Montville Eyes Animal Shelter Deal

Officials propose sharing space with sports league as temporary solution - The township committee on Tuesday night proposed sharing as a temporary solution for the Montville Baseball-Softball Association, which is seeking to use the River Road site that houses the current animal shelter as its own facility.

The MBSA's plan is to convert the garage connected to the shelter into a concession stand, bathroom facilities and meeting facilities for monthly meetings for the association's seven-member executive board, according to MBSA president Larry Manfra.

Under the plan proposed by the committee, the animal shelter would vacate the first bay of the site by the start of MBSA's season on July 1, and free it for the MBSA's use.

The shelter would then occupy the second bay, which is divided by the first by a concrete wall.

Members of Montville Pet Parents at the meeting appeared to have no objection to the plan.

Members of MPP, which has worked to find a new home for the shelter for the past two years, say they are tired of being pushed around by other township organizations.

Last year, the decision to award the River Road site to MPP was tabled by the township committee over the summer, while the board of education explored the option of turning the same site into a permanent home for its offices.

The board eventually passed on the site, but MPP members said the interest shown by the MBSA in the shelter's current facility is the latest setback in their quest to find a new home for the animals.

"They're a large lobbying group and they get whatever they want," said Cheryl Gilberti, vice-president of MPP, of the MBSA. "We've been through this over and over and over again."  See Daily Record.