Candidate raises issue of funding for turf field
BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer

MARLBORO - The atmosphere was tense during one part of the citizen's voice portion of the Township Council's Sept. 20 meeting.

Citizen's voice is the time allotted for residents to step up to the microphone and let Marlboro's elected officials know what is on their minds.

On this evening a resident who is seeking public office spoke out about the synthetic turf athletic field that is being installed at the municipal complex. The comments stemmed from an article in the News Transcript, which reported that it is still undetermined as to precisely how the turf field will be paid for.

Democratic council candidate Frank LaRocca asked why the township did not pursue more money in grants when it expanded the scope of a recreation project to include the turf field. He claimed that more state money could have been available once the turf field was added to the project.

One other resident who spoke asked why the project has been delayed.

Councilwoman Patti Morelli revealed the reasons behind the delay in the project's start. She said a legal problem concerning one of the bids the council had received for the job, coupled with a strike in England where the materials for the field are made, led to the delay.

Morelli explained that the entire recreation project now includes the turf field, new soccer fields and other improvements and has a total cost of $2.6 million. She said the state Green Acres program has awarded Marlboro $650,000, which she said is the maximum 25 percent permitted.

Other council members said the recreation improvements are being completed to benefit Marlboro's children.

"The council has acted in good faith in all regards," Councilwoman Rosa Tragni said.

She said residents should look at the council's intentions, which were to bring about a beautiful park for the children.

Councilman Steve Rosenthal said that with some projects you must sit back, but with others you move forward. He spoke about how a decision was made not to pursue placing a dome over outdoor basketball courts behind the Marlboro Recreation Community Center because the plan was fiscally irresponsible.

A township official previously said the turf field could be completely installed by the middle of October.

On a lighter note during citizen's voice, Murray Hoffman, a member of the Marlboro Board of Education, expressed his thanks to the council and especially to Councilman Joseph Pernice for the work that had been done on a new veterans memorial outside Town Hall.

Hoffman called the memorial a "beautiful, beautiful thing" and said it means a lot to know people remember and care about veterans.

"We must not forget our veterans," Pernice responded.