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Politics & Government

Field Fertilization A Source of Controversy at Township Committee Meeting

Public Works Get New Contract, Eagle Scout Honored

The paying of the township bill list led to a debate on the field fertilization schedule when Committeeman Sean Sharkey and Committeewoman Helen DelaCruz stated they intended to vote against paying the fertilization bills during last night’s township committee meeting.

The bill, in the amount of $4,080, covers the work for outside contractor TruGreen, who has a $26,500 contract with the township this year to fertilize municipal lawns which include athletic fields, township parks and the grass outside municipal buildings.

Committeeman David Most asked what the alternative would be to fertilizing the fields.

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Sharkey replied that while he is not an expert in lawn care perhaps the schedule, which currently sees the fields fertilized once a month, could be cut back on to save money.

“This is not something we need to do,” said Sharkey.

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Committeeman Mark Dykoff invited Sharkey to speak with Public Works Director Casey Parker.

“He will tell you what is done and why. If we don’t do it, we will lose the fields. They will deteriorate,” said Dykoff.

Mayor Gary Quinn added that Parker will be attending a public budget hearing on Thursday, March 31 and could address Sharkey’s concerns then.

DelaCruz had her own analogy on why she believed the field fertilization was an unnecessary expense.

“I look at [township] expenses like family expenses,” she said. “If my family was short of money, we would spend the money we had on something more essential. I would not fertilize my lawn.”

Quinn disagreed stating, “After what we have invested in parks and fields we have a duty to the taxpayer to maintain them."

“We all want to reduce dollars and save money for the tax-payers but let’s not do something tonight that we’ll all regret in five years,” said Quinn.

The motion to pay the fertilizing bill passed 3-2 with Sharkey and DelaCruz voting no.

In other news from last night’s meeting, the governing body:

  • Unanimously approved a new contract with Teamsters Local 97. The contract covers the township’s public works employees. Township Administrator Veronica Laureigh said it included no retroactive raise for 2010 while putting in place 1.5 percent raises for 2011 and 2012.

Laureigh said that the contract is “a wash” for the township’s finances as the employees agreed to pay 1.5-percent towards their health benefits effective June 2010, which she said offsets the two years of contractual raises.

  • Issued a proclamation that designated April 10-16 as National Library Week.

“The library does so many things in this town. The county has a great system but the Lacey branch is the best of the best,” said Quinn.

“They run a tremendous amount of programs--a lot of programs for seniors. They have a full media center. It’s one of the best kept secrets in Lacey Twp,” he added.

  • Issued a second proclamation for resident Henry Korotky, who recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank possible in the Boy Scouts of America.

“It is such a difficult thing to achieve to get to that rank,” said Quinn. “You did a great job."

“Your family must be very proud,” added Most. “Your accomplishments are outstanding. Eagle Scouts are few and far between.”

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