Haass library board action defended

 Town of Lisbon - Emil Glodoski, former president of the Pauline Haass Library Board, tonight appeared at a town board meeting to defend the library board's plans to sue the Town Board for control of land donated to the town by  the late Pauline Haass.

"It is a legal question that has to be resolved," Glodoski told the Town Board.

Glodowski said legal action was necessary because Town Chairman Matt Gehrke has said there is a possibility the town might not extend beyond 2014 a joint library funding agreement with the Village of Sussex.

The town and village jointly fund library operating and building expenses. A portion of the town's share of the cost is paid for by rent the town collects on the farm land.

Town officials have contended for years they have exclusive control over the land. Some town officials are unhappy the town will have to help pay for the legal expenses.

The Library Board has filed a Notice of Claim for the land because it was donated to the town "for library purposes."

Gehrke has said the town will reject the claim which means the libary board must either file a law suit or drop the claim.

The Lisbon board last month voted to rescind Glodski's appointment to the Library Board. He was one of three representatives appointed to represent the town on the library board.

Gehrke said Glodoski did not vote in the best interests of the town when he supported the legal action.

Library Director Kathy Klager defended Glodoski saying he and the library board had a legal obligation to seek contriol of Haass land because according to state law the land should be under the control of the library board.

Ironically, Glodoski was replaced as board preseident by another Lisbon resident, Robert Williams, a former town supervisor, who served as Library Board vice president and vehemently opposed the legal action.