Cranbury Library wants to purchase PNC BANK or build new Library now!

[Cranbury Press]

CRANBURY: Library may study PNC land buy
Thursday, May 28, 2009 12:54 PM EDT
By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer


CRANBURY — Just when everyone thought the potential purchase of the PNC Bank building had been put to bed, here it is again, alive and well.

Although there are a few twists to a prospective purchase this time around.

While previous discussions centered around the township buying the property to use as a library with little information on what would be more cost effective — renovating the 32 N. Main St. building or constructing a free-standing one — this time library representatives could be taking a different approach.

Library Director Marilynn Mullen said the library Board of Trustees will discuss whether renovating the building for use as a library is feasible and cost effective. The objective of the study, she said, would more-or-less be a “fact finding” mission.


http://www.centraljersey.com/articles/2009/05/28/cranbury_press/news/doc4a1eb953cd536467253948.txt

[Kirstie Venanzi]

As public offices of the municipal library, the Cranbury Public Library Board of Trustees is simply starting a fact finding study. The PNC Bank is still available and we are investigating the feasibility of the township's obtaining the building as a combined used facility that could also house the public library. The goal would be to save the township money in the long run.

Kirstie Venanzi
President, Cranbury Public Library Board of Trustees

[Taxpayer]

[Guest]

Why make statements like the library wants to purchase the PNC Bank or build a new library when they are only doing a feasibility study? The Board of Trustees is only doing their job in protecting the public library.

[Guest]

I would like to know more about the combined use. Has anyone else heard of this?

[Kirstie Venanzi]

Taxpayer,
Some combined uses the library board has identified as possibilities are some flexible community space for township groups such as the boy scouts who currently have a difficult time finding meeting space. We also have thought of our seniors who could use a space that would be staffed for more hours that is currently available. The historical society has expressed interest in having some archival space for documents so we are looking into some compact shelving for them. The township government would also have some ideas.
All of these options are being explored.
Kirstie Venanzi

[Guest]

[for Cranbury]

Another option is to merge with the new Plainsboro library.

[Jeff M.]

I don't mind the library exploring the purchase of the library and encourage it provided town residents who are experts are providing the services for free for inspection, renovation, negotiation and moving estimates. I do find it troubling if they are using tax payer funds to hire people to provide do the feasability study on this.

The other issue is that the library does not appear to have the funds today to purchase the building or to renovate it. So I would like to know how the library would plan to fund the purchase without raising our taxes or having the town issue a bond. I would like to see the library propose their solution for completely funding this project using no more than the money already allotted by state law.

I do disagree that this saves the town money in the long run. Buying a vacation home today rather than in 40 years saves me money as well. However, I can save even more by never buying a vacation home. The long run savings is for the town to ensure that the school keeps the public library in place. The only way this is accurrate is if there is a certaintity that there is a library being built in the near future one way or the other.

[Also for Cranbury]

From the same Cranbury Press article:
"Still another controversy stirred the pot late last year when the Board of Education looked to limit the library’s daytime hours in order to more efficiently use the facility for its students and their educational needs.

The library is presently housed on school property and the facility is owned by the school board and jointly shared between students and public patrons.

Although a compromise was reached, with the public library offering to pay on a lease and dividing the facility essentially in half to limit patrons’ contact with students, Ms. Mullen said now is the time to start planning for the future."

Sounds like the library board is just trying to plan for the future.

[Guest]

Do you not think the library and school are working together to try and get a separate library? Until the PNC issue blew up last year the school was not actively trying to kick out the library, the library was not paying rent and things were fine. The TC should go to the BOE and say hey, we need you to committ to the library for the long term. The BOE as tax payers in town should be willing to do this for the town.

[over taxed]

[Guest]

The historical society has the history center and musuem how many buildings do they need?

[Guest]

What happens if we do not support our pubic library, and we end up having no public library. The school needs the space. We have many more students then when it was built. If the public library gets squeezed out, and then we have to go to Plainsboro or Monroe and pay $150.00 per family member for borrowing privileges ...and plus the fact that my kids can't walk there after school. No summer reading program... I think we need to see what the library board finds out. It is worth looking into.

[Guest]

Public libraries support and serve their communities in general.
I can see that the library mission might need to evolve.

[Guest]

I wish people would stop dancing around such a simple issue. It is no surprise that the library wants their own building. They have $500k+ socked away for furniture. The question is...

Should the Township pay for it?
(higher taxes)

Or should the library pay for?
(same taxes)

Or should the library give their annual surpluses back to the Township?
(lower taxes)