DUMMERSTON COMMUNITY CENTER / LIBRARY TRANSITION MEETING

DATE: Thursday December 4, 2025

TIME: 5:30PM-7:00PM

LOCATION: Dummerston Community Center

This is the zoom invite link for the meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85054878186?pwd=6gQ6uR7jVCQU5RoaPe6EnVMx1rnbuI.1

AGENDA:

- Brainstorm ideas for a combined board to oversee the Community Center and library.

- Finalize a proposal to present to the town for approval at Town Meeting.

DRAFT PROPOSAL AS OF 11/8/2025:

DUMMERSTON COMMUNITY LIBRARY PROPOSAL

The Lydia Taft Pratt Library and Dummerston Community Center currently operate as 2 distinct organizations. For cohesion and efficiency, we propose a new single entity, the Dummerston Community Library.

If approved, this entity will operate as follows:

1. GOVERNANCE: A board consisting of 7 elected members, with 1-3 year staggered terms, will manage all operations in the building, such as library programs, rentals and events scheduling, building management and maintenance, grounds development and maintenance, and fundraising. The board will assign members and volunteers to manage these different responsibilities.

2. FINANCES: The current annual cost to run the building is approximately $16,000. This expense will now be paid from town funds formerly allocated to rent, revenue from rentals, and fundraising. Expenses will be approved by the Dummerston Community Library board and sent to the Selectboard as warrants to be paid on a bi-weekly basis. A yearly budget will be submitted to the Selectboard as “Building Operating Expenses”. 3.

COMMUNICATION: All questions related to library functions, rentals, and events will be directed to a single person, designated by the board. A single website will exist to communicate about the library and the building (including hours of operation, rental costs, events, etc.). The Dummerston Community Library will have a single main phone number and email address.

4. FACILITIES: The two front rooms of the building will be dedicated to library operations, with the new children’s section located in the right room. The large back room and basement will be reserved for rentals and community events/meetings.

Revised: 11/8/2025

Appointments MUST be made in advance for vault use (i.e. title searches, genealogy work, etc). Please call 802-257-1496 or email townclerk@dummerston.org. 

The Town Office will be open 9AM-Noon on Friday, December 5^th.