New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 15 - STATE
Chapter 24 - NEW JERSEY LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION BOND ACT RULES
Subchapter 4 - APPLICATION PROCEDURES; REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS
Section 15:24-4.1 - Application procedures
Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) An application for a construction, rehabilitation, or renovation grant under this chapter shall be on the official form, available from the New Jersey State Library and shall include the following:
(b) An application for the repair of a public library building shall be on the official form, available from the New Jersey State Library. The application will consist of an explanation of the need for the repair(s), a full description of the repair(s) and a drawing or schematic, a proposed timeline for the completion of the repair(s), and a cost estimate.
(c) All applicants will certify that they have, or will have, the necessary required matching funds pursuant to N.J.A.C. 15:24-2(c).
(d) An application shall be made by the governing body charged with the responsibility for the establishment and maintenance of the public library (board of trustees or county library commission, or county board of chosen freeholders, as appropriate).
(e) If a public library facility is to be constructed by a municipality with the provision that it be equipped, stocked, staffed, or supported by a public library outside of that municipality (for example, a municipally constructed building that will be operated by a county library as a branch library), the application shall be in the name of the municipality. The application shall be signed by the mayor or chief financial officer and cosigned by an officer of the governing body of the library that is providing services.
(f) For applications not submitted under (e) above, the person authorized to submit the application shall be an officer of the governing body named as the applicant, preferably the president or chairperson of this body. A statement to be signed and completed by the responsible officer of the applicant, for example, secretary of a board of trustees, shall certify this authorization.
(g) Any substantial changes or revisions affecting the application, after the application is submitted, including any structural changes in the building plans, shall be submitted, on the appropriate forms, to the State Librarian and the President for approval. Should the request for substantial change or revision receive approval, the application shall continue in the review process. Should the request for approval of the substantial change or revision be denied, the applicant's original submission shall stand unless withdrawn by the applicant.
(h) Any substantial changes to a project after a grant is made shall be submitted, by a method as prescribed by the State Librarian, to the State Librarian and the President. The initial substantial changes to a project request form will be made available on the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act page of the New Jersey State Library website, and such additional forms as the State Librarian requires the applicant to complete will be provided to the applicant individually. The State Librarian and the President may request meeting(s) with the applicant, the architect, and others associated with the project, as necessary. The State Librarian and the President shall approve or deny the proposed substantial change(s), in part or in whole, following review and analysis of the materials submitted by the grant recipient; provided, however, that where the proposed substantial changes require the reallocation of any funds appropriated by the Legislature and allocated to the projects, the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee shall also be required in accordance with the Bond Act. Approval of the substantial changes to a project or changes to the amount of a project grant are necessary in order for the grant recipient to proceed.
(i) Approval of the project must be given by the President and funds appropriated by the New Jersey Legislature before any funds are allocated to the project.
(j) If the bonds issued to fund a grant are issued on a tax-advantaged basis, including tax-exempt bonds, then in order to receive project grant funding for expenses incurred before such bonds are issued, such expenses must be "reimbursable" from bond proceeds under applicable Federal tax law.