Library Board of Trustees - Minutes - 05/09/2023

Waterford Public Library
Board of Trustees
Minutes of Meeting of 9 May 2023
President Aaron Rosenberg  called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. 
Trustees present:  C. Giordano, E. Boyce, J. Lehet, G. Ritter, J. Merrill, M. Furey-Wagner, G. Ritter, 
A. Roberge (via Zoom), L. Couture,, N. Dragoli.  Also present C. Johnson, Library Director.   Not 
present:  J. Mullen
1. Consent Agenda
Motion made by G. Ritter, seconded by N. Dragoli, to accept the Consent Agenda including the 
Minutes from 14 March, the Treasurer’s Report, and the Financial Report.  All in favor.
2.  President’s Report 
• An article, from The Day, on Preston’s funding of their Library was read.
• Attention was drawn to the various webinars that have been offered to Library Trustees in 
Connecticut in the past few months.  A reminder, the duties of the Director are for day to day 
matters and staffing while the Board of Trustees is responsible for governance and to oversee 
the policies of the library and advocating for the library.  Trustees are to act as a group not 
individuals.
• In honor of the 100th Anniversary of Waterford Public Library, the President had compiled a 
quiz incorporating dates, places, and persons important to WPL’s history for the Trustees to 
answer.
3.  Committee Reports
• Finance
G. Ritter stated the endowment remains at approximately $3.2 M with no change in the 
allocation of investments.  The Finance Committee will have a meeting prior to the July 11th 
Annual Meeting.
	

• Development and and Fundraising
M. Furey-Wagner reported net Fundraising $2,236 change year over year for a total fundraising 
of $30,488.  Expenses were up over last year resulting in a net fundraising of $28,855 as of 5 
May.   The Centennial Donor Drive mailer went out on 9 May.  It was sent to people who have 
contributed in the past but not this year.  The target is 100 participants of $100 each.  The 
names of all contributors will be listed on a poster in the entry foyer by 1 June.  Currently the 
campaign has collected approximately $4,000.	

• Nominating
C. Giordano reported there was an interview prior to the Trustees meeting and the candidate
looked promising.  There is still one interviewee to go and then a decision will be made for the
one vacancy open.

Waterford Public Library
	
Board of Trustees
• Strategic Planning
C. Johnson and C. Giordano reported that because of the CLC cohort availability, WPL should
wait and use those services and guidance to develop our Survey.  This should result in a
stronger plan and a slight delay in the time line.  It is anticipated the Survey would start in
September and finish in December.  Library Staff is looking at other library’s surveys.
4.  Director’s Report
Budget
• BOF hearing was 1 March and final action taken 7 March.  BOF approved the revised library 
budget request of $1,006,837.  The RTM budget hearing is scheduled for Wednesday 10 May.
Building and Facilities
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• Current  vendor  for  HVAC  indicates  current  roogop  unit  is  no  longer  serviceable.    Thus,  a 
temporary chiller may need to be brought in this summer. 
• Regarding the CSLIB grant for new HVAC, the Town has un4l June 2024 to ini4ate work via a
signed contract.   
• The  First  Selectman  and  Finance  Director  do  not  think  there  needs  to  be  an  official  Town 
building commiEee for this project. 
• DPW will finalize the RFP to go out for bids that will include a request for op4ons for both oil
and gas solu4ons. 
• Quotes have been requested, from TOW plumber, to replace the current water fountain with
a combina4on water boEle filling and fountain unit. 
• Underground oil tanks must be removed. An above ground cement unit will be installed 
on the SE corner of the building.   Will wait un4l bids and recommenda4ons on the repl
acement HVACare received.
• Staff  has  concerns  regarding  mold  in  the  building  due  to  repeated  ceiling  leaks.    DPW  has
arranged for an inspec4on and report.
Grants
• An application with the CT Office of the Arts and Lifetime Arts Creative Aging program was 
submitted.  The decision on providing $2,500 in seed money for arts based programing for 
older adults will be announced 1 June.
• Four grants for Youth Services received total $9,500 in funding.  They include monies for 
summer enrichment, special needs families, Spanish speaking community needs, and equity 
based summer programs.
Personnel Updates 
• The first annual Staff Development Training, 17 March, was successful.  
• Our previous PT Info/Ref assistant, M. Behney, will be returning.
• K. Smith, a current library student, is joining the team as a substitute Info/Ref assistant.
Service and Program Updates
• The Town and library’s new website launched 23 March.
• The new LibCal calendar will go live by the end of May.
• L. Erickson is currently testing the new Autorenewals feature of the SirsiDynix system.  It is 
anticipated it willl go live in June.  This will put WPL on a circulation parity with other libraries 
in the state.

Waterford Public Library
	
Board of Trustees
 
 
 
 
 
 
• K. James and L. Erickson are working on  separa4ng  all  Christmas/seasonal  paperback 
and hardback fic4on to a special sec4on of the mezzanine to free up space in the regular 
fic4on and make it easier to locate these 4tles in December. 
• New monthly Mystery Book Club has been added to regular programming.
Outreach 
• A. Rosenberg, E. Boyce, J. Bivona, and C. Johnson represented the library at the M&T bank 
grand opening in Waterford and accepted the $3,000 ceremonial grant check.  
• Library staff was represented at Clark Lane Middle School’s Welness Fair, the Senior Center’s 
quarterly  book  group  discussion,  the  launch  event  of  the  Center  for  Housing  Equity  and 
Opporunity  in  Eastern  CT,  outreach  at  the  Jewish  Federal  of  Eastern  CT  luncheon,  and  an 
informa4on table at the Farmer’s Market at the Community Center the last Saturday in April.
5.  Old Business - None
6.  New Busines
• Renewal of terms for Board of Trustees and election of officers for 2024 will occur at the 
Annual meeting.
• The issue of pay equity for library staff was addressed with PRB.  Terms and conditions of 
employment and pay equity (section 3) state: “It is the policy of the Waterford Public Library 
that the terms and conditions of employment for library staff be comparable to or exceed 
those of town employees.”  This has been true since 8 August 1984.  However, the Town 
lawyer said the Town policies don’t match.  C. Johnson will reach out to PRB and the First 
Selectman.
7.  Adjournment
A motion was made at 7:28 by L. Couture and seconded by C. Giordano to adjourn.  All in favor. 
Respectfully submitted 12 May 2023
Joy S. Merrill, Secretary