ANALYSIS
By: Lea Kahn
Michael Powers and Mark Sebastian, the Democratic candidates for Township Council, claim in a political flier that their party "initiated … the completion of the historic Brearley House renovation."
While that is an accurate statement the Democrats were in power when work on the township-owned house was completed last year it does not represent the entire story behind the project. Credit must be shared with the Republicans.
Efforts to restore the Brearley House have been ongoing virtually ever since the property was purchased by Lawrence Township from a developer in 1977. But the effort intensified as the township approached its 300th birthday in 1997.
Township Council applied unsuccessfully for a 50-50 state matching grant in 1990 and 1991. The council was controlled by the Democratic Party at that time.
The issue was revived again in late 1994, but the all-Republican Township Council voted 3-2 not to seek a state matching grant in January 1995 because of township financial concerns.
Then-Mayor Rick Miller said he would like to see a local historic group take on the project and raise money for the restoration of the house. The Lawrence Historical Society was approached to take up the charge, and the group accepted Mayor Miller’s challenge in April 1995. The society had raised nearly $30,000 by the end of 1995.
In January 1996, the Democrats took control of Township Council. In April, the council said it would apply for a state matching grant if the Lawrence Historical Society would raise $175,000. If the historical society could raise that amount, the council would match it and then the township would apply for a state matching grant.
The Lawrence Historical Society had raised more than $175,000 by early 1997. The Democratic-controlled Township Council applied for the state matching grant, and it was awarded $361,643 by the New Jersey Historic Trust in December 1997.
Township Council awarded a $562,950 contract to Theodore H. Nickles Building Construction of Philadelphia in 1999. Restoration of the Brearley House was completed in 2000.