By Amber Cox
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP The Township Committee has decided to begin the process of getting a Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee running in the township.
”We do have needs in this township for this type of committee,” Mayor Michael Dauber said.
Committeewoman Anita DiMattia presented an overview of what a proposed Parks and Recreation Committee would look like.
”It would have different residents from the different sections of the township due to the fact that some of the residents feel that some of the parks are being neglected,” she said.
Committeeman Bruce Hill said he agrees that there should be an advisory committee.
”I think if we are going to have something of this magnitude the Public Works director should be involved in it,” he said. “I think the township engineer needs to be involved in it at a certain point where plans are needed.”
Mayor Dauber said he thinks the committee should be made up of three-year memberships and that the appointments should be staggered so “you don’t have five people leaving at one time.”
The committee would focus on assessing the township parks and recreation needs, recommend improvements and, with the consent of the Township Committee, plan for the improvements of the parks.
Nothing can be formally done by the advisory committee without consent from the Township Committee.
It is also recommended that the advisory committee have an organized sports subcommittee that would involve participation from Little League, football, soccer, and other sports in the township, “because that’s one of the biggest uses of the facilities, organized sports,” according to Mayor Dauber.
The committee is planning to draft a plan and put the advisory panel into ordinance form to go before the committee for approval. The advisory committee will also be advertised on the township website to see what people are interested.
Mayor Dauber said it is important to get people from each of the different areas of the township involved. The committee will include five residents and two committee members.
”The sooner we start planning, the sooner we can get it started,” Mayor Dauber said.
