Page 14 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 17, 2010 �������������������������� Connolly presses for return of library’s surplus funds by John Koster Wyckoff Township Committeeman David Connolly asked Wyckoff Library Director Judy Schmitt and members of the library board to expedite the return of $307,000 in declared surplus from state-mandated library funds to help with Wyckoff’s municipal budget this year. “Let’s go get it fast!” Connelly said. “I’ve laid off a person and a half in (Wyckoff) Town Hall this year, and I’m trying to get half a person back.” Wyckoff, as hard-pressed township committee members have pointed out, already has the lowest employee-topopulation ratio in Northwest Bergen County. Budgetary constraints, Connolly said, were making in hard to keep even the most necessary positions filled. The money the Wyckoff Library Board has agreed to rebate to taxpayers with state approval could be a huge help. Library Director Schmitt and Library Board Member Alma Mader said the request to be allowed to return the declared surplus of $307,000 to Wyckoff’s municipal coffers had been forwarded to the state, but that approval at the state level – if granted – could take four to six weeks. “You are the best at squirreling away money,” Connelly told Mader with approval for the Wyckoff Library Board’s thrift and its willingness to share the surplus from the statemandated contribution of local tax money to the library. Connolly added, however, that the request for the state to release the money the library has already agreed to return to the general fund should be expedited. Without the bailout that the township committee had hoped for, and to some degree expected, the municipal staff would be in for an extremely hard time this year. The return of the $307,000 – negotiated by Mayor Rudy Boonstra and the library board – could reduce an anticipated tax increase by one-half. “This is a horrible budget,” Connolly said. “I need that money.” Resident receives award from Obama Saint Joseph Regional High School student John Connolly was honored for unprecedented amounts of community service with a President’s Volunteer Service Award. In addition to working on the school’s television station, building sets for stage crew, and throwing the javelin, Connolly has served his home community of Wyckoff through the complete renovation of William E. Boye Park at the Wyckoff YMCA. The project totaled more than 250 hours of work over the summer and early fall and included the replacement and dedication of brick pavers, installation of a new drainage system, and solicitation of sponsorship. Connolly is pictured with SJR Principal Barry Donnelly. Setting smiles straight for more than 10 years. MARTIN ORTHODONTICS | THE PRACTICE OF SCOTT E. MARTIN, DMD LLC AAO SPECIALTY # 5190 2 3 7 E V E R E T T AV E N U E | W Y C K O F F N J 0 7 4 8 1 201.891.5534 | MARTIN-ORTHO.COM