The Budget

I have nearly completed my first term as a member of the Ossining Public Library (OPL) Board of Trustees. I am asking for your vote on May 19 to allow me to continue for a second term. I started serving as a trustee the day after I retired from my 44-year career as a professional civil engineer.

I am excited about our building project, which will enable OPL to improve further its great facilities, benefiting not only today’s users, but also future generations. The Community supported this plan by voting last September in favor of the bond issue, and we must respect the trust the voters granted to us by working diligently to maintain project budget and schedule. To honor that commitment, I have applied my professional experience by taking on a lead role in the Board’s Building and Grounds Committee. I have coordinated closely with the OPL management team, and the architect, engineer, project manager, legal counsel and financial and real estate consultants, to help advance the work essential for producing successful project design and construction. I find this very rewarding, and I am thrilled at the prospect of contributing more to the program.

Looking beyond the building project, as a trustee I am also dedicated to maintaining the OPL’s lead role not only as a readily accessible provider of books and other media on all subjects, but also as a vibrant center that hosts a wide range of community-building programs and events, such as art exhibits, presentations, learning workshops, and cultural performances. My support of OPL’s efforts to provide these popular community services includes working with the Library Director as the lead member of the Board Finance Committee to develop our annual operating budgets and monitor our financial performance.

Thank you,

Phil Rice