SIMSBURY PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Minutes of Meeting of January 8, 2001
These minutes are for informational purposes only. For official minutes, please contact the Town Clerk’s office.
PRESENT: Bert Kaplan, Anne Erickson, Barbara Gardner, Charmaine Glew, Carol Bingham, and Gail Ryan, Chairperson. Staff: Susan Bullock, Director; Eileen Sickinger, Recording Secretary.
The meeting was called to order by Gail Ryan, Chairperson at 7:15 P.M. The minutes of the December 18, 2000 were approved as presented. Mrs. Ryan moved that “Capital Projects” be added to the Agenda as No. 8. Second: Bert Kaplan. So moved. There was no public audience.
COMMUNICATIONS: Mrs. Bullock shared a copy of a poster regarding the Art Exhibit currently on display in the Program Room. Since both the exhibit and poster show the human form the Board decided to put an appropriate notice outside the Program Room alerting parents that the art exhibit contained paintings of the human form.
COMMITTEE REPORTS: Personnel: Mrs. Glew reported that as of January 10, 2001, there will be an opening for a full-time circulation assistant. Mrs. Bullock has approached the Town and union about this becoming a job-share position. The part-time Library Technical Assistant job has been offered to a current staff member who now works part-time. The union has been approached about combining this staff member’s current position and making a full-time position. Two different levels of pay are involved and Mrs. Bullock is waiting to hear from the Town and union to see if the details can be worked out. It has been very difficult to fill the 9-hour a week page position and Mrs. Bullock stated that it could be filled by either an adult or a teenager. It is currently posted at $6.75/hour.
Since there was no December meeting Friends did not have a report.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT: Highlights from Mrs. Bullock’s report were discussed, among them being the grant received by Mr. Sawitzke to offset the cost of the HVAC controls. Installation will be soon. It is anticipated that energy bills will continue to increase with this winter’s cold weather and increased energy costs. SIRSI still has not been connected. Hook-up is now scheduled for late January. The Director mentioned that thanks to the Patricia Bugbee Memorial fourteen unabridged recorded books on compact discs have been added to the Library’s collection. She reminded the Board that the Library now has books and movies on DVDs and CDs.
BUDGET 2002: Mrs. Bullock passed out the packet of the proposed budget for fiscal year 2001-2002. She explained that salary increases are not included because current union contracts have not been settled. – they run until June 30, 2001. The Board reviewed the different sections of the proposed budget. Mrs. Bullock explained the reasons for increases/decreases in the different line items. The reclassification of the Heads of Adult and Children’s Services were included in the new budget. The Town is centralizing its phone system so there will be no individual phone bill for the Library. Some new services have been included – two being, books on tape and large print books. Technical and program supplies are going up with the increased use of computers and copiers creating the need for
additional toner, fixing of printers, etc. Reference material costs continue to climb and the book/materials budget is up nine percent to account for growth in 1999 and 2000. Anticipated costs for heating the building were included as well as necessary building improvements. Duct cleaning costs alone have increased considerably. Following discussion on the ramifications of the proposed budget, Carol Bingham moved that the Board accept the proposed budget in the amount of $1,086.387. Second: Anne Erickson. So moved.
Mrs. Bullock then reviewed the proposed Capital Improvement Budget and the reason behind the requests. The parking lot access and lighting are a major concern of the Board as well as the worn carpeting. In some areas of the building the worn carpeting could cause someone to trip if it is not fixed properly – the current taping is not adequate. Bert Kaplan moved that the Capital Improvement Project budget in the amount of $115,000 be accepted, pending revision of the parking lot access and lighting assessment, if necessary. Second: Gail Ryan. So moved.
CAPITAL PROJECT: Mrs. Bullock received a letter from Rich Sawitzke asking that the Library Board receive authorization from the Board of Selectmen to release the funds to continue with the design development. Carol Bingham moved for authorization from the Board of Selectmen to expend funds for the next phase of the Library expansion plans. Second: Bert Kaplan. So moved.
At 9:00 P.M. Carol Bingham moved for adjournment. Second: Charmaine Glew. So moved.
Anne Erickson, Secretary
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