PLUMSTED – With a renewed focus on invigorating its downtown business district, two officials proposed the formation of a new sub-committee during the latest Township Committee meeting.
Committeeman Michael Hammerstone, a business owner himself, announced plans with fellow Committeeman Dominick Cuozzo to create an advisory board. This volunteer group would look at the issues that cause downtown New Egypt to have empty storefronts.
Hammerstone said the panel would consist of multiple business owners, himself and Committeeman Cuozzo. “Persons that will all work to make Main Street better.” They would meet on a quarterly basis to exchange ideas.
“I have visited with multiple business owners over the last couple of weeks and everybody has seemed to be very positive to it,” Hammerstone added.
Cuozzo said “with the business climate of the downtown area it needs improvement in our town. This is why we were trying to pick a name, Job Creators because that is what we believe business owners are, they are job creators and we believe that they have a successful business in a small rural community like ours that they have some wisdom to impart to us and so we would like to open up the channel of communication in both supporting them and hearing back from them.”
“We don’t think it is possible to have the downtown that we want to have without the input of the local businesses,” Cuozzo added.
Deputy Mayor Herb Marinari noted the township Municipal Utilities Authority in the past had worked toward finding ways to bring a septic system into the downtown area, the lack of which had been an issue of concern for business owners.
“We thank them (MUA) for what they did,” the deputy mayor said. He added that the new committee is building along on the foundation of that and that he looked forward to seeing its progress.
In other news, the governing body passed a resolution awarding a professional services contract to the firm of Rothstein, Strohm, Halm & Cipriani as township attorney. Jean Ciprani had been serving in an interim role until that meeting.
Officials also approved an ordinance on second reading to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits to establish a cap bank for the year. This action is routine among municipalities at this time of year as the municipal budget process goes forward.
The Committee is also reviewing the duties and powers of the Flood Plain Administrator in compliance with state regulations. The governing body also introduced an ordinance concerning zoning regulations that would amend supplemental design standards and management.
Among the resolutions passed was one in support of a moratorium on the construction of offshore wind farms and the appointment of Arnaldo Maestrey to fill the unexpired term of Township Municipal Court Judge.
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