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CANDIDATES SET SIGHTS ON OPEN SPACE, ENVIRONMENT
By Keith Hagarty
With only two weeks left before Manchester's May 13 nonpartisan elections, the six candidates vying for three available seats on the Township Council recently took on some key issues in this quiet but growing township: open space preservation, recreational opportunities and the environment.
The primarily incumbent team of candidates on the "Continued Good Government" slate- Councilmen Kenneth Vanderziel and Fredrick Trutkoff, and newcomer Warren Reiter- are excited by the progress they've seen in Manchester.
"In 1984 and even 1990, there were no sidewalks and nothing for the children- or at least, very little," said Vanderziel. "It's gone away somewhat from that initial feeling though of 'we want something for our children' with the development of (Route 571) area, for example, and the development of the park areas where we've purchased open space to preserve land."
Vanderziel and Trutkoff are proud of their accomplishments serving on the Township Open Space Committee, pointing to over 200 acres and counting of open space which has been preserved during their combined tenure.
"(Open space preservation) was generally set up to buffer our town from surrounding towns," said Vanderziel. "It's been accomplished very well."
Currently serving as the chairman of the Township Open Space Committee, Trutkoff said the committee's accomplishments have not only focused on open space, but also on expanding recreational facilities available to residents both young and old.
"The Ciba-Geigy piece over there (along the border of Toms River) is a buffer, but also could be used as a recreation area- a park, playgrounds- these are things that are being planned," said Trutkoff.
Open space preservation is a dire necessity in Manchester, according to the political slate of challengers known as "A Change For The People." The slate consists of Don Bates, Robert Greger and James Poss.
"When it comes to the preservation of open space, this can't be overlooked," said Bates. "Everyone should agree that it is vital that a reasonable amount of open space be set aside for parks, recreation, natural habitat areas, drainage, transportation needs, etc., otherwise we will live wall-to-wall, backyard to-backyard."
While luring new clean tax ratables is a top priority, Bates said the town needs to be careful where it treads.
"This is not to say that residential development is not important- the community is expanding like crazy," he said. "Balanced growth of ratables, business and residential, will serve to level off taxes levied against the population. We can't say, 'I'm here and nobody else can move in.'"
Greger said the town needs to preserve as much open space as possible with the current revenue sources that are available.
"Residential development must be smart and controlled to prevent overcrowding and outgrowing of our infrastructure," he said.
Greger said his worst fear is seeing Manchester fall in the same trap as some of the other nearby towns.
"We do not want to make the same mistake our neighbors in Toms River have made through overdevelopment," he said.
Open space preservation has been a driving force for the council for several years, said Vanderziel, who is hopeful to have an even greater attraction come to Manchester down the road.
"A lot of that space from (Route) 571 down towards (Route) 70, along (Route 547) and Ridgeway Boulevard, the idea there, if financing works out and everything, is for a golf course," he said. "We presently have enough land there where we could construct a golf course, an 18-hole one … but it's not going to happen tomorrow."
Focusing On The Environment
However, as the town grows, so do concerns over maintaining a clean, healthy environment.
Bacterial contamination has left the 50- plus year old lake at the town's Pine Lake Park section unsuitable for swimming. The candidates agree that pollutants appear to be coming into the lake from somewhere upstream, however, the best solution to remedy the problem appears to be a matter of debate.
The challengers believe that remediation of the once pristine Pine Lake is long overdue, saying, "This once beautiful town treasure is now just a place to drive by and remember."
"We have a 60-acre lake that nobody can use," said Bates. "There has to be a way to clean the lake. It's done all over the world … It's like we have a kitchen, but no sink."
While the park itself is open to the public, Greger and the team of challengers see a big problem with the water being too polluted for kids to safely play in.
"They have summer camp down there for the kids, but they can't even go into the water," said Greger. "It was clean a few years ago; we need to keep it clean."
As a resident of Pine Lake Park, Poss said he remembers going out to the lake years ago and fishing when you could see deep down into the crystal clear water. Now, he said it's a cloudy, murky mess.
"We want to find out what exactly is going on down there," said Poss. "It doesn't even seem to be a priority for them (the council)."
The challengers' complaints that the incumbents have done nothing to remedy the pollution problems in the lake are just plain wrong, according to Vanderziel.
The first complaint about the pollution of the lake surfaced about two years ago, with the mayor and council promptly responding, he said.
"Public Works got active and started cleaning it up, and straightened a lot of it out," said Vanderziel. "They're still working there, but the idea was to make it as attractive a lake as Harry Wright Lake, which is a beautiful place."
Beautification efforts have been ongoing at the park, said Vanderziel.
"Just a few years ago, we built a walkway from the Pine Lake area into the park, there's been two pumps put out there to keep the water purified, and the beach area's been cleaned up, grass has been planted and the fence that was falling down has been replaced," he said. "It's being worked on gradually- not just overnight."
Vanderziel asked the public not to be misconstrued by the growth of vegetation and what appears to be weeds along the perimeter of the site, explaining how while it may sometimes appear overgrown, it's actually there to deter sand and dirt from whipping up in the winds and dropped onto neighboring residential properties.
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