Board of Library Trustees - Grafton Public Library - Regular Meeting

[music] [music] Um, all right. So, I call this meeting to order at 7 o'clock, top of the hour, right on time. That's right. So, welcome everyone to the I was going to say May, but it's only April on the April meeting and thanks for rescheduling it from last week. Um, I guess initially I we did a little bit of this last week, but this is Roger's officially last meeting instead of his penult penultimate meeting. Might be. Yep. So, unless we have some emergency meeting between now and the election. That's right.

Um, so I on behalf of the whole board, but especially me, just wanted to thank you for all your contributions on the board over the past couple years. Thank you. Um, you've been like a what's the right word? check like a textbook like a textbook encyclopedia sanity check um for lots of different things in the pain on other nights. Well, I think um my favorite thing that you have done is like just advocating so so well for accessibility and reminding us. So, I'm going to take that from your participation and try to advocate on on behalf of that as well.

Thank you. It's been a it's been a it's a been a wild ride, a great ride. library is an amazing place and uh and uh thank you uh Carrie for running for another three years. Yeah, I'm excited. Well, I mean like how could I we have like you are a fabulous new director and a fabulous new assistant and um you know things are in good shape and you're just excited to continue on hopefully. I mean, yeah. Yeah, not

I'll dovetail on on what Carrie said. Certainly um from a policy uh committee perspective. I probably, you know, your input in terms of like is this accessible for somebody reading it? You know, um I remember you mentioned things like um now I'm going to get it wrong, but I remember you said it um no Roman numerals, right? Right. because of the way that the um the readers um the audited readers handle those. But also I I wanted to thank you for um diving right in on your first term as the chair because we needed the chair and you said, "Okay, well here we go." That was great. Yeah. Thank you. Y thanks.

So we'll be uh excited to see your what you're going to do with some free time because probably gonna quickly go into some other grafting committee. I'm I'm currently chair of accessibility advisory commission. So that will be my focus. You can come back and visit us on behalf of them and say, "Hey, remember this?" Yeah. Yep. Help you get the the website all up and stretch out. Yep. Great. Yeah. Well, thank you. Thank you. All right. Are there any other Anybody else have any kind of broad comments? If not, anybody getting a weak uh Wi-Fi signal? Does anybody have the password for that? I've got three. Read it here. Got three bars or whatever. I've got it. I've got the one that says internal uh uppercase B.

Oh, I put my lower case R zero lowerase B. Oh, you know zero. You said it twice. Uppercase F dollar sign a little bit more. Not quite as easy as the municipal centers as long as you can remember the year, right? Thank you. Um okay. So um moving on to the agenda then we'll start with approving the minutes. The executive session minutes from July 2025 and October 2025. It says executive session draft minutes. Are these Yeah. In other words, they're they're ready for review.

Yeah, they're ready for I didn't want anyone getting confused if if they ran across them on online or in emails that they were the approved version. Yep. Does anybody have any um actually I guess we just open up to all all the meeting minutes. So guess you would need a motion now. Um I'll make a motion that we can review the meeting minutes in bulk for all five listed yet. Second. Motion made and seconded. Um any discussion? So I guess I have a question. When were those distributed the the remaining three? December 17th, February 25th. My children, are they not in this packet?

Well, I you know what? My my email has been kind of I feel a little temperamental, so I may not have received those, but it I didn't check my uh spam folders and things like that. I know the ones that I did, I had sent them out a while ago, but then we didn't send a reminder, but they're in the packet this time.

Oh, yeah. These are all They're all in the packet. Right. So, um I had a just one comment on when I emailed the uh the board this morning with these minute the minutes of [snorts] October 8th of 2025, the executive session. I had mentioned to the uh board that I would be speaking with town clerk today and I did speak with Henry Barry and she said that I I pose a question since she doesn't have us having uh submitted the the open session portion of that meeting. I asked whether the executive session could stand alone because it necessarily rose out of the main session and she said it could absolutely um exist of its own accord and that she would just follow up with us regarding the um the open session portion.

Yeah. Okay. Sounds good. If uh there's no discussion, the motion is just to accept them as a a group of five. Um all in favor I opposed. I declare the motion carried. Um so next I'll entertain a motion to accept all five meeting minutes. I'll take the motion to accept warrant number 40 and $7,843.7. No, no, no. Sorry. We're still on the executive session. I thought Oh, so that was a procedural motion, correct? That was a procedural motion. Now we have to um approve the five different meeting minutes. All right, I'll make a motion to approve all the meeting.

All right, motion made. Second and seconded by Prau. Um any discussion on any of the meeting minutes? So does that include the these um the Roger one? Yes, the executive session. So this is you but um you're vice chair, right? So we have you as vice chair in the some of the minutes and then you're listed as a fellow trustee in the executive session, right? Okay. So you know what I Okay. Um which All right. So it's just at the top October was was just a fellow

it says fellow on both but like when I'm looking I know like when I like when I did it I put vice chair and then the one I'm looking at now. Okay. because I can then uh I guess we could just by unanimous consent agree for me to make the the edit. So uh starting with the one on July 23rd um would I list Rachel as uh vice chair vice chair both of them and then same with the October

8. Okay. What I will do is um I will [snorts] make those edits and then um uh since I had uh drafted them is everyone on board for me simply uh sending these the final to the clerk tonight with the edits and then taking out draft minutes and then I'll just put um Yeah. Yep. Absolutely. Yep. Minutes. All right. Cool. Good catch. Thank you. Yes. Um any comments on December, February or March any minutes? All right. So hearing none um to approve the minutes with the two changes mentioned for the executive session minutes.

I sorry all those in favor I opposed. I declare the motion carried. I was waiting to be called on to have to vote. Yes. Thank you. Um okay so next up are the uh uh bills the warrants 40 41 42 43 and 44. I I and we have previously done a procedural motion that we can accept a motion in bulk. So uh Mr. Chair, I move that we approve um warrants uh 40 through 44. Shall I read them the number and the amount? Yes, please.

All right. Warrant number 40 in the amount of $7,843.77. Number 41 in the amount of $4,2721. Warrant number 42 for $9,538. Warrant number 43 in the amount of $9,917. in warrant number 44 in the amount of $2,42 even. Great. A motion made. Second. Seconded by um Aaron. Any questions on any of the warrants.

Uh and that assumes um that uh not only the amounts but uh from the sources listed in the uh the warrant. Yeah. In the meeting packet. Pardon? Yeah. Yeah. To me, they looked like all standard book ordering and there was nothing unusual in these. Yeah. I did have one question though. Um um seems like the the HVAC seems to be we're putting more money in. Do we anticipate that uh to to see th those amounts? Well, maybe I'm ahead of myself. Um but were there any HVAC in these? There was even though

there was one there was a failed inducer unit on the roof um that they noticed when they came and did some so all right kudos to the beekeeping program whatever that about was [laughter] from from the beekeeper bees. Yeah, it was well attended. That's awesome. [laughter] Great. Uh any other questions on the warts? All right, hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed? I declare the motion carried. Thank you. Um ongoing business. Uh first is an update of the um grapher capital campaign. That's me. Um not many updates. I guess the two is that we worked with Evergreen Environmental on the green roofs. Um Katrina helped out, did some research, and we decided to continue the annual maintenance, but at a slightly reduced instead of like six or eight visits uh a season, we reduced it to four. Um and that was based on the maturity of the uh of the roof itself. They thought four would be fine. It's the same company and everything. [snorts] You're talking Okay. You're talking about Yeah. When you say green roof, the one with the vegetation.

There's two green roofs. Yeah. There's the one above the community room and then one above the entry entrance vestibility. Oh yeah. Right. Right. Yeah. And they've been what? It's been what five years and they've been pretty good in matured plants and everything like that. So they didn't expect any any issues. If there [clears throat] were then we there just might be some additional costs since they have to replace plants. Have we stop um in those areas any uh leaking into the building from the one? I don't think we've had any reported leaks. Oh, good. Yeah. Yep. Awesome. [laughter] Yeah.

So, that's the first thing the capital campaign is funding. And then the second is just some minor um landscaping that um I'm blanking on the woman's name, the woman that does a lot of the help around the Christine. Christine, thank you. Um just a minor I think she got some um fertilizer and stuff for some of the plants, so it's pretty minor, but otherwise the capital campaign has been pretty quiet. Thank you. Yep. Any questions? All right. Um so then next up is a friends update by Carrie.

Yes. So um so the friends um this so this is one of the um upcoming weekends where the friends accept donations. So it's always the first Friday of the month and the following Saturday. Um so they're going to be accepting donations. Um but then they're doing a special little book sale. Um so it's actually going to be um Saturday, May 9th. So, um, so it's smaller than like the back to school book sale, but still, um, you know, should be a good chance to get some good deals on books and raise money for the library. So, um, so excited about that. And that's a good time of year. It's sort of like people are in this sort of yard sailing. Yeah. You know, mindset. So, they're looking for some good deals. Yeah.

Hope they scoop up the books. Yeah. Yeah. So, that's really um, so everybody's kind of gearing up, you know, for that, getting ready. So you don't need to. So that's pretty much the main thing. Um the next meeting is going to be Tuesday, May 12th, which I saw was listed on the on the bottom of the agenda. So thank you for giving up. Great. Any other questions for Carrie on the comments? No. Um then next would be the Grafton annual town election. Yeah.

So as we know that's May 19th. I'm not sure who put this on the agenda, but I can go through a quick update um from my perspective. Um so there's a number of important things. We don't have the um we don't have So it's really important that we all attend uh town meeting. Um it's very very important. So that is going to be um Monday May 11th. May 11th. Yeah, Monday May 11th. So we all and then we talked about all um sitting um it's traditional for for us to sit on the lefthand side with your facing the stage um in the in the auditorium together. I think I was a seat snob last year. I sat on the far right and I could look at I was like where's Trey?

Yeah, that's why we're giving you the giving me the eye. I was like all right I'll I'll sit on the left side. But the you know everyone on the board is [snorts] expected to attend certainly possible. I know they have child care options, right? That's run to the libraries. They do. Yeah, we're collaborating with the rec department to provide them child care. So, it's not at the library. The library is closing early. So, but supporting it. So, okay. Are we recording this session? Is this live? Yes. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Um the main camera's over here. You're you're right in the front row. That's right. No, I'm saying there's nothing on TV.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. No, they don't project the people. So, as far as Oh, I keep on I should know this, but do we have to post even though it's like it's technically a legislative post? We're not discussing library business like we're on the town post if there's like everybody's supposed to attend. We've never posted and generally the the board is not doing anything discussion and if there's any questions for the library typically the library director will respond. Yeah. Um so that's town meeting at May 11th. Um and then elections are May 19th. Um we have two open positions for the trustees.

Um so we have two seats with each of which are three-year terms and we currently have two people. Carrie thankfully has um drawn papers again. Y um and then we have Stacy Herbert. Stacy Herbert.

Y our former children's a member of the children's room. Um so Stacy is just a wonderful person. when she um she used to be on the board of the friends and then we were sad when she had to step down off of the board of the friends but happy that she got the [clears throat] position in the library. So now she's doing the other direction and I'm expecting that she's going to be well she had she's told me that she's you know interested in helping out with the friends more again. So we're very excited about that and she'll bring a great perspective to the board having like that um experience actually being a staff member in the library. [snorts] So, um, so you know, so we have so many different viewpoints and that's just another one that I've really really added.

Um, and then typically in um after the elections, we do a board, I guess reorg is what they call it, right? Reorg. Um, so if you're interested in um participating as the chair um or the vice chair um think about it now and we're about committee chair. Yep. Yep.

Um definitely think about it. If you have any questions for me or for Rachel about what we've been doing for the last year, we'd be happy to talk to you about it. Um any other questions or comments about the town election? Well, I guess with regards to chair and vice chair, do you have a preference of like whether you want to do it again? Um, like I'm probably I feel like I especially this year I have not had the time to commit to being the chair um because I've been really busy. So, I'm likely going to not want to be chair again. Okay. Well, thank thank you for the great you've done. It's very much appreciated.

Yeah. And you've done a great job two years in a row and you've been amazing. Yeah. Stepping right up. So, I I think there's someone here that's ready for prime time. [laughter] Well, I was going to say I don't know if I could like there's a lot going work. So, I I like I could do [snorts] chair, but I could probably like we would just have to figure it out and we can I think we have some time. So, and one of the things that we had mentioned uh in the past uh was that um that the the idea of although technically there's a chair and a vice chair that that it's almost like two like co-equals just working together to get the sure the you know all all the activities or coordinate all the activities that need to be done. So,

and that's certainly been true for the last year. I mean I have been splitting she's probably done more than my half in the last five or six months. It was good tag teaming and I think like that's ideal is like tag teaming because everyone gets busy so it's more about you having two people to text when you need something spaces wise valuable [laughter] and honestly the more and more you know with Aaron stepping up as the um the policy chair and probably has done a lot of recent work with the um

thank you strategic plan and you know you do the you guys do your stuff I mean that really helps out in general because it doesn't it it at least spreads out the work of the Yeah. And I know Chris, you're doing the walkabouts by yourself now. Normally that's two people. So I think as we think about like what else is needed like do we need a second like do you need a second person there would also be helpful as people start figuring out like we're moving in. Yep. Yep. Okay. Um on that note then the next ongoing business is an update of developing strategic road mapap pou. So he did send well you can go through it. He did send out that nice document. That was a nice

which at first I thought was just an outline and then I started looking through it. There's a lot more. That's great. So I was supposed to connect with um both of you and I I never had the chance. So this we still in April, right? Yeah. Okay. So I have traveled four weeks this month. So it's been pretty hectic. So that's part of the reason why when I got a chance to come in for the policy subcommittee meeting, I made it and then I scooted. Wow.

Uh I I think as um Doug pointed out um in he responded back to my message, this is just the beginning of what we need to do. There is a lot that needs to happen and I'm bringing in the stuff that we did and the planning board and other life situations. My idea was to at least look at what we already had from the prior years and then see if there are any specific gaps that we can look. So I added two more goals. Uh I proposed two more goals. I didn't add I proposed two more goals. Uh the next step is to form the long range planning committee or subcommittee whichever way we want to call it and then we need to um that is only to go drill deeper and debate and once we have alignment on here are the areas are these the right goals are where are there other goals that we need to focus on then we need to start soliciting feedback right one of them is going to be the uh the town um we did that in the planning boards there and we solicited okay is this the long range plan do we want for the town? Are these these um uh guidelines and uh zoning guidelines and other things that we want to propose? So, we need to first publish that, educate the public, the citizens of the town, bring them in, solicit feedback. I proposed one meeting. I I'm not too sure one meeting is enough. I think we'll have two placeholders. If there are people interested, they cannot make it for the first meeting. We can get to the second meeting and then once we get to that, we come back and talk through it. So I have proposed of the list of milestones that I I think that resonated with many of you who responded back saying that a milestone gives a structure as to how we are getting to. Right now what I'm doing is the email that I copy pasted didn't give a very tabular fashion. I'd like to see structure. So I'm putting that in a table. There's a word document. I can send the same email message in a table. You can see a GAN chart out there. Um

and then we will track it uh as part of the regular monthly meetings. And that's that was the agenda for today, but nothing more unless otherwise if you any of you have any specific questions. Yeah. Well, I know Katrina, you'd also been doing some research on it. So, I guess from your perspective, like how does this kind of align to your expectation? Were there other resources you were looking to pull in? Like,

yeah. So, um I know that the Massachusetts library system provides um folks who will come out and do um community forum like um workshops with the community so we can schedule that with them. Um, one idea that I had immediately in terms of the timeline was I I would love if we could stretch it out a little um so that we're hitting the school kids and the school community while they're in session and getting the feedback from them because I really think that that's an invaluable um group of people to to touch on.

Um so, but there's like we can definitely talk about all the the nitty-gritty as we some more tweaking, but nothing that you were like this was my vision. is the target like is the I know December is the target completion date is that's that's hard I would very much like to adhere to that if at all possible. I think probably was exactly right on that because that's um it's due by usually mid December. It's like December 15th is when um if you want to be able to be eligible for LSTA grants for the next um round you have to have it in by by that date. So we should probably aim for end of November then like before Thanksgiving. Yeah. Yeah.

And I think in general it's a it's a pretty aggressive timeline, right? Um it might sound like it's a long time, but it's going to get come by quickly. So certainly going to need a lot of support and I think it's an opportunity to bring in other community members, right? We can bring in somebody else to join that that group. Yes. So is it a group or a committee? Is it a forum? Is it a round table? it as far as the group of folks that go through the various sessions and if we bring in someone Mhm. then how is it is this something that the trustees would appoint or is like how is it formed? What what what how formal is the makeup of this?

Good question. Because I think that is it if it's and I this is the whole the whole umbrella of the open meeting law as far as if there's if there's a certain task where like you have jurisdiction to you as director to appoint a whole bunch of uh you know people to various things is it's less formal than if the trustees are vetting out candidates

for a committee. and saying, "All right, we want so many people. We define how many people and we vet out who that is." Then if it's really like a sort of ad hoc committee or a subcommittee, we'd have to post those meetings. And so, can we do a working group since like the outcome of this is the meeting minutes? Like I don't know if it matters specifically what's discussed because our strategic plan will be public, right? I know in the past we have not public posted the agendas for all of these individual meetings. I've not been part of that process if you were Yeah, I don't remember posting it because it was it would be a minority of the trustees typically

because we don't want to over representation of the board like we really want to hear from the community. So there was only like a few representatives and then I had another question um for the um from MLS is that something that we would have to pay for them to come onto the street. So that's wonderful. our packs money in and I and I would say that um in my experience in previous libraries when you um develop a strategic planning committee group there's maybe one maybe two trustees but the bulk of the group is um it's it's dispersed from you know community members from different from a business and from the school side and from

um you know what the senior center and so there's like a wide representation on the um the committee itself and then each person in that committee is responsible for um a different part of so there would be a couple people working on the survey and there would be a couple people working to um facilitate the focus groups and working with MLS there and then there'd be a couple of people working on like the draft outline of the plan itself and then we would all come together and and was the the kind of the project lead on that the director. Mhm. Yeah. Typically, I think that's the way we've done it in the past with Beth was director,

right? So, it's not really by appointment per se. I think it's more of like a volunteer working group. No, no. All right. I just wanted to and I'll be I'll my last meeting, so you won't hear from me again on this. Well, it seems like he wants to be part of that. I think you want to be on the committee. [laughter] I know I spoke too early. I I would I would I would just uh recommend touching base with the town clerk as to however it's decided the makeup of this group is whether it doesn't technically fall under a the requirements of a committee. Y and that's just my word of advice. That's all we can follow up on that. Yeah.

And so I guess from a board perspective if you're interested in being on this working group um it sounds like Pu is on the working group. Oh, and I offered to join too, unless someone else. Yeah, I put your name on the narc. I know, but now I feel like if there's only two of us, I should like if someone else feels like a burning passion, I should be I don't think it prevents, you know, a few of us, you right, if there's the open committee, open forum, you know, we can attend just as part of the community. We'll see. Yeah, that might be that line that you're talking about, right?

Yeah. Too many trustees. I think you bring a fresh perspective to it because you know I've been involved with the library for a long time so I know how things have traditionally been done but I think I think it would be good to have you on it. Okay. And then I think we'll bring stuff back so it won't be [clears throat] done in a vacuum. So I I try to help me out here. So I was thinking when we have like we have the policy subcommittee reports back to the uh trustees and say that okay these are the things that we are working on but policy subcommittee also does the real work of doing it and stuff here if we split that

do we also think about having a subcommittee for the long range planning because it's almost a project for the next 6 8 n months right and then every month there is going to be an update stop either do we have a subcommittee or and then have the the subcommittee is part of the larger long range planning committee which is dispersed participants or option B is you as the owner eventually do you report back here and we don't necessarily need to have a subcommittee I think so I think that would simplify things I mean if only that we didn't have to worry about posting minutes

yeah [laughter] yeah I think like you said earlier I mean um the director would be the project manager so to speak right so I that would be a perfect responsibility for that person. Yeah, I agree. Great. Almost gathered. So, any other feedback? What is the next step on on the document and the plan? Awesome job. Thank you for taking the lead and charging forward. Really, I was so pleasantly surprised when I got that email like, oh my gosh, this is great. This was a conversation I was supposed to have. This is [laughter] I was like, what is this? [laughter] your tax money at work. Yeah.

Up and down the flight. Okay, let's do [laughter] this. Oh my gosh. Yeah. And obviously the first order of business is trying to get other volunteers to join the group, right? Community members and you know, maybe solicit the friends organization, the patrons that are coming in and out. Yep. I already have some some people in mind to ask your chat to

Yeah. The only question I have and maybe you already addressed this and I had tuned out but uh was it intentionally to do a 10-year plan? I I went by planning board experience 20 year plan five years seems to be too short 20 years seems to be too long that you're defining a long-term strategic plan for two generations and I said okay 10 years seems to be a happy medium ground and that's that's I was thinking it was six years with NLC but I don't know if NBLC all of the ones that I've ever seen have been five years for a library but

so the Only reason why I would question that and I would say advocate for five years versus 10 years is that so much can change around the library community in five years, right? And so when we're in year six or seven, it probably won't make sense for the library anymore. I think especially since the first five years is the new right in the new facility and and then just technology changes like you said library evolves over five years. So I I would agree. So the my my other thought that was you still have the option after four years 5 years to revise it. So it's it's not Yeah. But but we're creatures of habit and we'll see a 10 year on there like okay we got another couple of years left it say that it has to be

for us though because like I do like the coverage aspect. Yes. It it will cover [snorts] us and then if things do dramatically change we can say okay we really don't need to do another one but we could apply for grants in the meantime. Yeah. So we have a placeholder every September I think by guideline that's what I figured found out that by guideline every September the board needs to review that and sign that are we still adhering to this plan and then we can have a major revision we can insert a line in the plan and say that in the milestones once in 5 years or once in four and a half years this has to be picked up revise it and then show some material uh inputs towards that. So that way it solves for what you're saying and provides the coverage also if we need to.

And I'll check I'll double check with the BLC too just to make sure that we're not Yeah. like breaking any rules. Yeah, please. Um and and was this a typo that 2025 or um did library administration put out a call to Grafton residents to volunteer or is that should that be 2026? 26. Yeah. I don't think I I don't know. I mean maybe I wasn't here. [laughter] I don't think we did cuz we like we were trying to find Yes, we were trying to find Yeah, that that too. But we're also trying to hire um uh strategic planning. Yeah. Okay, great. Exciting.

Um so the question on the table was what are the next steps? Right. I would say form the strategic committee and have an initial meeting. Okay. To outline the work that needs to be done and that'll be primarily you with the help of any help you need from Rachel and probably. Excellent. Then I would say uh ask your friends and neighbors. Yeah. Well, and I think that first maybe figure out like [snorts] the types of people we need. We can I think that's a great idea because I'm thinking of the religious communities as well. Yeah. You're representing it also. [snorts] Yeah. Yeah.

Um Okay. So, do you do you need a we need a vote to start that that work? I mean, we're not forming a subcommittee. Yeah. I don't think we need a vote. Okay. On anything. We appointed the lead. Yeah. The project manager. Thank you for your services. [laughter] This is good. I think this is good. And then uh we are going you're going to solicit and probably have a formal communication or update for the next meeting to say here's a frame of reference here is the team or here is the committee you'll validate should it be called committee working group volunteer group one of those things

and you you have the previous plan you can use as a reference because I'm sure people will have get a better idea of what it is once they actually review the current the previous one and I think just confirm with the town administration about meeting minutes and if stuff's needed on that. Yep. I I've got a note about that too but cool. Great. Um it's it's definitely an exciting process. Yeah.

Uh all right. No other questions on that then we will move on to policy update by Aaron. Um, so the policy subcommittee met on um, April Fool's Day for reals. Really reals. It was pretty cool because the librarians wearing googly eyes and [laughter] googly eyes like you couldn't see their eyes. You got to take those off for the meeting. [laughter] So Trina had them on the head.

Yeah. Um, so it was uh, it was a productive meeting. We we looked at the um, the meeting room policy. Um and you know there's we're we're not ready to even present something to to the board yet, but certainly we talked about um you know that library librarians had um uh reasonable right to make changes based on time, place and other issues which limit the reasonable function of the library. So like if somebody has a meeting that's just not um working well in allowing the library to operate in its normal manner um they'll make reasonable accommodations to time and place. So we're not kicking out rockus groups. I mean certainly if there's they're violating you know the um conduct code of conduct then that's another thing. But if they're just too big for a space we'll say oh can we relocate you here or we're having a children's program right here. So, we wanted to make sure that was written into the policy because um we didn't want the libraries to feel like their hands were tied um and that they had the policy to fall back on.

Um you know, we we looked at the use of the community room um um because we talked about individual use of the community room um and that there really wasn't um you can't just rent the community room for yourself. was kind of what the policies stated. And so then we talked about what about the context of the uh using the piano, right? Um because that's that's an amenity that is really a single use thing unless you're having a program, right? But if somebody wanted to practice, that could be a use of it. So really, we felt that that falls under the piano policy and that it's at the library director's discretion for someone to to use that room in single-use capacity. Um so again just workshopping some of the the policy. Um.

Mhm. But um so Aaron would in that case would you see like if how that would play out if someone said it's like had rented the space a month from now for a day just to practice the piano alone. there was no concert or anything that then there became like

a need for like a large group to have a space that maybe they would look to then move that like is that how you see the policies interacting and like complementing each other that the that the piano policy says yes you can the facility policy says the library has the right to make adjustments if needed to better ac accommodate the community as a whole and that that's the expectation of interaction. No, I don't think it was about the library has the right to kind of just go in and bump based on, you know, um, oh, this group needs the room instead, so we're going to bump you kind of stuff. Um, I mean, certainly we we can do that, but I think it's written, and I don't have it in front of me, but I think it's written that really the only groups that can do that is the town. um if there's a need for the municipality to to use those spaces, but generally like if if I booked it for piano practice and it's certainly within my right to do so and I met the rights of the policy and another group wants to come on that day.

Sorry. Yeah. But I'm sure there'd be discussions and people, you know, I say, "Yep, I'll do my practice an hour hour from now or something." Do you know what I mean? So, um, but again, we're writing policy, so it needs to not be so ironclad, but it needs to definitely be something that the director and and the staff can fall back on. Thank you. That's helpful clarification on how you see them interacting. [snorts] Yeah, sure. Um, and then we talked about Doug's favorite policy, the facility rental policy. [laughter] Yeah. Um, so, uh, Katrina, you did a rewrite of that one. Um would you mind just giving us the highlights if you happen to have them? Oh,

I have a few notes here. Um we just you know again we were just workshopping it. So we updated the purpose to be less of an introduction to the policy. Uh we discussed um the full use of the library as rather than just limiting it to community rooms A and B, right? because we often get requests um to use the the um historic reading room and that's not really a room that we um we uh allow groups to use. Um yeah, that's a nice really nice room to have a function then.

Yep. Um and then we really just discussed how to access the community room after hours. Um uh we're still trying to figure it out, you know, because it it really comes down to not getting into the building. it's the alarm and and how that alarm can be um you know either shut off and turned back on by staff or community members like us who are responsible for the library or single-use codes kind of thing. So, I was at um the Wheatley Library up near just north North Northampton for um a function um was wilderness first aid training. And I bring that up because I thought this was a really unique um use of the libraries

meeting space. And so, um they allowed us to use their uh the basement on Saturday while the library is open and then um on Sunday when the library is closed. and um the library director had left the person who was running the meeting with alarm code and and they just propped the door open and then after we were done they would shut the door right so this is how they they did this and I said okay so I asked you know the person who was running the meeting I said you know do you do this often he's like no this first time at a library

and frankly I'm uncomfortable having the alarm code because unless it's a single-use code. Um, I leave, something happens at the library, they don't know who, you know, he was the last one to hold the key in the code. So, that's something that's really going to tie us up for this policy. Um, so I' I'd love, not in this capacity, but I'd love some thoughts and maybe we need to talk to the alarm company,

you know, I don't know if we've done that yet. Um, but I know that um I work uh at a bank and I have my own code and other people have their own codes and uh I think there can be single-use codes programmed and I don't know how complex that might be but I think that's the only way we're going to be able to do it or and I think um that we this is probably doable is we have some um upstanding community members who um just they're they're always about town, you know, friends of the library, trustees, uh where if we have a function at the library in the weekend, okay, who's going to be around for it? Almost kind of like the sign up we were doing to sign bills.

Yeah. You know, um Yep. I'll be around that weekend. I don't mind showing up and turning off the alarm or turning it on again. I think um we might even want to think about having individualized codes just in general because if you think about it, like, you know, everybody has the same code. You don't like you don't know like who the last person is that entered it other than looking at like the the video surveillance. So maybe that makes sense. Well, they they have the badge. They have the badges too. Yeah. Um it is possible. Yeah. And I had American Alarm come in and show me how to do all of that so I can program. Yes. When it comes to swing. So go ahead.

Oh, I just had a question. When we had the library built, I'm assuming there was probably another library we based our design off of with the community rooms and stuff or like like is there a similar library that has a similar setup and how are they managing it? Like I just can't imagine it's I mean the architect he has designed libraries and other municipal buildings across New England and so they built that in the design and so that's why the community room has its own doors in that whole first floor. You know the children's rooms locked off like all the rooms are individually locked off. Know which other libraries ours looks like. So we couldn't like call them and see.

And there's no other library looks like our like our library was designed like for ours. I guess something like that community space or like maybe they work shberry is a good model sister library for us because they have a really nice community room with a small kitchen where we have that um MLTA meetings um but I don't know that they actually have Sunday hours which the um some wealthy patrons in Shbury pay to keep the library fun on Sundays. Any wealthy patrons? We would love that. Yes. So, so is that for the after hours events then that's the main I guess the key question is is the alarm code and if we can do single use codes.

Yeah. I mean getting in and out of the building um a badge I think would be appropriate. We don't have to get physical keys. Yeah. Um the other thing that we talked about is um you know the risk to somebody jumping over the temporary the temp well not temporary gate but the small gate right. Yeah. Um, and I think that's a risk, right? People being in the library. Even if there wasn't a gate there, somebody could do something illegal, right? There's all kinds of things you can do illegal, you know, like um plug up the bathrooms like they did. They put a whole bunch of things that shouldn't go in the toilet. Uh this was a few years ago. Um

you know, some vandalism, things like that. So, um I personally, it's my own opinion. I'm not terribly concerned for um allowing named people to rent the room um after hours knowing that the gate is closed and your expectation is you don't go over it. It' be pretty a I mean, and if it does happen, we'll we'll deal with it when it comes, but that shouldn't be a reason to not do this. Yeah. Because the potential for that. So, um, that was a kind of where we hung got hung up a little bit, but I'm glad there's some action items that we can potentially pursue with the alarm.

So, so we're close. And the last thing um very smart um item that came from the librarians um about the teen room um uh the the policy says uh teens 13 and up. Um but really it should just say seventh grade and up. Yeah. Yeah, I agree. because you don't like you kids in a in a grade eight you range. I was like one of the youngest in my grade and like it you don't want to split up the the you know the grade. So they have to turn kids away because they're 12 and they come in as seventh graders after school after walking. So seventh grade includes 12 12 and 13 year olds.

Yeah. Or 11 year olds I guess it could be but you know it's more about a maturity level. Yeah. So, uh, we haven't quite made that change, but I'm guessing that one will come through the works pretty quick because it's just a minor change to the team policy. So, that great. Any questions coming? I guess a question for Kina. Have we had any new um requests for the community room by outside people either during hours or extra hours? We uh outside hours. Yeah, we have. Well, actually, well, so there was somebody who wanted to use it for their kiddos's birthday party um during library business hours. So,

okay. I was just curious since there's been a lot of people requesting. Sorry, I gave you the floor earlier and then I took it away. Oh, no. [laughter] You you go right ahead cuz I was like, I don't have this ready. Oh, that's right. I didn't know how good my notes were, but I guess they were better than I thought. [laughter] I appreciate you with the [snorts] facility with the that community room in the kitchen. I remember that I don't think we know how to use the stove and oven. We figured out how to use the stove. It is still not working. Um I tried I I looked up the manual for the stove and operated it according to the manual and I'm not sure that there is actually gas coming into the the the unit. So, I need to [laughter] Can you shoot?

Another mystery to to figure out. I don't know. So, um yeah, I thought one of the fire um inspections found a valve that was not working right on that stove and that was replaced. That was one of the thing charges we incurred. Oh, I don't know. Um we did just have our final inspection on Monday. I've not received an update from so maybe this was last year's. I'll look I'll look back on that. Yeah. I honestly don't remember. I don't know if we've heard anyone turning it on. I mean, I've never seen anybody use it. Yeah. Okay. The fridge works, right? The fridge works.

Mhm. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Everything else The hood works great. It's very loud. Um just not the stove. Yeah, when we did um the party for the capital campaign like the to thank the donors um because the the conference room maybe were closed, they didn't really use that kitchen. They kind of you used things upstairs. Yeah. They didn't do any cooking on site. Yeah. Yeah. Or even if you're bringing food that's like pre-warmed off and you'll put in the oven at 200 for a little to keep it. So,

okay. And our next meeting is next week. So, Great feedback. Please send it my way. Thank you for that update. Any questions related to the policies? Okay. What? You don't have any questions? You still don't have any questions? Um, not that many. Yeah. And I guess the same thing I said earlier about um kind of May is the time we reorg if if you know you're interested in either moving off the policy committee or someone else wants to move on, you know, bring that to our attention. Okay.

Because it's an opportunity for us to to mix up a little bit. I think you're doing a great job though. Yeah, definitely. All right. Um onwards to new business. Katrina closing early for town meetings. Yeah. So, I wanted to ask the board if they uh would be willing to consider closing the library early on May 11th um potentially at 6:30. We have um four staff that are affected that evening that would not be able to go and attend in the vote. Um we only have three staff left in the building, so there's not enough um there's not like the minimum level there. And of course, we're hoping that everybody will just be at town meeting.

Well, that's the thing. you really want to like I mean even like somebody might forget that there's town meeting and if they turn up the library and say hey oh it's town meeting oh I need to go over like that I think would help support you know attendance. Yeah I agree. I and I that's how we also advertise it like we're closing so that community members can go attend. Yeah. And members of our staff that are are you know registered voters in Craftton. Y

um I guess we probably need a vote. I make a motion that the library close early on Monday, May 11th at 6:30 to allow um uh Grafton registered voters who are staff members of the staff to attend the meeting and also to encourage members of the community to um registered voters to to uh attend town. Second motion made and seconded. Uh, any discussion? Did you need to be about 6:30? I know you said you weren't set on the time, so do you need a little flexibility? 6:30 is fine. I think that works really well. That should give plenty of time to get

plenty of time to get over there because it starts at 7. So, okay. Um, hearing no other convers or discussion. All those in favor? Opposed? Claim that motion carried. Uh, walkabout. Chris, yes. you had a chance to do it this

I did um saw Trina and walked was just prior to meeting um spent most of my time outside um I would say that there are you know as there often is a handful of things that in the gardens tree stakes um and a couple split rails that have kind of fallen down over the course of the winter excuse me um but those may be things that in matter of course once things are warm that those would normally get picked up. Um, some of the garden signs, the one for Rose's garden right by the parking lot, probably could use a scrub or pressure wash as is the case with a couple others of those kind of like bronze or brass plaques that are there.

Um, on the, uh, interior, um, things actually look really good. Um, it does sound like we still getting water in the team room on occasion. Um, but gutters will hopefully fix that eventually. Um there was one gutter repair on the backside by the amphitheater um one of the downspouts. Um but that likely will get fixed at the same time. Um and then also noted that [snorts] there was still uh that back office the team room is still has temperature issues. um they've done quite a bit in terms of uh cellophane over windows and and done a number of other pieces, but it sounds like it continues to be a problem both depth of the summer and depth of the winter. So, I don't know if we want to, you know, what type of additional remedy you would want to do for that, but maybe there's like a a mini split for a single room, something really small that way that can be done, a window unit. I'm not sure what the right piece is.

And this you're talking about the teen's office. The team's office. So, like from the the teen desk kind of back to the right next to the like 3D printing room. So, she's having they're having problems with being too warm. It sounds like in the summer I I had asked I said, "How was the winter?" She said, "Well, it was maybe better than it was at the worst, but it it still was pretty chilly." Y um and I said, "Does that mean it's it's a little bit better in the summer?" And she said, "No, it actually gets hot in the summer as well."

So, um you know, that may be something that we want to that we want to address. So I guess like has not like I has Ron given a recommendation on it because I know we've talked about it a lot but I mean we're none of us are experts on HVAC although like you probably feel like you're getting [laughter]

no I feel like I am also over my head there. Um the last so where we left off was Tracy Shy of the building inspector um Ilk was helping me find um another like vendor to get a second opinion. Um I forget the company that she brought in to walk around, but it was going to be like $150,000 to recondition the HVAC system and fix everything. Um, we were going to chat with Evan about that and I think that sort of got lost in a shuffle of

But that 150 would include the remediation for the um the teen librarian's office or unclear um unclear. So we haven't made any progress on any of it basically. Um, you know, I think both Tracy and I are sort of scratching our heads about Renade because every time they fix something, it's never permanently fixed, you know. So, I feel like we just keep putting Yeah. pouring money into their cars um to no avail.

Do we know like the total we've paid them over the last two two years? No. But this past year, it's been a little over $50,000. I'm just trying to get a sense of like how [clears throat] outside that 150 is like if that's if that's been here over the six months then like Yeah. Yeah. I mean the you said commissioning. I mean if if it's commissioning then they go through that's just like an assessment of everything. It I don't know if that covers any potential changes fixes. Yeah. But it sounds like for the teen office, we should just get a second opinion on that one space. We could

just to see if a mini split or just a duckless system type thing. We can go in there. Yeah. Do you want me to reach out to Renard and see if they would come and take a look at it? Either Renard or that second company. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

I I would I would um ask their comment in two ways. Number one, are we now do we have in one place a sort of a history or binder of all these sort of like as far as the service history? Is that something they could print out or have we maintained it? Um just so we know what has been done and you know hasn't. I have a log of um everything pertaining to what Renat has done around the historical reading rooms

um and the heating issues there. But they obviously do a lot more work throughout the entire library. So I can compile all of them and keep it in one place. But it's like in terms of everything that they've done. It probably would be good to try to get all that into one. I know I know William was also looking at that as well and Ron Renard I think that was last some I don't know if that was with you or not but they did give us a like a four four or five page summary of all the work that was done to that to date like all the major effort I think that was last August or September uh when Jean was so we do have that and I would have that if you don't have a copy of it I'll see if I can put

Yep and it's my understanding and I I think through all our discussions of recent years about how the it appears that the vendor the various contractors didn't coordinate their efforts. So there's all sorts of turns and twists and things that we wouldn't normally expect to see as ideal for air flow and things like that like 90° angles and this is intersecting this and and and such and I think there were some design kind of questions. Yeah. that that it would lend one to think that there's certain things that couldn't be retrofitted that that we'd perpetually be running into problems.

My recollection though [snorts] from that Rena meeting was that this is not unusual with these large commercial HVAC systems. And that's what I was going to ask. is like you'd be surprised that you know these systems are not necessarily that not that they're unreliable but they do have various failures the big systems. So, um, and but and you still have the floor. I just wanted to mention, but you know, just to play devil's advocate, too, right? Um, yeah. I mean, 50,000 is a big number.

Are we throwing money at something just to get where we want it? I'm just trying to think like, is it so unbearable that we need to continue to throw money at something? And we're thinking about like the teens office, but you know, clearly the larger spaces as well. Um, you know, we but we want every space to be a comfortable working environment for patrons and staff. Um, but I guess none of us have sat there and had to work an 8 hour day, right? So really we need this, [snorts] you know, you and the staff to really scrutinize this. It's like, hey, do we need to continue to engage the trustees to make this right because it's going to cost money, right? Or is there a remediation where that we could like Doug had some great ideas. Maybe there's a mini split or something that could do heating and cooling or something.

Yeah, duckless. Right. And and I think I think what also comes up is, you know, the CBA and and working conditions and and what are what are the ranges of of reasonleness, you know, is is one room going down to 55 or 53 during the winter or or whatever time of year and then up to 80 and and there are OSHA requirements. Okay. So it falls Okay. So that's part of the CVA though, right? I think that's I think that's spelled out at the CVA. I think I think so. I remember saying that. I don't know that there [clears throat] are numbers in there. There are not numbers um in the CBA in terms of temperature like specific temperatures that the room but it does say that the the space has to be comfortable.

What's the CBA? The collective bargain. Um yeah. Yeah. So because my impression is that it's actually been pretty good. If ignoring the teen room, the rest of the library, the big spaces have been okay for the last couple months. Although we are in a shoulder season, right? We're in a season where we're not either way. This the last couple of months they've been fine, but it was regularly down to 61° in the historical reading room. So, people were using the space with their winter jackets and pants and like it was very it was very chilly in there. Very.

So, you certainly want to fix that. Yeah. that it's, you know, we could throw $150,000 for this other company and, you know, who's to say that it won't be [snorts] cold again in the winter, the same space. I think to Doug's point, it may be that if this is a not uncommon issue, may I mean maybe we're at the higher end of normal, but you know, maybe our expectations as homeowners, I mean, we'd all vocate, you know, continual 20 or $50,000 bills every year, managing our heating, but it may be that that's the course of doing business with a modern HVAC system. I don't know. You know, we obviously rely a lot on the town administrator's office to help us out on that. So, um I I think my action item would only be to try to assess what can be done with that one room to improve that.

Agree with that. Um because that doesn't have that doesn't have a return. So, in my mind, you can't really blow air in if there's nowhere for the air to go out. So, I think that's one of the big problems with [snorts] that room. It's a very undersized vent at the end. It's an undersized. It's like this little end of the duct. So, it's Yeah. But, but the historic reading room, I mean, the patrons, you know, are using that, too. Like I definitely think we need to address the teen room, but I think the historic room [clears throat] has been an issue and it's going to get hot in there in the summer, especially if we have like a hot a hot summer. Yep. Okay. So, I'm sure Okay. Well, given that it'll be warmer in the next month, we'll see how it goes for our next meeting. Okay. Okay. Uh Chris,

that was it. That was the last That was the That was the last item. So, was very very smart to leave that one for Well done. Thank you again. And again, if you want help or want to hand it off to someone else, let us know. Okay. Can I ask a question? So, um the um the granite like kind of the chips of granite, has that been um I last time I was there, I did not the chips of granite. So, it looks like um when the plows came like in the parking lot, there are some um pieces of the granite that you know that kind of got knocked off.

Yeah. And at that point, it's an eyes sore um because the chips are in the parking spots. So, a it needs to be swept up and b like I don't know that we can really repair it, you know, without spending a lot of money to repair it. Maybe he's just But if it's a cleaning issue, I assume you would just contact DBW and ask them or or if if it's small enough, the custodian can go out and take care of it. Yeah, I've been working. I just feel like it's a puzzle though. Like you're going to lose all the puzzle pieces, especially. No, they're not. My son would do it if it's [laughter] projects. I mean, are they this big or they like this big? They're like They're not that. Yeah, they're little chips. Okay. But many of them.

Yeah. I know that the street sweepers are going along too, so it could be that they're going to give on the schedule, but yeah. Okay. Um, so onwards to the director's report. Um, so obviously I'm sure everybody had a chance to read through it. Um, I'm I will welcome questions if you have them. I do want to point out that our numbers between March 2025 and March 2026 have increased a lot. across the board. Fantastic. Um, so we're pretty pleased with that and we're also incredibly busy at the library.

Um, I do have an update on the EV chargers replacement project. I just spoke with William today about it. Yeah. Um, so I know we'd all sort of been scratching our heads about Nick's um, presentation last month and I think that we decided that we're not going to go with them and we felt a little nervous about it and it felt like we were going to be locking in and we weren't really sure. Yeah, I think he was misrepresenting himself and the contract. Um, at least I think that was the sense that we all got.

Okay. So, um William did say that they um and he connected me with already the um company that the town works with for the EV chargers. So, they're going to give us a proposal to replace the units. Um I think the the consensus might be that the um grant money is all dried up. So, it might just be that we need to spend the $4,000 just to repair what we've got, but um Oh, obviously that information. So, you're talking about the lead? Yeah, I think we talked about the leads. You're talking about the leads money, correct?

No, it wasn't less money. The the proposal, the guy who did the proposal said, "Oh, there's grant money." But [clears throat] it really probably wasn't. [snorts] left. I guess we probably Yeah, it's a it's like a green communities um conservation funding or so I forget exactly the the name of it, but it's a statewide grant that um municipalities can apply for it to um do this kind of project. Yeah. So, but I don't know that we have access to that anymore. So, Oh, sorry. Um, so they're happy with the EV provider that servicing the rest of the town. Okay. Yeah. William said that they've been wonderful to work with, very responsive. They've been using the ball.

Well, and that's also true like we want standardization. So like this is the thing like anything like that where the town has expertise and has taken the time to find and build a relationship with a vendor, we want to leverage that and has a successful relationship. Exactly. Exactly. You talk about the money it would cost that we would pay the new vendor to fix it that hopefully the one the town's using, not the existing one, right? And move our contract over at the same point in theory. Okay, great.

Um, so I will obviously update you in May. They have more information. Fire inspection went well on Monday. Um, I don't have the um the feedback from that yet, but I think we passed. So, all's good. shut us down. [laughter] Um, I did hear back from Barnard Roofing. They have all the paperwork that they need. So, we're going to be scheduling that out. Hopefully, I'll have a date um and or it will be done at the next meeting. And same for um Smith Solutions. They now have all the paperwork that they need and we're just waiting back for um scheduling. Great. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Thank you.

Um, I have a couple questions, but does anyone else have questions? I don't know why I can't find your update. It's at the end. 78. Yes. Yeah. Um, you mentioned the I don't have page 78. I have 61. Oh, I get the wrong document. I open the Was it the amended one? This one? Yeah, the amended one. Feel free to take just realized I'm the only one without a laptop. I know. They're total old school. I got both. I'm just total old school. Piles of paper and a pen. I definitely don't see any trees around your house. [laughter] Don't you notice my uh I have my electronic notebook is just a picture of my paper.

As chair, I can't do both at the same time. Um so one of the questions you mentioned the um the staff the union contract is under negotiations. So what's the target date for that? Like what's the renewal date for that? Uh well I think technically it expires the end of June. Okay. Um so Yep. But take as long as it it should another one will be renewed in time for June and we hope so. Yeah. So, you're not part of the negotiations. It's like the like Evan and William are I am at the negotiating table, but I am not the bargaining member since Evan and William and some represent the town. So,

and then my second question was around the overtime. Looks like a little bit of overexpendures. Um, completely understand the explanation and the reasoning for it. Um I know in the and maybe it's different but in the past the board has funded um like the bibliotemps um in the past to try to account for some of that. I don't know if that is an option for these overtime because this almost sounds like someone's sick and you need someone to come in that day or that morning and that might not work for biblios.

Yeah, that's exactly what this is. And I think so I think that my predecessors were operating under the assumption that there was um some kind of sub line item that we could draw from and there is not.

So every time we are calling in somebody to cover for as an illness or a vacation um we don't have any line item budgeted out for that. Um, unfortunately I didn't realize that until recently, but um, as folks were coming to me, they were saying, "Well, Tom approved this and Gene approved this." So like I just figured that that was the standard of behavior and the and the response and um, so we sort of had to pivot a little bit.

So I guess where would we get the funding to cover it in the past? Um, and I guess are you proposing a place to get funding or

uh, it's not necessarily a proposal yet only because I don't know um, how much it's going to be in the end. I do think that we've buckled down a lot since I since this came to my attention. So, we've been doing a lot better with um, managing with the staff that we have. like there's there's five staff over at the m municipal center right now because there's illnesses and we just were shuffling people around to make sure that the the floors are covered. Um and with the 18-hour position being vacant um and it's going to take a little bit of time to um

to hire that position, we're hoping to make some of that money as well. But like even like I mean everybody should be taking their vacation. So like you know so I guess that's something that we need to like next year for budgeting we need to make sure that we budget cover that or is it just how do you schedule it? Like do you schedule it in a way that that it balances out online?

Yeah. Well, so I think that um there's an expectation there has been an expectation among the staff that if folks are out that person will be replaced one to one. Um in my previous experience in my other libraries that's not the case. people go on vacation or they get sick and the people who are there fill in unless there's, you know, a we're down to the bare minimum of folks and we absolutely need somebody to come and to cover and open the library. Um so I think there's just a little bit of a a shift but needs a culture shift that needs

and and so along that line um [clears throat] minimum staffing policy, right? that was one we decided to take down and we're leaving that to the director's discretion. So, a lot of it might have just been the expectation of that policy and the previous director's leadership on that, you know, well known staffing of onetoone staff. So, um again, it's really left up to your discretion. Um but I'm glad that you are certainly scrutinizing, you know, something that is a risk to the budget. But I do want to say um because if the projected is 32,000, right? Um hopefully we'll get to that, right? It's kind of what you're um telling us. But if you need us to fund um you current expenditures leading up to, you know, the next couple of months, I think we could probably do that, right? Because it's already over 9,000 and where does that money come from? Right.

Yeah. Yeah. I would say if I think and I don't know the true experience with bibliotemps but if let's say you know someone's going to be on vacation for the week and a bibliotemp would suffice to fill in some of that stuff and we can plan ahead then that might be something that you can come to the board for funding bibliotemp state aid.

Yeah. I do like your comment though about just being thoughtful like if you don't have the full staff there because on vacation you're probably not running the same level of events because you know the person who would be running it is not there and like like let's just like make sure we're we're bringing in folks when there's a need and we can't just shift expectations of the staff. It's not saying they need to do it all but I I think that balance is important. I think that information about the policy was really helpful too because I'm sure that did drive a lot the expectations. So if we come back and say like at the end of the day you're like we won't like we'll adjust on the expectations of what we'll produce to balance for it like I think that that feels really really good too. So

thank you. All right. Any other questions uh for Katrina or on the director's report? That was exciting to see that Greta took the um the 20, you know, in you know, self new position. Very very happy to have her. Um she did also include um a update to the actual um um expenses. So that's in there and where they are for the year. And then she also included the balances of the various trust accounts.

Can I ask a question about the general ledger? Of course. I'm sure this is a challenge with me reading it, but on page 81, it looks like there's a lot of negatives in how our ledgers ending. So, like, can you just just tell me like do we own No, [laughter] I think I just wasn't sure how to interpret that. So, I also had a part of those decades when uh I first saw this and I asked Mary Lauria about this and this is an a peculiarity in the accounting world where if it's a trial balance the negatives are actually positives. Okay. So, negatives are good trial balance. Exactly. All right. I'll research trial balance.

Yeah. [laughter] I I did as well and I'm still confused. So, yeah. take the opposite [laughter] multiply by negative one. Yeah. May I um so thank you for bringing up the [clears throat] the new hire. Uh will we get the opportunity to meet that person at a board meeting? She's not a new hire. She's Yeah. Uh so it's it's Greta. She actually I don't know Greta that well. Yeah. She moved from the 18-hour position that she um had been in for I think a couple of years. At least a couple of years. Um, and she moved to the 20our position because of course it's benefited and she gets vacation days. So, was Greta a children's a librarian before? Okay. Yeah. Like

essentially the same exact position and she just Yeah. And she's wonderful. She I mean I know she helped with um getting the room set up again after um you know the the carpet was repaired. So she she has she's been there for at least a few years. Yeah, she's great. Thank you. Um I think the only thing I would add is I don't see the there's like for a lot of the trust funds there's two pools of money.

There's like the um principal and then the the monies that are available for expenses. I don't see those broken out. But I know I had put a note for myself to try to put a summary together of all the trust accounts for the board so you guys are familiar with what they are and what they can be uh what can be used to spend out of those accounts. So I'll try to do that. So I got a question on that. Um there is a related to trust accounts. are any of these in question as far as whether they're under our custody and then that side discussion of whether there's sort of these peripheral accounts that may have um belong to other branches.

Yeah. And and the reason I mentioned that is that there's a warrant article at Tom meeting regarding uh the proceed this procedure outlined in Mass General laws by which um people who may be uh have been in custody of various trusts or accounts or properties um that if there's a certain notice that's given and no action is taken that it can become the property of the town. So, I didn't actually look up the wording of that statute that's contained in the top meeting warrant article, but I it when we're talking about these trust accounts, is there are there any other accounts either that we're talking about now that people think we aren't c custodians of or conversely, are there other accounts that we may not be aware of that have fund balances that we actually may have jurisdiction over

that are you mean that are not on this list. Correct. Yeah. Not that I know of. I I would think that Mary Lauria would have made me aware of all of those because we did go through all of the accounts that um the trustees oversee and and as well as the ones that I oversee. So I don't think so. Yeah. So the discussion um well the item that Skip Courier brought up um during the finance committee um meeting right was that there may have been trusts that belong to the other branches like he said right

and it may have been like $300 for you know uh for books. Um he felt that there was a lot of these um and what I is that what this stuff is well I mean those are all the trusts. Yes. So, um [snorts] I I would assume he was referring to these. Okay. But, you know, um he he thought that there were some that we'd have to go to probate court for because they belong to other buildings, other libraries, other Do we know who the owners are for all of these? Because is that the the question like who's listed as the contact and just like that? I'm assuming you're on many of them, but

Well, I'm not listed as a contact. It's the town. I mean, the town Mary Lawyer is the one who manages them all, but they're all like we I have documents like the actual will that says that it hands it off to the library. Um, and at least, you know, there's some in here that I don't recognize, like the library gift account, not that I don't recognize, but they're not part of the the trustee trusts. Um, but like the Fiser, Faulner, Hammond, Goddard, these are all trusts, but we can look at that. I I didn't know there was that warrant.

Yeah, I it's um I I would invite us to uh take a look at the warrant article and um there's a statute reference that um by uh it it's by reference. it it's incorporated by reference in the warrant article um that um provided that the town uh proceeds with u notification as outlined in some mass general law to somehow publicize in whatever manner that this is what may be out there and if you feel that you

you know if there's something out there you need to take action by a certain date in some manner Well, Doug, isn't I I'm calling you out here because I know that um you're usually the one that always brings this to our attention. You're the go-to guy whenever we talked about trusts. Um I feel like this is a lot more than we used to see. This is more than we've seen. That's what I wonder why that is. Yeah. I mean, the Nelson one's not on here um because that's under control, the Nelson Library, but it often fell into our list. Yeah. Keith, Harris, Field, Ford. These are ones I'm not used to seeing. Yeah. So, is that just

the big one that says BP Library April I think it's April 21st, 2021. Then it's like 7.2 million then 350,000 debit and it's 6.9. So, is that like the loan? Yes. Okay. Yeah, that's Yeah. Yeah. Yes. I mean the big ones that the trustees have are the wheelock and the fiser are the two big the larger ones but there are certainly I think there were like eight to 10 smaller ones. Fowler Faulner but I I'll go through the list and um thank you. We can work with Mary to figure out if there are some that we don't recognize.

Yeah. And certainly I I know some of them um like you said, we can't spend them down. Um there's always two money. There's like the principal that we can't ever spend and then there's the interest that collects over the years and we can spend that interest, right? So So if I'm looking at a number that says 13,000, right? That must be the interest. It's a good question. I don't know because what does it say for Wheeler? Yeah, Wheeler's only 13,000. So that's certainly the expendable piece because the Wheeler

trust has I think I'm sorry, Waylock. Wheelock Wheelock has I think like 100K in it or something. We only have access to a small part of that.

So what I'm referring to then is uh article 27 of the uh upcoming town meeting. It's page 14 submitted by the finance director to see if the town will vote to accept the provisions of Mass General laws chapter 200A section 9A which would allow the town to record any abandoned funds held in the custody of the town as revenue for the general fund after complying with the notice procedures in the statute or to take any action relative there too. So it refers to abandoned property, but there could be old trusts that may fall under that definition. However, it may be proposed the warrant project. Was that proposal?

Proposed Warren. Was the finance director put it forth? What do you mean the finance? You mean the the chair of the finance commission? No, no, no. In other words, yeah. Um the finance director of the Yeah. My Yeah. Mary. Yeah. And so um so it's um is that what you're asking as far as who sponsored the water? Yeah. So you're saying it's a town administrator or the finance department. [snorts]

The finance department is seems to be the person who's sponsoring this particular warrant article article 27. So whatever the term abandon means and whatever the statute reference in article 37 [clears throat] is on page 14, I think we would want to become familiar with that. Um how what the term abandoned means and and what this what the notice provision of that mass general laws uh what the wording of that is. So were you just reading through the warrant and this one popped out at you or did somebody I read the warrant about it? Well, I actually read the warrant uh because I'm a nerd that way. I read I didn't know [laughter] and I was like, "What's this all about?" And it it you know,

sorry, where does Skip Courier come into this? Because he is when we did the presentation, he brought it up. Skip is on finance committee. This name is Roger. Awesome name. Um Roger Skip Courier, but he's also um he's very much a town historian. And so, and he was involved with the Nelson. That's what I remember from Nelson. So, yeah, he's currently on the Nelson Trust, right? Okay. As far as I know. Yeah. Yeah. So, okay. Well, it seems like there's a lot of questions, but no one like it seems like the followup is for me to um work through with Mary on our list of

And I don't know why some of these line items aren't aggregated because they they appear at different balances multiple times either. So, if as you're going through it, Doug, we're able to add in like a column that says like if there's any like scope to what they could or couldn't be used for too, I think that would just be really helpful. Do we have like and who's on each one? I I think that would keep us all aligned. Yep. Yep. What was the word number project? Number 27 on page 14. Thank you. Yep. All right. Um, so any other followup or questions on the director's report or um, finance trust ledger, general ledger?

I just wanted to add, Katrina, I got glowing reviews this last week about the library. Um, we had some folks come into our house to help with speech therapy and when they mentioned going to the library, they just said, "This is our favorite library in the area. We're driving an appointment. that's the one we like to stop at at work at and like spend our free time in between appointments. And so I just I want to share that because I think it's so nice when people just light up and I think that's quite quite a testament to what's been built that everything in the area that's their library choice. That's awesome. Thank you. Well, they're from out of town then I would assume.

Yeah, they because they do like speech language stuff. They'll often even go to the library to like like sometimes meet with kids there and see how they interact with other kids and do some of that that works there too. And they said the children's librarians are the best too. That's great. Yeah, that reminded me I know in previous director reports they had the thing called the yes no log. Have we told you about the yes no log? So all the reference desks have they collect you know when when a patron asks them a question they either give them yes we do we can do this or that or they say no sorry we can't and they actually correlate and that was put in the director's report that was kind of neat for the trustees to see

obviously the positives and maybe some things that we need to work on y strategic plan too I think they said that we could build it into that too and and I'll mention that reading the statute. It It appears to be it it may not even be related to the the issue at hand regarding the trust. I think it's about uncashed checks that we've issued checks to people. That's just cheat though. Like there's a benefit law you have to turn over to the state. So the town can't just grab like cash checks.

Maybe I think it's written. I think it's a local option statute where where it's um if we accept it then it gets diverted locally. I I I would invite all of us to read the statute, but yeah, it doesn't seem like it's directly relevant to us. May not be, but we can continue, right? But I think it's still important that we we really just want for once once and for all identify what belongs to us, what doesn't. Yeah. And that there's no question of who has jurisdiction. Completely agree there. Yeah. Especially with some new board members and

some older board members that don't quite have the memory to refresh our memory. [laughter] And I'm talking about myself because I know I have a bin in my house that has all like copies of all of these trusts that was handed to me many years ago. Cool. We got a digitized. I should scan them all. Yes. Um, is that something that maybe you and Christine can work on for us? I have a scanner. I can run through all those really easily. Okay. I got one of those document scanner things. You just All right. Cool. It's like the old town clerk. was then I can search it 200 years ago. I think it was in their house. Chef, you're old school, man. It probably came to I'm not sure if it came from Diane Ly

with Diane. Might have been Diane that had it and handed it off to me. Okay, great. So, um there's no public input. Um

actually, um other other business I I just figured this would be a good place although to interject my comment. Um, and this may be a Robert's rules thing regarding reconsideration, but as I was looking and focusing on my executive committee uh minutes, I noticed that there was a a typo on the what is listed as February 28th here on the draft minutes. Um, it was actually February 25th. And so we actually approved even though the the um agenda tonight lists February 25th 26th, the draft document list February 28th by mistake. And so I mean I I guess as a committee we can probably just maybe if it's such a minor change um maybe agree by um consensus through you. Um, you could see consensus or I could simply make a motion, a parliamentary motion to reconsider our action [clears throat] under this.

No, I think it sounds like a something that I can just say we can you can confirm that what the actual date of the meeting was and make sure it matches. Right. And then on the notice agenda that we replace that with minutes, but the other thing that I wanted to point out, I said normally we um list who was absent. We affirmatively list who is absent and both of us are absent that day and and the draft minutes list are limited to those who are present. That's all. And so I mean that's not fatal but um absolutely it's we need to have the correct date on that. Yeah. So so I I saw that the 25th was in fact the correct date as referenced in the agenda.

It was. Yeah. But the document um and I was out of town and it was my front face. So, but Christine, excellent minutes by the way. [cough] Those aren't those are not an easy that's not an easy gig doing minutes. Definitely not. It's not. So, I don't want to sound nicky, but I think, you know, it's just just for the record that needs to match. That's all.

That's important. And I would also reiterate for the agendas, I know I was laxed this this month, but um right, we have Christine's following like a schedule on when she sends out the draft minutes, when she wants responses so that she can get everything finalized before submitting to the town. So definitely take your time to read those draft minutes and make sure if there's an agenda item that you're wanting to put on there, make sure it gets to Christine early. Right. And then Christine, if you could just after each agenda item, put the person that is running that agenda item, which you you it looks like you do for the most part. Might be a few missing. I think the one I added last minute, I wasn't clear.

Could have been exactly I can be clear. Okay. Um so next meetings policy subcommittee is May 6th. The friends meeting is May 12th. Mhm. Our board meeting is May 27th. Um if anyone can't make it and they know now, let us know. Otherwise, um let me know as soon as possible for that one. And we'll be back in the main municipal center meeting room. Town meeting is the 11th. Town elections are the 19th. With that, I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. Some move. Second. Motion made and seconded. All in favor? I post. I declare the meeting ending at 8:33.