Johnson Public Library May Meeting

Johnson Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes: May 14, 2025 Present: Jeanne Engel (Library Director). Library trustees: Kelly Vandorn, Sabrina Rossi, Suzanne Dodge, Eric Schulz, Jasmine Yuris Community Members: None Date of Meeting: May 14, 2025 Location: Temporary Library Space in the Masonic Lodge Time: 6:00 pm 1. Call to order: 6:05 pm 2. Adjustments or Additions to the Agenda: None 3. Review and Approve the Minutes from the April 2nd 2025 meeting: Spelling corrections. (3bi – Eda, corrected to Etta, corrected Noel Dodge, Johnson Tree Warden, correct spelling of word “Treasurer” under section 8.a.iv. Fix Adrienne section 10.h. Kelly moved to accept w/ spelling changes, Suzanne seconded, all board members in favor. 4. Treasurer’s report: a. Move day celebration, made $1459 (t-shirts, lemonade, pizza). b. Overall T-shirts intake paid for the t-shirt costs. c. Endowment went down, apparently normal for long-term endowments. i. Confirmed w/Eric that money is sitting in investment accounts. Suzanne will send dividends to the town when she has the final information. d. Names changed on accounts and officers need to sign paperwork from UBS with the change of the treasurer and officers. Kelly, Jasmine, and Sabrina signed paperwork. e. Jeanne noted that there are individuals that live out of town and they have requested t- shirts be mailed. Discussion regarding orders and remaining t-shirts. Library members noted that they didn’t have any so will need to do an additional order and Adrienne sent over order information. Jasmine understood that they were paying for the “print” to run it to have a total number of runs. Minimum order she believed was 24 regardless of size. f. Librarians are packing up individual t-shirts and mailing, $7.50 each to mail, individuals are buying the t-shirts and paying shipping. g. Budget – Suzanne and Jeanne noted year to date is looking good right now. Waiting on investment information and dividends will go to the town. Eric inquired of the endowments looking for clarification. Jeanne explained process that generally library costs are paid for with town checks. However, if purchased through grants, sometimes paid directly from town and sometimes out of community bank account. All is tracked and accounted for.  h. Jeanne noted that now that we have a reserve fund, there was some funding from building capital and grant money from efficiency Vermont/donations to town and need to ask if can carry over to the reserve. This year, due to not doing regular building maintenance we have a little more than $6000 in capital and $3000+ in maintenance repairs. Jeanne notes we need to request from Rosemary that those funds move into the reserve fund so do not roll into the general fund. Suzanne and Jeanne will meet again before mid June and address. 5. Librarian’s report: a. Email from Katherine IMLS (will receive all grant funds that we were supposed to receive for the year.) There is a lawsuit in place. Once in VT Dept library hands, can distribute. b. Preliminary discussion of summer reading program is occurring, but no details yet. 6. Library Move Committee Report a. On Monday night Kelly and Jeanne went to a special meeting in the afternoon just talking about foundation for the library. Opened the one bid (had a second bid that was only a partial, because couldn’t do the whole project, determined not to consider). $155,000 (Tatro, completed by June 13th or 15th). Before deadline for steel to come out so no extra charges. Needed to be approved by Paul (architect from Silver Ridge design) and work with Northeast Structural engineers (working for Paul). As it stands the selectboard approved Dale Tatro’s bid. Dale and all bidders received structural engineer specifications. Must meet specs. b. Kelly noted confusing on numbers because so far we have asked for about $500,000 in reimbursement (architecture, moving, engineering, supplies, fences, etc.). Hard to identify where we are with expenditures. However, because movers came in lower than anticipated there is wiggle room. Currently waiting on numbers from Paul. Tom noted that things would be wrapped up this week. c. Duncan had asked if trustees would be open to raising money if we had to, and Kelly stated would be a consideration if we had to. d. Discussion on bids, timing, and if booked out as many contractors already have work planned. Concerned with time limitation to get the steel out (cost of $600/day) if past the deadline. Noted that is why Tatro would hopefully start soon and meet deadline. e. Once numbers come in, looking for general contractor. Jasmine (board member) will be stepping down from the building committee and Eric will be replacing her since Brian R. will be putting in a bid to be the general contractor. f. Heating and Cooling discussion: i. Adrienne asked board to consider geothermal heating and cooling. Suzanne and Sabrina noted expensive. Eric had some experience with this and explained efficiency. ii. Suzanne asked about any deals for efficiency and renewable incentives. Jeanne noted different rules for residential and commercial.  iii. Architect and engineers will have to give input and Kelly concluded that there is no definite decision on heating and cooling yet. iv. Eric asked for clarification on timing and was confirmed by Kelly and Jeanne that Dale will be completing foundation for just the current building and then the general contractor would take over. v. Jeanne noted they had talked about options such as heat pumps with propane backup or heat pumps with electric back up. That has not been finalized. vi. Kelly noted she thought they were comparable. However, Sabrina asked about if that comparable in terms of installation or maintenance and long term expenses? Noted, but no discussion occurred. vii. Kelly and Jeanne noted there was not yet a new meeting scheduled as they were waiting to hear from Paul. She thought it might be short notice. viii. Eric (looking at being a model for energy efficiency but being financially wise). g. Kelly talked about Indo window inserts and eventually need to order them. h. Not sure if windows have survived the move as no one has been in the building at this time on its elevated platform. i. Kelly discussed that they were able to gather the glass globes from the lights prior to the move. 7. Thank you notes: a. Make a list of those we need to thank. b. Jasmine asked clarification on whom we were thanking as the list is very long. c. Lou and team (New England Movers), Tatro (foundation and monetary), Johnson Farm and Garden (road signs), Village (electrical work), Tom, GMP, Consolidated, VTEL, Comcast, volunteers, etc. Jeanne noted there is a full list that is a google document that includes the many, many people that contributed in various ways. d. Sabrina asked about FPF thank you for all the contributors and thank you cards for the very big hitters. Board agreed. e. Jeanne will share list of people that worked for everyone to review and see if anyone has been missed. 8. Unfinished Business a. Jasmine – Believed Adrienne had sent an email regarding the land. However board corrected that Tom had sent email that there are covenants on the land and that the trustees have to approve and use of the property. b. Jeanne – town is still the owners, Trustees just have a say in the use of the properties. Need clarification if building or property? Jasmine read email which clarified that it is the land and the building (whole property). c. Kelly asked about meeting for rail trail development, as the advertisement mentioned the library property as a part of the proposed plan. Eric asked if this was coming from the Reimagine Johnson Committee and Jasmine noted it was the “Rail Trail  Committee.” There is an ongoing Connection Scoping Study. “Downtown Johnson & Lamoille Valley Rail Trail” d. Still unsure of library space plans as part of this , but maybe signage, picnic table, etc. e. Eric asked about surrounding buyouts. Jeanne noted the yellow house behind the old location was bought out, but the apartment building was purchased after the flood and will remain as is. f. Jasmine – no rush on it, but just to consider that the board will need discuss use of land. g. Kelly – it is owned by the town, if sold by town, then likely the money went to the library project. Kelly felt that it needed to be for the purposes of something that could withstand flood. Eric noted that decisions being discussed may have an impact such as supermarket, potentially green space, etc. h. Jeanne – a decision that should wait until more is known. i. Eric is going to try to go to this meeting for the Rail Trail Development. j. Additionally, Kelly noted that Adrienne is having a meeting of all the boards to develop some type of communication between boards. May 28th, 5:30 pm. At Municipal Building. Problems with task forces, but not committees. Effort to work more consolidated. So many ideas come out of Reimagine Johnson this will hopefully be a way to start communication and moving forward. 9. Adjourn - 7:02 pm. Adjourn, Jasmine motioned, Suzanne seconded, all board members in favor. Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting, Wednesday June 11, 2025. 6:00 pm.