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Monmouth Freeholders Step Up After Port Authority Reneges On Park Funding

Freeholder Lillian Burry, Open Space Champion

Freeholder Lillian Burry, Open Space Champion

Monmouth County will have a new 250 acre park in Aberdeen and Marlboro Townships, despite the fact that Port Authority of NY/NJ backed out of a commitment to fund $5 million to purchase 87.8 acres of the open space from a developer who had approvals to build 250 homes on the property.

Today, the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders approved funding the entire $10.6 million land purchase from Aberdeen/Wilson Associates, LLC through the County’s Open Space Trust Fund.

“The Port Authority appears to be unwilling to honor its commitment of sharing to fund a project that will preserve significant portions of the Matawan Creek watershed and eventually provide a 250-acre park,” said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the County Park System. “The Port Authority’s offer to help move this deal forward appears to have been withdrawn.  Fortunately, Monmouth County has an invaluable Open Space Trust Fund to finance the entire purchase.”

State Senator Joe Kyrillos praised the Freeholder Board, the NY/NJ Baykeeper and Aberdeen Township for making the park a reality and slammed Port Authority for backing out of the deal.

“The Monmouth County Freeholders led by Freeholders Burry and Arnone, Aberdeen Mayor Fred Tagliarini and its Council together with the Baykeeper and the Monmouth Conservation Foundation have done a tremendous job to create this park, which was several years in the making due to unthinkable complications. They have set an example for the rest of New Jersey and its local governments in finding a creative open space solution that will benefit generations to come.

“The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, on the other hand, has once again demonstrated government at its worst and proved to be an untrustworthy public entity, by reneging on its years-long obligation to fund about half of this project. The Port Authority further lost the public’s trust by failing to hold up their end in a compromise with the freeholders that would have allowed the agency to reduce its cost share by $2 million to fulfill its obligation. Thank goodness for the leadership of Monmouth’s Freeholders along with the Baykeeper.”

In their resolution approving the funding, the Freeholders called on Port Authority to honor their commitment and specified that should Port Authority honor their commitment or any portion thereof, that those funds would go back into the Open Space Trust Fund.

“Time is of the essence in moving forward with this purchase of open space to create a new County park in Aberdeen,” said Freeholder Director Gary J. Rich. “The property owners have made their intention to sell the entire 87.8 acres by this spring.”

A conservation partnership between Monmouth County, Aberdeen Township, the NY/NJ Baykeeper, the NJ DEP Green Acres Program, the Monmouth County Conservation Foundation and Port Authority had been working on creating the park since 2011.  In 2013, the County agreed to the $10.6 purchase of the Freneau acreage designated for development from the developer, subject to Port Authority’s $5 million contribution which was agreed to by David Wildstein, the the Director of Capital Projects at Port Authority.

Last August, the Freeholders approved their $5.6 million share of the purchase, but Wildstein was no longer at Port Authority having resigned under pressure after being implicated in the “Bridgegate” George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal.  Wildstein’s replacements at Port Authority would not honor the commitment, first offering $2 million instead of $5 million and then backing out all together.

Kryillos, Burry and Freeholder Tom Arnone, as well as the Baykeeper, Monmouth County Parks Director Jim Truncer and Tagliarini have been working to keep the project alive over the last 6-7 months, culminating with today’s action by the Freeholder Board.

“The new park will encompass hardwood uplands, open recreational areas and headwater lowland areas with significant storm water storage capacity,” said Burry. “Protecting and managing these resources are important issues to the local community. This park needs to be created in perpetuity.”

 

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Posted: February 26th, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Monmouth County, Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, Monmouth County Park System | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

4 Comments on “Monmouth Freeholders Step Up After Port Authority Reneges On Park Funding”

  1. The Cowardly Monmouth County Republican Senators Need to Overide the Christie Veto! said at 12:52 pm on February 27th, 2015:

    This is one of the many reasons Republican senators need to support their original vote by overriding the governor.

    Failing to support their votes, is a vote for corruption, patronage, and lack of transparency in the Port Authority. It’s time to stand up to one of the most unethical governors in recent New Jersey history.

    http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/02/override_vote_postponed_on_port_authority_reform_b.html

  2. Jim Granelli said at 4:28 pm on February 27th, 2015:

    Talk about cowardly…

    We should accept the word of a coward that hides behind a computer screen and makescharges?

  3. You Mean Joe Kyrillos Finally said something? said at 8:36 am on February 28th, 2015:

    My commute on NJ Transit is going up to make way for this guy, and Christie friend, Mike Drewniak.

    The job was never posted, and the job never existed before. Sounds to me NJ Transit is the new Port Authority for Christie.

    How about saying something for this Mr. Kyrillos??? Have you ever criticized the governor for raising rates for his well-heeled friends??

    Mike Corning

  4. Who is Aberdeen Wilson? said at 11:44 am on March 2nd, 2015:

    and what is the connection?