Letter fuels debate on when Camp Sussex talks began

VERNON — Sally Rinker has been fighting Vernon Mayor Victor Marotta and the Vernon Township board every step of the way on plans to purchase the former Camp Sussex property.

A letter submitted in court by the township in its effort to block Rinker's attempts to put the purchase up for referendum appears to show that Marotta negotiated the acquisition before the Township Council approved he could do so.

In the May 5 letter, Marotta writes to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection that "we’ve been able to negotiate an acquisition with the current owners to purchase the 88-acre parcel (Block 82/Lot 8) for $510,000. We are requesting to utilize $127,500 (25 percent of $510,000) of the unspent funding from the Stanhill Standard Grant towards the purchase price.”

The board voted a month later to authorize Marotta to begin negotiations.

However, Marotta said he had authority in 2012 to look into what it would cost to purchase the property.

Marotta said that process ended but restarted in the spring of 2014.

Rather than characterize his inquiries as negotiations, Marotta said "I prefer" to use the word "conversation."

He said the $510,000 figure was just the amount that the owner, Empire Tax Funds, asked for.

"There was nothing binding," he said. "There were no commitments made."

In the letter, Marotta states that a sale price has been agreed upon and states “we will attempt to immediately proceed to contract” if Fink approves the use of the funds.

Marotta said the letter was "taken out of context."

Marotta said on Tuesday that those costs are still unknown. He is awaiting the results of two appraisals done on the property.

Rinker said there are dozens of buildings on the property which would need to be demolished which would add to the cost. She has stated that the purchase price, demolition costs and park construction cost will outrun the amount of money in the town's environmental proptection fund.

Marotta said the town has $354,000 in a community reforestation grant from the Department of Forestry to reforest the property.

There are 57 acres of Highlands forest on site and is a habitat for the bald eagle, timber rattlesnake, bobcat and golden-winged warbler. The Glenwood Brook goes through the property and Lake Glenwood borders the property as well, according to Marotta.

Marotta said the town's environmental commission had recommended the purchase.

Rinker has obtained a recording of an executive session held by the town’s environmental commission in April which she says shows that Marotta had already negotiated a purchase price.

Rinker posted the meeting on the Vernon Taxpayer’s Assocation website.

“It is an abuse of power is it not?” Rinker said of Marotta's actions.

“Who is he to negotiate a half million dollar (contract) to spend taxpayer (funds) without town approval?”

Marotta said the funds he was requesting from the Green Acres program is no longer available and he won't apply for them again.

Marotta said it will be up to his Township Council to decide what to do about Camp Sussex. He wants to either make it a public park or turn it over into private hands.

"I'm in no rush," he said.

Reporter Nathan Mayberg can be reached at comm.reporter@strausnews.com or by calling 845-469-9000 ext. 359.