By Brandon T. Bisceglia
The Orange Board of Selectmen, after some pushback from residents and internal wrangling during their Dec. 11 meeting, nevertheless renewed license agreements for a number of town-owned properties that have been rented to local farms.
Some of the agreements have been the subject of controversy over the last few years, with some town residents complaining that the parcels could be put to uses that better benefit the community.
The most disputed plot – and the reason they have been thrust into the spotlight – is a section of land adjacent to Fred Wolfe Park under the care of Field View Farm. A two-year license agreement from 2021 allows Field View Farm to use a 14.4-acre portion of the northern section of the park for growing hay or crops. Field View pays $375 to use the land.
As the license agreement was expiring in early 2023, Field View Farm took advantage of a clause that gave the farm the option to renew the license once for another two years without getting town approval – thus tying the hands of town officials.
With the final expiration date approaching, the agreement before the selectmen was only to extend the ability to farm the land for one more year.
In addition to that area, the other leases were for land at Wright’s Farm, the Racebrook Tract and the Ewen Farm Preserve. Those agreements were for two years.
Tom Pisano, who heads the Orange Soccer Association and regularly speaks out on issues relating to Fred Wolfe Park, said the farm field should be incorporated into the park for the children.
“We haven’t been developing Fred Wolfe Park at the speed required because we continue to give out farm leases,” he said.
Richard Brown also spoke on behalf of Amity football and cheerleading, pointing out that they would like to use the park but are currently forced to travel to Bethany instead and pay to use the facilities there.
“I just want to ensure that the process is taken on in an honest manner and that we do what we can for the children,” Brown said.
The public discussion became contentious at times, with Pisano coming to the podium several times and accusing First Selectman Jim Zeoli of favoring the farm fields over the park. Several members of the farming community also spoke and chided Pisano for his confrontational approach.
“Because us farmers have kids also, it would be in the best interest of all of us to kind of come together and work on this together,” said Anthony Linsely of Grassy Hill Farm. “It seems like a war between you two,” he added, pointing to Zeoli and Pisano.
Despite the back-and-forth between residents and the selectmen that continued for nearly an hour, there was unanimity on the board for extending the Field View Farm license agreement for one year.
“There is a process for Fred Wolfe Park. That process is underway,” selectman Mitch Goldblatt explained in supporting the lease extension. “It’s become evident that particular piece of property, despite the fact that Tom and others would like to see it developed tomorrow, will not be developed tomorrow. It’s going to take some time.”
On the other three agreements, however, Goldblatt argued that the agreements should be put out for open bidding, instead of simply renewing the agreements with the same people.
“I know last time we had discussion about how much time and effort had been put in by the farmers of this town, and I agree. They have. But there are other farmers that could take advantage of this,” Goldblatt argued. “We will never know if we continuously just rubber stamp again and again every two years what we put out there.”
Goldblatt could not get a second for his motion, so he suggested instead reducing the other three agreements to last for only one year. That motion also failed. Instead the agreements passed the board as written, with only Goldblatt voting against them.