Two Red Bank officials have different ideas about what to do with the large former middle school property in the center of town that has long sat vacant.
Commissioner Ruth Jeno said the site has been appraised at $3,700,077.
With Red Bank facing a tax increase, she said that amount "could carry us a long way." And, she said the property would go back on the tax rolls, bringing much new sales tax.
However, Vice Mayor Stefanie Dalton said the city still needs to deal with the knotty issue of finding over 14 acres as a replacement for the former Morrison Springs Park. The city allowed a new middle school to be built there, while promising to come up with equivalent park land somewhere in the city. That still has not happened, and National Park Service officials have sent warning letters.
Vice Mayor Dalton said the city still needs to find that park land. There has been some discussion about making the former middle school land on Dayton Boulevard a park - or at least a segment of it.
The vice mayor said, "What is the emergency?" on moving on the middle school.
Commissioner Jeno said Vice Mayor Dalton and Mayor Hollie Berry, who ran a joint campaign, had action on the middle school as part of their platform.
She said still nothing has been done.
A citizen at a recent meeting said she is disabled and uses the middle school as a place to enjoy open space.
Commissioner Jeno said there is property in the north part of town that may be available to serve that purpose. The disabled citizen said that would be out of her way.
Commissioner Jeno suggested a narrow property across the street owned by the city. The citizen said that little area wouldn't do.
"It's green space," Commissioner Jeno said.
Red Bank Commissioners are planning to hold a visioning session with the middle school property on the list of items to be discussed.