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Danvers trustees press for enforcement of staff panic-button policy after library safety review
Summary
Trustees at the Town of Danvers library meeting were told cameras and police access exist, but trustees raised concerns that staff are not wearing required panic buttons; trustees directed the director to explain policy compliance at the next meeting.
At a Town of Danvers Library Trustees meeting, Assistant Director Jennifer McGeorge reported that police and fire officials completed a building safety review and that trustees asked for clearer enforcement of the library's panic-button policy.
The trustees pressed the board to put compliance with the panic-button policy on the agenda next month, saying the policy exists but staff have not consistently worn the devices.
McGeorge said police Chief Lovell met with library leadership and "didn't feel there was any need for more signage than we already have planned," and noted that "the cameras are in, public shared areas of the library, on all floors. The police have access to them." She said the recordings are kept for an uncertain length of time — "I don't know. It's 6 weeks maybe. I'm not sure exactly how long the recordings are are held on to." McGeorge also reported that Fire Prevention Officer Brandon Lamson found several fire extinguishers in need of replacement and that DPW is adding four lit exit signs.
Trustee Natalie, speaking in what she identified as her final meeting, told trustees that "having a policy and having nobody enforce the policy, and if something goes wrong, I think that that is a liability for everybody." She asked the board to either ensure enforcement or rescind the practice if it cannot be applied.
A longer statement from a long-serving trustee underscored past efforts to improve building safety and urged a formal follow-up: "We set the policy. There is a policy. Natalie made a good point. You have it or you don't," and asked that the director be asked to explain why the policy has not been followed.
The chair and trustees agreed to place the issue on the next meeting agenda and to ask the director to appear to explain current compliance and enforcement measures.
Follow-up items recorded at the meeting: DPW will install required exit signage and replace extinguishers; the trustees will ask the director to report next month on panic-button usage and policy enforcement.
