Minutes of the Meeting
Fitzwilliam Town Library Board of Trustees
1 November, 2021
Present: Trustees Robin Marra, Beth Lorenz, Trish Toomey, Pam Troccia, Matt Buonomano and Kate Thomas, Library Director; Alternate Trustees Brian Doerpholz and Cathie Talbert.
Robin Marra called the meeting to order at 5:48 in the Quick Meeting Room of the Library. Trish Toomey was present via Zoom.
The minutes of the October 4, 2021 meeting were reviewed. Two edits were suggested and a motion was made by Brian Doerpholz to approve he minutes as corrected. The motion was seconded by Pam Troccia and approved by all Trustees.
The manifest was reviewed and signed by all Trustees present.
The Chair turned his report over to Treasurer Matt Buonomano, who detailed the library accounts at TD Bank and the quote received from Macomber Computer Services. The quote includes the replacement of three computers and a price for a managed service agreement for the year. There was a discrepancy in the between the quote for the managed service agreement and subsequent communications. Matt related the process to update the library website to the Trustees and it was agreed he should contact Coni Porter regarding her quote to do these updates for the upcoming year.
Kate reviewed the Library Directors report and Expenses to Date. Circulation was down 15% from last year at this time. There were twelve adult programs and nine childrens’s programs presented, with a total attendance of 194. Patron attendance was up 50% from last month. It seems the number of patrons using the building has increased, even if they are taking fewer items out. Kate met with Richard Marshall, Ann McEntee and Cathie Talbert to discuss a preliminary exhibit of the Locke collection. They expect to have a small part of the collection on display sometime near the end of the year or the beginning of 2022. As more items are displayed in the future, the library will need to address adding a request to the budget for additional display cases and possible security measures.
The Friends of the Library have started their Annual Appeal. They have donated a metal detector to the Library for patron use which can be checked out beginning 11/16/21, and also purchased a selection of board games for the library to loan to patrons.
The proposal from Coni Porter to assist the Library with website work was reviewed. Beth Lorenz made a motion to include the proposal in the 2022 Budget proposal. That motion was seconded by Matt Buonomano and approved by all Trustees.
Kate and Beth discussed the work being done on the Long-Range Plan. The time frame will be a Ten-Year Plan to mirror the Long-Range plan of the Town. The Plan will be re-visited after five years. A draft of the Plan will be presented to the Board at the December 6, 2021 meeting of the Trustees.
The Board reviewed the draft of the 2022 Budget Proposal. Some minor edits will be made by the Chair before being sent to the Town Administrator and the Budget Committee.
The 2022 CIP request will contain two items: $5,500.00 to be added to the Library Building Expendable Trust to complete the fencing (painting and installation); and $5,000.00 for the creation of a Locke Collection Expendable Trust for consultants, display cases, security measures and possible renovations to the second floor.
Wade Leventry has provided a list of work to needed to be done on the Library building in the future.
No other business or announcements were brought forth for discussion.
The next Trustee meeting has been scheduled for Monday, December 6th, 2021 at 5:45, with Zoom access available.
A motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:18 p.m. was made by Cathie Talbert and seconded by Beth Lorenz. The motion was approved by all Trustees.
Respectfully submitted.
Pam Troccia
Secretary