JACKSON – Council President Jennifer Kuhn provided an update on the status of several of the township’s sub-committees during a recent Township Council meeting.
She noted that the Veterans Advisory Commission had met and that this panel was “looking to honor one of our noble veterans every month on of one of our LED displays in front of town hall.”
You can submit nominations at the township website, jacksontwpnj.net. “The e-mail link is there and the mayor will pick a veteran and place it on our Jackson news website every month,” she added.
The Jackson Township Veterans Commission, a committee of residents that includes some of Jackson’s veterans and their family members have plans for the town’s’ veterans.
While the township hosts the annual Wounded Warrior Parade each October and a Memorial Day parade at Johnson Park, the commission is interested in hosting the first annual veterans appreciation BBQ and to also create a Veterans Service Officer appointment to help veterans in town who are in need of assistance.
The commission is hoping to work with other veterans groups in town such as the VFW Post 4706, American Legion, Marine Corps League and all other service-related organizations, inviting them to reach out and get engaged in the discussion.
Kuhn, who serves as liaison to this commission, said “The veterans BBQ is something we would like to start this year. Our next step is to choose a location, and date, and begin seeking sponsors in the business community to make this the best BBQ we can host for all our beloved veterans in town. We want to let them know that we appreciate their sacrifices and that they are not forgotten.”
She noted that Jackson is home to a very unique veterans memorial, “It’s a beautiful lakeside memorial at the intersection of Jackson Mills Road and East Commodore Boulevard.”
The Rova Farms Advisory Committee also assembled and “we now have a game plan and a solid direction for the project,” Kuhn said.
Councilman Steve Chisholm who is the vice chair of that committee which oversaw the Rova Farms Park tree clearing work day project that took place on February 5 that involved several tree companies in town. He noted this was a “step in the right direction in clearing up the trees and just making it a better place over all.”
“I also had the honor of attending my first Rova Farms Committee meeting and before that I sat with Councilman (Stephen) Chisholm for about an hour and getting a better understanding of the history of Rova Farms,” Councilman Mordechai Burnstein said.
He added, “we are using the background that the previous professionals have put together to really move the project forward and the consensus of the committee was to take the dream of the last two or three years and hopefully have some form of groundbreaking this year.”
“Our Open Space Committee has also met and I just wanted to update everyone that there is an e-mail that owners of parcels of land can submit their properties to if they are interested in preserving the land. The e-mail is openspace@jacksontwpnj.net which can be found on our website,” Kuhn added.
Councilman Burnstein said he had been working with members of the Open Space Committee and “we are looking at different ideas. There is definitely excitement out there in Jackson.”
Kuhn mentioned her attendance at a Municipal Utilities Authority meeting, coalition meetings and that the township’s Economic Advisory Committee and its Shade Tree Committee would meet this month.
“I do serve on the Economic Advisory Committee. We look forward to working together with our various boards, the (Jackson) Chamber of Commerce and everyone else to continue fostering a pro-business environment here in Jackson,” Councilman Burnstein said.
Councilman Chisholm noted that the Jackson Chamber of Commerce had held a function that drew more than 350 attendees from seven different chambers in Monmouth and Ocean counties at Adventure Crossing in Jackson.
Mayor Michael Reina told The Jackson Times, “This council is like nothing I’ve seen in 15 years. Feet to the floor, let’s move. There is nothing wrong with looking into things, studies, feasibility studies. Let’s do a ‘what if’ program, what if we did this what if we did that and if something comes out of it, we may do a ‘did you know’ segment”
“Did you know this is happening? Did you know this is coming up? Everything from Rova Farms to Johnson Park. Hope Chapel Road to South New Prospect – any of the roads that we are working on and the plans we are working on to enhance the parks. All of this will be made public,” the mayor added.
Kuhn also announced the launch of a separate township website, jacksontwpnj.news, that will feature Jackson government information posted and written by the township’s network administrator/webmaster Christian David. His duties include the administration of the Township’s internal computer network and maintenance of the municipality’s website.
Some residents at the meeting questioned the need for it. Kuhn said the site, which includes press releases that are sent to news agencies, would be driven by information provided by members of council and the administration.
The site also includes state and national news, national sports, business and finance and health topics that are unrelated to Jackson. This site is not to be confused with Jackson’s actual website jacksontwpnj.net.
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