By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
ALLENTOWN – Municipal officials have closed on the purchase of the Wilbert property, a 2.7-acre parcel they are planning to develop for passive uses such as a walking path.
The closing was announced at the Dec. 13 meeting of the Borough Council.
Although the Wilbert property has a North Main Street address, it is located to the rear of the Allentown United Methodist Church property on Church Street.
The Wilbert property is bounded by residential properties on Hamilton, Broad and North Main streets. Access to the parcel will be off Hamilton Street as well as from another access point that is currently under negotiation, Mayor Greg Westfall said.
Westfall said the property was previously owned by Russ Wilbert and Sons and its preservation had been a goal of Allentown officials since 2013.
Council members approved the $250,000 purchase on July 26. Funding will be provided by the Monmouth County Open Space program ($125,000), the Monmouth Conservation Foundation ($25,000) and the Allentown Open Space Trust ($100,000), according to the mayor.
Westfall said he worked with representatives of the county and the conservation foundation to identify and apply for funding that will cover 60 percent of the cost.
In other business, council members removed the “acting” title and appointed Laurie Gavin as Allentown’s municipal clerk and registrar after she achieved the necessary certification for the positions. Gavin was also appointed as the borough’s public information officer.
Gavin was congratulated by Westfall and the council members for attaining the professional accomplishment.
“This has been a long time coming,” Councilman Rob Schmitt said. “We are proud of Laurie and all of her diligence and hard work. She has brought us dragging and kicking into a new century with her use of technology.”
As the public information officer, Gavin posts daily updates about municipal business and items of interest to residents on Allentown’s Facebook page.
