Minutes of the Meeting of the Fitzwilliam
Town Library Board of Trustees
5 December 2016
Present: Dick Goettle, Barbara Green, Richard Mays, Ann McEntee, Nick Noyes, Susan Curtin—alternate, and Director Kate Thomas
The meeting was called to order at 6:05 PM in the Quick Meeting Room of the library. The Trustees reviewed and signed the manifest. Kate Thomas’s spread sheet of library spending was reviewed. Kate stated that the movie licensing cost was increasing; it was agreed that the budget would need to be amended to reflect this cost next year.
The Trustees reviewed and approved the minutes of the 7 November 2016 Trustee meeting.
The Trustees reviewed the Social Media Policy, and a discussion about monitoring ensued. It was agreed that the Director will take responsibility for monitoring. The policy was accepted as presented.
Nick Noyes reported the responses from the Selectmen regarding the Trustees’ CIP requests. With regard to the second-floor fire escape, the sprinkler head upgrade and door have been consolidated into one project. A second sprinkler head must be added to the first-floor window and adjacent to the fire escape, a request which will need to be put forth in a warrant at the annual Town Meeting.
A lengthy discussion ensued about the effect of the injunction issued against the FLSA’s changes (scheduled to go into effect December 1) upon the Library Director’s status as a salaried employee. Kate agreed to remain as such, working 35 hours per week, but asked for clarification regarding the term “comp time.” Dick Goettle requested an accurate record of hours to perform her job as the board expects. Questions arose about the township’s regulations regarding employees’ raises every two years.
Nick addressed the submitted budget’s line item, “411 Heat and Oil. The Trustees budgeted $5,000 for 2017.
The Director’s Report stated that circulation is up 6% from last year; 170 people attended 23 programs. Kate asked Barbara Green to assess the damaged picture frame of a painting. She also discussed the need to return to the use of more costly ink cartridges due to the inferior print quality of the less expensive ones currently used. The cost difference will be several hundred dollars. The children’s reading and activity programs continue with regular attendance. Friends of the Library will be hosting a Cookie Swap (December 8th) and a Gingerbread House-making party (December 10th). The area under the Giving Book Tree continues to be filled with books for the needy children to be delivered December 16th. The Friends’ annual meeting proved successful with more than 30 people in attendance.
Kate reported a remaining equipment balance of $650 and requested that laptops and public computing equipment be purchased.
A brief discussion about hiring an intern from either KSC or FPU ensued, but Kate explained that training and managing such a position would entail more work as opposed to lessening her current workload.
The next Trustee meeting is scheduled for January 9th at 5:30 PM.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:10 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Ann McEntee