The Library Board Trustees’ meeting on January 20th had two (2) members, Anita Miller and Jeff Regan, who were not re-appointed for 2011. In their place, a vacant seat still remained for the first meeting and the other position was taken by former mayor Joseph DeIorio. The council liaisons were the newest members of the governing body, Marc Caswell and Tanya Torres.
The new officers for the Library Board Trustees who were voted in for a one-year term are as follows:
| Officer | Person |
|---|---|
| President | Andrew Casais |
| Vice-President | Elisabeth Qersdyn |
| Treasurer | Joseph DeIorio |
| Correspondence Secretary | Laura Hahn |
Three (3) committees also had members nominated and voted on.
The Finance Committee, which will work with the Library Director to formulate a budget to carry out the library’s goals and objectives, is comprised of Andrew Casais, Joseph DeIorio, and Elisabeth Qersdyn.
Alex Balaban, Andrew Casais, Joseph DeIorio, and Laura Hahn will establish personnel policies as the Personnel Committee.
Three members of the Personnel Committee, with the exception of Mr. Balaban, were nominated and elected to the Planning Committee, which will help create a five-year plan as well as consider the goals and objectives of the library.
During the meeting, Library Director Susan Calantone commented on this being the second year in a row when Board Trustees who were not re-appointed did not know they whether or not they were re-appointed. A discussion ensued between Mayor Accardi and Ms. Calantone where the Library Director stated she did not know what to tell Anita Miller who called to find out if she was still on the Board. Mr. Accardi stated that appointments to the Library Board are solely mayoral obligations and the director or interested members should contact him directly. Councilman Caswell made a suggestion that a letter be sent to all members when their terms are expired thanking them for their service while reminding them that re-appointments are not automatic.
Mayor Accardi continued his practice of abstaining from voting on the administrative operations of the various boards and committees he preside over while stating he plans to remain involved with all other aspects, “I really do have a vision for the library along with the other organizations that we have in town. The library is really the focal point for us – it’s bang for the buck… The library is a place for people to go and find comfort and find entertainment and really get through the hard times. I’m looking for some cross pollination between the library and the other activities we have in town – the Casano Center, the Youth Center. I want to make sure that we utilize all our resources effectively.”
The library board concluded its appointments and passed two (2) resolutions. One resolution put a procedure in place for the signing of checks and the other formalized an annual payment of $1,400 to Linda Vansco for the position of Library Board Secretary.