Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
Morse Institute Library
October 14, 2008
Trustees Present: Harriet Buckingham, Kathleen Donovan, Joseph Keefe
and Gerald Mazor
Library Staff Present: Jane Finlay, Assistant Director
Marie Nardi, Community Relations
Dale Smith, Supervisor of Children's Services
Dell Redington, Circulation Services
Call to Order: 4:05 pm
Actions of the Board:
1. Approved the minutes of the meeting of September 9, 2008.
2. Accepted with gratitude the gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jay Ball of a "virtual artists' exhibit." The Balls donated this versatile electronic device to the Morse Institute library in honor of Ms. Paula Polk, retiring Library Director. The device will allow the work of artists to be transferred to discs and subsequently utilized as a virtual gallery within the library.
3. Approved the acquisition of additional security cameras for both the first and second floors of the building following a presentation by Ms Finlay, Assistant Director.
4. Affirmed the Board's position that it believes we should move on the process of advertising for and subsequently interviewing and appointing a new Library Director to replace Ms. Polk who is retiring at the end of the month. The president will meet with Ms. White, Town Administrator to make her aware of the Board's desire.
5. Affirmed the Assistant Director's moving ahead with the planned stained glass windows in honor of Ms. Polk.
Ms. Finlay reviewed the funding as of this date.
Presentations:
The Messrs. Angel and Brent Garcia of Broadwater Capital Management reviewed the Corporation's investment portfolio. The gentlemen reviewed the current economic climate, the work that they have done to guard the Corporation's resources and the current status of the investments. In spite of a dramatic market decline, the advisors presented data to illustrate that the total, reduction in portfolio value is 12.33% as compared to the S&P 500's 37.59% loss.
Mr. Jay Ball presented his family's gift in honor of Ms. Paula Polk. He described how the library will be able to use this electronic device to capture the work of community artists on discs thus creating a virtual gallery for the library's use and the patrons' education and enjoyment.
Ms. Nardi, Community Affairs Director, presented her thoughts on the implementation of the library's Annual Fund effort. Following a discussion by the Board, a consensus existed that the institution should wait until the new year to implement this effort in phases all tied to the celebration of the library's commencing its 135th year of service to the community.
Trustee Kathleen Donovan reported on her attendance at the meeting of the Massachusetts Library Commissioners earlier this month. Ms. Donovan brought to the Board's attention recommendations regarding the posture that a public library and its personnel should take in working cooperatively with the several constituencies in a community. The points that she raised were those that we should follow in our ongoing work with the community and the various municipal departments.
Trustee Donovan reviewed the "characteristics" that a library director should exhibit in a draft position advertisement that she had prepared for the Trustees at the request of the president of the Board. The Board thanked her for this work. Note: The Board will use this material in its upcoming efforts to recruit a replacement for Ms. Polk.
Other matters:
Assistant Director Finlay distributed the Town Administrator's schedule for the FY10 budget process.
Broadwater Capital Management principals have agreed to meet with the Trustees on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 to review the Corporation's portfolio.
Ms. Finlay noted that the program to honor Ms. Polk will take place on October 24th as planned. She has arranged to have Pegasus film the "tributes" that Ms. Polk and her family might have an appropriate remembrance.
Adjourn: 6:30 p.m.
The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, November 18th in the Community Room of the library.
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