I am really disturbed with the front page story in your Dec. 21 issue since I was one of the many residents in the township who voted for Green Acres.
I was happy to see that the council unanimously approved a $15 million bond ordinance to acquire open space. I am really concerned with the lack of open space in this township, and I don’t want U.S. Home or any other builder to take what little land we have left or to dictate to our mayor what North Brunswick should do with the land.
Councilwoman Peggy Scarillo’s passion for preserving the 105-acre tract for open space is also my passion and that of the entire council. A few years ago, Mayor David Spaulding wanted the township to purchase the Pulda farm for Green Acres when it wasn’t for sale. The Otken farm is for sale and North Brunswick needs the open space.
Why is the mayor now talking to U.S. Home about building 400 new homes on the farm when he was for the open space all along? Could he be upset with the entire council because they said no to an ordinance pertaining to the salaries of high-ranking municipal employees? If anyone deserves an increase in salary, it’s the men in blue, our police department, who put their lives on the line to keep North Brunswick safe.
There are only three parcels of land left for open space, and the Otken farm is the largest of the three. With this land, we can have our open space, a park, a working farm and playing fields. The other parcel of land, the Pulda farm, is not for sale, and the DKM property is on Route 1. All you need to do is drive through North Brunswick to see the previous administration did nothing to preserve open space. If we lose this one, all of North Brunswick loses.
Margie Demark
North Brunswick