New Appointments Give Reprieve To Historic Preservation Committee In Long Valley

LONG VALLEY, NJ — The future of the Washington Township Historic Preservation Committee appears to be on solid ground, with a slew of official appointments bringing it closer to the required total.

The committee was brought into the limelight late last year after a proposed ordinance called for the dissolution of the committee and a complete transfer of powers to the planning board.

Following a negative reaction from the public, the ordinance was called off by Mayor Matthew Murello, with the condition that all open seats on the committee be filled, among other things. In early December, the committee had four official members, one of whom resigned effective Dec. 22.

Since then, the township has appointed five new members, leaving only two openings.

Here are the new members:

• Carolann Schumacher: application received Aug. 1; appointed Sept. 19
• Amy Weston: application received Dec. 19; appointed Jan. 2
• Patrick Murphy: application received Dec. 21; appointed Jan. 16
• John Byron Collins: application received Jan. 9; appointed Jan. 16
• Tara Walters: application received Jan. 9; appointed Jan. 16

According to officials, the Historic Preservation Commission should have seven regular members and two alternates. However, the commission has not had seven regular members at the same time since 2018.

More than ten members have resigned since 2017, with only one member currently remaining from before that time.

At a recent township council meeting, local resident Bob Falcone spoke out in regard to his application for one of the remaining open position slots. Falcone applied for the spot on the commission in December but has not yet been appointed.

Falcone also currently holds another position with the township, which, according to a New Jersey statute, means he can't serve as a Class C member on the committee.

"Those regular members who are not designated as classes A or B shall be designated as classes C. Class C members shall be citizens of the municipality who shall hold no other municipal office, position, or employment except for membership on the planning board or board of adjustment," statute N.J.S.A. 40:55D-107 c. reads.

Falcone offered to resign from his other position during the committee meeting in exchange for being appointed to the commission during the public session. He also claimed when he contacted the state's Historic Preservation Office, he was told that many municipalities have members of the Historic Preservation Commission who are also appointed to other positions and that the statute only applies to elected or paid positions.

According to Township Administrator Andrew Coppola, Commissioner Kenneth Short had earlier requested the Township Attorney’s office to conduct further research at the request of the Historic Preservation Commission Chair.

The Washington Township Historic Preservation Commission is in charge of overseeing changes to existing properties as well as new construction within three historic districts and several individual sites.

They also serve as a resource for any homeowner who owns a historic property in the township.

The commission's upcoming goals, according to Murello, are to complete the annual report by the end of the first quarter and to post all future and past meeting minutes, which is required to be a National Park Service-certified local government.

The township will also ask the state's Historic Preservation Office to keep an eye on the Commission's compliance with the certified local government requirements over the next year, as they are currently not being met.

If these goals are not met by the middle of the year, Murello stated that he will recommend to the committee that a new ordinance authorizing the dissolution be passed.