Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • September 4, 2013 Franklin Lakes Borough to amend building use ordinance by Frank J. McMahon The ordinance intended to control the use of the meeting rooms at municipally-owned buildings in Franklin Lakes and to impose a fee for the use of those rooms has been put on hold pending amendments. The council is expected to revise the ordinance to exempt charitable organizations from the $50 fee. The ordinance would add building use policies to the borough code and those policies would pertain to the use of borough hall on DeKorte Drive, the firehouses on Bender Court and Franklin Lake Road, and the ambulance corps building on Bender Court. The council was poised to adopt the ordinance at its last public meeting, but decided to wait and to amend the ordi- nance after hearing pleas from members of the Franklin Lakes Woman’s Club and the Valley Hospital Auxiliary. Jane Pullaro, a member of the Franklin Lakes Woman’s Club, emphasized that her club is philanthropic and is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization that is recognized by the state as a charitable organization that has strict rules on how it raises money. She also emphasized that the club has donated to the ambulance corps over the years and the club meets at the ambulance corps building five times a year. “In recognition and appreciation for what the club does for the town,” Pullaro said, “we ask that the $50 fee be waived for our meetings.” Elaine Heimberger and Nancy Davidson, co-chairs of the Valley Hospital Auxiliary, told the council their orga- nization is also a recognized 501c3 charitable organization that raises money for breast cancer and children’s surger- ies. They claimed that charging their organization a fee to use the ambulance corps meeting room would send a mes- sage that the town does not approve of an organization that benefits the community. They said it is getting harder to raise funds and they described the various expenses their organization incurs. They explained that their organization cannot raise its dues because they are mandated by the rules of the organization. They said they do not believe the $50 fee should apply to 501c3 nonprofit organizations. The ordinance was introduced in July. At the August work session, the rules for the use of the ambulance corps meeting room was questioned by resident Thomas Cahill, a member of the Franklin Lakes Tea Party which meets once a month at the ambulance corps building. Cahill voiced concern about $50 fee, which he said his group had not been charged in the past. Mayor Frank Bivona emphasized that the proposed fee is all about expensive borough facilities built with taxpay- ers’ money. He pointed out that fees are also charged by the borough for services, such as those for all the children who play on the recreation department’s sports teams, so taxpayers are not charged for those services. According to Bivona, the borough takes in about $800,000 in fees each year and, if those fees were not collected, taxpayers would see an eight percent increase in their taxes. Bivona agreed, however, that charitable organizations should be exempt from the fee. He said, “I support the charitable organization exemption, but we must be consis- tent across the board.” The proposed ordinance states that borough hall could be used only by borough boards, committees, and com- missions, or subcommittees of those bodies. However, the borough’s governing body could, by resolution, allow the use of borough hall by other organizations or persons in accordance with such terms and conditions as may be set forth by the governing body in the resolution approving that use. The meeting rooms at the borough’s firehouses could be used by members of the Franklin Lakes Fire Department for personal use and parties by members, at no cost to those members, provided the member is present for the event. The firehouse meeting rooms may also be used by borough boards, committees, and commissions, or their subcommittees, although the governing body could, by resolution, allow the use of these meeting rooms by other organizations or persons in accordance with such terms and conditions as may be set forth in a resolution by the governing body approving that use. The ordinance would restrict the use of ambulance corps building as follows: The large meeting room could be used by members of the Franklin Lakes Volunteer Ambulance Corps for official ambulance corps business and training, and for personal use and parties by members, at no cost to members, provided the member is present for the event. The large meeting room could be used by borough boards, committees, and commissions, or their subcommittees, and could be used by other borough organizations and groups for meetings only, subject to certain rules and regulations. The children’s department of the Franklin Lakes Public Library is seeking students in grades nine through 12 to become a part of its Homework Helpers team. High school students are needed to assist children in kindergarten through grade five with their school work and assignments. The program meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 5 p.m. in the children’s room of the library, located at 470 DeKorte Drive. Volunteers may sign up for both days, or just one. Inter- ested high school students may call (201) 891-2224, exten- sion 120 or visit during regular library hours. The program will begin on Sept. 24. Library seeks Homework Helpers