Mayor determined to buy fairgrounds

Discussions between E.B. and fair association to continue next week

By vincent todaro

Staff Writer

East Brunswick township officials are concentrating on purchasing the Middlesex County Fairgrounds rather than continuing to lease the Cranbury Road property, Mayor William Neary said this week.

However, according to the Middlesex County Fair Association, its owner, the land is not for sale.

The two sides met and discussed the property that the township uses to play soccer and to access Dideriksen Park, last Thursday at a private meeting at the municipal building. Though both sides reported that some progress has been made, neither would discuss the details.

The contract allowing the township to use the fairgrounds expires Dec. 31, and the fair association has previously said it does not wish to continue the relationship unless the township will live up to the contract terms. The fair association sent the Township Council a letter in September, stating that, after several decades, it no longer would allow township’s sporting events to be played on its 50-plus acres. Members later said the reason for wanting to end the agreement had nothing to do with a lawsuit the association filed against the township over a zoning change. Rather, it was because the township has violated contract terms and has made it difficult for the private nonprofit group to schedule its own events there.

Neary has said in response that officials would make sure the fields remain available to the township sports organizations. He said the council would negotiate with the association to purchase the grounds.

After an initial meeting between the two sides, township officials said they were optimistic a new contract would soon be drawn up.

Neary told the Sentinel this week that he is not prepared to talk to the media about continuing the lease agreement; however, his focus, he said, is to acquire some or all of the fairgrounds property.

"We don’t know why we shouldn’t be able to come to terms [on a selling price]," he said.

He would not say if the township would pursue a new lease contract should it not be able to purchase the fairgrounds. He said the council is determined to buy the site.

"I’m not prepared to make any comments about what will happen if we don’t buy it," Neary said.

However, according to the association’s president, Barbara Foerter, the fairgrounds property is not for sale, and will not be in the near future.

"They have not communicated they are willing to sell the property," Neary acknowledged.

"It really isn’t for sale," Foerter said. "That’s how we are moving along, that it is not for sale."

"Where would we go? What would we do?" she said of the association.

Neary said that if the township purchases the fairgrounds, it would allow the association to have its annual summer fair on the property.

The township has received two property appraisals already, he said. Since it may not choose to purchase the entire property, officials are interested in getting a good price per acre, he said.

"Time is a priority. We have to get this resolved in time for kids to play soccer [in the spring]," he said.

"However we do it, the kids are going to use the fields in the spring," he said.

Council President Jeffrey Simon has said he wants the fields at the fairgrounds to be upgraded.

Both sides said they realize they are working under a tight deadline.

"We’d like to have something settled by Dec. 31, because that is the end of the existing contract," Foerter said, adding that it is possible negotiations will continue into next year.

Another meeting is scheduled for Dec. 12.