Boro urged to work on historic preservation
Residents say town is not doing enough to protect old homes
BY KRISTIN BOYD
Staff Writer

MILL TOWN - A pair of residents has made another plea for the borough to create a preservation ordinance and a Historic Preservation Commission.

At a Borough Council meeting Monday, Borough Clerk Michael Januszka read letters from residents Debora Acierno and Michael Lewycky, who both believe a commission and ordinance are needed to preserve Milltown's history. The issue has become a hot topic recently, since two applicants are currently before borough land use boards, each seeking to raze a building dating to the 1800s in favor of new construction.

Acierno, in her letter, questioned if borough officials were working on an ordinance that would serve to protect and preserve historic structures. She further offered to be a volunteer on a historic commission if one is created.

Acierno also stated that she secured a copy of a South Plainfield ordinance, used it to draft a similar measure for Milltown, and submitted it to borough officials for review. She never received a response, she said.

In response, Mayor Gloria Bradford said the draft ordinance was sent to the borough's planner, who is reviewing the document. The council is waiting to hear his comments before proceeding, Bradford said.

The planner, she added, said the possible creation of an ordinance is a "serious step for the borough," and that questions need to be answered before officials can decide the appropriate course of action.

The mayor and council members are expected to discuss the issue again at the Sept. 11 Borough Council agenda meeting, scheduled for 8 p.m. because of a memorial service that night. Bradford said she plans to create a subcommittee to handle the issue.

Lewycky's letter started off tongue-in-cheek as he thanked the council for doing nothing on the matter.

He said the council members have done nothing to preserve historic properties, and that their apathy and inaction is inexcusable. He added that the lack of an ordinance is "killing" the borough's historic properties, including the Forney Clinic on North Main Street, which is proposed for demolition by Valley National Bank so it can build a new branch.

Councilman Eric Steeber said he took offense to the letter because council members have been working to preserve historic properties. Steeber, who called the letter inaccurate and insulting, said such writing is "not the way to get anything done."

The Forney Clinic, he said, is in disrepair, and no funding would be available to preserve the building because it is not on the state registry of historical properties. The clinic building, the main portion of which is said to be nearly 150 years old, served as a medical office for most of the 20th century.

Steeber said that a majority of residents, while saddened to see the clinic in its current state, have no interest in saving the property.

The other building proposed for demolition is the Dehner-Zimmerman farmhouse on Kuhlthau Avenue, which dates to the same period. A developer has subdivision approval for the property and seeks to replace the structure with two new homes.

"There are no easy answers here," Steeber said, "but we need a think tank to continue saving Milltown history."