Deal Borough Public Question: withdraw from the Monmouth County Library System

Official plain English statement

The voters of the Borough of Deal are asked whether to withdraw from the Monmouth County Library System and authorize the withdrawal process directing Municipal Officials to take all actions necessary to effectuate the withdrawal. Deal Borough does not maintain a public library within its municipal boundaries and contributes approximately Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000.00) annually toward the operation of the Monmouth County Library System. The Mayor and Commissioners have undertaken a review of the financial burden associated with continued participation in the Monmouth County Library System and found that it is disproportionate to the services utilized by Borough residents. The Board of Commissioners have concluded that in the efforts to reduce the tax burden on its residents and promote fiscal responsibility, it is in the best interests of the Borough to withdraw from the Monmouth County Library System at the earliest date permitted by law. The Borough intends to continue providing free public library services to its residents in accordance with New Jersey law and evaluating options including entering into agreements with neighboring public libraries and/or other authorized library providers. The Borough recognized that withdrawal from the Monmouth County Library System is governed by provisions of New Jersey law (N.J.S.A. 40:33-13b and N.J.S.A. 40:54-7.1).