The first order of business for Parkland Library Board President Karl Siebert concerned a new millage rate for library funding.

The board lost its challenge to the Parkland School District plan to cut the library millage rate from 0.3 mills to 0.1 mill.

Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michele Varricchio ruled the library is governed by the same funding guidelines that apply to school districts: the Act 1 Taxpayer Relief law.

The library board's contention was the library initiated the referendum for financing for the library only and was therefore not governed by Act 1 guidelines.

The reduction in the millage rate was due to the countywide re-assessment, which required millage rates be adjusted so there is millage equalization.

In other words, 0.1 mill under the new assessment generates approximately the same amount of revenue as 0.3 mills did under the old assessment.

The library board now plans to have a new referendum on the ballot in November to allow for a 0.2978 mill tax for library funding.

This must be approved by voters to take effect.

Should the referendum fail, the only funding for the library would be the 0.1 mill rate set by the Parkland School Board.

Any reduction in funding could affect library programs and could stall plans for the new library building.

After some discussion on the matter, board members agreed to authorize Siebert to pursue submitting a referendum for a ballot question to establish a millage rate of 0.2978 mills to retain and operat the existing library facility and to build and operate a new facility.

The county board of elections will recommend final language.

If approved, the referendum will be on the ballot for all areas in the Parkland School District, including South Whitehall, North Whitehall and Upper Macungie townships, and the 17th and 18th Wards in Allentown.

In other business, the board is working on obtaining the permits from Upper Macungie Township to construct the new facility.

Librarian Debbie Jack updated the board on upcoming programs.

These include summertime crafts (July 30); Get up and Get Moving with Capital Blue Cross (Aug. 1), computer basics: Sharing and Intro to Social Media (Aug. 3), and the 23rd annual used book sale on Aug. 9.