FYI:
From the 12/15/06 edition of the New Jersey Herald...
"The historic Sparta Railroad Station has been sitting unused for more than 70 years, and it may need to wait a few more months more. Though township officials have expressed a tepid interest in purchasing the four-acre Station Road property, a former Superfund site, they are frustrated by the lack of information coming from the federal government about the future auction.
"Despite repeated calls (to various government agencies), I do not have a date or a minimum bid price," Township Attorney Tom Ryan said at a recent council meeting. "All (funding options) are contingent on the feds moving on the auction."
Ryan said the property's assessed value was about $237,000, but the minimum bid in auction could be driven up by more than $1 million in tax liens accrued on the property by the federal and state government, an amount that continues to grow the longer the property is held.
"Unfortunately, that's kind of typical of bureaucracy," Mayor Manny Goldberg said in a conversation Thursday, expressing some concern that the longer the government holds the site, the higher the minimum bid price may be. "I don't think they would try to make back everything they are losing, but they are certainly going to try to get back as much as they can."
Ben Barry, a Superfund press officer, said it is tough for the Environmental Protection Agency to set a date right now.
"There are several departments involved in this and we don't know who will be leading the auction," Barry said, indicating the EPA does not commonly handle bids. "We will be able to better determine the auction situation after the new year."
The A.O. Polymer company, which used to own the site, abandoned the property 12 years ago after receiving several violation notices from the EPA. Through the Superfund clean-up program, the government organization treated polluted groundwater in the area and removed the property from its National Priority List in 2000.
The township's interest in the property came earlier this year when several railroad and historical organizations — including the Tri-State Railroad Historical Society and the Sparta Historical Society — requested the town consider purchasing the site so the groups could refurbish the 124-year-old station.
Local historian and author Bill Truran said he has been trying to find other people that could develop an interest for the site.
"Right now, the land is laying fallow," Truran said. "We (historical groups) want to preserve the station, but the town could use the rest of the area for soccer fields or basketball courts."
Truran's idea was endorsed by the Sparta Planning Board and passed on to the council.
"I think the council is willing to look positively on this," Goldberg said. 'We want to make sure it would be available to the public ... (but) the council has not reached any kind of decision yet."
However, if the federal government continues to "drag its feet" setting up the auction, Goldberg said, he may consider contacting district representatives in Congress to help expedite the process.
In the meantime, the council has expressed some interest in finding potential funding help. At the council meeting, Ryan suggested Green Acres or Historic Preservation funding may be available, though with only limited auction information, he could only speculate.
But, Ryan said, other groups may be eyeing the property, including at least one private party. He also indicated the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad, which still has freight running on those tracks, may consider taking down structures near the tracks that it deems hazardous. Town Manager Henry Underhill said the station was not likely in danger, but one of the old A.O. Polymer structures might be."
From the 12/15/06 edition of the New Jersey Herald...
"The historic Sparta Railroad Station has been sitting unused for more than 70 years, and it may need to wait a few more months more. Though township officials have expressed a tepid interest in purchasing the four-acre Station Road property, a former Superfund site, they are frustrated by the lack of information coming from the federal government about the future auction.
"Despite repeated calls (to various government agencies), I do not have a date or a minimum bid price," Township Attorney Tom Ryan said at a recent council meeting. "All (funding options) are contingent on the feds moving on the auction."
Ryan said the property's assessed value was about $237,000, but the minimum bid in auction could be driven up by more than $1 million in tax liens accrued on the property by the federal and state government, an amount that continues to grow the longer the property is held.
"Unfortunately, that's kind of typical of bureaucracy," Mayor Manny Goldberg said in a conversation Thursday, expressing some concern that the longer the government holds the site, the higher the minimum bid price may be. "I don't think they would try to make back everything they are losing, but they are certainly going to try to get back as much as they can."
Ben Barry, a Superfund press officer, said it is tough for the Environmental Protection Agency to set a date right now.
"There are several departments involved in this and we don't know who will be leading the auction," Barry said, indicating the EPA does not commonly handle bids. "We will be able to better determine the auction situation after the new year."
The A.O. Polymer company, which used to own the site, abandoned the property 12 years ago after receiving several violation notices from the EPA. Through the Superfund clean-up program, the government organization treated polluted groundwater in the area and removed the property from its National Priority List in 2000.
The township's interest in the property came earlier this year when several railroad and historical organizations — including the Tri-State Railroad Historical Society and the Sparta Historical Society — requested the town consider purchasing the site so the groups could refurbish the 124-year-old station.
Local historian and author Bill Truran said he has been trying to find other people that could develop an interest for the site.
"Right now, the land is laying fallow," Truran said. "We (historical groups) want to preserve the station, but the town could use the rest of the area for soccer fields or basketball courts."
Truran's idea was endorsed by the Sparta Planning Board and passed on to the council.
"I think the council is willing to look positively on this," Goldberg said. 'We want to make sure it would be available to the public ... (but) the council has not reached any kind of decision yet."
However, if the federal government continues to "drag its feet" setting up the auction, Goldberg said, he may consider contacting district representatives in Congress to help expedite the process.
In the meantime, the council has expressed some interest in finding potential funding help. At the council meeting, Ryan suggested Green Acres or Historic Preservation funding may be available, though with only limited auction information, he could only speculate.
But, Ryan said, other groups may be eyeing the property, including at least one private party. He also indicated the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad, which still has freight running on those tracks, may consider taking down structures near the tracks that it deems hazardous. Town Manager Henry Underhill said the station was not likely in danger, but one of the old A.O. Polymer structures might be."
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
