WEST MILFORD — After a study of the township’s properties, an independent architect/planner has given the township two recommendations to better utilize its office space, both of which include moving some municipal offices to the proposed new library.
Charles Schaffer Associates, LLC of Newton, produced a 22-page report after the township council asked for an overview of its office facilities and recommendations for more efficient use of their space. Schaffer looked at all office space utilized by the township, including its municipally-owned buildings, the new library and the Hillcrest Community Center, which the township leases from the school district.
Recommends going in on the new library
The recommendations are the same except for the locations of the police department and the township’s financial departments: finance, tax collector and tax assessor. In Option A, Schaffer suggests the municipal offices on the main floor of the township hall remain in the municipal building, including the police department. Building, planning, fire and engineering would be relocated from their current locations in the lower level of the building, the DPW building on Lycosky Drive and the Johner building to the lower level of the proposed new library, occupying 3,682 square feet. Finance, the tax collector and the tax assessor’s offices would be relocated to the main floor of the existing library, occupying 3,417 square feet.
Option B would switch the police department and the financial departments, moving the police to the old library and finance, tax collector and tax assessor to the space currently occupied by the police.
Both options alleviate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) issues for the township since the lower level of the municipal building and the second floor of the DPW building are not ADA accessible. Currently, residents with disabilities who have business with departments located there must call ahead and meet with someone on the main level of the municipal building.
The negative to Option B is cost; moving the police and all of their equipment would be cost prohibitive. And that is why Councilwoman Ada Erik said she considers option B a bad idea.
"It's too expensive," she said.
Hillcrest too costly
As for Hillcrest, which the township leases from the school district for its Community Services and Recreation Department, Schaffer does not recommend that other municipal offices be moved to this Macopin location, in part for the remote location, but mostly because of the age and condition of the building.
"I feel that the amount of maintenance required immediately and in the future could be rather costly," said Schaffer in the report. "Due to the age of the structure, lack of maintenance, construction materials used and the inefficiency of the mechanical systems, I feel that the cost of operation will be above average and major upgrades would be required."
There was no recommendation in the report for the Community Services and Recreation Department to be moved.
More to research
Mayor Bettina Bieri said the township has wanted to give residents a better, more convenient place to do business, all within one complex. With the library board getting approval from the state to build a new building, members of the library board, which includes Bieri, have offered the township the opportunity to get in on the allowable space. The new library will be built adjacent to the current municipal building. If all municipal offices are moved to the old library, the township building and one floor of the new library, residents could conduct all of their business in one area.
"I think this gives clear guidance," said Bieri.
Councilman Lou Signorino acknowledged that the township is ADA compliant as is; the township "would like to have better access," he added. But he and Councilman Ed Rosone questioned the study. Rosone said this study was simply a mapping of the square footage. He said they couldn't make any decision about moving departments until more is looked into, such as if the electrical is up to par.
"It looks like he took a foot print of the buildings," said Rosone, who recommended the council get a more complete analysis of each building including costs associated with any move.
Bieri said this report showed what would make the most sense for the township.
"I don't think we need to decide who goes where," said Bieri. "If you believe something needs to be done, he suggests which buildings would be best."
The council directed Administrator Nancy Gage to speak with Schaffer and the township's engineer to get cost estimates for both options proposed by Schaffer. The report was done, at the request of the council, to provide a plan to efficiently utilize the office spaces within the township.
What are your thoughts? Should the township consolidate all of its municipal offices into one area of town? Go to westmilfordmessenger.com and tell us what you think.