"... why add the complexity of a separate HTML template ..."

Because someone added the complexity of an HTML coder to your project. Whenever i write a small app for myself, i usually just pick CGI.pm and be done with it, but anything that involves a team, i use a templating system. I started out with HTML::Template and we use HTML::Template were i work, but must confess that Template Toolkit is very fun stuff.

$sth = $dbh->prepare("select title,width,height,param,alt from menu");
$sth->execute;
$tmpl->param(menu => $sth->fetchall_arrayref({}));

print header, $tmpl->output;

__DATA__
<tmpl_loop menu>
<span class="mitem">
   <a title="<tmpl_var title>" href="?a=<tmpl_var param>">
   <img height="<tmpl_var height>" border="0"
                    src="i/<tmpl_var param>.png"
                    alt="<tmpl_var alt>"
                    width="<tmpl_var width>" />
   &nbsp;<tmpl_var param>&nbsp;
   </a>
</span>
</tmpl_loop>
[download]

1. to print the header
2. to fetch the params
3. to create form elements

L-LL-L--L-LL-L--L-LL-L--
-R--R-RR-R--R-RR-R--R-RR
B--B--B--B--B--B--B--B--
H---H---H---H---H---H---
(the triplet paradiddle with high-hat)