What follows is a letter my husband and I emailed to the Tabernacle Township Committee about Old Town Hall and how to properly handle this very important building. This topic is likely to be discussed at the February 26, 2024 township meeting.
February 11, 2024
Dear Committee Members,
At the January 22, 2024 meeting, the committee approved an expenditure up to $5,000 for the building sub-committee (Mayor Mark Hartman and Deputy Mayor Natalie Stone) 1) to meet with the architect and engineer to estimate the costs to secure old town hall from further degradation; 2) to determine the estimated cost to bring the building up to code for public/private use; and 3) to find the cost to demolish the building.
These are some of our concerns and suggestions:
The first priority is to determine if old town hall is in such disrepair that emergency repairs are needed and to determine the extent of those repairs. It would be an outrage if Tabernacle allowed old town hall to fall into ruin before figuring out the alternate use, as was recommended three years ago in the 2021 Facility Analysis.
Second, no action should be taken at the February 26, 2024 meeting except any emergency action that’s needed to stop degradation of old town hall and preserve our options.
Third, no decisions should be made about the final disposition of old town hall without full discussion, full public involvement and full transparency.
Old town hall is the most significant public building in the township. The new municipal complex will be the most expensive. These are our buildings and our taxes. The discussions about how to go forward on these projects should not be hidden or be yours alone.
Fourth, the committee should establish a policy for the presentation and consideration of the subcommittee’s February 26, 2024 report and all subsequent reports. This policy should address how and when sub-committee reports will be released, presented and discussed.
All sub-committee findings and recommendations should be written. They should be released well in advance of the meeting at which they will be presented. This will allow the committee and the public to review, understand and comment on these reports.
The subcommittee’s findings and recommendations should not be presented in the “Reports” section of the agenda. These are important matters that should be listed as a separate item.
If you treat them as “Reports,” you deny the public the chance to comment until the following meeting. And, if you’ve taken action on the “report,” you’ve entirely denied the public the chance for meaningful comment. Again, old town hall and the new complex are our buildings and our taxes.
Fifth, just what options for the building and property are you looking at exactly? What uses are you considering as you determine the cost to bring the building up to code for public/private use?
Sixth, we understand that there are use restrictions imposed by the Junior Mechanics. These should be understood and explained to everyone before any action is taken.
We hope these comments and suggestions are helpful to you. We look forward to thoughtful and deliberate discussion prior to any action.
Sincerely,
Fran and Stuart Brooks
