Township pays for play Recreation costs make up 5 percent of U.F.'s budget BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer UPPER FREEHOLD - Township officials reviewed the costs and benefits of recreation as part of their budget hearing process. During theApril 17 Township Committee meeting, former Mayor Bob Abrams noted that recreation costs constitute nearly 5 percent of the municipal budget. "I'm not for stopping what we've got, but stop increasing it," Abrams told members of the governing body. Chief Financial Officer Dianne Kelly said recreational salaries and wages in the budget total $17,000, with additional expenses totaling $2,600. Salaries and wages for maintaining parks total $116,000, with other related expenses totaling $33,400, according to Kelly. Abrams said that recreation participants should consider donating time and money for maintaining the fields. Committeeman David Reed, who serves as a Township Committee liaison to the Recreation Committee, said officials are looking into having the different organizations that use the parks pay to keep them maintained. "The ones using [them] should pay more than others," Reed said. Mayor Steve Alexander said the township can't charge fees for using public lands but can charge for maintaining fields. He noted that the Township Committee recently passed ordinances to have different recreation fees for those who live in the township and those who reside elsewhere. Township Auditor Michael Cesaro said revenue from the new fee schedule would appear in the next budget. Alexander noted that many recreation programs fund things for the township. The lacrosse program is paying for a portable toilet at the Reed field, he said.He also noted that all teams pay for their own gear. Kelly said that most recreational programs are self-supporting. Committeeman Stanley Moslowski Jr. noted that township fields are overwhelmed. "It's an unbelievable schedule," he said. Alexander said soccer has approximately 600 participants, baseball has 425 players and lacrosse has about 100 members. He said recreational funds are "money well spent." "We spend it very cautiously," he said. Deputy Mayor Bob Faber said the township already has recreational properties and should be looking to use those properties rather than buying more. Undeveloped recreational tracts in the township are the 30-acre Hudler property on Wygant Road and the 43-acre Miscoski piece adjacent to the Cream Ridge Golf Club on Route 539. Alexander said the township does not have plans to buy additional recreational land this year but has plans to design and implement use for the undeveloped properties. Township Administrator Barbara Bascomalso said that the township is applying for a grant to construct permanent restroom facilities at the Mark Harbourt Soccer Complex.