Dear Editor:
I am writing in response to the letter questioning the Town’s billboard opportunity. Perhaps I can explain. I feel the Town should be applauded for its creativity in this project. Essentially, the Town is taking a 10 x 10 piece of vacant property behind the Public Works facility and turning it into $3,250,000.00 for The Friends of the Secaucus Public Library, an organization dedicated to enhance the library. As a member of this organization, I realize that having an additional $45,000.00 to $85,000.00 per year over a 50-year period to support our library is something that does not come along every day. We should be overjoyed that our library will receive this additional funding.
Clearly, the billboard lease agreement provides a substantial public benefit for the Secaucus Library. As many of you know, we are in need of physical and technical improvements to our public library. Moreover, the library is interested in expanding the programming it currently offers. The lease agreement between the outdoor advertising company and the Friends of the Secaucus Public Library not only provides a substantial revenue stream to support this effort, but also ensures that our library has a guaranteed source of funds over the next 50 years. Such funds are enormously important to our Library.
It should also be noted that over the past two years, the New Jersey Transit has built some billboards on property in Secaucus. These billboards on state-owned property have generated absolutely no revenue for the Town. Through some inventive and long range thinking by Mayor Elwell and the Town Council, the Secaucus Library will finally receive revenue that will help the citizens of our Town.
Peggy Barkala
Treasurer, Secaucus Friends of the Library