MINUTES OF BLAISDELL MEMORIAL LIBRARY TRUSTEES MEETING

September 17, 2012

Present : Rhoda Capron, Laurie Legard, Susan Medeiros, Sara Wotton, Pat Vachon, Kathleen Matthews

Meeting was called to order at 6:39 p.m.

Policy Update/Current Task : Brieghan Gardner provided an update on the 2012 Nottingham Farmers’ Markets and raised several issues pertaining to current policies, including a proposal to charge a vendor fee. Currently, Nottingham is the only market in the area that does not charge a fee; the majority of vendors who consistently attend the market believe it would be beneficial to include a booth fee. After lengthy discussion and a review of the existing market guidelines, it was decided to implement a vendor fee for 2013, beginning with the trial amount of $50.00 for a full season. Related decisions included the following: Vendors who set up periodically will be charged a day fee of $7.50 for each market they attend. There will be no fee for this year’s winter markets, although consideration will be given to doing so for the 2013-2014 season. Requests for non-profit status (i.e., fee waiver) must be submitted in writing to the Board of Trustees. The monies earned from the fees will be used solely for the benefit of the market, e.g., hiring musicians to perform on special market days. The board unanimously voted to waive Brieghan’s fee in exchange for the responsibilities she undertakes as Market-Master; a stipend for the market-master will be considered in the future. Sara will look into establishing a nonprofit bank account dedicated to the Farmers’ Market to accommodate vendor checks/fees and will talk to Janet about the inclusion of a line item in the budget. Any vendor selling home-made foods will be required to present a copy of a current Homesteaders’ License as part of their annual application to the market. Issues pertaining to the inclusion of crafts, especially during the winter markets were also discussed with these results: Juried crafts will be included in the Opening Day and Mid-Summer markets as well as the November & December markets. Crafts must pertain to the market’s emphasis on forestry and agriculture and will be judged for quality (without crafters names attached to their work) by a jury comprised of three trustees and two farmers. Brieghan will contact this season’s vendors to seek the two farmer judges; Susan, Laurie, and Kathleen volunteered to serve as jurors for the board. This year’s first Winter Market will be November 11th.

Secretary’s Report : The minutes of the August meeting were read. Laurie moved to accept the report.

Sara seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Treasurer’s Report : No report was available for the month of August. Sara will contact Janet regarding the status of recent reports.

Library Director’s Report:

The over-all statistics for August look good and Rhoda noted that in both 2011 and 2012 the July and August numbers were nearly the same. For quite some time the circulation of CD’s has been doing much better than books on tape; Rhoda decided to eliminate the latter to make more room for the former. Rhoda raised concerns about how to address the issue of certified letters not being picked up at the post office by patrons who have over-due books. It was decided to check on the legality of asking the police to intervene, as stated in our Over-dues Policy. Sunday, November 18th was chosen as the date for the annual Volunteer Appreciation event, which, again this year, will be a pie party. Laurie will send out invitations asking our volunteers to join us at 4:30. Pat’s new computer continues to have issues. The rugs have been cleaned. The recommendation to purchase a “water-hog” mat to cover the worn area in front of the circulation desk was approved. The downstairs back door still needs to be removed, repaired, and reinstalled. Rhoda reported there are two library science students currently serving as interns at the library. Story Hour begins this week with the 3-5 year-olds program showing full enrollment.

Old Business: Pat completed the final revision of the Meeting Room Policy. Rhoda reported that the 108-page Disaster Plan is finished. Copies will be given to Laurie, as Chair of the Board of Trustees, Rhoda as Library Director, and the town’s Code Enforcement and Fire Departments. Laurie reported on her conversation with the bank regarding our nonprofit status and the mistaken fees charged to the library’s account. Rhoda will contact Teresa Troy to inquire about her interest in assisting Kathleen with the creation of a pamphlet about the landscape fund and fundraising. Kathleen is still working on the Sexual Harassment Policy revisions and is drafting a letter to the town regarding our problems with the eradication of bittersweet and poison ivy. Discussion about and work on succession planning for staff retirements and turn-over will be addressed at a future time.

New Business: Work on the 2013 budget will begin next month at the October meeting. Rhoda and Sara will prepare the items needed to get us started on the process. Kathleen reported on the landscape work that has been done and presented GardenWorks’ design plans and estimates for proposed installations of the Butterfly/Bird Garden outside of the Children’s Room this fall and the installation of native NH flowering shrubs in the East Garden next spring. A day’s worth of tree and shrub-pruning at the front of the building is also proposed for November. Kathleen will look into the cost of having the back area brush-hogged and will contact stone-masons to get estimates for hard-scape work that needs to be done.

Rhoda shared Paul Colby’s perspective on the retaining wall/drainage issues outside the lower side door.  The issue of raising money to replenish the existing Landscape Fund was discussed. Laurie’s proposal of selling calendars from the NH Fish & Game Department was approved. The Monthly Tasks for September were reviewed. All items have been or are being addressed. Laurie moved to accept all donations. Rhoda seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Next Meeting:

Monday, October 15th at 6:30 p.m. The November meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, November 12th with an optional date of Tuesday, November 13th. The final date will be determined at next month’s meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 9:07 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen Matthews