Politics & Government

Committee Approves to Lower Open Space Tax, Overall Tax Rate Drops to Zero

Kevin Tubbs cast the lone opposing vote.

With Kevin Tubbs casting the lone opposing vote, the Chatham Township Committee voted to lower the Open Space Tax from 2 cents, which it automatically reverts to each year, to one-half cent.

Tubbs said he understood why his fellow committee members supported the ordinance, but said he was not in favor of lowering the tax below 1 cent.

"I think the fact of the matter is, once we reduce it to half a cent, if that's the way the committee decides to go, it's going to be that much harder to ever increase it in the future, whether we need it or whether we don't need it," Tubbs said. "I just can't support it."

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The lowering of the Open Space tax reduces the municipality's overall tax increase to zero.

Committeeman Bailey Brower Jr. said that Chatham Township would be one of the only municipalities in the state to come in with a flat increase in their taxes. "That's quite a feather in the cap of any municipal organization in these difficult times," he said.

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Brower also said that if a property became available which the township wished to purchase, they could bond for it or apply for a grant to purchase it, or raise the tax back to two cents in 2012.

"I tip my hat to the committee for taking this stance, and I will support it," Brower said.

Committeeman Bill O'Connor said the Open Space tax would still collect roughly $160,000 for the fund, and that after budgeting the current balance in the Open Space Reserve and the anticipated expenses for this year, there would still remain a balance of $750,000, and a bonding mechanism exists as part of the reserve as well.

"If it came down to needing some land, needing the money, we could certainly find a way to do it this year," O'Connor said.

Township resident Stewart Carr urged the board to keep the tax at 1 or 2 cents. "Essentially what we're saying is, we're not going to be saving this year, so it's not doing me a favor to say that we're not going to save this year," Carr said. "By taking a year off, I think we're doing ourselves a disservice."

The tax will automatically revert back to 2 cents next year and the committee would have to pass another ordinance to lower it again.

Other Business

The Committee also voted to extend the time that is allowed to expire between background checks of recreation coaches from 36 months to 60 months. They said they will try to get a mobile unit to come to Chatham to conduct the tests, rather than requiring the volunteer coaches to go to a county facility.

Township Administrator Tom Ciccarone also introduced a resolution for committee approval to move the town's animal control contract from St. Hubert's to an interlocal agreement with Madison, Harding, Livingston, New Providence and Millburn, which Millburn would provide at an hourly rate at $43.02.

Based on the number of hours that St. Hubert's had spent providing animal control services in Chatham Township, Ciccarone said that the bill from Millburn at this hourly rate would be "well under $10,000." The contract has a condition that the cumulative amount to be billed for the year is not to exceed $20,000.

The Board of Directors at St. Hubert's recently decided to stop funding a municipal service, and the animal shelter told Chatham Township they would have to charge a fee based on the town's population rather than a per-call rate.

Such a fee, Ciccarone said, was "well in excess of $20,000" for St. Hubert's to continue working in the township. "We've been working month-to-month with them. Meantime, I've been exploring other options," Ciccarone said.

The committee will have to name a veterinarian to provide any necessary services for the animals. While there is no veterinary office in Chatham Township, there is a resident of the township who is a veterinarian and has an office in New Providence.

Ciccarone also said that he had tried to contact someone from St. Huberts to let them know that the matter would be discussed at the committee meeting, but he had not been successful, and therefore they were not aware that the contract was up for discussion Thursday.

Tubbs said that since the item was not included on the agenda, and therefore not known to the public, that the committee should discuss it again at their next meeting on April 14 so that a representative from St. Hubert's could be present.


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