Trucks and Cooper St Rt 130 Intersection

I was waiting at the stop light in the South bound lane of Rt 130 at Cooper St tonight and watched as two Jevic tractor trailers ran the red light as they were turning onto 130 south from Charleston Rd (Willingboro). 

I hope that the repair work on Beverly Rancocas Rd in  Willingboro gets finished very soon because of the truck traffic now using Charleston Rd to get from I295 to Rt 130.

I also think that the Police Depts of Willingboro and Edgewater Park need to watch the running of the light at that intersection so that no one gets hit.

I hope that you use caution when approaching that intersection.

One item in addition; please take note of the new link (www.njspj.org/downloads/sunshinelaw.pdf) added today. It will take you to the Sunshine law pdf page. This link was passed on to me by a reader, thanks to Black Addler.

The Edgewater Park Reporter 

Edgewater Park Light Rail Station Beautification Project 08

I was E-mailed this picture and comment from "walklady224". I got a kick out of it and remembered that the town was asking in the February 07 Beverly Bee, for EP Volunteers for the Light Rail Beautification Committee.

The Edgewater Park Reporter

"walklady224" stated,

"As I was driving past the Light Rail Station I ran across this couple and stopped to speak to them. They told me they were part of the Station Beautification Project that the town was starting. I let them know that I thought they would definitely leave a lasting impression on the passengers and visitors to our station."

Edgewater Park Trash and Taxes

Today being trash day and as I was racing to get my trash can out to the curb before the trash truck passed me buy, I wondered why our town required two pickups a week. 

When I put the trash  out on Friday (2nd pickup) I only need to take out one small kitchen bag. This doesn't require me to bring the trash can back to the house or for me to look for it because the wind has blown it down the street, but gave me time to reflect on the cost of this second pick up. I know that several towns have two pick ups during the summer because leftover seafood scraps fermenting in your trash, can make life nearby a bit unpleasant, but do we have that problem in the winter. I don't think so.

This brings me to my point. If the town schedules two trash days in the summer and just one trash day in the winter instead of the two days for the whole year wouldn't the town save money?

This may also encourage more families to recycle and that will also save the town money because the amount of trash taken to the land fill would be less.

This is just one idea that I have to save money and keep our property taxes from increasing so dramatically.

Post your money saving ideas so that our elected officials and administrator can see them. I know that they are reading this blog because of the 4 votes that our taxes are not to high.

The Edgewater Park Reporter 

Edgewater Park Residents Out for a Walk

As I was driving on Bridgeboro Rd going towards Beverly, I came across several of our newest illegal residents crossing the road.

PTO Fund Raiser Feb. 15, 7-11 pm

I was E-mailed the following notice for a PTO Fund Raiser- The Edgewater Park Reporter

PTO fund raiser Feb 15, 7-11 pm at Touch of Class, includes dinner, wine and beer. $30.00 a head. Tickets must be purchased by Feb 8.

Cash Sale Fridays Feb 1 and Feb 8th 3-5 pm inside Magowan Lobby

Contact Michelle Atzert 871-6081

or Joemille Barnes 871-7728

Edgewater Park 2008 Budget

You have a chance to do something about the rising property tax in Edgewater Park.

The Township Committee should be working on the 2008 municipal budget. The only budget information they would be waiting for, is the amount of State Aid that the town can expect this year.

If your upset with your property tax increases, you need to attend the two monthly Township Committee Meetings (1st and third Tuesdays) and ask to see the 2008 budget. Also ask to look to at the 2007 budget, to see what the increases were for each department. This should help you in understanding the 2008 budget. 

Remember this committee except Kevin Johnson & Donna Atzert who are new to committee, will not except responsibility for the tax increases since 2001. Each year they blame someone or something else for the large increases and made them raise your taxes.

The only way this Township Committee is going to stop the runaway spending, is for you the taxpaying public to demand answers on the budget. Right now is the time to get involved. You work too hard for your money and you should expect our elected officials and administration to treat the township budget as they treat their own budget at home.

Remember you are allowed to ask questions at township meetings, do not be intimidated or put off. You will find that if you ask a tough question of the Mayor, Administrator or the longer serving committee members, you will find your question answered with silence.  This can be unnerving in a public meeting and is a way of intimidating you and using your alloted 3 minutes to ask a question. The 3 minute time limit was instituted several years ago by the committee when they were asked tough questions.

I will follow up and post the budget when it becomes available.

The Edgewater Park Reporter 

Edgewater Park Property Tax Card

Well, did you get your green postcard from the Township Tax Assessor? Did you keep your cards from the past few years? If you did, compare the Net Property Taxes Billed For 2007 with the amount of property taxes billed for the past several years, and you will see how well our Township Committee had done managing the municipal budget.

I will in the future give you the figures showing how much your municipal property tax has gone up each year since 2000. I also hope to give you the amount of increases for the municipal spending durning the years, 2000-2007. 

This information  should  help you decide what candidate you are going to vote for, to serve on the township committee, this coming election day (Nov. 4) .

The two committee members who's terms are up are, Tom Pullion and Jim Daly. Both have served on committee since 1999, except for the short time when Jim resigned in 2002.

Stay Tuned,

The Edgewater Park Reporter

Fire In Cooper Valley Unit L Tonight

I was told by a Cooper Valley Resident that there was a fire in Unit L. He said that two condos may have been damaged. No one was hurt as far as he knew. 

We are expected to get very cold tonight. When it is cold we tend to try and use space heaters, (electric and kerosene) too try and stay warm but fail to follow the safety rules for them. This can lead to conditions that will cause a fire. Please follow the instructions and rules for the safe operation of the heaters. Also do not over load your electrical outlet, this can also start a fire.

Stay safe and warm.

The Edgewater Park Reporter

Former Mayor Richard Tucker Passed Away Last Sunday, January 20th

Former Mayor and Committeeman Richard Tucker passed away this past Sunday. Our prayers are with Richard and his family. The BCT has Richard's Obituary in todays (1/23/08) paper section A4.

Thank you Richard for your service to Edgewater Park.

The Edgewater Park Reporter

What is up with the Beverly/Edgewater Park Emergency Squad

I keep hearing rumors that the Emergency Squad now has paid EMT's and that the Squad will be charging the insurance company of the person who they transport to the hospital. Does anyone out there know if this is true and if so why hasn't the Squad communicated this to the residents of Beverly and Edgewater Park? They and township committee need to let us know if this rumor is true or not.

The problem of the squad not being able to respond to emergency calls during the daytime hours is not unique with a volunteer squad. Most people working at jobs outside of town so few volunteers are available to respond to daytime calls. Some neighboring emergency squads, Endeavor of Burlington and Delran are paid from what I have been told.  That means that if one of these two squads respond to a call in Edgewater Park, the patient's insurance company will be billed for the squads service.

I hope that the squad and our township committee will clear up this situation with an article in the next Beverly Bee. If you know something of this please post your information as a comment on this blog. 

The Edgewater Park Reporter 

Ten Questions for Edgewater Park Township Committee and Administrator

1. Why aren't the Township Meeting Agenda's published on the Township Web Site as our School Bd does?

2. Why doesn't the Township Clerk, publish the approved minutes of your meetings and the minutes of your closed sessions when the matter of the closed meeting no longer requires confidentially?

3. Has the Township Clerk, ever had copies of closed session minutes, no longer requiring confidentially, available at public meetings? If not why?

4. Why don't you have the current Township Master Plan and Zoning Map, available on your web site so that residents and developers can view it?

5. Why do you not post the municipal budget on the township web site?

6. Why don't you post the meeting agendas and approved minutes, for the Planning Board and other township  commissions and committees, on the township web site?

7. Is the Township Committee planning to dissolve the Edgewater Park Sewerage Authority? If so what are you planning to replace it with? What will you do with the EPSA's remaining funds? Who will run the new entity that you will replace the EPSA with? Shouldn't this change be placed before the voters before you act?

8. There is a rumor in town that the Beverly/Edgewater Park Ambulance Squad will be billing for services. Are these rumors true? If they are, why hasn't this fact been communicated to the residents? Doesn't this conflict with the fact that the Edgewater Park Township gives an annual $32,000 donation to the squad along with the City of Beverly's donation (amount unknown)? Does the township receive an annual audited report from the Beverly/Edgewater Park Ambulance Squad?

 

9. Does the Township Committee receive reports on the number of calls that are made to the Emergency Squad? How many of those calls are completed by the squad, and how many are handled by other emergency squads? What is the average response time for the squad? If the township committee does receive any of these reports, where can the public get this information?

10. Why did it take 5 years for the township to start the Cooper Street Improvement Project, when this $409,549.00 Federal Grant was awarded in 2003? Could it be that the township made soooo!!! many changes to the  original plan, that the township engineer had to keep changing the plans too adjust for material inflation, so that the amount spent on this project would be the same ($409,549.00).  To quote from Mayor Hall in the 1/14/08 BCT article about this project, "I think we waited much too long, but whatever the reasons were, I never got a full explanation for." Well, who was in-charge of  this project  for the township  and why doesn't the mayor have an explanation?

Well, enough questions for now but more to follow. I will up-date you when I receive answers for any of the 10 questions above, by members of Township Committee or the Administrator g, but I won't hold my breath. If the Elected Officials, Administration or  Township Residents have any answers please respond by submitting a comment to this Blog.

Thanks,

The Edgewater Park Reporter         

45th Street Pub (formally Otts Edgewater Park)

I overheard this morning, several C&C Deli regulars talking about the 45th Street Pub. They were very pleased with the food. 

They said the menu is temporary one and the new owners will be making changes to the menu The location of the bar and the table layout will be changed so that more seating will be available. 

Maybe we will finally have a restaurant worth going to in EP.

Send your comments about the menu, food, service, atmosphere and prices. Stay tuned!!!  

NJ Presidential Primary Information

The Presidential Primary for NJ will be held on February 5, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You can vote by absentee ballot but to do so, you must apply to the county clerk by Jan. 29 to vote by mail. 

If you fail to apply in writing for an absentee ballot within the seven day time frame, you must apply in person or by an authorized messenger if you are sick or confined, to the Burlington County Clerk up to 3 pm the day before the election.

The absentee ballot must be received by the county Board of Elections no later then 8 p.m. on Feb. 5.

The Burlington County Clerk's Office is located in The Courts Building 1st Fl., 49 Rancocas Rd. Mt. Holly and the Burlington County Bd of Elections in the County Administration Bldg. 49 Rancocas Rd. Basement Level.  

Instruction for reading Agenda

Just click on Agenda page image below to enlarge and read

Blog Update

This blog will be under construction for the next week. I will be adding photos of town and links to sites that will provide additional information on the thoughts expressed in this blog.

Your feedback would be welcomed.

Edgewater Park Reporter 

Edgewater Park Sewerage Authority To Be Evicted from Municipal Building

The Edgewater Park Sewerage Authority Administrator and Board Members, received a letter today, January 17, 2008, from the Township Administrator Linda Dougherty, telling the Authority to vacate the Municipal Building by August 1, 2008. The letter stated the Township is renovating the building and they need additional office space.

This action will require the EPSA to find new office space that will cost more and will increase the sewer rates. 

The sewer taxpayers will now be inconvenienced by having to go to different locations to pay their property tax and their sewer tax.

 

What makes this action so interesting is that over the past two years, the Township Committee has criticized the EPSA for their operating hours, stating that because they are only open three days a week they cannot service the residents conveniently. If the Township is so concerned about the servicing of the residents then why would they want to not only inconvenient the residents but aide in the increase of the sewer tax, that this step would facilitate.

This eviction letter and plan was a complete surprise to the EPSA Administrator and some of the authority board members . The Township Administrator and Township Committee never communicated that they needed to take this action prior to this, nor was this action discussed at a public meeting.

What make this action and lack of communication even more interesting, is that one member of the sewer authority board is Jim Daly, a township committeeman. Board member Jim Hall is the husband of the Mayor, Judy Hall and Board member Darren Atzert is the brother of committeewoman Donna Atzert.

To be continued.