Portion of Holmes Mill Road closed
Resident wants more
information about
township crime
By jane meggitt
Correspondent

VERONICA YANKOWSKI Cream Ridge search and rescue dog Chewbacca, or Chewy for short, will be honored Sunday at the New Jersey Veterinary Foundation’s seventh annual Hall of Fame luncheon. For the story, see page 6.

UPPER FREEHOLD — An emergency meeting of the Township Committee was held Feb. 11 because of a situation on Holmes Mill Road between Burlington Path and Walnford roads.

At the Feb. 20 meeting, Mayor David Horsnall explained that a section of the road was washing out on the shoulder, with a steep drop on that side. There was concern about traffic on the road and the dangers associated with it.

The committee talked with the township engineers at the emergency meeting, and they determined the road should be closed for the safety of the community.

The road, which leads to Walnford Park, remained closed last week.

"We had help from the county engineer" who took pictures and investigated the site, said Committeeman Charles Faber.

Also at the meeting, resolutions were passed authorizing an interlocal agreement with the Upper Freehold Regional Board of Education in connection with the summer playground program, and a similar interlocal agreement with Allentown. Another resolution rehired Brian Irwin as recreation director for the summer camp program.

Horsnall hopes for "the same high-quality results as last year," he said. "We are starting early to put the program in place so there is no scrambling" like there was last year, he said.

The committee also awarded a contract for the Byron Johnson Recreation Area septic system to EME Inc., Robbinsville. Their bid came in at $46,892.30. Horsnall commented that while some bids were received which were in this ballpark, other bids for the work came in as high as $102,000 and $134,000.

Criminal activity questioned

During the public portion of the meeting, resident Joe Mauer requested that the Township Committee invite a representative of the state police to a meeting to get more information about crime in the township.

Mauer, of Stone Tavern Estates, said, "We’ve been hearing in our development that [criminal activity] is quite high. Is that fact or fiction?"

Mauer later said there have been rumors about burglaries.

"The state police have been quite busy since Sept. 11. … It’s been tough to have them come to a meeting," Horsnall said, but added that he would look into it.

Committeeman John Mele offered to get updates on the status of crime in the township directly from the Hightstown barracks.

Asked how the state budget cutbacks might affect the township, the mayor responded that he had not yet heard from the state but that the committee is working on the budget. "Many towns are doing the same kind of soul-searching" in the wake of expected cutbacks, he said. "We aren’t as dependent on state aid as more suburban or urban municipalities," Township Administrator/Clerk Barbara Bascom added.

Bascom proposed issuing a new edition of the community map, which was last updated in 1999, and would not cost the township since it is paid for by businesses who buy advertising space on the map. "There have been additions and changes" since 1999, she said, noting that the map is sent to new homeowners.

Horsnall said that while he liked the idea of a community map being done, "pictures and names of committees date a document, so it’s not a good idea to have them." The map includes pictures and names of township officials, some of whom are no longer in office.

Township Attorney Granville McGee disagreed, observing, "It shows what [officials] look like. For people who don’t know [them], it’s important." Bascom said a letter with updated information is sent out with the maps. McGee pointed out that the map contains the township’s county code, which newcomers should be aware of.

Other resolutions approved by the committee included the authorization of aerial spraying in connection with mosquito control. This resolution is presented and approved annually so action may be taken, if necessary, by the Monmouth County Mosquito Extermination Commission. Committeeman John Mele asked when the spraying was scheduled, but Bascom explained, "They notify us when they are going to do it."

Horsnall mentioned that he and Faber had attended the FFA breakfast at Allentown High School. The new state secretary of agriculture was there, and Horsnall said he was looking forward to interacting with him. "The FFA is an incredible program, with a great group of young people. I really enjoyed talking with them," said Horsnall.