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December 30, 2008
Library bond approval delayed
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
By Jessica Beym
jbeym@sjnewsco.com
WASHINGTON TWP. Though the township has signed a contract to purchase a new library building, council members have yet to finalize the $4.6 million bond ordinance to pay for it.
Council President Michelle Martin said council decided to hold off on the bond ordinance until newly elected officers are installed because they might want to bond for more than just the library.
"We just wanted to hold off," said Martin. "It's not that we're stalling. It's just more of a business decision."
Mayor-elect Matthew Lyons, who will be sworn into office on Saturday with two new councilmen, said he plans to seek the support of council to borrow money for a road improvement program. Lyons said that it would save the township money to bond for both at the same time, rather than two bonds within months of each other.
"I made the observation that, if we're not going to move [out of the library] until June, and if we're going to do any other borrowing, it should be done at one time," said Lyons, a Democrat. "I'm going to look for ways to save a thousand dollars every time we can, or even a hundred dollars."
The last time the township borrowed money for roadwork was in September 2006 for about $3 million.
Lyons, who served on council from 1998 to 2006, said that roads and streets haven't been given the attention they've needed since then.
"Years ago, there had been a road maintenance program that was bonded and paid for," he said. "It has been shortsighted. If we let it go, it costs more money to fix them and, in such a large municipality, you cannot fall behind. Once you fall behind, the cost overwhelms you."
The mayor-elect added that continual maintenance and upkeep of the roads is needed and, further, that in some developments that are 40 or 50 years old, roadways may need to be completed resurfaced.
Councilman-elect Scott Newman said he supports the road project. He and Raymond MacDowell will take office this weekend as members of an all Democratic council.
"After eight months of walking the streets, I know there's some really bad roads out there and nobody's done anything for awhile," Newman said Monday.
Having chaired a committee last year to evaluate what type of sports and recreational facilities or improvements to existing facilities might be needed in the township, Lyons said he has no intentions of bonding for any major sports projects this year.
"There's no one who's more committed to the sports programs and facilities in town," Lyons said of himself. "But it's not the time. Money is too tight."
Martin, who said Monday that she favors borrowing money to bond for such a program, estimated that the township should spend about $3 million.
"It'd be one penny at the most," Martin said of the annual increase in the tax rate which would be needed to pay down such a debt. A one-cent increase on the tax rate for a home assessed at the township average of $130,000 would cost the homeowner about $13 a year.
However, the township is already facing a possible double-digit tax increase in 2009.
The money to be borrowed for purchasing and renovating the Educational Information and Resource Center on Delsea Drive would not cost taxpayers any additional money.
The library board will be able to pay the debt with funds already in its annual budget and surplus funds from previous budgets, which are funded with tax dollars set by a state formula.
Councilman Bob Timmons, liaison to the library board, said he's in favor of saving money by lumping the bonds together, but declined to comment as to whether he supports spending the additional money on the road program.
"Until I hear the numbers, I'd rather not comment," Timmons said.
A council meeting for a second and final reading on the library bond ordinance was scheduled for Dec. 1 but canceled, Timmons said.
Nevertheless, the township held the ceremonial signing of the library contract as scheduled on the following day.
Timmons said the delay in the bond approval shouldn't affect the library plans.
"We unanimously voted to support a new library," Timmons said.
Mayor Paul Moriarty said the contract was signed to lock in the deal, since it was authorized by council. The township has until March to secure the bond.
"Hopefully the new administration will secure all the loose ends," Moriarty said.
Posted by tumulty at December 30, 2008 10:21 AM
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