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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-06-02-BOLT-min CARY MEMORIAL LIBRARY EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES 4:00 PM June 2, 2021 Virtual Meeting Attendees: Trustees: Suzie Barry, Joe Pato, Rev. Claire Feingold Thoryn, Rabbi Howard Jaffe Staff: Koren Stembridge, Emily Smith, Alissa Lauzon, Susan Lusk Call to Order Ms. Barry called the meeting to order at 4:02 PM. Public Comment There was no public comment. Secretary’s Minutes for May 5, 2021 Ms. Barry made a motion to approve as distributed the minutes of the May 5, 2021 meeting. Rev. Claire Feingold Thoryn seconded the motion. Vote: 4-0 to approve. Financial Reports Municipal Budget: We will finish the year under budget due to staff vacancies Non-municipal (Trustee) Funds: Received second installation of State Aid in the amount of $28,000. Spending has been lower than normal as we just reopened. Endowment balance through the quarter ending in March is $2.56 million. This is due to bequests and interest. Administrative Updates Director’s Report: Will cover in other agenda items. Staffing Update: Multiple vacancies being filled Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Update (DEI):  A presentation was made to the Full Board on May 19. Ms. Stembridge asked the Executive Board to adopt the Ideas Action Plan. Motion to adopt was made by Ms. Barry, second by Mr. Pato. Vote: 4-0 to approve. Building Updates Facilities Updates: Preparing for library sign install later this summer. New Business Trustee Meeting Dates for FY22: The Trustee Meeting Dates for FY22. Motion to approve by Rabbi Jaffe, second by Rev. Feingold Thoryn. 4-0 to approve. Library Parking Lot (kiosk payment v. parking meters): Ms. Stembridge shared staff concerns about moving to a kiosk payment model. There are practical and safety concerns. Ms. Stembridge was asked to share these thoughts with the Select Board. Motion Mr. Pato, seconded Rev Feingold Thoryn. 4-0 to approve. Casework for Library History Materials/East Lexington sign: Ms. Stembridge is planning to have some casework designed for the wall outside the Admin Office. This casework would provide display space for the restored East Lexington Library Brach sign. Old Business Restoration of Services: Ms. Stembridge presented the next phase of restoration of library services and asked the board for permission to continue to make slight changes to the library’s restoration of services over the course of the summer months while the Board is on hiatus. Any significant changes will be discussed with Ms. Barry. Moved Rev. Feingold Thoryn, seconded Rabbi Jaffe. Approved 4-0 Stone Building Update: Ms. Stembridge completed some research for Rev. Feingold Thoryn, who is part of the Stone Building Reuse Committee. Ms. Stembridge looked at the last year there was full circulation and attendance data for the branch (2007). The Stone Building accounted for very little library use. It was clearly meaningful to the people in the neighborhood who used it, but ultimately there was not a lot of business done at this branch. The average attendance was 38 visits per week (approximately 2,000 visits/year) compared 445,000 visits at the main library for same year. At the time, the branch had 1.4 FTE with a librarian scheduled for five hours per week to provide reference service and Storytime activities. Ms. Stembridge created a preliminary cost model to give a sense of what it would cost to operate it today (based on similar hours/services/staffing as the East Lexington Brach as well as the current budgets of other communities that still have small branch libraries). A preliminary estimate is that it would cost at least $125,000/year to operate a branch library in the Stone Building. Ms. Stembridge will attend the Stone Building Reuse Committee meeting on 6/3/21 and will share this information along with the Executive Board’s thoughts on the prospect of reestablishing a branch library. Rev. Feingold Thoryn felt that the information would be valuable to the members of the Stone Building Reuse Committee as they continue to gather feedback. There are a lot of residents who remember the branch fondly. It is important to share with them some of the information that led to decision to close the branch aside from the flooding, and the costs Ms. Stembridge has shown on what it would take to reopen. Mr. Pato discussed the options of not having the full funding from the town which would mean services elsewhere would have to be cut in order to reopen the branch. This idea, as well as others put forth, would involve the town having to run it and incur new operational costs. This would be an additional challenge for the town. Rabbi Jaffe stated that he was on the library board at the time of the closure, and that there were conversations before the flood about the feasibility of continuing to operate a branch with so little usage. After the flood, the board did consider reopening the branch but decided not to. Ms. Barry echoes the comments of both Mr. Pato and Rabbi Jaffe. It gets harder and harder each year deciding on which Program Improvement Requests to fund, and there’s the need to continue to fund the schools 100%. The Select Board goal is that they are not balancing the budget based on an operating override. Mr. Pato questioned Ms. Stembridge if the figures shows for staff include shared benefits. Ms. Stembridge responded they are only the FY22 hourly wages, but she could include the additional cost. Ms. Barry mentioned that if this project was approved, it could take 5-7 years to complete the building renovation and at that time the estimated costs would be increased. Adjournment Rabbi Jaffe offered a motion to adjourn at 4:44 PM. Rev. Feingold Thoryn seconded the motion. Vote 4- 0 to approve.