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October 23, 2008
Council to vote on WT library moves
Gloucester County Times
Thursday, October 23, 2008
By Jessica Beym
jbeym@sjnewsco.com
WASHINGTON TWP. The township council will be voting Thursday on whether to borrow more than $4 million to puarchase a new building for the municipal library, and whether to put the current one out for sale.
There's been talk among township officials and library board officials for the past few weeks ever since the budget passed about finally taking action on the possibility of purchasing the Education and Information Resource Center, located on Delsea Drive.
The library board presented its plans to the township council in May to purchase the 2,000-square-foot building and renovate it to be the new municipal library at no additional cost to the taxpayers.
However, township council members were reluctant to take action on it until they resolved their own budget woes. With that now behind them, Council President Michelle Martin said they're ready to move forward.
"We are going to start proceedings for the library" during Thursday night's council meeting, Martin said.
Under the plans presented to the township council by library board chairman Mike Allen, the township would need to bond about $4.3 million for the purchase and renovation of the EIRC building.
Allen said and the township auditor Nick Petroni confirmed that the library board has enough money in its reserve and enough money left over from its allocated budget every year to make the annual debt payments on the borrowed money. They said they would not need to raise any additional taxes to pay for the purchase of the building on the cost of renovating it.
Councilman Bob Timmons said he spoke with all the council members and "no one indicated they were not in favor of it."
"I really think it's clear sailing from this point," Timmons said. "Other than a new sprinkler system, this is really going to be a turn-key operation. It's something we can hang our hats on and all be proud of."
Township officials, in prior months, have showed concern about purchasing the building before selling the existing one, which is about 10,000 square feet and located on East Holly Avenue.
Mayor Paul Moriarty estimated the property could be worth about $1.2 million. However the township is obligated to sell its property at public auction. Martin said the council will be voting on that Thursday night during the council meeting which is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. It will be held in the municipal building, 523 Egg Harbor Road.
Posted by tumulty at October 23, 2008 11:23 AM
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