Laptop Battery (Vernon) Mayor (John) Logan claims the council is exploring a land swap because the referendum was defeated in November and the message was that Vernons taxpayers were concerned about the cost of developing fields. But Logan was working the swap before we even began circulating petitions to put park costs for public vote.
Thinkpad Vernon Merritt, agent for the VanDokkenburgs, confirmed this at the March 10 council meeting when he admitted the negotiation began in March 2002.
Microsoft Logan forgot about his letter to the editor where he blamed himself for the referendums defeat because he said the money might not be used for Maple Grange but for another property. The Council even worded the referendum to permit the relocation of the money. Deputy Mayor Janet Morrison must have forgotten that she suggested selling the Maple Grange property to developers and directed the township manager more than a year ago at a public council meeting to seek interested developers. Do they think people so easily forget what they say?
Laptop Computers For years the state has been trying to purchase the farm and place it into the Farmland Preservation or Green Acres programs. They couldnt agree on a price before Mr. VanDokkenburgs death. On May 10, 2002 the state sent a letter to Maple Grange Realty (VanDokkenburgs and Merritt) to again try to purchase the farm. Merritt didnt respond to the states offer. Since March 2002, he was devising his land swap with the mayor. Residents remember Merritt as the champion of the 1,200 condos at Great Gorge and the original chief spokesperson for the 800-unit townhouse development around the Legends Resort. With a land swap, the VanDokkenburg heirs gain a parcel to develop and turn a handsome profit.
Laptop Computer What do Vernon residents get? Maybe some fields, but we also get another housing development at Maple Grange Park, with a golf course or other recreational amenity to satisfy zoning requirements.
Desktop Computer Fields should have been built at Maple Grange three years ago with money from the original bond. In fact, those who read the court documents learn the Lenape Indians encouraged the town to develop fields on the undisputed land. Now Logan is saying the Lenape want money from Vernon residents.
Notebooks The farm should be placed into farmland preservation, and the VanDokkenburg heirs should be fairly compensated for their land. The 40-acre historic site at Maple Grange should be sold to the Archaeological Conservancy, and the money from that sale should be used to build fields at Maple Grange now.
Lenovo Connie Mylor
Glenwood, NJ
Hard Drive NJ Herald - 3/24/2003
Topic: Highlands
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