CHESTERFIELD: Sandy impacts township

By Christina Whittington, Special Writer
   CHESTERFIELD — Monday, Police Chief Kyle Wilson announced that most township residents had power restoration — one week after Superstorm Sandy struck New Jersey.
   The Oct. 29 storm caused 2.7 million New Jerseyans to lose power, according to the Governor’s Office.
   In Chesterfield, there were 159 JCP&L customers without power. Also, there were 151 PSE&G customers without power.
   According to Chief Wilson on Nov. 7, all of the JCP&L customers who were without power have been restored as of Nov. 6.
   PSE&G customers in the areas of Ellisdale Road, Harrison Road, a section of White Pine Road, Iron Bridge Road, Old York Road still remained without power as of press time.
   Additionally, an individual customer on Sykesville Road and also one on Chesterfield-Crosswicks Road also remained without power. Chief Wilson estimated the power outages impacted 30 customers in that area.
   The township municipal building was operating with one phone line and according to Chief Wilson, the phone lines were still down in the police station, as of press time. “Our Public Works did a phenomenal job. They worked all through the storm as well,” Chief Wilson said.
   Chief Wilson noted that 75 to 95 percent of the township’s roads were impacted by detours after the storm.
   ”The Public works Department had all the roads cleared in one and a half days,” Chief Wilson said.
   Nov. 5, some Chesterfield areas, such as Route 528, were still without power while Chief Wilson reported that JCP&L crews were on-site in a message to residents on the township website.
   Also on Nov. 5, Chief Wilson said that PSE&G was working on power restoration in the areas of Orr Road and Extonville Road. PSE&G could not confirm a timeframe for power restoration of Ellisdale Road, near Extonville Road.
   Ahead of Sandy, Chesterfield took precautions to keep residents safe during the storm system that had also been dubbed “Frankenstorm.”
   On Oct. 28, the day before the storm, by Police Chief Wilson, who is also the Local Emergency Management coordinator urged residents to take appropriate precautions including securing any and all lawn furniture or miscellaneous items outside, and having flashlights with batteries, as well as ice, water and food that could be prepared sans electricity.
   ”I, as your chief of police and Local Emergency Management coordinator, have had several meetings with our local personnel from the police, fire departments, EMS, Department of Public Works and the Burlington County Highway and Office of Emergency Management.
   ”Each of these respected agencies are fully activated and prepared to handle any emergencies that arise,” Chief Wilson said. “We expect that there will be localized flooding of streams and roadways. We also anticipate that there will be trees that will come down due to ground saturation, thus causing road closures and power outages that may be for extended periods of time.”
   Chief Wilson also warned residents in the event of power outages that generators should not be run within the house, due to the potential of deadly carbon monoxide buildup.
   Last week, Burlington County Office of Emergency Management opened three shelters, including one in Florence Township.
   Residents were urged to check the township website, www.chesterfieldtwp.com, for storm updates. The Northern Burlington Regional School District and Chesterfield Township School District were closed from Oct. 29 to Oct. 31. Both districts re-opened schools last Thursday, Nov. 1, after a 90-minute delay.
   In other news, residents showed up at the Township Committee meeting on Oct. 25 with the recent tax increase still on their minds.
   As previously reported by the Register-News, the 2011 municipal tax rate was 5.3 cents. The 2012 municipal tax rate was set at 29.5 cents.
   Taxes were able to rise by more than 2 percent because the municipal tax rate was under 10 cents, making Chesterfield exempt from the state cap requirement, officials said.
   At the Sept. 12 Township Committee meeting, more than 100 residents crammed into the municipal building, with many people outraged over the tax increase which equated to $600 or more per quarter for some residents.
   A special meeting was then scheduled for Oct. 11 at the Chesterfield Elementary School to accommodate the large amount of residents that showed up and also provided the audience the ability to hear information from the township auditor Jack Maley, regarding reasoning behind the recent tax increase.
   Township resident Frank Van Gelder stated that he had taken the opportunity to go into the township records and analyze the township’s fund balance for 2010 and 2011.
   Mr. Van Gelder said that he believed that the township could of appropriated an additional 1.2 million last year. “Without any financial chaos to the township, the tax rate increase could have been reduced from 29 cents to 11 cents and it would of allowed a savings to me as a taxpayer 18 cents per $100 of assessed valuation which relates to a savings of $755.64 a year,” Mr. Van Gelder stated.
   Mr. Van Gelder also distributed handouts of his analysis to committee members and those in attendance.
   Committeeman Jeremy Liedtka thanked Mr. Van Gelder for his time.
   In other news, Township Clerk Caryn Hoyer said that there were eight interested people who applied to join the Budget Advisory Board.
   Another Township Committee meeting was scheduled for last night, as snow from an impending nor’easter began to fall.
For residents who are interested in participating in the newly forming Budget Advisory Board, they are urged to fill out the Citizen Leadership form, which can be found on the township website. It must be returned to the Township Clerk Caryn Hoyer at 300 Bordentown-Chesterfield Rd., Chesterfield, NJ 08515. It can also be faxed to Ms. Hoyer’s attention at 609-298-0469. For any questions regarding the form or the Budget Advisory Board, Ms. Hoyer may be reached at 609-298-2311.