BOARD CREATED TO REVITALIZE FORT MONMOUTH HOLDS INAUGURAL MEETING

 

TINTON FALLS, N.J. (September 28, 2010) – The Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA), created by a new law signed by Governor Chris Christie in August of this year, met today for its first organizational meeting.  The full Board Meeting agenda is available here and through FMERA’s website at www.nj.gov/fmera.

 

“Fort Monmouth has been a vital economic engine for nearly a century, and we look forward to working in collaboration with all partners – local, county and state — to promote job creation, with a commitment to recreation, open space and the highest quality of life for residents, visitors and businesses in the impacted areas,” said Al Koeppe, who serves as an ex-officio member of FMERA as the Chair of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA), and will serve as the interim Chair of FMERA.

 

FMERA was created to provide investment, continuity and economic growth to the community’s impacted by the federal government’s decision to close Fort Monmouth. FMERA replaces the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority (FMERPA) and will advance that entity’s Reuse and Redevelopment Plan for economic development, growth and planning, with a focus on technology-based industries, for the 1,126 acres of real estate at Fort Monmouth following its closure in September 2011. EDA will staff FMERA and serve as the redeveloper of the property. 

 

The FMERA Board today took action to adopt a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between FMERA and the EDA to outline the roles and responsibilities of the two entities regarding the Fort Monmouth Office and related support services, to adopt the FMERA fiscal plans, to adopt By-Laws, as well as other administrative and operational requirements.

 

FMERA’s Interim Executive Director Tim Lizura provided an assessment to the members of the Board, noting that “the legislation creating FMERA recognized the challenges that the host municipalities of Eatontown, Oceanport and Tinton Falls have in facing the base closure and in meeting the demands that the closure will bring on the towns’ and the region’s infrastructure, residents and quality of life. It also recognized the transformational opportunity which the post’s redevelopment presents for the State of New Jersey.”   

 

FMERA is scheduled to meet next on Wednesday, November 10, 2010, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Agricultural Building, 4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold.

 

For more information on FMERA, including a full agenda of the items approved by the Board, visit www.njeda.gov or www.nj.gov/fmera.