| Author | Message | ||
     ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2505 Registered: 9-2001 |
"We can't build in the parking lot because its a park..." No John, it's still a parking lot... Today we contacted the folks at Green Acres. They are very interested in the plan we proposed for the new police station. As a matter of fact they suggested we fill out the application they make available for this purpose, and agreed to meet with us upon completion of it... We asked if they have had any previous communication with our community. They stated that to the best of their knowlege, their department has never been contacted by anyone from Maplewood regarding Green Acre property or the pool parking lot plan for the police department. BTW, thank you John, but our plan doesn't require the use of any property from Winchester Gardens... | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2508 Registered: 9-2001 |
One more one... Thanks to the very creative and civic-minded input of another very involved Maplewood resident, the people in the State of New Jersey involved in these types of requests to alter Green Acre sites, loved the key points given as our reason to alter our community pool site. Simply stated, we showed them how if we were allowed to build the police station at the back of the pool property site closest to Elmwood Avenue, we would be able to off-set a portion of that Blacktop, with Green Recreational space, on the opposite side of the pool property nearest our Fire Station. For years now, the town has been wrestling with where to put a small playground at the pool, and in fact are also presently using a portion of the pool parking lot for the community skate park. BY condemning the two properties between the Fire station and the Pool site, we could permanently use a portion of this property for those purposes... BTW, the State just loved the concept of using the adjoining properties at the pool location rather than uprooting a large number of residents and businesses at the Betty White, or Maplewood Tire sites. This is not even to mention how this would save the Verizon site for a developer with a $60 million dollar plan the Mayor said they were considering for that site on Burnett, next to the Universal Chain site… Looks like a WIN Win Win, for all concerned. OK, now how about some more good old fashion MOL input please... | ||
| Joan Citizen Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 2523 Registered: 5-2001 |
Bravo! Has anyone run this proposal by the TC or members of the site selection advisory board? | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2513 Registered: 9-2001 |
Thank you Joan... I mentioned it briefly to Fred Profeta tonight at the Rotary dance, and on Monday night at 7:30PM, I'll be making a short presentation to the members of the site selection advisory board, at the Burgdorff Center. Unfortunately, the presentation is right before the Board of Adjustment meeting, but we'll do it again on Tuesday night before the township committee during the Public Comment portion of the meeting. I believe this information is really good news for everyone involved in the search process... | ||
| anon Citizen Username: Anon Post Number: 1011 Registered: 6-2002 |
"another bad thing is maplewood courtroom is on the second floor of a building without an elevator! " I just copied this from a post by "just me" on a thread on a completely different subject (bad driving) because of its relevancy to how the new Police Building will be constructed. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2515 Registered: 9-2001 |
Listen, if any of you reading this post are really interested in where the town decides to build our new police headquarters, I invite you post your comments on the following suggestions... An ever growing group of us in town are in agreement that the township committee needs to consider the pool parking lot and Maplewood Rescue Building as a possibility that should be looked at along with the other four now on the short list. I strongly advocate this innovative suggestion for the new police department as the one that would best serve our community at large. Therefore, I want to reach out to everyone who is involved with the previously proposed playground plan for the community pool, the Skate Park Committee, members of the Rescue Squad, the Maplewood Gardens Townhouse Board, the Winchester Gardens Board, the Maplewood Police and Fire Departments, the Swimming Pool Advisory Board, the Transportation Committee, the Springfield Avenue Partnership, the Planning Board, the Economic Development Committee, the Recreation Department, the Design, Review, and Beautification Committee, the Environmental, Historic, and Neighborhood Preservation Committee’s. I seriously have not been able to find a down side of using the pool site, meanwhile, the positive aspects keep growing by the minute. For this reason, representatives of each of these groups I listed would best serve the community if they were present at Monday night’s meeting. Please reach out today to see who you can get to attend the meeting. The following is the beginning of a list of some of the positive and negative criteria. Please add in your suggestions. Thanks. Art Positive and Negative Criteria } P- This site would condemn the least amount of property at any of the present sites being considered. P- This site would provide additional recreational services the town has been trying to provide for the past couple years. P- Additional parking would on Elmwood, Orchard, and Meadowbrook would be an added bonus if ever needed. P- The town would be able to dress up the Springfield and Boyden Avenue entrance to our Award Winning Pool. P- The town would have the benefit of year round use of the site rather than just two months a year. P- The Verizon site could now be developed with much needed ratables. N- These are not all my ideas... N- I don't get to make the final decision.  | ||
| Joan Citizen Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 2530 Registered: 5-2001 |
Art: A few questions for consideration: 1. Does the ownership of the land currently used for the 1st Aid Squad building come into play? Has anyone established whether the town or the 1st Aid Squad controls the land where the 1st Aid Squad is presently located? "Controls" in this context refers to ownership, long term lease, gifting of the property for specific civic use, etc. 2. Where would the 1st Aid Squad be located during construction of the new facility? Is there available room elsewhere on down controled property for them to house their vehicles, equipment, staff, etc? If not, has anyone offered to donate temporary suitable space for this purpose? 3. What is the fair market value of the private properties which would be seized to obtain the alternative green space needed to implement the project? What would be the cost to the township of relocating the people presently living on these two properties? How much revenue would the town lose if it no longer had the parking lot renatal income? How does this total cost compare with the cost to the township of acquiring the other properties under consideration and assisting in the relocation of residents and businesses in those locations? 4. What legal arrangements, if any, does the town have regarding the rental of parking space in the pool parking lot during the off season? What would be the costs and/or legal ramifications, if any, of discontinuing the availability of these spaces to those now renting them? How, if at all, would the removal of these spaces from private use impact on the businesses presently using them? | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2518 Registered: 9-2001 |
Joan, I’m pleased to answer your questions, and thank you as always for your input. 1. Does the ownership of the land currently used for the 1st Aid Squad building come into play? No the town owns it, period. 2. Where would the 1st Aid Squad be located during construction of the new facility? The services would be incorporated into both fire stations. BTW, the fire department already does most of the calls anyway. The truth be known, there is no need for other suitable space for this purpose? A meeting room, or whatever could be made available for them at both fire stations, AND at the new police department. 3. I checked, and the fair market value of the two (2) private properties that would be seized to obtain the alternative green space needed to implement the project, and it’s about $465,000 combined. The properties have renters living there. As such there would be NO COSTS to the township of relocating the people presently living there. The town could still retain the revenue from the parking lot rental space? There’s no need to give it up… And, there really is no comparison between this location and any others presently being considered. Acquiring the other properties under consideration and assisting in the relocation of residents and businesses in those locations is exorbitant beyond my imagination…. 4. I don’t know what legal arrangements the town has regarding the rental of parking space in the pool parking lot during the off-season? And, I don’t believe there is any need of discontinuing the availability of these spaces to those now renting them? | ||
| dreamer Citizen Username: Dreamer Post Number: 10 Registered: 10-2003 |
ajc. i not sure what you ment by your return post to my ealier posting. don't get me wrong i do appreciate all you and other have done towards the new PD station. I just feel that no matter what the great citizens of maplewood try to do the TC always messes it up by always trying to save a buck and cut corners. I do have a personal interest in seeing a new PD building errected, however, I will not eloborate any further as to why. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2520 Registered: 9-2001 |
Dreamer, my comment about the community pool was only meant to bring your attention to where I thought the conversation should be, not whether or not you thought there would be a new police station... Sorry about that… and as for your view of the township committee, well they do mess up sometimes, and cut corners to save a buck, but hey, nobody is perfect... Although it may not be evident at the moment, all of us in town have a personal interest in seeing a new PD building erected, however, at least for the time being, it looks like I will be elaborating for all of us... | ||
| speedie99 Citizen Username: Speedie99 Post Number: 9 Registered: 6-2003 |
ajc - I have followed your travails with Les Saisons on MOL and have always been impressed with your ability to back up your statements with well researched responses. So I'm a little surprised that you are willing to write off our volunteer first aid squad without knowing what they really do for our town. I do not wish anyone ill, however if you do need medical assistance in the overnight ( weeknights from 7pm until 6am) the MVFAS is the group that responds. They answered over 400 calls during that time frame last year which is not an inconsequential number. Please remember that these volunteers are your neighbors, hightly trained, motivated people who give selflessly of their time and skills to those in critcal need. Please don't write them off so cavalierly with "the fire department already does most of the calls." People might get the wrong impression that they do not serve a purpose in our community. I for one am glad that they exist! | ||
| Mark Burns Citizen Username: Mburns Post Number: 3 Registered: 2-2004 |
Reading through the various comments on this thread, the one made by ajc "BTW, the fire department already does most of the calls anyway" is concerning. As Captain of the Maplewood FIrst Aid Squad, I'd like to explain exactly what we do for the citizens of Maplewood. First of all, the volunteer members of the MFAS currently go in service from 7 pm to approximately 6 am Monday through Friday. We recently started weekend rotations as well. During that time MFAS volunteers handle the emergency medical calls for Maplewood and, if needed, provide mutual aid to surrounding towns. Our two ambulances are equipped with the latest equipment and our members are fully trained and certified Emergency Medical Technicians. We respond to over 400 calls a year. We ride mostly evenings since our members have their own job obligations during the day. Ongoing training is provided on a regular basis that includes in-services, crew drills, squad drills and multi-agency drills. Secondly, MFAS does stand-by for our high school football games, First Night, the Halloween Parade, Fourth of July and many other community events. We recently sponsored a very successful Red Cross Blood Drive and are having a CPR Marathon on April 17th and 18th, Future plans are for ongoing safety training and disaster preparedness training for Maplewood residents. A cadet program is being developed to teach younger members of our town responsibility, Fisrt Aid and CPR. The MFAS has been in service for over 30 years, unselfishly volunteering thousands of hours to provide the highest level of care for our neighbors. We look forward to many more years of continuing to offer an invaluable voluteer service to the residents of this wonderful town. Bruce Mandel - Captain, Maplewood First Aid Squad | ||
| Fruitcake Citizen Username: Fruitcake Post Number: 75 Registered: 9-2003 |
Um, maybe we also need to review ajc's legal research about Green Acres... | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2522 Registered: 9-2001 |
"I'm a little surprised that you are willing to write off our volunteer first aid squad without knowing what they really do for our town." I would never write off the volunteer work of any organization, and definitively not one as valuable as the volunteer first aid squad. Let me be clear, I SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF THE MAPLEWOOD VOLUNTEER FIRST AID SQUAD. In an earlier post I stated that a meeting room should be made available at both fire stations and the new police building. All three of these locations can be so arranged as to accommodate the squad’s equipment, supplies, meeting, and other service related needs of our rescue squad. These are difficult times, and communities everywhere are looking to combine town services to save expenses. Maplewood is just one of many towns who have met recently with their surrounding neighbors to discuss amalgamating fire, police, and rescue services. I appreciate the responses to this proposal for building the new police department, as it at least indicates someone out here is listening. The turn out at the meetings I have attended have been disappointing at best. I have repeatedly asked for more participation by the committee’s and town departments who are suppose to represent us. Have I left anyone out, if so I apologize? My request for more involvement, also from an earlier post, is worth repeating. “Therefore, I want to reach out to everyone who is involved with the previously proposed playground plan for the community pool, the Skate Park Committee, members of the Rescue Squad, the Maplewood Gardens Townhouse Board, the Winchester Gardens Board, the Maplewood Police and Fire Departments, the Swimming Pool Advisory Board, the Transportation Committee, the Springfield Avenue Partnership, the Planning Board, the Economic Development Committee, the Recreation Department, the Design, Review, and Beautification Committee, the Environmental, Historic, and Neighborhood Preservation Committee’s.” In response to Mark and/or Bruce’s post, I appreciate your information and hope you can attend tonight’s meeting. I admit I don’t know all the facts, and much of what I receive as facts are second hand. The problem is there are not enough hours in the day, and I’ve learned that when you post something out here on MOL, someone else may show up to correct or update the facts. This is good!!! Thank you for your post, and I would be pleased to meet with you in person to add your comments to the possibility for or against using your building as the new location for our police department…. BTW Fruitcake, I’ve posted a request for help from others to review the research about Green Acres. All I can add to my previous comments, is that we spoke with someone else down there today, and were told the town officials have to respond favorably, and need to fill out the application before they will agree to come up for a walk through. Listen folks, all that is being asked here is that the township committee add this pool parking lot proposal I’m bringing tonight to the short list. We want to see it compared one on one against the others locations. If the powers that be, keep repeating it can’t be done because of Green Acres, then I guess it won’t be. This proposal is not only within the law, it’s also within the spirit of Green Acres. All we’re requesting is to take a small portion of the parking lot and replace it with a play ground and skate park for our children. One more thing... the present Rescue Squad building was built on Green Acres property, and the town is presently renting out Green Acres property for residential and commercial parking income. Why? How is our proposal any different, other than our plan will ADD recreational space to the township? | ||
| Marc Citizen Username: Bautisma Post Number: 128 Registered: 9-2003 |
Wow. I dont think I've see a post with that many different fonts and colors used | ||
| Dave Citizen Username: Dave Post Number: 6486 Registered: 4-1998  |
And, ironically, it's been proven that setting type that way actually will decrease the number of people who will read it. | ||
| Tom Reingold Citizen Username: Noglider Post Number: 2272 Registered: 1-2003  |
I find it hard on my eyes. Tom Reingold the prissy-pants There is nothing | ||
| Joan Citizen Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 2538 Registered: 5-2001 |
Art: I think Marc is saying that a meeting room and some storage space in one or more locations isn't going to cut it. Marc: What are the advantages/disadvantages to having the First Aid Squad in a shared facility? If there are advantages what kind of space would be needed by the First Aid Squad for such a proposal to work? | ||
| mtierney Citizen Username: Mtierney Post Number: 498 Registered: 3-2001 |
Being a charter member of the Maplewood pool, I remember that the land was once part of the old Ward Homestead (now Winchester Gardens). Was the squad site created from that property? What green acres? | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2523 Registered: 9-2001 |
"ironically, it's been proven that setting type that way actually will decrease the number of people who will read it." Really? I always thought there was something to say for use it or lose it... These types of comments always seem to me to just be another way to change the subject. Marc, Dave, and Tom, what did your comments have to do with the most important issue facing our community at the moment? I'll answer that, NOTHING!!! Thank you Joan and Mtierney. If you don't mind, I'll let someone else answer those questions this time... |
