[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Easton 3-25-1980 as Title VIII
of the 1980 Code of Ordinances. Amendments noted where applicable.]
There shall continue to be a Library Board (hereinafter referred
to as the "Board") consisting of six members who are electors and
taxpayers of the Town of Easton and which shall have all the powers
and duties provided by Chapter 190 of the General Statutes.
[Amended 9-15-2014]
The members of said Board shall be elected for a term of six
consecutive years in the same manner as the Town officers are elected,
with the terms of said members arranged so that not more than two
members are elected in any one year and not more than three members
of the Board shall be members of the same political party.
The Board shall elect one of its members to be Chair and one
to be Clerk thereof. The Board shall hold such regular meetings and
special meetings as may be advisable at any time upon giving at least
24 hours' notice to each member before the time of such meeting. The
Clerk shall cause to be prepared and filed with the Town Clerk a copy
of the minutes and records of each regular and special meeting within
seven days from the date of such meeting. At all meetings of the Board,
four members shall constitute a quorum and the concurrence of three
votes shall be necessary for the transaction of business.
Vacancies from death, resignation or otherwise shall be filled
by a majority vote of the remaining members at a special meeting called
for such purpose. Any member so elected shall serve until the next
Town election and until his successor is elected and qualified. At
the next Town election following the occurrence of such vacancy, the
electors shall elect a successor to fill the vacancy for the unexpired
portion of the term.
The Library Board shall have the management and control of all
property of the Town devoted to library purposes, except such property
as may be under the jurisdiction of the Board of Education, and shall
maintain and operate the same. The Board may establish reasonable
rules regulating the use of its facilities and may establish and enforce
reasonable fines and penalties for the violation thereof and, in addition
to its free library services, may provide for the rental of books,
periodicals, motion pictures, exhibits or other library facilities.
All money which may be collected in the enforcement of such fines
and penalties shall be turned over to the Treasurer of the Town. The
Board may appoint a librarian and such assistant librarians, clerks
and other employees as may be necessary to maintain and operate the
library facilities and may determine their duties, terms of service
and, subject to the approval of the Board of Finance, their compensation.
The Board may, within the limits of the appropriations, from time
to time, purchase such books and periodicals, publications, materials
and supplies as may be useful or necessary for the operation of the
library facilities of the Town. The Board may dispose of the same
as may be desirable and necessary for the operation of the library.
The proceeds, if any, of such disposal shall be turned over to the
Treasurer of the Town.
Subject to the provisions contained herein and in the General
Statutes, the Board may accept any gift of property of any character
upon any terms and conditions which the donor may prescribe and which
may be acceptable to the Board, provided that no gift which imposes
upon the Town any obligation to incur any expense in order to keep,
use or maintain the gift may be accepted by the Board unless it is
approved by the Town Meeting. The Board may establish with any such
gift one or more library funds and shall have the exclusive control
and management thereof, may hold title thereto and may manage and
invest and reinvest the same in accordance with the laws of the state
governing the investment of trust funds. Subject to the terms and
conditions upon which any of such property or funds shall be held,
the Board shall transfer the gross income thereof quarterly, or more
frequently, to the Town Treasurer to be expended by the Town for general
library purposes or for such special purposes as may be required to
comply with the terms and conditions of any gift. To the extent permitted
by the terms and conditions upon which any of such property or funds
may have been received, the Board may transfer to the Town Treasurer
the whole or any part of the principal of any such library fund to
be expended by the Town for general library purposes or for such special
purposes as may be required to comply with the terms and conditions
of any gift. In connection with the administration and management
of any of such property or funds, the Board may employ such agents,
experts and other personnel as it may deem advisable.
