Bill Text: NJ ACR189 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced

New Jersey Assembly Concurrent Resolution 189 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Expresses support for Friends of New Jersey School of Conservation proposal to temporarily maintain School of Conservation.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-07-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee [ACR189 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2020-ACR189-Introduced.html

ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 189

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED JULY 16, 2020

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

Expresses support for Friends of New Jersey School of Conservation proposal to temporarily maintain School of Conservation.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As introduced.

A Concurrent Resolution expressing support for the Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation's proposal to temporarily maintain the New Jersey School of Conservation.

Whereas, First established in 1949 as a field campus for colleges and public schools, the New Jersey School of Conservation (NJSOC), located in Stokes State Forest in Sussex County, is one of the State's main outdoors and environmental education centers; and

Whereas, Over the course of its celebrated 71-year history, the NJSOC has served more than 400,000 students, teachers, masters and doctoral candidates, faculty, and visiting professionals through its 40,000 teacher training workshops and environmental education programs; and

Whereas, In response to financial hardships the NJSOC was facing at the time, Governor Brendan Byrne signed into law P.L.1981, c.148 (C.18A:64I-1 et seq.), which permanently designated the NJSOC as a school for environmental field study under the direction of the Board of Trustees of Montclair State University; and

Whereas, In addition to establishing a permanent designation for the NJSOC, P.L.1981, c.148 authorized that annual appropriations be made to Montclair State University for the NJSOC's operation and maintenance and required the university to request necessary funds from the State to fulfill its role; and

Whereas, Unfortunately, due to financial hardships resulting from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, Montclair State University announced on May 14, 2020 that it would be closing the NJSOC and returning management of the School to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); and

Whereas, Since the announcement of the closure, Montclair State University has pledged to continue to maintain the NJSOC until September 1, 2020, as a plan for the NJSOC's future is decided and a new manager is sought. The university, in cooperation with the DEP, has issued a Request for Expression of Interest as a first step in establishing a new manager; and

Whereas, In response to the announced closing of the NJSOC, the Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation (FONJSOC), a 501(c)(iii) organization founded for and devoted solely to the protection and promotion of the NJSOC, put forth a proposal to temporarily volunteer as the manager of the NJSOC until a new entity assumes active management on a permanent basis; and

Whereas, A proposed month-by-month budget and business plan submitted by the FONJSOC to the Governor's Office and the DEP indicates that the organization, in its commitment to becoming temporary stewards, would seek funds from private investors and donors to cover necessary expenses as outlined by the FONJSOC.

Such necessary expenses include maintaining the NJSOC property as well as its facilities and equipment and conducting limited educational programming; and

Whereas, The proposal states that the FONJSOC is not requesting funds from the DEP or any other governmental entity to cover expenses related to the activities outlined in the proposal; and

Whereas, The proposal presented by the FONJSOC not only offers a viable interim solution to maintain the NJSOC and prevent the School from being damaged or vandalized, but also recognizes the State's currently diminished fiscal condition by seeking private funding; and

Whereas, The Legislature recognizes the significant educational contributions the NJSOC has made throughout its history, and believes that its continued existence will benefit thousands more students, teachers, and other individuals in the future. The temporary solution offered by the FONJSOC is a significant step toward finding a new entity to serve as a permanent and active manager moving forward; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

1. a. This Legislature expresses its support for the proposal put forth by the Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation to temporarily manage the New Jersey School of Conservation until such time as a permanent and active manager is selected and approved. The plan, as submitted to the Governor's Office and the Department of Environmental Protection, largely seeks to continue the maintenance of the New Jersey School of Conservation so that damage to the School and vandalism can be prevented. The proposal also recognizes the State's current financial condition by pledging to secure private funds to cover the necessary expenses as outlined by the Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation.

b. This Legislature recognizes and commends the New Jersey School of Conservation for the notable contributions it has made to the State in providing programming in outdoors and environmental education to thousands of students, teachers, and other individuals during its 71-year history. It is imperative that this education resource is protected and maintained during the interim period in which a permanent and active manager is being sought.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the Governor of the State of New Jersey and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

STATEMENT

First established in 1949 as a field campus for colleges and public schools, the New Jersey School of Conservation (NJSOC) is one of the State's main outdoors and environmental education centers located in Stokes State Forest in Sussex County. In 1981, Governor Brendan Byrne enacted a law, which permanently designated the NJSOC as a school for environmental field study under the direction of the Board of Trustees of Montclair State University. Unfortunately, due to financial hardships resulting from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, Montclair State University announced on May 14, 2020 that it would be closing the NJSOC and transferring management of the School back to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Since the announcement of the closure, Montclair State University has pledged to continue to maintain the NJSOC until September 1, 2020 as a plan for the NJSOC's future is decided and a new manager is sought. The university, in cooperation with the DEP, has issued a Request for Expression of Interest as a first step in establishing a new manager.

This concurrent resolution expresses support for a proposal put forth by an organization called the Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation (FONJSOC), which provides that the organization would serve as a temporary steward of the NJSOC until such time as a new manager for the NJSOC is approved. If the proposal is approved, the FONJSOC intends to fund certain necessary expenses, primarily to maintain the NJSOC property as well as its facilities and equipment and to conduct limited educational programming. The FONJSOC proposes to cover these necessary expenses by seeking private funds from investors and donors. The group has stated that it will not seek funds from the DEP or any other governmental entity. The proposal was submitted to the Governor's Office and the DEP following the announcement of the School's closure by Montclair State University.

The concurrent resolution expresses support for the proposal as a measure that not only offers a viable interim solution to maintain the NJSOC and protect it from damage and vandalism, but also recognizes the State's currently diminished fiscal condition by seeking private funding to cover necessary expenses. It also notes the significant educational contributions the NJSOC has made throughout its history. Over the course of its celebrated 71-year history, the NJSOC has served more than 400,000 students, teachers, masters and doctoral candidates, faculty, and visiting professionals through its 40,000 teacher training workshops and environmental education programs.