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Freeholders come to town
(by Lisa Kintish - June 04, 2008)
The Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders has been traveling, regularly forsaking their usual location in Morristown in favor of town halls throughout the county. On May 28, it was Boonton’s turn to play host.
The brief meeting in which the freeholders adopted a number of bond ordinances - as Director Margaret Nordstrom explained, “We are an administrative body, we don’t make laws” - gave Boonton residents a chance to see county government in action. It also provided the opportunity for the people of Boonton to speak out about local issues.
Taking advantage of this chance, Harold Johnson, president of Boonton Main Street, Inc., asked the freeholders for monetary assistance and support of Morris County’s road department, “inasmuch as our Main Street is a county road.”
He continued, “Over the past three decades, as dependence upon automobiles has increasingly stressed Main Street to accommodate volume, ease and safety of parking, the volume has been very greatly increased by the completion of I-287 as a commuter road with Main Street becoming a major feeder. As we seek to improve the attractiveness and appeal of Main Street’s commercial blocks as a safe and hassle-free thoroughfare with user-friendly parking solutions, we shall be in great need of the cooperative support of Morris County.”
Johnson also told the freeholders about the history of the nearly 6-year-old Boonton Main Street program, which has been working to revitalize the downtown center. Looking to strengthen the case as to why Morris County should offer assistance to Boonton, Johnson reported on what has happened with Main Street Newton.
“These [Sussex] County leaders…recognized the strength and effectiveness of the National Main Street program and the growing New Jersey network of member towns. They were the motivating force for Sussex County’s first and only Main Street program and have successfully acquired a 2008 grant of $20,000 from the Board of Freeholders for that program’s first year.”
The freeholders responded with many suggestions, but no promises of money. Nordstrom said, “I applaud your effort,” and went on to say, “funding is difficult.”
Freeholder William Chegwidden, who is also mayor of Wharton, told the small audience, which mostly consisted of Boonton Main Street Board of Directors, several Boonton Aldermen, and Mayor Cyril Wekilsky, about the efforts that have taken place in his town. There, it was decided to not go with any state program, but rather “go it alone.” This meant hiring a part-time manager, examining capital spending and finding money to put into streetlights. Pointing out the close proximity of his town’s center to the Rockaway Townsquare Mall, he said, “You have to find your niche.”
Freeholder John Murphy noted that Johnson’s comparison was interesting and that Newton is Sussex’s county seat. He offered that Boonton avail itself to the “wealth of experience” that Morris County has with its engineers and other experts.
Deputy Director Gene Feyl, formerly mayor of Denville, said that he knows well the “trust a downtown is,” calling such districts the “cohesiveness, spirit, and signature of a town.”
Suggesting that Boonton look into county grants, he explained what has helped Denville. The Chamber of Commerce examined the parking situation and found that it was a “perceived problem” when the real problem was people do not want to walk. Since the parking study, “we haven’t really had parking complaints,” said Feyl.
Following the meeting, Johnson said he found the comments to be “encouraging.” Understanding that money is tight, he said the main point was for the freeholders to hear about what is happening in Boonton and to start a dialogue with the county.
Alderwomen Patricia Bujtas, who is a member of Boonton Main Street, said that she thought the freeholders had some good suggestions, although they were things that Boonton has already been trying.
“It is nice to know they are open for dialogue. Based on this, we will probably talk to them more. There is no money, but maybe we made an awareness for the needs of downtown and grants.”
Lisa Kintish can be contacted at kintish@northjersey.com.
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