December 17, 2002 Sixteen Acres Civic Association Meeting

CLODO welcomed all members to the meeting, and the Christmas Party

CLODO introduced Emily Bader who is Director of Library Services, and Norma Coutran who is the Director of 16 Acres Library and Forest Park and Indian Orchard

CALL Sixteen Acres Library at 263-6858 for more information

Norma says the 16 Acres Library has drop in crafts for children and pre-school reading story time for 3 ½ -- 5 year olds on Thursday morning at 10:00 am, and other libraries have story time for different age groups

An Internet training program for kids called Kids Click for 4-8 grades will run from February to May and also at Forest Park Library

An Internet training program for adults will be starting at 16 Acres Library in January. The library has 3 computers that are connected to the Internet and 4 training computers in the back room to also use

Emily says that everyone is feeling the lack of staff, and less operating hours at many libraries. Since July 2001 the libraries have lost 30 positions through attrition, layoffs, and early retirement. The budget was cut by ½ million dollars and next year will be a problem also. Many Directors like Norma are now running two or three libraries instead of one

Tina asked why there are no Saturday events like reading groups for 18 month olds at Sixteen Acres Library. She and a few of her friends with children had to go to Forest Park or Liberty Street Library. Norma said that they rotate the reading programs around at the different branch libraries. They will pass the parent concern on to the Youth Service Director

Do you use volunteers for some programs? Yes, for crafts or reading, but sometimes they need to be trained

How come Brightwood and Pine Point libraries are open more hours? Brightwood is opened more because the school department is allocating more money for Brightwood to be open more for the neighborhood. Pine Point is open more hours because it is acting as the main library until the Main Library is reopened

How much money is decided for each library? The Development Office of the libraries should be able to tell us how much money is allocated for each library

Emily tells us that the Annual Library Campaign will be beginning in February and would like to have volunteers to help 16 Acres Library raise desperately needed funds for the libraries. Call the Library at 263-6858 to help

How much does it cost to open the library an extra day? It costs between $100.00 and $150.00 an hour

Clodo thanked our guests Emily and Norma for coming to our meeting

NEW BUSINESS---OLD BUSINESS FOR 2002

Clodo welcomed John Fitzgerald, Chief of Staff for Mayor Albano, to the meeting

Clodo welcomed everyone from 16 Acres neighborhoods, and thanked them for coming to the meetings every month. He also thanked all the police officers for helping our neighborhoods and he thanked all the officers for all their help and support

Thank you to everyone who got a gift for the Christmas raffle

Clodo welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Chang as new members; they will be opening a Chinese Restaurant in the Goodwill Plaza

16 Acres now has a Crime Watch Program, and is working with the area police officers, and are going to be putting up signs in different areas of 16 Acres

Clodo recognized Sergeant Russell from Community Police for helping out 16 Acres

Someone recognized CLODO for all his hard work and leadership for 16 Acres

Clodo thanked the Christmas Committee for their hard work

Peter wanted to thank Tom Forgue from WNEC, he is President of Student Affairs, who was present at this meeting and Christmas Party. He and other WNEC students helped at Food Mart Food Drive

Meeting Adjourned and on to celebrate the Christmas Party

Respectfully

Ruth Moorhouse, Secretary