MIDDLETOWN – A bond ordinance that provides an appropriation of $340,000 for park acquisitions and improvements in Middletown has been adopted by the Township Committee.
The ordinance authorizes the issuance of $250,000 in bonds or notes to finance part of the total appropriation.
During a meeting on Sept. 7, Mayor Tony Perry, Deputy Mayor Rick Hibell, Committeeman Kevin Settimbrino, Committeeman Ryan Clarke and Committeewoman Kimberly Kratz voted “yes” on a motion to adopt the ordinance. The bond ordinance required a minimum of four affirmative votes to be adopted.
No member of the public commented on the ordinance when given the opportunity to do so.
Kratz voted to adopt the bond ordinance shortly after she was appointed by the rest of the Township Committee members to fill the seat on the governing body that was previously held by Patricia Snell.
Snell resigned from the committee in August because she is moving out of New Jersey.
The general improvements authorized in the bond ordinance will be funded through the $340,000 appropriation and will include $85,000 that is expected to be received as a grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Green Acres program.
No down payment from the municipality is required in this instance by the Local Bond Law because “the purpose authorized in the ordinance is in connection with improvements funded by a state grant from the DEP Green Acres program as permitted under state law,” according to the ordinance.
Bonds in the principal amount of $250,000 are authorized to be issued by Middletown in connection with the planned improvements.
The improvements authorized and the purposes for which obligations are to be issued is for various park acquisitions and improvements, including but not limited for Tindall Park, including resurfacing of tennis courts, site clearing, tree removal, adding of benches, bike racks and picnic tables. The estimated cost of the improvements is $340,000.
The average period of usefulness of the planned improvements is 15 years, according to the ordinance.