Evesham’s Black Run Preserve was the lone topic of discussion during the public comment portion of the Oct. 21 Evesham Township Council meeting.
Deerfield Avenue resident Jake Todd brought up the preserve after having attended a public information meeting on Oct. 1 held by the Friends of the Black Run Preserve, the group dedicated to being stewards of the nearly 1,300-acre tract of Pinelands located between the Kings Grant and Marlton Lakes neighborhoods.
At the Oct. 1 meeting, the FBRP presented its concept plan asking the township to do more to help preserve the township-owned area by taking steps to make it safer and also providing funds to the group to help with the upkeep of the preserve.
It was the FBRP’s request for funding that caused Todd to speak during public comment at the Oct. 21 council meeting to voice his opposition at this time to the township giving any taxpayer money to the FBRP for its plan.
Todd said he understood the township had already been “quite giving” to the FBRP in letting the group build trails within the preserve and erecting signage and benches, but the FBRP should be able to provide some funding of its own if the group is going to receive any money from Evesham Township.
“When my wife and I purchased our house 12 years ago, we had to put a sizable down payment on our house to be able to buy it, like most anybody would,” Todd said. “You have to show that you have something to give.”
Todd said he knew what the FBRP was trying to accomplish was a good cause, but at this time, since the FBRP isn’t offering sizable funds of its own, the taxpayers of the township shouldn’t be giving the group any money.
“I’ve seen their plan, it’s a good plan, but they don’t have a pocket full of money,” Todd said. “To come to council to get payment or to ask for money, I think is wrong…I don’t think it should all come out of our taxpayers’ pockets.”
Todd said his reluctance to give the group any money at this time also stemmed from his belief that taxes in the township were already high enough and could be spent on other areas such as road repairs.
“South Elmwood down the street here is another example of a road in disrepair,” Todd said. “Kettle Run, if you go either way, east or west, the best way to go is down the middle because the potholes on either side of the road are big.”
Mayor Randy Brown responded to Todd’s concerns by referencing a statement he made at a meeting several months ago where he told John Volpa, chair of the FBRP, that the township would only approve a concept plan and award the group money if it could also start raising substantial funds of its own.
“My expectation was for them, before we would ever partner with them, would have to show that they would go out and fundraise money on their own and partners on their own,” Brown said. “They’ve not come back to me since.”
As such, Brown said the township was not currently spending any money on the preserve. Any grant money Evesham receives through other entities such as the county has also already been earmarked, so none of that money could be spent on the preserve either.
“When we have a strategic plan, by which monies will be asked for out of the council, we’ll then sit and discuss it, but as of today, at 7:35 p.m., there is nothing imminent,” Brown said.
