Minutes of the Trustees Fellowes Athenaeum Advisory Committee Meeting
Monday, February 4, 2013 | 12:00 pm to 1:50 pm
Dudley Branch Library, 65 Warren Street, Roxbury, MA 02119
Chairman Evelyn Arana-Ortiz
A meeting of the Trustees Fellowes Athenaeum Trust Advisory Committee was held on Monday,
February 4, 2013 at the Dudley Branch Library, 65 Warren Street, Roxbury, MA 02119 at 12:00
p.m.
Present at the meeting were: Trustees Fellows Athenaeum Trust Advisory Committee Chair and
Trustee Evelyn Arana-Ortiz, Committee Members: Ms. Sarah-Ann Shaw and Che Madyum,
Friends of the Dudley Branch Library; and Ms. Christine Schonhart, Boston Public Library
Manager of Branch Libraries. Also attending: Ms. Janet Buda, Dudley Branch Librarian; Ms
Nancy Grilk, Clerk of the Board; and, Elizabeth Nagarajah of the Friends of the Dudley Branch
Library.
Trustees Fellows Athenaeum Trust Advisory Committee (Committee) Chair Evelyn Arana-Ortiz
presided.
Chair Arana-Ortiz reviewed the agenda and the Committee approved the meeting agenda.
The Chair addressed the first item of business, pertaining to the Minutes of the Trustees Fellowes
Athenaeum Trust Advisory Committee (Committee) held on Monday, August 6, 2012. On a
motion made and duly seconded, the Minutes of the Trustees Fellowes Athenaeum Trust
Advisory Committee meeting held on August 6, 2012 were approved and subsequently posted on
the Boston Public Library’s web site at www.bpl.org.
Next on the agenda, Chair Arana-Ortiz reviewed the current Committee approved Rules and
Responsibilities. With the resignation of Program Manager Inez Foster, the Chair thought it a
good time to review the document and identify ways to reduce administrative costs allowing
more funds to be directed to community programs. Discussion followed on the hiring process of
the new Program Manager. The Chair discussed the role of a new Program Manager including:
the transition process; making recommendations for types of programs; holding a technical
assistance session; organizing the bidders’ conference; and, facilitating program approvals.
Boston Public Library staff would assume responsibility for monthly monitoring of program
attendance and program activities. The Program Manager would report quarterly attendance data.
With the Committee’s approval of revised Roles and Responsibilities, BPL staff will create a job
description, and issue a Request for Proposal. The Committee expressed urgency to have a
Program Manager on board by April to coordinate with the end of the fiscal year. The
Committee underscored the importance of a Program Manager’s familiarity with the community
to be able to assist local groups in providing program outreach; as they had in the past, Ms.
Madyum and Ms. Shaw requested to be included in the job interview process. Ms. Schonhart
will provide an updated draft FY14 Roles and Responsibilities, and draft job description to the
Committee via email for final approval. Once final, the job posting will be sent to the Committee
for assistance with distribution.
Chair Arana-Ortiz moved to the next agenda item of the Financial Report and reviewed the
Quarterly Report FY 2013 which provides information through the second quarter of FY13; the
third quarter encumbrances will be available March 31. All programs are scheduled to be
completed by June 30; any available carry over funds will be reported at the spring Committee
meeting.
An initial discussion began regarding the composition and service of the Committee in keeping
with the Statement of Purpose.
The Committee set the next meeting date of Tuesday, May 28 at 9:30 a.m. at the Dudley Branch.
A check-in meeting before the July bidders’ conference is scheduled for Monday, June 17 at 9:30
a.m. at the Dudley Branch.
There being no further business, the Fellowes Trust Advisory Committee adjourned at 1:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy Grilk
Clerk to the Trustees
