Based on Montgomery Township placing its 1860 House Art Center up for sale, Mayor Hsueh and the WW Council should disclose the financial P&L for West Windsor’s Arts Council housed in the former Princeton Junction firehouse facility in Berrien City.
Voters have neither committed nor been consulted to the Township’s spending more than $1 million on a facility of limited benefit. This is another example of political pandering. The “founders” of the Arts Council are well-intentioned but the fundraising, projected restoration costs, operational costs and benefits, and memoranda of understanding have NOT been shared with the public.
If the WW Arts Council is not financially viable, perhaps the Township should place this building up for sale to void $1 million in repair costs and get this property back on the tax rolls. The Township did perform its due diligence of the Arts Council prior to signing off on the use of taxpayer funds, right?
Suggestions made four years ago to have interim, month-to-month parking for pending WW Parking Authority permit holders, which could have generated over $100,000 income to facilitate restoration, have been ignored. In fact, there is no reason the driveway in front of the building couldn’t provide 10-minute parking for patrons of Sal’s Shoe Repair and Brothers’ Pizza. Win-win? We end up with lose-lose because Council is focused on re-writing its self-serving expense reimbursement policies.
Think outside the box? We can’t get WW politicians to even FIND a box! Pete Weale
144 Fisher Place
