This is the Franklin Township Public Library Board of Trustees meeting. It is Wednesday, December 17th, 2025. I will call the meeting to order and we will start by pledging allegiance to the
flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
This meeting is being held in accordance with the open public meetings act, also known as the sunshine law. The schedule and notification of this meeting have been provided to the career news, the home news tribune, and the
Franklin Township clerk. Copies have been posted in the library vestibule and are also available right here at the reference desk. Like to call the role. Agnes Kulabana. >> She said she was >> okay. She's not here. Amy Arala
>> here. >> Yes, here. >> Nicholas Champa, I am here. Mayor Kramer is here. Um, Deborah Kelly. No, yes, she is. Oh,
Deborah Kelly is here. See? Okay. >> We just marked you absent and then had to reverse it. >> Tiana Gres, >> you're not absent. >> Aisha, okay. And Kevin McNeel,
>> I'm here. also January Adams, our director. Now, I'm happy to be able to actually open the public comment portion uh part one and have somebody to respond. It's
>> okay. >> Well, thank you. >> You want to introduce yourself? >> Yes. Yes. Hello. My name is Ron Uriasti. Uh I'm a township resident for 20 years, a library patron, and I'm also on the recently reorganized leadership committee for the Franklin Township Astronomy Club. Uh I'm also an
ambassador for the library uh telescope program, which is a nonprofit national program that has been in existence since 2008. >> Excuse me. Yes. Do you want to put a microphone? >> Sure. If it's Yeah, absolutely. Let me move up closer then. It's okay. Yeah, no problem. I just want to >> want to hear.
>> Sure. Good. And uh on behalf of the astronomy club, I really want to thank the library for allowing us to hold our monthly meetings in your community room. I I do want to say that our public uh meetings have helped us to really fulfill the goals and mission of our astronomy club, which is to bring the
natural sciences to students and adults across the entire township and and neighboring communities. Uh we really believe that the club is helping to inspire the next generation of scientists uh while also providing a good forum for them to share camaraderie uh for a mutually uh shared interest in
the hobby of amateur astronomy. Uh and we are immensely grateful to the library's commitment to supporting our club. Uh in consideration of the support, the astronomy club in conjunction with the library telescope program is interested in exploring a partnership with the library in
initiating the library telescope lending program. Uh, this would allow patrons to borrow a speciallydesed telescope that can be brought home for a period of time, allowing them to learn how to explore the night sky on their own. There are currently 1100 libraries across the United States, Canada,
Europe, and Asia that have successfully launched a library telescope lending program. The Franklin Township Astronomy Club and the Library Telescope Program invite the library board and library leadership to join us in discussing a plan that can bring this program to our library as well. We are hopeful that the library will be open to taking up this
proposal and we look forward for a discussion. Thank you for your time and consideration. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> That sounds immensely interesting. >> Is there is there any other member of the public who would like to speak? No. Okay.
Um, I would um ask for a motion uh for discussion and approval of the minutes from the November 19th meeting. I was in here, but
>> I'll uh I'll make a motion to approve the minutes for the meeting on the >> November 19th. November 19th. >> Thank you. Is there any discussion? >> I need a second. >> I'll second.
>> Oh, sorry. I forgot this. There is a motion on the floor to approve the minutes from November 19th. Um, and motion has been seconded. And uh, now would anyone like to discuss anything that is in the minutes?
Seeing none, those in favor of passing this motion signify. And the motion has passed unanimously. Thank you. Going on to January Adams, our
director's reports. January, would you like to comment on the uh operations first? >> Give you some highlights. Um, our outreach librarian was the guest speaker at the Franklin Township Board of Health Advisory Committee on December 3rd. So,
it was an opportunity for her to uh let everybody know what the library has concerning health and aging. And the adult services department had 45 adult programs with 833 attendees. The youth services department had 33
programs that 1,114 people enjoyed. And our winter reading is going to start Monday the 22nd and it'll finish up on February 23rd.
And that's all I have. >> Thank you. And u would you like to point anything out on the uh financial reports? >> No, it's >> they're going to be uneven. They're
going >> as about as that's about we expect. >> Somebody else has a question. >> I will note that Aisha Ali has joined us. Um, and oh yes,
I do have a brief president's report and it was my intent to pass it out to all of you and I would certainly like to do that as soon as I find it. >> Now, this is embarrassing.
>> Happens to me all the time. This Our library with a main with a main building plus two branch locations serves the largest municipality by population in
Somerset County over the years. The way people of all ages use libraries has been in a constant state of evolution. Oh, I'm sorry. You don't have >> That's okay. We're sharing. >> Okay. >> I made it this far anyway.
This is discussed in a New Jersey Municipal Libraries article. Read all about it. No uh November 2025. A carry eino architects PC has prepared
a professional services propo proposal for the renovation of the main library dealing with three projects. HVAC replacement, roof replacement, and interior revol res um renovation. Uh we
have talked about this these projects in the past. Okay. Director January Adams and I have discussed the proposal at length with Joseph Frangiosa, a partner in Aaria Eino, and have concluded that the best path is to lump the three
projects into one. This will eliminate possible scheduling conflicts that may arise with multiple contractors. I re I recommend that we engage Carrie Eino to proceed with the nine services in their proposal
targeting a single general contractor. That's it. U you've all received I believe the proposal from uh a carry. So, >> does this comply with all financing laws for library?
>> I'm sorry. >> Does this does this account for all the financing laws for library and bid going out for bids and all that good stuff? >> Yes. Okay. Uh here's the let me read off the services
that the uh architects the basic services for the project include the professional the following professional services architecture demol demolition drawings interior
design for room finishes excluding furniture mechanical engineering Electrical engineering, plumbing engineering, fire protection engineering, third party estimating at end of uh the
design and uh phase. Um and then their proposal um gives us a couple of options for how they will be how they should be paid for their professional services. One is the roof replacement.
Um another one well going in the order that they would probably be done the HVAC replacement would come first. Their uh estimate for their services for that project is $50,000.
Um the roof replacement would probably come next and their estimate for their services with regard to that is $75,000. The interior re renovation is quite uh extensive as uh January has.
>> Do you want me to get it? >> No, no, it's right up behind you. uh that's been discussed at the last couple of meetings. Um and uh the architect suggests and encourages that we do all
of these three as one contract to a general contractor. Um and uh there the scope of the work can be completed as one combined project and bid to general contractors. The fee
for this option option is $315,000 which is less than uh uh the 375 if we did them separately. Okay. So January and I met with the architect
and basically I had real reservations about bundling these into one big project with a general contractor. Um after our meeting my mind had changed because
um Joe Franchiosa who we know and have worked with on the uh u the gallery roof showed me some uh figures that um
convinced me that a general contractor usually comes up with the various his parts very much in in uh the the same as um a specific contractor would.
Um so >> so what was what was your initial >> My initial response was >> like why didn't you want like you said you had some reservations? >> I had some Yeah. Uh
for instance, I didn't believe that we needed as much engineering on the HVAC replacement because we have HVAC >> people who Okay. He convinced me, I think, and probably
he convinced January as well, that when you have a big project with three contractors, there's always >> a problem with when will one finish and when can the next one start and and uh then it's a
lot of fingerpointing. At any rate, my recommendation at this point would be to um go for option number two. uh the entire scope of work can be completed as one combined project and
bid to general contractors and my uh so that's that's what I came >> and they're they are as capable I mean as you know and that's I guess what where they convinced you of that they are as capable
as if you would get like say someone who just does roots or someone who just does >> no it's a matter of Who's responsible? Uh if you have two contractors saying, "Hey, uh Mr. HVAC, you're your equipment
is in my way and I want to do this and or uh I'm not finished with mine. You'll have to wait." >> Okay. >> And and and then they're pointing fingers at each other and where are we? You know, >> this way everybody is one person. >> Yeah. all under one umbrella
>> and they and they can they can plan >> and and if something takes them a little bit longer they you know it's not going to be a problem to >> to do to put off on the other part until that part is finished which would be I guess harder to do if uh you have
separate Okay. Would anyone like to uh I think you've all received this uh proposal from the architect. Would anyone does anyone have any questions? U
I've just been reminded that I skipped a couple lines here. U correspondence and communications January has sent us a couple of articles and uh one of them >> kind of right in with
>> even though >> that's what I thought you was getting. >> No, even though the article that she sent us is is prepared. It's more of a advertisement of of the idea of
>> renovating libraries, bringing them up to date. >> You know, it makes the town look good. >> Yeah. And uh they just saying you get out of it what you put into it. >> Yeah. you know, you you invest more in it,
more usage and which is a good thing. >> And there's also an article about uh our Baker and Taylor big supplier >> right >> ceasing operations and um
>> how many jobs is it? Five >> 500 people and but they're keeping 14 of them. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Till January. Yeah, two more weeks. >> Actually, one of our um part-time people works for worked for Baker and Taylor full time
>> and then it wasn't there wasn't one of the 14 in >> big company. I mean, it's ubiquitous in the library world. It's very strange not to have them anymore. >> It was a new company. >> We're using Ingram. That's the one that
was mentioned as well. >> Yeah. Um and more and more of these other like smaller companies that maybe up until now were just buying or just being the vendor for schools are now branching into libraries. Amazon is >> that's what Amazon is.
>> So everybody's kind of trying to fill >> Amazon is not won't give you like an individual um you know it'll be like cookie cutter. I guess that's what I got from the you won't get the individual attention. I guess they were saying in
the article >> at some point that Amazon um a lot of libraries want like they need an individualized more of an individualized approach to
>> buying it that they won't get from Amazon. But >> okay, I have a question for our director. Here's a book. >> Yeah, >> it's a new book. It's a 14-day book. Has a cover on it. It has like
>> Is this the way you receive it from What's >> We don't It comes with the bar Let's see. No, this is This was from Baker and Taylor, I think, cuz Ingram doesn't put the barcodes on. We do that now. >> Okay. >> And we put on this. >> Yeah. Okay.
>> And that. >> Okay. So, you put on the uh >> the spline labels. And who assigns the >> the cataloger? >> Your cataloger assigns the >> Yes. >> Do a decimal number.
>> What if another cataloger in another library comes up with a different >> series of books of rules >> about how it gets done? >> And if you look in the front of this book, you'll even see what the doing number is. >> Yeah. Well, yeah. Yeah. >> Oh. Oh, wait a minute. >> Keep going.
>> Okay. It It's in here someplace. >> Oh, okay. >> Usually not every book has it, but most >> it has the ISBN number, but >> yeah. >> No. Library of Congress. No. Okay. >> Okay. So, >> there are
>> So, the new vendor will they do everything you need other than the barcode or >> Well, they'll do the covers. >> They'll do the covers. do the covers and they'll do the theft detection stuff and but we're used to doing the spine labels and sticking the barcode on. It's okay.
It's not hard. >> Okay. So, >> is this an England book or is this actually England does a really nice job? >> No, this is this is Baker Taylor. >> Okay. Well, thank you for giving us this these
two articles. Oh, and also the one about the fellow who uh >> is uh >> publishing from uh >> that was just a part >> from that
book from prison. >> Yeah. Okay. And he's he's what 24 years out of a 28-year sentence. It wasn't jaywalking. Okay.
Old business. Is there a resolution to accept professional services as have been discussed? You have Okay. I did not get that. I did not get the new one.
>> Okay. What we're looking >> No, let's just >> Okay. Well, we're looking for a resolution to accept the proposal by Carrie Evino.
>> Option two. Option number two, which has a cost of uh uh $315,000. Let's see. On the last page of the U report here, >> it shows uh what what that what it would
what they would charge if we didn't bundle it. And that would have been $375,000. And uh the fee for the bundled option is $315,000. >> Would someone like $60,000?
>> Well, we have to >> Yeah. Um >> so we we we looking um to make a motion to accept option two from how do you pronounce that?
>> Aari Aino architects. >> Aari Aino. Okay. Okay. So, I make a motion that we accept um option two saving
the library $60,000 with a single contractor as opposed to three different from uh Aari Architects. Did that make sense? >> Yes.
>> I second the motion. Motion is passed is is made and and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion? Anybody?
No. Say uh yeah, I made the motion. No, I mean it's it's the to me it seems that smart thing to do. >> Well, yeah, of course it's less money, but also the bigger advantage is as I've
discussed, >> right, having one person and not running into those >> problems that we have more streamlined. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Okay, I'm going to call the question. Those in favor of passing this motion,
please signify by raising your hand. Uh, this motion has passed unanimously. Is there any other old business? Is there any new business? Okay, no new business. We don't need an executive session.
And now I'd like to open the second portion of the public comment. Is there anyone who would like to make a comment now that we're seeing none? Um I will close the second part of the
public comment session and uh confirm that our next meeting is scheduled for January 28th. I got a when are we going to discuss the um the proposal from the uh
telescope lending because that sounds very interesting to me and I would like to get more information >> about what that would entail. >> Okay. Um, since you're seeking more information,
um, and Ron has given us some, I would ask Ron to uh, speak up and see if you can answer Kevin's um, additional questions
>> in this forum here or separately. I'm happy to meet separately. >> No, you can do it. Okay. >> I mean, >> since this is the this is, let's say we're still in the public comment part two, and I'm asking you to participate in it because Kev Kevin McNeel has some
more questions. >> Really? >> Um, these these telescopes, right? I mean, the only thing I would uh they're brought by the the library. No, >> they are donated through we provide the
library telescope program which is a nonprofit uh works with a a company called High Point Scientific. They're up in North Jersey and they provide seed telescopes to um a uh interested library and essentially they test the proof of concept as to whether this is of
interest to the patrons. So the astronomy club members are responsible for maintaining the telescope that is the maintenance and making sure it works fine, helping out interested patrons with using the telescope and that's via their involvement with the astronomy
club itself. Uh and the library provides a means by which they store it, track it, ensure that what's borrowed is returned. So uh essentially it's providing a resource to interested members of the of the uh community. And these and these in these telescopes I
mean you don't need any special training besides >> the wonderful thing about these telescopes is that they have been designed specifically to be as foolproof as you possibly could make a very sensitive instrument. They are only about they are tabletop. They stand
about maybe 14 15 in total. Um but still very sophisticated. They actually have the four or 5 in aperture that is the the actually opening of the that collects the the light from the sky. Um and uh but they are there with full instructions manually operated. They can
be they're portable. We we have instructions as to how to store them, how to carry them, uh how to use them and how to focus them and how to point them up at the stars. So we try to make it again it's nothing that could be done completely without any supervision but that's where the club is uniquely positioned because we have many amateur
astronomers who know how to use equipment like this. Uh but this has been through through development with High Point Scientific that has developed these specifically for the library telescope program. >> I have a question. >> Yes sir. Um
would it be possible to uh say that the library would not be responsible for let letting giving the people access but rather that they would have to make uh accommodation with your club? Uh uh so
that your your club would meet the customer, meet the uh lender, the borrower and hand them the micro the telescope. >> Sure. >> And then do the same when they return it. This is
>> I I I just don't feel that right now that uh there are enough people >> here that would want to be involved with with a technical instrument. >> Sure. There's enough people
in the library employees in the public. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Which of those? No, I I'm I'm saying that the library employees have more to do with books and you know it's not
>> January it it's not that every one of them would be trained I don't it's my own opinion >> could I ask a question um so if someone were to borrow one um and accidentally something gets damaged does high point cover like the damages so like just that's always a concern too is the
liability of like the damage >> when it's yeah the liabilities taken on by library telescope program and and by high point. So and and the club itself is responsible for maintaining uh and and providing repairs for that. So the library does not incur any specific financial stake in in >> the real only ask is to catalog it in a
way just like a book um to check it out to be able to have access to check. That's exactly >> but everything else is basically taken care of. So borrowing these programs don't work very well unless there is a club associated with it because you need the club members to help them with everything from what oops I dropped it
what do I do then to fix it or what do I do with it once I have it it's it's just a way of maintaining the cataloging that it's in and out ensuring and I'm not sure how the library works and cataloging and and maintain these sorts of things but if the book is overdue then I suppose library program would have a the library program have a way of
actually um you know collecting some um fines for overdue for overdue libraries. So if it becomes a part of the library system itself >> well Ron thank you >> and I don't know much about libraries I I I claim ignorance about how that works. >> Thank you very much and uh this certainly uh uh gave us more information
and uh we are not prepared >> absolutely >> today to course >> but I remain open to any conversations anybody would like to have. >> I will try to attend your next meeting. >> When when do you have new meetings here? Uh we have the meetings on the third uh
Tuesday of each month. Uh we just had one yesterday. Uh we also have Friday night viewing at uh John Clyde Memorial Preserve Grass Grasslands Preserve on Friday nights every Friday night and that's through the very gracious uh sponsorship of the trails uh committee
trails advisory committee. >> It's open to the public. >> It is open to the public. Absolutely open to the public. We have about 30 40 sometimes 50 people out there on Friday nights. If it's cold like it is not, but in summertime it's fantastic. Meteor showers, people with telescopes, binoculars, kids. There's a there's a we
have 150 registered members in our club >> for this town for this club. Yeah. And over a thousand Facebook followers on our page. There's a huge interest in this. >> Uh and this is where I think the library can really be very helpful in the outreach. So, thank you for the opportunity. >> I don't want to take more of your time. >> Thank you for coming. >> Thank you.
>> All right. All right. So, >> thank you, Kevin. you'll uh Kevin, may I now announce the next meeting? >> Thank you. Next meeting uh will be January 28th, 2026.
>> Um is there a motion to adjourn? >> Motion. >> Okay, >> I second. >> Okay, all the all the action is right over there. Uh those in favor of adjournment, please signify. Um we are
adjourned.