Busy Week!
- Kin Gee
- Feb 17, 2020
- 3 min read
Editorial note – Please share and cross post this to family, friends and neighbors. If you wish to receive this as an email directly, please send an email to betterholmdel@yahoo.com.]
Feb. 17, 2020 - This past week has been a busy week. In addition to the regularly scheduled Township Committee meeting on Tuesday night, there was a public hearing on NJ Natural Gas’s proposed regulator station on Thursday night and the dismissal of former Mayor Eric Hinds’ lawsuit against the Township on Friday afternoon.
Township Committee Meeting
At Tuesday night’s Holmdel’s Township Committee meeting, Township Administrator Cherron Roundtree presented the various options for a new centrally located firehouse. Applying certain requirements and criteria, there were three viable locations that were considered: 1. The existing building on Crawfords Corner Road that housed both a fire station and Holmdel First Aid, 2. A portion of the old F&F Nursery on Roberts Road, and 3. A parcel of land that is part of the Municipal Complex behind the US Post Office off the road to the PNC Art Center and the Academy Bus parking lot.
After the pros and cons were presented and discussions, including public comments, the Township Committee voted to approve due diligence and feasibility study by the Township Engineer for option 3. This location seems to be the best compromise and appears to have the support of the members of Fire Company #2 as well as the First Aid Squad. Under this option, the existing First Aid/fire station building at Crawfords Corner Road would also be renovated to accommodate the expansion needs of the First Aid Squad.
In a continuation to foster greater transparency and civic engagement, the Township Committee also approved ordinances establishing two residents’ advisory committees – Traffic and Bike Safety Committee and Finance Advisory Committee. Each committee will be comprised of six residents and one member of the Township Committee. Interested residents can find more information on Holmdel’s website and to apply online to serve on the committees.
NJ Natural Gas Regulator Station
About 150 residents attended the public hearing presided over by Administrative Law Judge Elia Pelios on Thursday night, Feb 13th, on the regulator station proposed by NJ Natural Gas. Residents were unanimously opposed to the proposal and spoke out against the project. More than 1,000 residents have signed a petition opposing the facility and this was presented to ALJ Pelios at the public hearing
You can still sign the online petition at: http://chng.it/4zVJw2NXyD
Written comments and statements may also be submitted until about April to Aida Camacho-Welch, Secretary, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, 44 South Clinton Ave, P.O. ox 350, Trenton, NJ 08625-0350.
See more about this public hearing on CHARGE’s website:
Lawsuit by Former Mayor Dismissed
After an investigation into the $58,000 unauthorized expenses by Township Engineer T&M Associates related to the artificial turf field at the Holmdel Swim Club, the Township Committee voted at a meeting on Oct. 22, 2019 to censure former Mayor Eric Hinds. Represented by Larry Luttrell, the local chair of the Holmdel Democratic Party who endorsed Hinds before the election, Hinds filed what the Township Committee called a frivolous lawsuit to “void” the censure in December 2019.
In the complaint filed, Luttrell argued on the basis about the procedures of the meeting related to the Open Public Meetings Act (e.g., the meeting wasn’t properly noticed and the agenda was not properly released 48-hours ahead of the meeting even though this was controlled by Hinds himself). On the afternoon of Friday, Feb. 14th, the case was dismissed by the judge with prejudice. This means that Hinds is barred from bringing an action on the same claim. See links to news article published by the StarLedger/NJ.com and the Asbury Park Press:
StarLedger: https://www.nj.com/monmouth/2020/02/judge-dismisses-ex-mayors-suit-over-2m-turf-field-scandal.html
Comments