Library seeks candidates for board seats
ROSENDALE, N.Y. » The Rosendale Library is seeking candidates for the Sept. 1 election to fill three board seats carrying four-year terms.
Petitions can be picked up from the library at 264 Main St.. They must be returned by 5 p.m. Aug. 2 and have at least 25 signatures from Rosendale town registered voters.
Seats are currently held by Carl Welden, who has submitted a petition seeking reelection, and Craig Zisman. The third seat is vacant and was previously held by Amber Billey.
“It’s helpful if people have experience with finance but there’s a number of skills that are helpful,” library Director Katie Scott-Childress said. “It helps to have a willingness to be on committees and promote the library in the community.”
The library has a ninemember board and will also have its 2023 budget on the ballot.
Scott-Childress noted that the library recently established long-term goals based on public outreach during the past year.
“Our long-range plan is on our website,” she said. “It has five major areas … that were identified in a series of community conversations that the library did in 2021,” she said.
“We are eventually going to plan a renovation,” Scott-Childress said. “We have one toilet in our entire building and that is not adequate.”
Scott-Childress added that the library works closely with other groups in the town.
“We have a lot of collaborations in Rosendale,” she said.
“We’re doing one with the Central House Historical Society,” Scott-Childress said. “We got a federal grant to do that this spring; we got a grant to work with the town on an elder commission; and we also work with the town summer rec camp. So there’s a lot of synergy in working together with the various volunteer groups.”