deborah Wetzel will chair Communications Committee.
Hope will chair Building Committee.
Jan will chair Personnel Committee.
Steve will chair Policy Committee.
Jan will update the sheet before the next Trustees meeting.

7. Orientation & Training for Trustees – Annual Town Officers’ Education Conference: April 10 or April 18
Jan and David will attend the April 10th meeting. Deb Wright may also attend this session as well. Jan will be responsible for registering for everyone from RFPL.

8. Director’s Monthly Report & Financial Report
1) moving is happening in several weeks. The library continues to prepare. See report for details.
2) Wendy has turned in her resignation and her last day will be April 5. Library staff will organize a farewell tea or similar event. David suggested giving her two tickets to the fund-raising event. Or a gift certificate. Trustees are not responsible for hiring. Filling her position will be deferred. Emily and Sam will increase to 40 hours and divide some of Wendy’s duties. Ellen will supervise volunteers.
3) Trustees are encouraged to attend the Renovation Committee Meeting on March 28 at 2:00pm to review bids. Location may be in the lower theater at the Opera House. We will be informed of exact location next week. The Board will call a special meeting in early April to approve the revised cost summary presented by the Renovation Committee.
4) Célina provided the Trustees with the FY 2013 Budget Worksheet. Explanation is provided in the Financial Report. Discussion ensued. More accurate projected budget will be provided in June.

9. Renovation Project Update
1) Discussion of Baybutt’s General Conditions Summary at 60% of Design Stage.
2) Information to public about Library closure from March 26 – 28 is in the works.
3) Célina provided Board with Renovation Move Schedule.

10. Committee Reports and Issues
a. Building: Nothing additional to report.
b. Historical Collection: Nothing additional to report.
c. Communications – Fundraising: Book Sale and Plant Sale will be held on May 19th. Discussion of additional fundraising ideas. Next meeting is April 4. Email ideas to Deb Wetzel before this meeting. David has some excellent suggestions for a New York City trip “free itinerary” in late Nov/early Dec so people could go to see Rockettes or do their own thing. What about doing something during Roots on the River? Alumni weekend?
d. Finance: Nothing additional to report.
e. Policy: Nothing additional to report.
f. What’s new in books email like Brooks Memorial Library. Carolyn will get info.

11. Review Agenda Items for next meeting and set date. Next meeting will be April 12 at 4:00pm.

12. Adjourn David motioned to adjourn at 5:25. Steve seconded. Unanimously approved,