Richard Ramsey, President called the regular meeting of the Library Board of Trustees to order at
7:10 PM on Monday, February 11, 2008.
Attending: Richard Ramsey, President; Robert Kent, Vice-President; Robert Parmenter, Treasurer; Rebecca Pahl, Rita Stein, and Gail Sacco, Clerk
MINUTES: The minutes of the meeting held on January 15, 2008 were presented to the Board.
M (RP) S (RS) P: TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE MEETING OF JANUARY 15, 2008.
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
M (RK) S (RP) P: TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THE EMPLOYMENT HISTORY OF A PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL
.
The Board of Trustees went into executive session at 7:15.
M (RS) S (RCP) P: TO COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
The Board of Trustees came out of Executive Session at 7:20.
M (RS) S (RCP) P: TO ACCEPT THE MOST RECENT PAYMENT AS SETTLEMENT OF THE EMPLOYEE OBLIGATION TO THE LIBRARY.
FINANCIAL: WARRANTS: Warrant 7A (January 15-31, 2008) was presented to the Board. Warrant 7A for the operating fund totaled $14,203.00.
M (RK) S (RS) P: APPROVE FOR PAYMENT WARRANT 7A OF $14,203.00 FROM OPERATING FUNDS. SAID WARRANT IS FILED WITH THE OFFICIAL MINUTES OF THIS MEETING.
Warrant 8 (February 1-11, 2008) was presented to the Board. Warrant 8 for the operating fund totaled $15,665.15.
M (RK) S (RS) P: APPROVE FOR PAYMENT WARRANT 8 OF $15,665.15 FROM OPERATING FUNDS. SAID WARRANT IS FILED WITH THE OFFICIAL MINUTES OF THIS MEETING.
TREASURER’S REPORT: The Treasurer’s Report for November 2007 was presented to the Board.
M (RK) S (RS) P: TO ACCEPT THE NOVEMBER 2007 TREASURER’S REPORT OF $20,060.89 IN THE CHECKING ACCOUNT, $711,832.39 IN TEMPORARY INVESTMENTS, $66,689.07 IN THE BUILDING FUND AND $7,672.06 IN THE MEMORIAL ACCOUNT FOR TOTAL FUNDS OF $806,434.41.
The Treasurer’s Report for December 2007 was presented to the Board.
M (RK) S (RS) P: TO ACCEPT THE DECEMBER 2007 TREASURER’S REPORT OF ($5,953.48) IN THE CHECKING ACCOUNT, $618,214.14 IN TEMPORARY INVESTMENTS, $66,039.65 IN THE BUILDING FUND AND $7,378.08 IN THE MEMORIAL ACCOUNT FOR TOTAL FUNDS OF $685,678.39
PERSONNEL: Gail Sacco reported that Pam Bolton-Engelhardt has submitted her resignation. She intends to stay on until the library hires someone to fill the position.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT:
Local History Research Center: Gail Sacco reported that a grant application was submitted to the State Archives for money to do conceptual drawings of the space and for legal services which would provide the framework for the contractual and inter-municipal agreements that would support the center’s operations. An additional grant request is being prepared for Senator Breslin in case the Archives denies our proposal.
Friends Annual Meeting and Harbinger of Spring Classical Concert: This year’s concert will be held on March 30, 2008 at 1:30 PM. It will feature the Musicians of M’aalywick, a group which specializes in 17th and 18th century music. The Arts Center Community Arts$Grant program provided $644 of grant funds to pay for the program.
The Big Read and Friends Guided Tour to Edith Wharton’s France: This April, Albany and Rennselaer counties will be doing a community reading program based on Edith Wharton’s THE AGE OF INNOCENCE. There are approximately 90 events planned for the month in libraries in both counties.
Ms. Fisher also did some brainstorming and she has proposed an 10 day literary tour to France, the country which Edith Wharton loved and in which she owned two houses. Wharton is buried in Versailles. The tour, “A Motor Coach Trhough France,” retraces part of Wharton’s travels in the country, and will both stop at some historic landmarks which were described by Wharton. There will also be several book discussions. The tour will cost in the area of $3,000 per person. This includes airfare, hotels, all breakfasts and a few dinners and a guide. Ms Fisher is proposing to go as the Tour Leader, to provide background and information on the sites. Go-Ahead Travel, the company with whom she is working, would make all of the arrangements and provide a Tour Director as well. Money and contracts for the trips would be paid to Go Ahead Tours. Depending on the arrangements, they would give some of the fee back to the Friends of the Library.
The Friends of the Library have asked Fisher to determine if there is enough interest to run such a trip and also to get some clarification about the contractual arrangements between Go Ahead Tours and the FOL. For this reason, both the Bookworm and the publicity for The Big Read will advertise that the trip is in the planning stages and ask those interested to send an email to the library. The trip needs a minimum of 20 people to run.
Building: Gail Sacco reported that the shelter by the front entrance had been damaged by unusually strong winds. She has reported the repair and it should be under warranty.
M (RCP) S (RS) P: TO ACCEPT THE DIRECTOR’S REPORT.
OLD BUSINESS:
BUILDING EXPANSION: Dick Ramsey and Gail Sacco visited Assemblyman McEneny and Senator Breslin to discuss the current situation with the both the library expansion project and the Local History Research Center. In addition, they asked Assemblyman McEneny to support a bill which would allow the New York Library Association to combine projects from various libraries and qualify for Dormitory Authority Funds.
Building Program: The Trustees discussed the library building program. They asked that the initial program included 3 rooms for quiet study or tutoring with seating for 12 people. They wanted to see area for growth in the library collection. And if possible, they would like the program to conceptualize needs for the next 40 years.
LIBRARY BUDGET: Gail Sacco presented information regarding the economic forecast for the region during the coming year. She also gave the Trustees a summary of library accomplishments.
The Trustees discussed the personnel part of the budget for FY2008-2009. They also discussed the need to include money for a possible building referendum. No conclusions were reached.
NEW BUSINESS:
There was no new business.
M (RS) S (RCP) P: TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM. The next meeting will be a special meeting to be held on MARCH 2, 2008 at 8:30 AM in the library.
Respectfully submitted,
Gail Alter Sacco, Clerk