To the Editor:

I attended the November 23 meeting of the Princeton Council, which among other issues, addressed the recommendations of the Open Space Task Force Committee on how to manage our open spaces and “passive parks,” in contrast to the management of the active sports and other facilities by the Town’s Recreation Department.

During the public comments period, there were several people who spoke with passion and knowledge about environmental issues, such as remediation of plastic bags (in our oceans and lands) and the benefits of dealing effectively with our fallen leaves. Our Mayor, Liz Lempert, has inspired me with her commitment to environmental issues, but she appears to be inhibited by other Council members who demonstrated little encouragement or reinforcement to those who have worked for many years on these matters.

Regarding the report of the Open Space Task Force Committee, the Town administrator suggested that more time was needed to hire a consultant to study the management of these issues, but this is not necessary, as these issues have been studied for many years. A thorough report was paid for and published in 2008, and the current report of the Open Space Task Force Committee, headed by Wendy Mager, director of the Friends of Princeton Open Space, was thorough and professional.

On a personal note, one of the Town staff members questioned me, “Who gave you permission to make Marquand Park an arboretum?” (the deed of gift from the Marquand family in 1953 and a subsequent consultant report designated the park as an arboretum). The Council liaison to the Task Force asked me, “When are the Marquands going to take the logs off my property?” and later declared that “Marquand Park is an eyesore.”

Please, in future elections, choose people to run on environmental issues, as well as other important issues facing the town. The current low level of environmental awareness is very distressing.

Pam Machold

Prospect Avenue, Chair of the 

Marquand Park and Arboretum Foundation