Minutes from Trustee Meeting 4.22.09

Hancock Library Trustees Meeting
Minutes April 22, 2009
Present
Laurie Bryan, Mary Garland, Amy Markus, Roberta LaPlante, Hunt Dowse, Peter Ryner

The meeting was called to order at 11:00 am. Roberta LaPlante was welcomed as the Board of Selectmen’s new Library liaison.

Trustees of Trust Funds Update
Hunt Dowse summarized the Library’s sources of funding. A series of gifts have been given to the town in support of the Library going back as far as 1872. The Trustees of Trust Funds oversees two types of library funds: common funds and expendable funds. In total, the Town oversees approximately $482,000 of funds which presently generate an annual income of approximately $21,000. Additionally, the Library Board of Trustees oversees a long-term capital fund of approximately $87,000. Hunt indicated that the Trustees of Trust Funds were very comfortable with how the Library is managing its funds as well as the overall picture of how the Library is funded. The Town pays for Library personnel. The Library Trustees most of the annual operational budget from the interest generated by its Trust funds. The Friends of the Library provide important additional support.

There followed a general discussion during which Laurie Bryan pointed out that it was becoming increasingly difficult for the Library to operate under the present budget, which has remained at essentially the same level for several years. Things appear to work so well in part because the Library has delayed or cut back. Fairly soon an adjustment will be required. Hunt was thanked for the presentation and for his continued assistance.

Tombstone Territory
Everyone agreed that the April 16TH downtown meeting went very well. It was agreed that the next step should be to meet with the Selectmen, on May 4th at 4:00 pm.

The March minutes were accepted.

The Treasurer’s Report was accepted.

Director’s Report
Amy summarized a variety of activities that the Library will be sponsoring in May. Britton Kennedy will start working 30 hours per week in July. This reflects a shift in staffing that Amy has been working on for some time and which was approved as part of the 2009 budget. 2010 will mark the 150th anniversary of the Hancock Library, and Amy suggested that it is time to start thinking about how that anniversary should be celebrated. It was agreed that one element should be a fundraising effort, to build on the donation provided by Walter Clark. Amy reported that an area of the walkway needs to be fixed, and this led to a more general discussion of how library maintenance should be handled. It was agreed that this would be discussed further at future meetings. It was agreed that the next meeting will be May 27th at 11 am.

Submitted by Peter Ryner