Petition Opposes Library Location

STONE HARBOR — A petition bearing 266 signatures of property owners and voters who oppose the proposed location of the County Library’s branch at 95th Street and the beach was presented to Mayor Suzanne Walters and Borough Council Sat., Sept. 17.
Presenting the petition was Joselyn Rich, a council candidate. She was joined at the podium by Karen Lane, also a candidate, at the joint Realty Owners Association-Borough Council meeting.
Rich said the signatures were gathered in four days. She termed it a “friendly folder done by people who believe they should have a voice and say in what goes on in Stone Harbor.”
“I know I stood up here many times, and you thought it was just me,” Rich said. Citing those who signed the document, Rich said it is “important to respect these people. These are property owners and taxpayers,” Rich said.
“Perhaps we didn’t act as fast as we should have, but it is not fair to blame past council members of present council members as being the only ones who have a decision in this kind of project,” she added.
Rich noted that a 117-signature petition had been rejected in May “on a technicality.” “They are still real people,” said Rich.
“Give it to the clerk,” replied Mayor Suzanne Walters.
Lane then addressed the governing body.
“It is not our intention to be confrontational. We just want a voice in what will be our library,” she said.
“All who signed those petitions say the same thing. Why don’t you hear us?” Lane asked.
“When I asked you (council) if you used the library on a regular basis, none of you do,” she said.
Lane said the borough sends $1.4 million annually into the library system. “They spend zero on programs in Stone Harbor,” she added.
“Are you aware the budget of the county library for programs in eight branches is $80,000?” she asked.
“What provision was negotiated with the county for this state-of-the-art library?” Lane said.
Since the branch was announced in 2007, Lane noted the borough paid $5 million to the county library system. “That will about pay for the (new) building. I know it won’t cost $1.4 million to operate. How much are they putting back in the form of programs?” Lane said.
She then read the mission statements of the Cape May County Library System as well as that of the Avalon Public Library, of which she said, she is a member.
She said the Avalon Library was surveying its patrons to better understand their desires and uses of the facility.
Proceeding along the present path for the new branch is like “Going to Macy’s with $300 and saying ‘Go ahead give it to me.’” Lane said.
“Let’s not squander this opportunity,” she added.
To those who believe libraries days are numbered, Lane said, “That is simply not true. A library is more than a place to sign out books.”
“This may sound really corny, bear with me,” said Councilmember Joan Kramar. “We were elected to serve the people. We have to take into consideration those 266 names,” she added.
At that point, Mayor Suzanne Walters, who previously stated she had to preside at a wedding, planned over a year prior, would have to leave at 11 a.m., noted the time and departed.
“I’m sorry I have to do this,” said Walters.
Council President Barry Mastrangelo assumed the central chair on the dais.
“What is the actual status of the library?” asked resident Robert Ashman.
Mastrangelo told him that an Oct. 6 conference was planned with the county about the library.
Ashman asked if the county possessed C.A.F.R.A. (Coastal Area Facilities Review Act) permits from the state.
“I believe it’s a settlement conference,” said Mastrangelo.
Ashman noted his prior request to have the land lease for the branch library posted on the borough’s website. It had not been done, to date, he said.
A copy is available at the clerk’s office replied Administrator Kenneth Hawk.
Councilmember Joanne Vaul assured Ashman the lease would be posted to the website for the public to read.
Robert Rich, husband of Joselyn Rich, then asked if the information contained in a brochure, made available to all at the meeting about the branch library was official.
He cited the lease and “net loss of parking spaces, and asked if due diligence was done and was it the borough’s official position?
“As much as was completed at the time,” replied Mastrangelo.
“So it’s safe to say it is current as far as position,” Rich said.
Near the close of the meeting, resident Peter Tribulski approached the podium and said there are about 3,000 properties in the borough, that 266 signatures represented less than 5 percent of them, and that he supported the placement of the library at the 95th Street parking lot site.
The brochure on glossy, coated paper was entitled, “Get the Facts: The New Stone Harbor Branch of the Cape May County Free Library.”
What will be offered in the 13,500-square-foot branch?
Over 14,000 adult and 5,000 children’s books, 2,400 DVDs and 1,750 audio books as well as video games and music CDs.
There will also be eBooks available online with an additional $25,000 budgeted for them this year.)
The facility is to offer “scenic outdoor decks, comfortable coffee bar, window seating with outlets for laptops, two meeting rooms with projectors and screens, a 160-seat large meting room, and kitchenette for meeting rooms.
It will be WIFI enabled with eight computers in the adult area and three in the teen and two in the children’s area.
There will be a 1,200-square-foot section to house the local museum.
“From 2007 to 2009 alone, Stone Harbor residents and businesses contributed over $4 million in County Library taxes so it just doesn’t pay to tolerate an outdated, obsolete local facility,” the brochure states.
The 95th Street oceanfront site was “carefully selected…and offers some critical advantages:
* The Lot is already owned by the municipality, so capital funds were not needed for acquisition and no properties are removed from the tax base.
* Only 16 of 166 parking spaces will be lost due to the construction of the new library
* The ground elevation on the landside of the bulkhead is one of the highest points on the island and the entire beachfront is now protected from the ocean by a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-designed dune system. This ensures considerable protection against flooding.”
Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com