Only 2 meetings to report this week:
Tuesday April 13 I met with our Finance Director for 3 hours to go over the municipal budget. I have some background in municipal budgeting but Ron Matthews is great- what a tremendous asset Franklin has in Ron. It is tentatively scheduled that the FY2011 budget will be introduced at the April 22 Township Committee meeting. If you care how $3 million plus dollars is spent, please attend the meeting.. the budget will be introduced at that meeting only.
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Wednesday April 14 I attended the Land Use Board workshop session. Topics discussed included a proposed tree preservation ordinance, lighting ordinance, solar energy ordinance, and wind power ordinance. All of the above ordinances have not been formally introduced by the Township Committee- they are all being worked on by our Land Use Board and Environmental Commission. If anyone reading this has particular questions about these proposals, please contact me and I will assist in every way I can.
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I am going to cheat a little bit and post something that did not fall in the week of April 11 - April 17. Today (4/18) I attended the Recreation sponsored fishing derby- what a great event for Franklin residents. The Quakertown Recreation Club served hot dogs and root beer and there must have been at least 50 or more children of all ages fishing for prizes and fun. I am still amazed that no one hooked themselves but I saw some pretty impressive lunkers pulled out of the pond. I got to meet a lot of Franklin residents today which is always a good thing. Great job Recreation Commission and Quakertown Recreation Club- your hard work certainly put many smiles on faces today and made memories that will last a lifetime.
Showing posts with label Recreation Commission. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recreation Commission. Show all posts
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
April 4 - April 10, 2010
April 4 – April 10
Looks like spring has finally sprung; I have been able to drive to and from work with the convertible top down, farmers are tilling their fields, and daylight hours are getting a little longer. Hooray for spring!
Tuesday, April 6 Deputy Mayor McGeary and I met with representatives of the Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) to discuss their concerns over proposed Ordinance 2010-03 which amends a few sections of our Township Code, specifically Chapter 310 “Subdivision and Site Plan”, and Chapter 316 “Surface Water Management”. The AAC expressed their opposition to the Ordinance, and after our meeting it was apparent that this ordinance as written did not have the best interest of the agriculture community in mind. The short story is the proposal would exempt certain agricultural practices from site plan approval unless the practice has been “deemed to be a Generally Accepted Agricultural Practice” (AMP) as defined by the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC), or a “Site Specific Agricultural Management Practice” as defined by the Hunterdon County Agricultural Boa
What does this mean in plain English? If a farmer proposes a farming practice that doesn’t already fit in the “right to farm” ordinance already on our books, and if it isn’t recognized by the State or County, then the farmer is required to obtain site plan approval for the farming activity. Here is the kicker: the SADC has only defined ten (10) AMPs- you can see them here:
http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/sadc/rtfprogram/amps/adoptedamps/index.html
And here is a link showing a list of county AMPS:
http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/sadc/rtfprogram/amps/siteamps/determinations.html
If the farming practice is not on either of these lists, then the practice needs site plan approval. AAC members expressed the hardships in having to apply for site plan approval and the hardships associated with introducing an AMP to the State or County Agriculture Committees for acceptance- all daunting tasks and something that Township Committee members were not familiar with. In light of our meeting with the AAC Deputy Mayor McGeary and I felt compelled to request that the Township Committee hold off on voting on Ordinance 2010-03 until we can consul with our township attorney on the proposed language and to see how we can work with the AAC on possibly tweaking the ordinance so it is acceptable.
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Later that same evening the Recreation Commission held their monthly meeting. Five members were present; items on the agenda included a wrap up on the successful Easter Egg Hunt, preparation for the April 18 fishing derby, and some preliminary planning for the summer recreation program (July 12 through July 23). For more information on the summer program, check out page 3 of the most recent township newsletter at:
http://www.franklin-twp.org/Newsletters/Jan-Mar-2010.pdf
Here is the application form for the summer program:
http://www.franklin-twp.org/Franklin_Township_Recreation_registration_school.pdf
As the Recreation Commission liaison to the Township Committee, I am dedicated to communicating the needs, goals, and “anything else that comes to mind” of the Recreation Commission to the Town Committee; if I didn’t do so I wouldn’t be doing my job. The Recreation Commission has some great volunteers who deserve to be recognized for their endeavors and encouraged to reach for new goals and accomplishments as well.
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Thursday April 8 was our Township Committee meeting was kind of on the short side- I’ll make this as painless as possible! We approved the meeting minutes from 3/25/10, and agreed to carry Ordinance 2010-03 to May 13 (see April 6 for info on 2010-03).
President of the Franklin Board of Education Chris Piparo gave us a 20 minute presentation on the school budget and an update on the school addition construction.
We adopted resolution 2010-29 that refunded some overpaid taxes to a resident (whoops!).
We authorized payment of the bills ($196,359.93)- I have found payment of the bills one of the more interesting aspects of my job- you get to see every expenditure like energy bills, equipment costs, payroll, etc. The check control register is public information and at every meeting a copy of this check control register is available for public review and questioning. The Committee decided that until the new budget is passed, all expenditures over $200 must be reviewed and approved by the respective subcommittee- this practice might just continue once the new budget is passed- not a bad practice if you ask me.
We adopted Resolution 2010-30 establishing a tax sale date of May 11, 2010- if you are on “the list”- you know what list I am talking about… you have until May 11 to pay what is owed!
We passed a resolution supporting “Click It or Ticket Mobilization of May 24 – June 6, 2010”. We reviewed Police Director Ken Mandoli’s monthly report for March 2010, highlights include 13 animal complaints, 12 motor vehicle accidents, 11 false alarms, 6 assists to the Rescue Squad, 4 motor vehicle assists, 4 warrants served, and 2 assists to the Fire Company. 109 motor vehicle summonses and 157 warnings were issued. There were 5 adult arrests and 1 juvenile arrest.
Chief Bradley Patkochis of the Quakertown Fire Company provided the Committee with a report on 1st quarter 2010 EMS activity- 33 calls between January and March with an average response time of 6 minutes 20 seconds; Chief Patkochis noted that this is over a 50% reduction in response time over the same time period in 2008.
DPW Supervisor Alan Dilley provided the Committee with his March 2010 monthly report. The employees have been busy with equipment maintenance and repair, and generally preparing for the busy spring schedule of brush/tree trimming and mowing and road maintenance. We had a storage building damaged during one of the storms and after receiving 3 proposals, Alan presented us with a quote of $12,255.00 for a replacement 30’x36’x10 pole barn building. The insurance company reimbursed us $6,000.00 for the destroyed building. The dollar amount is under the bid and prevailing wage threshold.
Zoning and Construction has been pretty quiet- only 10 zoning permits issued between January and March . Hopefully construction activity will pick up in the warmer months ahead. I provided the Committee with a summary of the 3/29 Environmental Commission meeting and the 4/6 Recreation Commission meeting. Mayor Jacukowicz appointed Kevin Suydam to the Recreation Commission- congratulations Kevin I look forward to working with you.
We approved raffle license #64 for the Rotary Club of Flemington to hold a 50/50 cash raffle on September 18, 2010 at 3pm at the Clinton Elks Club- the big prizes being 1st prize up to $7,000, 2nd prize up to $2,000, and 3rd prize up to $1,000. Nice!
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As I finish my first quarter of 2010- 1/12th of my 3 year term as your Committeeman, I am thoroughly enjoying myself. It is an honor to be part of democracy; perhaps I can improve the image of elected officials… I have learned a lot since January and there is much more to accomplish. The learning curve can be intimidating at times when one is not familiar with the subject matter.
Please don’t be shy about reaching out to me with your concerns around town. Please remember to vote on the school budget on April 20.
Scott
Looks like spring has finally sprung; I have been able to drive to and from work with the convertible top down, farmers are tilling their fields, and daylight hours are getting a little longer. Hooray for spring!
Tuesday, April 6 Deputy Mayor McGeary and I met with representatives of the Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) to discuss their concerns over proposed Ordinance 2010-03 which amends a few sections of our Township Code, specifically Chapter 310 “Subdivision and Site Plan”, and Chapter 316 “Surface Water Management”. The AAC expressed their opposition to the Ordinance, and after our meeting it was apparent that this ordinance as written did not have the best interest of the agriculture community in mind. The short story is the proposal would exempt certain agricultural practices from site plan approval unless the practice has been “deemed to be a Generally Accepted Agricultural Practice” (AMP) as defined by the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC), or a “Site Specific Agricultural Management Practice” as defined by the Hunterdon County Agricultural Boa
What does this mean in plain English? If a farmer proposes a farming practice that doesn’t already fit in the “right to farm” ordinance already on our books, and if it isn’t recognized by the State or County, then the farmer is required to obtain site plan approval for the farming activity. Here is the kicker: the SADC has only defined ten (10) AMPs- you can see them here:
http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/sadc/rtfprogram/amps/adoptedamps/index.html
And here is a link showing a list of county AMPS:
http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/sadc/rtfprogram/amps/siteamps/determinations.html
If the farming practice is not on either of these lists, then the practice needs site plan approval. AAC members expressed the hardships in having to apply for site plan approval and the hardships associated with introducing an AMP to the State or County Agriculture Committees for acceptance- all daunting tasks and something that Township Committee members were not familiar with. In light of our meeting with the AAC Deputy Mayor McGeary and I felt compelled to request that the Township Committee hold off on voting on Ordinance 2010-03 until we can consul with our township attorney on the proposed language and to see how we can work with the AAC on possibly tweaking the ordinance so it is acceptable.
=========
Later that same evening the Recreation Commission held their monthly meeting. Five members were present; items on the agenda included a wrap up on the successful Easter Egg Hunt, preparation for the April 18 fishing derby, and some preliminary planning for the summer recreation program (July 12 through July 23). For more information on the summer program, check out page 3 of the most recent township newsletter at:
http://www.franklin-twp.org/Newsletters/Jan-Mar-2010.pdf
Here is the application form for the summer program:
http://www.franklin-twp.org/Franklin_Township_Recreation_registration_school.pdf
As the Recreation Commission liaison to the Township Committee, I am dedicated to communicating the needs, goals, and “anything else that comes to mind” of the Recreation Commission to the Town Committee; if I didn’t do so I wouldn’t be doing my job. The Recreation Commission has some great volunteers who deserve to be recognized for their endeavors and encouraged to reach for new goals and accomplishments as well.
============
Thursday April 8 was our Township Committee meeting was kind of on the short side- I’ll make this as painless as possible! We approved the meeting minutes from 3/25/10, and agreed to carry Ordinance 2010-03 to May 13 (see April 6 for info on 2010-03).
President of the Franklin Board of Education Chris Piparo gave us a 20 minute presentation on the school budget and an update on the school addition construction.
We adopted resolution 2010-29 that refunded some overpaid taxes to a resident (whoops!).
We authorized payment of the bills ($196,359.93)- I have found payment of the bills one of the more interesting aspects of my job- you get to see every expenditure like energy bills, equipment costs, payroll, etc. The check control register is public information and at every meeting a copy of this check control register is available for public review and questioning. The Committee decided that until the new budget is passed, all expenditures over $200 must be reviewed and approved by the respective subcommittee- this practice might just continue once the new budget is passed- not a bad practice if you ask me.
We adopted Resolution 2010-30 establishing a tax sale date of May 11, 2010- if you are on “the list”- you know what list I am talking about… you have until May 11 to pay what is owed!
We passed a resolution supporting “Click It or Ticket Mobilization of May 24 – June 6, 2010”. We reviewed Police Director Ken Mandoli’s monthly report for March 2010, highlights include 13 animal complaints, 12 motor vehicle accidents, 11 false alarms, 6 assists to the Rescue Squad, 4 motor vehicle assists, 4 warrants served, and 2 assists to the Fire Company. 109 motor vehicle summonses and 157 warnings were issued. There were 5 adult arrests and 1 juvenile arrest.
Chief Bradley Patkochis of the Quakertown Fire Company provided the Committee with a report on 1st quarter 2010 EMS activity- 33 calls between January and March with an average response time of 6 minutes 20 seconds; Chief Patkochis noted that this is over a 50% reduction in response time over the same time period in 2008.
DPW Supervisor Alan Dilley provided the Committee with his March 2010 monthly report. The employees have been busy with equipment maintenance and repair, and generally preparing for the busy spring schedule of brush/tree trimming and mowing and road maintenance. We had a storage building damaged during one of the storms and after receiving 3 proposals, Alan presented us with a quote of $12,255.00 for a replacement 30’x36’x10 pole barn building. The insurance company reimbursed us $6,000.00 for the destroyed building. The dollar amount is under the bid and prevailing wage threshold.
Zoning and Construction has been pretty quiet- only 10 zoning permits issued between January and March . Hopefully construction activity will pick up in the warmer months ahead. I provided the Committee with a summary of the 3/29 Environmental Commission meeting and the 4/6 Recreation Commission meeting. Mayor Jacukowicz appointed Kevin Suydam to the Recreation Commission- congratulations Kevin I look forward to working with you.
We approved raffle license #64 for the Rotary Club of Flemington to hold a 50/50 cash raffle on September 18, 2010 at 3pm at the Clinton Elks Club- the big prizes being 1st prize up to $7,000, 2nd prize up to $2,000, and 3rd prize up to $1,000. Nice!
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As I finish my first quarter of 2010- 1/12th of my 3 year term as your Committeeman, I am thoroughly enjoying myself. It is an honor to be part of democracy; perhaps I can improve the image of elected officials… I have learned a lot since January and there is much more to accomplish. The learning curve can be intimidating at times when one is not familiar with the subject matter.
Please don’t be shy about reaching out to me with your concerns around town. Please remember to vote on the school budget on April 20.
Scott
Sunday, March 21, 2010
March 14 - 20, 2010
With such a nice weekend weather-wise, it was difficult to stay indoors. It was a great weekend to do outdoor chores- yard work... and at the same time, see your neighbors- yes, those people you wave to as you drive to and from work. Got my first tick of the year (of the decade too). It's not too early in the season so check yourself, you heard it here first.
Monday, March 15 was the Township Committee special meeting for budget work session. I know I said this before... but I will say it again. We had nearly 100 people at the $305,000 fire district budget hearing... but at our three million dollar plus municipal budget workshop session we only get a handful of public in attendance- there must have been something good on television Monday night...
The Town Committee reviewed the following budgets that were submitted to us: Public Works, Land Use Board, Police Department, Emergency Management / Department of Public Safety. With the help of our Finance Director we were able to slog through the multiple line items and answer many of our questions. We did not approve a budget, we offered input and asked our Finance Director to "plug in the numbers" we suggested; he will follow up with a revised proposed budget and I hope to have another work session to iron things out before we have our formal public hearing. The workshop sessions are public and are announced as such. If you care about how your tax dollars are spend on the municipal level, please attend our meetings. I will also announce on this blog site when hearings are scheduled if they aren't being held on the normally scheduled 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month.
The Committee also decided to retain our Building Department. Speaking for myself I am glad; the idea was floated to participate in an inter-local service agreement for construction services with another municipality. Our Construction Official came prepared with a proposed budget and restructuring plan with recommendations and reductions to help balance the budget of the Building Department. His efforts, team player attitude, and the services he provides our citizens were enough to convince me that the money saved by outsourcing did not outweigh the advantages of having an in-house building department. The option is always there to outsource, but it is difficult to start from scratch and rebuild a municipal working force and the institutional memory that only comes with time.
I received news that one of the members of our Recreation Commission has resigned. This resignation leaves only 3 members remaining on a 7 member, 2 alternate member commission. Without the required 4 to hold a meeting (a quorum) the commission cannot function in its official capacity. One person has expressed an interest in becoming a member but we need help! If you have any interest in the Recreation Commission contact me and I can tell you all about it. You can also check some of my past blogs where I discussed at length the issues involving the Recreation Commission.
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Thursday, March 18 I attended an “Assistance to Firefighters Grant Workshop” for FY 2010 sponsored by Congressman Rush Holt (12th District- our district) and FEMA. The grants are provided to firefighters and other first responders to obtain equipment, training, and other resources. There are 3 types of grants available: 1) Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), 2) Fire Prevention and Safety Grants (FP&S), and 3) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER). We are looking to compete against other fire departments nationwide for our share of $810 million in grant money- mostly with no strings attached and very minimal local matches. For more information on the grant program check their website at http://www.firegrantsupport.com My next job is to take this information back to the Township Committee and the Fire District and see if we qualify and if we wish to proceed with writing the grant proposal and submitting it to FEMA. I will the public updated on this effort through this blog and my public reports at Township Committee meetings.
-Scott
Monday, March 15 was the Township Committee special meeting for budget work session. I know I said this before... but I will say it again. We had nearly 100 people at the $305,000 fire district budget hearing... but at our three million dollar plus municipal budget workshop session we only get a handful of public in attendance- there must have been something good on television Monday night...
The Town Committee reviewed the following budgets that were submitted to us: Public Works, Land Use Board, Police Department, Emergency Management / Department of Public Safety. With the help of our Finance Director we were able to slog through the multiple line items and answer many of our questions. We did not approve a budget, we offered input and asked our Finance Director to "plug in the numbers" we suggested; he will follow up with a revised proposed budget and I hope to have another work session to iron things out before we have our formal public hearing. The workshop sessions are public and are announced as such. If you care about how your tax dollars are spend on the municipal level, please attend our meetings. I will also announce on this blog site when hearings are scheduled if they aren't being held on the normally scheduled 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month.
The Committee also decided to retain our Building Department. Speaking for myself I am glad; the idea was floated to participate in an inter-local service agreement for construction services with another municipality. Our Construction Official came prepared with a proposed budget and restructuring plan with recommendations and reductions to help balance the budget of the Building Department. His efforts, team player attitude, and the services he provides our citizens were enough to convince me that the money saved by outsourcing did not outweigh the advantages of having an in-house building department. The option is always there to outsource, but it is difficult to start from scratch and rebuild a municipal working force and the institutional memory that only comes with time.
I received news that one of the members of our Recreation Commission has resigned. This resignation leaves only 3 members remaining on a 7 member, 2 alternate member commission. Without the required 4 to hold a meeting (a quorum) the commission cannot function in its official capacity. One person has expressed an interest in becoming a member but we need help! If you have any interest in the Recreation Commission contact me and I can tell you all about it. You can also check some of my past blogs where I discussed at length the issues involving the Recreation Commission.
================
Thursday, March 18 I attended an “Assistance to Firefighters Grant Workshop” for FY 2010 sponsored by Congressman Rush Holt (12th District- our district) and FEMA. The grants are provided to firefighters and other first responders to obtain equipment, training, and other resources. There are 3 types of grants available: 1) Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), 2) Fire Prevention and Safety Grants (FP&S), and 3) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER). We are looking to compete against other fire departments nationwide for our share of $810 million in grant money- mostly with no strings attached and very minimal local matches. For more information on the grant program check their website at http://www.firegrantsupport.com My next job is to take this information back to the Township Committee and the Fire District and see if we qualify and if we wish to proceed with writing the grant proposal and submitting it to FEMA. I will the public updated on this effort through this blog and my public reports at Township Committee meetings.
-Scott
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Week of January 31
Thank you Public Works Department for doing a great job keeping our streets safe and clear of snow this past week. I had two meetings this week.. Tuesday Feb 2 with the Recreation Commission, and Thursday Feb 4 with Rural Awareness.
I am the Committee representative to the Recreation Commission. The Recreation Commission needs members!!! They are 5 members short and need your help! The Rec Commission runs the annual fishing derby, Easter egg hunt, they participate in a basketball league, run a 2 week summer day camp for Franklin residents, and participate in the Trunk or Treat program for Halloween. They run these activities well but they need new blood to get them to the next level.. thinking ahead.. creating and achieving longer term goals..Franklin needs an active recreation park.. ie a playground for residents. Are you tired of driving your kids to Union or Alexandria or Clinton in order to go to a playground? The Rec Commission by-laws allow them to purchase / acquire land.. pretty powerful stuff but as they stand now, it would be difficult to accomplish this. The Rec Commission first needs new members, then they need to define their goals, and incorporate them in the form of a Recreation Element in our master plan. Let's work together on reviving the Recreation Commission! Contact me or the Township Clerk if you are interested in being part of Franklin's Future.
Rural Awareness is a non-political non-profit group; I wont speak on their behalf- check out their website at http://www.ruralawareness.org/
I really enjoy attending the RA meetings- they meet on the first Thursdays of each month. Given the a-political nature, it gives me a chance to meet the people of Franklin who cherish and wish to preserve the rural nature and character of Franklin. They host candidates night for the School Board elections, they authored a picture book on the history of Franklin (about to be released soon!), and they are sponsoring a house tour of historic homes on October 9. Do check out their website for updates on their activities or stop by the Snyder Farm at 730PM on the first Thursdays of each month.
This coming week I have the Land Use Board meeting and Township Committee meeting. If you are interested in knowing more about the School addition, the Land Use Board will be reviewing the plans and representatives of the school board will be present to answer our questions. I look forward to keeping Franklin citizens up to date and aware of the progress of this project.
I am the Committee representative to the Recreation Commission. The Recreation Commission needs members!!! They are 5 members short and need your help! The Rec Commission runs the annual fishing derby, Easter egg hunt, they participate in a basketball league, run a 2 week summer day camp for Franklin residents, and participate in the Trunk or Treat program for Halloween. They run these activities well but they need new blood to get them to the next level.. thinking ahead.. creating and achieving longer term goals..Franklin needs an active recreation park.. ie a playground for residents. Are you tired of driving your kids to Union or Alexandria or Clinton in order to go to a playground? The Rec Commission by-laws allow them to purchase / acquire land.. pretty powerful stuff but as they stand now, it would be difficult to accomplish this. The Rec Commission first needs new members, then they need to define their goals, and incorporate them in the form of a Recreation Element in our master plan. Let's work together on reviving the Recreation Commission! Contact me or the Township Clerk if you are interested in being part of Franklin's Future.
Rural Awareness is a non-political non-profit group; I wont speak on their behalf- check out their website at http://www.ruralawareness.org/
I really enjoy attending the RA meetings- they meet on the first Thursdays of each month. Given the a-political nature, it gives me a chance to meet the people of Franklin who cherish and wish to preserve the rural nature and character of Franklin. They host candidates night for the School Board elections, they authored a picture book on the history of Franklin (about to be released soon!), and they are sponsoring a house tour of historic homes on October 9. Do check out their website for updates on their activities or stop by the Snyder Farm at 730PM on the first Thursdays of each month.
This coming week I have the Land Use Board meeting and Township Committee meeting. If you are interested in knowing more about the School addition, the Land Use Board will be reviewing the plans and representatives of the school board will be present to answer our questions. I look forward to keeping Franklin citizens up to date and aware of the progress of this project.
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