Hi everyone. Welcome to our June 23rd buildings and facilities meeting. When I call your names, name please unmute yourself so we can make sure that you can be heard. Eugene. >> Here.
>> I thought you were going to speak in French. >> Uh avec present. >> All right. George. >> Here. >> [clears throat] >> Sharon. >> [laughter] >> And I'm here.
Um okay, minutes. Um we need to move to approve minutes of May 19th. >> Motion to approve. >> Seconded. >> Thank you. Any changes, comments?
No. >> No. >> All right. Um Eugene, how do you vote? >> Approve. >> George. >> Approve. >> And I approve as well. Okay. Thank you. Public comment. I see we have
two members of the public. Friendly faces or names. Uh anyone would like to make a comment, please raise your hand. No. Okay.
All right. Um monthly buildings and grounds report. Let's hear it. Let's hear about cards and signs and everything in between. George, do you want to start or do you want me to?
>> Uh have there been any developments since you and I last talked? >> No. >> Okay. Uh so yeah, uh so just a little bit of background, the ownership of the building
uh when at the time of signing of our of our lease had been in a trust. Uh, that's Slow Body Development, you know, that it was in a trust. Uh, the heir to the trust
uh, since then has reached their eligible age to uh, take over the property, so the trust has in fact dissolved. Uh, so now the owner uh, who was a nephew of the builder,
uh, now is basically the owner of the building. Uh, we have their name. They did come around for a quick hello. Uh, so yes, there was that, but apparently there was an incident, uh, the week they were touring the building.
Uh, I believe we discussed it in a prior meeting where someone, uh, with a shopping cart had damaged the restroom door on the second floor. Uh, the new owner witnessed this, and as a result of witnessing this
enacted a policy effective immediately that no shopping carts or large carts would be, uh, allowed in the building in general. Not just the library, but the entire building. Um, unfortunately, we do have other we
do have patrons who do have shopping carts or large carts. Uh, there was an incident where one of the patrons came into the building and the owners confronted them. Uh, but Sharon Crest and myself were
also there as well as Matt Furby. Uh, we talked to the patron and uh, al- although they were a bit upset, they understood that they would not be able to bring their cart into the building as per the property owner's new
uh, directive. Uh, we have a conversation with Dwight, who manages the property, and Sharon asked for a meeting with the new building owner to discuss this new policy.
And as of yet, I do not believe we have heard back. And that is kind of where it stands right now. There is a sign on the door, um, the front entrance, uh, that no shopping carts are allowed in the building. Um, and that the
management, who is Dwight, and it's the same people managing the building, Dwight and and Danny, uh, that they will enforce this policy if someone comes in the building with a cart. Did I leave anything out, Sharon?
>> No, really, that was exceptional, George. Thank you. Um, it's, you know, what I really want people to understand is the sign says, you know, signed management, and I want people to understand that it's not
library management that has made this policy decision, that it's management of, you know, it's the property owner. Um, so I really like the way George explained it, and um, and I completely understand, uh,
you know, the owner's need to have a building that works and is presentable and is clean. Um, and because damage is expensive. So, I I truly understand what they're looking for. Um,
I I'm just hoping that, um, you know, so summer is hot, and um, and soon it will be winter. And I winter concerns me even more than the summer. Um, and I I
for many reasons this is a very this is the safe place for these two individuals in particular. Um our staff really have earned their trust and um and I I yeah, so I would really like to just meet with the new owner and and
just talk about, you know, acknowledge their needs and and possibly come to some kind of happy happy medium so that um we can give these um these people with carts uh an opportunity to come back
into the library. I have offered to pay for the damage um and you know, we could certainly take it on a case-by-case basis. We could do things like um you know, not allow not allow shopping carts to go into the bathrooms. Um Uh so I just want to be able to have a
conversation. >> [gasps] >> Yeah. >> Um wow. So every time I hear the story, I feel like I just feel the way I felt the first time I heard it. Um first, thanks so much, Sharon. I know you and
George and Chris did an amazing job. The situation. Also know that the staff do an amazing situation with people who come in with carts because I witnessed the whole thing uh one day when I sitting with Matt. I think a couple of questions. One is
I'm I think at the Jedi meeting you mentioned that these two individuals have not come back to the building. Is that true since last >> So >> [sighs and gasps] >> yeah, so one of them I think was told by the building owner that that the shopping cart can't come
into the building. Um and so to be clear, the owner is saying it's not about the people, it's about the shopping cart um which I appreciate. Um Uh the it it the other person has reached out to our reference team. He
would like to come back and and he knows that we're trying to negotiate something. Um, cuz there's not a lot of other options. So, um, what what the owners of the property owners
have suggested as well, just um, leave leave the cart outside and then go inside and you know, you can use the library services and um, and then pick up your cart, you know, as you leave and um, one of the things Matt
said to me was, you know, you and I wouldn't do that. You know, if if if somebody said to me, "Sharon, just leave your purse outside and go in and use the library and then you can grab your purse on the way out." You know, I I wouldn't do that. So, um, anyways. So, so yes, I want and I think
this one particular this individual, he works really hard to follow all the rules. He keeps all of his belongings right by his side, which is what our policy. We ask that library patrons don't leave their belongings unattended.
Um, so he wants to follow the rules. Uh, so yeah, so I just I wanted to give you all this update. Um, you know, overall it's been going well here at 101 University Drive. Um, but there are there have been times where, you know, we are a public
library, we're a public service, we're used to being in a public building. And 101 University Drive is not a public building. Um, so um, for the most part we've been able to negotiate and and and talk things through. So, I I'm
hoping we will still be able to do that. And under this. >> Have you been able to You haven't been able to arrange a meeting, right? >> [clears throat] >> No, I I I keep sending Dwight notes and his most recent note to me last Friday
was okay, I'll set something up Sharon and then I haven't heard back. So I I sent him another note this morning and still waiting. >> So is there anything we can do to help or the town can do to help? >> No. >> Okay.
And is there any way like that you can add to the note like property management? >> I will ask him as part of this you know if the sign must remain you know it also says it says no
carriages and you know I'm I'm assuming they don't mean baby carriages I I think their sign could be reworded so I will ask them that um you know property management would be nice property owner I
don't know how they would word it. We are getting comments from library patrons and um and that's kind of another message I would like to send to the property owner that you know they're used to
owning a building and and and leasing or renting out the spaces and it's a privately owned building but now there are members from the community from up and down the valley that are coming here and so the property owners may not be aware of that at the visibility that
they're getting and so this these signs that they have posted are not they're not necessarily the friendliest of signs and I'm not sure that that's the message that that the property owner would like to you know exhibit to patrons from up and
down the valley so um those are the appeals I will try and make we'll see how that goes. >> Okay. Thank you. Eugene any questions? >> No I've been following the
the chain of email was somewhat unsettling but but I think Sharon put it well. It's like, you know, there's a lot of viewpoints here, so Um but I certainly support what Sharon is what Sharon and Georgia are recommending. >> You know, at the Jedi Committee meeting
I'd I'd like to highlight this. Somebody Somebody pointed out to me and I I'd loved it. You know, it's not the job of of the property owners to you know, solve this problem that society has created, right? And so it
really that made me stop and think and it it was great cuz I'm just so used to I'm used to library property being damaged and having to pay for these extra bills and graffiti and and that kind of a thing. Um
I'm I'm Yeah, where you public libraries are used to being like the glue. Um And you know, Jedi had mentioned, well, are there are there wrap-around services that we could connect these folks with?
And um Yes, but you know, these folks have chosen not to take advantage of those other services. Um And it so it's a
it's a complicated issue. And so I completely understand where the owners are coming from. Um you know, I'm not looking to paint them as bad guys. >> [gasps] >> I think one of the
suggestions was to find out what exactly this person wants. Would need. >> Yeah. >> Make them Yeah. >> Yes. >> Okay. Hopefully a nice calm sit-down with some donuts. >> There you go.
>> That's how you get to my heart is with donuts. I don't know. Okay. But I think George also wants to talk about the air conditioning here. I was going to ask about the air conditioning, so I'm glad. >> Uh so so yes, the
the air conditioning in the A5 office suite and the Amherst Media suite next to us has had been out for quite some time. Uh and we finally got a resolution to that.
Uh there was one day that they had said they made a repair, but uh it really wasn't repaired, so I checked back with them. Um you know, and make sure that they really understood that this was this was affecting everybody working in that
space. Uh because we had some really hot days. >> Mhm. >> Uh long stretches of hot days, and I know that Amherst Media um several people just couldn't even work in their space. I mean, we've we've had our doors propped open with several fans running just to make it somewhat
workable, but uh but yes, finally uh last I want to say it was really last week. Um things seemed to calm down and the repair seems to have happened as things have been comfortable in there.
Uh so since >> Until today, George. >> Are you kidding me? It got really hot in here. So, I was going to ask you, how is it today? >> It's a little swampy. Um so uh yeah, when you get back to the office tomorrow, check it out and hopefully it's just a I don't know
a weird thing, but the sun is not shining and it's kind of it's gross in here. >> Yeah. >> Um so, anyway. >> I think part of part of the problem is, you know, our the spaces that we're renting out had been vacant for at least a couple of years, if not longer, and I
don't think that at least that is the impression that I get was that the spaces were properly checked out. All the mechanicals I don't think we're checked out well enough and things have been off for a while and now once they have everything running things
are just breaking down. Plus they're facing the same thing that we were facing with the Jones, you know, everything the building was built in 2001 and now everything is past its life expectancy and things are breaking down. Um So so yeah, they have to pour some money
into that building and you know, kind of the way we finally put it was, you know, we are paying rent, we're tenants, we're we're obligated to receive a comfortable working space. Um And and you know, I think I think we finally persuaded them to understand
that, you know, this needs to be fixed. Uh because you're not offering the space that you know, that we're paying for. Um so yeah, uh if they don't come in tomorrow, I will start the calls again because um
yeah, that's not right. That's not good. >> No, especially since we're paying rent. >> Right. >> And this has been a problem for a while, right? >> Since the day we moved in and it's not not particularly that space. It's been spaces here and there. There there have
been problems. It's It just has not been It has not been reliable. Uh both air conditioning and heat in the winter just has not been reliable and repairs have been on the slower side. Um and we would just
you know, it it's finally gotten to the point where we we just feel, you know, we are paying rents for this space. We we we should have some kind of say in how long these repairs are taking. Uh so
>> And generally how do they respond? Like do do they not respond, or do they respond eventually? Like >> They They They do. They do tend to respond, but I
I'm not getting I'm not feeling very confident in when they say something has been repaired that it has been repaired. Um and because, you know, I I'm a tenant. I'm not the person organizing the contractor, you know, and in our own building it's very easy. I'm right
there. I know when something is going to get fixed. Uh so, really I'm just taking their word for it. Uh but I do think that after this last this last go around with us I mean and also, you know, Amherst Media they were very unhappy. And I I feel after this
last uh discussion about about the need for things to work properly uh that they're being a lot more proactive about it. So. >> Okay. >> Yeah, I I will say that. I mean, they they came the this past week they came
in maybe two or three times that I saw just to check and make sure that everything was working properly. So. Um it's unfortunate to hear that it's not working right today, but we will get to the bottom of it. >> All right. Thanks. Um keep us posted and
let's hope they they come through. >> We will do. >> No carts, no air conditioning. What's next? Um no rent? >> Stay tuned. >> Yeah. Um Eugene, were you going to say something?
>> I was When you said no rent, I was I was just confirming agreement. >> Yes. Uh what about the buildings? Uh sorry, the anything going on at North Amherst or Munson that we need to know about? >> Not that I'm aware of. I did have I had
a patron reach out wanting to scatter the ashes of her loved one at the Munson at the garden. I thought it was really lovely, but I um I so I had to reach out to the town and they're doing some research as to
whether or not they could allow that. There there are rules. There are rules. >> Yep. Um yeah, and I can add that we will be installing a memorial bench
at Munson as well. It could very possibly be the same the same family. But I've been working with Petra to procure a bench that someone wanted to purchase and donate in memory of their family member. So that'll be that'll be being placed
that'll be placed probably in the next couple weeks or so. And I do know that the town is working on the accessible entrance for Munson. I don't know how far along it is. They got started early last week. >> [clears throat]
>> So again, I don't know what the timeline was on how long that project was going to take, but they're they're basically making the opening the church side of the library for an accessible entrance. >> Okay. Thank you. Well, it was nice of the patron to ask.
I mean they could have yeah. >> My family wouldn't have asked. >> I was just wondering about I mean I was That's what I was thinking like yeah. Okay. Um
Does this mean since we're talking about a bench, do we we we're not talking about um furniture and nameplates now, right? No. Okay. >> No. >> Okay. To be
followed up at some other meeting. >> It's a well, it's a it's got it's for the months and so George is facilitating this for the months and building. So, it's it's for the town. >> Okay. >> Yeah, it's completely unrelated to the project itself. >> Yeah, yeah. Okay. >> [clears throat]
>> Okay. Um anything else? About grounds, buildings? >> No. >> George, I enjoyed your interview. >> Thank you. >> And the thing that came around. I always get such a kick out of seeing those and
then seeing them on Facebook and the videos. >> There's a lot of great stuff coming out between the capital campaign and the the and Fontaine brothers. They're they're
They have social media people that are just putting out some amazing stuff. So, it's really nice to see. >> Yeah. >> Um recently uh Stan uh >> Telka. >> Uh uh uh Thank you. Yes, the P is not silent. Um
he he was interviewed and it's on Facebook and Instagram. You should check that out. But, also recently George was interviewed by their social media person to talk about historic preservation. So, that um that interview should be showing up >> Yeah.
>> at some point on the Fontaine brothers website uh social media. >> Yeah. >> That's great. >> Yeah. >> Yay! Our own personal celebrities. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And really, if you think about it, 100
years from now, you know, the town will be historians will be looking at all all this stuff. So, it's kind of cool. >> Yeah. They will be. >> Love it. Um library art. Updates on anything?
>> Uh well, I didn't I don't remember what we updated you on last month regarding the English nobleman painting. Um >> There wasn't much information. There was >> Did we tell you about Catherine meeting
with the um >> appraiser >> appraiser >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> And that she's got a look for she's Unless she is able to prove that that's a Beechey um
painting, then the value of it is kind of exponentially lower. Um so I I think what we all decided uh and at this point we've discussed it at so many meetings and I don't know
I don't know what anybody knows anymore, but I think we've decided to kind of not for now sell the English nobleman and uh we'll we'll plan to put it in storage and then somehow
focus on art later and differently. Um Farah reached out to the schools, um the teachers to talk about some kind of collaboration with the kiddos, um which would be fabulous. Uh
Austin wanted me to give another plug during buildings and facilities. He's really serious uh for on the the groundbreaking day to allow the children of the community to come in, find a wall, and draw on it just like the beam.
You know, the beam raising ceremony? Um so I don't know which wall that would be. I would not recommend that it that be the the first wall that you see in the primary historic entrance, but maybe there is a wall somewhere um that could be
I could be kind of cool, actually. >> Is Is there any way to find a wall in the children's space? >> I'm going to I'm going to look at George for that answer. >> I mean, are we thinking that Are we thinking of this as a ceremonial thing
or or more of a permanent permanent display? >> So, when Austin brought talked about it at trustees, um I I mean, it sounded like a great idea to let the kids go crazy, and then I had
that moment about this building and all you know, all the money going into it. And do we Can we find a chalkboard wall or something? But is there something that like the beam that could be decorated? I don't know.
>> I mean, when the building's finished, there aren't really going to be any There aren't going to be any spaces that will eventually get covered up cuz the build the building will be finished. >> Right. >> Um You know, my thought on My thoughts on
allowing people to write on the walls throughout the building is that it's just going to encourage graffiti down the road. Um So, yeah, I mean, my initial thoughts are like yours. Maybe there's a whiteboard or uh or something like that where we can just
let people go crazy and and and you know, once the opening ceremonies are all done, we can document it, but at some point it can just get removed or erased. I mean, those those are my thoughts. Because I feel like if you if you allow people to write on the
building, it it's just going to encourage graffiti. And we certainly don't want that in a new building that the taxpayers have paid a lot of money to to have happen. >> I am in agreement with you on that. So,
maybe there's something that we could find that would be ceremonial and it could be kept somewhere or you know, documented like you said. So, is this something we could pursue?
>> You know, that um that that concept of the little, I don't know, pieces of fabric and distributing those throughout the community and letting people uh draw or whatever they do with that, design it, and then send it back, and then for us to basically safety pin it together and
turn it into a big um wall hanging. >> Yeah. >> That could be a cool really cool. >> Yeah, that's a cool idea. >> So, maybe we talk a little bit more about that and cuz I know once uh we talked about
once summer reading program kicks off and Mia and other heads are less well, I don't know if you anyone is going to be less stressed in the next year, but have a little downtime and see if we can talk about that.
>> I wonder if So, Lisa de Grace is an artist and I didn't know if you wanted to let her speak. >> Sure. Can you let her in? >> Hey, Lisa. >> Hey. >> Thanks for joining us. >> Oh, yeah. I was going to actually say um
what you just said, there's been as as I think you know, 10,000 ideas about um naming things and whatnot throughout the building. And so, one of the ideas that has been thrown around is this idea of
having like these they I'm just calling them that tree, they probably wouldn't be a tree, but like imagine a big tree and there's little leaves or whatever and you can sign the leaves. And it had originally been presented, you know, they they it had originally been presented as
like one in the kids' room, one in the teens' room, one for adults, and um the latest conversation folks have had around that is gee, that's a lot of different things. And um, so there's that and also that um,
while we would welcome donations towards that, we would want it to be something that anyone could participate in even if they didn't weren't able to make a donation. So all that to say like and then the last piece is that and the
latest conversation an expert at the table said there's no way that we could get that done within the timeline you're presenting here which was like this coming fall. So maybe that thing becomes the thing you're talking about that like on
opening day by opening day we have contracted with an artist who has made a design that is a tree with leaves or whatever it is. It's book I don't know. And people anyone can come and sign or do something
like that. And it kind of solves a bunch of ideas. So just to throw it out there that someone else in my little fundraising universe was thinking along similar lines. That's all. >> Um
I like that idea but back again I think that's back to finding the funds to do this and I think at one of the meetings and and right now I don't even remember if it was trustees or Jedi, it was like do we need to put some of the art
the excitement about the art aside for a little bit and get the staff back into the building. >> Yeah. >> But but if we could use this idea in some way for something for groundbreaking day
or opening day or whatever and tie it into kids and it's a lot of ideas. I just wish we could >> So many ideas. >> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> So many ideas and not of not all of them
are good. But so yeah, I mean I if that were to happen, I mean, you know, like everybody else the campaign budget is running out of budget. But we're doing okay. And so um
you know, I I'm imagining that it might be a something that could fall into our budget if we were able to keep it low budget. >> Okay. >> uh just to put it out there if if it certainly seems like better than writing
on walls. >> Yeah. >> Makes me kind of >> Yeah. >> So if if that if that um dialogue is helpful, I'm happy to talk further about it with whoever whoever's >> Okay. >> And something to keep in mind, Lisa, is
that um as far as placement of something like that were to go, uh it's really very difficult to determine what type of wall space is going to be available. >> That's the other problem. >> Um because, you know, it's it's really
it's going to take uh time once we're back in the building to determine like where, you know, if the spaces we have intended for certain artwork is going to work. So, maybe it could be a concept that could be on a free-standing pedestal like that. And if
we do end up having wall space, it could be transferred to that. But uh for now, I would just definitely keep that in mind that there may not be adequate wall space available on opening day. >> Yeah. Great point. Okay.
Thank you, Lisa. Um I'm thinking like maybe in a couple of months when when I think in Jedi we had talked about Sharon meeting with heads of departments uh to talk about some some of this creative stuff. Maybe we'll circle back
to that then. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Well, I think that's true for all of all of the art. You know, I like I liked what was said at Jedi, which was, you know, let's not let the tail wag the dog. >> Yeah. >> Um maybe we need to be in the space for
a little while and see how things play out and then um what did uh Mia suggested, you know, right now is the we read campaign, then it could slowly transition into the we create campaign. And um
>> That'd be really cool. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. Um Eugene? Were you going to say something? You look very pensive. >> No comments. I'm I'm taking notes. the minutes. >> Thank you. [clears throat] >> I agree with everything that's been
said, so but I I don't feel the need to say, "I agree with everything that's been said unless I'm asked." >> Thank you. Okay. Um anything else, library card? It's all under the same umbrella, right? >> So I'm still thinking.
Um uh you know, the the children's room especially uh was interested in like a limited edition uh library card. You know, uh buy a thousand of them. And so the first thousand people who want a new library
card, they could get this. Um And so part of me wants to ask Tony DiTerlizzi if he is interested in designing a Sammy image. You know, small, doesn't have to take a lot of time. Um but something about a grand opening. I
don't know. Um but if you follow the DiTerlizzis on social media, they are get busy right now. They're all over the place. They're having a blast, so um But other than that, I don't I I wanted to give him first dibs, cuz you
know, cuz it's Sammy, but um Uh and there are so many incredible local artists, you know, book children's book authors, especially children's book illustrators that um
the world is our oyster. >> Okay, so you might follow up with him at some point and >> That's my hope and dream. >> think. Yeah, okay. >> And by me saying it to you all, that makes it more likely to happen. >> Yes. >> That's what they say.
>> I like that. All right, uh topics not anticipated? Anything? No. Okay. We can adjourn. Thank you all so much. Sharon, I hope you feel better and I
hope Daisy works tomorrow. Bye. Thank you. >> Thank you. Bye. Thank you. >> Thank you. Bye.