Don't know who all saw this. Basically the commissioners are asking us AGAIN for our input on an expensive proposition. Buying more land to make "public".

The questions will be (imho) what does "public" mean... are they going to use it to expand roads like it sounds like one commissioner is saying ("improve infrastructure") or are they going to use it to buy large amounts of land which will be left pristine for hiking, camping, outdoor... etc (the way we want them to use it)

Remember the last time they asked for the community voice they got it in a resounding "hell no" in regards to the Monroe NCC campus, and they approved it anyway.


Monroe County commissioners want referendum on $35M open space bond

David Pierce
By David Pierce
Pocono Record Writer
September 06, 2012

Editor's Note: This story has been correct to attribute a comment commercial Realtor Michael Baxter.

Monroe County commissioners will put a $35 million open space bond referendum on the Nov. 6 ballot if the land preservation project can be "fused" with economic development.

That's what Monroe County Commissioners Chairman John Moyer told a capacity audience during the commissioner's meeting Wednesday.

The three commissioners are working on wording for the nonbinding voter question incorporating both concepts, and hope to approve it at their Sept. 19 meeting.

"Hopefully we can spend the next week fine-tuning this," Moyer said. "It's not often all three of us agree on something."

Several land preservation and business development officials asked how job creation and open space acquisition would be combined and how much of a $35 million bond, spread over 10 years, would go to each.

"It's a concept that needs to be brought together and integrated," Moyer said. "It's a work in progress."

He said the bond, depending on interest rates when the money is borrowed, would cost the average property taxpayer about $28 per year.

Successful effort

Attorney Alan Young said both concepts are being incorporated into an update of the county's comprehensive plan that he and others are writing. His committee has held 15 meetings on the plan, incorporating future land uses and proposed zoning changes to encourage them.

"We have in the past had a very successful open space effort funded by the county and matching funds," Young said. "We hope that will continue."

Voters approved a $25 million open space bond in 1998 that, combined with a $7 million county appropriation in 2009, was used to help buy and preserve at least 16,000 acres from development.

Open space advocates have lobbied the commissioners to approve a new voter referendum.

"We're not here to push, only to encourage and support," Ellen Lott of the Nature Conservancy and Monroe County Citizens for Open Space told commissioners.

Resident Mary Ann Kowalyshyn asked, "Why the rush?" to consider a new open space bond.

Connecting properties

Gary Bloss, who serves on the Stroud Regional Open Space Commission, said the new concept would be "not so much acquiring properties as connecting the properties we already acquired."

Emphasis would be placed on acquiring acreage that connects one open space parcel to another.

"It's going to make the community a healthy environment that is going to attract the jobs and economic development," Bloss added.

Monroe County has lost some business prospects because the area didn't have sufficient road or utility infrastructure to meet their needs, commerical Realtor Michael Baxter said.

Greater Poconos Chamber of Commerce President Bob Phillips asked about the ratio of spending that would go to economic development.

Moyer said that hasn't been determined, but voters will have enough information by Election Day to make informed decisions on the referendum. Perhaps committees on open space and economic development would jointly decide spending priorities, he said.

Commissioners will abide by vote

Commissioner Charlie Garris said majority commissioners initially rejected an open space bond but decided to take another look after meeting with Nature Conservancy of Northeastern Pennsylvania Director Bud Cook. Commissioners want the county planning office and Pocono Mountains Industrial Development Authority to work more closely together on job creation, he added.

Garris and Commissioner Suzanne McCool both said the commissioners will abide by the result of the nonbinding referendum.

"The people of the county, given the right information, should be able to vote this up or down," Garris said.