An employee of the township would like to run for the Board of Supervisors and would like to know the legality of doing so. The board requested that Attorney Mark McDonald to look into the matter.

The main thrust of the meeting focused on the on going negotiations with the Carnegie Library. The Library has turned down the Township's counteroffer. The Township Board met in Joint Special Session with the Carnegie board on March 10th. At that meeting the discussion focused primarily on $17,000 fee that the Township pays to the Library above and beyond the approximately $20,000 they donate to the library through their penal fines. The contract currently provides for the Township to pay an amount equal to 3/10 of a mil in addition to the penal fines. No one could remember how the millage aspect of the contract came about. The millage was never voted on that anyone could remember.

Bruce Noren suggested that the Board of Supervisors seek a legal opinion on millage and the Board did just that. The legal opinion by the Township attorney was that the current law provides that the Township could pay a fee to the library in one of three ways.

1. Levy a tax no greater 2 mils

2. Pay a fee from the General Fund

3. Pay an amount equal to the Townships Penal Fine receipts

Mr. McDonald was questioned how this effected the legality of the library contract. He did not offer an opinion other than to restate what the current law states.

A township resident questioned the legal status of the current contract in light of Mr. McDonald’s remarks. The Board of Supervisors appointed  three members of their board to work with the Library board on a joint committee to work towards acceptable contract terms.

The library board is strapped for money and they are pressuring the township into continuing the current contract At the Ironwood City commission meeting later Monday night it was learned that the Library is currently 41% over budget. The Library is spending large sums of money it has yet not received, relying on grant money they hope to receive in the future.

Last year the Friends of the Library promoted a Library Renovation plan which was rejected 2-1 by voters. Even though the plan was rejected the taxpayers including the Township taxpayers paid at least $27,911.31 to finance the architectural fees associated with the failed plan. Not included in the $28,000. are legal fees and promotional expenditures. The contract with FGM architects was negotiated by Elaine Erickson, Carnegie Librarian. Mrs. Erickson approved the invoices for the expenditures.