U.F. Republican mayor enters race as independent
Fleischacker runs for election to see Breza Road project through
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

"It's great that the other township committeemen said they would go along with it, but 'til it's done, it's not done." - Stephen Fleischacker mayor

UPPER FREEHOLD - It all boils down to 135 acres on Breza Road.

The acreage is the principal reason Mayor Stephen Fleischacker gave for deciding to run as an independent in the November election after opting to sit out of the Republican primaries.

Stanley Moslowski Jr. and Lori Horsnall Mount bested John Mele to win the Republican Party's nod in the June 5 primary to run for the two open Township Committee seats in the November election.

When asked prior to the primary why he decided not to run for re-election, Fleischacker said he could not make a three-year commitment to serve another term. However, in an June 7 interview, he said he would now make the time and put off personal plans because the Breza Road issue is too important to him.

Fleischacker alleged that the positions of the other candidates include placing the preservation of the Breza Road tract second to its commercial development, which he considers to be in direct conflict with Upper Freehold Township's country code.

Fleischacker said, "It is primarily because of their position on this issue - which, based on a recent Township Committee vote - could result in a voting majority next year on the Township Committee that would not place preservation, retention of agriculture, long-term fiscal responsibility and environmental protection as our community's No. 1 priorities that has me entering the race at this time."

The recent Township Committee vote Fleischacker refers to occurred April 5. The deadline for filing for the June primary was April 9, which meant that Fleischacker had four days after the committee voted to consider running for the primary.

On April 5, the Township Committee voted to enter an agreement to participate with several parties in the financing for the acquisition of the Breza Road property known as Block 44, a portion of Lot 1; Block 44, Lot 2; Block 45, Lot 1, 1.03 and 2.

The committee directed its mayor and clerk to execute the purchase of the property on behalf of the township, provided that funding is available.

The resolution states, "Be it further resolved that the agreement being considered by the Township Committee between the parties as to the 135-acre tract sets forth the terms and conditions, including but not limited to the apportionment of each party, purchase-price obligation and the respective percentage of ownership interest and conditions."

The Township Committee approved the resolution in a 3-2 vote, with Committeemen Stephen Alexander and Robert Faber voting against it. However, since the vote, both Faber and Alexander have agreed to support preserving the property.

Fleischacker called Breza Road "the litmus test."

"It's great that the other township committeemen said they would go along with it," Fleischacker said, "but 'til it's done, it's not done."

The Breza Road tract is located in the only area of the township with a sewer designation, which is a main reason the school district advocated for changing the location of its proposed middle school from a site on Ellisdale Road to a 118-acre parcel on Breza Road. Due to a referendum that voters passed in April, the school will now go up on the Breza Road parcel adjacent to the 135-acre tract Fleischacker would like to see preserved. The same landowner owns both Breza Road properties.

At a meeting that took place earlier this year, Alexander addressed his concerns with preserving land in the township's only sewer designated area. He said his biggest concern is that the township would lose the Breza Road tract's sewer designation, which would pave the way for sewers to be created inside the township for the commercial and high-density residential development that the majorities of the current Township Committee and Planning Board are planning for. Fleischacker is included in both majorities.

Fleischacker called the 135-acre Breza Road property's location in a sewered area "meaningless." He said the township can rezone a different area of town as a sewered area.

When asked if he truly thinks that any Township Committee members or candidates running for office are against farmland or open space preservation, Fleischacker alleged that some would favor commercial development for tax ratables over farmland preservation on Breza Road.

Fleischacker said the township's recently finished groundwater study and the state's proposed water-quality protection requirements will have significant and far-reaching impacts on the community and its master plan revisions. The revision process began in early 2005 and is still ongoing.

"Given these recent events," Fleischacker said, "I believe I can best serve our community's interests (i.e., agricultural retention through equity protection initiatives) by remaining active locally and in Trenton, as an elected member of the Upper Freehold Township Committee."

When asked if he would have to be mayor again to accomplish these goals, Fleischacker said not necessarily. Also, because many of the new state requirements will mandate involvement from the township's Board of Health, Fleischacker said he may want to become a liaison to that body.