Minutes of the Meeting
Fitzwilliam Town Library Board of Trustees
4 March 2019
Present: Dick Goettle, Barbara Green, Richard Mays, Ann McEntee, Nick Noyes, Pam Troccia, Susan Curtin (alternate), Trish Toomey (alternate) and Library Director Kate Thomas
Nick Noyes called the meeting to order at 5:35 PM in the Quick Meeting Room of the Library.
The Trustees reviewed and signed the Library Manifest and Spending-to-Date Expense Report.
The minutes of the February 4th meeting were reviewed; Richard Mays put forth a motion, seconded by Nick, to approve them. Motion carried.
Kate Thomas thanked Richard and Nick for their years of dedicated service.
Ann McEntee will submit a request to the Board of Selectmen to approve Pam Troccia to serve as a replacement for Barbara Green, who will leave the board after the April 2019 meeting. Dick Goettle will oversee the change of signatures for the trust accounts during the April meeting.
Kate presented the monthly Librarian’s Report: February’s circulation dropped 15% (compared to February 2018). A brief discussion about the changing needs of the townspeople and perception of the library as a community resource center (as opposed to a mere repository of books). Kate also stated that the water heater and expansion tank’s intake feeder valve have been replaced; the public copier has also been replaced.
Dick suggested that we meet with Carl Gravina, Stewart Global Partners, in February rather than June. End-of-the-year fiscal reports for 2019 will be available, and based upon those reports, the trustees can discuss changes to the investment portfolio, if warranted. However, we will meet with him this year before moving forward with the new schedule. He also stated that the last of the Massin Certificates of Deposit held at Walpole Savings Bank matures this coming June; he will then deposit that return in the Fidelity Money Market account.
Richard recounted the series of events that led to the replacement of the water heater and the feeder valve. He recently stabilized the library’s sign by changing the hardware with which it is suspended. He has agreed to serve as the contact person for Swanzey Oil and set up an appointment to clean the furnace this spring. Additional maintenance tasks include application of new weather stripping around the exterior doors, replacement of the southside exterior faucet and removal of old paint cans from the basement.
Susan Curtin clarified the need for four insurance documents pertaining to the Locke Collection: the Declaration of Insurance page; the section of the policy referring to the coverage of the Locke Collection; the fine arts rider, which itemizes the collection (and appraised values); and, Exceptions to policy coverage related to the collection. Nick stated that he will contact Debbie Favreau about receiving these pages of the policy; he also intends to call a meeting of the Locke Collection subcommittee once the 2019 library budget has been approved at the town meeting (March 12th) to discuss disposition of the collection.
Kate announced that the Friends of the Library underwrote the cost of a baby changing station that now hangs in the library’s restroom.
The next trustee meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 1st, 2019 @ 5:30 PM.
Ann put forth a motion, seconded by Richard, to adjourn the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 6:43 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Ann McEntee, Secretary