MENDHAM TOWNSHIP, NJ — Open space funding, management of township-owned land and a host of infrastructure and municipal issues are set to come before the Mendham Township Committee this week.
The committee will hold its regular meeting on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Mendham Township Town Hall, 2 West Main Street in Brookside. An executive session is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The public meeting will also be available remotely through Zoom.
Among the more significant items on the agenda is a resolution seeking an additional $900,000 in funding through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Green Acres Program.
Mendham Township has already obtained a $500,000 Green Acres loan and a $4.43 million grant for its open space acquisition program. The proposed supplemental funding would bring total Green Acres funding for the project to roughly $5.83 million, according to the resolution.
The committee will also consider creating a temporary Open Space, Recreation and Natural Resources Stewardship Working Group charged with taking a comprehensive look at township-owned open space, trails, forests, meadows, recreational properties and environmentally sensitive lands.
The group would examine maintenance and restoration needs, public use, accessibility, volunteer programs, grant opportunities, Department of Public Works resources and potential capital needs before developing recommendations for the Township Committee.
Representatives from several township bodies would participate, including the Open Space Trust Committee, Environmental Commission, Recreation Committee and Tree Committee, along with two Township Committee members and municipal staff. The group would eventually submit a final report with its findings and recommendations.
Another measure on Wednesday's agenda would amend an agreement establishing a shared municipal court between Mendham Township, Chester Township and Chester Borough. Under the arrangement, Chester Township serves as the host municipality while each of the three courts retains its own identity. The agreement covers shared court facilities and staff, including administrators, prosecutors and security personnel.
Committee members are also scheduled to hold a public hearing and final vote on an ordinance officially naming the access drive to the Ralston Soccer Fields "Ralston Field Way." The ordinance would establish the fields and associated parking at 1 Ralston Field Way, with signage installed in consultation with the police and public works departments.
Other scheduled discussions include the township's tree ordinance, possible formation of an Agricultural Committee, updates on the Sewer East and Sewer West WIPA process, brush pickup, street renumbering questions, baseball field improvements, Pitney Garden maintenance and garbage and recycling rates for 2027.
The committee is also expected to hear presentations on stormwater and the differences between the township's chip-and-seal program and traditional paving.
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