Scarborough Public Library Board of Trustees, special board meeting
Monday, November 29, 2021
Meeting Minutes
Participants: Bill Donovan, Nancy Crowell, Susan Powell, Allen Paul, Emily Ward, Judy Johnson, Ellen Detlefsen, Anne Janak, Dave Dittmer, Jim Kupel, Jon Anderson, Joyce Clark, John Lanham (Demont Associates)
Zoom meeting began at 5:30 PM.
This was a special board meeting with John Lanham from Demont Associates to discuss their Planning Services Final Report. There were no other agenda items.
The first order of business is to establish a campaign plan for the SPL expansion. The order of hierarchy of the campaign plan is:
- Board of Trustees-oversee the campaign and have fiduciary responsibility
- Executive Committee-Library Director, Board President, and others
- Campaign Cabinet-community connectors (to be recruited)
The key recommendations on pages 13 and 14 of the report were discussed to clarify with the board how the campaign would operate.
It is imperative that the referendum pass. To do so we will need community volunteers to help. Some of them would be part of the Campaign Cabinet.
We hope to raise $450K in year one, which includes 50K for the annual fund. We plan to solicit cash contributions from select insiders (Board, Cabinet, and top prospects) to validate the goal for the expansion. This is the “proving ground” phase of the campaign and success would show the community and the Town Council the potential for more pledges once the referendum passes.
We would solicit cash contributions for Phase One between December 2021-March 2022. In April 2022 we would switch gears and concentrate on the marketing campaign to pass the referendum.
It is important to identify a goal for funds raised in Phase One. What is the ask? We must identify specific projects or concrete needs so the funds can be used in case the referendum doesn’t pass. Nancy and her staff brainstormed and produced some “Impact Fund” options as the board was not enthusiastic about the “space renovations/technology funds” suggested on page 13, section 2, item 3 of the report. The Campaign Cabinet will be tasked with making recommendations of concrete needs and present them to the board.
Training is an important part of the process that Demont proposes. Demont will coach all volunteers in soliciting prospects as each prospect is a campaign of its own and volunteers must create a relationship with them. In the first 100 days of the campaign, we will identify members of the Campaign Cabinet, set the goals for Phase One, begin training volunteers and reach out to prospects. Volunteers should be comfortable with the agreed upon goals.
The marketing aspect is essential to success. The referendum for expansion failed last time in 2006 because we didn’t get the vote out and didn’t have a public face for the campaign. We think the climate and image of the library is more favorable this time. Demont will help with the organization of the marketing aspect by giving us consistent talking points and help with canvasing for support. Can we use library staff for the campaign effort? Yes, since SPL is a 501c3 non-profit we can lobby for our own effort if it is not political. Part of our campaign must include education of the public of our status as a non-profit and as a non-profit why we are asking for taxpayers’ funds to expand.
The first step to getting the referendum on the ballot is to convince the Town Council of its merits. We will need to have a clear sense of the goals for the campaign and present a convincing message to the TC. The Finance Committee starts its goal planning in January and it is finalized in April. We will need more positive pressure from the public to convince them to move forward with the referendum.
Demont’s professional estimate is a campaign goal of ~2M plus. They would like to keep that estimate quiet for now, so how do we discuss this with the Town Council? If the TC allows the referendum to go forward what is the dollar amount that we should include for the expansion? Would it be the full amount of the expansion cost, or would it be the cost minus the capital funds raised? When the Wentworth School was on the ballot the full amount of construction was included on the ballot and any donations offset the cost and saved the taxpayers money in the end.
The goal of 450K in Phase One included 50K for the annual fund. We will send out the usual letters in December for the annual fund.
Demont is comfortable coordinating the campaign with EveryLibrary.
Although we have ~100K left from the town funded CIP Nancy prefers that we use other funds for fundraising.
Motion to accept the Planning Services Report from Demont Associates was made by Jim Kupel and seconded by Anne Janak.
Motion: Accept the Planning Service Report with modifications based on changes in language on p. 13, section 2, items 3 as discussed at the Nov. 29, 2021 meeting. Vote to approve the motion was unanimous.
The bill submitted by Demont for Phase One is about $73K. Nancy will approve the contract ASAP.
A motion to adjourn was made by Judy Johnson and seconded by Susan Powell.
Meeting adjourned at 6:45PM.
Submitted by,
Susan Powell, Vice-President of the Board of Trustees