services agreement with
homeowners association
Town will provide services
to Renaissance community
Works out municipal
services agreement with
homeowners association
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer
MANALAPAN — Business Adminis-trator James Devereaux informed members of the Township Committee at a Feb. 5 workshop meeting that a Municipal Services Agreement between the township and the Renaissance Homeowners Association is ready for approval.
The Renaissance adult community is off Craig Road, near Route 9.
Under the agreement, the township will reimburse the homeowners association for the cost of snow and ice removal from all 1.3 miles of roads in the development, Devereaux said.
The township will also provide street lighting, including the cost of electricity. Other items included in the agreement pertain to leaf removal, household waste and recyclable removal and several other items.
In other business, a two-year contract proposal to purchase 3,000 tons of pre-mixed rock salt at $55 per ton from the Yardville Supply Co. was placed in the form of a resolution to be voted upon at the next committee meeting, Feb. 19.
Devereaux said the cost is consistent with the amount of rock salt. The total cost will be $165,000.
The business administrator said this was the best proposal received by the township.
During the committee liaison reports, Committeewoman Beth Ward reported that the township board of health had suspended the license of the Kosher Chinese Express, Route 9.
In a subsequent conversation, Health Officer David Richardson said the restaurant’s license was suspended on Jan. 28 due to substantial compliance issues.
A hearing was held that night at which time representatives of the restaurant were told those issues needed to be addressed, Richardson said.
As of Jan. 31, the issues had been resolved and the restaurant’s license was restored, Richardson said.
In other reports, Deputy Mayor Rebecca Aaronson said representatives of the State Forestry Council and the United States Department of Agriculture will be meeting in Monmouth County on March 13 and their first stop after the meeting will be to Manalapan to visit the municipal arboretum.
Aaronson also noted that the Heritage Committee has decided that Manalapan Day will be June 14.
Later in the meeting, Steve Johnson and Lou Langlais were appointed to the Heritage Committee by Mayor Drew Shapiro.
Aaronson also said she had attended a Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) graduation ceremony.
According to the deputy mayor, there were 296 sixth grade students participating.
"The officers that are now involved in the program are Patrolman Gerald Bruno, Patrolman Joseph Felicia and Police Officer Kimberly Pujat," Aaronson said.
Committeewoman Mary Cozzolino reported on a meeting among Pop Warner youth football league administrators, neighbors of the league’s field at the Manalapan Recreation Center and municipal officials relating to previous requests made by neighbors concerning the league’s use of that field.
Cozzolino did not indicate if the neighbors’ requests and concerns have been resolved.
A resolution appointing members to Manalapan’s Cable Television Advisory Committee was passed 5-0. Appointed to the committee were Township Committeeman Bill Scherer, Mark Levy, Dock J. Heath Jr., Ray Proietti and Philip Alongi.
There are still two vacancies on that panel.
Ward reported that meetings at which school construction plans will be discussed have been scheduled for Feb. 25 at 10:30 a.m. and Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the Manalapan Englishtown Middle School (MEMS), Millhurst Road.
Administrators in the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District have recently said they are examining the possibility of constructing additions at MEMS and at the Clark Mills School.
Reporting on public assistance, Shapiro said there were eight new cases this past period.
The mayor also noted that a committee that is planning a teen/community center is investigating the availability of grants that could be used to fund the center.
Additionally, Shapiro said he had been contacted by a representative of the Marlboro Players, who are seeking a home and would be interested in the possibility of working together on the teen/community center project.
The theater troupe performs several shows each year, most often at schools in Marlboro.
The organization has had plans to pursue the construction of its own theater in Marlboro, but those plans have not yet come to fruition.
Shapiro said about half of the Marlboro Players’ membership and most of the board members are Manalapan residents.
During the new business portion of the workshop meeting, committee members approved a resolution to increase the fees for recreation by a vote of 3-2. Aaronson, Ward and Shapiro voted yes.
Shapiro, the liaison to the recreation commission, said the fee increase would be used to improve the program.
Voting no were Scherer and Cozzolino.
Scherer said he was against raising the fees, noting the impact that would have on some families.
A $30 increase in the fee for the Summer 2003 parks and recreation program will bring the total cost up to $330 per child from the previous $300.