Tonight (2020-03-02) was a Mendon Public Library Board of Trustee meeting.
The meeting started off with concerns about Corona. And I’m not talking about the beer. A variant of that joke was made, so good to see a sense of humor is still in effect. At this point, locally, it’s just preparation for potential disasters. Which is good practice regardless. After all, if you’re ready for a Zombie Apocalypse, you can also handle any ‘smaller’ disaster. Personally, I rate the risk levels about the same. Or as the Guide says, “Don’t Panic” (or in this case Pandemic…).
While other items were discussed, the were overshadowed by the topic of wages. Put simply, the Board wants to increase the amount paid to the hourly staff. I got the sense this has been an issue for awhile, but the Mendon Youth Center literally next door (in the former library building) has increased concern here. In particular, that the hourly rate for new hires there is higher then some (most?) long term library staff.
I could ramble on, and nitpick, but at the end of the day? My gut feeling is that their heart is in the right place, but that they are going about it wrong. Not that I can point to any particular point that is wrong, hence a ‘gut feeling’. They are trying to solve a problem as they see it, that alone is commendable.
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the March 2, 2020 meeting of the Mendon Public Library Board of Trustees.