Sandyston Township 2011 Fall Newsletter.pub
Transcription
Sandyston Township 2011 Fall Newsletter.pub
Sandyston Sentinel 2011 FALL/WINTER NEWSLETTER Hurricane Irene vs. Sandyston Township Meyers Road Culvert Meyers Road DeGroat Road Meyers Road P31 Bridge The P31 Bridge on Meyers Road collapsed and is currently barricaded. This bridge is owned by the County of Sussex who will be responsible for the repair. In this photo, Stan Dutkus, OEM, surveys the damage. Ridge Road Many roads in Sandyston Township experienced fallen trees and power outages. Hurricane Irene moved into Sandyston Township on Saturday, August 27, 2011 and unleashed approximately ten to twelve inches of rain on Sandyston Township. Many residents experienced lengthy power outages (from five to ten days), flooding and damages to their homes (septic problems, water damage, tree and debris damage, etc). While the damages to our local roads in Sandyston are significant for our small township, several surrounding townships suffered much greater damage. As you can see from the pictures, we had road wash outs, erosion, undermining and partial collapses of roadways of DeGroat, Meyers, Bierskill and Flatbrook Road. The Sandyston Township Road Department worked very hard to repair and stabilize these areas to get these roads passable and continues to survey these roads for additional damage. The Sandyston Township Volunteer Fire Department responded to over 40 calls for the pump out of homes, as well as responding to calls for downed and/or burning electrical wires. On Sunday, August 31, 2011, Sussex County was declared a disaster area, which enables the municipalities located within the County to apply for FEMA funds for reimbursement of expended funds to repair these roads. We have estimated the damages to exceed $100,000. Not included in this estimation is the collapse of the P-31 Bridge on Meyers Road, as this is a County-owned bridge and is under their control. Once we have completed the reimbursement process through FEMA, we can begin the process of applying for grants to mitigate the problems on these roads. We would like to thank the residents of Sandyston Township for their patience during this event. Page 2 Friendly Reminders and News PLEASE NOTE: NJ Register Ready Do you, your spouse or dependents have special medical needs? Would emergency responders be able to adequately help you in a disaster? This Special Needs Registry offered through the Office of Emergency Management through the State of New Jersey allows residents with special needs and their families, friends and associates an opportunity to provide information to emergency response agencies, so emergency responders can better serve them in a disaster or other emergency. The information collected here is confidential and will not be available to the public. The information will be held securely and only used for emergency response and planning. You will be contacted occasionally to ensure the information is up-to -date and make any necessary changes to the information. Why should you register? You will be notified by local officials when an evacuation has been ordered, and IT MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE! If you have access to the internet, you my register at the following website: www.registerready.nj.gov or receive registry assistance by dialing 211 (toll free) and an operator will assist you in registering. Certificate of Continued Occupancy Required Anytime a house is sold or the tenants in your rental unit change you are required to have a Certificate of Continued Occupancy inspection. This inspection is $35. The inspector will verify the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are properly installed and in working condition, fire extinguisher is properly mounted in the kitchen and reviews the overall safety of the premises. To obtain the proper paperwork and schedule an inspection, please call: 973-948-3520, x 201. During the fall and winter, we experience higher incidents of deer being hit or injured by automobiles. If you live on a Township, County or State Road and notice a deer that has suffered the effects of an automobile accident, please contact the Sandyston Township Municipal Building, 973-948-3520, extension 200. We will do our best to expedite the removal of the deer. VETERAN ID CARDS NOW AVAILABLE AT THE SUSSEX COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE As Easy As 1, 2, 3! 1. Call the Sussex County Clerk’s Office to make an appointment, 973-5790900. This allows time to have your DD214 recorded and have your photo taken. 2. Be sure to bring your ORIGINAL DD214 Discharge Paper (copies cannot be accepted). If you cannot locate your original DD214, they will accept a CERTIFIED COPY with a RAISED SEAL. To obtain a Certified Copy, contact the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, MO (314-801-0800) and request that a CERTIFIED copy with a raised seal be mailed to you. 3. Bring identification with you (drivers license or other form of identification to prove your identity and your residence in the county. You must be a Sussex County Resident to obtain courtesy Veteran Card from the Sussex County Clerk. Keeping Roads Safe for Travel With the winter months around the corner, please be courteous when plowing and/or maintaining your driveway. As per the Sandyston Township Ordinance “no owner, tenant or occupant of any premises abutting on any street, nor any other persons, shall throw, place or deposit snow or ice into or upon any street, it being the intent and purpose of this provision to prohibit all person from throwing, casting, placing or depositing snow and ice which accumulates on private property upon the streets of the township.” Thank you for your help in keeping the roads safe for travel. Page 3 Friendly Reminders and News Tax Payment Information · Jessica M. Caruso, Tax Collector, is in the office on Tuesday between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm and Thursday 8:30 am to 11:30 am. · You may reach Jessica by calling 973-948-3520, extension 202. Please call during Jessica’s regular office hours or leave a message and she will be sure to call you back promptly. · Tax payments should be sent to: Sandyston Township, c/o Jessica Caruso, CTC, 133 Route 645, Sandyston, NJ 07826, or you may drop off your tax payments at the Sandyston Township Municipal Building during the tax collectors hours. Checks should be made payable to “Sandyston Township”. Please include all tax stubs for taxes you are paying and a return envelope for any papers you wish returned. · If you wish to pay for your taxes in cash, you must see Jessica directly during her office hours. · Taxes are due February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 of each year. Taxes not paid by November 11 are subject to tax sale. Sandyston Township does permit a 10 day grace period. Please be advised that the State of New Jersey does not allow the Tax Collector to acknowledge postmarks when you mail your tax payment, therefore, taxes must be received in the office on or before the 10th of the month taxes are due. Failure to receive a tax bill does not exempt you from paying your taxes or the interest due on delinquent taxes. Tax Collector is not responsible for any tax payment that is lost through the mailing process. If by chance your taxes get lost in the mail, you are still responsible for the tax payment and any interest incurred. You may check the status of your taxes online or call the tax collector to check to make sure your tax payment has been received. If you wish to drop off your taxes, the best practice is to bring your tax payment during the tax collector’s office hours. The only person who can give you a receipt for your paid taxes is the Tax Collector. · · · · · 2nd Annual New Playground at SandystonWalpack School A new playground has been inEach holiday season, we are asked for donations to stalled on help families or organizations in need. Many the grounds times, we have thought “wouldn’t it be nice to make of the a donation for someone in our own town?” With SandystonWalpack the cooperation of Sandyston-Walpack School, Sandyston Township Committee, and the Sandyston Township School. This new Historical Society this project was an overwhelming success in playground 2010. Through the generosity and kindness of local residents and businesses, the “Sandyston Has Heart” program raised over is in place of the of the old “truck tire” play area $1,000 for local families in need in Sandyston Township. Once which had been in place for many years. In June, the again, beginning November 1, 2011, we will be collecting dona- Board of Education approved the $50,000 expenditions at the Sandyston Township Municipal Building from local ture for a new playground, with contributions of a $2,000 donation from the Sandyston-Walpack PTO residents and businesses in the form of gift cards from stores and $750 donation from the Student Council which like Shop-Rite, Wal-Mart, Weiss, K-Mart, etc. Upon donating, was raised through car washes and bake sales. This a paper heart with the family name will be created and hung on new playground is a wonderful addition to the comthe door at the municipal building. These donations will then munity and will be enjoyed by children of many ages turned over the nurse at the Sandyston-Walpack School for dis- for years to come. tribution to families in need in Sandyston Township. Page 4 Friendly Reminders and News Each year, Sandyston Township, along with other municipalities, is invited by the County of Sussex, Division of Facilities Management to participate in the municipal display in the blue “County Building” at the New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm & Horse Show. The display is prepared by Patte H. Frato, President of the Sandyston Township Historical Society and changes every year. This year the display had a theme of “School Days” giving a glimpse into the history of the schools, students and teachers of Sandyston Township through pictures and stories. This year, the display received third place! Please be sure to stop by the municipal building and view this beautiful display. Getting Married & Certified Copies Sussex County Clerk Warns Residents of Deed Scam The following information has been provided to Sandyston Township through the Sussex County Clerk’s Office: Thinking about getting married? Please find some helpful information about applying for your marriage license, filing the license and requesting certified copies. · · · If you receive a direct mail solicitation from a company offering to provide you with a certified copy of your deed -do NOT fall for it. This is a scam. The solicitation letter leads the reader to believe that the County Clerk’s office only records deeds and that in order to get a certified copy you must pay a fee $75 to $100 for this service. They also lead readers to believe they need a certified copy of their deed to sell their property. This is absolutely untrue. Once the resident falls for this scam, their name is added to a database of those who agreed to this deception and sells this database to other companies to keep the scam going. Sussex County land owners may obtain a certified copy of their recorded deed, at anytime, at their convenience, directly from the Sussex County Clerk’s Office for a fee of $10 for the first page and $2.00 for each additional page. The State of New Jersey’s Division of Consumer Affairs is looking into this matter, and the County Clerks of New Jersey are urging legislation on a united front to avoid this problem in the future. The Sussex County Clerk’s Office/Hall of Records is located at 83 Spring Street, Newton, NJ. Questions or concerns may be addressed by calling 973-579-0900. · · · · · · · · · The application for the marriage license must be filled out within 30 days of the marriage date. Apply for the marriage license where either the groom or bride reside when you are a resident of New Jersey. If you are not a resident of New Jersey, you apply for your marriage license in the municipality where the marriage ceremony will be performed and the marriage license is only valid in that municipality. When applying for your marriage license, you must show proof of identity and proof of residency. A witness is needed to sign the application for marriage. All signatures must be in the presence of the Registrar. The Registrar must hold your application for 72 hours before the marriage license can be issued. The marriage license is only valid for 30 days. The marriage license, once fully completed, is filed in the municipality in which the marriage took place. The blue copy is retained by the person performing the ceremony. The pink copy is retained by the recently married couple. This pink copy is not an official document. Certified copies are the official document of the marriage and must be obtained from the municipality where your marriage license is filed. The certified copy of your marriage is printed on paper specific to the township in which the marriage license is filed and has the raised seal of the township. Fees for certified copies are different in each municipality. To request a certified copy, obtain a copy of the REG-27 form from the municipality and produce the necessary identification and fee at the time of your request. If you were married in Sandyston Township and seek a Certified Copy of your marriage license, please contact Sandyston Township, 973-948-3520 x 200, for the REG-27 form. Certified Copies are $5.00 each. Page 5 Construction Department Open Permits and Final Inspections If you have an open permit with the Sandyston Township Construction Department, and all the work has been completed, you are required to call for the final inspection. We are required to perform all necessary inspections to ensure the work was done correctly and according to all current building, electric, plumbing and fire codes. PLEASE BE ADVISED: If you are in the process of selling your home, these open permits could delay your closing. John deJager, Construction Official, is in the office Monday evening 5:30 pm—7:00 pm, Tuesday afternoon 12:30 pm— 2 pm and Friday afternoon 12:30 pm—2:00 pm. Please call 973-948-3520 x 204 to assist you with the permit process and answer questions. Betsy Pinzone, Construction Secretary, is available at extension 201, Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm. New Rules Concerning Storage Tank Abandonment The Construction Department would like you to be aware of new rules concerning the abandonment or removal of underground storage tanks have changed. Homeowners are no longer permitted to abandon or remove these underground storage tanks. All work must be performed by a licensed contractor. Important Information Regarding Sheds · Sheds under 100 square feet do not require a building permit. · Sheds under 600 square feet (10 feet or less in height) and of light construction (frame) do require a building permit. Footings are optional, but shed must sit on bed of four inches of crushed stone. · Sheds over 600 square feet do require a building permit and must be anchored to the ground with footings that extend below the frost line. · Zoning permits are always required, no matter the size of the shed, as you are changing the footprint of your property. With Safety In Mind . . . . . . . Smoke Detectors Save Lives! Working smoke detectors can alert you to a fire in your home in time for you to escape, even if you are sleeping. Install smoke detectors on every level of your home, including the basement, and in every sleeping area. Test smoke detectors every month, following the manufacturer's directions, and replace batteries once a year, or whenever a detector "chirps" to signal low battery power. Never "borrow" a smoke detector's battery for another use - a disabled detector can't save your life! Most importantly, be sure to replace detectors that are more than 10 years old. Daylight Saving Time ends on November 6, 2011. This is a good time to put fresh batteries in your smoke detectors! Recreational Vehicles Prohibited on Municipal Property In recent months there have been reports of recreational vehicles traveling on municipal property. As the result of these reports, the township has notified the authorities and the area is being patrolled by township employees. We would like to take this opportunity to remind residents recreational vehicles are prohibited on municipal property. Please take the time to remind those living in your household of our request. Your anticipated cooperation is appreciated. Page 6 Recreation News William Farr, Sandyston Senior of the Year 2011 At Sandyston Day held Saturday, June 11, 2011, William “Buzz” Farr was awarded the Sandyston Township Senior Citizen of the Year 2011 award. Mr. Farr, a World War II veteran, has lived in Sandyston Township for over 60 years. Through the years, Mr. Farr has helped local families in need and donated his time to the local church building a handicapped ramp. During the Flood of 1955, Mr. Farr helped the rescue efforts of the State Police and the Sandyston Township Volunteer Fire Department. Mr. Farr has also been a mentor to many residents of Sandyston Township. Sadly, Mr. Farr passed away in September 2011. We offer our sincere condolences to his loved ones and cherish the memories of a wonderful man. Pictured: Deputy Mayor William Leppert, William Farr and Mayor George B. Harper, Jr. Sandyston Township Recreation is looking for volunteers to help with events! Do you have new ideas to share? Can you help coach or organize an event? Contact Shane White, President, 973-9488579. Meetings are the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 6:30 pm at the Municipal Building. We appreciate any time you have to donate to Sandyston Township Recreation! Recreation Contacts President Shane White 973-948-8579 Secretary Ann Voss 973-948-5966 Treasurer Kammy Hull 973-222-7722 Soccer Coordinator John Hickey 973-948-2219 Basketball Coordinator Glenn Conklin 973-362-0150 Softball Coordinator/Ski Info. Neil Trimper 973-948-0502 Miss Sandyston Coordinator Kelly Sullivan 973-222-8817 What is Municipal Alliance? Each year, New Jersey Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse awards a grant to the County of Sussex and this money is allocated to participating townships in Sussex County. The Sandyston Municipal Alliance Coalition consists of volunteers from Sandyston, Walpack and Montague Township. In 2011, the Board of Chosen Freeholders allocated $7,564 to the Sandyston/Walpack/Montague for the provision of substance abuse prevention services. Pamela Ryerson, Alliance Coordinator, takes this grant and works with Sandyston-Walpack School and Montague Township School providing assemblies geared toward alcohol and drug prevention, sponsors programs for “Red Ribbon Week”, provides funding for Cross Age Training with Kittatinny Regional High School and provides seminars for Seniors. In June, the Sandyston/Walpack/Montague Alliance provided a seminar on prescription drug care for the Sandyston and Montague Senior Citizens given by Center of Prevention and Counseling followed by a luncheon. Students from Montague Township School Bell Choir visited and provided a short concert. The students from Sandyston-Walpack School served lunch to the seniors. Thank you, Pam, for all your hard work on this program! Sandyston Seniors: Members Always Welcome Would you like to get out of the house and make new friends? Looking for something different to do? Sandyston Seniors meet the first Tuesday of every month at the Sandyston Township Municipal Building. You do not need to be a resident of Sandyston to be involved. Monthly meetings vary to include lectures on health, safety and finances and visits from Sussex County Public Health Nursing, etc. Every other meeting is a social meeting (pot luck, pizza lunches, barbeque lunch, luau, etc.) At the conclusion of each meeting, you are invited to stay for a few games of Bingo! If you are interested and have questions, please contact Carol LaFrada, President, 973-948-9200. Bring a friend! Congratulations, Sarah Brook Page 7 Miss Sandyston & Queen of the Fair At Sandyston Day held Saturday, June 11, 2011, Sarah Brook was crowned Miss Sandyston 2011. Ms. Brook is 18 years old and is the daughter of Diana Seville and George Brook and a sister to Jacob, Calvin and Ava Brook. Ms. Brook recently graduated from Kittatinny Regional High School where she maintained a 4.3 grade point average and was ranked 5th in her graduating class. While at Kittatinny, Ms. Brook was a member of the National Honors Society, Future Business Leaders of America, Student Council, Varsity Soccer, Varsity Basketball and Varsity Softball Teams., peer leadership – mentoring incoming 7th and 8th graders, Science and Math League, volunteered for Kittatinny Day for the Disabled, a member of Kittatinny’s Athletic Association and a tutor for Spanish. Ms. Brook donates her time to her community by volunteering to help coach elementary level soccer, basketball and softball teams as well as Kittatinny Sports Clinics, volunteering at SCARC Picnic, babysits regularly for a family with a child with Down’s Syndrome and Bridges Outreach. Ms. Brook is currently working at A & G Pizza in Newton. In her spare time, Ms. Brook enjoys sports and athletic activities, hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, kayaking and reading. Starting this fall, Ms. Brook now attends the University of Pittsburgh where she desires to study physical therapy. On Saturday, August 6, Ms. Brook competed with 20 other contestants for the Queen of the Fair title. For the second time in three years, the title was brought home to Sandyston as Ms. Brook was crowned Queen of the Fair! Our sincere congratulations to Ms. Brook and our best wishes on what we are sure will be an exciting year! Sandyston Township Royalty On Sandyston Day, our Little Miss and Mr. Sandyston Contest took place. Left: Miss Sandyston, Sarah Brook, with Little Mr. Sandyston, Al Davids. Middle: Little Miss Sandyston 2010, Katie Sikora, with 2011 Little Miss Sandyston, Mary Diaz. Congratulations! Miss Sandyston 2011, Sarah Brook, with Little Miss Sandyston, Mary Diaz. Page 8 Fire Department News Santa Claus Is Coming To Town The Sandyston Township Volunteer Fire Department has made special arrangements with Santa to ride in the fire truck through our town. Save the date: Saturday, December 3, 2011! Please keep your eye out for information on the township website and in the Sandyston -Walpack School newsletter for word on this event as we get closer to Santa’s arrival! We look forward to seeing you for photos and refreshments as Santa returns to the fire house. It is a pleasure year after year to see our friends and neighbors and celebrate the holiday season with the community & Santa! A Heartfelt Thank You! SANDYSTON TOWNSHIP VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT WELCOMES JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS The Sandyston Township Volunteer Fire Department has a program designed for the younger generation of our community to participate in volunteer fire fighting. Any young adult between the ages of 16-18 is able to join the fire department as a junior member. Under a department appointed advisor, junior fire fighters are provided with slightly used gear and are able to learn the ins and outs of firefighting. The junior member will also be asked to help with fire department events when available. If interested please see Chief Scott House any Tuesday night at the Sandyston Township Fire Department for an application or call 973-306-2285. Parental consent is required. Upon submission of application, there will be an interview and background check of potential volunteer. Youth is the future of our fire department! The Sandyston Township Volunteer Fire Department would like to thank the residents and local businesses for their continued support throughout the year. Through your donations, we are able to maintain our current equipment, purchase new equipment and continue to educate our members. We also continue to apply for available grants at every opportunity. It is a pleasure to serve Sandyston Township and be apart of such a caring and generous community. We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event ! In July 2011, the STVFD purchased a 2000 Ford Ambulance from Lafayette Rescue Squad for $5,000. The fire department volunteers converted this ambulance into a rescue truck. This rescue truck holds tools and extrication equipment (jaws of life) to aid the fire department while responding to motor vehicle accidents in Sandyston and Montague Township. On Saturday, October 1, 2011, the Sandyston Township Volunteer Fire Department participated with many other fire departments in the Sussex County Firemen’s Association Inspection Day and Parade held in Franklin, NJ. Franklin Fire Department hosted the event in celebration of their 100th anniversary. The members of the department worked very hard preparing their equipment for the parade and were rewarded with two trophies for their efforts: 1st Place Best Appearing Engine 17 years & Older and 1st Place Best Appearing Small Department. Page 9 Fall Fund-Raiser - Clothing Drive Sponsored by the SWPTO The Sandyston-Walpack School Parent Teacher Organization (SWPTO) will be sponsoring a clothing drive at Sandyston-Walpack School during the week of Wednesday, November 16 though Friday, November 18, 2011. ¨ Acceptable items are: Wearable clothing, shoes, belts, handbags, usable linens (towels, bedding, curtains, etc), hard toys (no larger than 24”x24”) and clean stuffed animals. Unfortunately, DVD’s, video’s or books cannot be accepted. ¨ The items collected will be sent to countries in Eastern Europe, as well as Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, Ecuador, Guinea and Chile, where they will be distributed to those in need. No usable items will be shredded or destroyed. ¨ Please place your donated items in garbage bags and drop them off at the school between Wednesday, November 16th through Friday, November 18, 2011. Any items brought Friday, November 18th, 2011 should be there by 3:00 pm. ¨ Clean out your closets and help the SWPTO! Your support is greatly appreciated! Make Sure Help Can Find YOU! BLUE RIDGE RESCUE SQUAD, INC. REFLECTIVE ADDRESS MARKER ORDER FORM IF WE CAN’T FIND YOU . . . WE CAN’T HELP YOU!!! Name: Address: City, State, Zip: Mail to: Blue Ridge Rescue Squad, Inc. PO Box 232 Branchville, NJ 07826 (973) 948-4828 Telephone: If you pick up your mail at a PO Box, you can place a post in your yard or by your driveway and put an address sign on it. Signs are pre-drilled and easy to install. Please fill in the boxes above with your address numbers. * Notes, if your address has three or four numbers, just fill in the appropriate number of spaces. · Sign Only—Post Mount $15 each · Signs are Blue with White Numbers—Vertical Only Page 10 Page 11 PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID SPARTA, NJ PERMIT NO. 41 Sandyston Township Municipal Building 133 Route 645 Sandyston, NJ 07826 973-948-3520 973-948-0783 Fax Sandyston Township Directory Department Employee Office Hours Extension/Contact Number Mayor George Harper By Appointment 973-948-5369 Deputy Mayor William Leppert By Appointment 973-948-2925 Committeeman Fred MacDonald By Appointment 973-948-4213 Municipal Clerk Amanda “Amy” Lobban, RMC Mon-Fri/9am-2pm 200 Deputy Clerk/Construction & Board of Health Secretary Elizabeth “Betsy” Pinzone Mon-Fri/8:30am-12pm 201 Tax Assessor Robert Pastor Tues/8am-10am 203 Tax Collector/CFO Jessica M. Caruso, CTC/CFO Tues/2pm-4pm 202 Thurs/8:30 am-11:30am Land Use Administrator Sharon Yarosz Mon/12 pm-7 pm 205 Construction Official John deJager Mon/5:30 pm-7 pm 204 Tues/12:30 pm-2 pm Fri/12:30 pm-2 pm Code Enforcement William Paterson 205 Recreation Shane White Meet 3rd Monday of Month 973-948-8579 Animal Control Officer William Kaufman Licensing/Lost Dogs 973-948-6384 Department of Public Works Alan Delea Contact Municipal Building 200 Township Historian Patte Haggerty Frato By Appointment 973-948-7443 or [email protected]