BELLOWS FALLS — Steve Fuller has resigned from the board of trustees of the Rockingham Free Public Library, a move that followed a number of votes with which he found himself at odds with the majority of his fellow board members.
At the June 4 meeting vote not to sign the lease at 41 The Square at the Merchant's Bank location, Fuller was one of the dissenting votes.
He questioned as too high the figures that Library Director Célina Houlné estimated it would take to move the library to its temporary quarters at the square. He had never been in favor of closing the library to begin with, he said.
During the June 10 meeting, at which he announced his resignation, Fuller reiterated his opposition to the move, saying, “We have a perfectly good building already.”
He commented that the board had already voted not to sign the lease the week before.
When he was told the reason for reconsideration was because of new numbers that Historical Librarian Emily Zervas brought before them that evening, his response was, “So you can just keep moving the numbers around until you get what you want.”
Fuller's frustration with the board culminated in his resignation following the meeting.
A recommendation for the open seat will be put before the Selectboard for approval, if and when that happens.
However, Trustees Chair Jan Mitchell-Love had no clear answer as to if or when the board would take it up.
She did point out that, “Per our bylaws, the Library Board of Trustees fills the vacancy with the approval of the Selectboard. At election time [March 2014], someone runs for the position, but that was the expiration date of this vacancy anyway.”
The next RFPL board meeting is scheduled for July 10 at 5 p.m.
The June 10 board meeting approved the moving expenses to and from the new location, not to exceed $2,000.
Volunteers are expected to serve instead of a professional moving company when it comes time to move back to the library.
Move to temporary home
In the meantime, the library is preparing to begin operations at its new temporary home on Monday, June 24.
This will be the library's home until late summer, when the renovation project is expected to be completed.
The library will maintain its regular hours and offer many of the same services, and summer programs.
Programs for youth will be offered at alternate locations throughout the community. Library materials that are currently checked out are due back by July 15; until that time, patrons will not be charged overdue fines.
Patrons can return materials at either the new library location or in the drop box near the sidewalk at the Library building.