The president of the Coplay Public Library Board will be sending a letter to Coplay Borough Council.

At the March 12 council meeting, Councilman Matthew Recker questioned the method used by library staff to estimate foot traffic.

"He basically implied we could use any numbers we wanted," said library board President Natalie Reichl at the library board meeting March 14. "If he didn't mean it, he needs to be mindful of his words."

Annual foot traffic is estimated at 17,160, which averages out to 330 people per week or 55 people per day, says a report Reichl sent to the borough via email Feb. 19. The numbers are the same ones submitted to the state as required by law.

Because the Whitehall-Coplay School District withdrew funding to the library, a question will appear on the May primary ballot asking voters whether they favor a dedicated tax to support the library. (See related story, page 7). At its February meeting, borough council approved placing the question on the ballot by a 4-1 vote with Recker opposed.

Contacted Monday night, Recker said he did not intend for his comments to be insulting, but rather to get information.

Still, he's not satisfied with the information provided.

"I don't care what anybody tells me. There's no 55 people coming through that library in one day," he said. "How do you go about getting that count? Prove it to me."

At the library board meeting, Interim Director Maryrose Farquhar said library staff members record hash marks when people walk through the door. The counts are probably low because it's easy to forget when waiting on patrons.

The number of books or other materials checked out does not factor into the foot traffic count because those numbers represent circulation, she said.

Recker told The Press the library should consider cuts, such as closing an additional weekday as other area libraries have, in order to stay financially afloat.

In Reichl's email to the borough, she said the Coplay library was actually able to increase hours without increasing salary costs by changing work schedules in October 2011, when Farquhar took over. The library went from being open 35 hours a week, as required by law, to being open 50 hours a week.

"We did not increase staff hours (meaning no increase in cost to keep the library open), just moved [hours] around so that we could better serve the public," wrote Reichl.

The library is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

"By remaining open Friday, we benefit from the increased materials circulation that we gain from being open a day when several area libraries are closed," Reichl's email continues.

The library is staffed by six part-time employees. Recker told The Press he was unaware none of the staff work full time.

At the library board meeting, Reichl said she believes Recker made a "highly offensive comment" by questioning the library's numbers. She asked other library board members whether she should sign the letter to council as board president or only as a citizen.

TeriLynn Holderman, library bookkeeper, said Reichl should sign it from the library because the library needs to respond.

Library board member Faye Schreiner, who also attended the borough council meeting, said she wasn't convinced Recker's comments were intended to question anyone's integrity.

In February, Recker asked for information on how many people use the library.

"I just thought it sounded like he didn't have the information," Schreiner said.

Library board Vice President Michele Gruber countered that Recker had been given the information he requested.

Reichl agreed, saying borough Secretary-Treasurer Sandra Gyecsek copied her in on the email she sent to council members with the requested information.

Reichl said she has told council she does not want an adversarial relationship and, to that end, she will treat council members with respect.

"I need respect back," she said. "[Recker] is not a child. He's a grown man and he's an elected official in this town."

Library board member Jane Gillespie wondered if maybe Recker had not read the report provided by the library.

"If he's not prepared, then he shouldn't say anything," said Gruber. The library board should not refrain from responding "just because he might not have read this and chose not to be prepared for the meeting," she said.

Borough councilmen Joseph Groller and Bill Leiner Jr. also attended the library board meeting. Reichl asked them their opinions of Recker's comments.

"If you're not prepared and you don't know, you should keep your mouth shut," said Leiner.

"In my personal opinion, I thought it was uncalled for," said Groller. "I don't think the comments he made were necessary."

Reichl said Recker's comments undermine the credibility of the entire borough council.

"I'll be mindful of my words but I'll get the point across that I will not have our integrity questioned," she said.

Reichl said library staff regularly provide reports to the borough.

"The information was available and has been," she said. "How much more transparent can we be, folks?"

"My comment wasn't made to cause a big stir," Recker told The Press. "[But,] I'm really not too concerned that they're mad at me."