Township Ordinance 97
AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF UPPER SOUTHAMPTON , BUCKS COUNTY , PENNSYLVANIA , ESTABLISHING A FREE, PUBLIC, NON-SECTARIAN LIBRARY FOR THE USE AND BENEFIT OF THE RESIDENTS OF UPPER SOUTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP , BUCKS COUNTY , PENNSYLVANIA , AND PROVIDING FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SAME.
WHEREAS, the Southampton Free Library, a non-profit corporation, owns and operates a free library for the residents of Upper Southampton Township at premises 654 Second Street Pike; and
WHEREAS, the said premises, the building thereon erected and the plant and facilities of said free library are inadequate to provide proper and adequate library service to the residents of Upper Southampton Township; and
WHEREAS, the Library Advisory Committee appointed by the Board of Supervisors to investigate and report on the adequacy, the financial status and financial requirements of said library facilities has recommended that the Board of Supervisors establish a municipally owned library facility for Upper Southampton Township; and
WHEREAS, the Southampton Free Library, by its Board of Directors, pursuant to the report and recommendation of the Library Advisory Committee, has offered to convey and transfer to the Township of Upper Southampton all of the facilities and assets of said library, including the real estate and improvements thereon erected at 654 Second Street Pike, owned by said non-profit corporation; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors deems it to be in the best interests of the residents of Upper Southampton Township to provide adequate library facilities for the children and residents of the Township;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED and ORDAINED, and it is hereby ENACTED and ORDAINED by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Upper Southampton, Bucks County, Pennsylvania;
SECTION 1. That the Township of Upper Southampton under the provisions of the Library Code, Act of June 14, 1961, P.L. 324, hereby establishes a free, public, non-sectarian library, to be known as the Southampton Free Library which shall be owned by the Township of Upper Southampton and be operated under the provisions of this ordinance, and of the Library Code of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
SECTION 2. The affairs of said library shall be under the exclusive control of a board of library directors composed of seven (7) members. The Board of Supervisors shall appoint said members, at least one of whom shall be appointed from the membership of the Women's' Club of Southampton and one from the membership of the Junior Women's' Club of Southampton, and fill vacancies occurring from any cause. During the first year, two members of the Board shall be appointed for a one (1) year; term, two (2) members of the Board shall be appointed for a two year term; and three (3) members of said Board shall be appointed for a three (3) year term. All appointments to fill the places of those whose terms expire shall be for a term of three (3) years. Any vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term.
SECTION 3. The Board of Library Directors shall organize as soon as may be after appointment, and shall elect from its membership a President, Secretary and a Treasurer and such other officers and agents as the Board may deem necessary. The Treasurer shall give bond to the Township of Upper Southampton with satisfactory surety in such amount as the Library Board may direct. No member of the Board of Library Directors shall receive any salary for his services as a member of said Board.
SECTION 4. The Board of Library Directors shall be authorized to prepare and adopt its own by-laws, rules and regulations subject, however, to the prior approval by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Upper Southampton before any such by-1aws, rules and regulations or amendments thereto shall become effective.
SECTION 5. The management and control of said free, public, non-sectarian library, shal1 be vested in the Board of Library Directors provided, however, that said Board of Library Directors shall report annually to the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Upper Southampton of their receipts and expenditures and the accounts of the said library and the accounts of the Treasurer thereof shall be audited as in the case of other municipal expenditures.
SECTION 6. The Southampton Free Library shall be free to the use of all residents and taxpayers of the Township subject to such reasonable rules and regulations as the Library Board may adopt. Said Board may exclude from the use of the library a person who has willfully violated such rules and regulations. The Board may extend the privileges of such 1ibrary to persons residing outside of the limits of the Township of Upper Southampton upon such terms and conditions as the Board may prescribe.
SECTION 7. The Board of Directors of Southampton Free Library is hereby authorized to accept any funds raised by popular subscriptions, any appropriations made from time to time by the, Board of Supervisors of Upper Southampton Township, either from current revenues or from special taxes 1evied in accordance with Acts of Assembly in such cases made, gifts, devises, grants, endowments, or benefit performances and fund raising activities.
SECTION 8. The Board of Supervisors hereby agrees to maintain or assist in the maintenance of the Southampton Free Library, established herein, in accordance with the provisions of Section 401, of the library Code, Act of June 13, 1961 , P.L. 325, at a level of financial support that will insure that the library will have an income from local. Sources, including incomes from sources described in Section 7, above, of not less than two ($2.00) Dollars per capita for the population of the township and will be able to qualify annually for State financial aid in accordance with Section 303 of the Library Code.
SECTION 9. The Southampton Free Library shall occupy such buildings or buildings as may be acquired by the Township for library purposes. The Board of Supervisors is further authorized to expend funds or to appropriate funds to purchase land and to construct, renovate, maintain and equip a building or buildings, in such amounts as it deems necessary and as may be permitted by said Library Code.
ENACTED into an ORDINANCE this 18th day of March 1969.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
UPPER SOUTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP
George D. Kratz, Secy-Treas,
John O. Danenberger, Member
Thomas J. Malinoski, Member
Gordon L. Fredendall, Member
Leonard J. Oniskey, Chairman