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RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH PASSAIC COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR THE RIFLE CAMP PARK ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER, PURSUANT TO N.J.S.A. 40:20-1
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WHEREAS, the County of Passaic (“County”) is a body politic and corporate pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:18-1 and vested with all rights contained therein; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:20-1 the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Passaic (“Board”) is vested with managing the property, finances, and affairs of the County; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:64A-1, et seq., the Board established the Passaic County Community College (“PCCC”); and
WHEREAS, the County owns and manages the Passaic County Park System, which includes Rifle Camp Park, a 169-acre recreational facility in the Borough of Woodland Park that includes active and passive recreation, including hiking trails, picnic areas, and an amphitheater; and
WHEREAS, the John J. Crowley Nature and Astronomical Observatory (“Nature Center”) was constructed within Rifle Camp Park in 1974 to provide residents with a variety of environmental science and astronomy programming, but is now beyond its useful life and has been closed to the public for the past five years; and
WHEREAS, the County approached the PCCC, as an instrumentality of the County, regarding construction of the Rifle Camp Park Environmental Center (“Environmental Center”) at the current site of the Nature Center, which will serve as an environmental educational facility, community meeting area, establish public restroom facilities, as well as to provide office space with the County’s Department of Parks and Recreation, new equipment for environmental and astronomical studies, and improvements to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act; and
WHEREAS, to ensure access to a myriad of environmental and astronomical courses for PCCC students and the general public, the County and PCCC have negotiated a mutually beneficial management agreement, attached hereto, governing the operation of the Environmental Center; and
WHEREAS, this matter was discussed at the February 26, 2025 Administration and Finance Committee meeting, and is being recommended to the Board for approval.
NOW, THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:20-1, that the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Passaic hereby authorizes the attached management agreement with Passaic County Community College for the operation of the Rifle Camp Park Environmental Center.
LET IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Clerk of the Board, County Counsel, and Director of the Board are authorized to take any action necessary to carry out the purposes of this Resolution.
NB March 11, 2025