Tobacco code
scheduled for
public hearing
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer
MANALAPAN — A public hearing will be held at 8 o’clock tonight on an ordinance that will prohibit the use of tobacco products at all parks and recreation areas and on all property owned or leased by the township adjacent to school buildings.
The ordinance that will be up for adoption tonight by the Township Committee has been slightly amended from the initial proposal.
"We have added one paragraph," said Township Attorney Donald M. Lomurro, explaining that the additional paragraph indicates smoking will be permitted in all parking areas unless it is expressly indicated by signs that smoking is prohibited.
"This includes any of the parking areas in the township," said Mayor Drew Shapiro, "but this will not supersede the school [policy]."
The Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District and the Freehold Regional High School District, which includes Manalapan High School, do not allow smoking on any school property, including parking lots, playing fields and inside school buildings.
Committeewoman Mary Cozzolino asked about penalties that may be levied on people who break the law and was told the penalties could include fines.
Cozzolino said she was concerned that the parking lots would become filled with an excessive amount of cigarette butts.
Lomurro noted that an existing ordinance regarding littering and the disposal of litter would include throwing cigarette butts in the proper receptacle in the parking lots.
He said signs will be placed at the entrance to the recreation facilities and other areas informing the public of the restrictions, should they be adopted by the committee.
In other business, township officials agreed to place a sign outside the Manalapan Recreation Center, Route 522, indicating that a teen/community center is being proposed for the complex.
A private committee is raising funds for the project and designing plans for the facility. Discussions have indicated that the old Dreyer house on the recreation center property will be demolished and the teen/community center will be built on that site. No timetable for the work has been announced.
Fred Mosesman, a spokesman for the teen/community center committee, asked municipal officials to place the sign near Route 522 and not inside the recreation complex.
"We believe there will be more exposure having it near [Route 522 and] Taylors Mills Road, rather than the parking lot," he said. "It would bring more awareness that the community center will be built in the near future."
Committeeman Bill Scherer suggested that the sign should be located in a place which would not be offensive to neighbors of the recreation center.
The committee determined that the teen/community center sign would be placed near the sign on Route 522 that announces upcoming parks and recreation department event.