Library Board of Trustees - Minutes - 01/14/2025

Waterford Public Library 
 
Board of Trustees  
 
 
Minutes of Meeting of 14 January 2025 
 
1. President M. Furey-Wagner called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 
 
Trustees present: M. Furey-Wagner, E. Boyce, L. Couture, N. Dragoli, B. Kyne, 
J. Lehet, J. Merrill, G. Ritter (Zoom), A. Robarge, A. Rosenberg, A. Simpson.  
Also present, C. Johnson, Library Director. 
 
Not present: C. Giordano 
  
2. Public Comment - none 
 
3. Consent Agenda  
  Treasurer’s and Financial Report - G. Ritter 
• For the second year in a row, the Endowment has netted $400,000, a 13% 
increase in positions.  However, the value has slipped since 1 January.   
• The FY24 Audit documents were received from the Auditor. All is in order.   
• Since 2010, the Endowment has been netting 7.8% in income and spending 
4.5%, which has allowed the Endowment to continue to grow so that it can 
provide for years to come. This will be relayed to the Board of Selectmen 
and Board of Finance and the budget hearings. 
• A motion was made by B. Kyne and seconded by A. Simpson, to accept the 
Minutes of 11/12/24, 12/3/24, and 12/11/24, The Treasurer’s Report, and 
the Financial Report.  All in favor. 
 
4. President’s Report - M. Furey-Wagner 
• A request for all of the WPL Board of Trustees, please show up and support 
the Budget submission in the upcoming Board of Selectmen and Board of 
Finance hearings this Winter and Spring, please attend each session.   
• Board of Selectmen hearing is 6 February at 4 p.m.  There may be public 
comment on the Thursday evening closure. 
• The Board of Finance hearing is 3 March at 7 p.m. 
• Dates for RTM to be determined. 
• The President will introduce the Trustees present at the hearings. 
• The HVAC Project has revealed that there will be additional monies needed 
for the replacement of the Electric Panel, $175,000.  This is the DPW capital 
budget for FY2026.  Trustees should also show and support this budget when 
presented.   
 
 
 

 
Waterford Public Library 
 
Board of Trustees  
 
5.  Committee Reports 
 
A. Finance - G. Ritter 
 
• Nothing else to report. 
 
B. Development and Fundraising - M. Furey-Wagner 
 
• The FY25 Fundraising Budget was $30,000.  The income is up substantially 
due to an increase in Bequests.  Several members of the community have 
died and WPL was cited in their obituaries. YTD Total Fundraising over FY24 
is $21,024. 
• Expenses YTD over FY24 were $470 less. 
• The ratio of expenses to income, to date, is 3.06%. 
• This spring there will be a Jewelry Sale.  Donations of jewelry are being 
accepted.  There will be a meeting with an appraiser for valuation.  The sale 
is scheduled for Saturday, April 26. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
 
C.  Building and Grounds - A. Robarge 
 
• An earlier meeting was held with the HVAC sub-committee, K. Hipsky, and 
G. Schneider to review the plans and bidding documents for the HVAC 
Project.  
• They will go out to bid shortly.  The CT Prevailing Wage has been requested 
to be included.  
• The new system would replace the furnaces with hot water boilers.  
• Fans on the roof will be replaced.  
• The new system would have separate dedicated units for Children and Adult 
Services.  The Mezzanine and Offices will have separate heat pumps.  
• Each area will be separately controlled. 
• The budgeted amount is $1.34M.  This is for the base project, upper level 
only. 
• It is possible the cost will be closer to $1.5M since this original amount for 
this project was proposed in 2019. In that case an overage would be 
requested from the Town. 
• The roof needs to be replaced and that request will be in the DPW’s FY27 
Capital Improvements budget request. 
• Timeline: an optional pre-bid meeting is scheduled for January 23; bids are 
due on February 11; the construction period is estimated to be 3 months, 
work to commence and be completed prior to July. 
 
 

 
Waterford Public Library 
 
Board of Trustees  
 
D.  Policy and Personnel - A. Simpson 
 
• Both the Library and Town have Personnel Policy manuals.  
• The current Town Organization Chart is dated 2/87 and WPL is not shown 
as a Department. 
• WPL Board of Trustees was incorporated in 1923. WPL, Inc. purchased the 
land and building at 49 Rope Ferry Road in 1959. In the mid-1960s, the 
Library Board then turned the land and building over to the Town, together 
with all the books and furnishings of the library. The Waterford Public 
Library, Inc. agreed through its Board of Trustees to continue to operate the 
library for the Town. 
• C. Grandjean, Esq. will be contacted for a legal opinion on what this means, 
after which, the sub-committee can review the By Laws and Policy and 
Personnel procedures for revisions. 
 
6.  Director’s Report - C. Johnson 
 
• Attended a Senior Planet information session and submitted an application 
to receive staff and training and be licensed to offer AARP’s program to 
provide tech training for seniors. If WPL is approved for the licensing 
agreement, the Senior Center will be notified and asked to partner. 
• The GIANT Room is a CT State Library sponsored Community Engagement 
Initiative.  WPL was one of 5 libraries in the state selected to offer free 
creative programs for children this spring. 
• With M. Furey-Wagner attended a training session for Strategies for Building 
an Effective and Mission Driven Board of Directors.  
• Receipts from the Holiday Book Sale (Thanksgiving week - 6 January) 
totaled just under $1,700. 
• In January, WPL will begin to accept payments via Square for the ongoing 
used books and media sale. 
• In early December, in partnership with Waterford Public Schools, we hosted 
a multilingual family night and library tour, which was well received. 
• Effective 1 January, in accordance with the revised CT State Sick Leave 
legislation, the Town will now provide earned paid sick leave to all PT staff, 
even those working less than 10 hours per week, such as pages. 
• The 3rd Annual Staff Development Day training is planned for Friday 28 
February, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. 
• The One Book One Region selection for this fall is Don’t Cry for Me by D. 
Black.  The kickoff will be 29 January at 4 p.m. at Mitchell College. 
• There is a Plant Propagation in the works.  However, we are looking forward 
for a person to lead the introductory program. 

 
Waterford Public Library 
 
Board of Trustees  
• Connecticut is 32nd in the nation in direct state aid to public libraries.  This 
state can and should do better.  This was in a handout from the Connecticut 
State Library Association. 
 
 
7.  Old Business 
 
• Update on Patron Responsibilities policy.  
• No updates. This initiative will be part of the larger review of bylaws and 
policies. 
 
8.  Executive Session  
 
• A motion was made by B. Kyne and seconded by L. Couture to move into 
Executive Session.  All in favor. 
• The annual evaluation of the Library Director should be done at the 
anniversary of their hire date.   
• An evaluation chart with room for comments was passed out to each 
Trustee, filled out, and submitted to the President who will consolidate for 
her review. 
 
9.  Adjournment 
 
•  A motion was made by A. Simpson and seconded by N. Dragoli to adjourn.  
All in favor.  The meeting adjourned at 7:06. 
 
Respectfully submitted 18 January 2025 
 
Joy S. Merrill, Co-Secretary