Lower Saucon Council Postpones Library Decision

Lower Saucon Township Council decided Wednesday to hold off on a vote regarding funding its portion of Bethlehem Area Public Library fees, meaning the township will likely remain part of the system for another year.

That's because council won't meet again until Nov. 17, but the library contract states that if the municipality wishes to sever the agreement it must do so by Nov. 15.

Lynn Koehler, library board representative for Lower Saucon, told council 

“What's being cut in the budget is contingencies,” Koehler said. “So let's hope we don't have any emergencies.”

The requested contribution from Lower Saucon has grown to $183,467 for 2012, which is approximately $10,000 more than the current year--a fact council members seemed uncomfortable with. Lower Saucon Township is currently studying its relationship with the Bethlehem library system, and could opt to join the system .

The Bethlehem library's requested per capita rate for all participating municipalities is projected at $17.03, Koehler said.

Council Vice President Tom Maxfield said he was unprepared to vote on the matter without speaking with the township's library task force and wished to revisit the matter again at council's next meeting, despite it being past the deadline.

“I don't see why they can't wait two days,” Maxfield said, adding to Koehler, “Please don't try to push me because I'll vote no.”

Other members were silent on the matter, however. A call for a vote by councilwoman Priscilla deLeon died for lack of a second.

“The contract said if they're not notified otherwise by the fifteenth, it continues... It's sort of a silent approval,” said Lincoln Treadwell, solicitor for council.

“The worst case legal ramification is that you're in for $183,467 because you didn't notify them otherwise. Then if you didn't pay, they could file a complaint. That's the worst case scenario,” Treadwell said. “The other case scenario is that the board comes back and does nothing. That's the best case scenario... Either case, it doesn't sound like the library's going to lose.”

The next Saucon Valley Library Task Force meeting will be held at Lower Saucon Town Hall on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 5pm. Meetings are open to the public.