Sussex planning study, future of old county jail topics at commissioners' meeting
NEWTON — The Sussex County commissioners were presented with options on how to proceed with a state-mandated update of local and regional planning guidelines, a project that could cost county government as much as $100,000.At the board's meeting Wednesday, county Attorney Douglas Steinhardt also mentioned an appraisal done recently at the former county jail in Newton, ahead of a possible sale. And the commissioners engaged in the latest round of back-and-forth over Commissioner William Hayden's unsubstantiated claims of missing money in a food pantry program.
Planning mandate may be expensive
According to William Koppenaal, administrator of the county Department of Engineering and Planning, the state is looking to update its Development and Redevelopment Plan, a blueprint intended to help authorities decide where to allow building and redevelopment and where to prioritize preservation. The update requires input from each of the state's 21 counties.
Koppenaal outlined three options for the county to participate, but noted, "We don't have the staff to do it." Sussex County, he said, may hire the services of a professional planning company, which could cost as much as $100,000. It could also allow the state to "find someone" to do the work for the county or partner with one or more other counties, he added.
He said he had already contacted Morris and Warren counties, but "they said they are maxed out as well."
He noted this is the second time the state has gone through this process, the last being when it produced the 2007 Strategic Growth Plan.
The timeline for a county-level decision is tentative, but, Koppenaal said, the state will soon be needing an answer.
Hayden, Space on food pantry
During his public comment session, Hayden said he had been contacted by the FBI. The federal agency, he said, wants him to provide tapes of meetings as part of an investigation of the food pantry program.
Hayden, who is under a cloud for allegedly fabricating stories about being in the U.S. military, has charged that public money has gone missing from the program, a volunteer-run effort that operates out of space provided by the county.
Later in the meeting, Commissioner Director Jill Space asked Steinhardt, the county attorney, if he had been contacted by anyone about the pantry's operation. The attorney said he had not received inquiries from any county employees or law enforcement agency.
More: Hayden to sue fellow Sussex County commissioners, others over censure
In law enforcement investigations, records are typically obtained either by court order or subpoena or by direct request to an agency. That is done to preserve chain of custody of evidence should a court case result.
Other than allowing its space at 83 Spring St. in Newton to be used as a warehouse, the county has no connection to the pantry program. Volunteers, using a system set up by a private organization, order food directly from ShopRite, and that food is delivered by truck to the warehouse. From there, materials are sent to nonprofit pantries across the county to supplement their supplies.
Jail appraisal could be final step to sale
In his own report, Steinhardt said that an appraisal of the former jail building is being done as a final step in preparing for a sale of the multi-story building adjacent to the courthouse and sheriff's office. Sussex County has not used the jail, officially known as the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility, for several years. Prisoners now are sent to the Morris County jail under a contract with that county.
At least one party has expressed interested in purchasing the building and converting it into a restaurant/boutique hotel complex.
The county has not made any formal announcement on if, how or when sale of the property will be held.
Food drive may coincide with State Fair
Commissioner Chris Carney said during his comment period that he has talked with Mike Richards, general manager of the Sussex County Fairgrounds, and has tentatively scheduled a food drive to be held, possibly the opening Saturday of the New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm and Horse Show. This year's fair is scheduled for Aug. 4-12. He noted there may also be a second food drive during Sussex County Day.
Route 519 bridge to close for repairs
Carney also said that the County Route 519 bridge over Dry Brook in Frankford, will be closed down on April 15. The bridge is to be demolished and replaced under a $1.44 million contract.
Email: bscruton@njherald.com Twitter/X: Twitter: @brucescrutonNJH
This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: State planning study may cost Sussex County $100K, commissioners told
