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Library Trustees Minutes May 28 2024.docx City of Beverly, Massachusetts Public Meeting Minutes Board: Library Trustees Subcommittee: Date: May 28, 2024, 5:00 P.M. Place: 32 Essex St Board members present: Margaret Altman, Mary Behrle, Marshall Handly, Cathryn Keefe O'Hare, Kevin O'Reilly, Joanne Panunzio Board members absent: Ivy Mahan, Colleen Michaels, Others present: Allison Babin, Meghan Karasin Recorder: Meghan Karasin Kevin O'Reilly presided. Meghan Karasin stated that the meeting was being recorded. Marshall Handly made a motion, seconded by Joanne Panunzio, to accept the minutes of the meeting of April 23, 2024. Motion passed. Public Presentation None Committee Reports Personnel: The staff survey regarding the director had 24 responses. Joanne Panunzio sent the results to the trustees to provide input to the trustees for the completion of the director's review. The director evaluation will be presented at the June meeting. It will be sent to Allison Babin beforehand. Administration: No report. Finance: No report. Long Range Planning: No report Report of the Library Director 1. Fiscal Year 2024 Budget: Allison Babin stated that the FY24 budget is tight. She has been doing a lot of transfers. The overtime line is showing negative. $2000 was transferred to this line from the custodian line. There has been a vacancy there - saving on one line, but spending on the other (overtime). The electric and heating lines may also need a transfer. Allison Babin, in a recent conversation with the finance department, learned that she can move funds between personnel and goods lines if needed. The library will fully spend the books and subscriptions line, as well as supplement that spending with state aid, trust funds, and friends funds, to meet the 13% requirement. Joanne Panunzio asked about the state aid funds. Allison Babin stated that it is in a separate account, which isn't generally presented with the library budget. Allison Babin will have that report for the next meeting. Currently, state aid is used to fund some online resources. The goal is to use most of it to fund large expenses, like carpeting. 2. Fiscal Year 2025 Budget: Allison Babin will present the proposed budget on Thursday June 6th at 6:30PM in council chambers. It's a good opportunity to talk about everything the library does. Union negotiations are in process. Whatever raise they get is not included in the proposed budget. 3. Building/Vehicle Issues: The bookmobile's generator is again having trouble. It's been in the garage since Thursday. It's very hard to run the bookmobile without a generator when it's hot. The door of the bookmobile also needs some repairs. The north elevator is fixed, but is not yet in service. It needs an FS-90 upgrade and then an inspection. It should be in service before the end of the fiscal year. There were a couple of recent letters in the Salem News -from first the Mayor, and then a response from Councilors Sweeney and Rotundo - regarding the library HVAC project. We don't know what's next for the project. It's been very warm in the building for the past week or so. Last year the union filed a grievance over extreme temperatures. There's now an operational plan for extreme temperatures, signed by the city. If it becomes too extreme the library will close. Replacing the parking lot fence was initially part of the HVAC project. This will now be repaired in July at a cost of$6000. The Farms hot water heater broke last week and was replaced the next day by DPS. The Loring gate at the Farms branch will be repaired by the Beverly Farms Improvement Society. 4. Community Engagement:The library collected 776 pairs of eclipse glasses to be reused. Katie Nelson spearheaded this initiative and turned it into a volunteer event for teens. The library held its second Local Author Fair with 25 authors and over 100 visitors. Childrens librarians have been delivering book talks at all elementary schools at all grades. 5. Reference Department Updates: The Calish Trust Fund allows us to spend about$500 a year. The Head of Reference, Kerri MacLaury, came up with a couple ideas for this year: complimentary office supplies and accessibility tools such as a large print keyboard.. The Friends of the Beverly Public Library paid for a new 3D printer, along with a cart, and an enclosure for safety. This will allow us to move the 3D printer out of the Beverly Room. 6. Personnel: We reopened the search for a junior custodian. We have made an offer and are in the process of hiring the candidate. City department heads were given the opportunity to attend a workshop led by HR&A (the consultants who led the racial equity audit) with great information about the history of racism, specifically targeted to the local area. Allison Babin,Meghan Karasin, Janice Shaw, Ona Ridenour, and Laurie Formichella attended. Allison Babin stayed for the second half of the day, as a member of the Core Team, discussing actions that city departments have taken recently. Additionally, they workshopped how the city could improve in a specific area - focusing on language access. 7. Programs: Adults have a cookbook club featuring Thailand, and a program on the significance of Juneteenth. Teens have Dungeons & Dragons and Candy Sushi. Childrens has lego club, Kid Yoga, and sensory story time. Communications None at this time. Unfinished Business None at this time. New Business On Monday May 20, Dominic Copeland's appointment was approved at the city council. He'll be at the next meeting on June 25. List of Documents/Exhibits • FY24 Budget as of 5/28/24 • Draft minutes of the April 23, 2024 meeting. • 2 letters to the Salem News regarding the HVAC project The next regular meeting of the board is June 25, 2024 at 5PM in person at the Farms branch library. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:45PM.