Somerville orders extra testing, authorizes legal review after county closes branch library

Mayor Brian Gallagher told the Borough Council on Aug. 3 that initial indoor testing did not show elevated mold levels but he had ordered further testing by an industrial hygienist for both upstairs and downstairs areas before any reoccupation. "Either the results show that there are no issues, or they will show that there are issues. They will be mitigated," Gallagher said, adding the borough will implement recommended best practices.

The council voted to authorize the borough attorney to begin drawing up paperwork to ensure the Somerset County Library Commission follows Somerville's agreement. The motion to authorize the attorney was moved from the dais and approved by roll call.

At public comment county library director Peter Bromberg said library staff have reported persistent health problems that track with building occupancy and described headaches, hives, sore throats and neurological symptoms among eight staff members. "For library services, including for our staff, because our staff have no workspace there," Bromberg said, urging honest collaboration and temporary solutions while testing continues.

Roberta Carbon, chair of the Somerset County Library Commission, told the council the commission's goal is not closure but to provide "21st-century library service" in a healthy space and cited safety problems including a rusted emergency exit and evidence of water and insulation damage. Residents including Mallory Craig Karim also urged the council to confirm whether the borough's contractual approval rights were followed before the county closed the branch and presented a petition with hundreds of signatures calling for prompt restoration of local services.

The mayor said the borough will preserve its contractual rights and, after test results arrive, the council and the county will resume discussions about short-term alternatives and long-term plans for library services in Somerville.