The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-31
COUNCIL after
BOTH PARK AND
LIBRARY BOARDS
Will Try to Rescind Self Perpet-
uating POwer-Library Board
Called to Explain

The Aldermen voted last night in
favor of restoring the control Of the
Park and Library Boards to the peo-
pie. The council unanimously adopt
ed a resolution offered by Alderman
Eugene I. Meyer and seconded by AL
derman Jackson, as follows:
Resolved. The city attorney be anu
he hereby is instructed to furnish to
the council q draft for a charter
amendment or other proposed act
which will have the effect when en-
dorsed by this body and passed by the
Park Board and the Library Board to
the same status as the other boards
Of the city. whereby their members
will again be appointed by the Mayor,
and whereby they will cease to be self
perpetuating boards. having power to
fill vacancies in their own members.
Public sentiment as expressed IN
many quarters relative to the proposed
sale of the Burroughs Public Library
building came to a. head last night
when the Common Council voted to
instruct the city attorney to interpose
in the name of the city to prevent the
sale of the property.
The resolution Offered by Alderman
Eugene I. Meyer and seconded by AL
derman William E. Primrose was
Resolved That the city attorney
be and he hereby is instructed to in
terpose in the name OF the city Of
Bridgeport to prevent the setting aside
of the trust made for the benefit OF
said city in the will Of the late Cath
crime .Pettengin. as attempted in the
certain suit brought by and in the
name OF the Bridgeport Public Library
directors in and now pending before
the Superior court for Fairfield coun-
ty"
The Aldermen adopted another reso-
luton calling for charter amendment
in order that the Library Board cease
to be self perpetuating board.
A third resolution offered by Alder
man Meyer and seconded by Alder
Board to come forward and explain
the reasons influencing them in their
effort to break the trust imposed upon
them. This resolution follows:
Whereas, Prior to June 2, 1909, the
directors of the Bridgeport, public
library and reading room, were ap-
pointed under section 1868 Of the Pub
lie Statutes, substantially as members
of other boards are named in Bridge
port, by the mayor. This statutory
rule governed all cities and towns in
which the common council should es-
tablish a library. But on June 2, an
amendment was secured by which the
library directors select their own
members, becoming what is common
ly known as self-perpetuating
board. In the same year the library
directors or some of them obtained
from the legislature statute empow-
ering them to sell the library building
and property of the Bridgeport library
and reading room.
The said directors have now petit
toned the superior court, sitting in
Fairfield county, for a confirmation
and adjudication of their right to sell
said library building and other prop
erty, and for the right to break the
trust in said property, imposed in
will of the late Catherine Pettingill,
who donated said property for library
purposes forever.
! Therefore, resolved that said direc-
tors of the Bridgeport Public library
and reading room are hereby ordered
to furnish to the common council the
reasons influencing them to the effort
to break the trust imposed upon them,
and to obtain the sale Of the library
property and to cause the erection OF
other library buildings and whether
or not they have already negotiated
| for the sale of said property. and II
so with whom, and the price which
! is to be obtained, and the, estimated
cost of said proposed new library
buildings and said information shall
| be placed in possession of the COM
mon council on, or before its second
meeting in February.
! Resolved, That the city clerk be
and hereby is instructed to mail
copy of this order, to each of said di-
rectors forthwith under the seal OF
| the city.
Another resolution directed the city
attorney to appear in court and TO
Iinterpose objection on behalf OF the
city to the attempt to set aside the
provisions of the will Of the late Cath
| crime Pettingill.
Another directed the city attorney to
draw up for submission to the leg1s-
| lature as an amendment to the charter
restoring the library and park boards
! TO their former status, thus depriving
them of their self-perpetuating power
and allowing the mayor to appoint
the members as in the case of the
other city boards.