Fund for Roosevelt embarks on preservation activities

By Bob Fleming

ROOSEVELT — The Fund for Roosevelt Inc. has been successful in its land preservation endeavors since its incorporation and expects to continue to be successful in the future — that was the message delivered by Dr. Rod Tulloss, the fund’s president, at the organization’s first annual meeting.

Incorporated in February 1999, the fund achieved nonprofit recognition in May as an organization founded to preserve open space, farmland, history and community in Roosevelt, Tulloss said.

"The Board of Trustees for the fund began actively negotiating in August to purchase the first farmland to be acquired for land preservation," he said. "We en-tered the Farmland Preservation Program last fall as an extension of our efforts to preserve land for open space."

    Dr. Rod Tulloss Dr. Rod Tulloss

The fund lists 76 households in Roosevelt as its members, with more than 100 members comprising the total ranks, Tulloss said. Members include current residents, former residents and individuals with family members residing or who previously resided in Roosevelt.

"More than 30 other individuals and foundations from 11 states have joined our organization," Tulloss said. "You can see that support comes from a broad range from within and outside our town borders."

According to Tulloss, the fund experienced several "firsts" during 1999, which included receiving the first acquisition grant from the Monmouth County Conser-vation Foundation; being the first Mon-mouth County applicant for the state’s Planning Incentive Grant; and to have the first Environmental Endowment of New Jersey acquisition grant application pending approval.

The fund began its land acquisition and farmland preservation efforts by targeting approximately 500 acres in the northern section of Roosevelt, west of Route 571. At this time, the fund holds options on more than 230 acres in Roosevelt and approximately 9 acres in Millstone.

"That acreage was made up by combining the diverse lots of three landowners into two farms, which are north and south of Nurko Road," Tulloss said. "The properties are owned by Ann and Anna Nurko, John and Concetta Cuzzolino and D’Amico and Sons."

For each farm, one inseverable acre will be designated for a home to front on Nurko Road. The sale of the development rights for these properties to the county will be completed this year, he said. The development rights are then stripped from the property and the owner retains title to the property until it is sold for farmland use only.

The county has rated the two farms as third and sixth among a group of 11 applicants for the farmland preservation program, Tulloss said.

The fund is awaiting the announcement of the level of farmland preservation funding for land preservation efforts, which is expected in August, according to representatives of the Monmouth County Agricul-ture Development Board.

According to Tulloss, the properties are listed with David J. Ennis Associates, Pittstown, the fund’s land acquisition for conservation consultant. Legal consultation is being provided by James P. Wyse, a local attorney.

"We have already identified a buyer for the northern farm and don’t expect to have a problem identifying future buyers for other properties," Tulloss said.

Funding for the organization comes from several sources, including county and state contributions to farmland preservation, proceeds from the resale of properties, donations from individuals and foundations and loans, according to Tulloss.

"At this time, approximately 65 percent of our income is spent directly on our land acquisition and preservation goals," he said. "Farmland preservation is happening all around us."

According to Tulloss, involvement with the fund was a learning experience for all who were involved with it during the past year.

"The town is valued for its history, its design and creativity, for its ecology, farming and the vital community that it is," Tulloss said. "Roosevelt sells itself if given the opportunity. There’s no place else like it."

Looking ahead to the future, Tulloss said the Fund for Roosevelt could benefit from membership in a chamber of commerce, which should be considered by Roosevelt residents.

Trustees and officers of the fund for 2000-01 are: Rod Tulloss, president; Kirk Rothfuss, secretary; Michael Ticktin, treasurer; Sol Libsohn, Alan Mallach and Judith Trachtenberg. The Fund for Roosevelt Web site is http://pluto.njcc.
com/~ret/ffr/.