Officials make plans to buy land
BY TALI ISRAELI
Staff Writer

MARLBORO - Members of the Township Council believe the planned purchase of an open space parcel will be an asset for Marlboro.

At a meeting on Oct. 5 the council introduced an ordinance that would, if adopted, authorize the township to purchase a 3.7-acre piece of land on Tennent Road. The site will be preserved as open space. The owners of the property are James and Mary Geoghegan.

The ordinance is scheduled for a public hearing and possible vote for adoption on Oct. 19.

According to the ordinance, the municipality and the owners of the property have agreed that the cost of the land will be $450,000.

Councilman Steve Rosenthal said that in light of all the development that has occurred in Marlboro, the best the council can do is try to preserve as much land as possible.

Councilman Joseph Pernice agreed with Rosenthal and said, "Anytime we can preserve open space, it's a win-win situation."

The council members thanked the open space committee and the agricultural advisory committee for their work on obtaining the open space parcel.

The members of the open space committee are Chairman Shital Rajan, Vice Chairwoman Jessie Arlt, Jack Appel, Barbara Stonnell, Fran Owitz and Wayne Stonnell. The members of the agricultural advisory committee are Chairwoman Heidi Rajan, Tom Geran and Dee Lembo.

In comments to the council, Shital Rajan said every inch of land that can be preserved in Marlboro is a victory for taxpayers. He said he hopes the town will be able to purchase more property for open space in the near future.

Marlboro taxpayers pay into an open space trust fund every year through an assessment that is included on their property tax bill.

The assessment is 2 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, which means the owner of a home assessed at $200,000 pays $40 into the fund, the owner of a home assessed at $400,000 pays $80 into the fund and the owner of a home assessed at $600,000 pays $120 into the fund each year.

The funds collected through the assessment help the township purchase open space tracts.

In other business at the meeting, the council introduced an amendment to an ordinance that requires Marlboro Recreation Department volunteers and employees to undergo a criminal background check.

The original ordinance that was adopted by the council in May would allow applicants for a position who have been disqualified by a background check to appeal the decision before a review committee consisting of residents, the superintendent of the recreation commission, the chair of the recreation commission and the mayor or his designee.

The ordinance that was introduced on Oct. 5 would amend that provision of the law. According to Township Attorney Andrew Bayer, the amended ordinance would eliminate the need for a review committee and instead would require an independent company to handle the appeals process.

The disqualification for an individual providing services to the recreation department includes a conviction for a crime involving danger to a person, including criminal homicide, assault, reckless endangering, threats, sexual offenses or kidnapping; a crime against a family, children or incompetents; a crime involving theft; or a crime involving any controlled dangerous substance.

The amended ordinance would add domestic violence, arson and burglary to the list of criminal acts a person would be disqualified for.

The ordinance is scheduled for a public hearing and a possible vote for adoption on Oct. 19.