http://www.newjerseyhills.com/observer-tribune/news
October 28, 2011
WASHINGTON TWP. – State officials are considering a long range plan for capital projects at the Washington Township Public Library while some officials are concerned with the cost of the plan.

Mayor Kenneth Short said a meeting held on Thursday, Oct. 13 with library director Jacqueline Zuzzi was “cordial”” and “non-confrontational.”

At the Township Committee meeting the previous night, Short described the library’s capital spending plan as a wish list and a way to keep from returning surplus money to taxpayers. The library is located in Rock Spring Park off Schooley’s Mountain Road.

“Our building is 15 years old,” said Zuzzi. “I need to be sure I can take care of my facilities. It’s getting tighter and tighter.”

Zuzzi said she is required to get public comments for the library’s strategic plan. She said she has conducted focus groups involving senior citizens, people 25 to 55 years old, teens, parents of young children and other groups, as well as talking to local leaders such as the mayor and senior citizen coordinator.

But at the Township Committee meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 12, Short said, “Tax relief is much more important than a gazebo.”

Surplus Limits

At the heart of the discussion by Township Committee members is recent state law that restricts public libraries from retaining surplus funds above 20 percent of their annual operating budget. The remainder must be returned to the municipality for property tax relief.

The statute, which was initially proposed by the administration of Gov. Chris Christie in 2010, was designed to prevent abuses such as the $1.9 million surplus retained by the North Bergen public library.

To calculate the amount to be returned to the municipality, all monies for long range capital projects are excluded.

The September 2011 capital improvements budget submitted by the library included $413,031, of which $100,586 remained uncommitted to any projects.

The library’s annual budget for 2011 is $1.047 million. By the statutory formula, any unrestricted surplus over $209,473 would have to be returned to the township.

Zuzzi said she’s facing budgeting reductions in the face of rising coasts. The township appropriation decreased $31,000 last year and $54,000 the previous year. And state funding was cut by $8,500, while costs such as health insurance and pensions for the library employees have risen.

Of the projected capital expenditures, $50,000 is intended for a large outdoor gazebo, $54,000 for energy upgrades, $50,000 on roof replacement, $40,000 for computer replacement over a five-year cycle, $20,000 for improvements to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, $20,000 for the completed replacement of the meeting room floor, and $35,000 for interior building maintenance.

Other smaller amounts are reserved for a projection system for the meeting room, e-readers and other emerging technology, exterior maintenance, technology hardware and software purchases, heating and air conditioning controls and replacement of heavy usage copy machines, for a total expenditure of $43,445.

“We questioned some of the items on the list,” Short said. “It’s out of our hands. We trust the library will do the right thing for the residents.”

Zuzzi said neither the gazebo or any other item on the proposed list is locked in stone.

She said the Library Board of Trustees considered a building expansion plan that would have added room for a teen area and larger children’s section but decided against it because of current economic conditions.

As an alternative, the gazebo would provide additional area outside the building. Library officials visited a similar outdoor gazebo in Blairstown, which is used eight months a year.

“When I got here two years ago, I found a library without a teen center and a meeting room that was well used and could have been expanded,” Zuzzi said. “We carved out a small teen area from the children’s section.”

That left a need for additional children’s area space. In addition, Zuzzi said the library is cramped in its efforts to hold musical programs.

“The meeting room will hold the musicians but then you can’t get very many people in there,” she said. “A gazebo would be perfect. It’s a beautiful area.”

Zuzzi said a number of items are necessary before the library sends its final report to the state, including an audit, technology plan, strategic plan and report on the condition of the building.

When the capital expenditures and the strategic plan are approved at the local library level, they will be sent to Trenton for final approval by the State Librarian.

Township Committeeman Tracy Tobin, who is the mayor’s representative on the Library Board of Trustees, said needs such as roof repair are necessary because of recent storms and leakage.

“It’s not a deliberate attempt to use all the money so nothing goes back,” Tobin said. “This is not a one-year possibility of getting money back.”

“Every year the library has to update program,” Tobin said. “All parts of the budget have to go down to the state. They can strike out items. Jackie’s (Zuzzi) meeting with Ken is part of the strategic plan survey.”

Zuzzi said she doesn’t want to see the spending plan become controversial.

“If something catastrophic happens, we’re not going to get any money from the town,” Zuzzi said. “It’s my responsibility to see that we’re not giving money back that we might need.”

Bob Thomas