Meet The Neighbors

What You Might Be Seeing These Days If Your Peer Over Your Neighbors Fence...

Pohatcong Land Use Board meetings are usually fairly stolid affairs replete with discussion of all

sorts of dry technical and legal minutiae that only the hardiest of observers can withstand on any
regular basis. However, even this dullest of forums can suddenly erupt into a carnival of joyous, 

raucous levity if suddenly one were to introduce the topic of chickens into the evenings discussion. Yes, apparently  chickens just have that type of affect on people.

 

On this particular night, appearing before the Board, were two, chicken loving, township
residents who had run afoul of their neighbors over the boarding of several chickens
on their property in lower Pohatcong. While the outcome of this particular dispute
did not ultimately hinge on the right of these chicken custodians to house their flock in a
lawful manner it was clear that a couple of issues did present themselves.  Firstly,
our board members, though they did struggle mightily, could not resolve as to whether
or not the presence of chickens was permissible according to current municipal code. 
This after all, was not a farm property, but it did exist in a rural context so all seemed
to agree that I should be allowed, which was a good and sensible consensus opinion.

At discussions end, it was determined that an ordinance should be developed by Pohatcong
Town Council to address any current shortcomings that might exist in it's current code to
prevent future confusion - especially in light of the burgeoning movement on the part of
the general public for backyard chickens.  Will feathered residents one day outnumber the
two-legged variety in our town?  It seems things are certainly trending that way.

 

 

 



Never Say Die: Ravine Road : The Resurrection

Ravine Road : Before Makeover

Ravine Road: Newly Resurrected

The fate of one of our favorite but perhaps somewhat unbeloved, obscure township roadways seemed sealed less than a year ago when our elected officials decided to close it down and abandon it forever.  After all, there are no township residences along this road and the mighty sum of 450,000 greenbacks had been floated as a reasonable cost to fix it in the way it takes governments to fix things. RIP forever.  Well almost.

In perhaps what may be a harbinger of how things will get done in the (hard) future that lies ahead, there were some folks in town who decided that what was needed here was a bypass operation spearheaded by a healthy injection of volunteerism.   Leaping into gear with his mighty earth moving/shaping equipment, resident Walter Van Lieu set about to set things right and after labouring at the task  for several days, mirabile visu, our plucky little road lives on!

2012 Pohatcong Election Result

  It's  Becker !       Becker:56%         Snyder:44%


 

Hurricane Sandy Cometh

Hurricane Sandy is being touted as a once in a lifetime mega-storm and it may well prove to be just that but for some local retailers, it must also seem like a once in a lifetime economic phenom as well.  At our local Greenwich Lowes this Sunday morning, people were lined up before opening in hopes of being one of the lucky ones to snag a new generator.  A store bound shipment of 240 generators was being anticipated and did in fact arrive during the night. The result : all 240 were immediately snatched up and gone in a blink of an eye.

Brother Can You Spare A Generator ?  Empty Shelves at Lowes

"Hi Honey...I'm here at Lowe's, We're in luck!...Got the generator! but wait...Arghhhhhh!!!....WTF?...No Gas Cans???

Not a Flashlight to Be Had Today

Going, Going,....Almost Gone:  Shop-Rite Bread Aisle

Catching Up With Town Council Candidate Frank Becker

Hard Drivin': Council Hopeful, Frank Becker

As I've noted before, Pohatcongers are becoming increasingly interested and involved with matters of local governance and blog posts on these topics tend to attract quite a bit of interest.  Along these lines, recent council elections have become more competitive and turnout has been increasing. There is a good chance that this years council election could see a real surge in voter participation.  One of the candidates running for the vacating council seat is Frank Becker, who has become somewhat of a regular at council meetings over the last couple of years.  Time for some Q&A with our candidate...
 

Pohatcong Blog :  Good morning Frank. One of the things I've remarked on in my past comments is that we have a contracting economy out there and that statistically, family incomes are in decline.  However, against this backdrop, we are still seeing municipalities in New Jersey, Pohatcong included, with annual budgets that are increasing and fueling a seemingly never ending tax spiral for local tax payers. I've noticed that this is an issue that very much concerns you and you have come up with some ideas that can potentially reverse this process . Care to expand?...

Frank Becker:  Property taxes in NJ are the highest in the nation and Pohatcong property taxes are among the highest in NJ.  I started attending township council meetings to find out why.  Amazingly, The township borrowed over $3 million - about $2,500 per household - to pay for an expansion of the municipal building.  Going forward I requested that the township get approval from residents and taxpayers before borrowing and spending on large projects.  Mayor Kern followed up on the idea and introduced an ordinance requiring voter approval through referendum before borrowing and spending more than $400,000.

Since running for council I have been knocking on doors and  introducing myself to residents.  People tell me that they can no longer afford the high taxes in Pohatcong.  As a councilman and former Chief Financial Officer of a business, I will continue to find ways to save taxpayer dollars. 

Pohatcong Blog: It doesn't surprise me that people are finding that Pohatcong has become an increasingly unaffordable place  to live and it is really sad that alongside our  sagging economy, many people are seeing the value of their homes getting crushed. Speaking of the economy, I have frequently felt that not enough has been done to develop and promote our local economy here in  Pohatcong.  We have some wonderful small business' here in town that are quite unique e.g. our vineyards.  What do you think could be done to change and improve that?
 

 
Frank Becker: We can do more to support our current local small businesses and to promote the start of new business.
Pohatcong Township has been very successful in promoting big box stores, fast food restaurants and gas stations along Route 22. These businesses often require more police protection and other township resources than can be supported by the taxes paid by the establishments. Yet there are other businesses which require little support and pay proportionately higher taxes. Warren Glen Market is the kind of small business that is an asset to the community and needs to be supported. The market is a very light user of township resources. Yet when the market wanted to put up a sign, the township placed roadblocks in the way. The township needs reasonable zoning rules which are applied consistently.
Whenever possible and competitive, local contractors should be used by the township. For example, a local architect wasn't even invited to bid on the municipal building expansion even though he lives on Municipal Drive. Now the expansion is not only extravagant at a cost of $3 million but it is also behind schedule. My wife, Trish and I moved here seven years ago, drawn to the historic and natural beauty of the township. When we added a carriage house to our home we used the skills of that local architect as well as a local surveyor and two local excavators. We also purchase our driveway stone from the local quarry. We value local businesses.
Our vineyards and our farms are integral to the rural atmosphere we all enjoy. Wherever and whenever possible we need to support our vintners and farmers. For example, if a vintner needs a new building, the township needs to expedite the approval process. The township also needs to support the farmers' right to farm.

Pohatcong Blog: As readers of this blog may have noted, one of my recurring themes has been on the need for local communities and especially individuals to develop strategies that can make them more self-reliant, i.e. resilient in the face of increasing global economic uncertainty.   As I peer down the road, there is nothing to dissuade me from my argument that harder times lie ahead, certainly not the deteriorating situation we have with global energy resources which feed our industrial economy in every way.  If you believe, as I do, that our world is about to get a whole lot smaller, then it all comes back to our local communities: our families, friends and neighbors helping each other-and less reliance upon government redistribution programs as the people's savior.  I have urged people to get involved with local government, insist on better information flow, support local food banks, do practical stuff like plant vegetable gardens instead of lawns, take some responsibility for their personal safety, etc.  If elected to town council would you support these type of activities / initiatives and do you see anyway that from your newly elected position that they can be enhanced and/or expanded upon?

Frank Becker:In general I believe in less government rather than more government.  I also believe in local control rather than state mandates.  The municipal building expansion is an example of abusive state mandates.  The state mandated a separate bathroom for the judge, a separate office for a part time prosecutor which is only occupied a few hours per week and a separate locker room for female police officers even though there are none on the force.

It has been proposed that Pohatcong contract with a single garbage collector and include the cost in our taxes.  I oppose this idea because it moves  control from the individual to the township and limits competition.

I also believe more in self reliance than government entitlements.  On a personal level, I volunteer my time and talent for the greater good and encourage others to do the same.  I feel better when I give willingly rather than having my income taxed and forcibly redistributed.  I am seeking a seat on Pohatcong Township Council because I have the time, talent and energy to serve my community.

Pohatcong Blog: Well thank-you Frank for taking the time out answer some questions and for your well-detailed responses. You have certainly run a very energized campaign for what I've heard and I wish you the best for Election Day on Tuesday, November 6th.

Random Notes: 9-23-12

It Is What It Is....Now Deal With It.

1. More Fast Food For You !
 Good news for our local LGBT community (but bad news for chickens):  They will no longer have to travel to distant out-of-state locations to stage their in-store kissing protests.  Scheduled to open sometime in February, at the site of the former Pizza Hut store near the Phillipsburg Mall, is a brand new Chick fil A restaurant.  Readers may recall that company CEO, Dan Cathy, has been embroiled in some controversy this year since his critics have charged him with being supportive of anti-gay groups and organizations.

 2. Municipal Election Shifts to November
As many are already aware, this year's municipal elections are moving to November largely due to the need to save some money by not having two elections every  year.  Up for grabs is one vacating council position, and it looks like this will be a two horse race between newcomer Frank Becker and incumbent, Kevin Snyder. Becker has already gained the endorsement of Mayor James Kern and has been making a name for himself, at council meetings, for his strong advocacy on behalf of a greater, more direct role for taxpayers- especially on matters that directly affect their economic well being.  His opponent, the phlegmatic  Kevin Synder, has had an uninspiring term as councilman and faces an uphill battle to retain his seat due to his lackluster performance.  Voter turn-out is anticipated to be larger than ever for our local candidates race thanks to the new November tie-in.

3. Road Woes
For those residents who live in close proximity to Still Valley and Warren Glen Roads, the early September closing of most of Municipal Drive, completes a perfect trifecta of  commuting inconvenience. Here's an update:

Ravine Road: Still closed.  A recent squabble has broken out between Greenwich Township (fix it and keep the road open) and Pohatcong Township ( we'd like to but don't have the spare 400K right now).  Don't look for a re-opening anytime soon.


Still Valley Road / Tunnel:  A new contrator, Works In Stone, has been hired to complete  masonry repairs to the interior of the tunnel.  Talk was of completion by this November.  We're keeping our fingers crossed on this one but wouldn't be surprised by yet more delays.


Municipal Drive:  Work is well under way.  See Below:

With Most of the Stone Retaining Wall Removed

View from Opposite Direction Alongside Pohatcong Creek