Middleborough trustees extend negotiations with Friends group, appoint ad hoc committee

At the March 3 meeting, the Board of Library Trustees agreed to extend the Friends of the Millborough Public Library operating-agreement negotiation deadline to Friday, April 4, 2025, and trustees discussed forming an ad hoc committee to continue talks.

The extension followed receipt of a counterproposal from the Friends that included a provision saying the Friends "will not conduct any meeting with the board of library trustees in a public forum" if appointed committee membership exceeded a stated quorum, and that such meetings would be held in executive session "in accordance with the open meeting law," according to materials distributed to trustees. The library director told the board they had asked the town counsel to review that request.

"I do not believe there's a justification under the 10 exceptions to allow for an executive session," the Library Director said during discussion, urging transparency and public posting of meetings. The trustees observed that ad hoc committees historically have been posted and run as public meetings.

Trustees confirmed volunteers to serve on an ad hoc committee (trustees identified in the meeting as Jen, John and Sherry) to continue negotiations with the Friends; the director said the committee's meetings would be scheduled and posted. The board voted to extend the negotiation deadline to April 4; the motion passed by voice vote.

The director also noted the Friends have closed the current membership cycle and that Friends assets have been consolidated into library storage and the Friends' bookstore. Town counsel will advise the trustees on whether any aspects of the Friends' counterproposal can lawfully be handled in executive session under Massachusetts open-meeting law.