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Residents press council on Old Library building funding and possible sale or lease; borough says funds restricted
Summary
Public commenters urged the borough to consider selling or leasing the Old Library building to fund a new police facility and questioned use limits on insurance and FEMA funds; borough officials said some funds are restricted to the building and that the building will be an asset.
Residents raised questions about the future use and funding of the Old Library building during public comment at the May 19, 2026 council meeting.
Ricardo Alcorta (32 Park Ave.) asked whether the borough had considered alternative uses, leasing or selling the Old Library building and whether insurance money could be repurposed. Councilwoman Hunkele responded that some of the funds are dedicated to the building itself and cannot be used for other purposes. Borough Administrator Alex Palumbo said the project, supported in part by grant and insurance funds, is intended to restore the building and make it an asset for the borough rather than a liability.
Public concerns and council replies Resident Johnathan Sagalow suggested repairing the façade and selling the building to raise funds for a new police facility, noting that continued use of trailers for the police department was costly. Councilman Daniolowicz and Palumbo clarified that the Old Library project and police trailers are separate issues; Daniolowicz said moving the library and municipal offices to 80 Bloomfield Ave will remove roughly two of three trailers and reopen parking in the Smull Avenue lot.
Borough Attorney Craig Bossong addressed a procedural concern earlier in the meeting, describing an incorrect RFP date in Resolution 5-147 as a “clerical error that can be corrected without holding up the vote.”
Context and next steps Administrator Palumbo said work tied to 80 Bloomfield Ave — including generator testing and certificate-of-occupancy work — should be completed in the coming weeks. The council’s subcommittee has discussed parking and preservation issues related to whichever future use is selected for the Old Library building; council members emphasized the site’s historical significance when arguing against sale or lease options.
The council did not take a formal vote on the library’s long-term use at the May 19 meeting; the civic-center contract and related funding items proceeded through the consent agenda and separate resolution votes.
