Fort Monmouth authority will not appeal court ruling

The Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority will not appeal a court ruling against it about providing affordable housing on the property. Alfred Koeppe, interim chairman of the authority, which is charged with redeveloping the fort when it closes in September 2011, revealed that there would not be an appeal at the authority's monthly meeting Dec. 15 in Eatontown.

Koeppe disclosed that after Tom Mahedy, Wall Township, asked members what they had discussed in a closed session that preceded the public portion of the meeting. Koeppe said the session was closed because it concerned litigation, including the ruling by the state Appellate Court that the authority must change the way it deals with the affordable housing issue.

The appeals court rejected the authority's plan for dealing with affordable housing by dividing the responsibility among the three neighboring towns: Oceanport, Eatontown and Tinton Falls. It said the authority needs to set up a housing advisory committee to help it meet affordable housing requirements for the sprawling 1,126-acre property.

"The time for notice of appeal has passed," Koeppe said, without going into detail. "We did not appeal."

Mahedy repeatedly urged the authority to be more open with the public about what it's doing and planning. "I'm just very disappointed," Mahedy said. "Outraged."

He said the group has been too secretive with the public since the decision was made to close the fort in 2005. Koeppe said that discussions of litigation are permitted as an exception to the Open Public Meetings Act. "There will be no secrecy," Koeppe said. "It's not the normal course for us to have executive sessions."

But the group might do so when it needs to discuss legal matters, he said. This is something that public bodies do routinely, he said.

He thanked Mahedy for his comments. "My supposition is that people of good will are on the board," Koeppe said, "and that we have people of good will in the community."

In a wide-ranging meeting that touched on a variety of topics, Bruce Steadman, who became the authority's executive director Dec. 1, introduced himself to the public.    

The 57-year-old Steadman, who headed the redevelopment of the Plattsburgh, N.Y., Air Force Base, will be paid $165,000 a year.

He said there is much to be done before the Army moves out in September. "We will not overpromise," Steadman said. "But we hope we overdeliver."

Three advisory committees have been set up on housing, the environment and veterans' issues, and the authority is seeking members to serve on those advisory groups and others that will be established soon, Steadman said. The committees will include members of the general public, he said.

The only formal action taken by the board was to establish a meeting schedule for next year. The authority will meet in various towns in Monmouth County in the evening on the third Wednesday of each month. Most often, the authority will rotate the meetings among Eatontown, Oceanport and Tinton Falls.