Saddle River Valley November 21, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 3 Saddle River officials are reviewing an advisory committee’s proposal that could add 19,000 square feet to borough hall, and bring the building into compliance with current safety and access standards. The committee, which was assembled by Mayor Samuel Raia three years ago, issued its report to the borough council and residents Committee presents proposal for borough hall last week. The proposed changes to borough hall would include the creation of a municipal court that would comply with modern requirements. In addition, the committee suggested that the court, council chambers, and administrative offices all be located on one level. Storage would be Gobble, gobble, gobble! The Upper Saddle River Library’s 4 and 5 year old class enjoyed making a Thanksgiving craft during their story hour. (Photo courtesy of Linda Miko.) located on a second level of the building. Saddle River Borough Administrator Charles Cuccia, who serves as a non-voting member of the Municipal Building Committee, said the original part of the building, which is the brownstone section at the front, would be retained. The committee’s proposal calls for the existing “square block” portion of the building to be razed and reconstructed. The cost estimate is approximately $5 million. The existing 9,000 square foot, T-shaped borough hall was constructed in 1937, and underwent an internal update in the 1980s, when the downstairs portion of the structure that had served as the fire station and police department was converted into municipal offices. The building, which is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, has three floors. The second floor has traditionally been used as the council chambers, and the third floor is used for storage. The brownstone portion of borough hall now houses the court, a conference room, the construction office, a computer room, and the archives. At present, there is no access to the third floor via elevator. Although barrier-free access is available to both the first and the second floors, there is no barrierfree option to move between the first and second floors without going outside the building and re-entering from another doorway. The safety and security concerns associated with the existing building chiefly involve the judge. One of the current safety requirements associated with the administration of a court is that the judge is not supposed to walk through the courtroom to reach the bench. “We can’t accommodate that,” Cuccia explained. Asked about other safety or structural concerns, Cuccia said there are no structural issues with the building. He said the asbestos that had been in the building was removed in the 1980s. In addition to Mayor Raia and Borough Administrator Cuccia, the Municipal Building Committee’s members include Bruce Walenczyk, Michael Mutter, Warren Boardman, Borough Engineer Martin Spence, Carroll Dowden, Larry Raia, Nina Bernhardt, Bruce Meisel, Dr. Albert Kurpis, Maria Harper, Robert Hekemian, and Frank Merlino.