Democratic Candidates Point to Open Space Successes

“The joy and satisfaction of successful gardening, fresh, home-grown vegetables, delicious honey and a home for bees, food for the hungry, and flowers for our pollinating insect friends all add up to a huge community success,” state Democratic candidates for Madison Borough Council, Maureen Byrne of Albright Circle and John Hoover of Overhill Drive. In a joint prepared statement the two candidates point to the creation of the Madison Community Garden at the Madison Recreation Center (MRC) as one of many successful applications of Madison’s Open Space and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.

“The garden was first established with a one-time grant of $47,000 from the Trust Fund and is now self-sustaining through annual user fees. Gardeners pay an annual fee of $60 for a full 20 x 10 foot plot and $30 for a half plot. Now in its fifth year, it has grown from an initial 60 plots to 80 in 2014 to nearly 100 today. Since much of the work of establishing the garden, including the placing of the 8 foot fencing that surrounds and protects it, was performed by volunteers, half of initial grant has never been spent,” stated Community Garden Advisory Committee Chairman Mike Barrasso.

Barrasso continued, “We strongly encourage our gardeners to use organic methods and the use of synthetic herbicides and pesticides is strictly prohibited. Applications for garden plots can be obtained online at www.rosenet.org (select the Permits & Apps tab and then select Community Garden Application (PDF).pdf). Renewal applications can be submitted between Sept 1, and Dec 31; applications for new plots between Jan 1 and May 15.

In addition to the individual garden plots, the garden features demonstration plots sponsored by the Rutgers Master Gardener Program of Morris County, bee hives, three of which are collective hives whose production is shared by 20 member participants, and one of three Madison’s new butterfly parks. Also, a strip along the side of the garden is used by the Friends of Madison Shade Trees to raise trees from seedlings for future planting on borough property.”

Master Gardener Steve Stocker noted that “Surplus produce from member gardeners plus produce from the demonstration plots and others he cares for and four others cared for by Madison Girl Scout troops and two of Madison’s churches is donated to the Interfaith Food Pantry on Wednesdays and the Soup Kitchen of Morristown on Mondays and Fridays. Last year the charities together received a total 3,500 pounds of fresh produce from the Madison Community Garden.”

Byrne and Hoover observed that, “None of this would have happened without the Madison Open Space and Historic Preservation Trust Fund. In addition to the $47,000 grant of seed money to establish the garden, the garden itself is located on land whose purchase was made possible by the Trust Fund. Of the total $13 million purchase price for the 49 acres on which the MRC is located, $8.9 million came from state and county grants. The rest is financed through the annual Municipal Open Space Tax.

But we must remember that the Trust Fund has made possible much than just what we see at the MRC. The 18th century Luke Miller house has been preserved, a pocket park created, athletic fields at the former Bayley Ellard High School were purchased and the historic James Library, home of the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts, is being restored. Just recently, the Morris County Freeholders announced an additional grant for the Museum restoration and a new grant to help fund architectural plans for restoration of the Hartley Dodge Memorial plaza. The borough will also be applying for a similar grant from the county, which would pay for 80% of the cost of the project, to restore existing trails in Summerhill Park damaged by Superstorm Sandy and to build a new trail leading from the park to the Luke Miller house.

We fully support funding the Open Space and Historic Restoration Trust Fund with the Municipal Open Space Tax at its current rate. A reasonable Open Space Tax is the smart, cost-effective way to build community and enhance quality of life in Madison.”

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