May 18, 2020 | Librarian Board of Trustees February 4, 2020 Regular Meeting Corrected and Approved Minutes Board Members Present: Dinah O’Neil, Chairperson; Nancy Heckel, Treasurer; Jen Call; Yvonne Howard; Diane Lander; Betsy Anderson, Alternate; and Elizabeth Geraghty, Library Director Planning Board Members Present: Roger Wells, Chairman, and Glenn Pogust. Also present, Peter Stanley, Land Use Coordinator Public Present: Tom Schamberg, Wilmot Resident and State Representative Call to Order Chairperson O’Neil called the meeting to order at 7:01 pm and then called the roll. Public Comments No Public Comments Discussion with the Planning Board Members about the Sutton Master Plan review Roger Wells, Chair of the Sutton Planning Board, discussed the Master Plan review that is currently taking place. He explained that the Planning Board has spoken with other Town boards and committees and that the Planning Board would also like to hear from the Library Board of Trustees and the Library Director. The plan is to revisit the Town Goals and then to winnow them down to the top three. The following questions are being asked: What is most precious to you? Responses received to date: the rural beauty of our location, friendliness of the people in our town, and that Sutton is a small historic village. What worries you about our Town? Responses received to date: ever increasing property taxes, maintenance of infrastructure, and protection of the environment. What do you think we should we be doing? Responses received to date: encourage land uses that improve the tax base and promote growth in keeping with the quaintness of our town. The following questions were then asked of the Library Board of Trustees and the Library Director. What is most precious to you? Library responses: the people, the environment, and a sense of community and safety. What are your concerns? Library responses: Our Town needs more young people and to attract young residents. The high property taxes. We need more parks and recreational activities and more businesses that are in keeping with quaintness of our Town. What should we be doing? Library responses: Adding either cluster housing or some form of affordable housing. Allowing more businesses that add to the sense of community. There should be a commercial zone. We need safer walking and bike paths along our roads. We want to maintain and grow the Library. The Board asked: how can we better communicate events, places, and things happening in town and is there a way to promote Sutton and draw people into area? Roger Wells replied that it may be that we need an economic development committee. The Board also commented that the Town needs to improve its website. Roger Wells asked if the Library would be willing to undertake improving the website and if the Library could hire someone and guide them as to what to include. It was determined that the Library would need to find funding for such a project. There being no further discussion, the Planning Board members and Peter Stanley left the meeting. Reports Treasurer’s Report Betsy will follow-up on salary changes so that they will be accurate when the Budget Committee meets on Thursday. A laptop was purchased and will be paid for from Trustees’ account. A check in the amount of $200 from the New London Rotary was submitted for deposit. The funds are Mini-Grants secured by Library Director Geraghty. The funds are restricted to purchase of children’s books to be used for children’s literacy development. Library Director’s Report Irish Electric came Friday, January 10th and looked at the situation with the lights. They will be in touch once they purchase and receive the parts they need to alter the fixtures. Buildings/Grounds Committee Report We are moving forward with the main-floor ADA bathroom. We have a written proposal. Motion: Board Member Call moved that the funds for the main-floor ADA bathroom be taken from the Building Modification Capital Reserve. Chairperson O’Neil seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously in the affirmative. Board Member Call will let the Town Administrator know that we have accepted the proposal, and that we are requesting to be placed on the Selectmen’s schedule. February 6th is the scheduled date for the Public Budget hearing. The weather date is February 10th. Before that meeting, we need to meet with the Budget Committee to find out what is their recommendation for the budget. New Business Board Member Lander found out that the Board does not have NHLTA membership. She suggested that we have one membership for this year because she has used NHLTA services. The name on membership can be transferred to a new member if we continue to use NHLTA as a resource. She firmly believes that we should have a membership in this organization. Membership runs from July 1 to June 30 of the following year. Motion: Board Member Heckel made a motion that the Board join the NHLTA for this year. Chairperson O’Neil seconded the motion noting that Board Member Lander be the designated member to join. The motion carried unanimously in the affirmative. Board Member Heckel will write check for the membership fee. She will need a receipt from Board Member Lander. In the future, the Board should consider having more individual members because of resources. The NHLTA has their Annual Conference on May 12th of this year. Information can be found on the NHLTA web page. Adjournment Motion: There being no further business, Chairperson O’Neil moved to adjourn the meeting. Board Member Call seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously in the affirmative. The meeting adjourned at 9:24 pm.