Library Trustees' Meeting - 1/4/2012

The meeting was called to order at 6 pm. Present were Roger Daniels, Tom Wallace, Leina Smoker and Susan Turbyne.

REPORTS
1. Review Draft Minutes of Dec. 14, 2011 Meeting – It was moved (Roger Daniels) and seconded (Leina Smoker) to accept the minutes of the December 14th, 2011, meeting as read. The motion was passed.
2. Treasurer’s Report
a. Account Balances - $88,908.03
b. 2011 YE Report – Our expenses for 2011 were $36,747.29.
c. Review current employee wages and benefits – It was moved (Roger Daniels) and seconded (Leina Smoker) that we table our discussion of this issue until a further date. The motion was passed.
3. Library Director’s Report – The weeks leading up to Christmas were busy ones at the library as we had several seasonal activities planned. At the beginning of the month we invited the children to come in and make a craft. The next week, Sheila made sugar cookies and we invited our patrons, young and old, to decorate a cookie. The final week, in addition to entertaining the knitting ladies, we brought in holiday goodies for our patrons to enjoy. We received many positive comments on our special activities and decorations.
Between Christmas and New Year’s Paul Bellamy, Red Mountain Construction LLC, removed the peeling paint on the ceiling, filled the holes left by the electrical work we had done, and repainted. I am very pleased with the work that was done and will request that we hire him to finish the job behind the desk and in the computer room as well as the office.
Today started a new year here at the library as well as a ‘beginning of the year’ to- do list. Each January we update patron registrations in order to keep our list of patrons current. In the weeks ahead we will review registrations from 2009. We will update the people who use our library and drop patrons who no longer use our services. I have reviewed our usage statistics for 2011 and am pleased to report that we recorded 4,648 patron visits, an increase of 481 visits over 2010. Each January I submit an annual report which is printed in the town report. I have started work on this report which is due January 9th.
All of the minutes of this year’s trustees meeting have been submitted to the town clerk twice – they are submitted ‘unapproved’ following a meeting and again, after being ‘ approved’. The approved minutes have also been posted on our trustees’ blog.
2011 has been a good year. We look forward to 2012 and what it brings our way.

OLD BUSINESS
4. Status - Town Master Plan Narrative – We plan to continue this discussion at our next meeting.
5. Status – Painting Main Level ceilings – It was moved (Roger Daniels) and seconded (Leina Smoker) that we contact Paul Bellamy to complete the ceiling work behind the circulation desk and in the computer room and office. The motion was passed.
6. Status - Boiler maintenance – Roger will continue to contact Carl Doe to do the efficiency test on the furnace.
7. Status – 2012 Library Budget request – Tom has not heard anything more from the town.
8. Status - Groton Wind Project “mitigation” money
a. Warrant Article – 2012 Town Meeting – Tom drafted an article for this year’s warrant requesting funds for a study for a handicap accessible project. After discussion, it was agreed to remove the $25,000 cost since we do not know the cost at this time. Tom will talk with the people at LCHIP and the town office before submitting the following:

To see if the town will authorize the Trustees of the Byron G. Merrill Library to apply for and expend funds for a Feasibility Study to investigate alternatives to make the existing Town Library accessible to the disabled. Funding shall come from the “Mitigation Funds” available to the Town as a result of the permit granted for the Groton Wind Project as administered by the State of New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Program (LCHIP) office.

b. LCHIP “grant” process – Amy Dickson, Historic Resource Specialist from LCHIP, will visit our library later this month. Tom will arrange the day and time.
c. Plan of Action prior to March Town Meeting – We will continue to work with LCHIP to identify grant application requirements and we will begin the process of soliciting qualifications of architects for the study.

NEW BUSINESS
9. Acceptance 2011 Donations to Library – It was moved (Roger Daniels) and seconded (Leina Smoker) to accept a donation in the amount of $25.00 for calendar year 2011. The motion was passed.
10. Other Business - none

No date was set for the next meeting.