Library Board of Trustees - Minutes - 05/14/2024

Waterford Public Library 
 
Board of Trustees  
 
 
Minutes of Meeting of 14 May 2024 
 
1. President Aaron Rosenberg called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. 
Trustees present: A. Rosenberg, N. Dragoli, M. Furey-Wagner, C. Giordano, J. Lehet, 
B. Kyne, J. Merrill, G. Ritter (via Zoom), A. Robarge, A. Simpson.  Also present, C. 
Johnson, Library Director. 
Not present, E. Boyce and L. Couture. 
  
2. Public Comment - none 
 
3. Consent Agenda 
There was a Quorum.  Motion made by Bob Kyne and seconded by M. Furey-Wagner, 
to accept the Consent Agenda, Minutes of 12 March 2024, the Treasurer’s Report, 
and the Financial Report.  All in favor, with one correction on the Minutes under 
President’s Report, last item.  “Representative Town Meeting on the final budget is 
scheduled for 15 May 2024.” 
 
4.  President’s Final Report - A. Rosenberg 
• Reflecting on the past seven years as President of the WPL Board of Trustees, there 
were huge shoes to fill following C. Grandjean and G. Ritter.   
• I am grateful for the honor and look forward to continuing my participation on the 
Board of Trustees. 
Accomplishments 
• The biggest accomplishment was hiring Chris Johnson as the Library Director. 
Thank you to the Selection Committee for assisting.   
• Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Waterford Public Library was a team effort 
by library staff and the Board. It was a memorable event with refreshments, 
entertainment, and a book sale which was attended by over 600 people.    
• Formulating a Strategic Plan and Mission Statement, necessary to be eligible for 
State Library grant funds, was accomplished this past year by E. Boyce, M. Furey-
Wagner, and C. Johnson. 
   Challenges 
• COVID was a time of innovation for the library with parking lot deliveries and 
eventually in person library visits with masks and partitions. 
• Board of Trustee meetings via Zoom and then in the large meeting room, masked 
and spread out. 
• In the time of book banning, the handling of a patron that disparaged the topic of 
Virtual Author Talk a year ago.  The incident was handled professionally by C. 
Johnson. 
 
5.  Executive Session - none 
 
 
 
 

 
Waterford Public Library 
 
Board of Trustees  
 
6.  Committee Reports 
 
Finance - G. Ritter 
• Currently the portfolio is apportioned with 80.85% Equity, 8.37% Bond, and 10.78 
Money Market.  The Equity portion will be reduced to 75%. 
•  A motion was made by G. Ritter and seconded by M. Furey-Wagner to allot 5% of 
the Endowment of the prior three years to the FY 2025 budget.  This would fill the 
void in the budget for Building and Maintenance, Supplies, and Books and Materials.  
All in favor. 
 
Nominating - C. Giordano 
• The slate of officers for FY2025 was proposed. 
• A motion was made by A. Simpson and seconded by A. Robarge, for President - M. 
Furey-Wagner.  All in favor. 
• A motion was made by M. Furey-Wagner and seconded by B. Kyne, for Vice 
President - C. Giordano 
• A motion was made by J. Merrill and seconded by B. Kyne, for Treasurer - G. Ritter.  
All in favor. 
• A motion was made by A. Simpson and seconded by M. Furey-Wagner, for Co-
Secretaries - E. Boyce and J. Merrill.  All in favor. 
• Three year terms for E. Boyce, J. Merrill, A. Robarge, and M. Furey-Wagner expire 
30 June 2024.  All have agreed to renew. 
 
Fundraising - M. Furey-Wagner 
• Total fundraising income, year to date (13 May), is $31,340 with expenses of 
$1,884, for a net of $29,456.  This represents a $601 increase year over last year. 
• The Centennial Donor Drive received $4,460 in total donations.  The majority was 
received in calendar year 2023 but $470 came in FY24 
• Bequests are up considerably over last year.  These include $3,000 from Irma Diaz-
Saavedra and $2,750 in memory of Tom Boyce. 
 
• Building and Grounds - J. Merrill and C. Johnson 
• RFPs for the HVAC project are anticipated in late May or early June from RZ 
Associates. 
• The control unit for the building’s HVAC system is failing and won’t be repaired as 
the entire system will be replaced.  A request was made to DPW for temporary 
chilling units for the children’s room and circulation desk areas.  No response to 
date. 
 
7.  Director’s Report - C. Johnson 
• Human Resources suggested a collaborative meeting of Youth Services, Rec and 
Parks, the Library, and the First Selectman to review scheduling of various 
programs.  Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday afternoons were proposed by the 
library but there has been no response with a date. 

 
Waterford Public Library 
 
Board of Trustees  
• Board of Finance approved an internal transfer of $16,993 to the library’s FY24 
budget to cover an unanticipated retirement payout at its 13 March meeting. 
• The recent wage increases awarded retroactively to 1 July to all staff necessitated 
a request for additional funding for FY24 budget in the amount of $42,818.  This 
amount was approved by the BOS at the 7 May meeting.  This request now goes 
to the BOF for review, meeting date TBD. 
• Volunteer Gail Hamsher has replanted the rear entrance garden. 
• The former NL Garden Club funded a $300 Stellar Dogwood which has been planted 
in the rear parking grass median. 
• Pursuant to the Fall surveys, we are in the process of converting the alcove across 
from the large meeting room as a “Cafe”.  We are working with the State’s 
municipal vending machine provider to receive snack and cold beverage machines. 
• We are in the process of purchasing a used microfilm scanning unit from The NL 
Day at a cost of $650.  Along with the unit, they will be gifting their collection of 
microfilm from 1881 to 2022 in two microfilm cabinets.  Our partial run of microfilm 
will be offered to other libraries via the CONN-Tech Listserv. 
• It was a great couple of months for grants, in total, we were awarded $14,242. 
• BorrowIT reimbursement from CSLIB for service to non-Waterford residents who 
borrow items from our collection was $14,213.  The budgeted amount was 
$14,000. 
• We hired a new PT custodian for 4 week nights and Saturday morning. 
• Kaylee Smith, a substitute librarian, is working on her Masters of Library and 
Information Science will be interning in our youth services department for 60 hours 
this summer. 
• United Through Reading (UTR) is a program to enable deployed military to pre-
record themselves reading aloud.  A significant number of students from active 
military families in Quaker Hill.  Opportunities will be offered for recording sessions 
at Quaker Hill Elementary and at the library. 
• Leading up to the 8 April eclipse, over 500 pairs of free solar eclipse glasses were 
distributed to patrons. 
• On Saturday, 27 April, we hosted 22 local organizations at our Community 
Volunteer Fair.  There were 91 attendees and the organizations have asked we 
make it an annual event. 
• Passport to Libraries month is a bi-annual event.  This year 57 Waterford 
cardholders received a passport, and 257 adult and 181 youth passports for visitors 
were stamped during the month.  They also received SWAG. 
• Chris Johnson received Waterford Rotary’s Un-Sung Hero Award. 
 
8.  New Business 
• Juneteenth will be observed as a library holiday. 
• The question of a Library float in the Town parade held no interest.  The parade 
reviewing stand will be in front of the library and the night before the parade there 
will be a ribbon cutting for the reopened duck pond in front of the library. 
 
9.  Old Business  

 
Waterford Public Library 
 
Board of Trustees  
• Reminder, the RTM hearing on the library budget is tomorrow night. 
 
10.  Adjournment 
• Motion was made by B. Kyne and seconded by A. Simpson to adjourn.  All in favor.  
The meeting adjourned at 7:23 p.m. 
 
Respectfully submitted 16 May 2024 
 
Joy S. Merrill, Co-Secretary