This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

Eatontown Residents Ask: When Will We See the Fort Sale Reflected in Our Tax Bill?

Mayor Tarantolo holds update number three for residents curious about what is going on behind all that fencing.

Few can deny that the wheels of bureaucracy turn slowly, whether in Washington or here at Fort Monmouth. Bu,t says, Eatontown's mayor Gerry Tarantolo, they are turning nonetheless.

On Tuesday night, holding a six inch binder-- filled to capacity -- the mayor presented to the public the draft form of the business plan that Matrix Design Group has been hard at work at all summer. Though its contents are still off limits to the public until the draft is finished and approved by the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA), he shared some tidbits with the seven residents who came out to borough hall.

When it is finished, the business plan will be the guiding force of redevelopment plans for the fort, founded on the master plan created by FMERA's predecessor.

Find out what's happening in Long Branch-Eatontownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

You can read more on what the contains and see a  here on Patch.

One of the areas which will be outlined in the business plan is the financials. When the Army hands the fort over to FMERA on Thursday, it will be with the understanding that proceeds from the sale or lease of properties will be split. A major portion will go to the Army and a smaller portion will go to FMERA, which is doing all the marketing, brokering and planning for the redevelopment. FMERA will then take this money and either reinvest it in more marketing, brokering and planning or send it back to the municipalities for such a municipal services.  

Find out what's happening in Long Branch-Eatontownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A few residents at Tuesday's meeting were concerned with how Eatontown might benefit from this giant property. When will it become a ratable, they wanted to know.

It depends, Tarantolo said. Take the case of the housing area, one of the properties that Tarantolo and FMERA are hoping to move quickly on. In the case of a straight up sale, the borough could immediately benefit from it as a tax ratable.

In the case of the , which is in Eatontown, things are less clear. Ultimately FMERA wants to sell this property to a developer. The master plan laid out by Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority (FMERPA), the predecessor to FMERA, dictates that it will become a hotel and conference center along with the golf course.

Until FMERA can secure an investor for the property it has set up a one year, no cost lease with the Army. , who will work with a restaurantuer to manage the site and "maintain the asset" as Tarantolo said.

In the meantime, the golf course will continue to be federally owned and state operated, which means no tax revenue for Eatontown but also the burden of municipal services like fire and first aid (policing should be covered by the State Police, as per an agreeement with FMERA). Here is expected that FMERA will reimburse the town.

At a recent special meeting the FMERA board met to approve that no cost lease with the Army. Tarantolo posed the question, "Will the operator of the course need to take out a mercantile license with Eatontown?" The board's attorney said he didn't know. This federal property, run by the state in a municipality, presents what he called a "grey area." Whether Eatontown will benefit from fees and licenses from the golf course during this one year period has yet to be determined.

Tarantolo, who has in the past been unnerved about some of the up-in-the air details of closure and redevelopment, seems to be feeling more comfortable with progress the state run board is making lately.

"Patience, a little give and take on both sides, that's how we're going to get through this," he said.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?