Town of Milton Election Guide: Library Trustees

Five candidates are running to replace three members of the Board of Trustees. In anticipation of the Town Election on Tuesday, April 26, all five candidates have responded to a brief questionnaire from Milton Patch; their responses are below.

Name:  Raymond P. Czwakiel

How long have you lived in Milton:  My wife Leslie, my daughters Solana and Miranda, and I have lived in Milton for nearly 15 years.  I have actively volunteered on behalf of our town in many capacities, currently serving as Co-President of our Pierce Middle School PTO.

Why are you running for Library Trustee:  Simply put, I LOVE libraries in general and our Milton Library in particular.  The Milton Public Library has served my cultural, educational and recreational needs without fail for over a decade now.  I would like to pay back some of the debt that I owe to our Milton Library system and its wonderful staff by volunteering my time and energy in service to our Library.  Serving as one of your representatives on the Milton Public Library Board of Trustees will allow me to (i) communicate your concerns and the concerns of our community directly to the group of volunteers charged with setting goals and direction for our Library and then (ii) work as a team with our other trustees to address the strategic and operational issues facing our town library system.

What do you think you would bring to the Board of Trustees:  I am a problem-solver by profession.  I studied industrial and computer systems engineering as an undergraduate, subsequently worked to earn a master’s degree in Business Administration (with a focus on Entrepreneurship), and most recently completed my law degree at Boston University.  I currently serve as a business attorney to a number of small companies and organizations where I bring my intellectual property, business and legal skills to bear in resolving their day-to-day operational issues.  I would love to use these same skills to help run our town’s cultural center, the Milton Public Library.

What are the most important issues in the election: The most important issues facing our Milton Public Library involve (i) setting our strategic direction in the face of rapidly changing information and communication technologies and (ii) increasing our usefulness to each citizen of Milton.  The Milton Public Library, like all library systems, is faced with a changing landscape in which the library building is no longer the sole home of the resources people need and desire.  I believe that as more and more information becomes available wherever and whenever a person may want it, our library must continue to develop its role as a cultural and meeting center.  My goal is to put our Milton Public Library in the front of each person’s mind so that the first question they ask when seeking to fulfill their cultural, educational and recreational needs is “How can my library help me here?”  I would LOVE the opportunity to work as one of your nine library trustees to help answer this question. 

Name: Mary Riffe Hiss

How long have you lived in Milton: 13 years

Why are you running for Library Trustee:  To ensure that all residents have a connection to our Library.

 What do you think you would bring to the Board of Trustees:  Proven work and volunteer skills, a deep personal commitment to the Library, and ideas to enhance use of the Library.  I work full time and have a Collicot second-grader and two high school students, and am one of 40% of Milton's households with children under 18 who are current and future Library users -- and taxpayers. 

 What are the most important issues in the election:  To ensure that our Library is optimally used by all residents as a community wide resource.  Six ideas that I advocate for are:

• Appropriate incorporation of digital media and technology
• Age/gender specific reading group
• Weekly library use by all residents
• Continued high quality adult programs
• Timely access to in demand materials
• A Library strategic plan that meets Milton’s needs

Name:  Kristine Hodlin

How long have you lived in Milton: My husband, Paul and I have lived in Milton since 1984 where we raised our three children - Nils, Kurt and Erika.

Why are you running for Library Trustee: I love the library and the services it affords our Milton community.  I am interested in stepping up and offering my skills and energy as a trustee.

What do you think you would bring to the Board of Trustees: My experience in technology, municipal finance and management provide a deep and full foundation to serve as library trustee.

 What are the most important issues in the election: The Library is one of Milton's greatest treasures. In order to remain so for future generations we need to continue the good work to expand our library programs and collections, encourage increased community use, guide the ongoing care and maintenance of new facility and carefully monitor the allocation and spending of finances. It would be a privilege to serve the citizens of Milton and work with the other trustees, staff and friends to continue to foster this treasure.

Name: Frank Schroth

How long have you lived in Milton: I moved to Milton in 1988 with my wife, Annie Davis, and daughter Meg. Our son Steve joined us in 1989.

Why are you running for Library Trustee:  It is important that we work to keep the community in which we live vital and vibrant. I am running for 3 reasons:

• because I have a passion for the library's purpose:  free public access to information. If you think a library is expensive - try public ignorance.
• I believe that my background in media, technology, education, and business will serve me well and enable me to contribute to the conversation and to work with the trustees to address the never-ending challenges presented by tight fiscal budgets and emerging technologies.
• I have a desire to give back to the town that has given a lot to me. The position of library trustee is a fit for my knowledge and experience.

 What do you think you would bring to the Board of Trustees: I bring strong experience in media, business, and technology. That is coupled with a desire to listen and learn from the Trustees, the patrons, and the staff and to work to keep the library moving forward. In my professional life, my responsibilities and skills have been to establish strong relationships and build consensus. I will bring those skills to the board.

What are the most important issues in the election: Regarding the issues facing the library and how to best address them, this would be accomplished in consultation with the board. That said, the areas that I believe deserve attention are:

• Improving customer service by continuing to develop a warm, welcoming culture, one that reaches out to the patrons and continually measures success in terms of a postive customer experience.
• Continuing to explore and develop strategies for meeting the never-ending challenges presented by tight budgets and evolving technology.
• Working with the Friends and Foundation to develop programs that engage the community. One such program might be Milton Reads! an initiative in which the entire town shares in reading a book together. Middle school students through senior citizens can discuss and share thoughts, ideas, and themes as well as listen to lectures, panels, and programs all focused on a shared reading experience.

Name: Paul Yovino

How long have you lived in Milton:  I have lived in Milton since 1967.

Why are you running for Library Trustee:  I am running to maintain and expand the library’s high standards of excellence set by the retiring Trustees.

What do you think you would bring to the Board of Trustees: I would bring my broadcast and nonprofit development skills to the Board of Trustees. I have already brought some of those skills to the Library by creating and producing "This Old/New Library" cable program for Milton Cable, which followed the construction of the new library and the renovation of the old.

 What are the most important issues in the election: 

• Establish an Association of Library Trustees within the Old Colony Library Network  to address the needs within the library community at large.
• Utilize the Milton Cable  to create ‘A library without walls.'
• Make the Library the cultural hub of Milton.
• Cablecast Milton’s version of CSPAN’s “Book Notes” inviting authors on  book tours to the Library. 
• Cablecast the Library’s Lecture and Speakers Series to the community.
• Use the Library’s cable access to produce and annual live auction to augment other fund raising efforts. 
• Establish “The Margery Jeffries Writing Center” to foster the love and skill of writing.
• Insure the Library remains on the cutting edge of library technology.