Ulster Township supervisors continue to explore the possibility of sharing a building with the Mather Memorial Library, supervisors said Monday.
Supervisors met recently with a committee of township residents and library representatives to continue to discuss a possible shared facility, which would be constructed at the library-owned site of the former Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on Totem Street, said supervisor Dick Farr.
The library purchased the church property for $35,000 in 2011, but has yet to move from its Route 220 location because of financial constraints.
The library board had come to supervisors last fall with a concept development, a 6,480-square-foot building at that site, but supervisors felt the library's portion of the building needed to be scaled back.
As a result of the recent meeting, library officials seem to be willing to reduce the size of its facilities to move forward with the proposal, Farr said.
A rough sketch of the new proposal has been developed, and an updated drawing is being produced, Farr said.
Supervisors have said they plan to pursue the building of a new office to replace the current Route 220 municipal building, which would be sold, with or without the library's partnership. Supervisors have also discussed building a standalone township office at the township-owned baseball field property on Cash Creek Road.
While supervisors continue to calculate projected costs for both options, they would like to include the library if the proposal is financially feasible for them and will not add a burden onto taxpayers, said supervisor Boyd Rowe.
"We'd really hate to lose the library in this town," Rowe said.
Amanda Renko can be reached at (570) 888-9652; or email: arenko@thedailyreview.com.
