By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — None of the developers tapped by the township to redevelop Skillman Village submitted proposals for the 40-acre, mixed-use portion of the site, Planning Director Lori Savron confirmed Monday.
The news that none of the three companies — Tarragon Development Corp., Sharbell Development Corp. and Back to Nature — moved to submit proposals for the parcel represents a setback for Montgomery officials.
The 40-acre site is deemed crucial to recouping some of the $20 million the township has spent on redeveloping the 260-acre property.
But township officials chose to downplay the developers’ inaction, linking it to the current real estate and financial turmoil rather than any fundamental flaws in the development plans.
It was the result of “market forces totally out of our control,” according to Mayor Cecilia Birge.
Despite the bad news, the current fiscal and real estate conditions in play have made the decision to move forward with cleanup and site work prior to selecting a developer a good one, according to some officials.
If the site had been sold to a developer prior to cleanup, the current financial climate could have resulted in a nightmare scenario for Montgomery — an undeveloped and unremediated Skillman Village site controlled by a developer, officials said.
”We were debating whether to sell the land dirty to a developer or take on the responsibility,” said Mayor Birge. “We didn’t sell it, and given today’s market conditions, I would not be surprised if the developer would have left it and not proceeded with cleanup.”
Township Committee member Mark Caliguire, the lone Republican on the five-person governing body, questioned some of the committee’s development decisions, specifically the expenditure of an additional $5 million on restoring a lake on the property.
Mr. Caliguire said Monday that the lack of proposals did not signal the end of Skillman Village, but meant that taxpayers would continue to be responsible for debt related to the project until development allowed the township to recoup costs.
”From a financial standpoint, the fact that we have so much money already spent means that Montgomery taxpayers have a lot more debt than we ever imagined,” said Mr. Caliguire. “Right now, none of the developers are looking to step up to the plate.”
Until the developers move forward and market conditions improve, other options remain open to the township, as far as securing reimbursement for some of the cleanup and site costs related to the project, Mayor Birge said.
The township has already received a $1.5 million state Department of Environmental Protection grant for the investigation and cleanup of the site, and anticipates open space grants because the vast majority of the site would be preserved as open space or for outdoor recreation.
Even with the lack of redevelopment proposals, developers have suggested putting together a master plan for the site, at no cost to Montgomery. Township employees and consultants are evaluating theidea, which Township Committee members will eventually discuss.
Mr. Caliguire and Mayor Birge confirmed that a special meeting of the Township Committee, Planning Board, and Skillman Village steering committee should also be announced shortly.
Township Republicans, who have made the cost of the project and plans for 270 housing units a campaign issue, labeled the lack of proposals as evidence of mismanagement by the current government. In a statement released by the Republicans, candidate Kacey Dyer lamented the lengthy development process, calling it costly and “a disgrace.”

