Mayor Changes Mind on Land Sale

Good people working together can effect change!In this case, residents of Ringwood convinced Mayor Allan Van Eck to change his mind about selling a parcel of open land in the Borough.The Borough had planned to auction off the land along with other parcels on June 15, 2002.The approximately 5-acre parcel is adjacent to Ringwood State Park, near a popular hiking trail.The site was formerly a water utility for summer residents.The site also contains wetlands and steep slopes, where development could cause significant environmental concerns.Residents had voted for an open-space tax last year to preserve land such as the parcel.Skylands CLEAN held a protest hike on the property on June 7, and attended meetings with the mayor to support residents in their opposition to the sale.Congratulations to all the residents who attended the meeting, and to the mayor for listening to them.