The Alternative Press

FRANKFORD, N.J.- The March 5 Frankford Township Committee Meeting was a fairly light one.

The following items were approved on the consent agenda, which deals with matters that are routine: Soil Removal Permit for Saxton Falls Sand & Gravel Company, Used Car Licenses for Wheels N Props, LLC. and Auto Sales, LLC. and a Campground License for Edgemont Campgrounds, Inc; all are for 2013. Event licenses for MVA Present, LLC for the Crawfish Festival and for Richard Acosta for the FifthAnnual East Coast Large Cars/ Truck Show were approved. Applications for the Blue Light Permit for the Blue Ridge Rescue Squad were approved for Bethany Smith, Peggy Warnet, Brian Collins and Rebecca Ribnicky and NJ State Firemen’s Association Membership Application for Tyler Kinney was also approved.

Resolutions that were approved are as follows: refunding tax sale certificate 2013-001 (redeemed), resolution for opposing proposed legislation A-3553 which would establish an early voting process for certain elections and a resolution authorizing changes at the Intersection of County Route 630, Recognition Drive and Route 206. As an aside the stop sign at the end of Broad Street should be in place soon.

 “It will be a tremendous safety asset,” said Committeeman Gary Larson,

During the public sessions there were two citizens that spoke, the first a woman with issues regarding parking on her street.

“In the last few years a big problem has occurred at the end of the cul-de-sac in that persons living at Block 897.01 have parked gazillions of vehicles up there, trucks, trailers and behind these are a variety of other trailers, debris, maintenance equipment like their business is being run out of this location. In January no parking signs were put up on both sides of the road and on the end of the road; this seems to have alleviated the problem of a lot of parking at the end of the road that the plows couldn’t get through and behind the cars that were parked there the debris is now very visual. My concern is the no parking. I have a driveway that fits four cars, my family owns three cars. When people come to visit, such as your daughter Mr. Larson, or my son and daughter’s other friends, they see no parking signs and they are concerned, and I am concerned. I’ve been told that no state police officer is going to mind parking on this little street, but I have friends who see no parking and leave. I would like to alleviate the problem of no parking in front of my residence where we’ve parked for 34 years,” explained Elizabeth Lawless.

Lawless was told that the committee would look into alternate parking regulations and options with discussion on a possible no parking in the cul-de-sac for safety purposes or an ordinance of a certain number of feet from a specific point. She was also told that the issue of debris and buildup of trailers, snowmobiles, and more is being addressed.

The second speaker was Warren Blakeney, who was just there to remind the committee about the agreement for the Pines property, which will be closing sometime this month. It will continue to be maintained and the money comes from Green Acres. It will be approved later based on attorney review.

"There is a real concern for getting people off of the road,” said Deputy Mayor James Ayers in regards to extending hiking and bicycling trails during the Reports section of the meeting.

The Open Space Committee was said to be moving along and discussing gas lines and parking; they are looking forward to working with the county on Farm preservation, so that the two will not overlap.

 In New Business the following items were discussed. The committee will be looking at Bond Anticipation, to be paid off within two years and at a maximum amount of $600,000, which would go towards things like road repairs and should help save on material and labor. They will be contacting a lawyer to begin setting up the process. The proposal from Father Johns Animal House to provide services for an impound facility will be put out as an advertised bid for this service and see if anyone else comes in. The committee will talk to other towns and compare their fees to reclaim a pet and will look into what hours it would be open to an animal control officer and people who need to reclaim a pet.

Regarding insurance coverage for the township owned building at 28 Pelletown Road a decision needs to be made: either the house needs to be gutted, needs to be bulldozed or even sold. The committee decided to look into the procedures to sell the property or subdivide it and also have the house investigated to see if it is salvageable. Hopefully they will have an answer at the next meeting.

Also during the New Business portion of the meeting two items were approved: an amendment to personnel policy changing the effective date of reimbursement of benefits from July 1 to Jan.1 of each year, and the application approval of treatment works for the NJ State Fair/ Sussex County Farm & Horse Show for the construction of a new bathroom for the Conservatory.

 .The next meeting, where the budget will be introduced, will be held on March 19 at 4 p.m. at the Frankford Township Municipal Building.

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