Well, it’s almost summer and we’re already feeling the heat. And so are our roadways. That means expansion of the road surfaces and larger cracks and potholes, but I promise you it will not last. The folks on Committee and at town hall have already passed resolutions authorizing bids for the reconstruction of a large portion of Forked Neck Road and micro surfacing of 8 development streets. We are very aware of these issues and have started to work on ways we can bring in revenue to Shamong to help in resurfacing our problem roadways. I have never been a fan of government raising taxes to care for infrastructure and want to explain how your committee is ensuring that tax increases are not the norm to fix the roads.
First off we will be conducting a shared service agreements. Sue Onorato has been busy this and last year crafting agreements with Southampton, Tabernacle, and others to share some of the expertise we are fortunate to employ. This allows us to reduce our employment costs, allows our agreement partner to reduce their costs and it allows the employee to earn more in their paycheck. To date the town has saved approximately $50,000 a year.
We will also be using a cell tower lease. The committee has awarded a bid to a tower company to site a wireless antenna tower within town that could bring in as much as $40,000 a year. The tower company is currently going through the process of getting Pinelands approvals and then bringing their plan before our Joint Land Use Board.
And lastly we will be exercising our commercial ratables. The Township is making efforts to attract and retain business to the municipality. While we are proud of our many local businesses, expanding that portion of our base can only benefit our residents. As part of that plan, the Township is considering potential redevelopment areas along the commercial areas of Route 206, Oak Shade Road and the Industrial Park. The redevelopment process is a public planning process including notice, professional planner review, and public hearings. The benefits of redevelopment include the potential for payments in lieu of taxes wherein the Township is able to locate or retain businesses where substantial new improvements are undertaken. The Township retains all of the payment in lieu and would set that income stream aside for the road program or similar capital improvements arising in the future. In this way, the redevelopment law is designed to provide a win-win for the municipality and the redeveloper. It is important to note that the Township is exploring only non-condemnation redevelopment, and under this methodology, if adopted the redevelopment zones would not include the potential for any “taking” of land by the Township now or in the future.
So, now you know what we have been up to this year in effort to stem any more tax increases. We are your neighbors and will fight to find other means to of revenue to ensure that Shamong stays safe and the place we have come to call home. Thank you for your time, as always.
Mayor Ken Long
