The Forbes Library board of trustees filed a complaint to cut ties with the city of Northampton, alleging that officials have treated the library as a government entity when it is not. The trustees are pursuing a declaration of the trustees’ rights and status according to founder Charles E. Forbes’ will, which allowed the founding of the library and required it be controlled by a board of trustees. The trustees feel that Northampton officials are gunning to make them a governmental body and further part of the city government. This would undermine their reputation as a charity and discontinue proportional bequests with such city oversight.
See Laura Newberry, Forbes Library Sues Northampton, Asserting City Cannot Control It, Mass Live, May 23, 2016.
Special thanks to Brian Cohan (Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Brian J. Cohan, P.C.) for bringing this Article to my attention.
