Baker Free Library
Board of Trustees Meeting
January 9, 2008
Approved Minutes
1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm. Present at the meeting were Elizabeth Foy, Colleen Haggerty, Regan Mack, Susan Hatem, Tom Ives (through the Treasurer’s Report) and Library Director Linda Kling. Also present were Bow residents John King and Lorna Landry.
2. Approval of Minutes: Elizabeth made a motion to accept the minutes of November 14, 2007. Tom seconded the motion and the motion was approved. Elizabeth made a motion to accept the minutes of December 6, 2007, Tom seconded the motion and the motion was approved.
3. Treasurer’s Reports:
a. Monthly Budget Report: Tom presented the monthly budget report as of December 31, 2007. Half way through the fiscal year 48.42% of the budget has been spent. The trustees discussed possible reasons for electricity and postage running higher than expected. Linda will look at the kilowatt hours rather than cost to see if electricity usage is up significantly. In relation to postage costs, she will have staff members ask patrons as they check out books if they would like electronic notices of overdue books. About two hundred patrons are signed up but they tend not to be the ones with overdue books. Regan made a motion to approve the report, Colleen seconded it and the motion passed.
b. Special Expenditures: Tom presented reports for November and December. After discussion about how to reflect the Certificates of Deposit purchased November 30, 2007, the trustees asked Tom to revise the form of the reports for further review and approval at the next meeting.
c. Safety Deposit Box: Susan made a motion to change the names of trustees with access to the box, removing the names of Laura McCarthy and Ginny Shirk and adding the names of Elizabeth Foy and Colleen Haggerty. Tom seconded the motion and it passed. Susan will notify Merrimack County Savings Bank and Colleen and Elizabeth will put the CD’s in the safety deposit box.
4. Director’s Report:
a. FY 09 Budget: Linda presented the proposed budget revised to include two figures under group insurance dental that had been inadvertently left out. This budget, totaling $448,521.00, was submitted to the Town Finance Director in December. Tom made a motion to recommend the budget as revised and Liz seconded it. After discussion about the percentage increase over last year, the motion passed. Linda noted that two years ago the town meeting approved an increased BFL budget in order to cover the cost of being open an additional day per week. Last year’s budget was cut by approximately the same amount as a result of an across-the-board cut made at town meeting. Rather than closing on Thursdays, last year’s cuts were taken from several line items but most heavily from books. This year’s proposed budget attempts to bring the BFL back to where it had been in terms of collection development as well as maintaining staffing and programs.
5. Old Business: The trustees thanked Regan for his time and effort on behalf of the library and wished him well with his new job in Michigan. The trustees also thanked Lorna and John for their interest in the library. John is interested in serving as interim trustee to fill the seat vacated by Regan. Liz made a motion to make John King interim trustee. Colleen seconded it and the motion passed. Linda will pass his name along to the Board of Selectmen.
6. New Business: Elizabeth announced Linda’s intent to retire as of April 1, 2008, the trustees discussed the need for a search committee and the selection process. Linda will provide the trustees with a detailed job description and draft advertisement. The trustees will meet as soon as possible to begin the process.
7. Correspondence: none
8. Next Trustees’ Meetings:
Saturday, January 26, time to be determined - Selectmen review FY09 proposed budget – Tom and Elizabeth will attend
Wednesday, February 13 6:30 pm
9. Adjournment: Regan made a motion to adjourn, Susan seconded it and the meeting was adjourned at 8:20 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Hatem
Secretary