UPPER FREEHOLD: Whose potholes are these, anyway?

By Jane Meggitt, Special Writer
   UPPER FREEHOLD — A longtime resident fed up with the potholes and overall poor condition of East Branch Road recently demanded some answers from the Township Committee on who’s responsible for the road’s upkeep.
   Aniko Palfalvi told the governing body Dec. 6 that the condition of East Branch Road, located off Route 524, was “horrible.”
   ”There are potholes after potholes, hundreds of them,” Ms. Palfalvi said. “I use the road every day. You can’t miss the potholes.”
   East Branch Road leads into the state-owned Assunpink Wildlife Management Area. Last year, the state fixed half of the road, but claimed the other half was the town’s responsibility, Ms. Palfalvi said.
   ”The other half, no one wants to fix,” she said. “I pay taxes and have lived on that road for 33 years. I think I deserve that something should be done.”
   Ms. Palfalvi wanted to know once and for all if the road belonged to the state or township.
   There was some uncertainty among township officials during the meeting, but Township Administrator Dianne Kelly looked into the matter and confirmed Dec. 12 that the section in front of two houses, including Ms. Palfalvi’s, apparently is the town’s responsibility to maintain.
   ”As best as we can determine, our two ratables, the houses, comprise about 400 feet of frontage on East Branch Road,” Ms. Kelley said. “The rest of the road, and the land behind the two houses is state-controlled land, the Assunpink. The state has left the township with the responsibility of caring for the road from Route 524 to these two houses.”
   Committeeman Stan Moslowski Jr. said during the meeting that it was his recollection the road was scheduled for repair the next time bids for larger road projects went out. Ms. Kelly explained it would be less expensive if the town fixes the small section of East Branch Road at the same time it fixes other larger roads.
   During the meeting, Ms. Palfalvi also complained about rotting trees that also are hanging over East Branch Road, noting the township was lucky these didn’t fall down and injure someone during Hurricane Sandy.
   ”One day they will kill someone,” Ms. Palfalvi predicted.
   IN OTHER BUSINESS, the Township Committee unanimously approved two resolutions Dec. 6, authorizing 2013 farmland lease agreements for two township-owned properties.
   The township renewed a lease with Holmes Brothers LLC, which will pay $751.33 a year to farm 9.7 acres near Jonathan Holmes Road. The resolution states the agreement extends until Dec. 31, 2013, “or until the township is ready to use this property for municipal purposes pursuant to provisions of the lease agreement.”
   The second lease is with Stern Farms LLC, which will pay $3,400 a year to farm 68 tillable acres on the property commonly known as the Breza Road tract. The resolution states the lease agreement ends Dec. 31, 2013, or when Stern Farms LLC can harvest its present crop, whichever comes first. The resolution notes plans for the property to serve as passive recreational and farmland use have not been finalized.