Hooksett Public Library
Board of Trustees
July 22, 2005 1:30PM
Minutes

Present: Mary Farwell, Chairperson, Lisa Gillis, Treasurer, Mary Leger, Secretary, Heather Shumway, Director.

Secretary's Report: Minutes from the June 14th, 2005 meeting were approved and filed. Minutes from the June 29, 2005 meeting were approved and filed.

Treasurer's Report: No report at this time.

Director's Report: Attached.

Unfinished Business:

  • HVAC
    • HS reported that the remaining outstanding issue is the power supply for lower level.
    • MF will check availability of Doug St. Pierre to come in as an advisor for technical issues.
    • HS reported that GMILCS stand alone AC unit is all set and has been vented to the outside.
    • Power Supply
      • HS to ask Tim how to test the power supply.
  • WWII Plaque
    • MF to call John Queenan regarding publicity for his WWII plaque. Possible tie in during benefit golf scholarship to honor his son.
  • Credit Card for Director
    • MasterCard authorization for HS is being signed. The decision has been voted on to add a Trustee as an authorized party after HS receives the card.
  • Insurance of Library Contents
    • MF received figures from Diane Savoie indicating that the insurance on the building is $2,900,000 and is replacement cost. The insurance for the contents is about $2,100,000 but it is unknown if that is a replacement cost figure. MF to contact Local Government Center representative to get numbers and grids of what they use for comparison.
  • Desk for Heather
    • Quote from State Prison is $1400. Quote from Michael Perra was $4750. Quote from Staples was $630, but trustees judged that materials were of inferior quality. Trustees decided to purchase desk from State Prison. LG to go to Home Depot for laminate samples. MF will ask Nancy Barrett if laminate samples were saved from 1998 when other furniture was constructed.
  • New Shelving
    • EMC Installations has provided a quote for new shelving which is needed to replace some of the current shelving which is a safety hazard. MF stated that in order to satisfy municipal requirements for multiple bids, we need at least one more and if at all possible, two more bids, since the current bid is greater than $7500.
  • Land Boundaries
    • MF to talk to Dave Jodoin and set up a meeting to discuss walking the Library boundaries. An interested Hooksett citizen who has a real estate background has volunteered to accompany us. At this meeting which should include David Jodoin, Peter Holden, who is the consulting engineer for Brady-Sullivan, who own the Mount St. Mary Property, and Amy Alexander, consulting engineer, we need to review easements relating to library property. This will ensure that we understand how any development issues in the future relate to our property.
  • Community Directory
    • HS to check with Town Administrator to see if town website can be updated in lieu of a printed Community Directory being published.

New Business:

  • Police Help
    • HS called police for help during the paving process of Brady Sullivan's repaving on the property next to the library. She found the paving contractors had rerouted library traffic without covering the ONE WAY signs on library property.
  • New Bank Account
    • Trustees voted to replace the current Regular Principal Account with a Money Market Account recommended by Beth Bartlett, TD Banknorth Government banking representative. The MMA will pay almost a percentage point higher interest. It is limited to 3 third party checks ( which is not relevant to Library since we do not write checks from this account), 6 electronic transfers, of which 2 or 3 will be from payroll service. Over the counter (teller line) transfers are unlimited. LG and ML to go to bank to sign signature cards and LG to decide when to actually move the money to the new account and close out old account. Trustees also discussed leaving enough funds in the checking account to always have sufficient funds to cover a payroll and tax payments. LG and HS to determine how much this would require.
  • Budget
    • HS proposed the possibility of adding new lines to next year's budget to further breakdown the Equipment category into one for Technology and another for Equipment.
  • Financial Report
    • MF will call Alice to discuss format for Financial Report for Town Report. Also to be discussed will be the need for a set schedule for Alice's financial work.
  • Donations for 2005
    • HS to look into specifications on donation handling procedures. Meeting date needs to set for acceptance of donations.
  • Attorney General Seminar
    • HS recommends that Director and at least one Trustee should attend yearly AG seminar each year.
  • File for Contracts
    • HS feels that a file should be established in the Library where all contracts will be. kept. Trustees in agreement.
  • Circulation Report
    • MF brought up the need for a Circulation Report. Report for June submitted during meeting.
  • Hooksett Banner
    • HS will send a Letter To The Editor to thank the Garden Club for all of the work being done on the grounds: new beds, weeding, mulching.
  • Meeting Room Air Quality
    • HS reported that an industrial fan has been purchased to help with air flow.
  • Payroll
    • HS will fax Tracie on Monday, to be returned on Tuesday afternoon. Transfers will occur on Wednesdays, and Payroll Service and HS will ensure that there is sufficient time for HS to review completed payroll prior to direct deposits into employee accounts.
    • MF had Diane Savoie look at contract documentation and signed forms. In question are liability issues for timely filing. Indemnification issues to be removed. Contract needs to be revamped before being signed.
  • Audit Date
    • Audit dates set for 9/19/05 through 9/22/05.
  • On-Line Bank Access
    • LG will check with Beth Bartlett at TD Banknorth after Beth's vacation to inquire about the availability of on-line access.
  • PTO Fundraiser Publicity
    • LG has received a request from the PTO to put up a poster at the library announcing a soccer fundraiser. Trustees agreed that this is permissible.
  • Volunteers
    • HS will write up a policy for potential volunteers regarding background check.
  • Staff Meeting Minutes
    • MF inquired about staff meeting minutes. Director's report, submitted monthly at the time of the Trustee Board meeting, will include a summary of staff meeting items.
  • Tracking Vacation and Sick Time
    • Tabled until next month; MF & HS to research.
  • Holdover of Personal and Sick Days
    • Tabled until next month.

Items we are tracking:

  • Rejuvenation of Friends Program
    • HS to meet with them, has ideas and new volunteers who want to help.
  • Behavior guidelines for those who use library space for meetings.
  • Publicity for Library Book Sale. October 15, 9AM-2PM
    • Banner articles, PTA folders, Power Point
  • Hooksett PL quarterly newsletter will cover items of interest and information regarding library programs and relevant expenses for the town council.
  • NHLA to work with NHLTA to change the need to post rather than publicize meeting dates.
  • Summer Reading Program Ideas LG
  • Grant Opportunities
    • Wal-Mart
    • Target- decision in September
  • Measurement tool for Library Director review
  • Estimate to replace meeting room rug
  • Letter from Charles Watson

Next Trustees Meeting is August 9, 2005 at 9:00 AM

Director's Update for Hooksett Public Library July 14, 2005

The air conditioning is up and running smoothly. Central Aire was here this morning connecting the gas lines and working on the old system for the downstairs. They will be back tomorrow to finish. In addition, we will be scheduling an education session with Carrier, the maker of our new HVAC rooftop unit in the next few weeks. All who wish to attend are welcome. During that information session, I will be asking about resetting the unit after strange power outages and bursts. My main concern is whether or not the reset switch is only on the rooftop unit itself and the consequences of such during the winter snow months.

The downstairs remains a bit toasty but not unbearable with the exception of the GMILCS office. As we discussed at our last Trustee Meeting, we have agreed to purchase a window air conditioning unit for them in their office. The remaining rooms are not used enough at this point to justify returning the old system to full tilt. Our utility bills are showing a marked decrease. Our average cost for electricity and fuel to run the old air conditioning unit was approximately $4,000/month. This new unit only uses electric and we have not seen an increase in that bill as of a month into running the system. The Keyspan fuel bill was a minimum usage charge of $69. Keeping in mind that this is only covering one floor of the building, I think we can expect to continue to see a marked improvement in our utility lines.

Our payroll service is ready to go with Tracy Davie of Precise Payroll. She is able to enter the current standings and tax information from reports given to her from Alice, which ensures the continuity of employee's tax and health insurance contributions. Alice will continue to correspond with the New Hampshire Retirement System for the time being. As is the common procedure will be that Tracy Davie will make a transfer from our account to her payroll service in an approved amount twice per month to cover the cost of wages, taxes and her payroll fees. She will be at the library on Thursday, July 14, to sign paperwork to authorize her to do so.

Our credit card application is up for review at the TD BankNorth. It is all set to be approved with the exception of needing two trustees to sign the minutes that authorizes the acquisition of the credit card. If Lisa Gillis and Mary Farwell could please make those signatures here at the library in the next week or two, I can fax the copy back to TD BankNorth to finish the process.

Last Tuesday, we had our first true fire alarm in the building. At approximately 9:30, the alarm system went off and we evacuated the building. The fire department arrived shortly there after and discovered a slow burning electrical fire in the basement middle storage room. The electrical panel had apparently been melting wires together for some time and eventually the fumes/smell and mild smoke and heat set off the smoke detectors. John Gimas, our electrician was contacted with an emergency request. We were able to allow library staff to return to the building but kept the building closed until we were able to return power to the entire building consistently, most importantly the stairwell, which I felt was a liability. John was able to return electricity by approximately 4:00pm. He has created a temporary fix for us and will return this week or next to complete the conversion from the old panel to a new panel with switches for each of the light fixtures affected.

Thursday, July 7, was our first Thursday reopening and I am pleased to report that there were people waiting at the door when we opened at 11:00am.

End of report.
Submitted, Heather Shumway