Reports aim to inform
residents
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer
MANALAPAN — In an effort to keep residents informed about the actions of various municipal committees and commissions, a new item, Township Committee liaison reports, has been added to the governing body’s meeting agenda.
Mayor Drew Shapiro said one of his priorities will be to keep residents informed about everything that is going on in the community.
The reports made their debut at the committee’s Jan. 22 meeting.
Township Attorney Donald M. Lomurro reported that he had met with Matthew Giacobbe, Manalapan’s former township attorney, and said he would update the members of the governing body on pending litigation when they convened in executive session.
Committeewoman Beth Ward, liaison to the Planning Board, said board members met with Richard Cramer, Manalapan’s municipal planner, regarding plans for the Route 33 corridor. The plan aims to give the township more control over what will be built in the corridor.
Committeewoman Rebecca Aaronson, liaison to the transportation committee, said that panel is still actively looking into getting express commuter bus service on Route 33. The committee heard from the state Department of Transportation and was told the DOT is willing to fund a park and ride, "but we need the land."
Aaronson said the members of the transportation committee want to know the Township Committee’s position on the possibility of commuter rail service coming to Manalapan and which of three regional rail proposals now being studied by NJ Transit would be preferred.
"They would like to publicly state their position," Aaronson said.
Committeewoman Mary Cozzolino, liaison to the environmental commission, reported that the panel had its reorganization for 2003. The commission will be looking for ways to deal will some of the issues that state officials are wrestling with that involve environmental planning.
Shapiro reported that the summer recreation program fees will be raised this year. He said the increase may be about $20 per child.
"The increase in fees will be used to better the program," the mayor said. "There will be seminars for the counselors. There will also be salary increases for the counselors and (the recreation department) will aim to hire more qualified counselors. That has been the perception of the committee as well as the residents."
Shapiro noted that Jerry Collincini, director of parks and recreation, met with Joseph Passiment, business administrator for the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District, to discuss which schools will be used for summer programs.
Additionally, the Manalapan Development Council has developed a flier regarding businesses in, and coming to, the township. The council is working on the possibility of giving some exposure to new businesses via the residents’ guide.
During the public portion of the meeting, the Rev. John Bambrick of St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church told the committee that more than $107,000 has been raised for the 9/11 memorial which will be constructed in the township arboretum in front of the municipal building on Route 522.
"We’ve been through all of the proceedings and have spoken to the members of this committee, the shade tree committee, the Manalapan PBA, the children at the Manalapan Englishtown Middle School have helped us, and we have had our ground breaking," Bambrick said. "We would like to proceed with the construction so that it can be dedicated on Sept. 11, 2003."
Lomurro said the Township Committee had authorized its own $25,000 contribution to the memorial.
"That can be done without going to bid, which is under the artistic exception of the statute," Lomurro said. "We don’t have to go to bid on that. The rest of it will be bid specifically. We have a contract that we will enter into which will make all of the general contracting work done by the private vendors and not by the township."
After the memorial is built the ownership of the monument will be transferred to the township. Officials in neighboring Freehold Township followed a similar procedure with a 9/11 memorial in that community, it was noted.
Shapiro praised Greg Valesi, township engineer, and Jeffrey Nagle, landscape architect, of CME Associates, Howell, for what he called their exceptional engineering and architectural help.
Committee members gave their unanimous approval for the Manalapan 9/11 memorial project to proceed.
Finally, Janet Kirschner was appointed to the township heritage committee for 2003 by Shapiro.