Brandon Twp.? The Brandon School Board voted unanimously following a closed session meeting to seek legal action against the Brandon Township Library if Groveland Township students are subjected to a proposed student patron fee.
At issue is the interpretation of a 1999 Student Patron Fee Agreement between Brandon Township Public Library and Brandon School District which allows for a $6 per student per school year fee for Hadley Township students and School of Choice Program students.
Library officials contend that the same contract allows charging the fee to any student.
The same contract also transferred Brandon School District property for $1 to the Brandon Township Library prior to construction of the facility.
However, in December 2003, library officials reported that citizens of Groveland Township hold one out of four library cards and are contributing only 3 percent (about $25,000) of the library operating revenue. Conversly, Brandon residents pay the majority of the library operations through a millage of about 1.8265. As a result, the Brandon Township Library Board requested that Groveland Township residents agree to a new yearly contract of $190,686 to change the imbalance between Groveland and Brandon townships. The Groveland Township Board turned down the request and as of April 1, 2004 library services will be terminated, according to the Brandon Township Board of Trustees.
‘We have to run the library like a business,? said Joanne Gavey, Brandon Township Library director. ‘I’m hired by the library board to run this building and we have to be responsible for those funds collected.?
According to Gavey, the student patron fee charged to the Groveland Township students should be implemented since Groveland residents will (as of April 1, 2004) no longer contribute toward funding the library.
‘No one is being vindictive here,? added Gavey. ‘Anyone including students can still use the facility, however, they just can’t check anything out.?
About 950 Brandon School District students who reside in Groveland Township will be effected by the Student Patron Fee.
‘There’s no deal with the school,? said Gavey. ‘Teachers can bring the whole class in for information. That included fair and equal access to the facility. We’re information people, we want to give service, however, we must pay attention to who is supportive of the library.?
Brandon School officials were outraged at the measure.
‘I believe our kids are caught in the middle and that’s not right,? said Bart Jenniches, Brandon School District superintendent.
‘We would not have transferred the property rights had we known this was going to happen.? We have students whose parents pay taxes to the (Brandon) school district, and this is school district property. The property purchase for the library came with the help of (Groveland) residents? tax dollars.?
In a statement issued to the Brandon Township Library Trustees, the school board denounced the fee request, saying, ‘you are in violation of the Student Patron Fee Agreement, as well as the original spirit of the real estate tranfer. It is most unfortunate that the Library has chosen to put kids in the middle of this fee disagreement with Groveland Township.?
Our agreement is with the students, not the adults of Groveland Township, added Jenniches.
Since Groveland residents will no longer be paying for any library services, library officals have offered library cards for $150 per family or $100 per individuals. As of Jan. 31, 2004, about 2,340 library cards have been issued to Groveland Township residents, however as of Feb. 24, 2004, only 58 library cards have been purchased by Groveland residents.