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November 17, 2008

Cheer overdue library purchase

Gloucester County Times
Monday, November 17, 2008
Washington Township Council did the right thing last week when it purchased a "dream" building to expand the Margaret E. Heggan Library, and resisted any urge to postpone the deal.

For sure, the township government faces budgetary challenges. More than a few people have been wagging "I told you so" fingers now that revenue gimmicks employed to defer past local-purpose tax increases are unraveling, with warnings of rate boosts ahead.

Nonetheless, linking the township's general financial woes to this much-needed purchase is like comparing bad fiscal apples to almost-ripe library oranges. All of the money needed to buy the Education Information Resource Center (EIRC) on Delsea Drive is accounted for in the library's separate surplus and annual budget. Although a bond issue is required, the library is already making a substantial $1.2 million down payment from its reserves. The total cost, with renovations included, is estimated at $4.65 million.

"We're gonna get a new building and there's no extra cost because we covered everything," Councilman Al Frattali explained.

In fact, it was odd that the council postponed voting on this purchase last month. Perhaps some members were angling for "a better deal" in a slow real estate market; perhaps some were put off by the weak general economy. Council President Michelle Martin's claim that the township did not want to be stuck with (nominal) maintenance costs on the library's current building, once empty, was a head-scratcher.

Now, township residents can look forward to an end to cramped library space and a reasonable-cost conversion of a 20,000-square-foot building that is already well-suited for book displays and computer access.

As Frattali noted, "I think we got a good deal."

Special credit goes to Friends of the Margaret E. Hegan Library. They showed up in force at last week's meeting to back the purchase after hearing that the council was hedging on it.

Discussions about whether to conserve funds until the economy gets better, or to spend money to make the economy better, are taking place at all levels of government. Here, the Washington Township Council made a smart choice. For the library, no better deal is around the corner.

Posted by tumulty at November 17, 2008 12:07 PM

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