After listening to nearly three hours of public comment, the Readington Township Committee on Tuesday adopted a $22 million bond ordinance to finance a potential acquisition of Solberg Airport.
Township officials stressed that this bond makes the money available and that a separate ordinance would be needed to condemn or buy the 726-acre property. "A municipal acquisition is not being contemplated at this time," Mayor Gerard Shamey told the several hundred residents who packed Holland Brook School. "This is not an eminent domain ordinance."
With the bond ordinance in place, officials will await the results of an appraisal they recently authorized the law firm Connell Foley to have done. The Township Committee could then make a formal offer to the family and then enter into what Shamey described as "serious, formal" negotiations.
While he said that the ordinance is needed to continue negotiations with Solberg Aviation, he made it clear that the township won't allow an expansion of the main runway past its licensed length of 3,735 feet. It is currently paved to 3,000 feet.
"Any expansion beyond 3,735 feet will pave the way for corporate jets and forever change the face of the township," Shamey said. According to the township, the final Solberg proposal during the recent round of negotiations called for limiting expansion of the runway to 5,000 feet.
Officials told residents that the owner of a $400,000 house would pay an extra $60 per year if $12 million in grants is coupled a $6 million low-interest loan and $4 million market-rate loan. If no grants are obtained, that home owner would pay an extra $55 for the first three years and then $165 annually for 16 years.
Even though Thor Solberg addressed the committee and residents at length, he didn't say what intentions Solberg Aviation has for the property. "It's important for everybody to recognize we can't make any changes without a lot of red tape, none of which is in the process" he said, urging residents to sign a petition that could force officials to put the bond ordinance to a public referendum.
"The bond is not needed to negotiate in good faith. It's only needed for eminent domain, which is fundamentally wrong," he said. "I beg you not to be so callous. We're people who have spent a lifetime on the property."
Shamey said the time has come for the committee to resolve this issue. "You ask for good faith, but you show none," he told Mr. Solberg. "You ask for honesty, but you show none. It's time for an honesty check."
The mayor asked Solberg to "tell the residents exactly what you would like to do."
"I don't know what we want to do," Mr. Solberg responded. "It's up to future generations to decide."
Resident Laurie Fischer suggested that future negotiations be open to the public. "This is not an issue of today; it's an issue of tomorrow," she said. "I would like to see finality, and I appreciate the legacy, but at some point home owners should consider balancing increasing taxes and a loss of future property values."
The committee introduced a similar ordinance last year, but withdrew it in the face of backlash from residents who viewed it as the first step in a condemnation process.
Copyright © 2006 NJ.com
Date: February 23, 2006 Source: NJ.com
URL: http://www.nj.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1140726611242970.xml?hunterdon?news&coll=12
