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TOWNSHIP |
Pride in Plumsted, the State's
Center
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Town Talk
By Mayor Ron Dancer
July 21, 2008
State Awards $543,780 For Town Improvements
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Plumsted Township
is one of only two Municipalities in New
Jersey to be awarded funding by the State Department
of Community Affairs’ “Downtown Business Improvement Zone” (D-BIZ) Fund Grant
Program for the year 2008. State DCA Commissioner, Joe Doria, informed the
Township Committee on July 15th, that Plumsted will receive $543,780
to provide funds to construct two new parking areas in historic downtown New
Egypt and implement a “way-finding” signage program. The second and only other
Municipality to receive funding in the highly competitive D-BIZ Program this
year is Westfield, N.J., whose award amount was $600,000.
Plumsted’s D-BIZ grant
application was prepared by the Township’s Main Street/Neighborhood Preservation
Program’s Executive Director, Peter Ylvisaker. The members of Plumsted’s Main
Street New Egypt Board of Directors and sub committees identified the need for
two additional parking areas in downtown New Egypt and worked together with the
Township Committee in a joint cooperative effort to apply for and submit the
grant application.
The first new additional
parking area is presently a vacant lot, located at 6 Main Street. This vacant lot has been
the site of an environmental remediation for many years and is in the final
phase of having the DEP issue a letter of no further action. Last year, the
Township Committee obtained a $36,000 grant to facilitate and bring to closure
the environmental issues associated with this lot. A portion of the D-BIZ funding
will be used to purchase the lot and construct the new parking area.
The second parking area
project will be an expansion and reconfiguration of the existing Main Street
Municipal Parking lot. The expansion will occur behind 17 Main Street. The D-BIZ funding will
also be utilized for both acquisition and construction of this additional
parking area.
In addition to providing
funds for acquisition and construction of two new parking areas in the
downtown, the D-BIZ program will provide the funds needed to implement an
extensive and comprehensive installation of “way-finding” signage to more
clearly identify and direct shoppers to the public parking facilities.
The $543,780 D-BIZ funding from the State is the
latest in a series of programs targeted to assist Plumsted Township
in the revitalization of historic downtown New Egypt. Three years ago, the
Township was awarded the State’s $525,000 Neighborhood Preservation Program. In
1996, the State Planning Commission designated New Egypt as the first “Town
Center” in Ocean County which prioritized the Town for numerous State grants
and programs, such as, Main Street N.J. and D.O.T. Town Center Grants.
Presently, a Smart Future Planning Grant is funding Plumsted’s “Plan
Endorsement” initiative to continue and renew the Town Center
designation by the State Planning Commission, an essential prerequisite for the
downtown sewer project. To date, Plumsted
Township is the first
Municipality in the State to complete the “visioning” phase of the Plan
Endorsement Process.
Farmers are reminded that
their Farmland Assessment Forms must be filed with the Township’s Tax Assessor
on or before the deadline of August 1st. For more information,
contact the Tax Assessor’s office at 609-758-2241 ext. 119.
Residents are reminded and
encouraged to attend the Township’s Council for the Arts Summer events in
Downtown New Egypt. The next event is, “Comedy Night,” on Friday, July 25th,
at the New Egypt Fire House on Main
Street beginning at 7:30pm. On Sunday, July 27th,
enjoy family music at the Oakford
Lake Park
with the live performance of “Guitar Bob” from 11am to 1pm.
The next regularly scheduled public meetings with
the new administration of Township Committee members Dave Leutwyler,
Steve Reed, Eric Sorchik, Deputy Mayor Mike McCue and Mayor Ron Dancer
is Wednesday, August 6th at
8:00 P.M.
Public comments and participation are encouraged at all Township
Committee meetings. . Browse the Township website: www.plumsted.org
and www.mainstreetne.org
for more information and current events.
Meet The Mayor 2008
Schedule
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As a result of the new Township Committee meeting
schedule, the dates for the monthly one-on-one personal meeting
sessions with Mayor Ron Dancer at the Library every month have also
been revised. In 2007, meet personally with the Mayor at the Library on
the second (2nd) Wednesday of each month (August
13th)
from 7 to 9 p.m. to discuss local concerns or State
issues. Residents
may call the
Library (758-7888) in advance to schedule a specific time for your
convenience. The Mayor encourages residents to
contact him
anytime at 758-2241x102 Township / 758-3497 Home / r.s.dancer@att.net
Can't get to the meetings or the hours scheduled
at the library. To discuss your concerns and issues personally with the
mayor, click for more information.
Contact the State
Legislative Office
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For Federal issues, contact
our Congressman Chris
Smith at 609-585-7878 and for County matters,
contact
Freeholder
Director, Joe Vicari at 1-800-722-0291. Browse the
Township
website:
www.plumsted.org
and www.mainstreetne.org
or www.downtownnewegyptnpp.org for more information and
current events.
For more
information on our Township, residents are also encouraged to
visit website:
www.mainstreetsusa.com
and the official web site of Ocean County Government:
www.oceancountygov.com.
The New Egypt Press, our official weekly newspaper, is now on line at:
www.newegyptpress.com.
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