The Friends of the Secaucus Public Library have every reason to celebrate. This month doesn’t merely mark the organization’s fifth anniversary. The group – which in another town might hold bake sales, book sales and raffles to raise a small amount of cash to help supply books – managed to score $1 million through the construction of a billboard on the New Jersey Turnpike. The money – sorely needed to furnish the newly constructed library – will soon arrive, thanks to a bond passed by the Town Council on April 23.
Through an arrangement with a billboard broker, the Friends will receive rent from the billboard for many years. The town, using this money as a guarantee, is borrowing $1 million to pay for furnishings for the new library. While the innovation came from town officials, the funds can only be directed through a not-for-profit group such as the Friends.
The bond would include down payments for computers, furniture and other interior items not covered in the original $3 million construction bond. Another $1 million that was saved up by library trustees over the years is required to go toward the construction of the building. Fundraising efforts have been underway, such as the sale of plaques and named bricks to help cover costs, but the billboard proposal promises to give the library the quickest relief. Regarding other fundraisers, friends and library officials are quick to point out that every little bit helps.
Town Administrator Anthony Iacono said the library could expect to see cash coming in from the billboard bond by the end of June or early July. The billboard itself, which will be located behind the office of the Department of Public Works and very near the side of the northbound lanes of the New Jersey Turnpike, will likely go up within the next 45 to 60 days.
“This should provide the library with a lot of what will be needed to open,” Iacono said.
Installation of new officer
The Friends of the Secaucus Public Library marked their fifth anniversary on April 17 with the installation of new officer and by issuing appreciate awards to individuals who contributed to the group’s success.
Past President Marie McGuire swore in Josephine DeGennaro as the new president, Board of Education member Eleanore Reinl as first vice president, Ann Ross as second vice president, town Chief Financial Officer Peggy Barkala as treasurer, Marie Wetphal as recording secretary and the town’s finance director, Linda Carpenter, as corresponding secretary. The officers serve two-year terms.
During the ceremony, outgoing president Nancy Mateo acknowledged the group’s accomplishments over her term in office as well as the varied programs the Friends had offered.
Prior to announcing the recipients of the appreciation awards, Library Director Katherine Steffens unveiled a plaque that will be displayed in one of the new library’s meeting rooms. This acknowledges and lists the names of the streering committee members who wrote the bylaws and constitution of the group in 1997. This included Nancy Cashnelli, Pasquale Coucci, Barkala, Louise Rittberg, Pat DeFerrari, Irene Dewland, Kaye Graziosi, Claire Grecco, Joan Kashuba, Bridget Mastronardy, Charles McAdam, Reinl, Philip Ronzel, DeGennaro and Steffens.
It also has plates upon which the names of past presidents are and will continue to be recorded. The plaque already had McQuire’s name as well as Mateo’s.
“Marie rallied us to do the best we could for the library and kept us focused and responsible as we planned our first successful fundraiser,” Steffens said.
McGuire, with the assistance of other members, had sold a coverlet to help raise funds for the library.
“Nancy continued the process and took us into our current fund-raiser, which is the heritage wall,” Steffens said.
Among the others honored for their support included library trustees Joan Millevoi and Teresa Santos; the mayor and council; Engine Company No. 1 for use of their meeting room; the police chief; the Department of Public Works Superintendent; the town electrician; the social services director; individual police officers and Police Benevolent Association officers; Gerard and Michael Marra (of Marra’s Drug Store); Mary Santorella for organizing last year’s fashion show; as well as others – including members of the library’s staff. When all the certificates were distributed, DeGennaro pulled one more certificate out and presented it to the library director – a move not part of the original script.