As you may have heard, the Watchung Town Council plans to vote on the future of Watchung Library on Thursday, July 17th, 2014.
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COME HELP DELIVER PETITION TO MAYOR POTE:
This Friday, July 11th, at 2:00 PM, we will deliver our petition asking to keep a library in Watchung, containing hundreds of signatures, to Watchung Mayor Stephen Pote at Watchung Borough Hall. The Mayor will speak briefly.
Library supporters who would like to attend are enthusiastically invited. Bring the kids, too!
While you're there, be sure to purchase a cool, refreshing drink from Watchung fifth graders John Santucci and William Kinder, who want to raise money for the library. They'll be selling cookies and lemonade to help pay for a new building.
Note: Please turn up the driveway between the Fire Department and the Firemen's Exempt Hall, and park by the Exempt Hall. Then take the steps down to Borough Hall. DO NOT park at the Texier House.
P.S. If you haven't signed the petition yet, please stop by the library any day this week.
This Friday, July 11th, at 2:00 PM, we will deliver our petition asking to keep a library in Watchung, containing hundreds of signatures, to Watchung Mayor Stephen Pote at Watchung Borough Hall. The Mayor will speak briefly.
Library supporters who would like to attend are enthusiastically invited. Bring the kids, too!
While you're there, be sure to purchase a cool, refreshing drink from Watchung fifth graders John Santucci and William Kinder, who want to raise money for the library. They'll be selling cookies and lemonade to help pay for a new building.
Note: Please turn up the driveway between the Fire Department and the Firemen's Exempt Hall, and park by the Exempt Hall. Then take the steps down to Borough Hall. DO NOT park at the Texier House.
P.S. If you haven't signed the petition yet, please stop by the library any day this week.
Our current library building is old and dilapidated. It does not meet the needs of the community for a library. Further, it is in need of expensive repairs and upgrades to be brought into conformance with various codes. We cannot continue to use the building that now houses Watchung Library indefinitely.
Similarly, the Watchung Arts Center building is old, dilapidated, and in need of expensive repairs and upgrades.
Watchung owns both of these buildings and is responsible for their maintenance.
Considerable study has gone into the future of a library in Watchung. At the June Town Council meeting (covered by myCentralJersey.com: http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/somerset-county/2014/06/06/watchung-residents-voice-concerns-library/10088181/), The Library Study Ad Hoc Committee presented five options for the future of Watchung Library. They are:
Sadly, closing Watchung Library is a possibility. That is why we are asking you to speak up in favor of a library in Watchung! Please email or US mail (c/o Borough Hall - address below) Mayor Pote and the six council members to voice your support for a library in Watchung. Below are several sample letters that you can use. Even better would be to write in your own words, but using these as they are is fine, too.
Encourage your friends who want a library in Watchung to write, too. They can sign follow us on Facebook or sign up for our mailings by contacting MAEllisofNJ@aol.com.
E-mail the Mayor and Council members as follows:
Similarly, the Watchung Arts Center building is old, dilapidated, and in need of expensive repairs and upgrades.
Watchung owns both of these buildings and is responsible for their maintenance.
Considerable study has gone into the future of a library in Watchung. At the June Town Council meeting (covered by myCentralJersey.com: http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/somerset-county/2014/06/06/watchung-residents-voice-concerns-library/10088181/), The Library Study Ad Hoc Committee presented five options for the future of Watchung Library. They are:
- Renovate and expand the existing library. This is the option that was brought before the town in the form of a nonbinding referendum a couple of years ago.
- Buy and renovate the Valley Furniture buildings.
- Share services with Warren Library. This option would mean that we would no longer have our own library in Watchung. We would, however, continue to pay approximately the same amount of tax dollars to use the Warren Library that we now pay to have our own library.
- Build a single-story or two-story building that will house Watchung Library as well as providing space for the Watchung Arts Center and a community center on the current sites of Watchung Library and the Watchung Arts Center.
- Close the library and build a stand-alone community center.
Sadly, closing Watchung Library is a possibility. That is why we are asking you to speak up in favor of a library in Watchung! Please email or US mail (c/o Borough Hall - address below) Mayor Pote and the six council members to voice your support for a library in Watchung. Below are several sample letters that you can use. Even better would be to write in your own words, but using these as they are is fine, too.
Encourage your friends who want a library in Watchung to write, too. They can sign follow us on Facebook or sign up for our mailings by contacting MAEllisofNJ@aol.com.
E-mail the Mayor and Council members as follows:
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Mayor Stephen Pote spote@watchungnj.gov
Councilwoman Debra Joren djoren@watchungnj.gov Councilwoman Dianna Beck-Clemens dclemens@watchungnj.gov Councilman Robert Gibbs rgibbs@watchungnj.gov |
Councilman Steve Black sblack@watchungnj.gov
Councilman Thomas Franklin tfranklin@watchungnj.gov Councilman William Nehls wnehls@watchungnj.gov |
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Send US mail to the Mayor and Council members as follows:
c/o Watchung Municipal Building 15 Mountain Boulevard Watchung, NJ 07069 |
Submit Your Comments Directly Through the Borough Website Contact Form
http://watchungnj.gov/contact-us.html |
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