Library Task Force Member: 'What Are We Trying to Accomplish?'

The Saucon Valley Library Task Force is moving into the of its study to determine the feasibility of Lower Saucon Township joining with the  (HAL). 

Task force members began preparations for compilation of a final report--to be issued in August--at their June 14 meeting, where Lower Saucon Township Manager Jack Cahalan started the discussion.

“There are two meetings left--one on July 12 and a (final) meeting in August," he said. "We need to start pulling together the information that the committees have gathered.”

Each of has submitted its findings, and that information will be reformatted, so there is a standard format throughout the final report that will be presented to Lower Saucon Township Council.

“Aug. 9, the final meeting--that’s when we want to have the final report and take a vote on what will be presented to the (township) council on the 15th and 20th,” Cahalan said.

, a task force member and Bethlehem Area Public Library (BAPL) trustee, asked whether they should present their findings as a recommendation.

Tom Maxfield, a Lower Saucon Township councilman, explained that doing so is not within the task force's purview.

“We won't be recommending if it should or shouldn't be done--merely if it is feasible,” he said.

Koehler questioned further, asking “” She continued looking for clarification of the mission the task force was created to accomplish.

Task force chairperson Kim LaBrake explained that “the feasibility of sharing money, of doing a technology update--what we are trying to do at the core is deciding about the feasibility of the information we have."

"It’s about what can or can’t be done, not about what should be done," she said.

Put another way, the task force will not be making a decision about if Lower Saucon should switch its library services agreement to Hellertown. Instead, it will present information about whether or not that is even an option.

This same point was made at .

HAL director Robin Rotherham brought the meeting back on track by inquiring into the timeline of the council’s decision on what to do with the information the task force has gathered.

“I'm looking ahead to budget season (starting in August)," she said. "Do you think the council will be able to make a decision before that?”

Maxfield said he didn't want to speak for the entire council, but noted that “we have to have an answer for BAPL by Nov. 16."

In answer to Rotherham's direct question, he said "probably not, that is pretty aggressive.”

He said it seemed likely that Lower Saucon would continue to support BAPL as a member municipality through 2013, but would expect the township to reach a decision regarding its ultimate allegiance by the end of 2012.

The next task force meeting will be held July 12 at 6pm in Lower Saucon Town Hall.