1982-01-18 City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Library Trustees
Subcommittee:
Date: 01/18/1982
Place: Beverly Public Library
Board members present: Neil B. Olson, Lester C. Ayers, Richard L. Buckley, Mary K.
Connors, John R. Coogan, Katherine L. Fanning, Dr. Edna M. MeGlynn, Roger E. Morency, and
Nancy A. White
Board members absent:
Others present: Susan Salt and Conrad Mayo, Friends of the Beverly Public Library, Vada
Komich, League of Women Voters, Thomas Hindman, Library staff
Recorder: Barbara Smith
Regular Meeting
Board of Trustees-Beverly Public Library
January 18, 1982
Roll Call of Members
Present were: Neil Olson, Dr. Edna MeGlynn, Roger Morency, Kay Fanning, Jack Coogan, Lester
Ayers, Mary Cormors, Richard Buckley and Nancy White. Also present were: Esther Calish; Nancy
Abeman; Susan Salt and Conrad Mayo, Friends of the Beverly Library; Vada Komich, League of
Women Voters; Tom Hindman, Staff Member and Paula Tracy, Beverly Times.
The following documents were distributed: Financial Report for December; statistics for December;
proposed FY 1982/83 budget; comparison chart of costs since 1977; Computer Consortium Network
Agreement.
Minutes of the December meeting were presented as accepted. Motion was made by Mr. Buckley
and seconded by Mr. Coogan, Motion earfled.
Committee Reports:
Administration: Roger Morency, Chairman, reported on the needed roof repairs. The roofers suggest
replacing the glass skylights with roof as well-as repairing the infiltration around the edge of the roof
and installing a new roof. A discussion followed on the question of requesting supplemental funds for
repairs to the roof or requesting funds as capital outlay expense. He suggested that the $15,000
proposed capital outlay expense in the FY 1982/83 budget would probably be an adequate figure and
said that the library is still awaiting a follow-up report from the roofer after the Johns-Mansville
people give an estimate. It was 'also mentioned that the library may be eligible for federal funds for
energy-savings for such a project if the library is named to the National Historic Register. Frank
Garretson, City Planner, may be able to assist with this; however, the roof is in such poor condition,
there cannot be too long a delay.
Personnel: Mary Cormors, Chairperson, referred the Board to the minutes of the previous meeting
regarding the request of the Mayor and Aldermen to fill the vacancy of Assistant Director and the
proposed vacancy created by the filling of the first position. The Finance and Property Committee of
the Board of Aldermen approved the Mayor's recommendation to fill the position of Assistant
Director, but the Mayor communicated to Ms. Connors that the second position could not be
approved until the first vacancy was filled. He also indicated that he would like information regarding
the proposed FY 1982/83 budget before he would recommend the Young Adult/Reference position
in light of possible budget constraints and possible future layoffs.
Finance: Jack Coogan, Chairman, reported the Finance Committee's recommendation to forward the
proposed FY 1982/83 budget of $522,971.96 to the Board for approval. Ms. Connors moved to
accept the report; Ms. Fanning seconded. Motion passed. on the motion of Mr. Coogan and seconded
by Ms. Cormors, the motion passed to open the floor to discussion of the budget. Mr. Morency
expressed concern that with a budget such as the one presented that priorities will be set by someone
other than the Library trustees and Library Director if cuts are made. Ms. White concurred. Mr.
Olson noted that before Proposition 2 ~, no line item budget cuts were made, and Mr. Ayers agreed
that cuts will most likely be given back to the Board to make. Mrs. Calish then read a letter from
Mayor Formnato requesting a conference in the Mayors Conference Room on Wednesday, January
27 at 7:45 p.m. in which he would like a briefing on the current Proposition 2 ¼ budget, an
accounting of projects and goals and a presentation of the FY 1982/83 level-funded budget.
Mr. Morency asked the possibility of making cuts before the Mayor acts upon the budget and Mrs.
Calish expressed the feeling that we should go through our needs with city officials to help them
understand our dilemma. Mr. Olson noted that a level-funded budget is, in reality, a reduced budget
and if we are level funded, we must reduce further already-reduced cuts in hours and services to the
people of the city. Mr. Coogan noted that the library began to cut back four years ago to reduce
costs, therefore, all positions are vital to the operation of the library and cannot be lost through
attrition without creating problems. Mr. Ayers suggested presenting the budget as an honest
reflection of library needs and asking for advice and assistance in a spirit of cooperation. Ms. Connors
agreed that the proposed budget is an advisory budget, and the general discussion which followed
involved the question of helping city officials understand the needs, particularly the importance of
materials, to our budget. Mr. Buckley noted that we must have new materials if we are to operate and
the question was raised regarding what other libraries have done in similar situations. Mrs. Calish
reported that libraries have cut back drastically on hours and staff and that level-funding would mean
a disastrous cut in hours and services for the Beverly Library, also. After further discussion, Mr.
Morency moved to send the budget as prepared to t he Mayor with an appropriate cover letter. Mr.
Coogan seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Olson requested that as many trustees as possible
attend the conference with the Mayor on January 27. Mrs. Calish pointed out the cost comparison
chart which was distributed, showing the rise in costs over the past four years. She stated that a copy
had also been sent to the Mayor and Aldermen.
Report of the Librarian: Mrs. Calish reported on the events of Tuesday, January 12 in which the
custodian reported to work and called her to report that the library building had been burglarized. The
alarm system was destroyed; connections to the horn were severed; one Sayin copy machine was
destroyed and an IBM Selectfie typewriter was stolen. A new alarm system has been installed and
connected to a master board at a cost of $995, plus $18 per month, to be taken from Trust Income,
The Financial and Statistical reports for December were presented. It was noted that the drop in
circulation was due to lack of book selection and cut in hours. Fines collection continues at a normal
rate.
Mrs. Calish also reported on the status of relevant legislation in the State House: it was determined
that gif[s to the library cannot be included as part of the determined book budget and the legislation
on dog license tax has been held in committee.
Unfinished business: Copies of the Consortium Contract were distributed, Mrs. Calish noted that the
questionable items had been changed to accommodate the Trustees' previous concerns, specifically
that Library directors must consult with their Boards of Trustees on any policy decisions (#9) and that
90 days notice must be given to witMraw from the consortium (#10). Ms. White moved, and Ms.
Connots seconded the motion to accept the contract as written. There was no discussion on the
motion. The motion passed with one abstention from Dr. McGlynn.
Mrs. Fanning noted that the volunteers did an excellent job at the Farms during the Holiday weeks
and thanked the Trustees who visited for their support.
Mr. Ayers made a motion to adjourn, with Mr. Buckley seconding. Motion passed. The meeting was
adjoumed at 9:10 p.m.
Nancy S. Aberman
Recorder