Council Hones in on Fields Project Resolution

With its eye on a resolution to the longstanding fields project discussion, township council will hold a public hearing next week to decide whether it should dip into the Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund to pay for the project.

Council members weighed Monday night the possibility of bonding the $1.3 million project (new turf field, parking improvements) over the next 15 years and paying for at least part of the project out of the general fund. However, when it came to a vote, Councilwoman Stacey Jordan would not support the measure.

Though township manager Scott Carew noted the budget forecast for the next few years gives the township a “very healthy financial outlook”—even with paying for the field improvements out of the general fund—Jordan pointed out the forecast included projected revenue from the sale of liquor licenses and reduced expenses as a result of reassessment, two as-yet-unresolved matters.

“I am not comfortable gambling if we don’t know if we have the revenue,” she said, adding the township was already paying for two other expensive fields projects at ($445,000) and and parks ($455,000).

According to financial officer Tom Merchel's budget projections, if the township paid for all the fields projects entirely out of the general fund—once all the contributions from the athletic clubs are factored in—it would cost $115,000 a year over the life of a 15-year bond.

A coalition of athletic clubs, including the Moorestown Youth Baseball Federation and the Moorestown Lacrosse Club, Carew told council Monday the flag football league and youth softball association had also committed to contributing toward improvements at Wesley Bishop South.

Encouraged by those commitments, Mayor John Button, Deputy Mayor Greg Gallo and Councilmen Mike Testa all strongly supported bonding for both projects so work could begin later this summer.

But Jordan, , advocated waiting until next spring to move forward—once the budget picture was more clear.

Lacking the four votes needed to authorize a bond ordinance—Councilman Chris Chiacchio was absent from the meeting for personal reasons, but has made it clear he stands with Jordan—Button said the only way forward is to hold a public hearing to weigh alternative funding sources, specifically the Trust Fund.

The mayor said only three votes are necessary to authorize the use of the Trust Fund to pay for the fields projects. And while he stressed council will have to discuss the matter before coming to a conclusion, Button, Gallo and Testa have indicated previously they’d be willing to use Trust Fund money—collected through a tax levy of 1 cent per $100 of assessed value—to pay for at least a portion of the fields projects.

“I want to close the loop, and just put this issue to bed,” Button said.

Council has until June 4 to make a decision after the township was granted a 30-day extension on . Button said he aims to hold the public hearing on the use of the Trust Fund prior to or during next week’s regular council meeting.