Library Maintenance Plan Is Too Expensive, Parsippany Officials Say 

PARSIPPANY, NJ — A group of Lake Hiawatha residents have recently gone before the council and mayor in order to request that the township invest more money into maintaining their community library.

At the last two township council meetings, residents have inquired about the status of the Lake Hiawatha library project, which would allow the township to properly restore and structurally maintain the beloved structure.

However, Mayor James Barberio stated that the township's chances of completing this project were slim due to the increased cost. What was once thought to be a $6 million project has now risen closer to $9 million, according to the council.

The increases are due to escalating costs and supply chain issues, as the mayor stated during the July 11 meeting.

"The town does not have the money to put another $2 million bond up. It's that simple, and I can't describe that more. But if the council wanted to approve additional bonding for $3 million, that's one way it could get done," Barberio said.

The other option would be for the library to scale back on its improvement plan in an effort to lower costs, which the mayor said he'd be happy to listen to.

"They've got to tell us what they can live with within that $6 million. They really haven't come back with much; that being said, to reduce it to a certain amount, there are certain criteria in order for them to keep the grant that they got, and they can't go below it," Barberio said.

Residents mentioned several repairs that the library desperately needs, such as maintenance on the handicap ramp to allow for full access to the community library, which the mayor agreed with, stating that it was a project that needed to be completed.

Resident Molly Darcy spoke at last week's meeting, expressing her grievances about the lack of attention happening at the Lake Hiawatha library.

"The lights in the parking lot have been broken for approximately a year. A year, and the lights have never been fixed. I believe this is not only a library issue but also a safety issue. The paint is peeling on the wood and concrete, giving the library a shabby look. The roof has a leak and you can see stains on the ceiling on the first floor," Darcy said.

Darcy, like other community members, believes that the library is a valuable community asset for people of all ages but that the town is ignoring it.

Barberio also stated that the township already covers a variety of costs for the library, including health benefits.

"We subsidize the library on a lot of stuff; a lot of stuff we don't even have to subsidize them on. We're covering a lot of their costs, so if the council is interested in putting another bond up for $3 million at a rate of six percent," Barberio said.