Two days after the final fallen flakes of one of the worst snowstorms in
state history, the wake of winter’s wrath persists.
Recovery efforts Tuesday included everything from State Police helicopters
using infrared cameras to search for signs of life in abandoned vehicles to
Newark Mayor Cory Booker personally taking snow plow requests via Twitter.
And with the slow clearing of each street has emerged a clearer picture of
the financial impact of the massive cleanup. "It’s going to be an expensive
storm," said Joseph Monzo, finance director of South Brunswick.
About $17 million in federal emergency funding awaits disbursement to
communities clobbered by an unprecedented series of snow storms and nor'easters
that caused widespread damage earlier this year. But those towns want that
financial relief before the new year to help pay for the cleanup of Sunday’s
monster blizzard.
Buena Vista Mayor Chuck Chiarello said he had hoped by now to have $120,000
from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as reimbursement for cleanup after
three previous storms. But with only three days before the start of a new
budget, he’s not holding out too much hope.
‘‘In a small town, a rural community like we are, that’s a lot of money,’’
said Chiarello, whose Atlantic County town runs on a budget of $4 million to $5
million. ‘‘Right now we are $120,000 short. If we don’t get that money, next
year puts us in a deficit.’’
In South Brunswick, Monzo said he’s been waiting for $143,000 in FEMA funding
from the March 12 nor’easter that ravaged the Middlesex County community. It
would be nice, he said, to have that money to offset the cleanup cost of
Sunday’s blizzard.
"That reimbursement from FEMA would go a long way toward making us feel
better,’’ Monzo said.
While most of the FEMA money has been disbursed, about $17 million from the
2010 disasters remains in a FEMA account to be drawn by the state when it
confirms the rightful recipients, said State Police Sgt. Stephen Jones, a
spokesman for the state Office of Emergency Management.
‘‘We recognize people run on different budgetary cycles, but there’s a lot of
I’s to be dotted and T’s to be crossed to make sure these requests are fully
vetted,’’ Jones said.
He said it’s not as simple as writing a single check to a municipality. Often
there are a number of agencies within a town that are being reimbursed. He said
the funds are in an account that prevents state officials from using the money
for any other purpose.
Although storm cleanup tallies are still days away, East Brunswick’s chief
financial officer, L. Mason Neely, said he expected the bill for this week’s
storm to total roughly $150,000 by the time all of the township’s roads are
cleared and salted. It’s not going to break his budget this year because he said
the township allocated enough money to cover costs for a heavy storm year.
East Brunswick expects to receive about $230,000 in federal reimbursements
for cleanup costs related to the March nor’easter.
STORM WOES CONTINUE
As many towns were cleaning up Tuesday, others were still struggling to get
out from under what turned out to be a major mess in Monmouth County. State
Transportation Commissioner Jim Simpson called a swath between Monmouth Beach
and Manasquan ‘‘ground zero’’ for the storm that dumped nearly 30 inches of snow
in those areas.
Heaviest hit was a 15-mile stretch of Route 18 between Colts Neck and Ocean
Township, which was littered with abandoned vehicles, preventing plows from
getting through. More than a dozen stranded motorists had been rescued Sunday
night. Another 11 were picked up early Tuesday morning.
In the darkness, the search for stranded motorists involved state troopers in
a helicopter using infrared equipment to detect heat, an indication that a
person was likely in the vehicle, Jones said. The helicopter later carried state
troopers serving as spotters for abandoned vehicles to relay their locations to
ground crews to make sure they were double-checked and empty.
Specially-trained troopers were aboard ready to be lowered on ropes to the
vehicles if they found someone. They did not need to rescue anyone that way,
Jones said. Motorists were rescued by the National Guard, local police,
Manasquan and Monmouth County emergency management officials, and state police
urban search and rescue personnel in their high-wheeled vehicles.
In one area of the highway, a caravan of nearly 60 vehicles was blocked by a
snow drift. Another problem spot was a stretch of the Garden State Parkway at
Telegraph Hill in Monmouth County know as ‘‘Slow Poke Hill’’ because it renders
vehicles sluggish even on clear days. During this week’s blizzard, Slow Poke
Hill became No-Go Hill, as 70 vehicles and 125 people were stuck between Exits
109 and 114 in the area of Holmdel.
Ten buses were grounded, and cars weaved between them, blocking access for
tow trucks and allowing a fast-moving storm to create snow drifts that left only
the tips of vehicles peeking out. A bus from Atlantic City was stranded
overnight.
"This storm packed quite a punch," said Joe Orlando, a spokesman for the
authority that oversees the Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike.
TOW TRUCKS STRUGGLE, BOOKER HELPS CITIZENS
In the heart of the storm, a tow truck was a scarce commodity for stranded
motorists.
AAA service for Essex, Union and Morris counties was suspended from 4 p.m.
Sunday to 9 a.m. Monday because affiliated tow trucks had to first assist police
with towing, spokeswoman Cathleen Lewis said. AAA members who made alternate
arrangements for towing will be reimbursed, Lewis said.
Creating confusion for some, AAA is not allowed to respond to calls on the
Parkway and Turnpike, because the toll roads have their own towing service that
takes vehicles to the nearest authorized garage.
The paralyzing storm has produced multiple accounts of goodwill, with reports
of neighbors digging each other out and New Jersey providing a rotating convoy
of ambulances to New York City to assist in the Big Apple's emergency responses.
With roads in and around Newark slammed with slush, Mayor Booker picked up a
shovel and ventured out into the deep freeze today, responding to resident's
calls for help via Twitter.
According to his official Twitter feed, Booker -- whose use of the popular
social messaging service is well-documented -- has spent most of the last two
days digging out cars, delivering diapers, even rescuing an abandoned medical
vehicle sometime around 12:40 p.m.
"Just freed a med transport van here at Cottage Place in Central Ward," read one
post. "Private contractor needs 2 be arrested 4 leaving these folks stranded."
Posted:
Monday, December 27, 2010
6:56 am | Updated: 11:58 am, Tue Dec 28, 2010.
After one of the biggest snow storms in state history, local residents, who
spent all day Monday digging themselves out, can proceed with caution on area
roads again.
Acting Gov. Stephen Sweeney lifted a state of emergency Monday
night as crews worked to restore travel throughout the region.
Atlantic County issued a travel ban to non-essential personnel Sunday
night. Brigantine officials issued a similar ban.
Monday morning, local, both county- and city-owned, roads were mostly
unpassable. Countless motorists experienced the dangerous slip and slide of
Mother Nature's cold hand.
This morning, many roads had been cleared of most snow and ice, but road
crews were still out at 6 a.m. sanding and salting slick roads.
With early-morning temperatures in the mid-20s, motorists should heed
caution and drive slow as some surfaces may be covered in black ice.
Local police officials said they were kept busy through Sunday night and
Monday as they responded to stranded motorists who ventured out in the storm
despite county pleas not to.
The Atlantic City International Airport reopened at 6 p.m. Monday, with
four flights expected to arrive before midnight and several flights departing
Tuesday morning, said security and operations manager Kevin Rehmann. He said
to check with airlines to confirm arrivals and departures.
Meanwhile, the Route 52 causeway to Ocean City, closed since before noon
Sunday, was reopened at 3:45 p.m. Monday, state Department of Transportation
officials said.
Sweeney said even with the state of emergency being lifted, it would take
several days for normal travel to resume.
"Thanks to the diligent work of our many responders, I am rescinding the
state of emergency. State offices will reopen at their regular time Tuesday
morning to serve the residents of New Jersey," Sweeney announced Monday night.
Officials with NJ Transit said rail and bus services that were haulted
Monday are expected to resume today.
However, officials said people should be prepared for delays with ground
transportation because some roads still have packed-snow on them.
"Even though the storm is now passed, it will be several days before we
have totally cleaned up the mess left for us by Mother Nature. I encourage all
residents to continue to use common sense and caution when venturing
out-of-doors, as some roads may still be hard to navigate, temperatures will
continue to hold below freezing and blowing snow will still be a concern,"
Sweeney said.
Sweeney, who has assumed the role of acting governor while Gov. Chris
Christie and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno travel separately out-of-state on vacation
with their families, called the emergency last night, as towns across New
Jersey braced for a blizzard that brought some record snowfalls.
Sweeney had issued an executive order declaring the emergency at 6 p.m.
Sunday night, after consulting with the National Weather Service. "We didn't
want to declare it too early," he said. "We wanted to make sure we were not
overreacting."
Sweeney said the storm had caused danger and chaos for some on Monday
morning, and urged residents not to drive in most cases.
A major contributor to the state of emergency has been whipping wind. The
National Weather Service extended
a wind advisory until 10 p.m. for the region.
While the advisory was removed, 35 mile per hour wind gusts are expected
Tuesday, according to NWS.
The storm clouds made way for gusty wind and bright sunshine Monday
afternoon. But Sweeney cautioned people not to head out assuming the roads
were fully cleared.
"The wind is still blowing, blowing snow onto the roads," he said. "You'll
run into areas that are snow-covered and slippery."
"The advice is, please stay off the roads today and tonight, because you're
still going to be experiencing some dangerous conditions."
Atlantic County officials removed a travel ban on local drivers at 4 p.m.,
but the area's state of emergency might not be relinquished for days,
according to Tom Foley, Atlantic City's emergency management coordinator.
Officials issued the traveling ban at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, forcing many
drivers to stay off the roads while emergency management and public works
crews tried to clear roads.
Foley, who has been in contact with county officials throughout the day,
said the state of emergency will remain in effect because today's high winds
and low temperatures are expected to get worse tonight.
"There's still a lot of ice out there," he said. "The emergency could stay
for a couple of days."
However, county spokeswoman Linda Gilmore had said a travel ban remains in
effect in Brigantine - with travel restricted within city limits to essential
emergency personnel. Officials lifted that ban at 6 p.m.
Southern New Jersey continues to dig out this afternoon, after a Sunday
storm dumped nearly 2 feet of snow across parts of the region.
The final snow count of 20.1 inches at Atlantic City International Airport
makes the storm the region’s all-time biggest in terms of recorded snowfall,
the National Climatic Data Center says, dropping more than a third of the
record-setting 58.1 inches of snow that fell during the 2009-10 season.
More than a February 1979 blizzard.
More than any other December storm, too.
Other snowfall amounts measured Monday include 19 inches in Pleasantville,
16.3 inches in Somers Point, 26.5 inches in Dennis Township, 21 inches in the
North Cape May section of Lower Township, 10.1 inches in Vineland and 21
inches in the Forked River section of Lacey Township.
While state offices were closed, Cape May County officials rescinded the
county's emergency declaration Monday, and county government is open today.
The National Weather Service predicts today's temperatures will not rise
above freezing in South Jersey, with highs near 31 degrees. Wind gusts may
reach 48 miles per hour.
South Jersey/Delaware postal officials announced that postal operations
will be affected in many areas today:
Delivery operations are suspended in the following 3-digit Zip Code
areas: 082, 083, 084, 085, 087 and 077.
Mail delivery will be attempted in the following 3-digit Zip Code areas:
080, 081, 086, 197, 198 and 199.
The storm has shut down most activity in southern New Jersey:
All NJ Transit routes except the Atlantic City Rail Line will operate on
a reduced, "enhanced weekend" schedule today. All bus service was suspended
as of 8:30 p.m. Sunday, after experiencing delays of 30 to 45 minutes
throughout the day. Passengers can check today's routes by visiting
NJ Transit's website.
The Route 52 causeway between Somers Point and Ocean City reopened
Monday.
Fulling Mill Road in Lower Township is currently closed.
A travel ban in Atlantic County, issued at 6:30 p.m. Sunday for local
and county roads, ended at 4 p.m. Most municipal offices are closed today.
All county courthouses in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Ocean
counties will be closed.
Due to subfreezing temperatures, Atlantic City Emergency Management
officials declared a Code Blue, meaning that anyone in need of shelter can
visit the Atlantic City Rescue Mission, where they will be provided with hot
food and a warm bed.
Digging out
School children rested and watched as inches of snow blanketed the region -
providing opportunity for snow angels, snowmen and snowballs - as older
residents spent the morning shoveling themselves out and marveling at the
sudden piles of the white, fluffy stuff.
"Usually you get the rain," Joe Vaspoli, of Northfield, said as he entered
his second hour of shoveling snow from his driveway and sidewalk. "This was
all dry snow drifts."
Vaspoli, who lives on Dolphin Avenue, was not alone Monday morning. His
neighbors were also trying to unbury their cars.
While pavement started showing on county and state roads, many local side
roads had not been plowed.
Vaspoli didn't remember seeing such high snow drifts on his roof before -
and said he tried to clear his driveway Sunday night, but gave up when he
noticed his work quickly filled in.
"I did a little in the backyard, every two hours between stoking the fire,"
Vaspoli said. "But about midnight I just quit."
Jason Barretta, Vaspoli's neighbor, was also busy shoveling his driveway,
but without any help from his eight-year-old son Justin. Instead of shoveling,
Justin jumped into the waist-deep snow, laying in the cold, icy mass.
"I can sink in it," the second-grader replied when asked his favorite part
of the snow.
"We'll see how long he lasts," his father said.
Jason Barretta said he expected to be shoveling his driveway "forever," but
was on a time crunch because his wife was supposed to be at work by noon - a
deadline he did not expect to make.
As Justin Barretta played in the snow, residents in nearby Linwood said
they did not like the snow, but were ready to dig themselves out.
"I was kind of caught off-guard with it," Bill Lynskey said, adding he felt
prepared because he stored last year's shovels and salt supply in his garage.
Atlantic County
Local police said they have not been responding to many accidents because,
with the state-issued state of emergency - that was issued Sunday evening -
local residents have stayed off home and are not driving.
However, people driving this morning, despite the county-wide travel ban,
are finding roads are slick.
"They're not supposed to be driving," said the dispatcher for Egg Habor
Township Police. "We're still in a state of emergency."
Ventnor police have been busy this morning responding and helping stuck
motorists who have ignored state-issued advisories and meteorologists to
venture out in snow-laden roads.
Ventnor police said they were not worried about flooding right now, but
officers patrolling have seen an increase in the number of cars disabled
because of high snow banks and unplowed roadways.
They still advise people remain home until roads are safe again.
Although most police said it has been "quiet" this morning, in terms of
accidents, Sunday roads were littered with fender benders and serious
spinouts.
A tractor-trailer jack-knifed in Egg Harbor Township on the Garden State
Parkway. The road was closed at 8:30 p.m. No injuries were reported.
No such accidents have been reported by local police.
Local government buildings, including the Atlantic City Hall, are closed.
Western Atlantic County did not feel the full force of the storm until
later than the county's eastern points, but certain areas were still reporting
as much as 18 inches of snow Monday.
In Buena Vista Township, road crews started preparing streets at 2 a.m. on
Sunday, and started continuous plowing at 1 p.m. that day, but some rural
areas still looked untouched Monday by public works because of drifting snow.
"All roads are passable, except in some areas where we've opened it up four
or five times but because of snow drifts it still looks like it hasn't been
plowed," said Mayor Chuck Chiarello at about 10:30 a.m. on Monday. "People
wake up and say, ‘Oh, the trucks never came down my street,' when we've been
down every street multiple times."
Folsom Borough Mayor Tom Ballistreri said his public works department had
also made its roads passable by early Monday, but was revisiting areas near
open fields that were subject to drifting snow.
Ballistreri was at work on Monday as a highway maintenance supervisor for
the South Jersey Transportation Authority. He said that while the Atlantic
City Expressway in that area did not get as much snow coverage as the
easternmost sections of the highway, workers were still making sure it stayed
clear.
"Crews will be on hand all day just to make sure that anything that could
refreeze has salt on it going into tonight," he said.
Buena and Folsom government offices are closed today, while Hammonton's did
not open until 10:30 a.m.
Hammonton's government invested $25,000 to update and improve its snow
removal equipment, adding an additional three trucks with plows to what it had
last year, Mayor Steve DiDonato said. By early Monday, the White Horse Pike
and several county roads were clear, while the town's public works department
was working to completely clear the community's more rural areas.
"We've got to get through today because tomorrow and Wednesday we'll have a
little help from Mother Nature," DiDonato said on Monday morning, hoping for
reported sunny conditions.
Cape May County
Residents woke up this morning to find 18 inches of snow outside. Snow
drifts are deeper in some spots and wind is whipping snow from the rooftops
and trees.
But as of 6:30 a.m., it had stopped snowing.
Cape May County residents have been digging out their cars and driveways
this morning and are sometimes being towed from snowbanks.
Chad Skinner of North Wildwood tried to go to work at 6 a.m., only to make
it about 100 feet before his Toyota Prius got stuck in a snow drift at 24th
Street and Central Avenue. He was being towed out at 9:45 a.m.
Roads remain snow-covered throughout the Wildwoods as plows clear streets
and parking lots.
Dana Little was among dozens of people in the Wildwoods digging out their
cars today.
Little, 29, of Wildwood, was preparing to walk to work later today at a
nearby Acme. Her car was plowed in on Park Boulevard with the snow up the
windows of her SUV.
"I'd pay anything right now to get myself dug out," she said after an hour
of shoveling.
The massive amount of snow has prompted municipalities to close municipal
offices.
Cape May was the first county to declare a state of emergency on Sunday,
after a blitz of buying while people could still drive. Residents stocked up
on food supplies and shovels.
That state of emergency was lifted Monday.
County emergency management officials said drifting snow is causing
problems for clean-up crews.
Fullingmill Road in Lower will remain closed until the winds subside.
Problems remain on Bayshore Road south of the Cape May Canal, Seashore Road
south of the West Cape May Bridge, Breakwater Road at the Airport, Shunpike
Road in Lower Township and Shunpike Road in Middle Township.
In the Wildwoods, local officials reported that public works crews had been
busy and managed to keep up with the snowfall, but gusting winds hampered the
effort.
"We had seven plows out yesterday," said Commissioner Al Brannen, who
oversees public works. "But (because of the wind) you no sooner plow a street
then it fills back up."
Wildwood Mayor Gary DeMarzo said the town was better prepared than it was
for past storms thanks to some new equipment. He said City Hall would remain
closed Monday.
In neighboring Wildwood Crest, Mayor Carl Groon said the borough's streets
are passable.
North Wildwood Mayor Bill Henfey said the city was having the same problems
as Wildwood - keeping up with the winds.
"The only problem we're having is this drifting," Henfey said.
North Wildwood City Hall is also closed today.
Meanwhile, the annual Boardwalk Basketball Classic, scheduled to start
Sunday, was canceled Sunday and Monday and organizer Ernie Troiano Jr. said
Monday morning that the committee that runs the event will determine later
today if the games will take place on Tuesday.
Cumberland County
Vineland had 10 inches of snow as of 1 a.m. today. Mayor Robert Romano
declared a state of emergency Sunday afternoon.
"The roads are pretty snowy," said State Trooper Brian Stanker, "but a lot
of people are probably just staying home."
Romano said his city did not get caught off guard with the season's first
major snow storm, unlike last year when public works trucks fell far behind a
two-foot covering in December.
"We've only received about two or three complaints," Romano said. "We got
two or three complaints a minute last year."
Sunday's blizzard was also historic, but the city and county were more
proactive in preparing, treating roads with a brine solution, deploying plow
trucks early and declaring a state of emergency to keep drivers out of the
way.
Since last winter, Vineland purchased a new plow truck for about $130,000
and fully stocked its salt storage facility. Earlier this week, the city
received a $100,000 check from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as
compensation for last season's storms, something Romano said could be used
this time around.
Romano said crews would remain working throughout the day on Monday. What
was posing a problem this time around was gusting winds that pushed plowed
snow back onto the roadways, necessitating plows to clear roads several times
to keep them passable.
"With the big ones last year, they just fell and that was it," Romano said.
"Once they cleared the road, they were good."
"From what I understand, once the winds stop then we should really be able
to get ahead of it."
Ocean County
Although police said they have been busy, they have not seen any unsual
vehicle accidents.
"It's just the usual snow business," said the police dispatcher in Ocean
Township. "Nothing out of the ordinary."
Police in Stafford Township and Barnegat Township reported poor driving
conditions for any type of vehicle.
Ocean County public works employees have been out clearing, salting and
sanding roads since the first snowfall Sunday, said county public work
officials.
On Long Beach Island, Long Beach Township Mayor Joseph Mancini was out
Monday morning surveying the roads with employees from the township Department
of Public Works. He said the crews were plowing and trying to keep side roads
clear, but a strong wind continued to blow snow across the roadways.
Long Beach Boulevard, the main thoroughfare across the island, was
impassible in some areas, blocked by snow drifts several feet high. The
boulevard is maintained by the county, Mancini said.
“It’s gusting at least 50 miles per hour out there. The wind was blowing so
hard that last night the county was stopped in Ship Bottom with their trucks
waiting for the wind to stop,” he said. “The side streets are clear, but once
you get to the boulevard, you’re still not going anywhere.”
Monday morning, Mancini said, he told his crews to go home and get some
sleep and return later to plow when the wind dies down.
“They’ve been out all night. The first shift will be back at 6 tonight and
the rest at midnight when the wind dies down,” he said.
Staff writers Steven Lemongello, Michael Clark, Caitlin Dineen, Juliet
Fletcher, Trudi Gilfillian, Brian Ianieri, Lee Procida and Donna Weaver
contributed to this report.
Our mothers always told us: “It’s nice to share.” State Senate President
Stephen Sweeney is taking a much harder line, however. He’s telling mayors:
"You’d better share, or else.”
Frustrated by tiny municipalities clinging to home rule and obsessed with
having their logos on dump trucks and patrol cars, Sweeney says he will propose
legislation that gives a state commission the power to suggest ways towns can
save money by sharing services.
If the towns balk at the recommendations, their state aid would be cut by the
amount they would have saved. In other words, go Dutch or get docked.
“The carrot doesn’t work,” Sweeney says. “So, now it’s the stick.”
The stick is needed. Even though municipalities say they are sharing services
more than ever, it’s still not enough. There are tens of millions of dollars to
be saved.
The notion of sharing services often gets lip service from politicians who
don’t really want to take a significant step in a process that eventually could
lead to a merger — and the loss of their fiefdoms. But in a state of 566
municipalities, Sweeney and Gov. Chris Christie not only should demand the
sharing of snow plows and secretaries, but they should push for consolidation,
too.
Some mayors — including those who have been rebuffed in sharing attempts —
embrace Sweeney’s idea, because a commission could do what they can’t: Force a
neighbor to go halfsies.
Buena Vista’s Chuck Chiarello, incoming president of the League of
Municipalities and mayor of 7,436, describes the shared services process this
way: Apply for a state grant for a study; perform the study; then negotiate with
the other town. “It took a year and a half,” he said. “By that time, everybody
yielded to home rule.”
Some mayors don’t want to be forced to work together. They ask lawmakers
instead to eliminate obstacles to voluntary cooperation — civil service, for
example.
Fanwood mayor Colleen Mahr says local officials “know our communities the
best,” and the state “at some point, should take their hands off our money.”
Of course, it’s taxpayers’ money, and many turf-protecting mayors aren’t
working hard enough to spend it wisely. They need someone standing over them.
With a stick.
PEMBERTON TWP. — As a boy,
John Stokes adored camping, hiking and canoeing the rivers of the Pine Barrens,
learning about the uniqueness of its terrain and its endangered species.
Little did he realize then that he would end up spending most
of his career in those same woodlands, whose more than 1 million acres comprise
one-fourth of the state.
In the late 1970s -- and with a college degree in science --
the Haddonfield resident was accepted into an intergovernmental fellowship
program while working for the U.S. Department of the Interior.
He remembers suggesting his project -- helping then-New
Jersey governor Brendan Byrne on a Pinelands project -- because the state just
had adopted legislation creating a
commission to oversee and protect what already was a Pinelands National
Preserve.
Stokes, who helped devise the Pinelands protection program
and who accepted a job with the commission at its inception in 1979, is retiring
Jan. 1 after 31 years as assistant executive director and, more recently,
executive director.
"It was a labor of love for all of us and something I will
remember for the rest of my life," the 60-year-old said of his early involvement
to preserve the
ecology of the barrens and create a comprehensive management plan.
Environmentalists and commission members praise him for his
instrumental role as one of the protection plan's chief authors -- and for his
subsequent achievements.
"John Stokes has been a critical part of a truly unique state
and federal effort to preserve the Pinelands ecology from the very beginning,"
said Candace Ashmun, the commission's acting chairwoman, who also has served
since the commission's inception when she herself was involved as an
environmental activist.
Carlton Montgomery, executive director of the Pinelands
Preservation Alliance, said Stokes has had a "distinguished career and played a
key role as a plan architect to help limit and control
growth.
"He has always shown a great dedication to the mission of the
Pinelands Commission and deserves tremendous credit for the success of the
program and for creative improvements to the plan," Montgomery said.
"When you cross from a growth area boundary into a
conservation area, there is a dramatic difference. You don't see scattered
development where there is conservation."
Robert W. McIntosh, the federal representative on the
commission from the interior department, praised Stokes.
"Due to his leadership, the Pinelands is now regarded as an
international model for landscape-scale conservation and has become the longest,
consistently monitored ecologic and economic site in the nation," he said.
Today, more than 53 percent of the Pinelands National
Preserve is permanently protected and fewer than 300,000 people live in the
slightly smaller area of less than one million acres under the Pinelands
jurisdiction.
Most of Burlington County is in the Pinelands as well as
parts of six other counties -- Camden, Cape May, Gloucester, Atlantic,
Cumberland and Ocean.
Stokes managed a $6,619,460 budget this year and oversaw a
staff of 45, whose work force has shrunk the past few years by more than 15
percent due to cutbacks.
Under his leadership for 24 years as assistant director and
the last six as director, the commission:
Created an $18.5 million Pinelands Conservation Fund that
helps permanently protect more than 5,000 acres of environmentally sensitive
land and is
financing more than 15 critical research and planning projects;
Instituted
innovative conservation measures in the Toms River and Oyster Creek Basins
in Ocean County that serve to protect more than 7,000 acres of ecologically
important lands;
Adopted 15 amendments to the Pinelands management plan,
including state-of-the-art stormwater management and development clustering
standards;
Launched a $6 milllion study of the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer
system beneath the Pinelands, which contains an estimated 178 trillion gallons
of water. The study will be used to ensure future water supply needs are met
without impacting the region's natural resources;
Secured the closure of landfills and regulated sewage
disposal.
"The blueprint for the Pinelands that was put together 31
years ago has proven to be a resounding success, so I am most proud that what
was planned was improved over time and unparalleled nationally," Stokes said.
Stokes said a recent study showed 83 percent of the Pinelands
ecosystem retains its natural qualities. There are 92 plants and 43 animals and
reptiles in the Pinelands that either are threatened or endangered.
Among those unique protected species are the Pine Barrens
Treefrog , whose status was upgraded from endangered to threatened five years
ago as a result of direct efforts to protect its habitat. No development is
allowed to occur that would adversely affect its survival.
Stokes said the commission has been "hugely successful" in
protecting the environment while allowing the region to grow by targeting
development in the right areas.
"Its economy is outpacing New Jersey as a whole," he said.
"We have three times the business growth, such as in retail sales."
Agriculture is a major Pinelands industry, with New Jersey
ranking second in blueberry production and third in cranberry production
nationally.
Stokes said withstanding pressures for more development is
inherent.
"I think in the long run, the best way to deal with that is
to ensure parts of the Pinelands are permanently protected, because the
15-member board can change regional zoning over time," he added.
Stokes believes the best approach is through acquisition of
land or easements in designated conservation areas within the Pinelands.
He has a conservative approach to solar power in the Pines.
"We don't want to see farmland converted to solar farms en
masse . . . or forests torn down for solar," Stokes explained. "So there are
limited opportunities."
When it came to the controversial proposal by the Lenape
Regional Board of Education to locate Seneca High School in Tabernacle, Stokes
took the opposite view. The commission, however, allowed it.
"I didn't think Seneca was the right choice," he recalled.
"There were other alternatives, but the fact that the school is there hasn't
destroyed the Pinelands."
Although his summer camping spot as a boy was at Camp
Ockanickonin Medford, Stokes said his favorite Pine Barrens spot is Batsto, a
bog iron and glassmaking center in the Colonial Period with 33 historic
buildings.
"It's a wonderful place because you get a sense of the
history of the Pines and the natural beauty of Batsto Lake," he mused.
Pvt. Louis Tarquinio suprised his two sons on Monday by showing up at
Milanesi Elementary School after being away for four months in training at a
Missouri Army base.
The United Community Collaborative and In His Footsteps groups distributed
pajamas Saturday to children from the Buena Vista area during the annual King
Center Christmas Party.
VINELAND — Sacred Heart High School students cried, hugged
and prayed Friday, reacting to the death of a fellow student.
The sudden death of Nicholas Gazzara III, a senior star on the school’s
soccer team, shocked the school community. Gazzara lost control of his car and
collided with an oncoming truck on Route 54 in Buena Vista Township Thursday,
during a snowstorm. State Police say the 18-year-old was not wearing a seat
belt.
The high school held a memorial Mass and a morning prayer Friday to remember
Gazzara, of Vineland.
“The gymnasium was so quiet,” senior Ally Ferrecci said after the school’s
noon dismissal. “I don’t think it’s ever been so quiet.”
Ferrecci, of Vineland, said she had been a close friend of Gazzara’s since
they were freshmen.
While Ferrecci was able to keep her composure, other students were not so
reserved. As Ferrecci described the somber mood at the school, Chrissy
Oleszewski, 17, wiped a tear from her cheek.
Despite their personal pain and grieving, students showed solidarity. After
Oleszewski started crying, a fellow student wrapped his arms around her.
Some students — including junior Mike Rothman, one of Gazzara’s teammates —
wore hand-made T-shirts with Gazzara’s initials.
“It was really hard,” Rothman said of the day.
Rothman, a close friend of Gazzara’s, thinks the soccer team could dedicate
its next season to their teammate. But that has not been discussed as a team
yet.
Students and teachers rallied around each other for support Friday during the
previously scheduled half-day. On Friday morning, Sacred Heart Principal Diane
Tucker said school officials and students were working through the grief.
“The kids are together, which is the most important thing,” Tucker said.
“We’re keeping the family in our thoughts and prayers.”
Tucker said school counselors were on hand for students who needed grief
counseling.
The Rev. Edward Namiotka, president of the school, said school officials
cannot do anything to prepare for a tragedy like Gazzara’s death.
“We try to deal with it as things come,” he said.
Namiotka said the student body was dealing with the loss internally.
“It seemed like they wanted to bond together and be together,” he said.
Moments of silence were held before the school’s boys and girls basketball
teams played Friday.
Gazzara’s funeral has been scheduled for noon Tuesday, in the Sacred Heart
Roman Catholic Church, 1010 E. Landis Ave. in Vineland. Relatives and friends
will be received from 9 a.m. to noon.
The accident occurred near 6th Road, about two miles from the Black Horse
Pike. The driver of the box truck, James D. Williams, 66, of Hammonton, was
hospitalized in AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City in stable
condition.
The Press of Atlantic City named Gazzara a first-team All-Star Thursday.
Gazzara set a school record this year with 42 goals, leading his team to the
Cape-Atlantic League National title. He held the school record for career goals
with 81.
Despite an initial uproar by local leaders, only a handful of southern New
Jersey municipalities lost a fraction of aid because of how they responded to
“best practices” surveys the state distributed in August.
The Department of Community Affairs sent the 88-item checklist to
municipalities to gauge their efficiency and accountability, and said it would
subtract a portion of state aid if they did not answer “yes” to enough
questions.
Of the 68 local governments in The Press of Atlantic City coverage area, 14
governments lost a total of $4,141, in most cases about 1 percent of their total
aid.
Despite the small size of the cuts, some officials were still incensed by the
whole concept and the way it was carried out.
“I’m happy that the amount being lost statewide is very nominal, so nobody’s
going to feel a whole lot of pain from that,” said Chuck Chiarello, mayor of
Buena Vista Township and president of the League of Municipalities, “but I think
there’s got to be a whole lot of improvement to this program.”
The state withheld a total of $99,534 from 161 out of 535 governments that
submitted their results in October. Towns operating on fiscal year calendars do
not have to turn in their responses until April.
In The Press of Atlantic City area, Little Egg Harbor Township lost $627,
Somers Point lost $475, Deerfield Township lost $450 and Cape May city lost
$163.
Deerfield and Greenwich Township’s percentage cuts were the largest — 3
percent each — followed by Weymouth Township’s 2 percent, or a $267, loss.
Greenwich answered “yes” to 22 of 66 applicable questions, Deerfield replied
“yes” to 33 of 78 questions, and Weymouth had 50 out of 78.
Officials objected when the first surveys were sent out since there was no
“Not Applicable” column, despite many of the questions not applying to some of
the largest and smallest governments.
“It was definitely a firestorm,” said Bill Dressel, the League of
Municipalities’ executive director, in describing the reaction. “I can’t
candy-coat it.”
As a result of those complaints, the state took “N/A” answers into
consideration, and pro-rated the aid cut percentages based on the new total of
questions.
The most a government could lose was 5 percent, and only one in the state
did: Ocean County’s Seaside Heights, which purposefully did not submit its
survey, the DCA said.
The questions were based on seven categories: general management, financial
management, public safety, public works, health, energy and utilities, and
municipal and school relations.
In those categories, the items ranged from how a government’s website is
composed to how its budget is prepared, to whether its officials attend ethics
seminars and what percentage of trash is recycled.
The DCA said the questions were prepared after consulting with municipal
officials, but many local officials said the state should have first let them
know what was going to be on the test before it sent them out.
Somers Point Administrator Wes Swain said many of the items seemed like good
ideas, and could have been easily implemented, but were somewhat arbitrary.
He singled out a question about the municipal budget, which asked, “Was a
five-year chart or graph prepared showing, in declining order, the largest
dollar line items to the smallest dollar line items?”
“If someone had told me that you need to provide pie charts and graphs when
you provide budgets, that would have been a keystroke in an Excel spreadsheet,”
he said.
Instead he answered “no,” which he said was the correct answer, and his
government wound up losing 1 percent of its aid because it only scored a 62 out
of 85.
Many other governments avoided those losses by answering “yes” to questions
if they intended to implement the practices in the future, such as replying
“yes” to the seven questions about a municipal website, even if they did not
have one, because they plan to build one.
But Swain said he answered as if someone would come in to audit his list that
day. By next year, he said he would have all the practices implemented if
feasible or applicable, but he hoped someone would let him know ahead of time if
the questions changed.
“There were a lot of things that we could have complied with,” he said, “had
someone given us a heads-up.”
The Pinelands Commission on Tuesday appointed a new director, Nancy B.
Wittenberg, of Toms River.
Wittenberg formerly worked as assistant commissioner of the state Department
of Environmental Protection, where she supervised programs in air quality,
permitting, nuclear power, climate change, energy, and solid and hazardous
waste.
She begins in January at a salary of $135,000 per year.
Wittenberg succeeds John C. Stokes, who served as director of the commission
since 2003 and who announced in August that he was retiring. She formerly worked
as director of environmental affairs for the New Jersey Builders Association.
She has a master's degree in environmental engineering from Duke University in
North Carolina.
The Pinelands Commission is an independent state agency that regulates
development in the sprawling 1.1 million-acre Pinelands National Reserve. It is
governed by a board of 15 members, many of whom are appointed by the governor.
The director of the commission is responsible for the daily operations of the
commission and its staff of 45 planners, scientists, educators and environmental
experts.
Wittenberg was one of six candidates interviewed for the position.
