‘Parking ban will be enforced’
By Joanne Degnan, Staff Writer
UPPER FREEHOLD — Township Committee members said last week that a street parking ban on township and county roads would be enforced during the Freedom Fest State Fair, but the announcement did not satisfy a group of residents who want the six-day event canceled or at least moved out of Reed Recreation Park.
”They’re just making the rules up as they go along,” complained Alexander Drive resident William Truesdale after the public portion of the April 21 Township Committee meeting ended with municipal officials saying the organizers’ late filing for the fair’s permit was not going to derail the event.
Mr. Truesdale and his neighbors in the Galloping Brook development had urged the Township Committee to break the contract with Freedom Fest State Fair Inc. allowing the July 12-17 event because the fair’s organizers did not file for the required assemblage permit within the 90-day period set by a township ordinance.
Township Attorney Granville M. Magee acknowledged the application was filed about a week late after residents inquired about the permit at the April 14 Township Committee meeting. However, late filings are permitted for “good cause” under the township code that sets the rules for gatherings of 500 or more people.
Mr. Magee said the permit application process is designed to address issues related to traffic, security and sanitary facilities, which already are incorporated into the provisions of the contract itself. Since the contract was signed four months ago, ongoing planning meetings have been taking place with organizers, Township Committee liaisons Steve Alexander and Stan Moslowski Jr., Allentown Borough Council liaisons Jean Hunter and Audrey Mount and county officials, he said.
”The ordinance was designed so that the township wasn’t blindsided by something,” Mr. Magee said.
The Freedom Fest preparations are “progressing in a manner consistent with what was anticipated in the ordinance,” he said.
Mr. Magee said the assemblage ordinance, which was enacted in the mid-1990s, was intended to address situations when “somebody’s parents went out of town, and the backyard became like Woodstock … with bands playing and admission being charged and kegs of beer and all sorts of unanticipated behaviors.”
Brian McGarry, of Galloping Brook Drive, said the contract the township signed with Freedom Fest organizers has provisions that conflict with the township’s own ordinances. For example, while the contract lists the hours of use as 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., the township’s assemblage ordinance says the gatherings cannot last longer than eight hours a day or begin before 9 a.m.
Freedom Fest’s website says the fair will open to the public from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays, from noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. In addition, two Camp Days will be held for summer camp registrants only between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday, July 14, and Friday, July 15, before the fair opens to the public at 5 p.m.
Township Committee members expressed concerns about the legal ramifications the town would face if it tried to break the Freedom Fest contract.
”We have a contract … (and) in executing that contract, we really were giving permission to have Freedom Fest,” Township Committee member Robert Frascella said. “My fear is that if you break a contract with a party, it could end up being worse than a week of Freedom Fest.”
”I don’t believe the location is going to change,” Mayor LoriSue Mount told the residents, who gave the Township Committee a petition signed by 152 residents of Allentown and Upper Freehold who are opposed to the event.
”If it does not go well, I will not support having it there next year,” Mayor Mount said. “A parking ban will be enforced so, hopefully, that satisfies your concerns about (fair-goers) parking in Galloping Brook.”
Township Committee member Steve Alexander said Freedom Fest’s president, Nick DeMauro, had agreed to pay for a state trooper to patrol the Galloping Brook neighborhood as well as the county roads near Reed Park to enforce the township’s no-parking ordinance, which carries a $100 fine.
Mr. Alexander said a meeting is set for Friday with the county engineer to go over the tentative traffic management plan. The original idea to shut down the bypass and use that for parking has been abandoned in favor of a new proposal to have fair-goers park in a large field off Route 524 where they then would be shuttled to the event at Reed Park, Mr. DeMauro said last week.
”Stan and I are staying on top of this because we want to make sure it’s done the right way,” Mr. Alexander told the residents. “We’re going to do our darn best to make sure everything is done that is required, that it’s safe and enjoyable and as least disruptive as possible to the residents of Galloping Brook.”
Mr. Magee said Freedom Fest State Fair will pay the township $10,000 for the use of Reed Park or 20 percent of the profits from the fair, whichever is greater. Freedom Fest also has agreed to pay the township 20 percent of what it collects from new advertisers whose principal place of business is either in Allentown or Upper Freehold.
In addition, Freedom Fest also must carry liability insurance and indemnify the township against all claims arising out of its use of the property. The organizers also must post a bond and repair any damage arising out of the use of the land for the fair, Mr. Magee said.
The contract also requires the fair organizers to devise traffic and parking plans, provide security, cleanup and maintenance and install a 4-by-8-foot sign on the Reed Park property that identifies it by name.
The green and white sign, which reads, “Upper Freehold Township Reed Recreation Park, proud site of the Freedom Fest State Fair July 12-17 2011,” already has been installed on the property.

