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Hi, good evening. Um, it is the board of library trustees. Today is Wednesday, April 15th, 2026. It is, uh, 6:04 p.m. Now, I'm Amy Paul, uh, chair,

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calling the meeting to order. And to my left is >> I'm Katie McGonagal, library director. You're >> up. Nancy >> Oh, Nancy Okconor, trustee. >> Jean Collo, trustee. Larry Bowman, secretary. >> Michelle Jones, trustee.

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>> Thanks everyone. And we have no public comments. Uh the minutes of the March 18th meeting, I got a chance to review them earlier. Did everyone else get a chance to review? >> Yep. >> Any changes that need to be made or

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would someone like to move that we accept them as written? >> I'll move to accept them as written. Second. >> I'll second. >> All in favor? I >> I >> Thank you.

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And our director's report. >> Thank you very much. I'm going to start with children highlights. Um during the month of March, there were 31 children's programs. There were 697 program attendees. There were

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291 reference transactions. and they were very busy with their scavenger hunt and guessing jar. They had 356 and 334 participants respectively. Uh the children's department had a successful March with a community pajama drive collecting 141 pairs of pajamas

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for the Springfield Department of Children and Families. Regular programming continued throughout the month with happy participation from young patrons. Looking ahead, the department collaborated with Pathways for Parents coordinator Jane Christian to finalize an exciting program calendar

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for the upcoming May 26, 2027 academic year, ensuring that there's a varied offerings for families and their caregivers uh families and caregivers, excuse me. Uh preparation for the 2026 summer reading program is nearly complete with

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staff finishing the final touches on program planning. >> Okay, >> the Beanstack platform is almost ready for its official launch on June 1st. >> Um at which point patrons can register and begin logging their reading or listening hours. Um, this year's program

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will run through August 11th, which allows participants to complete activities and earn tickets for both weekly and grand raffle prizes. The grand prize drawings are scheduled for the week following the program's conclusion. I actually think that they're going to do the drawing on the 11th. Like, I think Monday is the 11th.

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So, I think that's what they're going to end up doing. Um, but it's going to be another very exciting summer. It's going to be very busy. We're really excited. Um, for teen highlights, there were 12 programs. There were 287.

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Is that right? I I think that's right. 287 program attendees. There were six passive programs and 125 passive program participations. Uh, the team department experienced great engagement this month, emphasizing

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the connection of local teams that they have built with the library. our staff and also with James from the rec department who helps with the Friday teen spot program. The return of the tech take apart program was met with great enthusiasm and this hands-on program was made

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possible through generous dur donations of equipment from LCAT. Thank you LCAT. >> Thank you LCAT >> and library staff. And in the past it has also been very helpful with the tech program. So we're very grateful. Um, additionally, the fandom club reached a new attendance peak with 20

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teens participating and uh, their discussions ranged from five nights at Freddy's to Minecraft. Uh, the teen department transitioned to spring crafter afternoons featuring projects like cardboard looms, egg carton bouquets, and edible dirt cups,

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as well as a spring cleaning craft session that helped organize the community room project. Uh to further support the patrons, the teen library of things uh like loot collection has been expanded with several new highinterest teen items,

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including a TI 84 graphic calculator, uh Nintendo Switch 2 with Mario Cartw World, Yard Pong, Pokemon Legends, a Mickey, and the game Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. If you've never played it, it's amazing. I love it.

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>> There's different variations on it. It is very fun. >> I would not do that. >> Um, if you have rings, I recommend taking them off before you play Taco Cat cheese pizza. >> Okay. >> You have to like slam your hand down and like do all these things. >> It's very fun. >> I would be very bad at it. >> I think

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you would be good at it. >> I won't practice though. >> Oh, okay. >> Well, maybe we can play one of the >> You will definitely beat me. >> I I will I will beat you and it'll be really fun. >> Sounds great. >> I practice I play it a lot. I play it a lot. Michelle probably. >> We have like three versions of it. We

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have the moose version, taco pack. >> Yes, they have like holiday versions. >> It's just slightly different versions with slightly different like maple syrup. Is that the one? >> Uh there's one with like >> not the moose one doesn't have that, but there is other but there's holiday

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themes. It's Halloween and Christmas. >> Yes. Very fun. >> Then there's some pictures that Erica and Christie shared for some of the programming that they had. And then I'm going to move on to adult highlights unless anybody has any questions. There were 12 programs during March uh

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for the adults 151 program attendees. There were 408 reference transactions. There were 246 hours of study room use. And there were 28 study room use requests that went unfulfilled. The adult department saw an

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overwhelmingly positive response by patrons with the launch of the seed library. All 50 of the prepared growing kits were claimed within just 3 days, and the entire seed collection was depleted within a week, demonstrating the community's interest in gardening. Additionally, the library's indoor

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gardening received a refreshing update as our indoor plants were repotted. They look really good. If you guys haven't been upstairs, Christy is one of our staff members, and she did a wonderful job. She and Mora worked together. They repotted all of our plants. They moved them around. It looks really nice. Like gave new soil, gave new life to these.

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They look really nice. Good. >> So, it kind of adds a nice little pop upstairs. >> Y >> new and ongoing program also saw success, including the launch of the first board game night for adults, uh, which they had great attendance for. And while the recent chair yoga session has

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concluded, staff are currently exploring the addition of a new session in May to meet the continued demand. Uh, the adult department remains committed to community engagement through regular outreach events at the uh, Pleasant View Senior Center. Sorry, I have a typo there. Ensuring the

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library resources remain accessible to our senior population. So, it should be allergies. And then I just have a picture of um there was in the front lobby area there was a display that had all like the seed library and some gardening books and

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information about >> what you could grow and the kit. It was great. >> Yeah. Um, for circulation and technical services, there were 14,630 items circulated. That was an increase of 1,36

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from February and an increase of 275 from March of the previous year. >> That's a big jump. >> Wow. >> It was a big jump. U, there were 69 new patron cards issued. There were 798 items deleted from the collection, but there were 640 items added to the

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collection. There were 484 reference transactions, 14 non- library meeting room uses, 102 volunteer hours. That was a big jump in the month before also. Same with the patron cards. That was a jump also. And the door count was 9,769.

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Wow. >> Um the circulation department implemented a new CW Mars evergreen feature which is called allow others to access my account. This feature allows patrons to designate specific people who are authorized to place or pick up holds, check out materials, and view

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items checked out on their library card. We envision this will be particularly beneficial for families, allowing babysitters and grandparents to assist children with checkouts, as well as for spouses who frequently pick up each other's items. So, this was something that um

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had been in the works for months. There was a lot of thought. It was this went through many different groups or committees in CWMRS and then it was voted on at um users council to approve this allow others to use our to use my account. So, and what we plan to do is

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just every two years the patron accounts expire and so they have to be updated. So, we'll make sure to ask every patron when they go to update their card if they want to make any changes to their account. And then for like younger kiddos and teens, we'll just ask them regularly, this is who we have listed as

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somebody who is authorized to use your account. Do you want that to continue or can we make any changes for you? >> Where do you um is it on like your app that you >> It's not on the app or is it just like I would tell like Okay. >> Yeah, we can take care of it here and

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then um we have changed our patron registration. So when somebody's getting a new card, it's now they can select that when they get a new card. >> Oh, that's good. So, in addition, >> the circulation department completed its spring delivery survey week to track the

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volume of items shared within the CW Mars Library Network. Our team processed a total of 894 items during the survey period, averaging 178 items pulled from the shelves and packed for transit each day. This survey highlights the activity of our resource sharing system and the

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efficiency of our circulation staff and meeting inter library loan demands. Um the adopt a book program continues to be popular with 10 books adopted last month. And then um the circulation department likes to kind of put out some

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fun little signage. So I took a little sniff of this one because this um the qua always has her library card with her and that has generated more questions about what's a quoka and it's just kind of silly and fun. >> I meant to look that up. >> Yeah. Uhhuh. I didn't know it was a

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thing. All right. Um, just some library updates. Uh, just one, the library was closed from 5:00 to 8 on March 3rd just due to weather. So, we were open for most of the day and then we closed early. >> So, grant updates. Um, this first one I

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did change since I emailed you this last week. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, in regard to the municipal ADA improvement grant for assisted listening devices, uh, the devices have been ordered. We received the new mic. we had to order a new microphone to work

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because ours wasn't good enough. Um the staff have been trained on them and the registration and forms in Asabet are going to be updated to um let patrons know that they can request use of um one of the assisted listening devices. And

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we're going to try to uh be more mindful of using the um speaker system that's already built into the room with programming in the community room. Um for the water filling station, services have been secured. The filling station has been ordered, but we're

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waiting for the installation date. So, I'm still waiting to hear back on that. for the municipal ADA grant for improving signage. Um, I secured Go Graphics as the vendor and the tentative installation date is this Friday. So, most of the signage should change over

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this Friday. Nice. >> For the municipal ADA improvement grant for the external walkways. So, Hilltown Demolition was secured as the vendor and their tentative start date is Monday, April 27th. And so that is going to be on this side of the building and that is

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going to be making improvements to kind of the ramp, the entryway to get into the building. Um that sidewalk needs to be replaced. It needs to be flush to the parking lot, they need to add one of those bump pads at the bottom. Um some of the concrete along the walkway from

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the front door towards the children's department under that kind of overhang. Some of that needs to be replaced. And then they're going to put a sidewalk from the emergency exit by the rotary back to the parking lot. And then for the municipal ADA

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improvement grant for flooring tomorrow, carpet and tile was secured as the vendor and their tentative start date. That has also changed. That is now going to be Monday, May 4th. >> Oh, and that is going to involve moving the furniture and the shelving out of the

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lobby area. They're going to work in sections to replace the flooring out here in the first floor. Not the carpeted areas, not the community room, but just kind of that main lobby and browsing area up to the children's department. >> For the MBI, uh, which is the Mass

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Broadband Institute connected an online grant. Um the anticipated delivery date to Long Meadow is was yesterday and East Long Meadow will be notified by Long Meadow when the devices are ready to be picked up. This was a grant where four

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libraries went in to obtain devices and so we're going to receive two smartboards, two desktop workstations that come with webcam and microphone and two accessible keyboards and these are going to be installed in the two study rooms. So um and the primary use for these devices is for education,

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teleaalth, and remote work, which is the majority of what our patrons are using the study rooms for. So it'll be a nice addition for them to be able to use that in that space. Um for the MBI digital equity implementation funds, this was a town

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grant. Um the digital skills sessions began on March 31st with cyber seniors hired as a digital navigator. Um we started the beginner module already and we've already had two or three sessions in the beginner

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for the green communities grant. We were awarded the green communities grant. I'm very excited. So, um, East Long Meadow, uh, received the award, and what that is going to entail is over $400,000 worth of work. So, between the

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$250,000 from the Green Communities Grant. >> Wow. >> Um, I think it's like over it's over $100,000 in rebates and incentives for utilities. And then, um, we're supposed to get capital funding from the town to complete the project. So, that'll be

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weatherization of the building envelope. So, um um updating the weather stripping on all of the external doors. >> Great. >> It's replacing all six rooftop units for our HVAC, >> all of the mechanical and electrical, and there uh it's going to be a new

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software system to then control to monitor the system. Very excited. >> Wow. Um I don't have an exact start date yet, but we did end up having um like a kickoff meeting with the town manager, the deputy town manager, myself,

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um kind of the green communities coordinator, and um the person who is helping with like the incentives and rebates from the utility side. >> So, they're going to have a solar solar. >> No solar. >> No solar. >> Nope.

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But it's going to be energy efficient >> and it and it but it's it's >> So what is the hybrid >> heating and cooling? >> Oh heating and cooling. >> Now um with the building being connected

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does it is it replacing both? No >> for only the library. So even though >> correct we are two separate buildings that vestibule kind of is where that connection is but we have completely different >> but they operate on different systems. Okay.

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>> It's all over that software system I'm referring to is townwide. >> They control it. >> Correct. But we're separate. Think of it as two separate >> with the new system. Are they still going to control it or >> DBW and it have control of that system? >> Yeah. But the system that we're getting

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>> is only for this half of the building. >> Correct. >> Okay. All of those rooftop units I mean are only correct on this half. >> Yep. And then when I know more about when that installation is going to occur and if there's any interruptions to service, we'll inform, as with any of

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these, when we know more, we'll inform the community and the staff and >> um if there's any interruptions to service. >> We're very excited. Um and then the sustainable and resilient New England libraries grant. I applied for funds on

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March 9th to replace the inefficient, broken and incomplete first floor shading system and official notification is expected sometime between mid and end of April. >> Okay.

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So, those are my updates on that professional. >> That's fantastic. >> It's a lot. It's very exciting. >> Take a moment. >> Yes, >> it's all happening kind of all at once, but it's very exciting. It's a lot. There should be a lot happening in the next couple of weeks >> and then >> so much.

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>> We're thinking June. >> We're thinking June for starting work on um the green communities grant. So that will be exciting because we really need it because it gets very very hot on the second floor. >> So we're hoping >> time for summer.

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>> And the kickoff is June 9th. >> There you go. >> So it's going to be great. >> Yeah. If >> it's all going to go smoothly. >> It is. it's gonna work out. So, I'm very excited. >> Seems to be going well so far. Look at all these >> approvals. So, we're It's good.

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>> And then for professional development, um we continue to make strides with making sure our staff stay up todate and supported and feel like they're getting the trainings that they need to better do their jobs. And so, some of what we worked on was staff reviewed the CWR

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strategic plan and action plan, which they have come out with recently. Um, there was some CWRS policy updates and like we talked about earlier, that new feature for allow others to access my account. And then we did some refreshers on Chrome profiles and how to access

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CWR's mailing list. For the friends, I was unable unfortunately to attend their March meeting. It was originally scheduled for the evening. We ended up closing early for the weather, so they scheduled it for the next week, but I had a conflict.

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But Laura was still able to attend, so she gave me this information about their meeting. Um, so the friends board discussed their winter fundraisers, including the bake sale, gift back, skit raffles, and the Thunderbirds game. The total raise was not as much as last year to weather for the bake sale and the

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game day for the Thunderbirds, but they still considered it a success. Uh, the spring basket raffle will take place April 25th through May 16th. And the friends will also hold a fundraiser with Chipotle on the evening of the summer reading kickoff. So they'll get a

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portion of whatever their proceeds are, what's sold from Chipotle >> on our kickoff night, which is June 9th. So hopefully we leave here and go hungry to um the friends will once again gift a basket of snacks to the library staff in

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recognition of library workers day on April 21st. and their scholarship applications for the the next scholarship were due on March 16th and the recipients will be awarded um a $1,000 scholarship at their meeting.

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>> Did they have many applications? >> I cannot answer I do not know the answer to that. I do not know. >> Oh, okay. >> I want to guess Yeah, I want to guess 10 to 15 applicants. They usually get a decent amount. >> Oh, good. No, that's good cuz sometimes things like that go totally

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nobody knows about it. >> Yeah. No, the friends do a nice job promoting that they have that scholarship. It goes out to all of their members. They post it online. >> Um they have it on their website. So they they do a nice job. And I think the high school also shares that out. >> Yeah. >> And then upstairs on the second floor,

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there's like a little drawer that the they keep at the information desk with >> um scholarships that teens might be interested in. So they try to kind of collect those and have them accessible to anybody else. >> So um one other thing about the friends

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right now we're working on they are working on another fundraiser called Got Sneakers which we're hoping to be able to host here um August September. So it's like a to collect gently used

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>> Yeah. um shoes sneakers >> and it's a fundraiser because then they get sell the textiles kind of thing or something along those lines. Yeah. Yeah. They get sent back to the Scotch sneakers and they're able to either repurpose them or or kind of resell them if they're in good enough shape.

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>> Yeah. So they're they're working on that right now. >> And that's what I have for our >> This reminds me so we didn't have a trustee go to this most recent time meeting. >> I did. I went to it. Yeah. >> Oh, you were there. I'm sorry. I should

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have emailed to ask you my mind. >> I thought it was going to come up at the last meeting and but >> Mora, am I am I correct? She has everything down there because I'm reading I'm seeing, oh my god, that's exactly what happened. They're like, "Oh my god, I was there. I was there." Yeah.

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Yeah. They felt bad about not making as much money, but because of the storm and they stressed that part of it, too. Yeah. >> And I thought the um got sneakers was a really good idea. Yeah. Yeah. >> I I went to the Thunderbirds game and they had it was a good, you know, I

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recognized a lot of the friends sitting in the crowd right near me and >> we went with a little group and it was fun. >> Yeah, it was a fun game. We loved running but that's so cute. >> Great. Is there another meeting we should organize the attendance for?

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>> May will be their next meeting. >> We can do that later. >> The May what does it say the date? I want to say it's May 5th. Maybe whatever the Mhm. May 5th. Yeah. >> It's a Tuesday. There always Tuesdays.

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>> Yeah. >> Not every It's pretty much every other month. >> Every other month. Yeah. >> But not July and August. >> I'm trying to remember if they have a June meeting. Give me one second. Yes, they will have a June meeting.

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May they typically do um their scholarship awards. >> Yeah, I went I was with that one. >> Yep. Um I am keeping a close watch on that because the 4th is when the

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flooring is supposed to start and so we're have to be very flexible that week because we might have to cancel or postpone what's happening in these two rooms based on >> Yeah. >> what's happening. So we'll keep them informed as we move

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along. >> So we don't know if a trustee can come. >> Is anybody available to go to? >> Is it the 5th? >> Mhm. >> I am not available. >> Is that a Tuesday? >> It is. >> Yeah. I have a meeting that night after >> week is crazy.

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>> Okay. We can take a look at this. >> Yes. After. He's already. >> No worries. So, thank you Katie. You're welcome. Uh, I don't see that we have any old or any

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new business, which um, no. >> Okay. >> Uh, our next meeting is May 20th. >> Um, would anyone like to move that we adjourn?

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>> I will move tojourn. I'll second it >> and we will adjourn the meeting. It is 6:30. >> Wow. >> Right. >> Thank you. >> Wow. Thank