Library Board of Trustees May 11, 2026

We should get started instead of waiting for Chris over there.

I don't need anything.

Amy to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

What about the agenda?

I think you could probably add that on to the beginning because it needs to be done.

It needs Yeah, because we need a secretary.

Yes.

To do the rest of it. So, I think I think we just make a motion to call it out out of order. Do it that way. Out of sequence or whatever. Okay.

I make a motion to call out of sequence so we can do the office office.

All in favor?

I Okay. Well, I know I'm a nate Laura.

I do too. All right. I second it.

or unom for chair.

For chair. Yeah.

All in favor?

I All oppose.

Okay, you can take over now.

Thank you. Okay. All right.

I nominate Polly as vice chair or is it assistant chair?

Co I think was the word we used in the past, but why? I don't know.

What's the bylaws say?

Same thing as last year.

You just vice chair person.

Oh, vice chair. That sounds vice chair.

Yeah, that sounds good.

Because co would be equals, right? Yeah.

I second the motion.

All in favor?

I secretary Melissa, I nominate.

I knew it was knew it was going to happen.

I'll second.

No, I can't vote. Can I? Yeah.

Oh, thank you.

The call to order was at 12:02.

12:02. Oh, this means I got to start working.

Yeah. Bring a laptop.

Okay, great.

Is that it?

And as Polly always said, it is taped, so you can go back.

Oh, absolutely. Yes.

Oh, yes. Do it that way versus trying to take notes, right?

Yeah.

Okay. You want to do committees while we're out on the same thing?

Yeah, might as well do committees. The bylaws call for three committees. We haven't had a finance committee for a while.

They calls for a finance personnel and building and grounds, which we have. So, we'll start with the building and groundsafety committee.

You and Sue still willing to keep serving?

Yeah. Yeah, he does all the work anyway.

I know. Let's put Don on every committee.

Yeah, we don't need a vote for that because the bylaw said that you just appoint.

You just I I appoint.

Okay.

So, personnel committee. I've been on the personnel committee.

So, have I?

I would like continue. I'll continue. Is there a I'll volunteer.

Oh, perfect. Three people.

And then are we prepared to do a finance committee at this point?

What do they do though? What's the finance committee do?

I imagine meet because we don't handle any money or do anything. No, but I imagine that we meet with we I'm saying the finance committ meets periodic periodically to work with Bonnie on actually a good idea instead of having it at each meeting because we did have a a small discussion in a personnel meeting saying maybe a little more of that information would be helpful. Yeah.

But if it's more um focused with the finance committee which could bring it forward if need be. Does that make sense?

Yeah.

Okay. So now we have to create and I could do more research as to more specific tasks like what other library trustee boards do. not to micromanage, right, you know, the administration of the library, but just to have a sense of how the money is spent and to meet with Bonnie before she meets with the finance committee about either our yearly budget or any other issues that might pop up.

I have a good topic for that one, the water usage.

We spend5 to $6,000 a year now that we never spent before the new school was built and I don't think our budget's been increased for that. So that's taken away from other line items.

So I was going to bring that up with precisia today to plant a bug in his ear but that'd be a good topic for a financial thing to Yeah.

something that's kind of out of the ordinary.

So do you want to do that research as to what it exactly will um need to to research itself and then have a vote or an appointment of finance committee members?

I think we have a good start now. If we have I' volunteer to do that with someone, not by myself, but I I'd like to do it, too, because I do have a finance background. So, I do.

Yeah. Yeah.

You've been hiding your light under what?

That's great.

Yeah. I sure I'll I'll I'll need three or I don't think so. If you find you function better with Well, we do too with the safety personnel.

Yeah.

Yeah. Because you could always coordinate with Sue and Don.

Okay.

As to issues that overlap.

Okay. All right.

Okay.

And your first assignment is to write yourselves a job description since I came unprepared.

Okay. All right. But yeah, does it say anywhere in the bios what a finance person does?

No, it just says descriptive. Yeah, the state must have something on that.

This is got to be we might want to amend the bylaws at some point to get a little more description for the committees.

You know when the amended?

It should say on the bottom. Is that the Bible?

This is an older one. We amended it in terms of how often we meet where we could instead of meeting monthly 12 months a year, we could meet a month. We could miss a month, right?

What?

Yeah, we as needed monthly as needed.

I thought we I thought we said that we couldn't.

Somebody has to look at the minutes and get that.

I thought there was we weren't going to meet last year for one month in the summer and it was like no, we can't do that.

No, we didn't. We didn't.

rely on my memory.

I think so. Yeah, I thought it said 10 out of 12 months.

There had to be.

We usually just take September off because the book kind of turns everything chaotic and there's not a lot of extra room.

We take September off.

Okay. Motion to approve the minutes of April 13th.

We want to talk about it. We do that after the motion.

Discussion after discussion.

So I make a motion to approve a minute.

Second.

All right. Discussion. Any corrections, additions?

I think there are a few things that needed to be corrected, but I don't you want to take that on now or go to next month?

What's that? I think there are a few corrections in there that need to be made in the minutes as they were.

These are for new minutes from last month, correct?

Oh, these are last month.

Yeah, we're talking minutes, right?

I didn't remember last minutes about the cases.

I had to leave the meeting early cuz I had a medical emergency. So, I'm not quite sure what happened at the end of the meeting. I don't think that those were brought up.

No.

What about getting rid of?

They're on the director's report for this month, right?

Yeah. This is the minutes.

I'm sorry.

Yeah.

No discussion.

On the old on the old Yeah. body.

Do you want to Can we put it to next month? Is that all right?

Or we can have a personnel committee meeting if there's Yeah, definitely.

And I'm talking about the minutes itself, not the Oh, yeah. Just the minutes of last month.

Yes.

Yes. Okay. Thank you.

All in favor of approving the minutes?

I Okay. Date of next meeting, June 8th.

Sure.

I know we're in summer almost.

Hope it warms up in the winter.

You always meet at noon, correct?

Yes, it's always at noon.

The second Monday.

Okay.

That seems to be mutually convenient.

Does it work for you?

Oh, yeah.

Okay.

I like it better at 6:30, used to be 6:30, right? It depends on people's working schedules.

Some we should probably be able to do.

Yeah.

Any correspondence?

Uh, yes. There was a letter that was sent here for Laura. Did you want to address to you speak about it or I just held on to it?

I received a letter or well it was mailed to the library from Thomas Efredo on Sylvia Lane in Westport who is requesting that we consider supporting the establishment of a formal position of poet laurate of the town of Westport.

and I'll pass the letter around.

He I haven't checked into the procedure for that.

Um, is that he's proposing himself as the poet?

Something has to be appointed or is that I don't know. That's why I was hoping Chris might advise us because I don't know if it's something that we want or need to do as board or he just looked or it might be the town.

He's looking for support.

What kind of support?

Monetary. No, I he probably just wants, you know, that we think it's a good idea kind of like a recommendation or something. If support for this notion can be obtained from each organization and a final proposal agreed upon, I would then propose a collective submission to the select board.

Is he did he submit any work?

What what how does he qualify for it?

He writes that his background is in medical research and patient care, but he has um good question.

I don't know what qualifies him specifically.

Must be Well, since there's questions, maybe we should get a copy of it, look it over and talk about it next month. because we're kind of all in the dark about what it really is.

Yeah. Does he have a timeline? Does he have a request for for a specific time?

We need more information.

No.

I'm curious cuz I'm looking over your shoulder vantage point. Are all these We probably all should get Why don't we pass we pass? So, do all of these towns in Massachusetts have one?

If you get the New Bedford Light online, oh, they have had interviews and Fowl's newsletter has an interview with the poet laurate of New Bedford.

Oh, I know uh GBH always had the poet laurate of Boston on it was very very very interesting and very creative.

So, I make a motion we pass it on to the next meeting so we can all read it.

Yeah, the US one more research a second to Don's motion to postpone discussion till next meeting so we could all get a copy and it position annual stipen of $35,000 that's something that would have to go before it's just an honor yeah that would have to go before select I would on an agenda or something for a town meeting because you can't increase salaries without so support if he brought it to them

would all support the idea I think not if it raises taxes I don't know it's probably not a hat thing I think it's just an honor but that's why we need to read it he's calling it an honorary position so But we'll all get a copy and do our own research. And so it does say with a um range of $1,000 a year kind of like a moderator.

Oh, right.

An annual before the select board. Maybe he's just looking for like a verbal or whatever written like you're you're behind me.

But I I think we should pass on it and we can all read it.

Yeah. And then next week, next month.

Yep.

I like it.

So I think that was second but the idea of it I like and then I don't know first of all I wouldn't even know how to measure qualifications but yeah could we make copies of this for you could email for the next meeting.

Yeah we should just email them out save money on paper.

Yeah. There you go.

That came in snail mail not email right?

Yeah, we can find that again.

Yeah.

Hi.

Interesting.

Okay.

It has he been responded to that we received his correspondence?

It just came in a couple of days ago.

So, um Laura, if I may keep a hold of it for the correspondence.

Okay. Motion to accept director's report. I make a motion.

Second.

Uh there's any discussion questions to go over also finished.

Um the mobile printing I think it's a great idea. Does that mean people still pay the same amount of money for usage?

Okay.

Currently we charge 25 cents a page to print either black and white or color.

We don't differentiate. Um, in the past when we have had a working fax machine which was always on and off, um, it's a dollar per page to fax.

Okay.

And they can do this. This is so they could do it from the phone if they Yes, they would be able to use our printer.

Yes.

Well, it would still be our printer, but um, we it wouldn't involve the staff at all at that point unless um, the mobile printing has an option that they can pay online, which is like um, the same thing when people pay their fines online, it goes through sales and then they send us a check for anything else.

So, it doesn't require us having a credit card machine or anything like that. Um, they can just they can use I think Apple Pay and a credit card and then that would just go through the um through sales and then I think it's monthly.

Is it to only use mobile printing or to use mobile printing if the um it would be the option they could still print from our computers like they always have and it would still be 25 cents, but they would have the option to pay with a credit card now, which would be really nice because nobody carries cash anymore. That's always an issue. And then they would also have um the option

if they brought in their phone or their tablet um we would have them usually email it to themselves as they go into excuse me I don't need to start that again um they would go to um you know their email on one of our computers and then print it out but it's always kind of complicated explaining that to someone.

So the idea would be they could just uh I believe the way it's work there's a touchcreen and then there's like they have a QR code basically. So for the t for the paying for town um tax purposes on online there's usually a charge. So would they be I can't imagine that I would have to look into. I'm not entirely sure. There's a service to use people pay their late fines online.

It's not much but there is there.

So once the initial purchase it pays for itself every it should. I did math of we haven't our fax machine was always going in and out even before it finally stopped working.

Um when we got our new phone lines it never really worked after that. And FY24 we did have a full year of faxing and printing which was just under $2,000. So it should pay um for the yearly fees it should pretty much pay for itself which we're not supposed to make money on it but um it would pretty much sustain itself as far as I can tell. So the only expense we would have would be pay-per-

Yes. going forward we would have to buy who is the subscription paid to like who's the it would go through it's envisionware but we have a group rate through um sales so we already have envisionear for that's how people sign into our computers and then um it we release the print right now that's the way it works so it's the same company um they just recently started doing the mobile printing and the faxing so this

is like within the last year or so um sub excuse me sub libraries have already started. Um, the more who sign up, we do get a discount because we get group rates. So, how do you verify that it's working?

What do you mean it's working with income? How do you know that the person is actually paying for that? Then we get reimbured. Goes to say when somebody No, that part doesn't right now. Only um if they're paying for something like we don't have late fines anymore, but if they lose a book and they choose to pay with their credit card online, then they just send it to us. Um for printing they just pay us at

the desk. There's some they they have to say yes and it tells them um they press print it tells them you know this will be 50 cents pay at the desk they hit okay they come to us and nothing prints it until we tell it to.

Oh you release it.

Yeah. We have we have to release it. So that's how we get paid. But this would kind of take the staff out of the You release it and then they could print it.

Yep. Yeah. And then it just prints out.

Yeah.

But this would kind of take us out of it unless they did want to pay for cash. We would still accept the cash, but for the most part, they would just put in their information and it would release it on its own.

You seem to spend a lot of time.

Yes, that would save a lot of time.

It would save the staff a lot of time and I think it would save, you know, people a lot of time not having to try to figure out how to Gmail's a big problem.

They have it on their phone and it's difficult to get it off the phone without like bunch of hoops trying to and if it's sensitive information, we can't send it to our email. So, if it's something that's not very important, they'll just email it to us and we'll It's getting with the times.

Yes, it is something that we've been looking I had been looking into it before um Envisionware even started. I'd looked at another company that was even more expensive and then um Envisionware announced that they were going to be partnering and that's exactly what the Lash Foundation is for.

Yeah. I thought that would be, you know, it's technology upgrade and I think it would make the community very happy to be able to do that. That is I I know one of the number time it's even better. Yeah, the only option um the the mobile printing um is kind of just it was it it is what it is. The um the other one there's a touchcreen and then the scanner that we

would have to purchase. So that's where the main bulk of the money and then there is a service fee for faxing every month. It's like $25 a month for up to 250 pages.

All of them or just that one?

Uh just for the one.

Okay.

Do you fax often? Do you are you asked if we get asked a lot? Yes. And people were very disappointed.

Old people.

It's mostly medical things have to be facts. There's a HIPPA compliance. It has to be, you know, sort of scrambled before it goes out or time sheets and stuff.

Yeah. Stuff like that. anything that has like I say that cuz my kids fax mom.

I know that's what a lot of people say that but um this would be it's voice over internet which is what our telephone lines were switched to which is why our old fax machine stopped working so it is over the internet but it is I checked with the um the rep from the company and it is HIPPA compliant so whatever they do it is encrypted they will yes encrypted thank you that was Well, scrambled is good.

The same.

Um anyway, the there's two separate um scanners. So, there was a difference. Um it's about I can't talk today. There's a few hundred difference between if we get just a flatbed scanner or if we get one with a feeder so people could do multiple pages. I would rather get the one for the multiple pages. Yes. Which is a little more expensive, but I think it would be over the investment.

So is that because of the cost? I didn't know if you would all like to vote on that.

I would go with your recommendation.

Is there a second?

Second.

Any further discussion?

All in favor?

Do you have a question about the statue?

I have a question about the statues.

There's two cases. one there and I don't remember where the other one it's right near the doors back years ago. George wanted to get rid of them and uh he was told the first step you have to do is get an appraisal.

Yes.

And I have a concern that if we're going to say any other town uh any other town whatever you want to call them department would want them. Could they turn around and sell them?

I guess in theory. Yeah. I would rather I was trying to sell them because they're library property. Yeah.

And if we get I was told by the town administrator um he comes for a monthly meeting and we had discussed it. I showed him the statues and how much space it takes up and he said that I have to offer them first before we can get the appraisal done and so because they are technically town property.

Where did they come from? We probably been told they manufactured on Forge Road back in 1975 with the building.

Wow. when this the No, they don't make donated.

He just liked them and donated them.

They're very large and they take up Well, I would I would question I'll question them.

I can ask because the the other town administrator said what we had to do now. This will just say we have to do something different.

Yeah.

So, I can check in with him about it. I was told I had to offer it first and then we I understand that with like tables and chairs and stuff like that.

Yeah. This is sort of a different thing.

That's a lot more valuable.

Yeah. And I would be concerned that say the council on agent will take it library. So that's probably 30 $40,000.

Really?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

He sells one online. The artist Oh, the artist has passed, but he still has a website. The one that's in the lobby that size, he has a similar one and he sells it um you know, retail for $3,100.

Same person.

Yeah, same. Yeah, it's the artist. He passed away I don't know, maybe a few years ago, but his website is still up there. I couldn't find anything about, you know, that one's so much larger.

Um, I couldn't really find anything. One of them around the size of the one with the bears in it sold at auction for between 12 and $1,800. So, I don't think they're That's a big Yeah, it is a big amount of money, but it depends on a big process to to to move it that way.

It is. Yes.

You have to pay to have an appraiser do it.

Yep.

Yes. We would have to do that.

And like anything, it's only worth worth what someone's going to pay, right? I was under the impression he worth a lot more money.

Yeah.

He's not a super welloed artist. He is, if you're, you know, people who are very into western art, I guess he How old is that thing, too?

It's from 1975.

75.

Yeah.

So, I think it was made like a year or two.

I know. We moved it from that near the lobby. We were afraid of glass.

There's a crack in the case and it was starting to get like humidity.

We actually hired movers to bring it in here. We didn't touch it. Yeah, but the printing station I would was hoping would go where that other statue is because it's right next to the computers which would make sense and I just I'm out of places to move it to at this point. So if we can't do it, you know, it is what it is, but I think it's worth looking into.

Now there's no restrictions on the people that gave it to us in that there's nothing in the um there's the bill of sale that you know was handed over. Um I can I have it in a folder. I can show you all but it doesn't you know it says it belongs to you know it was given to us and there's no nothing written at least as far as I know um

if the town says that's how you have to do it um I'll I'll double check it just seems strange that Jim would say you got to do it this way now what if we had a third day we say something different all depends on when you ask the guy that was in the stone house was going to be asked to come and appraise it or something.

Um, yeah, there is a appraiser who in the area who lives very close by would be willing to do it for us.

I thought it was the guy in the stone house.

You know what he charges?

I don't know. I hadn't gotten that far into it yet.

Um, I was going to email the departments, but I will double check before I double check.

Absolutely.

And if you need help, the finance committee is ready to help you.

Okay, that's all. Yeah.

Okay. Um, we did get our second state aid payment in, which is very exciting.

Um, they do it in two parts. So, we got one in February and we just got the second one in.

And I think that's it.

Did Rick Mundy happen to mention he was interested in a 3D printer?

Yes, he did.

I emailed I emailed him Friday and said, "If you're going to be a selector, you should join the library file program."

emailed me some I will join. I have three kids, another one on the way.

So, yeah, one of his songs comes to my story time.

Um, yeah, he did mention that, but I was saying it's a lot of that stuff is just dependent on space, which we don't have a lot of at this point.

But would something like that fall into the uh what do you call it?

Technology account.

Yeah, I think it would be a technology upgrade if we did want to do that. It's just figuring out where to store it.

You know how to use them. Yeah, you have to buy a lot of tests if it's not environmentally great, but they're cool.

I've hesitated because they have one at the middle high school. Yeah.

So, for kids, if they wanted to use it, they just do it there. If adults want to use it, that's a different story. But again, where would we put it?

I love what you did about making available the free period products in the women's bathroom.

Yep. That's very very helpful.

That was a statewide initiative that I read about. They started doing it in um the libraries in Boston, but the state house and all of those and a lot of a lot of other libraries in Massachusetts had started too. So they had recommended the company to I have one thing under the ground the two things I do. Do you want it more?

What's your address?

Oh, I I'm fine with them. I just my only concern with them I wasn't sure if we were going to get build for it.

Um, so yeah, and I did double check with Chris and he talked to the highway department about it. So yeah, Chris got on Chris's case about it.

Wait for one of the buses to hit the building.

Oh, that's further down.

I'm waiting for one of the buses. I watch further down on the agenda.

Yeah, that's on the agenda. Yeah, because Tuesday I watched the the bus back up and I was waiting because the kids were running across.

Mhm.

I took a picture one the other day. Back it up.

Yeah. But as to those, I'm fine with them being there. I just didn't know him because I told him he wanted them out.

Oh, no.

No. I just was concerned we were going to get like a bill for them.

I was not prepared.

Administrator got tangled on Chris's I said it's kind of my fault cuz Chris had said, "Why don't we put barriers there?" Then I said, "Well, I talked to Bonnie. I talked to you and you said you would rather not that I came here one day and you showed me that they would drop.

Yeah, we were just very surprised.

Yeah, they were there one day. We had to go back in the cameras and look. So, I mean it's up to you. I'm fine with them there.

Okay.

They are there. There's no point. But I just he said it would come out of the highway department budget. So, that was my only concern with that.

Okay.

Because it is the end of the fiscal year. Things are tight.

Are the trees got planted?

Oh, the trees look beautiful. Yeah.

Oh, I have it too.

They look really nice. agenda.

Well, I did mention it in my director's report that they were here on Wednesday and just and therapy dogs are coming back. That's great.

We have two people.

It's not the big poo.

No, she has since passed which was very she was very sweet. Rosie. Yes.

Um but we have two. One is named Ellie and I can't remember the name.

What kind of dog?

Uh they're both sort of like Yeah. Kali mixes.

Do you have it?

Not yet, but I'll have it.

For young children who are afraid of dogs, is that a good thing to do?

It is. It is. Yes. Cuz they're very, very calm and they're larger dogs, so it's nice to see, you know, that they're so calm. They just I've always really like that program. It just um when Rosie had retired from it, I hadn't filled it yet. So, so I'm hoping to start that in July. I have to talk to the schedule. Um it was originally going to be like once a

month, but since a second person has um come in, maybe we'll do it like bi-weekly or something.

Should be nice to do a little outside now.

That would be really nice. Yeah.

Okay.

Okay. Motion. We've made the motions to accept. All in favor of accepting.

I assistant director's report. Motion to accept.

Motion.

Second.

Any discussion?

I'm curious about the cataloging and covering them before cataloging.

Yes. Because we have a problem with um people knowing when they go out or not if I'm not in charge, if I'm not here.

So, if we just cover them right away and give them to me and I can make sure they don't go out before they're supposed to be published.

Um it hasn't happened, but yeah, we have pre-orders. I always catch it beforehand, but in case I don't catch it, this would be like perfect. Like have it Could somebody actually check it out?

Could somebody actually check it out?

So, it's already in the system.

Yeah. Okay.

So, if I if I give it to them without having barcode without being cataloged, there's no risk of it getting out into the public's hand before it's actually released. Um, and it just makes it easier in case we have sometimes we have double copies of like a really popular book like yesterday year is huge right now, but once we run out of the holds, we like to put it in the book sale. And

so this way we can just take off the cover and it has the barcode and the call number and everything. So it doesn't we don't have to cut the actual cover like we've been doing right now.

Oh yeah.

So that makes the resale like people are happier. Patrons are happier if they're not having a cut up book or a blacked out like marker on the on the coil. Neat. Neat.

And then a walking book club.

Yeah, I thought it'd be fun.

I think the name she came up with are the greatest thing.

Figure out what name I love these names.

I thought they were fantastic.

Where do you go?

We're just going to go around the school when it's closed because we can't go during school. So like right before closing probably on a day that were open um later that we have more staff so I can actually go out with people and talk about books, TV shows, whatever comes up.

They were doing something at the school the other day looking at birds and stuff and Joseph said they were doing some type of something with birds identifying birds and stuff.

Yeah, they were all using the um picnic tables down in the area which I thought was nice.

So when is that full?

We're thinking that. Yeah.

Okay, we should change it to Monday.

Yeah, I forgot we changed it to Wednesday. We had initially thought Monday because it would be open later so they could like go back and like peruse, but um with the way things are Wednesday we have more people to cover the desk and stuff and So, but Wednesday you close at 5, right?

Yes. Yeah. Yep. So, we would We're not sure how many times people around cuz one time we usually do like a staff walk after work and one time is about 25 minutes. So maybe if we do two, do people like it? It's an hour long.

Yeah.

Yeah. We'll see.

Cool.

Very cool.

All in favor of accepting the assistant director's report.

Friends update.

I did include that at the end of the Yeah, I sent my update late.

We don't vote on that, do we?

We don't vote on that, do we?

No. No, it's No, we would always debate that, but we don't have to vote.

I did. I make it to the packet.

Yes. Yeah, you are. It should be right after the um assistant director's report.

Art for your mind is this Saturday from 2 to 3:00 p.m.

Um they are doing Revolutionary War images and there was another one. So for the 250th too, that's this Saturday, right?

Yes. Yeah, this Saturday at 2:00 and other than that, they're just getting ready for the book sale.

Did you hire somebody?

I don't know. I'm not sure. I thought she was here till July.

Here.

Yeah, they didn't hire anybody yet.

At the council on agent for July. Oh, okay. Cool. I talked to the veteran agent finally and she told me that they have the whole setup that I should just contact them and use.

As far as I know, Beth

from Bonnie, there's a foul board meeting this Thursday.

Yeah. 6 14th.

Yeah. Is it this week?

That's what's so frightening.

Wait a minute.

Okay. Safety committee update.

The signs. I was going to get the signs put up and the school department gave me a little hassle. I'm going to use one of their poles.

And I told him it's not really their poles. It's a town bowl. That's why I was hoping Chris would be here today, but I uh emailed the new facilities director. He seems pretty cool about being on board and working with us. So, he told me by next week we should get together. He's going to give us the asbuilts that we've never gotten. And uh I think we'll work from there. I don't

think it's going to be a problem, but I talked to the the girl over there who was filling in for a while. She said, "You got to talk to the superintendent.

I'm not going to bring that up to her."

You know, it's too low on the totem pole to go up to her. So the signs will get as soon as we get them. We got the sign.

This is the no buses.

What do they say the signs?

No buses or trucks.

No trucks or buses.

They the buses come in to try to get over to the tent here and they get stuck and while the kids are coming up very dangerous.

Yeah. They drive all the way down to the They don't know that it's not a then you should see them back up and then they try to back up while the kids are coming across.

It's a bad situation.

Okay. We want to put one sign up near our entrance and the other sign where you have to go in front of the school.

But these are not school buses that pick up the kids. These are teams when they go for games.

It's not a problem. First, I don't know if it's still going on. The officer won't let the little the little elementary school kid parents in.

They have to come around. So, they're blocking them at that time. So, the buses think they're blocking them.

Okay. If the officer would just say, "Come on in." It would be fine. But Google Maps also tells them to come in to the library and they So that's, you know, so this is like team buses like Yeah. When there's tennis games or things basketball, sometimes delivery trucks, but not as much.

Okay.

And that's usually during the day when there's, you know, not running around.

So it's a little safer.

But still, but it would be Yes, it would be the best.

Okay, that's the signs.

Actually, no. If that sign says no trucks or buses, your delivery trucks aren't going to come up.

Well, they at first they were and they'd back up.

We usually just have FedEx and UPS, which are smaller trucks.

We get water deliver and they'll still come even though it says no truck.

Yeah, we're just Yeah, the sign that sign we just put out.

Well, they're coming to our building, so they can, you know, come around and the others are not. Yeah, because they'll come around to do the circle, which is fine. But the others are trying to go right over to the school. So they, you know, there's nowhere to turn around if you do it that way.

No, that's why they back up.

Yes.

To hit the building.

Some of it safety, some of it not, but it's all related to the ADA walkway and stuff.

The trees were planted 56 and 58. Um, I told Joseph to put tags on them. He took the tags off. I said, "Well, people might want to know what kind of tree it is because I don't know what they are."

So, he's going to put tags back on them.

Um, the wellwater is going to I'm going to get that guy to come up and look at that. We have a tank, pressure tank donated by the credit union that's brand new. We've got to look at a little building, a small building because that has to be in there and then we have to drain it in the winter.

Um, we got to purchase that. Uh, we need to mark off where you want the concrete pads for the table. Yeah, I think I finally now that the trees are there, we figure it out.

We need three pack three foot pads and one pad for the book drop.

And John did fix our picnic table. Yeah, he did. He did this morning. Yeah, I was very impressed. I didn't think it would be fixed.

I didn't think so.

So, we like to put that on concrete also, doesn't we? We can move it back farther because we didn't have that. So, four.

And the other last part of that is the security. Do we still get the panic buttons yet or?

Um, we never got them and they weren't in the original quote, I don't think.

So, I can we can just move on from that if you want to.

It's okay. Yeah, I think we're fine.

Okay.

The cameras help a lot. And I think we're good.

That's all I got for that safety and stuff.

The parking I noticed uh on whatever day it was, there were like cars all the way on this side and all the none on that side. Mhm.

And it's not usually a big deal, but if we had an event, Yeah.

they shouldn't be parking.

They're parking there for the tennis.

So, I had to ask the recreation director to have park on the school side instead of this side for a school meet a tennis when the public is using the tennis court. They all park over in our side parking.

Yeah. Instead of parking on the school side, they all park on this side. So, if we had an event, we'd have no place to park with the pickle ball and tennis. And and these are after school hours, I assume.

Saturday.

Saturdays were one.

But just have them park on the other side.

It kind of creates but it hasn't worked yet. So cuz they have lessons on Saturday.

And you also have the guy that works at the school who parks his car. His white truck over here on our side up front here.

Mhm. The white pickup truck. Little blue white pickup truck. I see him come out.

I'll snap a picture of this.

I watch him come across.

Okay.

Cuz I went to go see where you where the shoes were going to go and he came out from the back of the building, got in his car, left, went to go get his lunch, I guess, and then came back, parked the truck on our side, and then walked back in.

Okay. I I'll take a picture of it.

That usually happens like the first week of school for a little while and then someone will say something to school.

We've been getting three or four cars after school. pick up. They didn't want them three of them to move. The next day they were back.

Yeah, it's it's better than it was.

Yeah, it's a lot better than it was.

Who do you contact with that? The school, the administration or Oh, okay. Not like the police, the the officer. Okay.

Yeah, there's a group that Yeah.

Okay. Personnel committee. We met briefly to start thinking about job descriptions and staff scheduling. and we're going to make an appointment when this meeting ends for our next meeting cuz we all need a full set of job descriptions and just have a sense of how things operate.

So, it's in process right now.

Okay. So, you're going to distribute job descriptions to the first the personnel committee is going to get them over then.

Got it.

Yeah. And then if they need updating, we can update it with Bonnie.

So in total, there are one, two three four five six.

Not employees, but six.

Yes. I'm trying to think. Yeah, because two of them. Yeah, a couple of them have the same job. One is Okay.

Did you bring those back up? I gave them back to you.

Oh, no. That was something else. That was meeting.

Okay.

Okay. The art exhibit policy.

So, that was something um I had Googled other libraries art exhibit policies.

All we had in the manner room policy was that one little paragraph which wasn't very um you know detailed.

It was kind of vague. So, if you would like to have an official policy that we could hand out to the artists, see my file somewhere here. Um, that was this is kind of a, you know, Frankensteining of a few different policies, but there was question about the um being able to have the prices. Um, so there was a suggestion, the artist this month has a price list and she just put

numbers next to them. I think looks very nice.

That's a good idea.

And there was also um sometimes there's uh things aren't quite correct on the um you know the advertising that they put out. Um the one this month for example has our hours incorrect. So um I thought it'd be helpful if um they sent it to me before they just because I could told them that before they printed them all.

I like it that you're, you know, specific about the size of the wall.

Yes.

Um, I think that will take a lot of the Yeah, I think so, too.

It's very specific. Yeah.

Y and I, you know, I, you know, just even putting about no nails, thumbtacks, adhesives directly on walls.

You say tape, right?

Yeah. Yep. People like really like to use those command strips and they fall down and I tell them they're going to fall down, but they do they sign the liability. So yeah, they, you know, we can't get in trouble, but I do warn them. For some reason on these walls, you know, those cement walls, nothing sticks. So we have the whole system with the hooks on them.

That's what they should, that should be the only thing.

So I mean, it's up, you know, it's up to them, but I do warn them that it's probably not going to stick.

I like it.

Mhm.

Has everyone had a chance to review it?

Yeah. Yes.

Make a motion to accept the new art exhibit policy.

Second. Anyone?

Second.

Any further discussion or questions? I'm just reading the public information part again.

I have one.

Do we have policies? Are they all in the same format?

Yes.

Okay.

All the policies we have um Georgia put scanned them all in and put them folder on a flash drive that I have and then so they're all on the they're all PDFs.

They're on the website as well.

But I mean the format of is the same.

Oh, pretty much. Yeah.

Okay.

I know in some of the job descriptions there different formats.

I think it depends on what job on who wrote them.

Like the font and if it's No, the fonts but subject.

Oh, I see.

Whatever the subject is purpose each one in a certain order was updated. It was whoever was maybe board at that time have a printed folder and do it all on like official library letter head with the seal the open book no board could recommend it that would be so on the public information um paragraph here so publicity is approved by the library director does this am I missing something that would say any outside

public um publication. In other words, a street sign, a thing at Le or wherever that the that the artist puts up themselves. Is that something that you would also um I don't see you that how would you control what they put up at least?

Well, I I don't think you really can.

That's my question.

If they're going to be putting up flyers, it would be helpful to make sure the information like concerning the libraries, correct? Our hours, you know.

But does it say anything new about putting signs outside? It doesn't say anything. Yeah, I don't have anything specific. I could That guy had signs all over town.

I know.

Yeah, but they I mean it is that they can advertise it. We've never had anything.

It does say publicity must be approved advertising. Okay.

And And did you get 10% of anything?

Um I don't think anything sold that month. I think we will get something this month. However, it looks like not sold. So wonderful. Good. Um, and then the only thing we had in the old policy, um, was about the the 10% donation. And it was written as having like a written like having something signed, which I felt a little uncomfortable with.

Um, we're not really, you know, we're not here to make money. It's not what a library does. So, I feel like a contract, but I think it's a suggested donation kind of seems a little more appropriate. Do you want to This is a draft. So would you want This is a draft. So I can change and you would add that you know.

Um that's already in there about that part of it I believe.

Now is this a lot different than the man policy?

Um I mean the room rental.

Um yeah cuz that is for Yeah, cuz this is for just what's on the walls and that's for specifically when they're having meetings or stuff. So if they did um people usually do have a reception.

So that would I think it says it would refer to that policy. Okay.

Could we approve this today and then we can amend it to add about suggested donation?

Well, I think I can amend it now because it's just a draft. So I think we could just vote for it as with the I make a motion we accept art exhibit polish with the So we just want to change change the uh it was the publicity and advertising or what was the No, I think we decided the public information that that does almost cover it all. Yeah, because you can't really control what's

outside of the space, right? So I think but where is the where is the um where is it not? It's I don't see it under is under responsibility.

I don't see any.

So maybe you could put it over there. So you could add that in.

Maybe like it can be period of display is X and we ask for kind of in there.

Yeah, I think maybe I put it in and then it got I changed things around and it got taken out. So I add that in.

So what you going to say? Um, a suggested donation of 10% of sales would go be donated to the library.

That's my recommendation.

My motion.

I second your motion.

Any further discussion?

All in favor?

I.

It's really good.

Yeah, it's got a lot of good detail in it.

And if something comes up that's not in there, we'll amend it. I had based on you know previous months I think I've covered mostly everything but who knows okay AI policy that was something Don had asked about just going forward I mean how do we how do we learn about this stuff I mean other they have the library state of Massachusetts has library problem policies on AI I was thinking the only thing that

really applies to us would be the collection policy if we want to formally say that we will not purchase AI generated Okay.

Books for our collection. You know, where where is it all going?

And I don't think anybody knows Sky now.

I'm just thinking of I don't want to be behind the Aball. So, kind of give us how do we start learning about this stuff?

Well, the state has has that didn't happen yet, did it? That webinar it did.

I couldn't get in or I think they're doing it again though.

No, usually they record it and Well, I was I But I think there was problem there were problems of people getting in, so they're going to reo it, but you have to register.

Yeah, I did. I think she's going to send a link that has all the stuff on it so I can forward that to you.

It's a ton of information that I those I do not like I don't care. I do not like the emails from the state. There's way too much information in in at the bottom.

Yeah. Takes up the whole email.

Exactly. And you're like, what are you saying? What? What? you look for a date information what's happening what do I need to know instit financial institutions they have a lot down the bottom too I don't I don't know would it make sense to have something um and this might already been but like in your internet use policy you have that hasn't been updated in quite a while so that might I mean because I don't know

how much like does that generate a lot more use if they're going on to chat I'm assuming they can access chat GPT I'm sure they I mean it's the internet we don't have filtered internet. So, but that wouldn't increase your cost or anything.

I thought sales did that.

You can um there's an rate program through um the federal government. So, you can get cheaper internet access for to make um you know small rural libraries that don't have a big budget um to make it accessible to them. But we haven't chosen to do that because it has to be filtered due to the um child protection act.

So, it is or isn't filled?

It's ours isn't. Yeah, it's up to the responsibility of basically, you know, the parents to make sure their child isn't looking at something they should be.

The computers don't get used that often for just like, you know, going on the internet anymore. People come in to print something.

Um, for the most part, most kids have phones at this point, so they just, you know, they go online on their phones.

So, it hasn't been as much of an issue having to enforce anything that, you know, there's someone's looking at something questionable on the computers.

hasn't happened in a very long time.

Knock on wood.

Yeah.

Um but maybe I I mean I like your idea, Bonnie, of adding something just to your policy. I think the collection collection policy, you know, we're going to that we're not going to purchase a generated.

Yeah. You're not speaking to patrons use of AI. That's their choice.

It's what we you the library offers as the library. I think the only thing that really would apply to us at this moment would be um the AI generated books because that's a huge controversy right now.

Oh yeah, especially with the ebooks. There was a problem already with Hoopla.

Um they got a lot of librarian complaints that they were buying AI generated stuff and um so that has it but we can say um I can update our policy that we will not knowingly purchase.

I'll review the state libraries policies just to see what they're talking about.

because it is coming.

I'm going to got to be a little bit ahead of it so you get kicked in the butt.

Would there be possible to approach either the high school or BCC or UMass Dartmouth if there's someone there who is an AI person who could explain it to the public to have a program here at the library like what is AI? Where is it going?

popular.

Yeah. Either we could the library could sponsor it or foul perhaps like anformational work with the Connie library like do you do you ever resource or they resource here? No.

We um can get in, you know, with the Commonwealth catalog. We can access their collections, but we haven't really worked with them.

They've just changed their It's now the Friends of the Carne Library. I don't understand why that would have happened. Do you know why that would happen? No, it intrigues me.

Privately owned inquiry. Privately owned.

Well, that's what I'm I don't know.

It's like that little library in Tiverton. Is it Essex?

Union.

Union that's not owned by the town, right? Isn't that a private library?

It's part of the Tan Library system, but it's kind of like and it's staffed by someone from Yes. It's a weird situation.

Where's that one?

That's my library.

Four corners. Historic four corners. So they have three libraries then two there's the big main library no big main library and then Union is has been circulating since 1824 library keep it open yeah it's the oldest one yeah ice cream financial update then I just included um I had spoken with Laura about um updating the giving you more of an idea monthly of what we've been spending. So

um this is basically an update of what we currently have available. Does there have any questions?

So this is as of March.

Um this is as of uh April 21st.

Oh, April.

Yes.

Oh no, I'm sorry. May 5th.

May 5th.

Oh, wow. I thought so I do that weekly as um you know for payroll and everything and then on the opposite week we do bills. So that gets updated.

How can you read this? It's so small.

I know it prints out. It's much bigger on my computer. Um but yeah, it's basically this is all of our different trust funds and grant accounts.

And um mostly we use the gift account. Um, we got our deposit for the the first three are the municipal equalization grant on resident circulation offset and library incentive grant. Those are the state aid funds. Okay.

That's what they're called. Yeah. And then they tell um after we get our report and we get certified by the state, they give us a breakdown of where um how much goes into each account and then I tell Vanessa at the treasur's office when she gets the revolving funds. A revolving fines is that's anytime a book is lost or we don't charge late fines anymore so it's mostly lost books.

Um it goes on there and then the town allows us to spend up to $5,000 a year out of that account. So usually we buy ink for the printer out of that account.

I did pay the heat because we did how long $5,000.

How much is what how long has it been $5,000 that we can spend?

Yeah.

Oh since we got since they did the revolving fund that was on the um agenda at the town meeting. Um there's a whole list of different I'm just wondering if it was 20 years ago should be more I think I believe it was when George was here that that started. So around 2022 2020 used to be 3,000 I think that I'm not sure about. I know it was 5,000 at some point when George was here

around 2022 and the rest are gifts.

What's the 343 gift? Is that anonymous or That's just um if somebody gives us a $50 donation or it'll Yeah, that's if it's not one of these specific ones that was like a request from a family or something.

Got it.

Yeah. When people donate to us, sometimes they'll donate money if someone passes away and they'll have a memorial donation. Those all go into there.

Could you give us a uh just a separate list of what the accounts are used for?

Like the rash account?

It's it shows a little bit on the second page.

So, you kind of have it on the second page up to the side there's a spending restrictions.

Okay.

So, Chadwick can only be used for visually impaired materials and excuse me services. So, we pay for the large print books and our audio books out of that colle um out of that fund lashes for technology which I had requested to use for um to update our printing.

Um Hicks is non-fiction. You have a lot with more than that over the years. I'm just like the Luther Bowman is that unrestricted?

Yes. If it if it doesn't have a listing on the side right there, then it's unrestricted. Most of them are we just spend the interest. So the original amount is on top and then the bolded amount right underneath it is what is currently available in interest. I haven't been using the really like there's only what was it?

What is it? Um, in the Hicks um, one there's only like $109 right now. So, I've been letting it build up a little bit. Yeah. Which I think in July you would all voted to that that was okay.

Now, the Manton Foundation that um that's the capital project. So, that was what we put the uh Anderson thing in there, right?

No, that's separate. Anderson went into the gift account and then that's already been spent because that was what paid for the carpets.

So, this one just for gifts.

Yeah, that was just the one you talked about. I had um double checked because it was a larger amount and they said the gift of part from this project could that go into the man.

That depends. Do we give that back to the man foundation if we don't fund that?

Okay.

I think it is money you're talking about from that's the ADA walkway and security upgrades for the library.

Okay. I was just finishing up 83,000 but it ended up being less because um the doors ended up costing less.

The doors were quoted at like 32 and then I had to get another quote because they wouldn't do them. The next quote came in at 16,000. So I think we could just if you know if we're not going to return it. I think we just keep it in that account.

Yeah. So we still want to get the the pads.

Yeah. That could be paid for it.

Well, yeah.

It's not going to spend all that like 17.

Um there's one more. There's still like 25% of the bill from um Joseph Englesby for the landscaping that um he you know he was finishing it and then he'll give me the invoice. We've paid I think the first like threequarters of it. So there's another I want to say around $1,500 that will come out of that. So there's still going to be over 17,000 left.

I paid him to buy another load of dirt.

I did get an email. Yeah. That he and he asked if he could put his sign up and I said okay.

Yeah. Yeah. That's pretty people driving by to see over there.

He says, "I need the advertising."

Yeah.

Do you have a um uh an advisor like handling this money for you like for the library or is it just This all is from the um the accountants's office at town hall.

Okay.

They like when we get the state aid that goes directly to the treasur's office and then she tells me that she received it and I tell her which accounts I would like it to go into.

So they handle all but yeah they handle all of it. She's supposed to rely on the commissioner of trust funds.

Okay. Do we have one?

I have one.

Oh, we don't do anything.

Okay.

Yeah. I ask about I'll let you know if there's something to do about that.

Usually after the beginning of the fiscal year, I contact the accountant's office to find out the actual, you know, what as long as there what it is. So, great.

And then this is just um the trust funds and stuff. the money from the um the town budget is separate.

Oh yeah.

I've written a letter to primary care asking them to give us a gift account.

And then Paul does their own um Yeah, that's completely separate. Any what is the pillar booth? Um the company that we bought the pillar booths from which are these study pods we have.

Um they are moving over you know really focusing on libraries and they had talked with um someone in the sales office about they would like to do a demo and have people in the library to answer questions. People could come see them. I said I wasn't sure because then we could have every vendor you know we've ever used come do that. Um so I'm bringing it to you. But I think, you

know, I'd love to shove them off personally, but yeah.

So, I just Yeah. I I would say no because I think they're simple enough. They look simple enough to use that. Do we need to have someone here like a saleserson?

These are high-tech ones or something.

No, they're just very nice.

Oh, do they want to come and show ours to people?

They would. Yeah, they would have it.

They're going to do it anyway. um have something through sales where people could go because a lot of um libraries are getting into you know this now.

So um they're planning something either way through sales that people would be able to go and ask them questions and everything. So they had contacted me.

Could they hold it here since we have them um you know we have them in the building so but they could still send people to look at them you know let them know they're here.

Are we one of the first to have them?

Yes. That's kind of a nice time that they I've looked in there, but I haven't gone in one at another location.

I sat in the double check out.

Somebody was working hard in there Saturday. She had a big setup. Yeah.

And there were a few kids here, my grandson being one of them. They were a little loud and she didn't even flinch when they Yeah. Everyone because I've, you know, asked people as they're leaving, how was it? Could you, you know, could you hear the kids or especially on like story time days and they say, "Yeah, they really hear much."

They didn't seem she didn't seem distracted at all. She had quite quite a setup.

Yeah, they worked out really good. So, but I think I think the um Would you be part of the demo? You know, yourself, if either of you, it would be more that they um they would set up like a couple of hours where people could from other libraries could come in, take a look at them, ask questions. Um I can say it would have been really nice to be able to not there

weren't that many around here when I was shopping around, so I had to rely on talking to you know a lot of Zoom meetings.

So, it would have been involved for staff than having to take time to do it.

No, this it wouldn't involve the staff.

Um, you know, I'm happy to say I really like them and they're good products, but um cuz I have had other people from other Massachusetts libraries contact me.

So, they would send out like a notice to other libraries.

Yeah, it would be through sales that they would be here. They did say they would bring donuts if that makes a difference.

Well, they get them.

Now, I have questions.

I make a motion we do the pillow demo.

May I second it?

Any more discussion?

All in favor?

I Okay, cool.

I want to see if they're going to do it on the weekend. They're going to go on a Saturday.

Yeah, I haven't really talked left. The company's from Chicago, so it depends on when they're going to be in the area.

It's not when the kids are here.

No, definitely not. Not on a Wednesday morning.

Okay.

Okay. Men room policy. whole business.

Um, that was mostly just the art um policy because it just had that one confusing paragraph. But I think we kind of should I just take that paragraph out of the man room and say see specific art policy and the long range plan that's um meaning in itself. Yeah, I put that in the packet last month, so I don't think I reprinted it, but it was basically just our long-term goals and how we were

getting on. We're about halfway through, maybe. I think it's through 2029.

And you got check marks that you Yeah, we have um we've actually done more than I kind of thought we had at this point. Um there was one that was about getting a second booth and we ended up getting different furniture for the after school kids in that area. So, that was not really applicable any longer. Um, but for the most part with programming and things like that, I think we've done

I kind of checked off what we had already done and what was pending in there. So, I think we're on track pretty well.

Okay, checks are done. What's an X?

Oh, that was what I don't think we were going to do anymore. So, like the booth would have been one of them and I think there might have been a second thing in there.

Okay.

Impressive.

Got a fiveyear plan. Over half of them is done.

Do you have to file a formal update with the board? I don't think we have to file anything. We're just supposed to keep track of it. I will double check that, but I don't think there's like a formal because you wouldn't want to do a new one.

No, but just in terms of achieving the goals every year.

I don't think there's anything formal.

I think it's more for us to Oh, yeah.

I think they just encourage everyone to keep up on their own, right?

They just require us to do it. I don't think they want to see what we do.

And you have that in your last That was in last month's, but we didn't get to it. So it was okay.

I can print them out for you.

Yeah.

The landscaping update we already did, right?

Yeah.

Yep.

That was the trees.

Yeah.

Any other topics?

I got two. Too bad Chris isn't here because one of them was for him. The HBAC system.

Question. I I do the first first we I mentioned last time about a roof inspection. Capeway roofing did the build the roof up here and I talked to them. They emailed me a quote of $1,700 to set it to take about eight hours to do it. I don't know if you're familiar with what they do, but it's rolled roof and so their seams. They have a little tool that they check each seam and see

if there's any lifting because if it lifts, that's where it's going to go bad. So they would do the whole roof because the whole roof was done in 2010.

Yeah.

910 like that. So, so at $1,700, you take that out of the man account quickly.

Okay. It's building related.

Mhm.

Okay.

We should I'll set up the schedule in the other VHVAC system to We've already talked about all of it, but the part I was going to bring up to him, do we have to go all green?

I think if we want to get the rebates, we do, which would pay, which would be, you know, a lot. I'm sure those are mini splits probably, right?

Well, the if we go with what we have now, it's $120,000. If we go with the mini type split, it's $581,000.

But then we would get reimbured.

We would get a grant.

It's a grant that they think they can get into next year's, which is for 250.

So, we would talk about we do the ground unit because that's the oldest. Next year do the other one or apply to the Manton Group for the other one. But I don't think we're going to get in next year because I looked at all the capital projects and there wasn't anything in that for the library.

No, school was down for 500,000. And when I would talk to them, they said maybe FY28 we would make it to the top of the list because we haven't applied for uh capital improvements.

About five years now I think at least. At least yeah, but because it's still working other things moved up the list. So my question to him, do we have to go green?

Well, if it's rebates plus is it it must be a lower cost monthly to use those two right?

Well, he said the electric bills will go up glue. Each of the units for the green system has to have gas as well, right?

Gas and electric. So if the temperature gets too cold, the gas kicks in.

The other units like we have now, it's just all gas.

At this point, what we had in the budget from the town did not like this year did not cover um gas and heating. Um I think you know the new doors have a little bit of something to do with that. Also just surprised if everything has gone up.

So I have a feeling that's going to happen again next year.

So I've had the finance committee other accounts uh look at what we've been spending on gas and electric.

So for next year's budget actually it's more you pay that out of different accounts right? Um most of it in the past up until this year it's been has been covering it. What um we've had I think it's about 4,500 we get from the town to pay for heating costs and that has just been covering it. Um this year the price the cost we have maintenance on those units is included in that for

any maintenance we pay from different things.

See that's what I'm saying is it's the heating not just the fuel is to take care of that stuff too.

That's we switch that into different accounts. There's not a true line item you can look at.

We have a building and maintenance line item which is about 3500 a year I believe um which will sometimes cover that but that gets used for a lot of different um maintenance things. So yeah that's maintenance supplies and all the other stuff janitorial supplies custodial supplies is separate we do yeah but um so D are you suggesting not to go green? I'm asking the question because I know I brought that up before

just because I've had experience with it mandatory.

At one time the town was saying we need to go Aubber, right?

I don't know if that's the case anymore myself. It's just my opinion.

Well, the electric bills really go up.

They really go up.

Well, she he said did say our electric will will go up, but gas will go down.

Yeah.

Unless we have a real cold cold spell.

I've had personal experience because we switched to a lot of a couple of mini splits and that's exactly what happened.

But the gas will went down like it was a big D. So it was worth it but it takes a little while to get used you know to switch or you add like now that now there's like central air.

We have central air and we have a couple of mini splits down in our Yeah.

So you can't put a price on the quality, the comfort, the I don't think it's going to change much.

Maybe you're going to keep it at 60° at 60° because you already have AC.

The other thing I think you have to consider from what I'm hearing, you know, I'm certainly not an expert, is these systems don't last as long as a conventional system.

So, they might need more maintenance, right? So, we're talking 10 years as opposed to 25 years.

I don't I don't know.

For the useful life of most equipment like that is 15 years. Mhm.

An average is 15 years.

After that, you're pushing it, right?

For for commercial systems because Yeah.

Yeah.

conventional com or I don't know as much if I didn't.

So maybe the town administrator could tell us if we had to do one. If we don't, we should do whatever makes sense for the library.

If we don't, we would apply for the man the whole foundation and get it done this year.

Yeah.

Otherwise, I think we're going to start getting more repairs.

We know we're not going to budget for that.

Summer seems to always be up.

Yeah, the AC went out twice last summer in the children's area and in the program rooms, right?

I'll talk to Chris. Okay.

I'll talk to him about that.

I guess the other thing is I mean the town put them in. So, wouldn't the town have information on those units like warranties and Well, they're fairly new at the town, right?

The town hall. I don't think it's completely done yet.

Okay. All right. But they must have material on it like that. He could look at look at warranties and I don't think would make much difference to us. We don't know all that details of that.

Yeah, the warranties are usually a year price and labor kind sometime the compressor motors are more right.

A longer life.

Mhm.

I mean we've had this system here now for how many years?

Uh it was put in in 2009 when the um when the addition was put on. The one down here is the original one.

A long time ago. That's like 1970771.

Okay.

And it's there's a lot of rust in the back.

Yeah.

Had one problem. They built a nest in there.

Yeah. Yeah. That happened a couple times.

There's also that stuff on the roof.

But I mean, there's a big cost. Are we going to end up paying more money as we wait down the road and we may get or we may not get and the small repairs.

That's why we have a finance committee.

So you're saying the possibility you'd have to wait until 2028?

That is what I've been in the past when I maybe and that's we've been up here on that list. We move it down. We've been up. We move down because it's still technic, you know, it works. It's just not working that great.

Um we get, you know, so what if you had a catastrophic failure of it?

Then we would talk to them and the other way down the road is an emergency generator. battery.

That would be nice cuz if we lose power in the summer, the humidity that would creating it would there was an agenda.

We I suggested tying into the schools when they did their school building committee wasn't into anything we wanted.

just

so I'll talk to Chris that we do do that. I mean, going green is good, but if you look at what the wind turbines, they're being finances are being cut back on those.

So, where's that power going to come from?

And I don't think solar is going to make it. I mean, it can't produce enough electric to handle everything people need, right?

It's good for homeowners.

So, you're suggesting that the finance committee takes a look at the electric and gas bills and do an analysis over what a three-year period.

Well, it would be nice if we know what we actually paid versus what we paid for in different accounts.

Get more information for next month's meeting for finance and building and grounds. Yeah.

Motion to adjurnn.

All in favor? Hi.