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Southampton committee approves $250,000 for Good Farm improvements after public questions about fields and funding
Summary
The Southampton Township Committee voted 4–1 to approve Ordinance 2018-09, appropriating $250,000 from the Capital Improvements Fund for Good Farm improvements after residents asked where the money came from and whether proposed recreational fields were needed.
The Southampton Township Committee voted to adopt Ordinance No. 2018-09 on second reading, appropriating $250,000 from the Capital Improvements Fund for improvements at Good Farm. Committeeman Mikulski moved to adopt the ordinance; Committeewoman Elizabeth Rossell seconded. On the roll call Heston, Raftery, Rossell and Mikulski voted yes; Mayor James F. Young, Sr. voted no.
Residents who spoke during the public comment period questioned the scope and funding for the project. Nancy King asked, “Where did this $250,000 come from?” Patricia Topham asked how many soccer fields were planned. Ben Trimble said he opposed building the recreation fields in Southampton Township and said many residents shared his view. Bruce Gsell told the Committee he had received “conflicting information about the soccer fields on Buddtown and the baseball fields on Red Lion Road” and asked, “What came first, the need for baseball fields or the need for the soccer fields?”
Committee members did not elaborate on alternate funding sources at the meeting; the ordinance text and the Committee’s motion indicated the appropriation would come from the township’s Capital Improvements Fund. No specific contingency for county grant funding was announced at the time of the vote. Evie Doherty asked whether the project would proceed if county recreation grant funds were not received, but the Committee did not provide a public, binding contingency during the meeting.
The ordinance as adopted will allow staff to move forward with the Good Farm improvements as budgeted; the record does not specify an implementation timeline or final field layouts. Residents and public commenters asked the Committee to provide clearer information about the planned facilities and the status of any outside grant applications related to the project.
The Committee adjourned without scheduling a follow-up public hearing on the Good Farm plan; any additional approvals or site plans will be handled in future meetings.
