Glen Rock February 8, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 3 School field plan results not yet determined by John Koster The Glen Rock Board of Education’s plan to cut down multiple mature pin oak trees as part of a sports field reconstruction passed the first hurdle on Feb. 2, but a further obstacle may block the path to tree cutting. The Glen Rock Planning Board approved the capital improvement presentation by the Glen Rock Board of Education at last week’s meeting, but the boards disagree on the next step and, at press time, the issue is still in doubt. Mayor John van Keuren, a member of the planning board, told board officials, including School Business Administrator Michael Rinderknecht and School Board Counsel Jane Gallina-Mecca, that the board was responsible for a more fully-detailed drainage plan than the one presented at the planning board meeting because the planning board is responsible for justifying any decision before the State of New Jersey. The drainage factor places the school field plan under the supervision of New Jersey’s stormwater regulations. Mayor van Keuren said the school board also has to pay for a more detailed report than the one presented. “It has to do not only with community responsibility but with financial responsibility,” Mayor van Keuren said. Gallina-Mecca, representing the law firm of Fogarty & Hara, said the school board had cooperated with previous demands and that, as a courtesy issue, she felt the report as offered should be acceptable to other Glen Rock officials. “It’s not really a courtesy issue. It’s actually mandated,” Planning Board Attorney David Bole said, supporting Mayor van Keuren’s position. “This is a basic ordinance you’re talking about,” van Keuren agreed. “I think it’s an unfair burden,” GallinaMecca said. Most members of the planning board appeared to agree with Mayor van Keuren, but the capital improvement aspect of the presentation was approved. The issue of whether a more detailed plan and a formal hearing on a site plan application are legally required is still under discussion, with results not available at press time. Rinderknecht made a strong case for the fact that some sort of remediation of the sports field is necessary. Sharing a ‘peace’ of history More than 170 people flocked to to the Glen Rock Jewish Center to hear legendary radio DJ Pete Fornatale tell the story of Woodstock. He also spoke about his early days at Fordham University’s WFUV, and his career in New York radio at stations WNEWFM and K-Rock. Fornatele is pictured with GRJC’s Dave Herman. (Photo courtesy of Marc Isenberg.) “Unfortunately, there’s no way around removing these trees,” Rinderknecht said. “We are one of the few, if not the only, high school that has five trees in the football field’s end zone.” Rinderknecht added that shade trees would be placed elsewhere on the school property to compensate for the loss of the trees, which he said had to be removed. Proposals that the field be reconfigured had been offered by the Glen Rock Shade Tree Advisory Group and the Glen Rock Environmental Commission. Both groups cited the importance of trees in natural drainage, replenishing of oxygen, and shade, and wanted to save the trees. A number of supporters turned out at the meeting. “The purpose was the board’s desire to remedy a long-standing drainage problem, which has been a factor not just for years, but for decades,” said Rinderknecht, who came to the district in 2004. He said that reconfiguration of the field to save the trees would cost $2.5 million to $5 million and the board could not justify spending that kind of money, but the trees would eventually be replaced elsewhere on the school’s property.