Asbury Park Press, September 21, 2007

SCHOOL DISTRICT MULLS PLANS FOR EX-CAMPGROUND

[Rachel's introduction: School officials want to use some of the 15 acres to construct a kindergarten annex building. Concerns have been raised about the proximity of the site to the former Ciba-Geigy Superfund site. "We believe in the precautionary principle: better to look for a better site," says Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Chapter of the Sierra Club.]

By Lauren O. Kidd, Toms River Bureau

TOMS RIVER -- What do a pumpkin patch, a cross-country track practice ground and a maritime academy have in common?

Those are just three of the ways that Toms River Regional school district officials said they would consider utilizing a 58-acre former campground if the district's plan to purchase that land is successful.

The land offers opportunities that "are endless, and really exciting to talk about," Michael S. Citta, assistant superintendent of Toms River schools, told a group of about 20 people who toured the site Thursday evening. Most of the tour group were members of the district's Planning and Development Committee.

The district is proposing to purchase the site, the former Albocondo Campground located off Route 571, for $7.75 million if voters approve funding in a referendum that has not yet been scheduled.

School officials want to utilize some of the roughly 15 acres that are "buildable" to construct a kindergarten annex building, according to Michael J. Ritacco, superintendent of schools. That new building is needed to provide full-day kindergarten to Toms River's youngest students by 2009, he has said.

"It is a great idea for working moms and a good concept," David Plotnick said of the full-day kindergarten initiative after seeing the "upland" portion of the property, currently an open field along 571, that the school would be built on.

But Plotnick, president of the Lake Ridge Homeowners Association, said "seniors don't want tax increases," and he attended the tour so he could present more information on the project to members of the senior community. Plotnick said his comments were his own opinion, and not the opinion of the Lake Ridge community.

Concerns have been raised about the proximity of the site to the former Ciba-Geigy Superfund site. "We believe in the precautionary principle: better to look for a better site," Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Chapter of the Sierra Club, said in an interview Thursday.

"Ciba Geigy is a very complex site with a lot of contamination," Tittel said.

During the tour, Citta used a map of the land to illustrate where the former campground is in relation to the former Superfund site.

The natural flow of water and topography is northwest to southeast, Citta said, and the land the school district wants to purchase is located northwest of the Ciba-Geigy site.

"To think your school district would want to put your kids in harm's way is quite offensive and certainly not going to happen," Citta said.

The remaining roughly 45 acres, which border the Toms River and include two lakes and various buildings like cabins and bathrooms, is the area that district officials are brainstorming about.

"It is not like just buying woods," Ritacco said. The site has utility hookups already installed, like water, electric and sewer, he said.

Norma Spice, the district's science supervisor, said the land is a prime spot for science students to explore research and field opportunities. "I see almost unlimited opportunities for science education out here," she said.

"I am very impressed with it," Toni-Ann Gannon, whose child attends Cedar Grove Elementary School, said of the land, which she called "beautiful."

"I would like to see it used all year round," she said, adding that it could be used for summer programs.

Lauren O. Kidd: (732) 557-5737 or lkidd@app.com