Reduction to Open Space Trust Fund on the Table

Township officials have found a new way to augment the proposed municipal budget: Reducing the open space trust fund.

Under the plan, introduced at Monday night's town council conference meeting, taxpayers would no longer pay a penny into the fund, leaving it with about $1.6 million. The plan would put the budget under the Gov. Chris Christie-imposed 2 percent cap, according to Mayor Raymond McCarthy.

Councilman Nicholas Joanow called the plan "surprising," saying he thought the reduction would be to half a penny - not zero - to maintain the fund's current levy. He also noted the reduction could put the township's green acres funding at risk.

"Mayor, are there other smoke and mirrors that we're going to be surprised with?" said Joanow, former council liaison to the open trust fund. Joanow said cutting the fund was never discussed prior to Monday's meeting, though McCarthy said it had been brought up in the past.

McCarthy touted the plan as another way to reduce the tax burden on residents. He said of the $1.6 million in the fund, just $100,000 may be spent this year and that the fund, approved by referendum, had hardly been touched in nine years.

"We will not take a penny from the people of this community which represents almost $500,000," said McCarthy. "We're not trying to do away with the open space trust fund."

For weeks now, township officials have grappled over the municipal budget. The health department, whose budget cuts at one time , has been asked to whittle down $178,000 in cuts, . Township Administrator Yoshi Manale met with Acting Director of Health and Human Services Karen Lore Monday to renegotiate those numbers.

Initial budget numbers for the township's four biggest departments (police, fire, health and human services and recreation) are expected to change, but not drastically, according to Manale.

Councilman Robert Ruane, who called the town's budget process "downright illegal," said the council should've heard from all township departments at the as part of its fiduciary responsibility. He referred to the to Bloomfield's John A. Bukowski Shelter for Animals as a "smoke screen" to draw attention away from police and fire department budgets. Ruane previously contended the two departments have not made their fair share of budget reductions.

The budget will be introduced at the Monday, April 4 town council meeting.

Mum on Rumored Methadone Clinic

Bloomfield residents are abuzz with rumors a methadone clinic may land in the Watsessing section of town, an issue raised at Monday night's town council meeting.

"I understand there's usually a quid pro quo, and sometimes the (federal, state or county) government has something in exchange for such clinics," said Susana Sotillo, who lives near the Watsessing area.

A handful of residents expressed concern over the rumored treatment facility.

Township attorney Brian Aloia said he could not comment on the matter because of pending litigation.

Click here to watch the entire town council meeting, courtesy of WBMA-TV.

Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly referred to the clinic as a "meth" center. It has been changed to "methadone."