Politics & Government
NJ.Com: Talks About Shared Library Services
Millburn and Springfield are described as meeting, forming a subcommittee
from NJ.Com
Millburn and Springfield have formed a sub-committee to further study the possibility of combining libraries between the two municipalities.
Millburn township and library officials met with their counterparts in Springfield on March 19 to discuss the possibility of using the empty Saks Fifth Avenue building on Millburn Avenue in Springfield to house a joint library that the two towns would share.
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Based on the results of the March meeting, a sub-committee was formed to further study the proposal and to look for additional sites in either town where a new library could be built. The sub-committee held its first meeting on Saturday, April 3, according to Millburn Township Committee member Jim Suell.
Suell said the Springfield Library Board of Trustees voted to investigate the possibility of a shared library with Millburn, and possibly with Summit.
Find out what's happening in Millburn-Short Hillsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Summit officials have expressed some interest in the proposal but they are not taking part in the talks at this time, Suell said. "If they would like to join us we would certainly welcome them," he said, adding, "I think it would benefit all three communities to have that done."
Suell said that on Saturday the committee members held initial discussions and walked around both towns looking for potential sites in addition to the Saks site. "We're looking all over. Nothing is ruled out," he said.
If the joint library proposal is accepted by both towns and the Saks site is chosen, Springfield would have to condemn the property as it is slated to become a super Stop & Shop Supermarket.
Following 12 years of court battles, the Dutch conglomerate Royal Ahold won the right to build the supermarket on the site but they have been mum about building plans. Royal Ahold has approvals from Springfield and Essex County to build on the property but they have yet to apply to Millburn. Although the property is located in Springfield, Millburn officials would have to grant approval for the usage because driveway access would be from Millburn Avenue in downtown Short Hills.
