The Zombie Property (aka "The Pit Stop"), Part II!

Hey Everyone!

On April 10, 2019 I started this blog with an article on the Pit Stop.  To refresh your memory, you may read the article again now.  I will wait...…...

Alrighty then... After 3 years of diligent work involving engineers, NJDEP staff, environmental consultants, grant applications, title searches, research, negotiations... you name it... it happened, we received a check in the amount of $239,524 from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Municipal Grant Program.  This grant money is purposed for us to continue with the environmental assessment of the property which includes the razing of the long vacant building (to study the ground soil underneath it).  We do have our environmental company on the ready, and we hope to have this work started in the next couple of months.  I will make sure to inform you all when the building is scheduled to come down.  Maybe a little party with some refreshments are in order as we watch?

To follow up on my April 10, 2019 article, the end-game for the Township is to get the property cleaned through grant funding, acquire title to the property after clearing title, and then create a passive park area for the community to enjoy and be proud of.  For far too long, this site (so prominently situated in our Town) has languished because of its complicated title history.  Millions of dollars of liens against it, and an owner that is a now defunct LLC with it's only member deceased.  To say this was quite a... errr.. "situation" is an understatement!

But I do want to publicly thank the governing body (Mayor and Council Members) who pushed for and supported the work that it took to make this happen.  I also want to publicly thank our Municipal Engineer James Parvesse and Brenda Kraemer (Engineer and Grant Wizard!) for their focused work to bring us to this point.  In addition, the staff at the NJ DEP have been excellent to work with.  They agreed with us very early on that this is exactly the type of project that the grant money is designed for...and they helped us greatly to make it happen.

The work, however, is nowhere near done.  We have much to do to get us to the end line!  There was a lot of work happening out of sight of the public...now you all get to see the work that will be done at the site as proof that progress is being made.  Stay tuned!

Appreciating the Firefighters that serve our community...

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it."  Nelson Mandela.

Yesterday, our community experienced a very involved fire at a home on Lanningan Drive.  Our career and volunteer firefighters responded to the call and came upon what most people would seem terrifying.  But these guys just geared up and did what they were trained to do.  I can't imagine what it is like to enter a building that is on fire, and I wanted to take this moment and express deep appreciation for the men and women who serve our community in this way.

We had a younger fireman experience entering a building with a fully involved fire for the first time.  I asked Jack Oakley, our Director of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, what it was like to do this...enter a building on fire...because I wanted to reach out to the fireman (a rookie no more) and to acknowledge his actions yesterday.  Jack described it to me as follows:

"Upon arriving at the scene, the adrenaline is pumping, you are gearing up and stretching the line (the hose) to the front door.  Crawling in the house...it's hot and smoky, and putting water on the fire produces steam which lends to zero visibility.  But once you are done, you are tired but you have a sense of accomplishment that you put out the fire and saved people or property."

(Jack didn't know I was posting this....so I hope it is ok)

This reminded me of one of my favorite Nelson Mandela quotes on courage that I started this post with.

I am told that the fire was put out swiftly limiting the property damage, and family pets were saved as well.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this all with you...and publicly acknowledge and thank our firefighters for their service to our community.  Well done!

The Municipalities File Their Motion to Intervene...(NJDEP v City of Trenton and TWW)

I wanted to take a moment to inform you that Lawrence, Hamilton, and Ewing have joined together to file a motion to intervene in the case captioned NJDEP v. City of Trenton and TWW which commenced last month.  The details of which I explained in a blog article dated, June 19, 2020.  

A "motion to intervene" is a legal process in which a party (or parties in our case) request to participate in a civil action that has been filed by one party (the "Plaintiff(s)") against another (the "Defendant(s)").  The "intervenors" must prove to the court that they have an interest in the case, and that any disposition of it (i.e., settlement or judgment) will impact them in some substantive way and, therefore, they should have the opportunity to protect their rights and participate in the case.  

There are, of course, other legal considerations for a Judge to consider before making a decision, but what I have described is the main element.  It is my opinion that the facts and circumstances involved clearly indicate that the Court should allow the Townships to intervene and participate in the matter.  But I am not the Judge, so we wait for a decision.  

I am providing you with a copy of the "letter brief" that the Townships submitted along with their motion to intervene.  A letter brief is a document submitted to the Court by a party that provides the legal and factual arguments to convince a judge to decide in that party's favor on whatever issue is being presented. In our case, the issue is whether to allow the Townships to be permitted to participate as a party in the civil action against the City of Trenton and TWW.  

The link to that document is here: https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:495868b6-a952-4473-9b07-4d1211e1bc54

The letter brief includes the following observation, "The right to clean water is a human and constitutional right.  This is not negotiable.  It is clear that Trenton and TWW have repeatedly and egregiously missed benchmarks in fulfilling their obligation to provide safe and clean drinking water for the customers of TWW, which include residents of Plaintiff-Intervener Municipalities." 

For those of you who want to review the pleadings (i.e. documents filed by a party in support of their motion), I am providing the following links:

The Motion to Intervene:  https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:d5d680de-2c99-4f1c-bbc8-71a7965eeb2f

The Certifications of Counsel in Support of Motion:  https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:d45a3103-90fd-404b-9534-281f6cab4726

Exhibits attached to Motion (including Complaint): https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:e48bedc7-b523-4d3d-9fe4-c6bc5ce9066e

If you want to know the specifics regarding what the Townships are demanding, you should review the complaint which is provided in the above link.  

I will keep you informed as we progress through this process.  As of today, August 13, 2020 is the date set by the court as the hearing date.  Stay tuned!

Wearing a Raiders face mask is just cool!

Hey Everyone! Pardon me while I do some journaling... 

So....if it isn't clear to you all now, it will never be. The world health pandemic known as Covid-19 or the Coronavirus is real. It is in our community, county, state, and country. Through yesterday, our Health Officer (Carol Chamberlain) reports that our community has had 442 cases with 73 deaths from the virus.

First, before you write a comment that most deaths are old people or people in assisted living facilities....please know I reject that completely and emphatically! I reject marginalizing or diminishing the loss of any of life because you think they are already old and have no value.  Of course, all lives should be valued and their deaths grieved.  And, months into this virus, it is clear from the data that it is taking its toll on people of all ages.  If you think you are so young that if you get the virus, you will be fine....that's a dangerous game of chance to play. 

Second, before you write a comment that wearing masks doesn't help or it violates some civil right you think you have.....please know I reject that as completely and emphatically as I reject the first comment. For some bizarre reason this public health crisis has become political in our country...and we are paying dearly for it. The U.S. compared to almost the entire world is failing miserably because so many citizens reject science and are comfortable risking the health and safety of our fellow residents, friends and family thinking they are making some "statement" of protest.  

Wearing a mask is critical to slowing the spread of the virus. This simple statement is supported by every credible, non-political, health professional with knowledge and experience on the matters of contagious diseases. Wearing a mask protects you and others. It is not 100% protection, but it does reduce the risk. It is not a civil rights issue, it is a civil responsibility issue. You should feel a sense of responsibility to protect yourself and others from spreading the virus...and it also respects the efforts of our healthcare workers and first responders by doing our part to give them the ability to handle the care of the many sick people they are responsible for.

Wearing a mask should be a symbol that you care about yourself and others. Unfortunately, this virus will be around for some time. We do not get to say we have had enough. We will have had enough when we develop a vaccine. Until then, we hunker down, understand our responsibilities, fight for as long as it takes, stop feeling sorry for ourselves because it is hard, remember the challenges and sacrifices prior generations have gone through and have made, and know we have the same strength and resilience as they had. And, most importantly, know that we will eliminate this virus from our lives at some point.

We are doing really well right now in NJ, but let’s not get complacent. Let’s continue to respect the virus and know we have to be smart in our actions. Wear a mask when you are out in public when you know you cannot control whether you come in close contact with others. May I suggest a Raiders mask?!!!!!

PS. Our municipal buildings remain closed to the public, but our municipal operations continue to run at full strength. Thank you to all that have been patient and understanding when coming to the municipal building to do business with one of our departments. Our box at the North Entrance remains active and effective, and our staff (wearing a mask) meet outdoors if the need for interaction arises. Where there is a will, there is a way during these trying times.  I am in no rush to re-open the buildings.  Restricting the buildings to municipal employees only protects our employees and the public, and has no negative impact on our ability to deliver the services expected by our residents, businesses and visitors.

 

PSS. We have re-opened the playground equipment at our local parks and posted signs regarding the risk of using it. The equipment will be cleaned weekly. Parents, please make good decisions for your children regarding the use of the equipment. Keeping a safe distance from others, and making sure your children know to keep their hands from their face while playing. And bring sanitizer to wash their hands before and after playing. We would provide the dispensers, but as a matter of routine, they are stolen immediately after being replaced.

We got this people! 👊👊✌️