WEST MILFORD — The room at the Passport Cafe was packed last Thursday night as 70 people squeezed into the space for the first West Milford Civics Club meeting. They were there to hear about the proposed new library and Library Board President Doug Ott tackled the rumors right away.
"Some things drive me crazy," he said about the things being said about the proposed building.
Like the size. Someone in a meeting had said that the state mandates the size of a library based on population of the municipality. That's not true, he said. "It's a recommendation," he added. The state recommends between 17,000 and 18,000 square feet for a library servicing West Milford. The plan is for 16,400 square feet.
And yes, there is a plan.
"A comment came up recently 'they have no plans.' We have had a plan for a year," said Ott.
What they don't have, he said, and are working on, is a bid package.
The costs
Until that bid package is complete and bids received, the final costs are not known. That is the case with any building or bonding project, Mayor Bettina Bieri pointed out.
Bieri and Ott stressed that the library board is not a taxing entity. It cannot raise or lower anyone's taxes. The amount received for the library is determined through a state formula. The township collects the taxes and gives the library it's operating costs. The library board has operated its current library with much less than it receives. They've banked that $300,000 surplus each year, which is why they currently have nearly $2.5 million in their building fund. Estimates are they would have to bond another $2 million for the building.
At current interest rates, the township could bond that $2 million with a payment of $140,000 each year. With the surplus currently $200,000, more than enough to cover the bonding. Bieri said there will be minimal increases in costs because the building will be built efficiently. Personnel will not increase, she said, and 80 percent of their budget is for salaries and benefits.
Bieri's vision would be for the township to move some of its programs from Hillcrest to the new library, but that would be up to the council. She believes it would save money for the township, considering the township pays $100,000 a year for utilities alone in Hillcrest, a building they don't own.
Three floors
The library board is moving forward with the project, including a third floor it hopes the township will get on board with. Building the third floor, even if it's just roughed out and not finished, will cost more, but the board feels it is an opportunity for the township to be part of this project. Currently, there are departments in the basement of town hall, which is not handicap accessible. The 6,000 square feet made available by this project to the township, would be the ground floor of the building and would be accessible.
"We're trying to be proactive," said Bieri. "We're trying to be responsible and give the township the opportunity to be part of it. It would be a shame not to."
She said details about maintenance would be worked out if the council decides to be part of it.
A vote?
Former councilman Joseph Smolinski said he wants the township voters to have a say in whether the library is built or not. He said it's not right that six mayoral appointees have control over a $1 million budget each year.
"If the residents say let's do it, I will lead the charge to get it done," Smolinski said.
Bieri said it doesn't matter whether the township builds a library or not, taxpayers will be paying the same amount of money, whether it's for the 3,000 square foot library currently there or for the 16,400 square foot state-of-the-art library proposed.
"Your taxes are not going to change because of this," she said.
And if funding were cut down by the state, Bieri said the board would adjust staffing and make other changes.
"We can't raise your taxes."
What are your thoughts? Should the township be on board with the library? Is there a need for a bigger library? Tell us at westmilfordmessenger.com.