Library Board of Commissioners

LIBRARY BOARD of COMMISSIONERS Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 7:45 am Minutes Present: Gale Batsimm, Emily Copeland, Mary Danko, Chol Dhoor, Sam Doherty, Samantha Donalds, Patrick Halladay, Cate MacLachlan, Amy Mellencamp, Susannah Rossier, Wells Shelley, Nick Tatakis, Rebecca Thompson, Mona Tolba. Approval of minutes: from January 14. Cate MacLachlan moved, Patrick Halladay seconded, all approved. Approval of agenda: Becca Thompson moved, Chol Dhoor seconded, all approved. Public Forum: No public in attendance. Grant Approval: Library Commission voted to accept Mary Danko and the Fletcher Free Library to submit application for Vermont Department of Libraries/HUD capital grant to improve the public library building. Vote: Patrick Halladay moved, Emily Copeland seconded, all approved. Friends of FFL Report: Jonathan Chapple-Sokol reported on Winter Breakfast that welcomed six city councilors and the Mayor to the annual library update. The Friends are again accepting book donations after a hiatus due to preservation work on the building. The Friends held a successful March book sale and are gearing up for Library Mini Golf March 20 and 21. Director’s Report: Mary Danko is working with the city to help close the $10-$13M gap in the budget. She will let the Commission know when the Library budget will go before the Finance Committee. The Library’s safety team is working well—Both the Patron Outreach Specialist and fulltime Security completed one year. The recent addition of a back-up security staff to fill in as needed has been helpful. Staff Report: Susannah Rossier discussed the special projects she is working on, including the Tractatus Exponibilium that will be displayed at the library in April. Subcommittee update: • Recruitment Committee will need to recruit a new student liaison to the Library Commission, preferably a rising junior, as Sam Doherty will be graduating. • Policy Committee has been working on drafting policies. New/Other Business: None Next meeting: May 20 at 7:45 a.m. Adjournment: Cate MacLachlan moved, Becca Thompson seconded. All approved.