Holmdel taxpayers may have been distracted in December by the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and missed the Holmdel Township Committee’s important announcement regarding the installation of two synthetic turf fields at Cross Farm Park.
Following months of contentious township meetings, a twice-submitted petition containing approximately 650 signatures and a lawsuit against Holmdel Township that was initiated and funded by Holmdel residents, the Township Committee has acted. It announced on Dec. 13, 2016, that a referendum will be placed on the November 2017 election ballot regarding the $3.3 million bond ordinance passed in September 2016 for these turf fields and other Cross Farm Park improvements.
The inclusion of this referendum on the ballot demonstrates our democratic process at work. It will allow Holmdel voters rather than members of the Township Committee to determine whether our municipal taxes should pay for fields that will support not only Holmdel soccer/lacrosse players, but players from neighboring towns as well.
It is through the efforts of grassroots organizations like Preserve Holmdel, Citizens for Informed Land Use and Save Holmdel Village that this critical step in our democracy was not overlooked. We look forward to an objective referendum question that includes the true details and costs of this project so that voters can make an informed decision.
For more information about this topic, go to preserveholmdel.org or holmdel-cilu.org.
Regina Criscione
Holmdel