| New Egypt, New Jersey |
Wrightstown looks at development planBy Bob Vosseller The New Egypt Press Thursday, July 15, 1999 11:48 AM |
Wrightstown looks at development plan Bugworks at Plumsted Library News Blurb Fireworks light up New Egypt sky McGuire AFB Troops come home You could fry an egg AHS grads and principal say goodbye Underprivileged children come to NE Speedway North Hanover BOE discusses repair costs Local Mom Competes for Mrs. New Jersey School Spotlight New Egypt Home Map of New Egypt Plumsted Township Elks Lodge #2457 Business Directory Churches |
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The borough of Wrightstown is looking to improve its image, redevelop areas of the community and to hold more public events in the future. Prior to the borough council’s July 14 meeting, Councilwoman Sally Bowman-Jones showed off the borough’s new tree nursery near the borough council chambers. “We never expected to get 1,000 trees but the national tree trust program was impressed by our plan,” the councilwoman said. Councilwoman Bowman-Jones submitted that plan expecting no more then 200 free trees. “Some are doing well...others aren’t. Some of the Sycamore trees may come up later. This will be a permanent nursery, we have flowering bushes, humming bird trees and other varieties. They are here in anticipation of our bike trail,” the councilwoman remarked. We have another site at Plant Avenue. It took us two weeks to put all the trees in. We had a lot of volunteer help to put them in.” Councilwoman Bowman-Jones added that “when I asked for a thousand it was a joke but they were happy with the plan I submitted. We lost a lot of trees from storms in recent years.” Some of the trees will be used when a tract of Fort Dix property which is being donated to the borough is at last finalized. Part of that property will be used for the borough’s industrial park project which is part of its revitalization plan. The councilwoman said that the long standing project which required an environmental study on the Fort Dix property before it could be released to the town should be complete by next March. “Some of these trees came to us from as far away as Arizona and Louisiana. We may have lost 100 of trees. We put in our own irrigation system,” the councilwoman said. The trees will also be used for the borough’s new playground set to open next month. “We’re saving $8,000 on the spreading of wood chips by using volunteers.” “Everybody is working on a project for the borough,” the councilwoman said regarding her fellow council members. “A lot of our residents are saying, the town looks the same. We have to show them that things are changing for the better,” the councilwoman said. Illustrating her point she stated plans of the new bike trail, a basketball court and the play ground. The borough also posted three new blue and white colored welcome signs around the community. Two others will be also be installed. Borough Solicitor Nick Costa mentioned during the meeting that he heard several positive comments about the signs and the look of the borough itself. “We’ll also have a new sign for the front of the borough hall grounds,” Councilwoman Bowman-Jones said. Mentioning the success of the borough fire department’s recent 100th anniversary parade and picnic, the councilwoman noted plans for a July 4, 2000 picnic. “It will require a lot of volunteer help. We learned a lot during the firemens' picnic but we also found areas where we can save money like the cookers and pots being made. We want to spend the money on the food and games for the children,” the councilwoman said. One of the first matters of business during the evening’s council session was the borough’s redevelopment plan which will have a public hearing during the council’s August 11 meeting. The ordinance was tabled for the next meeting according to Costa for a “final review, any amendments or specificity.” Costa said that for certain areas of the borough the plan would mean “certain entitlements. Certain areas can be focused on and advantages can be promoted to obtain grants and participate in some types of development for the entire borough.” In short the plan will allow the borough to be eligible for more grants and for areas of the town to be more “easily developed by private interests,” according to Costa who added though that the program was not a tax abatement. “These are grants for infrastructure,” Costa added. Mayor Jozef Farago noting that the borough of Wrightstown frequently gains national media attention during times of world crisis when attention is focused toward Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base. “We need to update and present the proper image of Wrightstown which is used to show the image of New Jersey. It isn’t even the proper image for Wrightstown itself,” the mayor added. “Its important for NJ to look good not just Wrightstown. We will do the work but we need help,” the mayor said in regards to redevelopment plans which will improve the look and character of the borough. In other council business the mayor reported that a county traffic study would be performed on Rexal Avenue concerning the possibility of installing a traffic light. “Proper signs must be installed on Fort Dix Street. The signs are our responsibility the roads are their’s (the county’s),” Mayor Farago said. Another bit of good news for the community included contact from 30th District Assemblyman Joe Malone (R) who informed Mayor Farago that the borough would be receiving a $15,000 check toward its skating park project. Councilwoman Bowman-Jones noted the formation of a Christmas Tree Committee and a possible decoration contest and a project to repaint fire hydrants in the borough. Mayor Farago congratulated Ft. Dix Barracks Station Commander Ray Chintall on his promotion to lieutenant. “He takes the community to heart,” the mayor said. Chintall who was present in the audience responded saying “I appreciate the support from you and the council for all the troopers in the barracks.” |
