MILLSTONE – The Township Committee in Millstone Township has authorized the $2.6 million purchase of a sizable property on Spring Road that will be used for open space and recreation purposes.
Spring Road runs between Stagecoach Road (Route 524) and Trenton-Lakewood Road (Route 526).
During a meeting on June 15, committee members adopted an ordinance authorizing the purchase of 18 Spring Road. The 122-acre property has been deemed useful for recreation and/or open space purposes.
Millstone Township’s purchase of the property will be funded in part with $1.29 million received from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres program and a Monmouth Conservation Foundation grant in the amount of $500,000, according to the ordinance.
Regarding the grant his organization will provide, William D. Kastning, the executive director of the Monmouth Conservation Foundation, said, “MCF is pleased to contribute significant funding toward this important preservation project, increasing the footprint of Millstone Park and preserving green space for Monmouth County residents.
“Our region is facing increasing pressure from development and land preservation is critical for environmental health and our quality of life. We are grateful for our partners in this endeavor and for funding support from the state’s Green Acres program and our patrons to enable this type of investment for our community,” Kastning told the Examiner.
Millstone Township officials have the option to purchase the property jointly with the DEP, Green Acres and/or the Monmouth Conservation Foundation, and/or to assign its interests with those entities. The township may also enroll the property in the Green Acres program, according to the ordinance.
“It is the opinion of the Township Committee that the purchase of this property will further its aims and objectives in setting aside property for public purposes, open space and recreation, and will assist in preserving the quality of life within the township,” municipal officials wrote in the ordinance.
In other business, the committee members appointed Brian Andrews to serve as the coordinator of the Millstone Township Office of Emergency Management (OEM).
According to a resolution, the position was previously held by Mayor Al Ferro, who was appointed OEM coordinator in January. The term for the position was for three years, expiring on Dec. 31, 2024.
After Ferro resigned as OEM coordinator, Andrews was appointed to complete the remainder of the three-year term.
And, committee members appointed Scott Boland as the deputy disaster control director of the OEM. Boland’s three-year term will end on Dec. 31, 2024.
In other action, committee members increased the amount of a contract that had previously been awarded to Joanne Vos of the law firm Maraziti Falcon, LLP, to provide legal services as a special environmental counsel.
The contract, which was awarded in March, was initially for an amount not to exceed $15,000. The revised contract is for an amount not to exceed $25,000.
Finally, committee members appointed Dennis Gibson as a part-time plumbing subcode official and plumbing inspector.
The appointment as a part-time plumbing subcode official runs from May 31, 2022 through May 31, 2026. The appointment as plumbing inspector also began on May 31. Gibson will receive a combined annual salary of $39,000 for the positions.
Examiner Managing Editor Mark Rosman contributed to this article.
