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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-05-19 Board of Library Trustees MinutesTown of Reading 3 Meeting Minutes •�a °mcow*°�`r Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Board of Library Trustees Date: 2014 -05 -19 Building: Reading Town Hall Address: 16 Lowell Street Purpose: General Business Attendees: Members - Present: Time: 7:00 PM Location: Berger Room Session: General Session IVED LAWN CLERK ",DING. MASS. P 132 David Hutchinson, Acting Chair; Alice Collins, Secretary; John Brzezenski, Cherrie Dubois, Andrew Grimes, Vicki Yablonsky Members - Not Present: Others Present: Chris Coios, CBT Architects; Ruth Urell, Director; Amy Lannon, Assistant Director Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Alice Collins, Secretary Topics of Discussion: I. Call to order David Hutchinson called to order the meeting of the Board of Library Trustees at 8:03 p.m. on May 19, 2014 at Reading Town Hall in the Berger Meeting Room. II. Approval of Minutes • Motion to Approve April 16, 2014 Minutes as presented (Cherrie Dubois /Andrew Grimes) • Vote: Unanimous • Motion to Approve the May 12, 2014 Minutes as presented (Cherrie Dubois /Vicki Yablonsky) • Vote: Unanimous III. Building Project Update and CPDC Update The lease for Temp Space has not yet been signed. The Library Building Committee and the Trustees are waiting for the Town Manager and STV to complete this process. Ms. Alice Collins asked the Board to consider inviting the Town Manager to meet with them for a more formal update on the process. Ms. Cherrie Dubois also asked the Board of Selectmen to be Involved in the update. The Town has not yet selected a new Town Counsel. Mr. Hutchinson reported that the Library Building Committee hosted two community meetings (April 30 and May 12, 2014) regarding the Library Building Project. The invitations went out to over 200 neighbors and interested parties. The overall feedback was that neighbors seemed pleased with the initial plans. However, CBT offered some Page I 1 : changes to requests from Fire and Police. Neighbors who had a chance to see these able alternatives had negative feedback. Mr. Hutchinson summarized the current cnallenges into two issues. The first issue is the amount and availability of parking. The second issue is safety concerns with emergency access with a single entry and exit. Based on the response from the two community meetings, the library Building Committee voted to move forward with the original design. Ms. Urell reported on the recent response to the proposed site plan from the Town Engineer, Mr. George Zambouras. Issues include a recommendation for a more detailed traffic analysis and relocating the entrance further down from Middlesex Ave. Ms. Urell distributed the draft decision from the CPDC. The Trustees reviewed the current room usage and the original programmatic reasons that were the drivers behind the development and inclusion of a 150 person large meeting room. The overall goal was to provide a flexible space that would occasionally be used for large group programs, and primarily used as a divisible space to accommodate smaller groups that need space for tables and group work. Ms. Urell also stressed the some elements of the proposed site plan are specifically designed to eliminate and reduce current safety issues. IV. Policies Ms. Amy Lannon distributed a compilation of extant library policies. She asked the Trustees to review the documentation as the move to temp space and building project will prompt either short-term or permanent revisions to certain policies. Ms. Yablonsky and Mr Brzezenski noted that some policies were quite old and needed to be updated, consolidated or even eliminated to address 21s' century services and technologies. Ms. Urell proposed that the Trustees begin formal review of the extant policies in later 2014 or early 2015, and that she and Ms. Lannon would provide draft recommendations for consideration at that time. V. FY 2015 Meeting Dates Ms. Urell distributed proposed meeting dates for FY 2015. This item was tabled until the June meeting (June 19, 2014). VI. Director's Report Financials are on track for the final two months of FY2014. The library has received the second portion of State Aid. Ms. Urell also reported on current Massachusetts legislative bills and amendments that affect funding and support for public libraries and the Massachusetts Center for the Book. Sunday, May 18 was the last open Sunday. Ms. Urell has had several requests from patrons to expand the Sundays for the full school year from September through June (current schedule for Sundays is October through May). The staff is doing a five part Mindfulness -Based Stress Reduction workshop series in lieu of Staff Day. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Reading Public Library. Page 1 2 Eight RPL staff members attended Massachusetts Library Association Annual Conference. rn addition to attending educational and informative session, they attended a dinner and awards ceremony held to honor former employee Nancy Aberman and four other inductees Into this year's Librarian Hall of Fame. The library is currently in the middle of the annual staff performance reviews. There is a hearing at the Board of Selectmen meeting on May 27 at 7:30 for the annual Classification and Compensation review. Ms. Urell and Ms. Collins will follow up with the Town Manager on the status of expected external Pay and Class study approved by the Board of Selectmen and Town meeting in Fail 2013. Ms. Urell also reminded the Board that her review needs to be completed before the end of June, 2014. VII. New Business Cherrie Dubois: The house tour was successful. The Friends raised slightly less than the last time, but were very pleased to take in over $13,000. Mr. Hutchinson: Reminded the Board that the June meeting will include an agenda item on the Board of Library Trustees organization and officers. Ms. Yablonsky; Reported contacting Mr. Alan Foulds, Town Moderator about status and actions of the Charter Review Committee. She asked Mr. Foulds about the possibility and need for addressing Board of Library Trustee concerns. Mr. Foulds will bring the Trustees' request before the committee. However, he did not feel that committee currently had any strong feelings or proposals to change sections of the Town Charter that would substantively affect the Board of Library Trustees. VIII. CPDC Meeting: Public Hearing Site Plan Review (10:40 p.m.) IX. Adjournment e Motion to adjoum the meeting at 12:32 a.m. (John Brzezenskl / Vicki Yablonsky) • Vote: Unanimous Respectfully submitted, r Secretary Page 1 3