June 15, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 17 �������������������������� by John Koster The Wyckoff Township Committee introduced an ordinance to set aside a half-cent for each $100 of assessed valuation at a special meeting on June 6. An adoption hearing will be held on June 21. “Essentially, this mirrors the existing ordinance, except that we put in a charge to allow for the restoration of historical properties,” Mayor Kevin Rooney said after the meeting. If the ordinance is adopted on June 21, the matter would then be presented as a question on the Nov. 8 ballot. At that time, residents would cast their ballots on the extension of the open space concept, which was first approved by voters in 2006. The Wyckoff Township Committee vote came in with three committeemen in favor, Brain Scanlan abstaining, and Rudy Boonstra absent. As a corollary, Rooney said that he and the members of the Wyckoff Township Committee and Wyckoff Township Administrator Robert Shannon had left the special meeting at its conclusion and driven to a meeting with the Bergen County Open Space Committee in Hackensack to discuss funding for the purchase of Maple Lake. The property, which no longer includes a lake, is a wooded parcel where the lake once was. The purchase of Maple Lake, optimistically with a combination of county, state, and local funds, has been discussed and approved at previous township committee meetings. “They embraced us and loved the idea of purchasing Maple Lake,” Rooney said. The township committee has considered the purchase of Maple Lake and of Russell Farms, a former orchard and farm near Sicomac Avenue and Russell Avenue, as primary targets of the open space fund. Negotiations for the purchase of Russell Farms are still in progress, pending the owner’s environmental cleanup of the site. Some residents at the June 6 meeting suggested that the ordinance be re-worded to specify that some of the funds be used only for land purchase and not for the creation of recreation fields. Others said that keeping all reasonable options open made better sense. Township Committeeman Christopher De Phillips said that re-writing the ordinance would amount to “shooting ourselves in the foot.” Mayor Rooney agreed. He said the primary purpose of the set-side of a half-cent per $100 of assessed valuation was to purchase open land to be preserved from development and used for recreation, but that preserving the option of using some of the funds for the refurbishment of property already owned made good sense. “Let’s say the Zabriskie House needed repairs,” Rooney said. “Should we forbid ourselves to use money for that?” The Zabriskie House, a traditional Wyckoff house used as a museum of the lifestyle of former days, is located near Zabriskie Pond, which is now being re-planted with trees. The introduced ordinance as worded states that the Wyckoff Sale Days June 16-17-18 Open space fund ordinance introduced for renewal goals are: Acquisition of lands for recreational and conservation purposes; development of lands acquired for recreation and conservation purposes; maintenance of lands acquired for recreation and conservation purposes; acquisition of farmland for farmland preservation purposes; preservation of historical properties, structures, facilities, sites, areas, or objects, and the acquisition of such properties, structures, facilities, sites, areas, or objects for historic preservation purposes; payment of debt service on indebtedness issued or incurred by the municipality for any of the purposes set forth (above); or trust fund money may be returned to the taxpayers of the Township of Wyckoff. Over 100 Wyckoff Girl Scouts recently participated in a town-wide Bridging Ceremony. The Bridging Ceremony marks a milestone in the lives of Girls Scouts and they are honored for their progression and growth. Girls move from one level of Girl Scouting to the next. Next year marks the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting. Taking the next step Local businesses are the backbone of your community and the trend to shop the big guys on the highway hurts us all. Your local businesses have what you want... at the right price... and close to home. So, why hassle with the highways? Save Time! Save Gas! Save Money! ...and besides, it’s so convenient! SHOP WYCKOFF. IT’S SMART.