Engineer speaks up at public meeting on plans for library

PASSAIC -- Engineers look at how to get things done, relying on schematics, plans and questions of capacity.

Jorge Torres, municipal engineer, however, dipped into a well of passion amid political sniping to shore up renovation plans for Reid Memorial Library. During a special meeting Sunday of the Passaic Library Board, Torres stepped between acting Mayor Gary Schaer and his critics, former Mayor Marge Semler and city historian Mark Auerbach, with a general plan for moving forward.

"Now's the time for the building," Torres said. "Now's the time for kids. Now's the time to get together to make this happen. ... The antagonism must end."

Torres' comments sparked a ripple of applause from the 14 people in the audience and came after Schaer fielded questions from Semler and Auerbach on the city's past funding levels for the library and what was described as a flawed engineering report that will be used for the rehabilitation of the 105-year-old building.

The $614,000 plan would make the Third Street building handicapped accessible, address structural problems and clean the building's facade. Schaer's plan calls for using $529,119 in federal funds originally earmarked for road repairs to renovate the library.

Schaer also reiterated a call for longer library hours, possibly extending the daily schedule to 1–8 p.m. from the current 1–5 p.m. But because of financial constraints, the library board would have to raise funds to pay for the longer hours, Schaer said.

"It is a city building and it should be beautiful and it should be open," Schaer said.

The building was at one time in danger of being closed. In February 2007, library officials proposed shutting it down because of a "failed roof" that would be too costly to replace. Schaer defended his old position on the library, saying the building wasn't used enough to warrant a large expenditure to repair it.

Auerbach, who sits on the library board, said he supports the plan but that the ones developed by an outside engineering firm were flawed and incorrect.

"What you want to do, Mr. Schaer, is wonderful and it is needed," Auerbach said. "It was needed six decades ago, but two years ago, you wanted to plow the building and sell it."

Semler, who also supports the renovations, said the city's constant flat-funding of the library's budget has made it difficult to operate, much less embark on an ambitious renovation project.

Schaer expects to go out to bid on the library project within 10 days, but the use of federal funds for the building must first be approved by the City Council.