WEST MILFORD The campaign to win compensation for water preservation towns such as West Milford is gathering momentum. The challenge led by local town council members, however, has taken a new twist. New Jersey Assemblyman Joseph Pennachio was on hand at the council meeting on Wednesday night to express his concerns at the bill currently passing through the state legislature. The New Jersey Clean Water, Drought Mitigation and Water Resource Security Trust Fund Act (S969) aims to generate money through a water consumption user fee. This fee would impose on the owner or operator of every public community water system equal to four cents per thousand gallons of water delivered to a consumer. Pennachio expects the new fund to generate as much as $12 million per year. The developments so far are exactly what local councilors have been asking for; however, Pennachio had yet to deliver the bad news. “Of the $12 million, $6 million will go to the general revenue the remaining $6 million will go to the DEP [Department of Environmental Protection],” said Pennachio. The environmental protection department will use their share of the fund to pay for water supply infrastructure projects, the acquisition of watershed and wetlands areas and other water protection endeavors. No money has been earmarked to compensate towns who supply water to the big cities in New Jersey and who are prevented from development by the Highlands Act. Pennachio added, “I’m concerned by the fact that it’s a tax at all on water. I’m also concerned that a city like Newark use a lot of the water that comes out of West Milford, sell that water, make a profit from that water; God bless them if they drink it, and yet they are basically exempt from helping out West Milford and other towns in the Highland region.” Pennachio noted the bill was a “moving target” and subject to change. Not deterred by the state’s tentative plans, the town council plan to increase pressure on Trenton to recognize the town’s contribution to the state’s water supply. Councilman Joseph Smolinski has begun a petition appealing to Governor Jon Corzine to divert all the money raised by water consumption fund to provide tax relief to Highland’s municipalities. Smolinksi said, “It’s been great to see the reaction of people in town. People having been stopping and getting out of their cars to sign the petition. We need to be heard, we need to be vocal and visual.” Councilman James Warden said, “What I’d like to see this council do is send a clear message to the legislators in Trenton that we still need to be compensated. At least they are talking about a surcharge now. Now we need to convince them that they are using it in the wrong way.” In other news: The list of candidates for the township council election in November is starting to grow. While the West Milford Republicans announced their two candidates this week as sitting councilman Joseph Smolinski and Dr. Sal Schimmenti, they will not be the only representatives from the GOP on the ballot. Ada Erik will run for council and intends to do so as a Republican Party candidate. In a prepared statement released this week Erik said, “I am now and always will be a Republican and a loyal American. Unlike most of the people who live here and plan on retiring elsewhere, I am staying. I will do my best to make West Milford great and show the rest of the world that this is where home is.” The Democrats will most likely select their candidates next week. The Creative Playground project will take shape over the weekend and should be open to families next week. They need help, however. Councilman Carmen Scangarello is asking for help from anyone with a truck or trailer to help transport the materials to the site. People who can help should go to the Johner building at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning.