Advocacy group for NPDC acquisition sets up Web site

Group hopes that a settlement can be negotiated before litigation kicks in.

By: Kara Fitzpatrick
   MONTGOMERY — Since he was a child, lifetime Montgomery resident Michael Fedun has been familiar with the now-abandoned North Princeton Developmental Center.
   "The site is a site I know well. When I was a child, my aunt and uncle were both employed there (when it was the New Jersey Neuropsychiatric Institute)," said Mr. Fedun. "It was a beautiful site. I’ve witnessed its deterioration."
   Mr. Fedun is one of 12 core members of the Citizens’ Committee for North Princeton Developmental Center who are trying to end that spiral of deterioration that has occurred since the 250-acre property was vacated by the state in 1998.
   With the recent launch of its Web site, WWW.NPDCActNow.com, the group is beefing up efforts to get the property into the hands of the township.
   "Montgomery residents are angry and frustrated," said committee spokeswoman Valerie Smith. "Residents want to know more and they want to help get the deal done — that is why we developed our Web site."
   The Web site, which was officially launched about a week ago, is complete with links to the history of the property, photos and a timeline of events leading up to the creation of the citizens’ committee. The site also has a special section titled "act now"— a link with contact information for elected officials, including acting Gov. Richard Codey and state Treasurer John McCormac, allowing people to express possible concerns over the state of the property.
   With the township announcing its intention to sue the state under both the federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act and the state Environmental Rights Acts by the end of the year unless a satisfactory solution is reached, the Citizens’ Committee is calling on residents to become informed and involved in the issue. The group hopes the township and the state can resolve the issue before it goes to litigation.
   "Out of respect for Montgomery Township, we would welcome a role of the citizens’ group as an intermediary to help facilitate negotiations that lead to the sale of this property to Montgomery," said Department of the Treasury spokesperson Tom Vincz.
   Six years of negotiations between the state Department of the Treasury and the township over the NPDC site has failed to come to a conclusion, and meanwhile the property’s condition continues to erode, township officials say. Current estimates of the property cleanup costs are at $10 million, said Mr. Fedun.
   The property is home to more than 100 abandoned buildings and a sewage treatment plant, and is riddled with hazardous waste, including asbestos. The Village Elementary School is located in the heart of the property.
   The Citizens’ Committee cites numerous examples of why it wants the deal between the state and the township to go through as soon as possible. Most of those examples concern safety.
   On Nov. 23, a suspected arson fire destroyed the Lakeside House, a two-story brick building that was one of 15 originally identified for adaptive reuse.
   In early November, a tree located in the NPDC property fell on a power line and caused a power outage at the Village School.
   Citizens’ Committee member Sandra Arnold said with the deadline for litigation approaching, the group has been pushing to bring the two parties back to the negotiating table. The committee hopes to see the property "cleaned up and not be an eyesore and an attraction for vandals."
   Citizens’ Committee members said the two recent events only prove the site is neither safe nor secure, as a spokesman for the Department of the Treasury maintained after the blaze.
   "The fire last week is just another example of how dangerous the situation is. I am amazed that the state could say (the NPDC site) is under control," said Mr. Fedun.
   Aside from the 12 core Citizens’ Committee members, Ms. Smith said there are about 30 people who are updated about committee news and NPDC site developments on a regular basis.
   "The Web site is very informative," said Mr. Fedun. "Information is very important when people want to get something done."
   And the committee has one clear goal it would like to accomplish as soon as possible — to obtain a fair deal and a quick transfer of the NPDC property from the state to the township.
   "We will continue to tell residents the truth about what is going on with this property until it is in township hands, cleaned up and made into a cultural, recreational and educational hub that our community deserves," said Ms. Smith.