Ross Commissioner Daniel Kinross wants residents to know they likely would be able to continue to borrow materials from the Northland Public Library, even if the township decides to end its funding for the regional institution.

Commissioners voted last night to include an open letter in the next edition of the township magazine describing the status of the 41-year-old library.

Mr. Kinross drafted the letter, which describes the multiple sources of funding received by the library. They include the state, the Allegheny County Library Association and the Regional Asset District, which is funded by a 1 percent county sales tax. It also receives a significant portion of its annual funding from five member municipalities: McCandless, Franklin Park, Marshall, Bradford Woods and Ross.

"Voluntary contributions from member municipalities confer no special or exclusive library rights, privileges or benefits," according to Mr. Kinross's letter.

Commissioners President Daniel DeMarco asked that the letter be amended to include a sentence warning that withdrawal of any community from the regional library would reduce "the services and resources that the Northland Public Library would be able to provide its patrons."

Commissioners voted 5-4 to include the letter without Mr. DeMarco addition.

Mr. DeMarco warned that withdrawal of any member community could cripple the library. Northland would lose about one-fourth of its total funding if Ross were to end its contributions, he said. That is because state, county and RAD board funding is based on the amount of local support, he said.

Member communities have to give four years' notice of their intent to withdraw from the library. In October, Commissioner Lana Mazur proposed that the township take immediate steps to start the withdrawal process. Her recommendation has been tabled.

Commissioners also have proposed letting residents decide in a referendum whether or not the township should remain a member of the regional library.

Ross is facing rising costs and declining revenues for 2010 and beyond. Commissioners face the likely choice of trimming services or staff or raising the township's property tax rate. The current rate is 1.9671 mills.

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