Board of Trustees Minutes (12/20/2021)

Wiggin Memorial Library Stratham, NH
Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
Monday, December 20, 2021, 6:30pm
Meeting Held @ Wiggin Memorial Library

I. Call to Order - Kate Kim called the meeting to order at 6:34 pm. Attendees - Library Director Lesley Kimball, Library Trustee and Chair Kate Kim, Library Trustee Michael Hunter, Library Trustee and Treasurer Steve Simons, Library Trustee and Secretary Susan Wilbur, Library Trustee Dree Sherry, Library Alternate Trustee Mike Deutsch, Library Alternate Trustee Kathy Bower

II. Welcome / Guests -

III. Review / Adoption of Minutes - Steve made a motion to adopt the November 15, 2021 and December 2, 2021 meeting minutes. Dree seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

IV. Director’s Report: Lesley distributed via email. Dree asked about specific requirements for the Youth Services/Teen Librarian position. Lesley is looking for people with experience with kids of all ages, programming experience, a background that matches WML (smaller public library), and a customer service background. Preliminary phone interviews with 4 candidates are scheduled for later this week. a. Coaching Report - Lesley distributed via email. She has found it to be very useful and is grateful for the opportunity. They are coming to the end of their 3 month session.

V. Old Business -
     a. 2022 Budget/Presentation Dates: The Select Board / Budget Advisory Committee meeting is tentatively scheduled for 12/29. Lesley distributed the 2022 Budget Form from the town. The back of the form shows the information that the Select Board / Budget Advisory Committee are set to receive during the budget presentation meeting. Lesley also distributed notes from a conversation she had with David Moore about the budget presentation. The BOT discussed the library hours open to the public in conjunction with staff scheduling. Lesley shared that her main concern for staff coverage is during the opening and closing of the library. Lesley is working on a new schedule for library hours with the goal of starting that new schedule the second week of January. To aid in clarity of staff and scheduling, Michael D. suggested creating a work breakdown structure to look at what the elements of work are (generalized areas of work) and then match up staff positions with each element. Lesley will work on this with his help. The BOT discussed the payroll line in the proposed 2022 budget revising the budget to show approximately 2.5% increase over last year’s budget. Lesley updated the spreadsheet and will email the BOT the new version. The BOT will make a final determination of the breakdown of that payroll budget line in the BOT February meeting after hearing a decision from the Select Board as to what they have approved to put forth at the town meeting. A decision was made to put the hiring of the Youth Services/Teen Librarian on hold until after the work with Amanda Price is completed and after further discussion in the library’s BOT February meeting. Susan made a motion to present the revised budget with a 2.54% increase to the Select Board / Budget Advisory Committee. Steve seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
     b. Policy Review Status: Discussion tabled to the next meeting.
          i. Personnel: Michael H. emailed a draft with suggested revisions.
          ii. Health Emergency: Kathy emailed a draft with suggested revisions. She added that she is not sure what the town policy is with regards to paying staff if the offices/library are shut down. She also suggested calling it a “Declared” Public Health Crisis. 
          iii. Illness:
     c. Communication Skills Training - Lesley had a successful meeting with Amanda Price to discuss plans for the workshops and connecting with staff. Amanda will be contacting staff to make her introductions and follow through with phase one of her work. She sent the BOT an email requesting an extended time to hold workshops with staff. The BOT is in agreement that creating that time is a priority understanding that the library may have to be closed for a number of hours. The BOT trusts Lesley to choose appropriate times for those workshops (phase two of Amanda’s work). Lesley is going to ask about doing them on President’s Day as the library is normally open that day but it is often quiet as patrons assume the library is closed.

VI.Executive Session (non-public session if necessary) RSA 91-A:3 - None needed.

VII. New Business -
     a. Employee Appraisals: Lesley reconfigured the employee self-appraisal and will send the updated one to the BOT. She is getting those back now from staff and will share more information in the future.
     b. New Business: Kate shared that the BOT has completed Lesley’s appraisal and requested that Lesley do a self-appraisal using the new format. A BOT sub-committee will contact Lesley to set up a meeting to discuss.

VIII. Treasurer’s Report - Lesley distributed the report. Steve made a motion to accept $550.00 in Fundraising Gifts and $497 in profit from Fundraising Events. Susan seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

IX. Next Meeting -
     a. Regular Trustee Meeting: Scheduled for January 17, 2021, 6:30pm Is there a way for Kathy and Michael D. to call in? Lesley shared that state law reads that at least 3 elected voting members (a quorum) have to be in person. Other members can attend remotely. The library does have the technology, it just needs to be tested. The question is whether the Zoom link has to be provided to the public.
     b. Budget Presentation: 12/29 tentative date

X. Adjournment - Steve made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Kate seconded the motion. All voted in favor. Meeting was adjourned at 9:49 pm.