Environmental Commission disbandin could go to vote

VERNON — The dissolution of Vernon Township's Environmental Commission could go out to ballot in November.
Former Environmental Commission Chairwoman Beverly Budz on Monday informed the council of her intent to submit a petition signed by 1,143 locals to “oppose and repeal” Township Ordinance 16-16. Passed by the Township Council in a 3-2 vote at its last meeting, Ordinance 16-16 effectively disbanded the Environmental Commission.
“We got this petition going because we believe that the voters of Vernon deserve the right to decide themselves in November if we should still have that layer of protection over Vernon's environment,” Budz said.
According to Budz, the 1,143 signature were collected over the course of the previous week by approximately 7-8 volunteers standing in front of local business establishments like CVS and ACME.
Township Clerk Lauren Kirkman, who had not yet received the document, said Monday evening a petition would need signatures from 15 percent of the number of total votes cast at the last election, or approximately 737 valid signatures to be successful. Kirkman said the signatures on the petition must come from legal voters in the municipality, and said signatures are verified by checking the names on the petition against the township's voter rolls.
Once the document is submitted to the township clerk, Kirkman said the office has 20 days to review and certify the signatures. The petition would then be presented at the next council meeting. If certified with sufficient signatures, the petition would suspend the ordinance in question, in this case resurrecting the Environmental Commission until the issue could be decided by voters in November.
Budz said Environmental Commission supporters planned to submit the petition by the end of the week.
At Monday's meeting, the Council also voted to move ahead with the purchase of the property located at 9 Wisteria Court to further the township's bike path project and possibly provide space to build a botanical garden.
At previous meetings, some members of the public questioned the value in purchasing the nearly 20-acre lot that is mostly marshland, but the council argued that grants would substantially lower the cost of the purchase. The council, which has agreed to pay $70,000 for the property, said it will be reimbursed for $35,000 of the purchase price by the Land Conservancy of New Jersey. The council previously approved the use of $35,000 from the Open Space Fund to purchase the property.
On Monday, however, a resident citing Ordinance 00-16 said the council's purchase of the land using money from the township's Open Space Fund would be illegal without approval from an Open Space Committee. Councilwoman Jeanne Murphy contended Ordinance 00-16 is superseded by Ordinance 05-90, which says an Open Space Committee “shall not be established at this time” and designates the council as the body to “research, investigate, negotiate and complete open space transactions in its discretion including the management of the Open Space Trust Fund.”
Council president Dan Kadish, after voting to approve the purchase, asked Mayor Harry Shortway to look into the matter.
The council also began grappling with the issue of Airbnb rentals in the township.
According to Fire Marshall Louis Tosto, the issue was first brought to his attention via a letter sent to the Fire Marshall's office alerting him to the listings.
Tosto said unlike the handful of licensed bed and breakfasts in the town, the Airbnb listings have not been inspected by his office for compliance. Additionally, Kadish said the rentals do not adhere to hotel tax regulations.
Though no action was taken on Monday, Kadish said the council will need to explore its options and find a solution that brings the rentals in line with local regulations without discouraging tourism.