Politics & Government

Heated Meeting Ruffles Some Feathers

Scott Township officials and library workers clash over use of a meeting room for children's events.

A couple feathers apparently left behind by a children’s craft event is ruffling the feathers of some township commissioners.

That led to some commissioners questioning whether the library should still be allowed to use the meeting room chambers for its children’s events, or if it should move the events to others areas that would accommodate less people.

About a dozen people spoke during Tuesday night’s , saying the loss of the meeting room space would be a major blow to the library.

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“We have a great asset and people love it and appreciate it,” librarian Janet Forton said.

Kathleen Haak, who serves as president of Friends of the Library, said many other libraries are envious about the number of children’s programs they are able to put together.

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“There is nowhere in the area that can turn out as many kids as us,” Haak said. “It’s a safe place for them to come. It’s an educational place.”

Sherry Small, who is the children’s librarian and youth services coordinator, said if they were forced to move into a smaller room near the tax office or the community center near the pool. She said she and others wanted to sit down with the commissioners to resolve and problems or conflicts with use of the room.

“We really need to sit down and talk, because there is a big misunderstanding,” Small said.

Board President Pat Caruso said they were trying to give the library more space with a 20-by-15 room next to the tax office. No definitive decision was made about use of the meeting room in the future, although the two sides agreed to talk about it.

“We in no way were trying to hurt them and deny the children’s programs,” Caruso said. “We honestly thought we were doing the right thing by offering them those two rooms.”

A dozen people spoke out passionately in defense of the library and its use of the room. But the meeting got heated at the end when there were questions about use of the room. Caruso said they could use it, but would not allow crafts.

“No crafts and no food,” she said. “Glue, paint, anything that can make a mess.”

That upset Small, who said crafts are a major part of the programs. Forton also came up and addressed the board again, this time locking into a heated conversation with Commissioner Tom Castello.

Commissioner Bill Wells put a stop to it when he said he thought the board was overreacting. He said the condition of the room appears to be in good shape after every library event.

“This needs to stop,” Wells said. “If there were a couple of feathers (left behind), who in the hell cares? If this room gets dirty, we’ll clean it up.”

A few commissioners plan to meet with Forton and Small in the next few days to iron out the problems and schedule conflicts. The commissioners agreed to renovate the small office space in the tax office, but it’s unknown if the library will be able to use that area.

 

Also during the meeting…

  • The commissioners agreed to advertise the township’s 2012 budget, although there has been no decision on whether to raises taxes or keep the current rate of 5 mills. The commissioners said they can’t make a decision until they have more information about how the ongoing assessment might affect property values.
  • hired Adam Helf and Patrick Hindman as full-time officers. Helf most recently worked at Heidelberg, while Hindman works at a Pittsburgh police officer. They both begin on Dec. 11.
  • The township’s Light Up Night is scheduled for Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m.

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