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Wantage puts off establishing Lake Neepaulin use rules

| 01 Jun 2015 | 02:48
    Photos by Vera Olinski Lake Neepaulin is a hot-button issue for residents of Wantage Township.
    Photos by Vera Olinski Lake Neepaulin is a hot-button issue for residents of Wantage Township.
    Christine Keller expressed concerns of liability for Wantage Township at Lake Neepaulin during the committee meeting on May 28.
    Christine Keller expressed concerns of liability for Wantage Township at Lake Neepaulin during the committee meeting on May 28.
    Emily Heiden said she and her family enjoyed swimming and fishing in Lake Neepaulin since she was little.
    Emily Heiden said she and her family enjoyed swimming and fishing in Lake Neepaulin since she was little.

WANTAGE — The Wantage Township Committee postponed establishing use rules for Lake Neepaulin until the next meeting, scheduled for Thursday, June 11.

Around eight residents spoke with differing viewpoints about possible plans to swim in Lake Neepaulin. Three members of the Recreation Committee also voiced their concerns.

Christine Keller asked the Committee to put swimming at Lake Neepaulin on a referendum.

She said it was “time for the community to decide what they really want.”

Keller also was concerned about the potential liability of the township being named in a lawsuit if someone drowns.

Deputy Mayor Ronald Bassani said that it would probably not go to a referendum. He also said that the committee is very close to resolving the use of Lake Neepaulin, including the question of liability.

Nancy Nolte suggested not interfering with the lake and letting it go back to nature. She could not imagine anyone desiring to swim in it.

Emily Heiden countered that the lake is clean, and her family had enjoyed swimming and fishing in the lake since she was little.

Peter Jordan said that the dispute regarding the Lake Neepaulin Dam had been publicized so much in the past that now it was time to change the attitude and the perception of Lake Neepaulin. He wanted to bring back the property values and the lost tax revenue.

School Board member Robert Heiden said the sooner the committee opens the lake, the sooner the whole area could turn around in terms of attracting people to purchase homes. He applauded the work the committee is doing.

Ann Smulewicz said that Lake Neepaulin was nothing but a scam. She said she resents having to pay for a lake that she did not enjoy, and that had absolutely no benefit to her.