8/31/2009 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Minutes

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emar s o-i ane Dol and Li brary i rustee The Town lvlana er recommended. and the Seiectmen aLyreed. to withdraw the article t create two new i1brarV Dositions from the October gown Meetina warrant at the Au ust i 7 Selectmen s rneetin . I he'l rustees did not obiect to the removal of a similar article from the Mav 2009 Town own Meetin warrant because the construction schedule had chanized and occupancy of the nevi b iidina would be delaved. However. the current schedule should aii ow the ODeninel of the b ildin u in We r)rj na 2010. The Trustees are gratefui for y our sUDDort of a !artier 11 rary bulldln I he former building was woe uliv inadequate in terns of the d ace and the services It could provide. The new bw"idinvj is a response to the arowing nonulation and its increasing need for se iry ices. t he extant Library I ui-1d'ng Comm- he and Flannin and Construction Committee have always emDhasr ea fiscal resDonsibilitv. due in no SMail Dart to direction received bv vou. to fact. 1 believe we have none above and beyond your a nectations 1n terms of controlling costs. As a new member of the Library Building Committee In November 2003 I or'oDosed that enervv efficiencies be incorporated into the new library. The entire Library Building Committee. includina Steve Cook and Sheldon Gilbert of the Planning& Construction Committee. endorsed this idea and have successfully carried it forward. with funds received by the State. we eXnect that we will be the first library on the Cane to receive a Leadership in Energv and Environmental e i n* certificate from the U.S. Greenuildin :ouncii. We have consistently eDressed the need for additional staff once the new library ovens. a recommendation first voiced more than 5 vears auyo. The needs will not be determined once the buildinLi ovens. the needs are known now. The 11brar staff is stressed to the limit t in to provide a consistent level of izood service to the patrons and visitors. It well be necessary to train staff to the policies and nrocedures. the communit . the Dhysical plant. the collections and all of the technoloEry before the busiest Dart of the vear. It is feared that the staff. without additional suDoort. will not be able to maintain this level of service to the public. In fact. we have concerns about safety issues if the staff are spread too thin. We are increasing the footprint fourfold. from one floor to two. we believe additional staff is a necessity so that we don't endanger the saety and well-beiniz of the children. patrons. and staff. I am extremely disanDointed that the Board refused to accent comment from the Librax Director and Board of Trustees during the August f 7 Selectmen's meetinea. we were duly present to eXnlain and to justify the recommendation to create these new positions. We were exi)ectinLi a discourse. It 'is the safe operation and maintenance of the library. and provision of adequate services that are forefront in our minds. we understand them is a fundinLy shortfall. an even more ereious situation than the tight budgets over the mast few ve rs. A 2004 Entemn'seeditorial was nrescient when noting that a `,... ti Lyht bud ct situation is not unicue to Mashnee and what the town is exivriencina novo is not likely to chane any time soon. unless the to Davers deem otherwise."'It is the voters who ulti-matelv decide what they can and cannot sut ort. As a trustee of the public librar- I