PLUMSTED – With the help of Congressman Chris Smith, Plumsted’s fire company and police department have been awarded federal grants to assist the town’s emergency responders’ preparedness and readiness.
Mayor Ron Dancer said Plumsted’s fire commissioners are to be commended for submitting and obtaining a federal grant application in the amount of $145,000 under the Fire Safety Act.
The mayor said the Fire Commission will soon be informing the public of the specifics that this grant award will provide to Plumsted’s firemen and their firefighting capabilities.
Township Committeeman Eric Sorchik, the Township Committee’s liaison to public safety departments, has been notified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency National Preparedness Director Dennis R. Schrader that Plumsted’s application to the Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program has been approved.
As a result, the Plumsted Police Department will receive Stedi-Eye Gyro Stabilized Binoculars with Night Vision Eyepieces. According to the U.S. Army’s Electronic Proving Ground Division, at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., these state-of-theart binoculars remove 99 percent of all vibration from hand tremor as well as platform vibration from a moving vehicle, according to Dancer.
In other business, the committee is announcing a potential investment opportunity within the New Egypt Town Center under its economic redevelopment plan.
Dancer said the township attorney has been in communication with the attorney for the Hartman estate regarding the abandoned structure (formerly known as Hartman’s Pharmacy) on Main Street, New Egypt, next to the township’s Welcome Center building.
The township is seeking interested potential investors to purchase the building with the intent to continue the permitted mixed use of a first floor commercial business use and second floor residential use.
The township has grant programs available to provide financial assistance for restoration and renovations. Interested potential investors should contact Peter Ylvisaker at (609) 758-7539 for more information.
The Plumsted Library is sponsoring two driving-safety programs for teens with a speaker from AAA scheduled for Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. Contact the library at (609) 758-7888 for more information.
The new Township Committee of 2008 was officially sworn in on Jan. 2 at the annual reorganization public meeting, with newly elected Committeeman Steven Reed joining Committeeman Dave Leutwyler, who is succeeding the late Deputy Mayor Ken Francis.
The position of deputy mayor is scheduled to be rotated in 2008, with Committeeman Mike McCue serving for the first half of the year and Committeeman Eric Sorchik serving the second half of 2008 as deputy mayor.
The next regularly scheduled public meeting of the Township Committee is Feb. 6 at 8 p.m.