Proposed facility-use policy dies before introduction Councilwoman, Rec Dept. continue to clash over usage fees issue BY CHRIS GAETANO Staff Writer EDISON - Conflicts between Councilwoman Antonia Ricigliano and the administration over fees for the use of municipal facilities continued during the Edison Township Council meeting on Nov. 15. At issue was a proposed facilities policy put before the council during its Thursday meeting. The policy came from a frank exchange of opinions between Ricigliano and Recreation Department director Denise Halliwell during a council meeting in October. Ricigliano had objected to the fact that private, for-profit entities were using township facilities, such as the Stelton and Minnie Veal community centers, without paying any fees. Ricigliano said that the municipality should not be subsidizing profit-making entities. Halliwell had said that the private-public partnerships provided high-quality programs for residents who might not otherwise be able to afford them, adding that the township would never be able to pay for instructors of that caliber through the recreation budget alone. The discussion prompted the drawing up of a clear policy regarding the use of township facilities. The policy, which township attorney Jeffrey Lehrer said he based on a similar ordinance in Branchburg, was put before the council during the Nov. 15 meeting. Ricigliano found it unsatisfactory. "Where are the fees?" asked Ricigliano. She later told Lehrer that the ordinance was "a waste of our time and a waste of our money." Lehrer said that he took exception to that characterization, saying that this ordinance had been available for view to her for two weeks and wondered why she brought this up now. He further said that he did not think it would be appropriate to assign a fee to something providing a public function. "The township derives a public benefit from that. … I'll construct an ordinance, but it would be against my legal opinion," said Lehrer. Eventually, the ordinance was not introduced to the council, and work on it will continue. The councilwoman said the ordinance was not satisfactory, because she had asked for a facilities-use policy specifically to deal with the matter of usage fees and she didn't see any references to such fees in the proposed ordinance. "We have to [have them] pay at least a janitorial fee. … I don't see why the taxpayers should be subsidizing a private, for-profit, entity," said Ricigliano. The ordinance would amend the Streets, Sidewalks and Public Places policy to address municipal buildings and facilities. The policy mostly lays out liability issues and reserves the town's right to prohibit, rescind or change the use of the buildings without notice. Halliwell said that fees are addressed in other areas of the ordinance. Ricigliano later said that she didn't know what Halliwell was talking about. "I don't know what it applies to, so I am going to e-mail the clerk and ask what they were talking about," said Ri- cigliano. She said that meanwhile, that was beside the point because the township was still not collecting fees from the private-sector entities making use of the township's facilities. According to township spokesman Jerry Barca, the three private programs at issue are piano lessons, which cost around $20 an hour, and tennis and gymnastics lessons, which run about $10 an hour. Barca said the introduction of fees would, in the end, hurt the people participating in these programs because the extra cost would be passed on to them. "We have highly qualified professionals offering great programs at a great price for our residents," Barca said. "Any additional charge would eventually be passed on to the taxpayer. How much money is she looking to make off the taxpayers in this township?" Ricigliano said that the potential for prices to rise due to fees "can't be our concern." "Why should you have to pay if my grandchildren are getting private lessons? I have nine children, six daughters, and they all took dance lessons. I didn't expect the taxpayers to pay for their dance lessons," said Ricigliano. Ricigliano said that it's only fair that the township charge private entities for facilities use, and that in her experience with Pop Warner and Little League, she had to pay the schools a nominal fee of around $35 to use their facilities. She said, though, that things may have changed since then. She said that if there were fees instituted, she would want to have an exception for nonprofit entities such as youth sports. Private entities, though, are a whole different story to her. She also said that the library charges a fee for using rooms as well. "They're private enterprises, they are for profit, they are making a profit on it, and we are giving it to them for nothing," said Ricigliano. Barca said that at the moment, the Recreation Department sponsors the youth athletic leagues and so there is no cost to the parents for use of Board of Education facilities. He went on to say that the fact that Edison residents can get high-quality instruction at low costs is a good in and of itself. "Bottom line, for 10 dollars an hour, children get instruction from a goldmedal gymnast and we're very proud to be able to offer this program that really works for working-class families, and maybe the councilwoman has lost sight of that," Barca said.