Politics & Government

L. Saucon Council to Vote on Library Decision Oct. 16

Lower Saucon Township Council inched closer to rendering a decision about a proposed library consolidation between the township and Hellertown Area Library Wednesday, when council members voted to put the proposal to a vote Oct. 16.

Lower Saucon Township Council inched closer to rendering a decision about a proposed library consolidation between the township and Hellertown Area Library Wednesday when council members voted to put the matter to a vote Oct. 16.

The township is currently a part of the Bethlehem Area Public Library system, contributing about $183,000 per year to help fund the library's costs and allow township residents access to a host of services, including the BAPL's Bookmobile.

The potential loss of the Bookmobile—which makes four regular stops in the township—was a significant topic of discussion at Wednesday's meeting, with Councilwoman Priscilla deLeon questioning what would replace it, if anything.

"I’m very disappointed that this [consolidation] option we’re talking about tonight does not include a Bookmobile," she said, adding that many township residents are "dependent" upon the mobile library for their book-lending needs.

Some of those residents are probably unaware of the potential loss of a service they value, she said.

Township manager Jack Cahalan, however, said it is unclear how many residents rely on the Bookmobile, since the BAPL hasn't made that information available.

"And we've asked for it many times," council vice president Tom Maxfield said.

DeLeon said she is also disappointed that the suite of online services available to Hellertown Area Library patrons is not equal to those available to BAPL patrons.

"Hopefully they will," HAL director Robin Rotherham commented in response. "Currently they do not."

BAPL director Janet Fricker, who is also a Lower Saucon Township resident, urged council members to "think ahead a little bit" as they ponder a decision that could end the township's 45-year relationship with Bethlehem's library.

Fricker, who is retiring later this year and moving to Maine, said health care costs for full-time employees at the Hellertown Area Library could be impacted by a provision of the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare," that have yet to take effect.

Rotherham disputed that assertion, and stated that the provision Fricker referenced would only impact the library if it had 50 or more employees.

With an annual budget of about $135,000, the HAL currently has just a handful of full- and part-time employees.

It will have to hire several new employees if the consolidation is approved, however, and a modest expansion plan for the building was outlined at the meeting.

The parking area would also be expanded, and $50,000 would be allocated for technology upgrades.

Many of the proposed physical changes to the library would involve reconfiguring space that already exists within the 20-year-old building, such as in the basement area, which Rotherham said is currently "underutilized."

Lower Saucon Township's projected annual contribution to the Hellertown library under the plan reviewed Wednesday would be approximately $171,000 in 2014 and 2015.

That contribution would drop to about $90,000 in 2016, township finance director Cathy Gorman said.

Township manager Jack Cahalan said the consolidation agreement under consideration would require the library board to prepare a budget each year, which would have to be submitted to both Hellertown and Lower Saucon by Sept. 1. 

One potential advantage of the HAL for the township and its residents is its more central location, he said.

Hellertown library board member Alison Finkbeiner said another advantage would be the library's proximity to the Saucon Valley School District campus.

"There are so many kids walking into that library after school, because they can," she said. "I think that’s an added bonus to the consolidation."

Township resident Gene Boyer, however, was critical of the Hellertown library's size.

"If I walked in that library with my eight grandchildren, it seems like I would fill it up," he said. "It doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of books."

Rotherham responded to that remark by telling council members that about half of township residents already use the Hellertown Area Library.

"I don't anticipate there’s going to be a giant influx of children or adults coming [with a consolidation]," she said.

The Oct. 16 Lower Saucon Township Council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in Town Hall, 3700 Old Philadelphia Pike.

Photo: Hellertown Area Library (Patch file photo)


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