Council to vote Monday to continue field use

By Audrey Levine Staff Writer
   MANVILLE — The Borough Council unanimously approved the introduction of an ordinance to enter into a license agreement with the Somerset County Parks Commission to allow the borough to continue supervising the former Johns-Manville landfill site on Dukes Parkway East, current home of the Manville Youth Athletic League (MYAL) complex, last month.
   The land was recently purchased by the county.
   Councilwoman Kathy Quick recused herself from the ordinance vote because she works for the Somerset County Clerk’s Office.
   According to Gary Garwacke, borough administrator, the county recently purchased the land, and a license agreement has to be approved for the borough to continue to allow the MYAL to maintain its complex there.
   ”We needed the license agreement to continue our supervision of the land,” he said. “Before, we were on borrowed land, but now we had to make sure that all our interests were met.”
   Public hearing for the ordinance will be held Monday.
   The Borough Council also unanimously approved a resolution stating the borough will continue to maintain the land even though the county has purchased the 68.5 acres with funds from the Somerset County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund.
   The resolution states that the recreation area for the MYAL complex uses about 15 acres of the land. Mr. Garwacke said the rest of the property is not used by the borough.
   Ms. Quick did not recuse herself from the vote on this resolution. Mr. Garwacke said this was a mistake, but that it would not affect the vote.