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| W. JACOB PERRY | 02/16/2005 |
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Under the terms, the historic, 4.4-acre site on King George Road would be leased out for $1 per year to the non-profit Friends of the Farmstead, which would execute a business plan for the buildings and assume all costs except grass-cutting and snow-plowing.
The Township Committee introduced an ordinance to authorize the lease in a 4-0 vote, with Committeeman Ali Chaudry absent, on Tuesday, Jan. 25.
Because the terms still need to be cleared by the State Historic Preservation Office, a public hearing initially set for Tuesday night, Feb. 14, was expected to be rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 29.
The Friends of the Farmstead and other supporters “are just delighted” to have an agreement, John Campbell, president of the group, said last week.
“We look forward to moving ahead with the project and implementing our business plan,” he added. “It will be challenging. There’s a lot to be learned and a lot to accomplish, but it’s very exciting.”
The 18th century farmstead, which was acquired in an open space purchase six years ago, includes a farmhouse, a large English barn and a wagon house. A township task force has proposed that the buildings be adapted for cultural uses by raising up to $2.2 million.
Last year, with the Township Committee limiting the municipal commitment to $100,000, the Friends group was incorporated to raise the balance and oversee the project. Friends needed to lease the site but was first required to submit a business plan, which it did last October.
But the lease talks produced some disagreements.
A key issue was the township’s demand to have Friends fund all site work for utilities and parking, plus maintenance costs. Friends complained that Bedminster Township did not impose such terms on the non-profit group that oversees the historic Jacobus Vanderveer House on Route 206 in that township.
Ultimately, Campbell said, Friends agreed to pay for site work and maintenance except for grass-cutting and snow-plowing. He said the township would need to cut the grass and plow the driveway even if there were no farmstead project.
Site work, which has been included in the project’s $2.2 million total, has an estimated cost of $186,200. Campbell said the annual maintenance costs would include heat for the farmhouse and an unknown amount for liability insurance.
But during the committee’s meeting on Thursday, Feb. 10, Chaudry and Committeeman Thomas Moschello said some issues still needed clarification.
Chaudry said that while Friends was asked to insure the site for up to $5 million, they insisted on coverage for no more than $1 million. He called for a review.
Moschello said that while Friends would maintain both the buildings and grounds, the latest terms left out language on grounds. He asked for that language to be restored.
So far, the project has received $739,657 in state and county grants – enough to preserve all the structures. The next step will be to raise $1.48 million to make the structures usable by the public.
Using a $110,040 county grant that was awarded last September, a township-hired contractor, Schtiller & Plevy of Newark, is completing preservation work on the large English barn.
A $440,393 state grant that was awarded last November will be used to complete similar work on the farmhouse and wagon house.
Campbell said that because the township received the grants, it would continue to oversee the preservation work even after a lease is signed. He said much of the credit for the lease agreement should go to Morristown attorney Peter Wolfson, who worked for Friends on a pro bono basis, and Friends member Bob Dillon, who analyzed the terms.
In a related matter, the committee at its Jan. 25 meeting unanimously rejected a Parks Committee proposal to name the site “Legacy Park.”
Committeeman Albert LiCata said he preferred other names, such as Old Farmstead, River Run or Mountain View park.