Sans Turf Field, Holmdel's $2.81M Bond Ordinance Moves Forward

HOLMDEL, NJ — The Holmdel Township Committee unanimously voted to adopt the reintroduction of the $2.81 million bond ordinance for safety, parks and road improvements that had failed to get enough votes in last month's meeting.

The bond ordinance will have a final vote in a special meeting at 9 a.m. on Aug. 24 and will need at least four out of the five committee members to vote yes, in order to pass.

Committee members Tom Critelli and DJ Luccarelli had previously voted against the ordinance, arguing that it needed an extra $1.5 million to fund a multipurpose turf field for children in town.

The controversial topic prompted many residents to address the committee during the public hearing on Tuesday night, some imploring the members to pass the ordinance and to make any future plans for a turf field transparent.

Before ultimately voting yes on the original ordinance, Critelli made a motion to increase the amount by $1.5 million, which failed with three votes against.

"I'm glad I did what I did, so I got everyone's attention to this," Critelli said, before voting yes on the $2.81 million ordinance. "I appreciate the mayor saying that if the rec committee comes up with a specific plan, a specific location, he'll put it on the agenda and make it a public conversation."

Mayor Greg Buontempo said that he was "pro rec," and that he even supported the project for a turf field on Cross Farm Park back in 2016, but that an "unspecified bond in my book is a no-go."

"I'll be more than happy to put it on the agenda for public review and discussion, but it's gotta be a complete plan that all the residents get to see," Buontempo said. "This time it's just a little premature for me to throw on debt that we don't know exactly where is gonna go."

Luccarelli agreed that any process going forward would always have to be "open and transparent," addressing concerns a few residents brought up.

"We've seen what happened in the past and nobody wants to go through that again," he said.

READ MORE: Standstill: Holmdel's Turf Wars Resurrect Thorny Debate

Committee member Prakash Santhana disputed the idea that "nothing has been done," in terms of recreational investments. According to the official, the Holmdel Youth Activities Association (HYAA) recommended a list of projects for which a $2.5 million bond was passed.

"[The HYAA] asked for the turf in the infield of the baseball fields at Phillips Park. They did not prioritize a multiuse field," Santhana said. "I question that. If it is so important for our children now, why was it not important two years ago, why did the HYAAA not tell us?"

Whether a project for a future turf field project is financially viable for the town is still a point of division. Critelli insisted that the town has the money, particularly with PILOT revenues from Bell Works. But Santhana said that there was already a lot of debt and costs associated with maintaining that debt and Holmdel's AAA rating.

He also warned residents against any unspecified bond ordinances.

"[It] essentially amounts to a slush fund," he said. "Unspecified bond ordinances are a danger to us, because it adds to your debt and you have no idea how it's going to be spent in the future. You as a resident will have no power in how it's being spent later on."

There was also some debate around how much people really want a new turf field in town. One resident brought a survey conducted in 2018 to assess what residents' priorities were.

"The Turf field ranked very low in the town-wide survey," Santhana had said in a statement.

Critelli insisted people have reached out to him constantly over the years asking for a turf field.
"There is a minority of young parents that have inundated me for eight years," the committeeman said.

Another resident, from Country Squire Lane, suggested that if families really wanted a turf field, that would have been reflected in the 2018 survey.

Former Mayor Eric Hinds, who has long been a supporter of turf fields, also took the microphone to say that a turf field would benefit the town.

READ MORE: Holmdel Mayor Eric Hinds Censured Over $2.1M Turf Field Expense

"There's not a person in town that wants to see the town not get paved," Hinds said. "I think it's a false narrative that we can't do both."

He suggested the town should ask the "user groups" who would be utilizing the turf field the most to contribute with a percentage of the cost.

"I'm begging all of you to maybe consider some sort of compromise," he said. "I'm just asking you to come up with a better solution."

Also causing some stir during the meeting, there was an ordinance regarding the development of an assisted living facility at Potter's Farm. The property owner, a nonprofit organization, is proposing a voluntary annual contribution of $95,000 in lieu of taxes. The committee voted to table the discussion.

The development plans will be on the agenda for the next Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting, on Aug. 18.