Residents: Officials Finding Loopholes to Push Fields

Heated discussions regarding the controversial continued at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council.

Much of the debate's focus centered on the introduction of a and replace it with a Municipal Open Space, Recreation and Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.

A number of residents voiced concerns that Mayor James Barberio and other township officials are trying to find loopholes in the law to make the heavily-debated plan to install artificial turf fields and other improvements at and a reality. 

“In changing this wording to municipal recreation, you’re now trying to pick up recreation, which is another way of getting around our ordinance on open space, which specifically states just the open lands and what we can purchase,” resident Pat Petaccia said.

Petaccia and other residents, including Julia Peterson, accused the council of “manipulating” the residents’ vote on a 2006 referendum to approve additional uses for the township’s Open Space Trust Fund to be able to use the money for capital projects.

Peterson stated that she preferred instead that the township focus on other open space projects with the trust fund, while looking to create a unified community that can look for alternative methods of funding the turf installation at the high schools.

“This community does not need more division. We need this council to look beyond the potential votes represented by one segment, think about what our real open space needs are and what they will be in the future,” Peterson said.

Barberio insisted the high school fields are a major township priority, as they are in need of renovation. He also cautioned the public that a defeat to the proposed ordinance change would send the decision to fund the fields back to the township’s Board of Education, which could raise taxes for residents.

“Something has to be done to those fields, because they’re not in good condition. They’re not in good shape. This is the way to not raise taxes,” Barberio said. “This is the way to do it where everybody can maintain and utilize those fields to get a lot out of them.”

“If it doesn’t happen [at the municipal level], so be it,” the mayor said. “It doesn’t have to happen, but the Board of Ed’s going to have to handle it, and taxes are going to go up.”

Barberio also went on the defensive amid recent accusations that he and several members of the council have had closed-door meetings with Fields of Dreams Committee representatives to ease the field improvement project along without soliciting input from the public.

“I’m not going to move forward with this project—or any project that’s going forward—unless I know we can do certain things, and I’ve stated that. When I come up and get attacked that we’re only meeting behind closed doors, we’re not,” Barberio said. “I’m allowed to meet with residents in town that have ideas. I should do that; that’s my job. That’s my job as the mayor. I’ve had people in my office against the project and for the project, but we have dialogue.”

While several residents spoke out against the proposed ordinance, others, like Little Vikings Football Vice President Mike Pietrowicz, spoke in favor of improving the fields at both high schools for the sake of the kids that utilize them.

Pietrowicz said he was hopeful that all parties could see through their differences and come to a resolution that satisfies all parties.

“In these tough economic times, our government, Board of Ed and other people need to come together to find creative ways to fund necessary projects. Quite honestly, I couldn’t care where the funding comes from. I really don’t; I don’t want to increase anybody’s taxes,” Pietrowicz said. “It sounds like, if further research is done and the Open Space Trust Fund dollars are available, in part or in whole, [it is] beautiful. We can achieve what we all are in agreement with now in having to improve fields for our kids.”

Pietrowicz also said that while he understands people living near the proposed field improvements may be concerned about additional lighting, noise, out-of-town traffic and parking issues affecting their quality of life, he believes the issues can be resolved.

“I respect and I agree with the quality of life issues that people around the high schools have concerns about,” Pietrowicz said. “I would be willing to sit down with members of those concerned parties and work out arrangements that balance everybody else’s needs and interests.

“I think if we sat down in a very constructive way, we would iron out many of those concerns on quality of life,” he continued. “I’d commit my time and energy, and I know the committee would commit their time and energy to do it.”