Back to news page Carnegie Library board has difficult time getting down to business because of poor turnout BY SONJA BROBECK Staff Writer The lack of having a quorum has more often than not stopped the Andrew Carnegie Free Library Board (ACFL) from getting its business done in a timely fashion. For example, last Thursday night, the board held a special meeting to vote on eliminating the life trustee position and a resolution that will help the Chartiers Valley Partnership in raising money for the renovation of the library building. This problem has the board considering the possibility of changing the number of trustees or even making it so that only one member of borough council need be in attendance at the meetings. Board Secretary Glenn Walsh said he doesn't think the library by-laws should be changed since they have worked fine for the past 100 years. "Maybe our system is to blame, maybe we should try something different," said Elizabeth Martin, board president. Although no votes were made last week, the resolution striking an agreement between the board and the partnership was discussed. The resolution includes these specifications: The partnership will administer all funds raised during upcoming fund-raising campaign. The partnership will inform the ACFL Board's representatives prior to the initiation of each renovation phase. This includes sharing any architectural drawings, blueprints, specifications, documents, grant applications and other similar items related to renovation. The board agrees to permit the partnership to oversee and supervise all phases of renovation. Martin suggested a fourth specification asking the partnership to allow the board to participate in the programs and activities in the building. Concerned that things may happen that the board would not be in favor of, Walsh asked that the board be able to sign off on an ideas before the partnership go to foundations in search of funds. "Once fund-raising is sought for a specific purpose, it has to be used for that," said Allen Turske, of the partnership. Walsh is concerned the library's park will be turned into a parking lot, which is something he does not want "(Foundations) are not going to give money to us unless we have all our ducks in order," said Martin. "There will be a need for parking, you can see it."