BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING MINUTES

Corrected & Approved 

 

Date of Meeting:  Tuesday, March 3, 2022 @ 7:00 pm

Members Present: Nancy Heckel (Chair); Jen Call; Emily Cooper; Nancy Glynn via Zoom (Secretary); Marcy Vierzen (Treasurer)  Elizabeth Geraghty (Library Director);

Members Absent: Betsy Anderson (Alternate) 

Note: This meeting was conducted on ZOOM for all present. 

Public Present: Bob DeFelice (via phone), Chair of the Budget Committee 

Tracy Mingarelli 

 

The Board met in person at the Sutton Free Library for their Board of Trustees Meeting. The public, per the Governor’s Executive Order 2020-04, Section 8, Emergency Order #12 Section 3, had the option to Zoom in to this meeting.

 

CALL TO ORDER:

Roll Call, Introduction of Guests:

The SFL BOT meeting was called to order at 7:03pm by Board Chair Nancy Heckel, and roll taken. Two members of the public were present: Bob DeFelice, Chair of the Budget Committee and Tracy Mingarelli. No other members of any households of Trustees were present within listening of this meeting. 

 

Public comment: 

Budget Chair Bob DeFelice wanted to thank the trustees who have finished their term and their service while working together. He shares that he has hopes that there will be improved communication between himself and the SFL BOT. DeFelice pressed on the importance of submitting end of year budgets on time to achieve accurate numbers. 

 

Review of Minutes:

The public session minutes from the 12/7/2021 meeting and the 2/16/2022 meeting  were reviewed with corrections made. Board Chair Heckel invited a motion to approve minutes from 12/7/2021, with revisions. Board Member Jen Call seconded the motion. The motion was carried unanimously in the affirmative. The minutes from the 2/16/2021 meeting were reviewed. Board Member Marcy Vierzen made a motion to approve the minutes with corrections made. The motion was seconded by Board Member Call. The motion was carried unanimously in the affirmative.

 

 

Correspondence:

Director Geraghty reports no new correspondence.

 

REPORTS:

Financial/Treasurer’s Report:

Treasurer Marcy Vierzen noted the beginning balance of the Trustee Account for Sutton Free Library in February was $7,711.22 with $1.12 interest earned for an ending balance of $7,712.60. The beginning balance on the Operating account in February was $11,577.25, with an ending balance of $11,094.13. Charges to the Operating account included a Zoom monthly fee, payments to Eversource, and payment for fall clean up by Suzanne Paul. Interest earned on the Operating account for the month of February was $2.16.

Board Member Vierzen made a motion to purchase a gift certificate for Jeff North, Accountant, for all of the financial help that he generously provided to get the Trustee and Operating Accounts into Quickbooks. Board Member Cooper seconded the motion and the motion passed in the affirmative. Vierzen will purchase the Gift Certificate from The Refinery in Andover for Jeff North as a thank you gift from the Board of Trustees. 

 

Building and Grounds:

Board Member Cooper reports that she made contact with Floorcraft in regards to the flooring in the basement of the building. The exact location of the drain is still not known. Board Member Cooper will get in touch with a plumber for the spigot outside.

DeFelice advised the SFL BOT to contact the Select Board about the drainage issue and alluded to the town potentially covering the costs instead of the funds coming from the SFL Operating Budget.

 

Director’s Report:

Director Geraghty reports that there has been great conversation in the library in regards to the “Banned Books” display. The SFL BOT were happy to hear the patrons are enjoying the themes that the librarians have been pulling together.

 

Director Geraghty reports that there is not a mask requirement provision within the library’s pandemic policy. She makes a request of the board to modify the current pandemic policy to reflect the mask requirement. Board Member Vierzen made the motion to modify the current pandemic policy to include that the Sutton Free Library follows the guidance of local and state health officials in regards to pandemic protocols. As of 3/3/2022 we are recommending masks be worn inside the library. The only time masks will currently be required is during inside library programming/meetings when safe distances can’t be maintained. This policy is subject to change.. Board Member Call seconded the motion. The motion was carried unanimously in the affirmative.

 

Director Geraghty shared with the SFL BOT the need for replacement computers. She made a request of the SFL BOT to approve the purchase of a new computer in hopes of covering the cost with future grants that she will apply for. Board Member Nancy Glynn made a motion to approve the purchase of a new laptop for the Director. Board Member Call seconded the motion. The motion was carried unanimously in the affirmative.

 

 

FRIENDS:

Board Member Call reports that there were emails exchanged amongst prior members of the Friends to help build back the board. A recommendation was made for there to be communication to the community in attempts to recruit new members.

 

MOU: 

Discussions amongst the SFL BOT in regards to clarifying certain aspects of the MOU have been ongoing. There has been some confusion between the SFL BOT and the Select Board on the interpretation of a certain section of the current MOU. 

Specifically, article number 5 around maintenance to the library building. 5a states that the town is responsible for all repairs and thus far the Select Board and the SFL BOT are interpreting this differently. Board Chair Heckel will contact Town Administrator Elly Phillips to request a time slot with the Select Board for the month of April to discuss this. DeFelice also made a request to attend. 

DeFelice reports that he will attend the next SFL BOT meeting to give the Budget Committee’s point of view on the MOU.

Board Member Glynn requests that we delay this discussion until our next meeting when we have more information.

 

The next Sutton Free Library Board of Trustees Meeting is Tuesday, April 12th at 7pm. 


Board Chair Heckel made a motion to adjourn the meeting, and this was seconded by Board Member Call. The motion was carried unanimously in the affirmative. The Board of Trustees meeting ended at 8:45 pm.