Merger of Danville library with New Winchester rejected (1986)

source: The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, May 29, 1986 - page 1, column 8:

According to a newspaper article, in May 1986, the Danville library invited Marion Township/New Winchester (which did not have a library) to join with Center Township and create a merged library district, where Marion Township residents would pay some property taxes to support the library, and in return they would have a representative on the library board. The invitation was in response to the end of a federal grant, which had allowed residents of townships that did not have a library to be served by the Danville library. Danville library had last made an invitation to Marion Township to merge in 1978.

In response to this proposed merger, registered voters in Marion Township - particularly senior citizens - filed a remonstrance with Marion Township Trustee Elvin Ray Cassity and his Township Advisory Board (which consisted of Kenneth Mason, William Huntley and Darrell Plunkett). Their remonstrance petition showed 203 signatures from registered voters against the merged library, and 48 signatures in favor of the merger.

Township Trustee Elvin Cassity stated in the newspaper article that Marion Township was primarily a farming community and the library tax would put a burden upon its residents. He hoped that the library would "keep true to its word and not bring it up again since the numbers clearly show how the people in the township feel."