Policies Relating to Trustees

IV. POLICIES RELATING TO TRUSTEES (update adopted 2/15/2011)

A. Annual Dues for membership in the New Hampshire Library Trustee Association shall be paid from Library funds.

B. Trustees serve without compensation. Trustees may, however be compensated for travel and real expenses incurred for out-of-town library conferences, workshops, conventions, and other library meetings.

C. Trustees shall be responsible for preparation and presentation to the Town of Warner of a yearly operating budget, the submission of an annual report of financial and other activities to the Town, the N. H. State Library, and the N.H. Attorney General’s Charitable Division office, and any other reports as required by law.

D. Communications about Library business between Board members occurring outside of publicly posted meetings, including those by email or telephone, shall be limited to organizational details such as reminders, notices, public agendas, copies of public minutes, notification of non-attendance, etc. No decisions, votes, or commentary meant to influence votes shall be made except at a public meeting, or as temporary recommendations within a subcommittee meeting authorized by vote at a prior public meeting.

E. In the event of a vacancy on the Board between elections, the board shall recommend a specific replacement to the selectmen to be appointed until the next election.

F. The Board of Trustees may also recommend one or more people to be appointed by the Selectmen as Alternate Trustee(s) for the year.

G. The Trustees will follow a standard meeting process, so that all Trustees and members of the public will have a clear understanding of the format of meetings and the process of postings. The meeting process shall be as follows: (or “as outlined in the Pillsbury Free Library Trustees’ Procedures Manual”)

1. The Trustees of the Pillsbury Free Library will meet on the third Tuesday of each month in the Maria Room of the Pillsbury Free Library. At least five days before the monthly meeting, the Chairperson will provide all Trustees and the Library Director with an agenda for the upcoming meeting via email.

2. The Agenda, the Director’s monthly report, the financial report, and the previous month’s Draft Minutes will be mailed or delivered by the Trustee Secretary to all Trustees and to the Library Director. This information will be available to all parties on the Friday or Saturday prior to the Tuesday meeting. Other pertinent committee reports may be included in the mailing, or may be given to participants at the Trustee meeting.

3. The Secretary will also publicly post the agenda in at least two locations, in compliance with the NH Right to Know Law.

4. The format of the monthly meeting agenda will be at the discretion of the Trustee Chairperson, but the minutes will reflect at least the following items:

a) Time that the meeting started and adjourned, name of presiding officer.

b) Names of members present and those absent (note if they are excused).

c) Acceptance of previous month’s minutes.

d) Treasurer’s report. (typically a written report with discussion)

e) Library Director’s report. (typically a written report with discussion)

f) Committee reports. (written or verbal status or update reports by the committee chairperson or a member of each committee of the Board).

g) Old business. Items that were previously discussed by the Board of Trustees.

h) New Business. Items that are brought forward by the Director or Trustees.

i) Next meeting. (confirmation of the next meeting date and a count of those who will attend, to ensure a quorum).

j) The minutes will also show the names of persons making motions for votes.

5. Within 5 days of a monthly Trustee meeting, the Secretary will mail copies of meeting materials to any Trustees who were absent from the meeting.

6. Within 5 working days of the monthly Trustee meeting, the Secretary will provide a draft copy of the meeting minutes to all Trustees and the Library Director via email and will also publicly post the minutes in two locations.

7. The Secretary will, at the same time, post all known committee meetings of the Trustees for the following month. Meetings that are not included in this monthly posting will be posted by the respective committee chairperson.

H. All meetings of the Pillsbury Free Library Trustees are open to the Public. Minutes will be taken of all Trustee meetings and Trustee committee meetings, and a copy provided by the Secretary or the committee chairperson to the Director for posting and permanent storage.

I. Trustee Meeting Attendance Policy  (Adopted 6/16/09)

1) Purpose: Library Trustees are elected town officials and have the responsibility to the voters of Warner to responsibly enact the roles and duties they are elected to perform. Attendance and participation at regular monthly Trustee meetings is an expectation. At times when Trustees cannot attend due to family or personal reasons, they will be excused from attendance. A trustee should request an excused absence for any meeting, which she/he is unable to attend. The Chair of the board will approve all excused absences.

2) Consecutive Meetings: If a Trustee is absent for two consecutive meetings without an excused absence, the Trustee is expected to communicate with the Chair as to the nature and expected duration of their continued absence.

3) Accumulative Meetings: If a Trustee is absent more than three regular meetings during a calendar year without being excused the Trustees may, communicating through the Chair, request the Trustee’s resignation.

As an elected town official the Trustee has a choice whether or not to resign.

4) Resignation: Resignations must be given to the Warner Board of Selectmen in writing and accepted by the Selectmen before becoming official. Trustees will then recommend a suitable candidate to the Selectmen to serve out the remainder of the year until March elections.

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