OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

     Joseph M. DiBella

www.MayorDiBella.com

 (732) 938-4500, Ext. 2102

October 21, 2007

Time to act on the VFW Building

For the past several months there has been a good amount of discussion regarding how the township can help our local Veteran’s of Foreign War post (VFW) find a permanent home for their organization.  This issue was brought to the attention of the township council in late 2006/early 2007 as I recall, and at the time it was suggested that we could use the former Emergency Management facility as their home. The Emergency Management building was to be permanently vacated due to the construction of a new facility for their use. The former Emergency Management building is actually a converted ranch house located next to the board of education offices.

The then Council agreed that turning over the former Emergency Management building was a sound idea. The building was already owned by the township and there were no immediate plans for its future use. Plus, because of its size and location it was not practical for it to be used by another township agency or department. The then township manager was charged with having the facility examined and ultimately readied for use by the VFW. The emergency management department needed to house certain equipment in the former building for some time while their new facility was under construction. Plus, the former Emergency Management building would need some work and renovation so it would not be immediately available for new occupancy. Never the less, it was agreed that that building would in fact be turned over to the VFW at the appropriate time – the sooner the better.

During budget discussions in early 2007 it was revealed for the first time that extensive repairs were needed to the building for it to be used. This was the first time that such a disclosure was shared with the governing body. While it was clear certain work needed to be done, it was never revealed that more than $100,000 in work would need to be performed. To this day, I question the dollar figures reported and the amount of work to be performed.

In my view the building should be turned over to the VFW immediately. Not because they should get a building in bad condition but because together I believe we have the resources necessary to repair the building. The members of the VFW have already indicated they have the resources and experience in their ranks to perform many of the repair tasks themselves. Plus I believe that with other volunteer resources and contributions from local groups and businesses we’ll be able to raise the needed capital and get raw materials and goods needed to get the building into shape.

Upon learning of the needed repairs it was my hope that together as a community we’d propose a massive volunteer effort designed to get the facility in working order in no time. I still think this can and should be done. I proposed some months back that we should sell the building outright to the VFW for $1 and begin to apply the right resources to help the building get back on line.

Recently a member of the Council suggested that some blame was passed to them for not acting on this matter, suggesting political implications were involved. Candidly, I am sick and tired of everything being “political”. It is time that everyone stopped with the political shenanigans and just focused on doing the job. It was not possible for the township to turn over the building in 2005 or 2006. In fact until recently the building housed emergency management equipment that was only recently moved.

More recently there have been suggestions to find an alternate facility for the VFW. It has also been suggested that there may be space they can rent where private citizens would be kind enough to pay the rent. These are all fine ideas. The problem is its time for action and decision making.  Also I believe that they deserve a building they can own where they can control their own destiny. I think these veterans have earned that right.

The township does have limited resources and careful prioritization must be considered anytime tax payer dollars are used for anything. Yet in the case of veterans we have an obligation to do our part in honoring their service and paying tribute to them for all they have done for this great nation. I applaud Councilman Howell’s efforts to try and help move this matter to conclusion and feel badly he was unaware of the history of this matter before he made his recent remarks. He himself is a distinguished veteran whose heart is in the right place and I applaud his contributions to this discussion.

The time has come to turn the building over to the VFW and only a majority of the Council can make that happen. I remain in favor of this and hope the balance of the Council will see fit to act now. Turning over the building, when combined with a comprehensive strategy to garner volunteer resources and funds along with the application of certain township resources will make for a VFW building that will make us all proud.  Let me know how you feel. Please email me with your comments and ideas at MayorDiBella@twp.Howell.NJ.US. Thank you.

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