No Charge For School to Use Bernardsville Field, Mayor Confirms
Honecker says suggestion came from unsolicited report by recreation committee.
Bernardsville Mayor Lee Honecker on Wednesday night assured the Somerset Hills Board of Education that the municipality has no intention of charging the school district to use the turf field at the borough property known as the polo grounds.
Honecker said that the borough's recreation committee brought up the idea of renting out the field during a Borough Council meeting, but that that the municipality has no intention of charging rent to the school district.
Honecker said the borough is "extremely aware of our reciprocal arrangement" with the school district. He also said such sharing of facilities benefits taxpayers.
"We really appreciate that," School Board President Donna Coons said following Honecker's remarks. She said she hoped that the appearance, and confirmation offered by borough officials that no rental fees will be charged will answer all board members' questions on the subject.
Shawn Laverty
12:05 pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
Can the mayor unilaterally make that decision? Will it go before the entire council? What fields foes the board share with the borough? Do other boards of ed pay the towns for fields?
Linda Sadlouskos
1:25 pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
The majority of the Bernardsville Borough council was in agreement that the school district should not be charged, Honecker said.
Ed Byrnes
8:49 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
The Mayor and Council are on the right track. School user fees will simply transfer the cost and make the issue more controversial. In favor or not, we should all be aware that a turf field will not "pay for itself." Local residents will pay for it through some form of tax or user fees.