Politics & Government

Support the Westborough Library: Run For Trustee

The library trustees will need a member, unless someone takes out nomination papers for the March 4 annual town ballot, by the 5 p.m. Friday deadline.

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The library trustees will need a member, unless someone takes out nomination papers for the March 4 annual town ballot, by the 5 p.m. Friday deadline.

Three three-year terms on the nine-member library board are on the ballot each year, Vice Chairman Patricia Fontes said Wednesday.

Find out what's happening in Westboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Fontes and trustee Dorothy Mello have taken out papers. Trustee Lisa Freeman has said she won't seek re-election.

The trustees' time commitment is a monthly meeting, Fontes said. Two or three additional meetings are possible during town budget season, which runs from November to early March, she said. But, attendance by all trustees isn't required.

Find out what's happening in Westboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Westborough's charter establishes the library board's duties, Fontes said.

"The trustees are very much like the school committee. They set the policy for the library. They promote the library. They don't necessaily engage in direct fundraising, but they do help out with raising funds for the library. And (they) develop the future plans for the library," and hire the director, she said.

This is the second straight town election season where library board seats have drawn little interest.

In 2013, voters saw only one library trustee candidate on the ballot, Helena Engberg. Write-in candidates Edward Baldwin and Kathleen Daly were elected as well.

"Someone will come forward, I'm sure," said Fontes, who has served 12 years on the board.

"We're on the verge of making some very big plans in terms of trying to renovate the library, to improve the services to the town. It's wonderful to have a wide range of viewpoints on that," she added.


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