The D.R. Evarts Library will hold its election of trustees and library budget vote 2-8pm October 19th at the D.R. Evarts Library, 80 Second Street, Athens. The purpose of the vote is to approve the 2023 budget of $158,932.32 which is an increase of $10,952 over last year and elect trustees to the board.

The library has four open trustee seats. Voters will be asked to approve the budget and return four incumbents to three year terms on the Board of Trustees. 

Mary Finer relocated to Athens in 2016 and has been a regular patron of D.R. Evarts Library since then. She is co-founder of the Athens Community Farm and joined the library board in June. She brings experience in organizing, digital marketing, and fundraising to her role on the board. She would like to continue making resources available to the Town and Village as a Trustee. Mary spent over a decade working on digital libraries used by researchers world-wide and is currently a product manager at a non-profit. When she’s not working or volunteering, Mary enjoys reading fiction and graphic novels and watching classic and independent films.

Fred Gillen Jr.’s work experience is unusual. He is a song writer for TV and radio programs, has done multiple international tours, performing concerts to raise awareness of environmental activism. Before moving to Athens in 2020 he was President of the non-profit music collective Tribes Hill for four years, and did volunteer work with the Community Food Pantry, Midnight Run, and environmental organizations Clearwater and Sane Energy Project. Besides his work as a world-traveling musician and producer, Fred has always been a community volunteer. Since coming to Athens, he’s volunteered as an appointed D.R. Evarts Trustee, at the food pantry at Zion Lutheran Church, and Athens Community Farm. 

Sarah Grinberg is a community organizer focused on building sustainable systems and institutions to address the challenges of her community. Her latest project, the Athens Community Farm, is a volunteer-run micro farm providing a free seasonal u-pick garden along with distribution of local produce to food pantries in Greene County. She is currently the Gleaning Coordinator for Long Table Harvest, an organization working to address food insecurity in the Hudson Valley. Sarah is a devoted patron of the D.R. Evarts Library and believes strongly in the resources it provides to Athens and other communities. She looks forward to the opportunity to bring her experience in project management, fundraising and a general love of books to the Library Board.

Registered voters who reside in the town of Athens and either the Coxsackie-Athens or Cairo-Durham School Districts are eligible to vote and run for election. Residents can view a detailed copy of the proposed budget, by request, at the Library. Absentee ballots are available at the library and due back by end of day October 17th. Call 518-945-1417 or email director@drevartslibrary.org for any questions.