Board of Public Library Trustees

Draft of Minutes of Special Board of Trustees Meeting of November 15, 2018 Salem, Massachusetts November 15, 2018 A meeting of the Board of Trustees was held this date at 4:00pm at the Library with Trustees Merry, Salerno, Yale, and Mayor Driscoll present and presiding. Trustees Buckley and Schild were absent. Miss Mansfield was present. John Doherty and Rose Grant from Eastern Bank gave a presentation on the Trustees’ investments. Approval of draft minutes for meeting of September 20 and October 24, 2018 UNANIMOUS Current Library Use and Financial reports were distributed. Miss Mansfield reported that circulation had returned to third highest in NOBLE during September and October and second highest in Overdrive. Miss Mansfield noted that Overdrive began offering digital magazines in September which were very popular. A Holiday Gift for the staff was discussed. It was agreed that the tradition would end once the staff union contract was signed. Trustee Salerno made a motion to give all staff members a monetary gift at the same level as last year. This was seconded by Trustee Yale and it passed UNANIMOUSLY. Miss Mansfield reported that the funding gap for the HVAC and Rug Replacement project was closing. Mayor Driscoll reported that she planned to request $202,000 in capital funding for the HVAC project at the City Council meeting that evening. If approved, this new funding in combination with the original HVAC capital funding request, the remainder of the capital funding from the Structural Problem, the remainder of the capital funding from FY18 HVAC capital request, and the State funding earmark would meet the $816,700 needed to move forward. The Library will contribute additional State Aid funding as it arrives to help offset the capital funding. The Rug Replacement Project would also be able to move forward using a combination of capital funds and State Aid. A discussion of creating a spending plan for the Trust funds followed. Miss Mansfield reported that the Salem Athenaeum was interested in forming a partnership for a Children’s Literature Festival in September. The Library would host the event. The Trustees were amenable to the idea. Discussion followed about holding some of the events at the Bridge. Trustee Yale offered to contact them to see if they would be interested. Miss Mansfield reported that the pre-eligibility for CPA funding was coming up. The fountain was discussed. Trustee Yale made a motion to hire Greg Curci to re-evaluate the fountain. This was seconded by Trustee Salerno and it passed UNANIMOUSLY. Meeting adjourned 4:43pm.