Politics & Government

Bloomingdale ROSE Fund to Reconsider Allocations

Committee to talk about how money should be spent on recreation and open space.

The Recreation and Open Space Establishment (ROSE) Trust Fund Advisory Board will be reevaluating its allocations to the recreation department and open space during its next meeting on April 14.

The ROSE Fund board met for the first time this year Thursday and discussed possible projects they may recommend to the borough council. The council must approve recommendations made by the ROSE Fund board before money can be spent.

The ROSE Fund was established in 2002 after borough residents were asked whether they would like a portion of their borough taxes dedicated to the Fund for the purposes of enhancing recreation and open space opportunities in the borough. When it was established, 25 percent of money allocated to the fund was to be spent on open space; 25 percent to be spent on recreation; 25 percent to be spent on maintenance (such as weed-wacking at Delazier field and preparing recreational facilities for activities) and 25 percent to be spent at the discretion of the ROSE Fund board and ultimately, the council.

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Currently, there is over $200,000 in the ROSE Fund, with more money (about $75,000) expected to return to the Fund, as about $90,000 was borrowed from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) last year for sidewalk repairs and flood cleanup.

Councilwoman Linda Shortman, who attended Thursday's meeting, said she feels that not enough money has been spent on open space over the past several years, and that when she voted "yes" on the ballot, she had assumed there would be a more even distribution.

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"I think open space has been extremely underfunded," she said.

Shortman said she thinks there are opportunities the borough has not taken to purchase more properties and do more with open space and that it is hurting the borough. "I think that we have missed the boat and open space has suffered from it," she said.

But Mayor Jon Dunleavy, who was also in attendance at Thursday's meeting, said he believes otherwise.

"I absolutely do not feel that Bloomingdale needs more open space," he said.

Newly appointed ROSE Fund Chairman Ed Simoni brought up that he had a meeting with the county and that he was informed that there is grant money available for boroughs engaging in agriculture projects. Simoni asked if the borough has any open space that would be good to plant apple trees on.

Simoni also highlighted that the board and council should consider efforts to enhance areas along the Pequannock River in Bloomingdale.

"The river could be a tremendous growth area for us," he said.

Vice Chairman Michael Naipawer suggested the board consider beginning river enhancement efforts on pieces of property the borough already owns before purchasing new land to revitalize.

"You want a place to start? Start there, behind the police station," he said. "If there is an open space that we own that we can actually do something on, it's right there."

"I like Mike's idea, start where we own back here," Dunleavy said.

Naipawer also said he feels that more money should have been allocated toward open space, and that he has brought the topic of re-allocation up before, but that it has never amounted to the board changing the allocations.

The ROSE Fund board will meet again on April 14 at 7:30 p.m. 


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