Westbrook trustees accept June financial report as FY25‑26 spending nears completion

The Westbrook Public Library Board of Trustees voted on July 7 to accept the June financial report after Library Director Michelle Centore summarized the month’s spending and procurement challenges. Centore told trustees that most FY25‑26 budget lines have been spent down, with only negligible amounts remaining in a few areas; underspent Local Government Fund (LGF) dollars will carry over in the account, she said.

Centore said June’s operating expenditures were driven mainly by book orders as staff worked to expend remaining line items and that vendor delivery problems this year have made purchasing more difficult. She said staff have identified Amazon as a more reliable option for some purchases in the coming year. The report also noted a small furniture purchase for a basket‑style cart intended to ease handling of book drops.

Trustee Elizabeth Fabrizi moved to accept the financial report as presented; Trustee Kate Zapadka seconded. The board recorded the motion as unanimous (“all in favor”). Individual vote tallies were not recorded in the minutes.

Why this matters: The board’s acceptance confirms staff may carry forward unused LGF funds into FY26‑27 and highlights an operational issue — vendor delivery problems — that staff plan to address when preparing next year’s procurement approach.

Action and next steps: The board did not set a separate deadline or follow‑up motion on procurement alternatives; Centore is expected to reflect vendor‑related lessons in next year’s purchasing plans and budget proposals.