Friends of the DPW, anyone?

Something is rotten in Teaneck. No, really. This has nothing to do with the May Council elections.

This week's Suburbanite reports on the results of an environmental study conducted at the Teaneck Public Library. As a result of moisture problems stemming from a leaky roof, various areas in the library are contaminated with mold. Remediation is planned for after the replacement of the roof, a project the Council has already approved but has not yet hired a contractor to complete. Unremarkable, except for the fact that library staff have taken their concerns that the ongoing mold problem may pose health risks to the press. Teaneck residents know all too well what comes next.

Given the popularity of the Teaneck library, often said to be the busiest in Bergen County, it is surprising that the Friends of the Teaneck Library has not been as aggressive in fundraising as, say, the TVAC. One would imagine that significant financial support would be forthcoming. It would certainly seem worthwhile to increase reliance on private donors. This would serve not only to increase the Library's flexibility in solving problems such as those that may threaten the physical health of library staff and the financial health of the Township, but also to invest those who treasure the library with more personal responsibility for supporting it while preserving it as a free service open to all. Subsequently, this model for bolstering public institutions with supplemental funding from altruistic residents might be well applied to education and other areas as well.