Library board addresses council
Proposes equal access to service for all residents
By Scott Woodhouse - Express Staff

Francis Richardson, chair of the Meaford Library Board, told council Monday there are alternatives to a long-term contract with Owen Sound for residents of the former Sydenham Township.

"The Meaford Library Board believes that to solve this problem by giving additional services to one group of people and making everyone pay for them, is not an appropriate solution," Richardson said.

At present, an ad hoc committee of council chaired by Councillor Sam Luckhardt, is negotiating with the city for library services for Sydenham residents.

The Friends of the Meaford Library, a group that raises funds and volunteers at the local library, questioned the controversial contract at the last council meeting.

At that time, it was stated the contract was for 10 years at $43,000 a year for a total of $430,000. The Friends of the Library were concerned that money that could be used by the Meaford Public Library was being sent to Owen Sound.

At Monday night's council meeting, Richardson suggested that the Municipality of Meaford should approach the Owen Sound Library with a proposal that stipulates that after payment of a base amount to the City of Owen Sound, that any citizen of Meaford be allowed to join the Owen Sound Library for a small additional personal charge.

"The arrangement, as currently being negotiated, would mean that a person living ten metres to the west of the old St. Vincent/ Sydenham Town Line would be allowed to use the Owen Sound Library at no additional charge, but a person living ten metres to the east of the line, would have to pay approximately $160 for the same service, and would have to pay extra taxes to fund his neighbour's admission to Owen Sound," said Richardson.

In the discussion that followed Richardson's presentation, council members touched on a wide range of issues dealing with the library contract, including area-rating, previous funding, and the legality of the ad hoc committee.

Councillor Harley Greenfield said he had contacted three different legal firms for their interpretation of the Library Act and was assured the contract negotiations were legal.

"Hopefully the public will have faith in us," he said. "We're not embarking on a life of crime."

Councillor Diane Hurlburt asked if the Transition Board had a position on area-rating library services, the same as police and fire services.

"I see this as the same kind of scenario," she said. Hurlburt added the suggestion from the library board seemed like a good one.

Mayor Gerald Shortt, however, had concerns about giving equal access to the Owen Sound Library to all residents. "I'm afraid it would make the Meaford Library less viable," he said.

But councillor Linda van Aalst countered that library usage was a matter of convenience. "I don't think a lot of people from Meaford will drive to Owen Sound to use the library."

Ad hoc committee chair Sam Luckhardt said he was disappointed with some of the comments from the library board and added it will be up to council to decide whether to approve the contract or not.

Luckhardt said the final contract would be completed in the next week or two and that a package would be given to council outlining all the details at that time.

Councillor Paul Hutchinson said he felt it was premature to start changing the terms now. "I would like to see the contract and what's in it first."

Hutchinson added he wasn't in favour of area-rating every service the municipality provided. "When you do that, you're just building walls instead of building community."

Deputy Mayor Robert Reid said that amalgamation did not create any new assessment and that it was not meant to pay for services that had been under funded by past councils.

Council will not wait for the completed contract before discussing it further.