Upper Milford Township Supervisors met March 3 in the township building with all supervisors present. The Pledge of Allegiance commenced before public input was welcomed.

The first inquiry surrounded the solar panel distribution system and its taxation. It was made clear the solar panel lot in discussion is taxed under Lower Macungie Township, although $2,000 also went to Upper Milford.

A motion was then seconded and passed to approve minutes from the Upper Milford Township Supervisors meeting Feb. 17. The approval of payment of bills opened with the approval of the general fund in the amount of $76,273.39 as well as an acknowledgment of bank transfers which were seconded and passed.

The discussion shifted to the public hearing of the possible inclusion of a 21.755-acre property in Emmaus to the Upper Milford Township area. It was said the Upper Milford Township Head of Security Area Advisement Committee recommended the approval of the inclusion. The motion was then seconded and passed.

The Emmaus Public Library initiative, funded through a project under the Federal Library Service and Technology Act, involves a collection of parenting books and will allow for the determination of what needs to be purchased for a burgeoning early childhood section. A couple of grants to improve the interactive play area as well as starting parent-child workshops are also key.

An endeavor to develop a new memorial arose promptly after, seeking funds and volunteers as well as selecting the best location and utilities coming in as the first priorities. The financial needs are to be met entirely via donation, and after about one or two months of designing, a more specific total is expected. The general layout was pitched in two phases: Phase one involved an area with the American flag, surrounded by flags of each branch of service. The area is also to include the concrete feature as well as seating and a couple of benches, for pedestrians to “sit and stay awhile.”

Phase two is similar, connected by a walkway but meant to honor firefighters and other township volunteers. This aspect is meant to exemplify a “small token of appreciation for what they do.”

Two memorials already exist in nearby locations and their caretakers are to be contacted to see if there are volunteers available to help with the cleaning of the new site. It was reiterated the objectives are all in their early stages, with plans beginning to take form and shape.

A rumor was addressed and debunked of the Vera Cruz memorial having been relocated. It was clarified as more and more names were added, there remained less and less space, and as a result, the inscription was changed to a comprehensive address.

The last report on the agenda revolved around a letter to the township from the director of the Emmaus Public Library, who was not present at the last meeting. She said she intended to clear the air of any lingering financial concerns the public may have after the last meeting.

In essence, the director summarized the key mechanisms that keep the Emmaus Public Library and other local libraries operative. For example, yearly contracts with the township are devoted to providing materials and services to residents; in exchange, the library emails the township manager and secretary the library’s board agenda, minutes and director’s reports, as well as statistics and financial statements every month, all of which are then shared with township supervisors.

Friends of the Library, a nonprofit, raises 10 percent of funds while the rest is received through grants and donations. The letter also detailed other local libraries receive funds from residents’ taxes and school district taxes, but the Emmaus Public Library does not and thus has a lower budget than these neighboring libraries.

The director tied together her report by emphasizing the critical role libraries play in the communities they serve, stating “public libraries were founded on providing equal access to information for everyone, no matter what their financial status.”