HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-02-18 Board of Library Trustees MinutesV
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Board of Library Trustees CLERK
Minutes of Meeting -February 18, 2003 MASS
X003 t BAR 21 A ' 39,
Present:Roberta McRae; Eugene Nigro, acting chair; Stephen Connor; Maria Silvaggi;
Vicky Yablonsky; Kimberly Lynn, Library Director; Elizabeth Dickinson, Assistant
Director.
The meeting was called to order by Mr. Nigro at 7:00 p.m.
Upcoming Meetings Schedule
Ms. Lynn announced that she would be attending meetings of the Town's department
heads scheduled for February 19 at 8:00 a.m., and also on February 20 at 8:30 a.m. There
will be another meeting of the Board of. Trustees on Monday, February 24 at 6:30 p.m.
Immediately following the Board of Trustees meeting, there will be a meeting of the
Board of Selectmen, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
General Budget Discussion
Ms Lynn passed out a handout showing the budget situation for FY 04. There followed a
lengthy discussion of the various issues raised by the budget crisis
• Mrs. McRae made the point that library service in the elementary schools is in
jeopardy, which makes funding the public library budget even more critical.
• Mrs. Silvaggi asked Ms Lynn to prepare a breakout of services currently being
funded by the Friends of the Library, grant moneys, and any other non-municipal
sources.
Mr. Nigro asked whether there were library services that could be charged for?
Town government may feel that the Library could produce more revenue.
Mrs. Silvaggi and others expressed the opinion that the Library should be seen as
a core service.
Ms Lynn explained that cutting programs does not necessarily translate into
cutting employee hours. It is important to keep employee hours at a level that
would insure benefited staff would continue to be eligible.
Board members agreed on the need for an override vote and on the importance
of spelling out to the voters what the consequences of failure to pass the override
would be.
Budget Detail
Ms. Lynn explained that in order for the town to get to a balanced budget, the Library
may need to accept a figure at or below $782,00. A municipal appropriation of $782,000
would not be sufficient to meet state certification requirements. It would; however, be
possible to apply for a waiver. The number cif,,%aivers granted each year is limited, and
there is no guarantee that Reading would receive one.
There followed a lengthy discussion about the need for an override vote. Mr. Connor
stated his opinion that the amount asked for in the override should be sufficient to restore
hours, and the materials budget to previous levels, which would require more money than
simply meeting certification requirements. The amount required to bring the Library
back to its pre-cuts status is $869, 950.
After more discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of increasing the amount of
money asked for in the override, the following motion was made and seconded:
"The Board of Trustees recommends that the municipal appropriation for the FY
04 budget be no lower than $782,000 with the understanding that this is the minimum
amount required to apply for a waiver of state certification requirements."
The motion passed unanimously.
A second motion was then made by Steve Connor and seconded by Mrs. McRae:
" The Board of Library Trustees requests the Board of Selectmen to include on
the April warrant an override question specific to additional library funding"
The second motion also passed unanimously..
There were a number of questions about how override ballots are created. Who decides
whether there will be a separate menu? If there is a separate menu, who decides the
amount asked for? Who creates the exact wording on the ballot? Ms. Lynn said that
she would investigate these questions and provide the Board with answers.
The meeting was then adjourned at 9:32 p.m.
The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held on February 24th at 6:30 p.m.
preceding the meeting of Board of Selectmen. This meeting will be held at Town Hall.
Elizabeth Dickinson
Assistant Director