Midland Park October 24, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 Since 2002, Midland Park residents have benefitted from more than $800,000 in grants from the Bergen County Open Space, Recreation, Conservation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund because the borough has in place its own Open Space Trust Fund. This local portion is now up for renewal, required every five years. Continuation of the trust fund affords taxpayers the opportunity to maximize Open space trust renewal will be on the ballot tax dollars by paying for only half of such expenses as field improvements, playground updates, tennis court refurbishment, security enhancements, repair and maintenance of existing fields and equipment and open space acquisition. The county trust pays the other half. Only municipalities that have in place their own Open Space Trust Fund may apply for and receive the county open space grants. Renewal of the Midland Park trust will be on the ballot in the Nov. 6 general election. The $39.20 per year on the average home collected for this purpose will result in no additional taxes, since the one cent setaside is already included in the tax base. “It’s a nice bargain for our residents,” said Mayor Patrick “Bud” O’Hagan. “The Open Space Referendum is a renewal request / authorization to collect a penny per $100 property assessment and then dedicating the collected monies to be used exclusively for park, recreation and other open air parcels within our borough. The county offers matching money for the projects, but we must have our share of the matching dollars on hand and reserved or we cannot get the matching dollars. We benefit by receiving 50 percent discounts on the overall cost,” he added. “Having the ability to direct these tax dollars to the Open Space Fund has given our children amazing advantages in playing Empowering women Atlantic Stewardship Bank recently held an educational program for women at its Midland Park headquarters. The program entitled Take Control of Your Finances contained important information that all women should know about managing their credit. Above, left, Judy Keyes, training officer of Atlantic Stewardship Bank, discusses valuable information with guest speaker Regina Poznansky, senior counselor and trainer with Consumer Credit Counseling Service of New Jersey, Inc. Midland Park Acting Police Chief Michael Marra is expected to be officially named chief of the department at the start of the borough council meeting Thursday. Marra has been serving as acting chief since March 20, when former Chief John Casson began his terminal leave. Casson retired July 31, at the mandatory retirement age of 65, after 44 years of service to the borough’s police department. “He’s done a great job as acting chief, actively promoting such things as training and community policing,” said Councilman Nick Papapietro, the council’s police liaison. “He’s proven himself a fair leader and is well respected within the police department and the community. Many people have expressed to me support for Marra to be police chief sports on well-maintained fields and facilities,” said Borough Clerk/Administrator Addie Hanna. Since the program has been available, the borough has used the funds to construct the barrier-free children’s playground and outdoor pavilion at Wortendyke Park, repair the College Road tennis courts, reconstruct and sprinkler the soccer field at Dairy Street, install a retaining wall and outdoor lighting for the Junior Baseball Field, reconstruct the two outdoor basketball courts adjacent to the DePhillips Center, and provide ADAaccessible bleachers and a sprinkler system at the Johnny Vander Meer field. Grant funds were also used to purchase an acre of property adjacent to the Dairy Street recreation field for future recreation use. The 2011 grant in the amount of $32,750 will be used this spring to provide lighting at Wortendyke Park so community groups can use the pavilion for picnics and other activities after dusk. his being named chief.” Marra joined the department in 1986 and was promoted to sergeant in 2004 and to lieutenant in July, 2011. Prior to his promotion to acting chief, he handled all scheduling for the department and served as the domestic violence liaison and instructor and was the municipal counter-terrorism coordinator. He was also the department’s discovery and evidence officer, a radar instructor and the DYFS liaison. Marra holds a master’s degree in administrative science from Fairleigh Dickinson University, from which he also received a bachelor’s degree in 2007. He has an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Passaic County Community College.