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Local News Clips - January 2010
FOLSOM - Pinelands municipalities are looking for more flexibility when it comes to pursuing solar energy and development. At the Pinelands Municipal Council meeting here Wednesday night, the council approved a resolution calling on the New Jersey Pinelands Commission to ease restrictions when it comes to developing solar farms. Tiffany Cuviello, planner for the council, said the commission should consider the possibility for solar development in nongrowth areas such as agriculture and forested land, or areas where development is prohibited by state regulations. Expansion of solar areas, the council claimed, would not mean the destruction of land or sensitive habitats within the Pinelands, but would utilize those areas where solar would be the best fit. Buena Vista Township Mayor Chuck Chiarello, chairman of the council, said the move is not just a benefit to the municipalities in the Pinelands, but the residents living there, too. Being able to develop solar farms, he said, is the wave of the future and something the Pinelands needs to get behind. "We have a lot of agricultural land and forested area, and a lot of those areas are wide open," he said. "There are just a few things the Pinelands (Commission) has to do to make it easier for someone to use solar." At the meeting to discuss solar and other issues was the Pinelands Commission director of land use and technology programs, Larry Liggett. He said there are only four out of nine Pinelands management areas, mostly with larger populations, that are suitable for solar power development. Cities deemed growth areas, like Galloway and Egg Harbor townships, would have little trouble building solar fields, and so, too, would smaller cities like Hammonton, and even villages such as Port Republic. Of the remaining five areas, four are conservation areas. The fifth area is for military use and is not affected by Pinelands Commission regulations. Liggett said it's possible that the commission could allow for some changes for solar development. "It's conceivable," he said. "The question is: how, when and where? What we've got to look at is where the disturbance does the least amount of harm." He said there likely will be some sort of balance, an arrangement between the commission and the Pinelands towns on where to adjust the regulations. An idea that's been presented on several occasions, he said, is putting solar panels on landfills where they would be less intrusive to conservation efforts. Chiarello said the interest in solar power from the Pinelands municipalities has grown recently, prompting the resolution and push for greater development. It's something the council believes is in the best interest for the municipalities and their residents alike. "We found that the (council) membership was very interested in this for their towns," he said. "This seems to be the next big issue. Last time it was ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) and before that it was extending sewer. Now solar is our mission." Still, Liggett said, the primary mission of preservation in the Pinelands can't be forgotten. Even though preservation is key, there is flexibility. He said a new policy could be expected by early as April
FOLSOM — Communities located in the Pinelands National Reserve have been affected by the economy — just not as badly as the rest of the region. That was the message New Jersey Pinelands Commission Economist Tony O’Donnell presented at a recent at the Pinelands Municipal Council meeting. The annual report tracks economic factors in the Pinelands, such as development, home values, population and employment in an effort to demonstrate the effect of land-use laws and regulations on the federally protected area. “The Pinelands economy is doing well comparatively to the rest” of southern New Jersey, O’Donnell said. Population in the Pinelands grew by 67,300 between 2000 and 2007, according to the report, an increase of 10.9 percent. In comparison, non-Pinelands communities grew by just 4.2 percent. Unemployment was down slightly in Pinelands communities in 2008, the last year for which data was available. The unemployment rate rose to 6 percent in 2008 in the Pinelands, according to the report, and 6.2 percent in non-Pinelands communities, both slightly more than the national unemployment rate at that time of 5.8 percent. The report defined the Pinelands as “47 municipalities that have at least 10 percent of their land area within the state-designated Pinelands boundary,” which encompasses 1 million acres and includes portions of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Ocean counties, according to the commission’s Web site. The non-Pinelands refered to in the report are the remaining 155 municipalities in the eight counties of southern New Jersey — the seven included in the Pinelands and Salem County. “As the economy rebounds and the housing market increases, we expect to see the same type of increase in the Pinelands compared to the non-Pinelands,” O’Donnell said. However, real estate transactions in the Pinelands fell by 31 percent from 2008 compared with 2007, the largest one-year decline since the commission started compiling the report more than 13 years ago, O’Donnell said. Fewer building permits were issued in 2008, for the fifth consecutive year, the report says. The report also offered perspective: “More building permits continue to be issued in Pinelands municipalities than all other regions of the state. .... building permit activity decreased ... while also declining to an even greater extent in the Non-Pinelands.” In more not-as-bad news, O’Donnell reported that homes in the Pinelands sell for $7,000 more than their non-Pinelands counterparts and have appreciated more in the past decade. O’Donnell said history shows Pinelands growth has outpaced its neighbors and that regulations from the commission’s Comprehensive Management Plan have not hampered development in the area. When things rebound, so, too, should the Pinelands, he said. “It’s dangerous in this economy to say we’re doing well,” he said. “But comparatively, we are doing well as a region.” Council Chairman and Buena Vista Township Mayor Chuck Chiarello said many municipalities in the region are not feeling optimistic. “If you asked any of the towns here, they might think that it’s not as good as it sounds,” he said. “It’s going to be more interesting to see 2009, because I think things have taken a much further nose dive. It’s that type of thing. Unfortunately, the facts don’t come out until afterwards.”
Two days after lawmakers held a much-criticized panel hearing of mayors but failed to invite anyone south of Camden, Assembly Budget Committee members have changed their plan and are hoping to accommodate more input from mayors across the state - including southern New Jersey. Just seven mayors were called to Trenton on Monday to discuss what changes state lawmakers can make to ease towns' budget struggles without granting more aid. While two panelists came from Camden County, none were invited from farther south. Assemblyman Lou Greenwald, D-Camden, said Wednesday that mayors will now be asked for their feedback and could argue to be present at future discussions about municipal budget struggles. "The hearing we had on Monday for a sampling of mayors was in recognition of the historic economic crisis we all face," said Greenwald, who chairs the Budget Committee. "The problem is, we couldn't have all 566 towns sitting in the room together." The new plan allows for more mayors to join an additional advisory team, created by the League of Municipalities. "That's half the battle, getting legislators to listen to us," said Chuck Chiarello, the Democratic mayor of Buena Vista Township, welcoming the news. As mayors from Galloway Township in Atlantic County to Stafford Township in Ocean County learned Monday evening they had been not been invited to participate, they wondered why Assembly leadership had not brought in representatives of the southern part of the state. Hamilton Mayor Roger Silva was one of many who said he would have traveled to Trenton to testify. "That's typical of what happened in the past. South Jersey is part of New Jersey. They've got to understand that," he said Monday. Others argued that, in a year when the state's budget shortfall means much less aid will be available to struggling towns, Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Ocean counties face particular challenges to developing a tax base because of their seasonal economies and development restrictions in the Pinelands. Chiarello, one of the southern New Jersey mayors whose name had been suggested to the panel but who had not been called, said Wednesday that the League of Municipalities "sent fax and e-mail blasts to every town in the state yesterday and today, asking for everyone to contribute their thoughts on what towns face." In that message, league Executive Director Bill Dressel asked for ideas on everything from taxes and mandates to shared services, plus other unexplored ways to ease towns' burdens. "We have a unique opportunity to work with key legislators towards substantive changes that will reduce the cost of government at all levels. State leaders, facing an unprecedented budget crisis and the citizens' continuing demand for real property tax relief, seem committed to expeditious action." Greenwald took the opportunity Wednesday to sketch out a much-expanded plan for local consultation through the budget process. He characterized the mayors' frustration as a breakdown in communication. "I understand why those mayors would have concerns at not speaking," he said, alluding to the assumption that Monday's panel kicked off the budget decision process. "Rather than getting angry, those mayors should have called my office," Greenwald said. "I want to hear from them, and if they want to convince me they should speak before the committee, I'm open to that. "And anyone who knows me knows that if someone wants to talk about something that doesn't quite fit this panel, I'll just have another panel," he said. Chiarello said he would be keen to serve on the working-group with the Assembly or the league's advisory team. He now serves as the league's 1st vice president He agreed that someone south of Camden should take part. "It would be wrong not to include the problems of small towns, especially down here in the large southern stretch of New Jersey," he said. Greenwald, who is from Camden County, dismissed complaints that he and the two representatives on the panel did not represent the southern end of the state. "I'm a proud member of the South Jersey delegation," he said. He added that Republicans who criticized his efforts were doing so only for political motives. "There's a new spirit of bipartisanship, that's what we're meant to focus on now," he said, referring to hopes that new Gov. Chris Christie declared at his inauguration last week. "So we're not meant to go back to these old ways of doing things." The new plan for towns and the public to give input on the budget process so far looks like this: On Feb. 2, members of the public are invited to speak at open hearings on improving New Jersey, held by Assembly leaders from both parties. The hearing starts at 3 p.m., in Committee Room 11 at the State House Annex in Trenton. Anyone wanting to testify should reserve a slot by calling 609-292-8030. By Feb. 5, The League of Municipalities hopes to receive feedback by e-mail from mayors and town officials from around the state. Those ideas will be passed to the Assembly Budget Committee work group.
BLIND WRESTLER INSPIRES: (The Daily Journal, by Patrick Buganski, 1/27/10) Mitch Cossaboon is a student at Buena Regional High School who is completely blind. He is on the freshman junior varsity wrestling team and an inspiration to everyone. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
Local legislators spent Tuesday asking the question: Who didn’t invite the mayors? After local officials from southern New Jersey towns cried foul Monday that they weren’t let in on an Assembly panel discussing the budget crisis, several state lawmakers said they had no warning of the discussion — and wondered why. When Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, D-Essex, Passaic, arranged a rare hearing on state budget matters Monday, featuring testimony from Legislative Budget and Finance Officer David Rosen, seven New Jersey town officials were invited. After Rosen concluded his two-hour presentation of budget data, the town leaders addressed Assembly Budget Committee members to provide a real-world context to the dry numbers. But while cities such as East Orange from up north and small towns such as Eastampton from western Burlington County were represented, no one from Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Ocean counties was asked to appear. Ahead of a budget year that already promises sweeping cuts, southern New Jersey mayors expressed frustration Monday that they had not been invited. By Tuesday, legislators sprang to support the towns’ right to speak. “All New Jersey communities share similar economic struggles right now, but municipalities whose livelihood depends on the shore or gaming economy bring a unique perspective that cannot be ignored when discussing the economic survival of our state,” said Assemblyman John Amodeo, R-Atlantic. Bill Dressel, executive director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, explained Monday that he had provided a long list of possible speakers to the committee, including the League’s 1st vice-president, Chuck Chiarello. Chiarello, who serves as mayor of Buena Vista Township in Atlantic County, said Monday he had not received an invitation from the committee. Assemblyman Louis Greenwald, D-Camden, could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening. But David Wolfe, a Republicn who holds an Assembly seat covering part of Ocean County and sits on the Assembly Budget committee, joined Amodeo and Assemblyman Vincent Polistina, R-Atlantic, in cautioning against excluding towns from an early part of the budget process. “I do not want the genuine bipartisan tenor of yesterday’s hearing, which is vital to our efforts to tackle the state’s dire financial situation, to be threatened by splintering the various stakeholders who have vested interests in our budget decisions,” Wolfe said. “I believe the omission was an honest oversight that can easily be corrected. I look forward to having all interests represented as we move forward with Chairman Greenwald’s proposal to continue hearing from mayors throughout the state.” The issue of who was and was not invited became contentious because the hearing represented a step toward the state budget, starting earlier than usual because of a possible $10 billion deficit in next year’s funds. Budget negotiations typically find towns protesting that cuts will disproportionately affect their municipalities. Polistina challenged Greenwald over choosing two representatives from Camden County, his own district, to join the panel. “My feeling is the chairman picked mayors who he felt would not criticize the old administration,” Polistina said. He added: “Meanwhile, we have the growth towns — Galloway, Hamilton Township and Egg Harbor Township — who have been mandated to build housing under strict regulations.” But not only area Republicans said they felt the panel had caused ill feeling among local towns. “I was surprised, to be honest, that no one from the southern part of the state was invited,” said Assemblyman Nelson Albano, D-Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic. He said that while the panel was just one day, he wanted answers on why local officials were, “left out.” “We’re looking into why that happened, and if there was anything going on,” he said. But Assemblyman John Burzichelli, D-Salem, Gloucester, Cumberland, who also sits on the budget committee, disagreed with the others, saying the hearing Monday focused on problems facing every town budget, rather than individual complaints. “No one lost any ground by not being able to speak there,” he said. “Because we heard about only universal concerns.”
Larry Niles was the choice of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, environmental groups throughout the region and even former Gov. Jon S. Corzine to fill a vacancy on the Pinelands Commission. The state Senate thought otherwise. In what was reportedly a last-minute decision, Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, voted to block Niles' appointment to the commission earlier this month with the support of Sen. President Stephen Sweeney, Salem, Gloucester, Cumberland. The appointment of Niles, which progressed through the Senate Judiciary Committee before arriving on the senate floor, was expected by some to go through without interference. Carleton Montgomery, executive director of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, said he believes the move was prompted by a piece of legislation limiting the harvest of horseshoe crabs and the resentment from fishermen that followed. Niles, who worked for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for 30 years as a wildlife biologist, conducted research that led to the legislation. "There are no scientists on the Pinelands Commission, and we thought it made a lot of sense to have one there. He has incomparable experience," Montgomery said. "Blocking occasionally happens, but it was definitely one of those back-room, slight-of-hand actions that the public resents." Although the intention to block Niles did not come up publicly prior to it happening, Van Drew said the decision, supported by the Senate, was his and was made for good reason. Niles would have been the only scientist on the 15-person apolitical commission, Van Drew conceded, although the Pinelands Commission has near-immediate access to numerous scientists working in a number of capacities in the state and in the state's various colleges, he added. He also intimated that Niles, an ardent environmentalist, was not the "new set of eyes" the state was looking for to add to the commission. "I feel very strongly with the Pinelands (Commission) that we need to insure that we maintain the initial goal, which is to preserve the Pinelands, while also ensuring that people who live and work within the Pinelands can survive," he said. Van Drew said the decision was not a personal one. Niles, of Greenwich Township in Cumberland County, declined extensive comment, saying he did not know too much about the decision. He said he was informed, however, that the decision was made because of his work limiting fishing. But Van Drew disputed that assertion. Van Drew said he encountered a number of people who were concerned with Niles' position as an insider, considering his 30 years of work with the state. Montgomery said the decision was a bad one. "You've got a scientist who has dedicated his life to science and is not involved in partisan politics in any sort of way, and he's willing to serve the public for free, volunteer time," Montgomery said. "It makes no sense from a public point of view."
BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP - A 16-year-old boy suffered multiple injuries when he was struck by a car Tuesday evening in Buena Vista Township. According to State Police, an unidentified juvenile was struck just north of Route 40 while crossing Cedar Avenue in the Richland section of the township. The boy was evaluated by Buena Vista Emergency Medical Services and flown to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus, and is currently listed in stable condition, police said. The driver of the vehicle, Tammy Johnson, 45, of Galloway Township, stopped immediately and is cooperating with the investigation. No arrests were made and no tickets issued at the scene. Richland Fire Department and East Vineland Fire Department also responded to the scene.
Riverfronts vulnerable, but plans too costly (Press of Atlantic City, by Thomas Barlas, 1/25/10) When the swollen Great Egg Harbor River overflowed in April 2007, officials in municipalities along the waterway considered creating a coordinated plan on how to control future flooding. The plan never materialized. December's combination of snow melt and rain again raised the river to flood heights. The coordinated plan is once again being considered, but whether it goes anywhere depends in part on money that municipalities just do not have. Hamilton Township Administrator Ed Sasdelli said a tight budget has him "allocating resources to the highest-priority items." Allocating resources to the plan just is not feasible right now, he said. But Buena Vista Township Mayor Chuck Chiarello says some homeowners in his municipality are still pumping water out of their homes from the December flooding, and that the plan should be worked on in some form. "There's a need to do something," Chiarello said. "Being proactive is a lot better than being reactive." If nothing else, discussions over the past few years resulted in an agreement by which officials in upriver municipalities will notify Hamilton Township of dam overflows or openings. That will allow the township to open the sluice gates at Lake Lenape Dam in Mays Landing and attempt to lower Lake Lenape's water level before the water flowing in its direction from Gloucester and Camden counties arrives. While that may help, Fred Akers, administrator for the Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association, said the problem is more widespread through the several hundred square miles that contain creeks, streams and other bodies of water that drain into the river. Development is reducing the amount of land where water once drained into the ground, he said, and failing drainage basins related to commercial and residential development are depositing water directly into the river. "There's no incentive for them to a good job with their stormwater run off," he said. Flooding on the river does not happen all at once: Depending on how the rain falls, it can take days for it to build up and start cascading down the river through Buena Vista and Hamilton townships. "It's a cumulative effect," Akers said. About 8 inches of rain fell on southern New Jersey in April 2007. The Great Egg Harbor River eventually overflowed, flooding the Indian Branch and Weymouth Furnace sections of Hamilton Township. Some Properties in Mays Landing also wound up underwater. In December, heavy rain coupled with warm weather combined to quickly melt about 2 feet of snow. The runoff headed to the river, which flooded some adjacent communities. Sasdelli said the advance warning from upriver municipalities - which gives Hamilton Township more time to lower Lake Lenape - at least provides an improved chance of alleviating some flooding problems. "Are they perfect?" Sasdelli said. "No. But we have made it better."
There are tough new rules for people riding off-road vehicles in New Jersey. Those caught steering their quads, snowmobiles or dirt bikes into state parks and wildlife areas face impoundment of their machines, fines of more than $1,000 for a third offense, and penalties equal to five times the cost of any damage left on trails or fields. But the law also gets tough with the state agency that was pushing to punish errant drivers: the Department of Environmental Protection.
Under legislation Jon Corzine signed a day before leaving the governor’s office, the DEP must make good on an 8-year-old promise to create public riding parks for the increasing number of people buying off-road vehicles. "I feel numb. We’ve talked to the DEP through two administrations, and they have not been willing to make it happen," said Dale Freitas, president of the 30,000-member New Jersey Off-Highway Vehicle Association. "Maybe this law is a road map on how we can move forward." The legislation sets up a $50, two-year registration fee for off-road vehicles, with an added $10 fee to go toward funding the parks. But the state cannot collect a penny before the DEP finds at least one state-owned location for an off-roading park. Within the next three years, the DEP also must show progress on siting three off-road parks — one each in the north, central and southern parts of the state. If the DEP doesn’t, the registration fees will expire. Even with the legislation, the main obstacle to building public motor parks remains. "Everyone agrees there needs to be a facility for off-road vehicles. Nobody wants to host it," said John Flynn of the DEP’s Green Acres program, which has been tackling the issue since 2002. That was the year the DEP began a crackdown on illegal riders, as tension between riders and the public increased. There were incidents of conservation officers being run down while on patrol. Trails and private fields of crops were being torn up by illegal riding, and members of some outdoor groups started physically confronting trespassing off-roaders. "Some people are stringing wire across trails. My buddy ended up in the hospital for a couple of weeks," said Dan Buske, 23, of West Milford. The state’s only large-scale, publicly available off-road park was the not-for-profit New Jersey Off Road Vehicle Park in Burlington County until it shut down in 2008 because its lease expired. The only legal alternatives for riders now are private clubs that lease property, or property owners who allow riders on their land. "They’re really cracking down. I’m lost for places to ride. There’s got to be a compromise," said Buske, who admits to regularly taking his dirt bike and all-terrain vehicle for "not totally legal" spins, usually in the Pinelands in South Jersey. ILL-FATED PURCHASE The DEP found a site for an off-road park in 2007, when it paid $1.2 million for 224 acres in the Pinelands — a former sand and gravel strip mine at the rural edge of Monroe Township in Gloucester County. Then the opposition showed up, from environmental groups to homeowners in a neighboring Atlantic County town. "We thought it was outrageous they bought a site for an ATV park without talking to us first, since it would have been right across the street from the people in Collings Lake," said Buena Vista Mayor Chuck Chiarello, referring to a 1,000-home development. "I’m not saying no to it as a sport. But if this sport needs areas to be set aside, I don’t want the state just haphazardly picking a spot." The plan died, and the DEP focused instead on a location in Egg Harbor, 30 miles southeast of Monroe and deeper into Atlantic County. "We took a different approach. We worked with a private organization, taking the state out of the center of things. We would have funded it, but it would have been privately owned and operated," said Green Acres’ Flynn. Freitas spearheaded the proposal, taking it to local officials. But last fall it failed to win township approvals as opposition rose from local and environmental groups. "Just because somebody buys something, just because the ATV industry sells these machines, does not give them an automatic right to get pieces of forested, public land to use what they purchased, " said Jeff Tittel of the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club. CAPPED LANDFILLS "But I think we can come up with three locations," Tittel added. "The question is, will the off-roaders insist on using parks rather than more degraded lands such as … capped landfills or old dredge-spoil sites." Freitas said the off-roaders are willing to compromise if the DEP acts quickly. "As soon as we address the parks, we will see a drop in unlawful off-roading," he added. Flynn remained hopeful. "We do have some ideas we are pursuing. I am not ready to talk about them at this point. In my mind, they hold promise," he said.
Utility work will bring traffic delays on Oak Road (The Daily Journal, by staff reports, 1/21/10) Over the next couple of weeks expects delays on Oak Road east of Lincoln Avenue due to South Jersey Gas Co utility work from 7:30 am to 5 pm. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
Registration now required for off-road vehicles in N.J. (The Daily Journal, by Kirk Moore, 1/19/10) A bill has been signed that requires off-road vehicles to be register, have license places and be insured like automobles. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
New legislation awaiting approval from the governor would require owners of off-road vehicles to register their rides or face fines. The bill was introduced in summer 2008 with the intention of curbing illegal riding and the damage legislators and environmentalists say has been done to private property and protected land. The state Assembly and Senate both passed the bill earlier this week. Buena Vista Township Mayor Chuck Chiarello sees the passage as a victory a long time in the making. Chiarello and the New Jersey Pinelands Commission have supported the legislation since its inception. "I've been involved with this for a long time because Buena Vista has had an ATV problem," he said. "And it seems to be an important step in reining in some of the problems that are out there. These are vehicles just like any other vehicles, they cause damage to property." Off-road vehicles is a catch-all term that describes not only large-scale vehicles such as trucks, but all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, snowmobiles and similar transports. The legislation, if approved by the governor, would require that insurance be obtained for the vehicles as well. Another stipulation is that all riders under the age of 18 take a safety training course alerting them to the dangers associated with riding these types of vehicles. The bill also includes language that prevents modification to vehicles that would result in undue noise and safety concerns. Some provisions are required before the bill could take effect. The state Department of Environmental Protection must find and designate open land that would be available to off-road vehicle riders. Riders would have three months after that piece of land is secured to make the necessary adjustments. The measure further stipulates that the DEP must find two more appropriate sites to accompany riding within three years of finding the first piece. Jaclyn Rhoads, director for conservation policy with the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, said she expects there will be a push back initially. Some will be reluctant to register their vehicles, despite threats of fines, especially if they ride on protected lands, she said. But eventually, she said, all new off-road vehicles purchased from dealers would require registration as part of the purchasing process. The off-road vehicle problem is especially significant in the Pinelands National Reserve, she said, because of all the connected forest. While the thousands of acres may seem like a great place to ride, they are undeveloped for a reason. Off-road vehicles pose a threat to endangered species of flora and fauna and the ecosystem as a whole, she said.
Full steam ahead in Richland (The Daily Journal, by Cody Glenn, 1/8/10) During the Annual Open House at the Patcong Valley Model Railroad this past weekend hundreds of visitors were mesmerized by the display. There will be another open house held this weekend the 16th and 17th from 10 am to 4 pm. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
Buena Vista gets money for trails (Press of Atlantic City, by Edward Van Embden, 1/8/10) BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP - Buena Vista Township was recently awarded a $148,000 grant from the state Department of Transportation to expand its system of bike trails. Mayor Chuck Chiarello said the township was notified Monday that it received the money to develop bikeways in the Richland section of the township. The money will be used to pave existing paths and develop a new one that circles the tourist area. Currently, bicyclists are forced to ride on the heavily trafficked Route 40. Many of the paths in Richland Village, including those leading to the rail line, are made of small stones, limiting them to pedestrians only. The township has other bikeways, including one that runs from East Vineland to Michael Debbie Park and another that runs parallel to the road and goes to the nearby St. Augustine Prep. Chiarello said he hopes the grant funding will allow for the construction of a path that is set farther back from the road, providing a more scenic tour for bicyclists and pedestrians alike. "It kind of puts a new dimension on the options for bike riders, and it also helps enhance Richland Village," he said. "It will be great for bikes, for pedestrians and those getting on the train." A lot of the work done depends on how far the township can stretch each dollar, Chiarello said. Final plans will be established after the various projects go out to bid. The township has not established a timeline for the bid process.
IN BUENA VISTA (The Daily Journal, 1/7/10) The Patcong Valley Society of Model Railroaders will be holding their open house on the following dates in January: 9th, 10th, 16th and 17th. They will be open from 10 am to 4 pm. There is no admission charge. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
Looking for healthier way to live. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP — The Patcong Valley Model Railroad Club is chugging along with its elaborate, meticulous model construction project, relying more on its members to self-fund as donations decrease. The club opens its Richland Village headquarters, a former rail station, to the public for five weekends each December and January. The open houses used to draw about 6,000 visitors, donating an average of $1.50 each, said Joe Natale, the club’s past president and spokesman. Now, it is on pace for closer to 3,000 visitors, and the average donation is down to about $1. That means donations have dropped from about $9,000 per year to $3,000, for a club with a budget of $12,000, Natale said. But this was less of a complaint than an acknowledgement of the economic reality. “Anybody that wants to be part of this club, we support ourselves,” said the 62-year-old Hammonton resident. “We’re one of the main attractions in this town.” Click here for the photo gallery The club’s model is about 70 percent built. Exposed wood and mesh are more common toward the back of the building. In the immediate future, a bridge must be replaced and a logging area and mountains are scheduled for construction. Repairs are frequent, too. “We will never be done with it,” Natale said. The club has about 30 full-time members, with 10 mainstays who put in about 12 to 16 hours per week, Natale said. The model evolves when members introduce more modern elements. One locomotive carries a camera that transmits a train’s-eye view video to a television in the corner. Grant Cunningham, of Folsom, is the youngest member at 42. The Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office employee had been creating models at home, with a taste for Union Pacific trains. Although Cunningham acknowledges his generation seems less interested in models, he said he hopes improved public outreach can bolster the club. “A lot of people don’t know we’re here,” said Cunningham, who was one of them until he happened to drive by last year. Rose Maul browsed the model Sunday morning with her 8-year-old triplet grandchildren. A ride last month on the Santa Express train between Richland in Buena Vista and Tuckahoe in Upper Township piqued their rail interest. “I’m baby-sitting today,” said Maul, of Mays Landing, “so this is much better than sitting in the house with them.” If you go The Patcong Valley Model Railroad Club will hold additional open houses from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 9, 10, 16 and 17. The club is located at Route 40 and Fir Avenue in the Richland section of Buena Vista Township. For more information, visit www.patcongvalley.com
Express gratitude for the Buena Vista Road Department (The Daily Journal, Opinion, 1/2/10) During the blizzard of 2009 BVT Public Works Department applauded and congratulated for the exemplary job removing the snow from the roads. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
Region's leaders expect busy 2010 (The Daily Journal, by staff reports, 1/1/10) Buena Vista Township's focus is on crafting a budget and anticipating what will happen with state aid. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
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Address: Buena Vista Township
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