It's financially beneficial to Brower if there are fewer courts in town. He should have abstained. That said, why hit the tax payers with this bill? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to charge the members an assessment or raise the membership fee to a level that would allow for Colony to be self-reliant?

Way to go Chatham. You made the right choice. I believe 2 years from now you will be debating whether or not to add 2 more courts. Good job. Paddle is exploding. Total Platform Tennis,LLC

"it is the government's role ... to provide recreation." Really? Gee I wasn't aware of that. In fact, unless taken out of context in the article, that's a pretty silly and inaccurate statement. Paddle tennis is hardly an essential government service, and the Township's "improve the courts and you will increase membership" is a very risky and suspect way to spend public funds.

Why is Chatham Township subsidizing 33 members to play paddle tennis? Let these 33 folks support the costs if they so choose. What about the campaign promises of keeping taxes low and saving money? It took 1 month for that idea to disappear!
Mr. Foot you have had 5 years to attract more paddle tennis players. It did not happen. Time is up. Let's use common sense for a change. The program needs to be supported by it's users or be nixed. It is not the governments' job to entertain you. I am tired of supplementing others with my earned money.

Colony pool tennis and paddle lose somewhere in the six figures (exact numbers are still being worked on) a year and I am committed to turning that around so that instead of losing money it breaks even. This is not about paddle and it's 33 members. It's about creating and executing a business and marketing plan for the whole club that will generate needed revenue. Moving forward we will be orchestrating private fundraising to create a hut which will then make George's projection of a 5 yr payback much faster because the facility will attract more members and higher dues. If you want a copy of the plan or more information, friend me on Facebook, call me at 701 1259 or email me at lachatham@aol.com.

So glad to hear the paddle tennis was approved. We are not paddle tennis players but we appreciate the value of such a wonderful community asset and are sad to see families leave each year to join other town's community pools. As a parent of two swimmers, I've had the opportunity to visit community pools throughout the state. The Colony pool is truly a rare gem but, as Laura says, it needs to be run like a business. Simple steps like effective communications can be improved. Try to find Colony's pool float days. You have to drill down from the Chatham Township site into the Colony page and then search through a pdf document. When we first moved to the Township, it took us a few years to find out there's a community pool and we eventually learned that other's had the same experience. In travelling to other pools, it's also apparent that other communities make an effort to make their town pool a community gathering place and a summer retreat. I've seen everything from indoor/outdoor pool facilities offered in the same complex to water park style slides, full blown picnic and barbeque facilities, volleyball courts, senior water exercise programs, day camp programs, teen programs and the list goes on. The reality is it may take money to make money. I hope the Township will look at other communities to see what they're doing because somehow they're attracting our residents to their pools.

Colony Pool has seen its time come and gone. If we want something that our residents will find of use, we should construct a legitimate pool complex.

Geez...we are Podunk. I can't believe they approved money for this. I'm guessing some friends of the council play paddle tennis. At the risk of pointing out the obvious, can I just say that people don't leave Colony for other pools because of the condition of the paddle tennis court (like anybody outside the 33 know they exist). They leave because the "pool" is a murky swamp.

Mr. Munchkin- interesting pseudonym- You're right that some leave because they perceive the pool to be a murky swamp and prefer a concrete pool. That perception is the result of poor communication and marketing. Many love swimming in a natural environment but sadly the township provides no information on where the Colony water comes from and how it's kept clean and germ free. As a result, they're left with the perception that it's a murky swamp. Adding a concrete indoor/ outdoor pool to the complex might be just the answer to bringing back Township residents but this is a huge, expensive undertaking. The other component which The Patch noted that Mr. Brower mentioned is the social aspect. Mr. Brower's Noe Pond property looks like a larger version of Colony Pool. Noe is much more expensive than Colony and yet they have no problem attracting residents. So what's the difference? Amenities and community/social offerings. I would argue that the one of the most significant contributors to recurring membership at Colony has been the Colony Swim team - which has nothing to do with murky water and everything to do with community. I haven't yet read Laura's business plan but I applaud her efforts to look at all aspects of Colony and to come up with an effective solution. If you want Colony to make money, you have to run it more like a business and less like a municipal obligation. Tell me Mr. Dunkin, what reasonable solutions would you recommend?

Awesome decision, sign me up!  Robert Stahl is 100% right, the sport is growing like crazy and Chatham Township would be "Podunk" not to support this!  I sure as heck don't play because I want to have "drinks with me friends" LOL.  Is anyone else shocked at the blatant conflict of interest that Bailey Brower didn't recuse himself on this vote, and the failure of the mayor to enforce proper rule of order?!!!  Holy cow, talk about a case book example of conflict of interest, the #1 private competition voting on improvements to the public facility, this is beyond shamefull, it is an outrage.  Please could someone tell me who concerned citizens can address conflicts of interest and ethics violations at the Township level to?  Would it be the State Attorney General's Office?  Other?

Both the pool and the paddle tennis courts are in terrible shape. If a township resident wants to attend a nice pool, they will have to go out of town, e.g., to New Providence or Madison.

Chatham Township has a significant amount of property-- much of which was purchased over the past ten years. Since the pool and courts are on very valuable property, I suggest we sell off the property and apply the proceeds toward building a state-of-the-art pool complex on other township property.