SOUTH BRUNSWICK: Mayoral candidates discuss open space goals

By Davy James, Staff Writer
   Candidates for mayor say that preserving open space is a high priority, but must be carefully considered when also evaluating the need to maintain the township ratable base.
   Three candidates are seeking the four-year mayoral seat: Democrat Frank Gambatese, who has served as mayor for the past eight years; independent Debra Johnson, a former mayor; and Republican, Michael Kushwara, a retired township police officer.
   Close to 5,000 acres of open space have been preserved out of about 25,000 total acres of land in the township.

Frank Gambatese


Democrat (I)

   Mayor Frank Gambatese, 74, of Kendall Park, is a retired accountant who has served on the Township Council since 1998, including the last eightyears as mayor.
   He said the opportunity to purchase large parcels of land has diminished and the township must carefully consider location when determining future open space purchases.
   ”What we’re looking for now is to find small parcels that may be in between large developments,” Mayor Gambatese said. “We want to give relief to people living near developed areas and give relief to animals in the area so they can continue to survive without being squeezed out.”
   Mayor Gambatese said almost 20 percent of township land has been preserved as open space through the combined purchases of the state, county and township. He said future open-space purchases must be carefully assessed and dispersed throughout areas of the township that needs to have more open space.
   He also added that economic conditions must be considered when weighing open-space purchases.
   ”The economy is not in great shape so we have to double our efforts to try and bring in clean ratables that bring tax revenue and offset budget increases,” Mayor Gambatese said. “But we also can’t slow down our purchases of open space. We need to make sure our ratables are being developed properly in industrial areas to make sure we’re not clogging our roadways and draining our wetlands. It’s a delicate balance.”
   Mayor Gambatese said priorities should be placed on bringing in commercial and industrial businesses while not overburdening the school system and roadways with too much housing. He said careful planning must be used in the future for township development.
   ”Our planners are looking at what they need to do over the next five years as far as growth is concerned,” he said. “We still have about 9,000 acres of non-developed land and that needs to be planned very carefully. I’m pleased with the progress we’ve made with open space since I’ve been mayor, we’ve been very aggressive with our purchases, developed new parks and now we need to take a serious look at the property that remains and where in the township needs more open space.”

Debra Johnson


Independent 

   Debra Johnson, 44, is an attorney who resides in Monmouth Junction and previously served as mayor of South Brunswick from 1998 to 2002.
   She questions the recent township purchase of the former Rocky Top Dog Park for $360,000 and said future open space purchases should be carefully considered for their possible benefits.
   ”We need to try and get larger patches of land for the best price we can get,” Ms. Johnson said. “The priority has to be on larger pieces of land that will benefit the township, land that will help us avoid over-development and will keep the environment safe. I grew up here and I want to make sure we maintain the rural character of South Brunswick because that’s why a lot of us moved here and stay here.”
   Ms. Johnson said the Open Space Trust Fund, which is replenished yearly through open space taxes, must be looked at each year to determine the township’s needs for open space and what the needs of citizens are throughout South Brunswick.
   ”We always need to look at our tax base for how much we’re bringing in and how much we need,” Ms. Johnson said. “It’s a question of trying to find revenues other than development. We need clean ratables but they need to be in a good location and we need to work with our existing businesses to make sure they stay. We need to build up the commercial element rather than residential growth because that burdens our schools and it becomes difficult to educate our kids in overcrowded classrooms.”
   Ms. Johnson said that during her time as mayor the township made a huge push to decrease residential growth while keeping taxes stable.
   ”A lot of people say things are harder now than they have ever been,” she said. “But I was mayor of South Brunswick during 9/11 and that was a more challenging time. You have to put in the work and not sit back and rely on your staff. We need to use open space funds to purchase critical land that’s needed for a transitional zone or recreational zone. We have a mandate from the town and can’t waste money to purchase a dog park that serves no critical need.”

Michael Kushwarra


Republican

   Michael Kushwara, 50, is a retired sergeant for the South Brunswick Police Department who resides in Kendall Park. He said a careful balance must be maintained when evaluating open space purchases and each purchase needs careful evaluation.
   ”Certain factors need to be considered in regard to properties involved and should take into account current economic trends and impacts,” Mr. Kushwara said in an e-mail. “The possibility that the subject property is likely or unlikely to be developed in a negative fashion is of importance.”
   Mr. Kushwara said that, with each purchase, the location of open space must be carefully examined to determine the benefit of the property to residents and to weigh whether or not the land itself is developable.
   ”We must consider that there are constraints on properties, such as wetlands, terrain and contamination, which limit the ability to be developed and prioritize each acquisition,” he said. “Furthermore, the proximity to existing parcels of dedicated open space and parklands also need to be considered but should not be the sole reason in determining the validity of a property purchase.”
   Mr. Kushwara also objects to the purchase of the dog park because he questions the fairness of residents being charged a fee to use open space when it is their tax dollars that are used to purchase the property. The dog park currently charges township residents a monthly fee of $20 if they choose to use the park. The Township Council is considering whether to continue operating the park as a business once all current user contracts expire or whether to use the land as open space.
   ”It is my opinion that the way the township conducts open space purchases is deceptive with regards to the use of bonds,” Mr. Kushwara said. “South Brunswick taxpayers are charged approximately 4 cents per hundred dollars to maintain the Open Space Trust Fund, which at last report had approximately $2.6 million. However, the township continues to bond all purchases over $250,000.00 and spread our municipal debt over a 15-year period. The funding formula given the current economic climate needs a comprehensive review and if warranted a reduction in the amount taxed to local residents and businesses needs to be implemented.”