Forge Pond Parsippany's Origins. What Happened to the $350,000

What Happened to the $350,000 Forge Pond Dam?

Last nights Town Council Meeting brought Developer Edward Mosberg to appear, with a crew of builders, to announce what sounded like threats to Parsippany for shutting down his worksite on "luxury town houses" on the landscape of Forge Pond. The new lawsuit announced by Town Attorney John Inglesino, centers around a former agreement to allow Mosberg to develop one parcel of the Historic and Environmentally Sensitive landscape, including a wetland complex, along the Troy Brook, in exchange for preservation of the remainder; approximately 115-119 out of the original 130 acres.
This landscape of mosaic ecosystems, wetlands, site of Parsippany's earliest European settlements and early industry the iron forge itself, centers around the dam across the Troy Brook. Sometime in the late 1980's Mosberg alleged vandalism; which may in fact have been sabotage, when the dam was somehow partially breached. This started a controversy with the dam as to its continuation, or state of needed repair if any and the expense it may incur. Mr. Mosberg was upset when Parsippany by right of its Home Rule under New Jersey Law, and the goals of its Master Plan had zoned the landscape, RCW (Recreation Conservation Wildlife) and R2M (Residential Density Modification). This was in 2010.
The whole history of dealings with Developer Mosberg shows a series of lawsuits with Forge Pond beginning in 1989, until the present all a clear demonstration of deceit, bad faith, including the mysterious "vandalism" of the dam itself, which Mosberg tried to use to his advantage in ruining the original character of the historic and sensitive landscape. In 1989 in fact Mosberg Developer agreed to repair the dam; shortly after the so-called vandalism.
As of August 30 2016 Parsippany is again being sued alleging The Township did not somehow complete its obligation. The Township Attorney admitted that "due diligence" concerning the dam was not properly conducted in the dam's actual need for repair; of which Mosberg alleges the $350,000 dollar settlement was to be used for; however from a 2013 news article North Jersey News Cindy Forrest 9/25/2013, this is what actually occurred.
The 2013 resolution approved by the Township Council states, "Forge Pond [developers] will convey all its right, title and interest in and to the Forge Pond Dam to the township if the township accepts conveyance of same after performing its due diligence." In addition, "Forge Pond [Developers] shall pay a sum total of $350,000 to the township to be used by the township for any purpose that the township in its sole discretion deems appropriate if the township accepts conveyance of the Forge Pond Dam. Since the money is not earmarked for the dam, which is in desperate need of repair, there is concern about what will happen to it going forward.

The question must be asked; what did happen to the $350,000? Also was this money actually a bribe? What does,"we did not perform our due diligence; admit to?
Lets end here by stating Parsippany's form of Home Rule is not working for the people of Parsippany in a real way other than bogus tax ratable which ignore human quality of life and important environmental issues affecting its citizens. If Parsippany adhered to and completed the regional conformance which it began in July 2010, known of Mosberg's tactics would be viable, and Mr. Mosberg would now being suing the State of New Jersey, not Parsippany, highly unlikely. Parsippany by not having the political will to condemn the property and pay its fair-share market value, which was possible if implemented properly by the administration, rather worked their way into more wasteful expense in legal fees and loss of the very landscape where Parsippany began. Pride in Parsippany? We have none!
We don't make decisions here we make deals; deals which in an accumulative way work against the best interest of the citizens, in helping insensitive and greedy corporate developers overcome their hardship rather than keep Parsippany stabile, beautiful and responsive to its environmental features. Parsippany is its own worse enemy; wake-up their is no Home Rule; rather we would have a better form of home rule under regional planning; and under regional conformance immune from developers lawsuits. Let us now add Forge Pond to the list along with waterview as an example of how home rule does not work, in Parsippany. Our Master Plan is a joke. Perhaps Parsippany should "hire" some trained Beavers to repair the dam and then set them free?!?.

As far as where the money went, there can be quite a number of speculations, but the question must be asked.