The township committee authorized a shared service agreement with Tabernacle to obtain a grant from the state Department of Transportation.
Once grant approval is received, a paving project on Tuckerton Road is expected to begin. The portion under construction would be the section between Route 206 and Forked Neck Road.
Improving the township’s infrastructure was a theme of October’s committee meeting as the committee also held a discussion in regard to other road repairs the township could afford to do under this year’s budget. Township administrator Sue Onorato said that while they appreciate community concern and suggestions on what work should be done, Shamong would be basing its decisions on the analysis of the township engineer and the knowledge of the public works crew.
“They have the best day to day working knowledge of what is in most need of repair throughout the township,” Onorato said. “We will be using their recommendations when figuring out what projects need to be completed first.”
In other news:
• The township received a $126,000 grant under the Burlington County Municipal Park Development Assistance Program. Shamong had requested $250,000 but only three municipalities, Delanco, Mt. Holly and Tabernacle, received the full amount. The individual grants in this latest round ranged from $50,000 to the program’s maximum of $250,000, and all grants are designated for the development of new recreational facilities or improvements to local parks, fields and courts. The grant money will be used for improvements at the Dingletown and Saddlebrook recreation complexes.
“Our goal is to make it possible for towns to achieve their local recreational objectives during a time when they must address other priorities due to budgeting constraints,” freeholder director Joe Donnelly said in a statement. “This year’s grant program is another important step in achieving that goal.”
• Halloween trick or treating will take place on Thursday, Oct. 31. Onorato said the township is not enforcing a specific time for it to take place but suggested that homeowners stop handing out candy at 9 p.m. If certain residents do not want trick or treaters, they should keep their porch lights turned off. Onorato also said the township would send a release a few days prior to Halloween with safety tips for children and parents.
• The committee tabled a discussion on whether to support a DOT project to relegate Route 206 a no passing zone. Information from the DOT on the project was not provided to the committee in advance of the Oct. 1 meeting. The discussion will resume at future meetings once more information is provided.
• The committee has a workshop meeting scheduled for Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. The next township committee regular meeting will be held Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the municipal complex.
