READINGTON — Mayor Frank Gatti met Saturday with the owners of Solberg Airport and said afterward that he will move to withdraw a proposed ordinance authorizing purchase of the property for $2 million.

Gatti said he will take the action at a public meeting of the Readington Township Committee on Monday night. The meeting, beginning at 7:30 p.m., will be held at Holland Brook School, 52 Readington Road.

Gatti said after meeting with the airport's owners that he decided to ask for the withdrawal of the ordinance to proceed with "good-faith" discussions with the Solberg family.

"I will inform the committee about my request to withdraw the ordinance," Gatti said. "As mayor, I can not make a motion, but hopefully one of the Township Committee members will make a motion to withdraw the ordinance and then another will second the motion."

Gatti said he will also allow public comment on the issue.

"We basically had a very productive meeting," Gatti said of his discussionwith Solberg Airport owners Thor and Lorraine Solberg and Suzanne Solberg-Nagle on Saturday.

"I'm basically doing this because we are very early in discussions as to where we all are on this and I'm trying to move forward with good-faith discussions with the family about what the township's goals are and what their goals are, all in front of the public."

Thor Solberg could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Christa Segalini can be reached at (908) 782-2300 or csegalin@c-n.com.

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Date: August 21, 2005 Source: from the Courier News website www.c-n.com
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