Committee introduces bond ordinance for tract
Three members vote yes upon introduction, but 4 votes needed to adopt
BY KATHY BARATTA Staff Writer

MANALAPAN — The Township Committee has introduced an ordinance that proposes to issue bonds in the amount of $1.4 million to purchase a piece of land adjacent to the Manalapan Recreation Center, Route 522.

The ordinance was introduced with a 3-2 vote at the committee's Aug. 13 meeting. In order for the bonding ordinance to be adopted on Sept. 10, four yes votes will be required.

Officials have said that if selling bonds is not how the purchase is made, it could be made with money from the township's open space trust fund.

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The 25-acre tract known as the Tillis property is between the Manalapan Recreation Center and the Englishtown border. The land is owned by the Providence Corporation.

The bond ordinance was introduced by a 3-2 vote with support from Mayor Michelle Roth and committeemen Richard Klauber and Andrew Lucas. Committeeman Anthony Gennaro and Committeewoman Susan Cohen voted no on the ordinance's introduction.

At an earlier meeting, Roth, Klauber and Lucas voted to approve the purchase of the property for $1.4 million.

Manalapan's purchase of the property will settle litigation which had been brought against the township by the Providence Corporation. The litigation followed a rezoning in 2002 which reduced the number of homes that could be built on the land.

"The Tillis property, which is contiguous to our recreation center, was purchased because Rick Klauber, Andrew Lucas and I believe this is one of the best investments we can make for the future of our township," Roth said.

"We have repeatedly said we would like to explore public/private partnerships that could bring additional indoor recreation to the residents without an increased burden to the taxpayers. In order to do this we must bond for the project," the mayor added.

"This partnership would potentially create a revenue stream to help offset the tax burden to residents. We have already had four inquiries about this without advertising for proposals. Tony Gennaro and Susan Cohen's no vote is a reflection of their inability to grasp this concept. Their no vote is both short-sighted and irresponsible in my opinion," Roth said.

Although Cohen voted to introduce the ordinance which settled the litigation relating to the Tillis property, she and Gennaro voted against adopting the ordinance on its second reading. The legislation still passed with the votes from Roth, Klauber and Lucas.

Cohen said she voted to introduce the ordinance which provided for the purchase of the Tillis property because she believed it was OK to at least introduce the ordinance while she looked further MANALAPAN into the matter.

She said she ultimately decided that the $1.4 million price was too high and that is why she voted against adopting the ordinance on its second reading.

Cohen said that instead of issuing bonds to finance the purchase of the property, she wants to see the deal offset with grants from New Jersey's Green Acres program.

According to officials, Monmouth County will help to offset the purchase price with a $250,000 grant that will have no strings attached, according to Roth.

Roth, Klauber and Lucas said that if Green Acres money is accepted for the purchase of the land it will severely limit the options Manalapan has for making improvements or leasing arrangements with a private entity.

They said that since a story appeared in the News Transcript announcing that a majority of the governing body would like to lease the land to a recreation-oriented private entity, there have been at least four inquiries from private entities interested in talking with officials about business proposals for the tract that would enhance the recreational component.

Roth, Lucas and Klauber have said revenue that is received from a private entity could be used to pay back the bonds and then serve as an ongoing source of revenue for Manalapan.