Town sets agenda

Monroe looks to 2006.

By: Audrey Levine
   MONROE — Councilmen Jerry Tamburro and Hank Miller and Councilwoman Joanne Connolly will be sworn into office Sunday, when the Township Council reorganizes for 2006;.
   The meeting will be held at the Town Hall at noon at Town Hall. Mr. Tamburro, Mr. Miller and Ms. Connolly were elected to four-year seats on the council in November’s general election.
   This will mark Mr. Tamburro’s second term, Mr. Miller’s fifth term and Ms. Connolly’s fourth.
   Mr. Tamburro said he has several plans for the coming year, most of which are things he started work on during his previous term.
   He said he wants to work on expansion projects at the Recreation Center and the library. Both will be doubled in size on land adjacent to the current properties.
   Mr. Tamburro said the library will expand the children’s and video and DVD sections. At the Recreation Center, the expansion simply means more space.
   "The programs (in the Recreation Center) are just incredible," he said.
   Mr. Tamburro said he is also looking forward to the construction of a freestanding senior center.
   Fixing traffic problems on Route 33 is also a goal for the new term. He said traffic from Routes 18, 1 and 9 all contribute to the problem.
   "I want a well-designed plan to avoid this," he said.
   Mr. Tamburro said that possible plans for retail stores and one for a new ballpark in the area could help the problem.
   "If we can accomplish a majority of this, we will have a full plate for the year," he said. "I like being involved in the town."
   Mr. Miller said one of his main goals for the upcoming term is to control development.
   "We need to control and slow down the building of houses," he said.
   In addition, Mr. Miller is looking to ensure that Monroe keeps its taxes the lowest in the county.
   "We will do this by pinching dollars," he said. "We will control growth, (maintain) a tight budget and keep salaries for workers in the middle area (for the state)."
   Mr. Miller said the council also is looking to assist the Board of Education in the building of a new high school and elementary school.
   "This is a wonderful town," said Mr. Miller. "I enjoy having this opportunity to serve the community."
   Ms. Connolly said she has many of the same goals as her co-council members, but that she is most concerned with the changes to the Recreation Department.
   As the Recreation liaison, Ms. Connolly is looking to complete a third girls softball field as well as install stadium bleachers at the Daniel P. Ryan Wolverine football field and expand the community center to double its current size.
   "Every bit of space is being used," she said. "All the programs are close to 1,000 in number."
   In addition, Ms. Connolly said the council wants to build a park, tentatively named Avenue K Park, which will include playing fields, a tot park, bike paths and walking paths. It is now in development on 36 acres.
   Ms. Connolly said she is looking forward to expanding the public library and building a freestanding senior center.
   The center is in the basement of the Municipal Building right now, but she said the council will be drawing up plans and putting out bids for the construction of a new building in the coming year.
   Ms. Connolly said she wants to work on preserving open space, and supports new zoning laws to meet that end.
   "We only want 50 percent of Monroe developed and 50 percent not developed," she said. "We try to preserve as much open land as possible.