Days before the end of summer, the members of the Township Committee in Millstone Township worked out some of the hot issues that had been raised in the early part of the season.
On Sept. 17, the committee introduced an ordinance that will, if adopted, prohibit residents from charging anyone for the use of a private pool.
Mayor Bob Kinsey and committee members Gary Dorfman, Nancy Grbelja, Michael Kuczinski and Fiore Masci voted to introduce the ordinance.
The ordinance will have a public hearing on Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. The committee may vote to adopt the ordinance following the public hearing.
The move comes after two men were charged with selling alcohol at what was described as a large party at a residence on Clarksburg Road on June 28. The men were expected to answer those charges in municipal court this week.
In the aftermath of the incident, several residents urged the members of the governing body to restore the quality of life in the quiet, rural neighborhood.
The ordinance specifies that private swimming pools will not include the charging of a fee or the solicitation of a contribution for the use of the pool and its adjacent areas.
“Such activity is specifically prohibited in a residential zone,” the ordinance states.
At a meeting in July, a resident told the committee there had been several parties at the home on Clarksburg Road during the past year. He said partygoers typically park and double-park on thoroughfares such as Mountain View Court, Agress Road and Cottrell Drive.
The resident said he was concerned that emergency vehicles might have difficulty entering the neighborhood due to the crowded condition of the streets when a party was in progress.
The committee members heard him and voted unanimously to introduce an ordinance that amends the procedure for the declaration of an emergency parking prohibition.
According to the ordinance, upon the declaration of an emergency by the New Jersey State Police and the adoption of a resolution by the Township Committee, no parking would be allowed on streets or sections of streets where temporary “Emergency – No Parking” signs are displayed. The measure will have a second reading and public hearing on Oct. 15 at 8 p.m.
Kinsey praised township officials for helping to work out the problems regarding the disturbances at the Clarksburg Road residence. He said he believes there was consent from all parties involved, although residents from the neighborhood wanted quick action. Kinsey said the situation needed the proper time to handle it best.
In other business, the mayor announced that the township was awarded a Community Development Block Grant for Rocky Brook Park and for refurbishing the Millstone Community Center.
“We were given the No. 1 project in terms of votes, and the amount we were awarded was $63,000,” Kinsey said. “We asked for $73,000…”
In other business, a resolution was passed that authorizes a shared services agreement between Millstone Township and the Millstone Township K-8 School District Board of Education for maintenance services for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and electrical systems. This will help provide some savings for the township, according to Kinsey.