2013 municipal budget adopted unanimously
The 2013 municipal budget was adopted at the township committee meeting on July 10.
The budget passed unanimously with Mayor Jon Shevelew, committeeman Tim Gimbel and committeeman Ken Long all voting yes. Committee members Sean Gray and Martin Mozitis were not present.
The budget passed without any fanfare as only three residents attended the meeting, none of whom commented on the budget.
This year’s budget will result in an approximate $44 increase in taxes for the average homeowner.
In other news:
• Terms of the township’s settlement with Public Service Electric and Gas were released. The settlement includes $20,000 to replenish the landscaping that was removed. Also an agreement that a repeat of the “topping” PSE&G completed would not be done again and in the future be much less severe. A landscaper will be consulted in planning what will be done to repair the area of Packinah Trail. A check from PSE&G is expected in the next four to six weeks.
• The process to receive a $250,000 Burlington County parks grant is continuing to move forward. The township hopes to use the money for a number of projects, including a field house at Stony Creek, tennis courts, a bicycle trail and new light fixtures at the soccer complex.
• The township received a $205,000 NJDOT grant for the repair and resurfacing of Old Indian Mills Road. Initial bids for the project came in at just more than $59,000, so the remainder of the grant would be used for other road projects that are still to be determined.
• The committee authorized the sale of a 50-foot-wide, township-owned, “right of way” lot along Manitoba Trail to the residents who own the neighboring properties. Barring any issues with payment, the lot will be split between the two parties that live on either side.
• At the general election on Nov. 5, residents will have the opportunity to vote on the proposition to continue the annual levy for the township’s open space. Currently, Shamong has a dedicated open space tax of $.02 per $100 of assessed property value. The township first enacted the open space tax in 2005 and used the money to preserve and maintain land in Shamong.
• Shamong will continue its shared service agreement with Southampton Township for the municipal court.
• Because the township does not hold workshop meetings in July or August, the next committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 6.
