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Many disagree on how to fund Lombardi fixups
Potential use of $6M given to town by developer is at issue
BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer
OLD BRIDGE - While members of the township's governing body agree that Lombardi field is in need of improvements, some officials disagree with a plan for the township to foot part of the bill.
"I know the residents are very interested in getting this done, and I am too, but it's a matter of being responsible," Councilman Richard Greene said. "I'm not going to rob Peter to pay Paul."
Greene, along with Councilman Reggie Butler, Councilwoman Lucille Panos and Councilman Bob Volkert, voted on Feb. 25 against using township escrow funds from a developer to rehabilitate the field, used by Old Bridge High School but located at Carl Sandburg Middle School, Route 516.
Atlantic Realty, the developer ofWoodhaven Village, agreed in 1989 to contribute $6 million, or $3,000 per certificate of occupancy for each residential unit built, to the township. The contribution was a condition of the Woodbridge-based developer's 20-year general development plan (GDP) approval.With 300 units built, a total of $1,089,473 now sits in a township account earmarked for a community project.
But just what type of project the funds are to be used for has become a sticking point among town officials.
According to Mayor Jim Phillips, the developer's contributions were intended for a school or community project. He said Lombardi field fits the bill perfectly.
"The applicant has proposed to construct or contribute funds [up to a maximum expenditure of $6 million] to the construction of a school or other community facility, the ultimate nature of which will be determined by the Township Council," according to the text of the Planning Board approval, dated Oct. 10, 1989.
Others say the money was meant to be used in the area of Woodhaven, off Old Bridge Englishtown Road, either for a school or some other type of community facility.
"The money is designated for down there," Panos said. "It says so in the resolution. Nothing said that money was supposed to rehabilitate the board's mismanagement of that field."
Later in the approval, Panos' claim is substantiated. It specifies that funds were to be contributed toward "... construction of a community facility on said site. ..."
The report also states that the developer is to donate a centrally located 15- acre parcel of the site to the township. In a letter to then-Township Engineer Nelson Iglesias, dated Oct. 18, 1996, Township Planner Sam Rizzo wrote that "the applicant is to dedicate the 15-acre parcel of land for the school site. ..."
Phillips pointed out that there were two options in the approval. One was for the developer to construct a facility equal to $6 million on the 15-acre site, and the other was for the funds to be put into an account for the township. Since the developer opted to make the contributions, it is now up to the council to decide an appropriate use for the money, according to Phillips.
Two fellow Democrats, Butler and Volkert, see it differently.
"Those funds are spoken for," Butler said. "That money is coming from the people
who were buying [the residences]."
Volkert added, "The developer isn't going to reach into his own pocket to donate that $3,000. When the developer sells that house, that $3,000 is worked into the price."
Atlantic Realty has contributed for all of the 300 units constructed, though 138 of them are still owned by the company or its subsidiaries, according to Township Business Administrator Mike Jacobs. He said most of the 138 units are rentals.
According to Butler, if the developer's funds are used for Lombardi field, the township will end up with a lawsuit on its hands.
Phillips pointed out thatAtlantic Realty has accepted the proposed project as an appropriate use for the funds.
"In the vernacular of the old hamburger commercial, 'Where's the beef?'" Phillips said. "If we can use the developer's money instead of using taxpayer dollars, where's the harm in that?"
Opponents of using the funds for the project had plenty of answers to that question.
"When you take money out of a designated purpose, down the road when you need that money for what it was intended for, then you have to go back to the taxpayer," Volkert said.
Panos said the builder has GDP approval to construct 2,000 residential units, making it likely that a school or other type of facility will become a necessity in the area at some point. While acknowledging that the township is currently involved in a legal battle withAtlantic Realty over the GDP, Panos said it would be short-sighted to spend the money elsewhere.
Greene agreed.
"I certainly feel it should be used in that area of town," Greene said. "I think it's a misappropriation of funds."
But Phillips said that only the $1 million that has accumulated in the account thus far would be used, leaving future contributions for other projects that might become necessary. He added that Woodhaven has good recreational facilities for its residents.
Greene said he is looking into the court case to find out its current status. If the judge rules that no more homes can be built at Woodhaven, Greene said, he would consider using the developer's funds to rehab the field.
"I support [the project] 100 percent," Greene said. "But I haven't been given all the background I need to make a fair and honest decision."
Butler also said more was needed before such a decision came before the council. Phillips first put the matter on the agenda as a discussion item, then changed it to an action item before last week's meeting, Butler said.
"I don't think the residents even knew about it," Butler said. "You can't rush anything through. I think you need to have input from the community."
While some residents may not have been aware of the vote, there was a large turnout in support of the field renovations. Superintendent of Schools Simon Bosco and twomembers of the Board of Education; staff fromthe high school;members of the high school football team; coaches; and members of six youth leagues all attended the Feb. 25 meeting, Butler said.
"If that's not intimidation, what is it?" Butler said.
Phillips pointed out that proponents of the project who spoke at the meeting did not convince the council to vote in favor of using the escrow funds.
"I don't think there's anyone on the face of the Earth who can intimidate Councilman Butler," Phillips said.
According to Butler, Phillips has plans to reintroduce the vote at the March 10 council meeting, since councilmen Kevin Calogera and Brian Cahill were absent for the first one. The vote should have been tabled in their absence, Butler said.
If Butler wanted the item to be tabled, Phillips said, he could havemade amotion to do so. The next meeting will present an opportunity for residents to provide input on the matter, he said.
Leave it to the school board?
Aside from the ongoing debate over the escrow funds, some council members said they think the Board of Education should take responsibility for the field renovations. Both Greene and Panos said the board could come up with the necessary money on their own.
The board received a 20-percent increase in state aid this year, or $7.8million, as a result of a new school funding formula. The district has dedicated $1.4 million of that to the Lombardi Stadiumrenovations.
"If we don't get outside source funding, we're going to have to do it in stages," Bosco said.
Greene pointed out that the board has more than $2 million in surplus funds. Panos asserted that the board was able to find the funds to avoid making cuts mandated by the council last year, so they should be able to do the same now.
"That's the word of a person who doesn't understand budgeting, or is trying to put that spin on it," Bosco said.
The board tookmoney fromother areas of the budget in order to reduce it last year, Bosco said. For example, since the district does not receive a bill for health insurance until mid-May, officials estimate the amount due, which often includes increases. Since there was no increase last year, that extra money was put back into the budget, Bosco said.
Panos also took issue with the board's plan to open a daycare center for district employees next year.
"Where are your priorities? [Are they] with the kids, or with the employees? The Board of Education has to tighten their belt with this," Panos said.
Bosco said money for the daycare center is not included in the budget for the coming year. The funds are coming from this year's maintenance account. Retrofitting the John Glenn School on Cindy Street, which is currently unused, will bring money into the district, Bosco said. Employees and residents will pay to enroll their children in the program.
The daycare program is also slated to be mandated by the state for economically disadvantaged children by next year,making it a prudent measure to take now, Bosco said.
"I don't think she's been given the correct information," Bosco said. "If she wants to make a decision, she's going to need to have the correct information."
Panos said she called ameeting with the mayor and three other council members, alongwith township and school officials. The was scheduled for yesterday at 4:30 p.m. Panos hoped themeetingwould provide a chance for all involved to discuss the project in-depth, so no looming questions remain.
One issue Panos had was a discrepancy in numbers on estimates fromthe Board of Education and the township's Recreation Department. For example, while the township estimated the total cost of replacing the grass field with synthetic turf at $770,400, the board's estimate, taken from a draft, topped off at $900,000.
Panos said she would like to see the recreation department do maintenance of the field, as opposed to the township contributing money for its refurbishment.
According to Volkert, the board should pose a ballot question to the public to find out whether taxpayers want the field renovations to take place.
Regardless of how the council votes next week, improvements to the field will occur. The only variable is the speed with which they will be completed. Phillips said he is keeping his fingers crossed to be able to provide township funds for the project.
"The children ofOldBridge are everyone's responsibility," Phillips said. "I'mreally hopingwe can find a compromise or a solution to this. No one can say that I, as a mayor, did not try tomake it better for the children."
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