Paul Pratt Memorial Library patrons may soon find the doors locked on weekends as the town eyes a $12,500 reduction in Sunday service to help bridge a mounting municipal deficit. During the March 11 meeting of the Library Trustees, Director Bronwyn Nelson revealed that Interim Town Manager Michelle Leary is proposing the elimination of Sunday hours as part of a broader package of municipal cuts, which include reducing the town's communication specialist to part-time and eliminating positions in the planning and custodial departments.

The proposed Sunday closure would affect approximately 80 visitors who utilize the library during its three-hour window on the weekends. Nelson noted that while the shift is voluntary for staff, the loss of time-and-a-half pay would impact employees. I feel the library is taking the biggest hit, Nelson said, adding that while the library only needs to be open 25 hours a week to remain certified, it currently serves the community for 52 hours. Trustee Susan Hudziger expressed concern over how the change would be perceived by the public, stating, We should be clear that the town is forcing us to close.

The library is also grappling with a widening financial gap regarding the ongoing pavilion construction project. Nelson reported a $76,000 invoice for concrete work that has been stalled for three weeks due to confusion between the town’s accounting department and the Cohasset Library Trust (CLT). The project currently faces a $21,000 shortfall on the primary contract alone, but Nelson warned the total "unfunded needs"—including furniture, lighting, landscaping, and a failing front door—could reach $100,000. It's frustrating because someone should have worked this out in advance, Nelson said regarding the payment process. There's no institutional memory because the project has taken so long and there's been turnover.

Trustee Alex Terry, who recently joined the CLT board, questioned the mechanics of the trust’s contributions to the town-managed project. The actual payment comes from the town, so they need the funds, Terry observed, noting that the trust must vote on distributions even though funds were raised specifically for the pavilion. Chair Catherine Harvey emphasized the board's duty to clarify these roles, stating, The part that concerns me is that the CLT still doesn't know who is in charge of what. That's our responsibility.

The Trustees also discussed alternative revenue streams and potential fundraising efforts to cover the project's "moving target" budget. Nelson suggested a "pink flamingo" fundraiser, prompting Elaine Brussi to recall a previous local effort. The PSO did the flamingo fundraiser a few years ago, Brussi noted. We probably have 30 or 40 flamingos in a basement somewhere. To boost municipal revenue, Nelson is training two additional staff members to handle passport applications, a service that has already generated $10,000 for the town.

Infrastructure concerns extend beyond the pavilion to the library’s main entrance. Facilities Director Nick DeFelice estimated that replacing the failing front door, which frequently blows open and lacks proper ADA compliance, will cost $50,000. Nelson recently presented the need to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) as a historic renovation project. Motion Made by C. Harvey to approve the monthly bills as presented. Motion Passed 5-0, with E. Brussi, S. Brown, C. Harvey, A. Terry, and S. Hudziger in favor.

The board also faces a leadership transition as longtime trustee Mary Lou Shannon has decided not to seek re-election. She’s given many years of faithful service, Harvey said, noting that while Steve Brown and Carolyn Coffee have pulled papers for the upcoming election, the board still needs one more candidate to fill the third vacancy. Steve Brown confirmed during the session that he intends to pull papers for another term.