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February 8, 2009

Phillipsburg library, Warren County library system contract to be reworked

Express-Times
Friday, February 06, 2009
By SARAH WOJCIK

PHILLIPSBURG | Warren County freeholders want to renegotiate a nearly 20-year-old contract with the Phillipsburg Free Public Library that one freeholder called "not equitable."

Due to expire at year's end, the contract was signed in 1990 to serve residents in the southern portion of the county, according to Warren County Library System Director Richard Moore.

What contract talks mean for library users is unclear until talks get rolling, officials said, but Moore said not to worry.

"We're looking into a variety of options, but one thing is for sure: We will provide service for those people one way or another," he said.

County Freeholder Everett Chamberlain said he hopes to welcome Phillipsburg's library, 200 Frost Ave., fully into the countywide system but said negotiations on the subject have only just begun.

"We'd like to see them enter the county system, and they have to decide if they want to have that happen," Chamberlain said.

Phillipsburg Council President David DeGerolamo said he needs much more information from the county about the consequences of joining the county system. Another option is ending the partnership altogether.

"At this time the town has no information from the county as to how this will affect the town of Phillipsburg," he said. "If they want this to be a reality, they need to come to the governing body and tell us what this means."

Moore said Phillipsburg and four other municipalities in the county do not pay a dedicated library tax that supports the county system. The others are Belvidere, Hackettstown, Washington and Alpha.

Chamberlain called the existing agreement "not equitable for all parties."

"It's not contentious on our part at all," he said. "I want to develop an equitable contract for all involved. I'm going to do what's right for the taxpayers of Warren County."

Phillipsburg residents pay for membership in the town's facility through a municipal tax, but the funds do not support the county system, Chamberlain said.

When purchasing new books or expanding the building, the Phillipsburg library is the sole beneficiary, despite the county funding about 56 percent of the library's expenses, according to Chamberlain.

Reporter Sarah Wojcik can be reached at 610-258-7171, ext. 3631, or by e-mail at swojcik@express-times.com.

Posted by tumulty at February 8, 2009 12:27 PM

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