PLUMSTED – No one should feel intimidated about presenting their questions, concerns, and general ideas before the governing body. That was the message expressed by a township official.
During a recent Township Committee meeting, Deputy Mayor Herb Marinari shared with the governing body and public a conversation he had with a resident who has lived in the community for more than 20 years. The person asked him to look into an issue of concern.
Marinari invited the individual to come to a Township Committee meeting to personally present his concern during a part of the meeting where the public is invited to speak. “Every resident has the opportunity to do that.”
The Deputy Mayor said the resident responded, “’Herb I’m not going to do that because I am afraid of reprisals.’ When I heard that and other people who have made that comment – it is one of the worse things I’ve heard since I’ve been here. As long as you sit there and are respectful there is no reason you can’t come here to make a comment. You heard me say this a couple of months ago: This is not the town that I know.”
Religious Invocation
On the subject of speaking out, Michael Silvestri of Monroe Township came out to last month’s meeting in hopes of hearing an update on his request to be able to provide an invocation at the opening of a future Township Committee meeting.
Plumsted is one of only a few towns in the state that invites a member of the local clergy to give an invocation before the start of their meeting.
Plumsted Presbyterian Church Pastor Phyllis Zoon presented the invocation during last month’s committee meeting and Silvestri, who heads the Satanic Temple of New Jersey, which has members who reside in the township, would like the opportunity to do the same.
Township Attorney Jean Cipriani has been reviewing policy concerning the process of invocation selection for each month’s meeting. She promised Silvestri a definitive answer at the next committee meeting.
Silvestri noted that no religious faith should have preference over another and that religious institutions operating within the community should be allowed the opportunity to present an invocation. Silvestri’s group does meet and holds services at the municipal building and Christian groups have done the same provided they have membership that live in the township.
He had asked the township about this months ago.
Parks And Maintenance
Deputy Mayor Marinari recognized the hard work of Township Maintenance Department worker Anthony Creen during the meeting.
“That department is operating on less than a skeleton crew so he is taking care of garbage, picking up feces, the parks and doing an overall great job in trying to hold this community together. Hopefully we’ll give him some help soon.”
Committeeman Leonard Grilletto spoke about a recent effort involving volunteers at Paradise Park. He noted the installation of plants and mulch provided for the effort which ran two Saturdays in a row. He also addressed the problem of vandalism within the township stating he and the mayor had met with the municipal judge and prosecutor.
“Signs don’t work too well but I still feel we should have some signs up that would state people would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” Grilletto added.
He also noted a recommendation to hire a part-time unarmed security guard “who if he sees things would report them to the police and that would help reduce some of the vandalism.”
Committeeman Michael Hammerstone noted the rehabilitation of the recreation building with new siding, a new roof and some painting and work on the dugout. “That is just about complete and I want to give a big thank you for the new scoreboard that was purchased and installed. There was a huge turnout for the ceremony of getting it up and I’d like to thank those who provided their skills and funds to help our township recreation community.”
Traffic And Fires
During that session, Committeeman Dominick Cuozzo reported that he heard some traffic concerns about Millstream Road, especially when the new warehouse is finished “and of course we already have the new Dollar General. I have contacted our engineer. I’ve been talking to him since October about getting some infrastructure improvements.”
“I know some folks on Jacobstown Road would like the speed limit to be lowered and putting curbing there would not only help with the stormwater but would also help to lower that speed limit,” Cuozzo added.
Mayor Robert Bowen spoke about a resolution which supported the NJ Forest Fire Service. “We have not had one (forest fire) in our town but we have had them close enough.”
“The smoke and the smell are very strong and so you appreciate when you live near the woods that these situations can very quickly get out of control and it is only those who quickly respond to it that they are kept in any kind of balance so we did want to recognize them by supporting this resolution,” he added.
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