PLUMSTED – Nearly 20 people came up to the microphone to speak out about a recent ordinance that would have rezoned four lots in the downtown New Egypt business district but there were also other concerns voiced during the latest Township Committee meeting.
While the ordinance was voted down, residents expressed their anger about the meeting’s rescheduling to 3 p.m. that Thursday afternoon which some felt was a means to push through the ordinance without sufficient public participation.
Mayor Dominick Cuozzo said that this was the only time a meeting of the committee could occur if the governing body was to have a meeting in August.
Committeeman Robert Bowen called for tabling of the ordinance for a September 5 workshop session of the committee for discussion. When an ordinance is tabled, it is taken off of the agenda for a later time.
Deputy Mayor Herb Marinari, noting the 111 member head count of the audience – despite the change in time from the normal 7 p.m. – said, “these people came out for a reason. It is either going to move or it is not going to move.”
Audience members called out collectively, “no action.”
Marinari, Bowen and Committeeman Leonard Grilletto voted against the rezoning. Committeeman Michael Hammerstone abstaining via phone, saying, “I want the public’s input on this because something has to happen for the school but I understand it doesn’t need to be so broad. We are going to have amend this to make it work.”
“I agree,” Grilletto said in reference to Hammerstone’s remarks.
“As written, no,” the mayor having stated that he, Township Attorney Jean Cipriani and Township Clerk Jennifer Witham had been involved in drafting the ordinance.
Grilletto said he received the ordinance a day prior without information that explained where the impacted lots were located within the downtown area of New Egypt. “You can’t make a decision unless you have all these facts.”
“I take offense to your implication that we are hiding facts,” Mayor Cuozzo shot back. The audience had applauded Grilletto’s comment but jeered the mayor’s response to it.
“I was all in favor of making a change for the school (that would have allowed for a zoning change to allow the school district to enter into a land preservation arrangement with Ocean County or a land sale) but all of this is for a residential zone,” Grilletto said.
Cuozzo made the motion calling for the tabling of the ordinance and to reschedule it for a public workshop session without action, a move initially proposed by Bowen. That was unanimously approved.
“We look back to this community 20 years ago and at times Assemblyman (Ron) Dancer was mayor and he was like a brother to me but Ron was hesitant on moving another penny or two on taxes and we wouldn’t be where we are now if we had moved then adding a few pennies. This could be something totally negated by this community but I think it needs to be further discussed,” Marinari said.
“How we expand C-4 zoning will solve big problems in our town and nobody else seems to be worried about the $600,000 deficit of the MUA (Municipal Utilities Authority),” Mayor Cuozzo stated.
The first resident to speak during the public comment period of the meeting was Bernard Bahnam who said “Mayor let me remind you, you said the purpose of expanding this (C-4 zoning) is that it allows for the expansion of the sewer.”
Cuozzo denied ever saying that. “You misunderstood. Again, there is a lot of misunderstandings.”
Megan Brandl brought up starting an organization to organize youth programs. “It is a free program with various activities getting the kids in the community interacting in a positive way.” She said she had some ideas and wanted to discuss fundraising for the school district which has a $2.4 million deficit. The mayor suggested she bring her ideas to the School Board.
Resident Mellissa Collins supported a zoning change that would assist the school district to be able to sell their property and help offset their deficit but added, “it seems that discussion very rapidly turned into rezoning many other areas.”
Collins asked the governing body to “look at the town master plan and those rezonings in a more meticulous way. The fact is the town is in debt and the school district doesn’t have a balanced budget.”
“Mayor Cuozzo now that you are more clearly informed that you can have meetings and you don’t have to make a decision especially on a very, very important topic before it comes to a vote, I look forward to seeing that in your further action since you love transparency,” Collins added.
