By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE – The owner of one mining operation in Millstone Township has been granted a new permit and the owner of a second mining operation has been granted an extension of a current permit.
On Aug. 17, the Township Committee passed a resolution granting an extension of 63 days to the holder of the Buck mine permit. The extension will end on Sept. 21.
And, the committee passed a resolution granting a two-year permit to the Preston mine. The permit will expire on June 30, 2018.
After the resolutions were passed, Lucy Campo, a representative of the Campo mine, Baird Road, told municipal officials she believes the Buck mine, Pine Hill Road, is crossing its boundary and entering her mine’s property.
Campo asked if the Buck mine’s permit could contain a condition that would prevent it from crossing into the Campo mine.
Township Attorney Bob Munoz suggested that Campo notify Township Engineer Matt Shafai about her concerns.
“If it is a line dispute, it is probably going to have to be determined between the parties,” Munoz said. “I don’t know if (the dispute will be a condition of the permit), but (the township engineer) will have to look at it.”
“It certainly would not be a condition (of the permit) if you did not bring it to (the township engineer’s) attention,” Deputy Mayor Michael Kuczinski said.
In other business, the committee passed a resolution approving a change order with Meco Inc. for a 2015 road improvement project.
According to the resolution, the township entered into a $624,275 contract with Meco for road improvements. At the township’s request, Meco performed additional work, including the milling and paving of East Pine Branch Drive, West Pine Branch Drive and Millstone Road, and drainage inlet repairs.
The additional work resulted in a $67,212 increase, bringing the total contract to $691,488.
Finally, the committee passed resolutions establishing a lien against properties at 1 Abate Drive, 168 Sweetmans Lane, 6 Perrine Circle and 414 Millstone Road. All four properties are vacant, according to township officials.
According to the resolutions, the grass at each property exceeded the height permitted by the township’s property maintenance code and created a nuisance for neighbors.
Code Enforcement Officer Dan Specht was unable to get a responsible party to cut the grass and Township Administrator Maria Dellasala determined it was necessary to have the grass cut by Department of Public Works employees.
The cost of cutting the grass at 1 Abate Drive and at 168 Sweetmans Lane was $353 at each property; the cost of cutting the grass at 6 Perrine Circle was $556; and the cost of cutting the grass at 414 Millstone Road was $661, according to the resolutions.
The liens placed against the properties are in the amount of the cost of cutting the grass. The township will be reimbursed for the expenses that were incurred before the properties can be sold, according to the resolutions.
Mayor Bob Kinsey, Committeeman Gary Dorfman, Committeewoman Nancy Grbelja and Kuczinski voted in favor of the resolutions. Committeeman Fiore Masci was absent.