TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Township Council members hope to soon decide whether they should accept a $439,000 Bergen County Open Space grant to offset the purchase of the former swim club, 6.1 acres on Ridgewood Boulevard North, with most members appearing to oppose accepting the funds due to restrictions it will place on what the council may do with the acquisition.
Council President Desserie Morgan said members should send all their questions regarding possible uses of the Swim Club property to Mayor Peter Calamari by Dec. 6 so that the mayor could reach out to officials with the Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund Advisory Committee and get answers on what can be done on the site should council accept the Open Space funding.
Calamari advised members accept the expected $438,750 Open Space grant, which was unofficially approved in September, and was due to be approved by resolution of the Bergen County Commissioners at their Dec. 15 meeting.
However, town business administrator Mark DiCarlo said that grant agreements will be mailed out in mid-February 2023, and those agreements will be the binding documents. Should the council forgo the Open Space funding, it appeared they could wait until then before making a decision.
Calamari said he would reach out to the county Trust Fund committee in the next few days following the Dec. 5 meeting to determine how best to proceed and see if he could get all the council’s questions answered.
He again told council members that the time to ask questions was before the grant application was officially submitted in early May. When council initially discussed possibly not accepting the grant funds at the Nov. 9 meeting, Calamari also said that their questions needed to be asked before the grant was submitted.
Several council members said that the grant consultant, David Biunno, of GLD Associates, should have informed them of the property limitations imposed by acceptance of an Open Space grant.
Poller advised the council to keep their decision on whether to accept funding “on the fast track” even though they appeared to have some time before any grant acceptance paperwork needs to be finalized.
The next regular council meeting is Dec. 19.
Calamari said that the grants consultant told him should the council reject the Open Space funding, it was likely to hurt the Township when they apply for future grants.
Councilman Steven Casio asked DiCarlo what can be done on the site with Open Space funding, asking if an enclosed building could be put where the pool currently is. DiCarlo said the township did not need to use the pool but could not put a building in its place.
He also said no additions could be made to any structure on site.
Cascio asked if a sports dome might take the place of the pool. DiCarlo said that was probably not permitted under the grant.
“That would be something that would hold me back from taking the money. That really ties my hands,” Cascio told DiCarlo.
DiCarlo said the pool could be filled in and the space used but that it cannot be used to add any structures or buildings or make an enclosed space for recreation.
Members also questioned Calamari about when a study being done on the possible uses of Swim Club property by Boswell Engineering would be ready. Calamari said he could ask the consulting engineer to offer an opinion on what might go on the fields so that council could have the information when they decide whether to accept or reject the Open Space funding. He could not give a timeline for a final engineering report.
Council President Desserie Morgan wondered why the report was not ready, noting Boswell had “plenty of time” as the former swim club property was acquired in late April. Calamari had said then that the engineering report was being undertaken, about eight months ago.
While several council members placed blame on the grants consultant for not fully informing them of Open Space grant restrictions, others said it was up to council members to do the research and ask the questions about what could be done if a grant was accepted.
Councilwoman Daisy Velez, who is the town’s public affairs chief, said any funds that come from the state come with restrictions, while vice president Stacey Feeney said several residents had noted that Open Space grants come with restrictions on putting structures on Open Space property at the grant’s public hearing.
Velez said that there may be “retaliation” against the township for not accepting the funding, and doing so may be “tying the hands of future leaders from receiving (Open Space) grants.”
Councilman Tom Sears disagreed, saying “We’re here to make a decision for the community.”
Feeney said the council cannot make an informed decision on what the property’s best uses are without having the Boswell Engineering report. She said all members should get their “wish lists” for the property to Calamari so he could pose questions to Open Space committee officials.
Township attorney Ken Poller said that the council needed to take time to get answers to its questions on what can be done on the property under an Open Space grant.
He said he believed the Township may have turned down grants in the past but added, “You better spend a little extra time getting answers to questions before taking votes that can rupture future relationships.”
He advised against taking any immediate votes to accept or reject the Open Space funds.
Calamari said that the recreation director and recreation superintendent told him that they wanted more field space at the swim club site and he said he would reach out as soon as possible to get answers to the council’s pressing questions on possible future uses at the site.
Poller said that Calamari can likely find out the deadline to accept or pass on funding. He said council members should be able to make a better decision once answers from county officials are received back via Calamari.
Poller said should an urgent need arise to make a decision, the council can always set a special meeting.