Trustee Minutes – September 11, 2017

Minutes of the Meeting
Fitzwilliam Town Library Board of Trustees
11 September 2017

Present:  Dick Goettle, Ann McEntee, Nick Noyes, Susan Curtin (alternate trustee), and Library Director Kate Thomas

Nick Noyes called the meeting to order at 5:45 PM in the Quick Meeting Room of the Library.

The Trustees reviewed and signed the First Quarter’s Investment and Savings Account Report.  They also reviewed and signed the Library Manifest and the spread sheet of library expenses to date. 

Planning for the 2018 Budget was discussed and a schedule for preliminary budget discussions was agreed upon.  Nick will ask Debbie Favreau for the date of submission to the Budget Committee.

Ann McEntee put forth a motion, seconded by Dick Goettle, that the Volunteer Policy be approved as presented.  Motion passed.  Kate Thomas will post on the library’s website.

The Trustees approved the minutes of the August 7th meeting as amended.

The Trustees approved the Library Director’s recommendation that Barbara Young, Assistant Librarian, receive a pay grade increase to Step 1, effective September 11th, 2017.

Ann presented her preliminary findings about regional appraisers who may be qualified to assess the Locke Collection items.  Given its disparate nature (Hawaiian, Bulgarian, and Turkish items), she surmised that two appraisers may need to be hired.

Nick informed the Trustees that he would meet with the Board of Selectmen after the Trustee meeting adjourned to discuss the replacement of the trees in the front lawn; he will recommend a northern red maple.

Dick contacted Eversource Energy about performing an energy audit of the library.  He also stated that he is in communication with Fairpoint about upgrading the library’s internet service to 1 gigabyte of service.

The Trustees reviewed the Librarian’s Report.  Circulation increased 6% from that of August, 2016.  The library’s public computers will soon have MS Office installed.

Ann reported that the successful Friends of the Library Book Sale brought in $1,912.95.

Ann put forth a motion, seconded by Dick, to adjourn the meeting.  The motion passed, and the meeting adjourned at 6:40 PM. 

 Respectfully submitted,

Ann M. McEntee, Secretary