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Morse Institute Library
Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
February 10, 2009
Trustees Present: Harriet Buckingham, Kathleen Donovan,
Elliot Goodman and Dr. Joseph Keefe
Administration Present: Jane Finlay, Acting Director
Staff Present: Dale Smith, Children’s Department Supervisor
Dell Redington
Marie Nardi, Community Relations Coordinator
Call to Order: 4:00 pm
- The Board approved the minutes of the meeting of January 13, 2009.
- Ms. Karol Bartlett of the library’s reference staff briefed the Trustees on the work of the staff as it addresses the matter of local history. She provided the Trustees with copies of materials to illustrate their work. The Board thanked Ms. Bartlett for this information, which is part of the Trustees’ education program that the Board initiated.
- Ms. Finlay addressed the work that she has been doing in conjunction with staff supervisors to develop a response to the Town Administrator’s request for an 8% reduction in the FY10 MIL budget. It is necessary that the Trustees present a budget that reflects a decrease of some $148,675 from its initial request. Thus, the Trustees voted to support the reduction of this amount by:
- Eliminating all over time hours
- Reducing the work week for all part-time persons by one hour
- Reducing the technology budget
- Reducing the library supplies budget
- Leaving vacant the position of Young Adult Librarian
The net result of these reductions will see the library closed on Sunday afternoons, all summer Saturdays and all Saturdays falling on a Monday holiday weekend. This action results in a savings of $46,368. The hour per week reduction in the work of the part-time persons will produce $15,492 and the vacant position is valued at $59,062. $10,000 will be cut from the technology budget with other small amounts coming from the purchase of services category.
- Ms. Donovan updated the Trustees on the work of the Screening Committee that has reviewed the applicants for Director. The Screening Committee has decided to interview the librarians from Grafton, Marlborough and Reading, along with our Acting Director over the course of the next two weeks.
- The Trustees voted unanimously to have the Auditor correct his Draft Report to reflect the fact that the General Book Fund is and has been historically treated as a Restricted Fund since its inception.
- The Trustees voted to hold a meeting of the Corporation March 10, 2009.
- The Acting Director brought the Trustees up to date on the “content” of the letters from the donor of funds to the Local History Fund. She will bring additional information regarding the balance in these accounts to the Trustees at the meeting of March 10th.
- The Acting Director briefed the Trustees on a variety of upcoming library activities.
Meeting Adjourned: 6:05 pm
There will be a meeting of the Corporation at 4:00 pm on March 10th with a meeting of the Board of Trustees immediately following.
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