Allentown mayor seeks a fifth term in office BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer Stuart Fierstein ALLENTOWN - Mayor Stuart Fierstein will run unopposed for a fifth term in the Nov. 6 election. During his tenure, Fierstein has helped the borough create a funding mechanism for open space preservation, lead the fight to defeat the New York City-based Rockefeller Group's proposed warehouse development along Breza Road, and move the proposed regional middle school from a site on Ellisdale Road to Breza Road. While he has served as mayor, the borough received one of the first county approvals for its stormwater management plan, the water plant was redeveloped, local roads have been paved and resurfaced, and a new downtown parking plan was created in partnership with local merchants. Fierstein said that under his supervision the borough received grants for more than $1 million and recently applied for another $3 million in grant funding. He said the borough also developed and signed interlocal agreements with neighboring communities to reduce the local tax burden and maintained a stable local tax rate, with no increase from 2006 to 2007. Despite all the positive change that has taken place in the community, Fierstein said the borough still faces important issues, such as the termination of the Route 539 access into Allentown due to the Main Street bridge and dam replacement, the development on the borough's borders, the potential implementation of a westerly bypass to quell regional traffic, and the maintenance of a stable tax rate in the face of in- creasing costs at the state level and the economy in general. He also said that there are still concerns about business district parking, but noted that the borough has "a concrete plan to deal with it on the table." In an attempt to lessen the impact that the Main Street bridge project will have on the borough, Fierstein said that he and the Borough Council are working with borough professionals to consider every possible alternative prior to the bridge closing. "Since 1999, when the process began, protecting the business community has always been foremost," he said. Fierstein said that the Borough Council has negotiated commitments from the county for any proposed work to only affect one holiday season. He said that officials have also made sure that attractive signs will be installed to direct visitors to the downtown area and that parking on South Main Street up to the Heritage Park entrance will not be affected. He also said that public information meetings will take place before bridge construction begins. Fierstein said he and the council are working on a plan for a parking center downtown that would add parking spaces and allow for alternate traffic circulation to the truncated Route 539 access road. "We understand the vested interest that the business owners have in this situation," he said, "and we encourage them to look to the municipal officials for the facts and not base their decisions on rumors or incomplete information." With regard to land preservation in the area, Fierstein said he supports doing so and has met with Washington Township officials to discuss creating a greenbelt along the borough's border. "These meetings have propelled the process of the preservation of the Kulp property," he said. "We would welcome and cooperate with any efforts that Washington Township might make to increase land preservation." When asked about Upper Freehold Township Committee members' recent criticism regarding the amount of money Allentown contributes to local emergency and recreation services and other items, Fierstein said that Allentown adheres to interlocal agreements that stipulate how much money each municipality has to contribute. "These amounts are set in proportion to the use of services and are reviewed annually," he said. "In reality, there is little room for negotiation, and Allentown pays its share of these services despite budget constraints. "These issues are unrelated to personal opinions," Fierstein added, "and do not warrant personal attacks." Fierstein said that home rule is a double edged sword that seems to pit municipalities against each other. "These conflicts are often a reflection of frustrations with problems that are regional in nature, yet public officials are obligated to make decisions that best serve their individual communities," he said. Fierstein continued, "By focusing on our common interests and shared concerns with our neighbors and striving to keep the lines of communication open, we believe that relationships can always be improved. Dialogue and communication are the keys to success in public as well as private life." The mayor also addressed another controversial topic - the proposed westerly bypass. Fierstein noted that Monmouth County has been responsible for the planning, scheduling and construction of the bypass for more than 15 years. "The property was deeded to the county as part of the Heritage Green Hovnanian development and is referred to in the exchange of land that created Byron Johnson Park," he said. "The amended preliminary and final approval of the Heritage Green subdivision also states that this right of way is specifically dedicated to the county for the purposes of the bypass and it is delineated on the sales map for the 86 building lots of Heritage Green." Fierstein said that although Allentown and Upper Freehold have historically approached the subject of the bypass from different points of view, ultimately neither municipality will control a schedule for the creation of the route. "Our position has always been that the construction schedule for this connector road - approximately three-quarters of a mile long that incorporates traffic calming techniques and has always been part of the regional traffic plan - should be accelerated," he said. "The land is available, regional traffic has increased, and any alternative would require additional funds without utilizing what has already been spent."