The Board of Commissioners has scheduled an additional Special Meeting of the Board to discuss and receive public input about the future of the Township Library. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 3, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Haverford Middle School. Members of the public will be permitted to speak at the meeting; the Board will not be voting on any proposals at the meeting. I anticipate that the Board of Commissioners will vote on the future of the Library, as well as the other planned projects, at our February 10, 2014 meeting.
Because this issue has been the subject of much discussion -- and a significant amount of misinformation -- below is a summary of the events to date. Also, click here to see the documents that contain the information presently known to and/or being considered by the Board.
Background & Other Information
Since 2010, the Board has been evaluating options for the renovation or replacement of aging Township facilities that were not properly maintained by prior Boards. As a result, the Board's Property Committee made a series of presentations in which it recommended (in the following priority):
- Replacing the Vehicle Maintenance Facility and updating the Public Works Yard.
- Replacing the Police Station and Township Building by constructing a new Municipal Services Building that would consolidate and house all Township administrative functions in one central facility.
- Consider replacing or repairing the Township Library.
Items 1 and 2 have and continue to remain the Board's top priorities. In fact, the Board has (1) authorized the replacement of the Vehicle Maintenance Facility and has borrowed the funds for its replacement, and (2) begun the process of seeking architects and contractors for the Municipal Services Building. These projects were approved by a large majority of the Board earlier this year.
Library-Related Developments
The condition of the library has deteriorated significantly, requiring the Property Committee to re-evaluate the future of the Library. The Property Committee unanimously believes that it will require a substantial investment to either repair or replace the Library, and these costs can no longer be ignored or deferred without placing the Library in jeopardy of closing. The Committee is not unanimous as to how to address this situation and is therefore presenting it to the Board and the public for comment.
Update - Current Library Status
Currently, the Library's Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) systems are:
- 30+ years old
- Inefficient
- At the end of their useful lives (a useful life of 1 to 3 years)
In addition, emergency repairs are needed in the basement relating to electrical and other systems. Further, the Library is not fully Building Code compliant, is not fully ADA-compliant, has space deficiencies, and has limited parking and no safe drop-off zones.
Because of this situation, the Library has spent nearly 15% of the Township's annual library appropriation on maintenance and utility costs. Further, the cost of performing the MEP renovations is estimated at $1.5 million.
The Board has not discussed, nor do I believe the Board supports, halting construction of the currently-planned Municipal Services Building. The current Board has acknowledged that it must address the current facility deficiencies. For example, the 1988 Comprehensive Plan stated that many Township facilities were created in the 1920s and were intended to serve a population of 6,000, not the current population of 50,000.
Because this issue impacts every taxpayer, the Board has scheduled this final meeting to receive public input. Please attend if you would like to voice your opinion. You can also contact me at dansiegel@4haverford.com with any questions or comments. However, public comments should be made at the meeting so that they are on the record and all members of the Board are aware of your views. Unlike other meetings, you do not have to register in advance if you wish to speak.
Haverford Township 
Recreation and Environmental Center (at the Haverford Reserve) on Sunday, January 26, 2014 at 3 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to update residents about recent burglaries in the Township. 
