By Lisa Carolin
The Chelsea District Library board unanimously approved the 2017 Fiscal Year budget for the library at its Sept. 20 meeting.
Total operating expenses are about $1.788 million and include about $1.06 million in personnel expenses.
Board members discussed that there is an open position for an at large trustee from 2017-2020. At this point, current trustee T.J. Helfferich is the only applicant.
The strategic planning process for 2017-2019 began with library staff and board members engaging people in the community for input at library events, the farmers market, and local school open houses where people have been encouraged to complete a survey.
Kerry Sheldon of Bridgeport Consulting reported to the board on the findings from the survey so far.
“We have received 201 surveys, which is a fantastic response rate,” said Sheldon. “Only 4 percent responded that they haven’t used the library in the last year. Over 90 percent rated the library as outstanding.”
She said that the positive rating makes it harder to fine tune ways to improve the library.
Sheldon and library board members encourage people to respond to the surveys and have extended the deadline until early October. They will share the findings at a board and staff retreat that takes place Friday, Oct. 21.
