BOARD OF TRUSTEES ELECTION AND BUDGET VOTE 2019
Thank You to all who voted!
The MPL budget vote passed, 356 – 75.
Congratulations to our new Board of Trustee members Joseph Montuori and Stephen Baranowski, and to Elizabeth Costello and Scott Weiss on their reelection to the Board!
Vote Tuesday, June 4th, 7 am – 9 pm at MPL!
Board of Trustee Election
5 candidates are running for 4 seats on the Board
Trustee Candidate Statements
STEPHEN BARANOWSKI
Stephen Baranowski’s family moved to Mahopac after WWII. As a child, he frequently visited Mahopac Library which is where his father taught him to read.
He has worked in finance and accounting since being discharged from the U.S. Army in 1985, and has extensive experience in budgeting, investing, and general financial management. He would like to use his skills to strengthen the services offered by the Library.
Currently, Baranowski is the Vice-Chair of the Putnam County Industrial Development Agency. He has served as a MSA coach, a CCD instructor at St. John’s, and is an active supporter of local Boy and Girl Scout troops.
ELIZABETH COSTELLO (incumbent)
Elizabeth Costello is a second-generation “Mahopacan” and a full-time criminal defense attorney with the non-profit Putnam County Legal Aid Society where she represents individuals in courts throughout Putnam County. An advocate on behalf of the indigent and those struggling with addiction, she is committed to strengthening the prospects for rehabilitation through the application of Drug Treatment Court principles and other alternatives to incarceration. She has also held positions in marketing, fundraising, and educational publishing.
Costello was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2016, and currently serves as its Vice-President. She has twice chaired the Advancement and Public Relations Committee, and has also chaired the Board Development Committee where she worked with other Trustees to host information sessions for potential Board candidates.
JOSEPH MONTUORI
Joseph Montuori is a high school Social Studies teacher at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua where he has taught since 2000. He holds an M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a B.A. in Sociology, with a minor in Journalism, from SUNY Cortland.
An active member of the community, Montuori founded and managed the Kirk Lake Watershed Association, and worked with its Board of Directors to protect and improve the health and natural habitat of the watershed. He also served as a Board member of Concerned Citizens of Mahopac/Carmel, and moderated several public candidate forums.
Montuori’s family has made use of many Library services as their children have grown to become young adults. Most recently, they have accessed print and digital material, museum passes, library meeting spaces, and have attended various programs and workshops.
A resident of Mahopac for 30 years, Montuori states that serving as a Trustee would enable him to give back to the Library and our community.
VIJAY SARASWAT
A Mahopac resident for 14 years, Vijay Saraswat is a researcher in Computer Science. He has worked in many areas including Artificial Intelligence and Social Computing, and has led major projects at Xerox PARC, AT&T Labs, and IBM TJ Watson. He has also taught computer and social network classes in elementary and middle schools.
Saraswat describes the Library as “the jewel of Mahopac, a haven of peace by the lake, where we gather to read, understand, attend art shows, meet in our community rooms, bring in artists and visionaries from all over the world to enrich our experience.” As a Trustee, he looks forward to increasing our community outreach, and fostering partnerships with regional cultural and civic organizations. He believes that his experience working with a wide variety of people in small and large companies, industry organizations, and schools and universities will enable him to be an effective participant on the Board of Trustees.
SCOTT WEISS (incumbent)
Scott Weiss is a Certified Financial Planner and the Chief Compliance Officer of Weiss Financial Group in Mahopac. He currently serves as the Chair of the Library’s Finance Committee, and has assisted the Board in all aspects of financial management and stewardship of public funds. Weiss was also a member of the Library’s Long-Range Planning Committee which engaged local residents and community leaders in conversations about their aspirations for the future of our area. These meetings resulted in a 3-year plan that defines the role of the Library in achieving their goals.
Having grown up in Mahopac, and now raising his children here, Weiss values the Library and all it offers our residents. He hopes to continue to serve on this community-focused Board.
Budget Vote
Key budget points for Fiscal Year 2018-2019:
- The Library budget remains under the tax cap.
- The total expenses for FY 2019-2020 are less than a 1% increase over the 2018-2019 budget;
- The Capital Improvements line includes the development of a comprehensive facilities plan;
- Sustainable initiatives have allowed us to reduce our printing and utilities costs.
| EXPENDITURES | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 |
| Personnel | 1,375,000 | 1,375,000 |
| Payroll taxes & benefits | 390,000 | 390,000 |
| Library materials | 218,000 | 229,300 |
| Supplies | 25,000 | 25,000 |
| Staff development | 8,500 | 8,500 |
| Telephone | 9,000 | 9,000 |
| Internet | 6,000 | 7,500 |
| Utilities | 88,500 | 83,500 |
| Dues | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Building repairs & maintenance | 33,000 | 30,000 |
| Building contracts | 75,000 | 75,000 |
| Equipment contracts | 13,500 | 13,500 |
| Library programming | 10,000 | 10,000 |
| Professional fees | 52,000 | 52,000 |
| Printing, publicity & postage | 18,000 | 16,302 |
| Election & legal notices | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| Computer maintenance contract | 51,668 | 60,000 |
| Insurance | 24,000 | 24,000 |
| Furniture, fixtures & equipment | 20,000 | 20,000 |
| Capital improvements | 10,000 | 30,000 |
| Bond repayment | 573,450 | 567,700 |
| TOTAL EXPENDITURES | 3,008,618 | 3,034,302 |
| REVENUES | ||
| Fines, fees & gifts | 59,000 | 46,000 |
| Interest income | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Grants | 6,500 | 6,500 |
| Town of Carmel | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Putnam County | 102,093 | 102,093 |
| Previously collected tax levy | 27,500 | 0 |
| TOTAL REVENUES | 260,093 | 219,593 |
| AMOUNT TO BE RAISED BY TAXES | 2,748,525 | 2,814,709 |
Read the full Board of Trustees Election and Budget Vote Newsletter.