Unapproved Minutes FCL Trustees' meeting 1/11/18

Fairfax Community Library Trustees
January 11, 2018
Meeting Minutes (draft)
The FCL Trustees’ meeting was called to order at 6:30 by chair Pat Gallant. Board members
present were Debbie Landauer, Liz Griffin, Janel Gamm, Christine Fearon and Eric Foreman .
Also present was a member of the public and library patron Anne-Marie Shepard Parent.
The minutes of the 11/16/17 trustees meeting were reviewed and approved. The motion to
approve was made by Janel.
Correspondence.
A note thanking the trustees for the holiday gift card was received from Joy Choquette, the new
Library Assistant. She also thanked the trustees for their warm welcome!
Debbie received a letter from Molly Foreman, coordinator of the Success by Six program in the
community, regarding the spring baby book dedication. Concerns were: how to honor all the
new 2017 babies in Fairfax; which babies/families to include.
After discussion the following motion was made by Chris to support the ideas Molly has
expressed in her letter: All current Fairfax residents with a baby born in 2017 have the
opportunity to dedicate a book to their baby regardless of where they were living when the baby
was born. Babies who were adopted and babies who were taken into foster care during 2017
are included in this program. The motion was approved and this policy vis a vis baby book
dedication was accepted.
The trustees welcomed Anne-Marie Shepard Parent, 35 year resident of Fairfax and a long
time library patron. She expressed concerns about the library’s space. She observed that the
library has changed and grown, with more activities, more patrons, and yet the space has
remained the same. It is time, she believes, for the community to be proactive in seeking to
somehow expand the space available to the library, as it serves both school and greater
community. She has expressed an interest in both being a library trustee and perhaps
participating on the facilities committee. The trustees expressed their wholehearted support for
her desire to participate in both/either of these activities as an avenue for her to act on her
concerns.
Updates.
Currently no individuals have submitted petitions at the Town Clerk’s office for the two library
trustee positions currently open and to be voted on in March.
The new assistant, Joy Choquette, is receiving ongoing training and is doing well. Patrons have
expressed appreciation for her.
Highlights of the Library Director’s quarterly report.
Many people both brought candy and received candy at the annual Halloween event at the
library.
All staff evaluations were completed.
All after school programs are up and running. There are more home school students from
Fairfax and the surrounding area participating in these programs.
There is a new leader for the chess club.
Treasurer’s Report
Savings account: 2335.30
Checking account: 110.08
It was decided to add $500 to the balance in the checking account.
A discussion ensued about the need for fundraising to replenish the savings account, and this
will be discussed at a later meeting. Chris has access to some fundraising information garnered
at the Library Conference she attended in November. Debbie has ideas she can share from
working in other Franklin County Libraries and FLARE meetings.
Steve Cormier of the Selectboard has been in contact with Eric about the library budget, which
the selectboard initially rejected. After an exchange of questions and answers between the
Select Board and Eric, the concerns were resolved and the Selectboard has approved the
Library budget as it was submitted by the Trustees.
When the facilities committee will reconvene is uncertain, but Eric has expressed an interest in
being on that committee.
The Town Meeting Informational Meeting will be Saturday March 3 and Debbie will be there with
a table, as will Pat and Liz.
The library was asked to update their section of the Town Plan. Debbie has written the library
report, and Chris will edit it as needed. All agreed that a section on the challenges facing the
library be included.
After a discussion about whether the Library’s quarterly report will follow the fiscal year or the
calendar year, it was decided that Debbie and Joy Mercer should do whatever they felt was
most appropriate and convenient.
The next trustees’ meeting will be March 22nd, and will include an orientation for the new
trustees. At that time plans will be made for the creation and distribution of a community survey
about the library. Debbie will find some examples of other library surveys. The surveys will be
returned to the trustees.
The results of the survey will help to inform the next Strategic Plan. Looking toward the next 5
year strategic plan will also be included in the March 22nd meeting. Our current plan expires in
2019.
The Joint Board meeting will be April 12.
At 7:55 the trustees went into executive session to discuss personnel. They came out at 8:10.
Pat Gallant and the trustees and the Library Director thanked Janel Gamm for her five years of
excellent and appreciated service as a library trustee. Her term expires, and this is her last
meeting.
A motion to adjourn was made by Chris and the meeting adjourned at 8:15.
Respectfully submitted
Rev. Elizabeth Griffin, secretary.