What's the Deal with Voting on Nov. 3rd?

Wow, I can't believe I haven't posted since July 4th! A lot has been going on since then which I'll fill everyone in on at a later time. But for now, people have been asking me, what's the deal with voting on election day? So let me try and explain as best I can. Keep in mind, this information is Middletown specific but for the most part it is similar throughout Monmouth County and the State.

So here's the deal that everyone must know and understand ... the polling locations will be open on Nov. 3rd and there will be 10 locations available in Middletown where residents can vote. There are 46 voting districts in Middletown, so each of the polling locations will hold multiple districts within. It should be noted however, that if anyone goes to a polling location to vote in-person they will be asked to fill out a paper provincial ballot, which will be counted after all other ballots are counted.

From what I understand there will be 1 voting machine per location (not district), which may or may not be the case. In order for someone to vote by machine, that person must be disabled and unable to psychically fill out a paper ballot. That person must also sign an affidavit claiming that they are in fact disabled. If it is found that they aren't disabled, they can be prosecuted for voter fraud.

Be aware that the mail-in ballots can be taken to the polling locations on Election day to be handed in. However, the person handing in their ballot will need to sign the "book" and show ID at that time. The ballot may then be treated as a provisional ballot and not be counted until all other votes are counted.

Locally, the best bet is to drop off ballots at a dropbox located at either Middletown Town Hall, Middletown's Croydon Hall, the Hazlet DMV location or any other location within Monmouth County.

If people prefer to mail their ballots via USPS the ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3rd and received no later than Nov.10th ... the sooner they are mailed the better.

There is also an option to vote in person anytime at the Monmouth County Board of Elections (and Clerks office, I think).

I hope that answers everyone's question.

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UPDATE 10/20:

There is still a little confusion regarding mail-in ballots that are delivered to the polls on Election Day. Those ballots will NOT be treated as provisional ballots and counted after all other ballots. They will however be the last mail-in ballots counted before provisional ballots are counted.

Before provisional ballots are counted the local Board of Elections must certify those that filled out provisional ballots on Election Day, did not also mail-in a ballot previously. Provisional ballots will be crosschecked with mail-in ballots to ensure that no one votes twice.... MM

October 2, 2017 Middletown Township Committee Meeting

Before it gets much later and the next Middletown Township Committee meeting comes and goes, I think I should post the Oct. 2nd meeting.

Here are the highlights:

Annual presentations were given by TOMSA, the Housing Authority and the Green Team. The Green Team presented methods in which the Township could realize energy savings by entering into various government programs designed to save energy.

Ordinances were introduced to repeal the snow shoveling registry and to amend planning and development regulations governing electronic signs and clarifying that microbreweries and micro distilleries are permitted use in certain zones, while establishing standards for them.

Discussion items on the agenda did not generate much discussion among the Committee members, but the Administrator mentioned that 2 bids were received for the microgram feasibility study, there is a need for the Township to apply to the Green Acres program to change the use of the school at Croydon Hall to a community center and that more security cameras need to be installed to combat vandalism at parks.

As always you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.

June 5, 2017 Middletown Township Committee Meeting

What a disgrace! Last night's meeting of the Middletown Township Committee seems to have set a new record for brevity. The meeting lasted less than 9 minutes. Total.

Very little information was available for the public and it seemed as if the members of the committee were just going through the motions, just waiting for the meeting to end. Here is a brief rundown of what transpired in approximately 8 minutes and 32 seconds :

• There is no Executive Session agenda or ordinances introduced for this meeting.
• There were a couple of resolutions to incorporate grant funds into the budget.
• A change order for the recently completed artificial turf field at Croydon Hall was adopted.
• The Township Social Services Dept. was consolidated into the County run system due to the retirement of the person that administered this department.
• Committeeman Fiore instructed the Administrator to draft an ordinance to reconfigure usage at the Croydon Hall artificial field.

As always, when available, you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.

BOE Workshop / Voting Meeting - August 24, 2016

It took me a few days to get through this video of August 24th, Middletown Board of Education (BOE) meeting. The video is a little more than 2 hours long and kept freezing up on me during playback.

The video is pretty standard stuff but an interesting discussion peaked my interest concerning shared services. It seems from the 25 minute conversation that took place between the 1:31 - 1:55 mark of the video, that information isn't being disseminated properly between board members.

Board members, Sue Griffin and Joan Minnuies questioned why they weren't informed about the Board being approached by the Township Committee about potentially leasing classroom space at Croydon Hall (presumably in the vacated building that was the temporary home of the all girls school Trinity Hall), for market value or near market value. Minnuies questioned why the Board would be interested in such a lease? She added that she hoped that if the Board was interested in such a lease, now or in the future, that the lease arrangement would be more favorable seeing how the Board of Education currently leases one of it's buildings, the old Lincroft Library, to the town for $1 a year.

Vinnie Brand, the Board Chairman of the Shared Services committee, with added input from Board President Jim Cody and School Superintendent Dr. George, insisted that there was nothing of significance to report to the rest of the board. The topic was brought up nonchalantly and in passing by Township Committeeman Tony Fiore ( I believe), a few weeks prior and was turned down due to the fact that the Board wasn't interested in leasing any space at Croydon Hall, now or in the future. The point and discussion therefore was moot.

The discussion then turned towards the potential of a new sports field at Thorne Middle School, where again, Joan Minnuies stated that she knew nothing about.

From what I gathered, the Board has ~ $60K leftover from the work done on the fields over at Nutswamp School and wants to use that money over at Thorne.  Apparently, during discussions with the Township Committee and Town Administrator Tony Mercantante, it was mentioned that the township had some fill material from some dredge project that the school district could have in order to raise the level of the fields, which would help offset the costs of the new field.

After going back and forth on the subject, which left me with more questions, it was decided that the Shared Services committee would do a better job of informing other board members of future discussions.

Here are my thoughts on the whole discussion.

As for the potential of the Township looking to lease available classroom/office space at Croydon Hall to someone is troublesome. The Croydon Hall complex is deemed as a Green Acres site and open space. The DEP was/is withholding nearly $1M of Green Acres funding from the Township due to issues surrounding the lease of one of the buildings to house Trinity Hall and other unrelated issues. The school district is wise to stay clear of that situation.

As for the field over at Thorne School, it's no secret that the BOE and Township Committee, has been hot and heavy to spend $800K - $1M on a new sports field for Thorne, even though the field abuts up to wetlands and is deemed environmentally sensitive by the DEP. Approval for permits on a such field improvements would cost thousands of dollars and take a few years to get, in which case, the $60K that the BOE has leftover from the Nutswamp project would be better spent elsewhere in my opinion.
 
 See what you think, watch the video and form your own opinion.

Anonymous Postcard Asks "Why is no one talking about the "Restructuring" at Poricy?"

"Mike, Why is no one talking about the "restructuring" at Poricy?", asked an anonymous postcard that I received in the mail recently. That's a good question that I don't have an answer to.


At one of the Township Committee meeting back in August it was mentioned that the Department of Recreation, which used to be housed at Croydon Hall before being moved out to make room for Trinity Hall School, was moving from the old Port Monmouth satellite branch of the Middletown Library on Main Street, to the Poricy Park Nature Center. A notice was posted to the Township website shortly there after, which I posted  HERE with a commented.

Since I last posted about it, I've heard that a few individuals were let go and a number of volunteers were told that their services were no longer needed.  I've also heard that a number of  activity fees were either imposed or raised substantially as a result and a part of the activity center was being remodeled to house the Dept. of Recreation.

I haven't been over to Poricy Park in a few years, since my son finished Cub Scouts. The grounds and Activity Center were nicely kept and the people there were always wonderful to the visitors. I would suspect that some of that "nicety" will be affected by the changes.

If anyone else has any further information that they would like to add, feel free to leave a comment, I'd be interested in hearing from you.

Middletown Department of Recreation Relocated To Poricy Park

The Middletown Recreation Department is moving once again. It was moved from the Croydon Hall complex a couple of years ago to make room for Trinity Hall all girls school. It was relocated to old Port Monmouth Library on Main St. after the satellite branch of closed.  It is now moving to Poricy Park. 

I wonder what will need to be relocated from Poricy Park to accommodate the arrival of the Recreation Department.

Here's the public notice that was posted Friday on the township's website:

The Recreation Department office has been relocated to the Poricy Park Nature Center.

Poricy Park is located 345 Oak Hill Road, Middletown – just west of Route 35 South. There are directional signs posted on Route 35 and at the Parkway exits. Please pardon our appearance while we finish settling in.

Also please note the street address for GPS navigation is 345 Oak Hill Road, Red Bank.

3-30-13 Middletown Township Committee Meeting - FY 2015 Budget Intro

Middletown Township introduced its FY-2015 budget Monday afternoon with a brief presentation by CFO Colleen Lapp. The Committee also adopted a resolution to amend the lease agreement with Trinity Hall at the Croydon Hall property.

I haven't had time to watch all of the video as of yet, I intend to do so shorty. I also intend to post the documents from the meeting as an update as soon as they are available.



Here is a link to Middletown's press release announcing the budget introduction




 UPDATE  ************

Here are the links to the proposed FY 2015 Municipal Budget, Solid Waste Budget and the revised Trinity Hall lease agreement documents present at last night's township meeting:

https://archive.org/details/151292015MunicipalBudgetIntroduced

https://archive.org/details/151302015SolidWasteBudgetIntroduced

https://archive.org/details/15131TrinityHallLeaseAmendment

Thoughts On Middletown Day 2014

My hat goes off to everyone who helped put Middletown Day together and volunteered their time, without them the day wouldn't have been as successful as it was. The event was well organized and you couldn't ask for a more beautiful day.

However, I was a little disappointed. In years past there seemed to be many more people in attendance then were there on Saturday. I can remember being on the grounds of Croydon Hall and not being able to walk around without bumping or nudging into people. And parking, I didn't have a problem finding a parking space near Croydon Hall, not once but twice. My wife and son volunteered for the day and I walked around the grounds for an hour afterwards before leaving and coming back a couple of hours later. In all I spent about 5 hours at Middletown Day and just couldn't get over how few (relatively speaking) people were there. I was also surprised to see how many marked vendor spaces were unoccupied. Why was that? I couldn't tell you but it was noticeable. I know it seems like I am being nit-picky but this is all just an observation on my part.

While walking around the grounds I stumbled upon the Middletown 350 birthday cake that was donated to Middletown by the "Cake Boss" himself Buddy Valastro of Carlo's Bake Shop. The cake was set up in the Croydon Hall field house behind the "White House". If you didn't know it was there you'd have missed. It wasn't well advertised.  The cake itself was nice, it was pretty big but I wasn't overly impressed with it. I think it was too "busy" and looked a little sloppy even though a lot of work went into making it. After the cake was cut, I did taste a small piece of it. It was good, the cake was firm but moist and the chocolate filling was decadent, but over all it was very sweet. You couldn't eat much if you wanted.

Front view of Middletown 350 birthday cake from Carlo's Bakeshop

Rear view of Middletown 350 birthday cake from Carlo's Bakeshop

As I said above, my hat goes off to everyone who helped put Middletown Day together and volunteered their time. They did a great job!  Below are just few random pictures from the day.

UPDATE:

I forgot to mention that I stayed to watch the Beatlemania concert and watch the fireworks display. The concert was very enjoyable, you can't go wrong listening to the Beatles. It doesn't matter if the band interpreting the group does a good job or bad job at performing the legendary songs (and the Beatlemania band that night was good), it's the songs that matter and will always be timeless.  The fireworks were also very nice, the display lasted 15-20 minutes with some spectacular mid-air kabooms. It's too bad though that more people didn't stick around to watch. I'd say by that by the time the concert and fireworks started there were less that 300 people there. MM 9/30/14

Free Rabies Clinic for Dogs ONLY Oct. 4

From Middletown Alerts:

The Middletown Township Health Dept. will hold a free rabies clinic for dogs ONLY on October 4, 2014 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at the Croydon Hall Gym, 900 Leonardville Rd., Leonardo, NJ 07737. Please be sure all dogs are either on a leash or in a pet carrier (one dog per carrier) and accompanied by an adult. Middletown Township residents may purchase a 2014 license at the clinic. The clinic is open to all Monmouth County residents. Call (732) 615-2097 or (732) 615-2094 for more information before clinic date.

Reminder Middletown Day Set for September 27

From Middletown Alerts:

Middletown Day returns to Croydon Hall on Saturday, September 27th from noon to 6:00pm followed by an anniversary concert and fireworks display.

Middletown Day 2014 is the pinnacle of a year-long celebration of the township’s founding 350 years ago. The fall festival will feature an anniversary cake created by the legendary Cake Boss Buddy Valastro, the Business and Community Showcase, live demonstrations, and an expanded food court. The Beatlemania Stage Show will begin at 6:00pm. A fireworks display follows 7:30pm to mark the close of the Middletown 350 celebration.

The Business and Community Showcase features local businesses, community associations and school groups that support Middletown. It’s a great opportunity to learn about the many businesses spread across the township’s 42 square miles and meet the volunteers that work so hard to make Middletown a great place to call home.

The day will also include family favorites such as bouncy houses and carnival games, children's activities, a craft fair, hayrides, live local music, a petting zoo, pony rides, Touch-A-Truck exhibits, and a tag sale.

Middletown Day has opportunities for family learning as well. Learn about nature and colonial times at the Poricy Park Conservancy exhibit; storm water pollution at the Clean Communities display; emergency preparedness at the Emergency Management tent; and fire safety in the Fire Department’s smoke house.

Middletown Day activities and exhibits will close at 6pm. The best place to view the concert and fireworks will be on the football field. A beach chair or blanket is recommended.

Middletown Day, which is sponsored by local business, community groups and individuals, will be held rain or shine. Free shopping bags will be given to the first 1,000 attendees.

Visitors should park at Bayview Elementary School or Kunkel Park and ride the free shuttle to and from the Middletown Day grounds. Continuous round trip shuttle services will be provided every 5 to 10 minutes. Parking very limited at Croydon Hall.

Visit www.middletownday.org for more details and a schedule of events.

Middletown Day Coming September 27th Sponsors, Volunteers Needed

From Middletown Alerts:

This year Middletown Day returns to the Great Lawn at Croydon Hall on Saturday, September 27 to mark the end of a year-long celebration of the township’s founding 350 years ago The fall festival will be held from noon to 6pm, followed by an anniversary concert and fireworks. The festival will feature a Middletown 350 anniversary cake created by the legendary Cake Boss Buddy Valastro, the Business and Community Showcase, bouncy houses, a food court and more. An outdoor concert begins at 6pm followed by fireworks at dark.

Sponsors are needed to help celebrate all that makes Middletown special. Sponsorships begin at $100. The benefits of sponsorship increase with the sponsorship. They include a place in the Business and Community Showcase, recognition in promotional materials and more. Donations are tax-deductible. Call the Recreation Department at 732-615-2260 or visit middletownday.org for more information.

Volunteers are also needed at Middletown Day. Civic, fraternal, community and school groups are welcome and encouraged to participate. Youth volunteers must be in the 7th grade or higher. Letters documenting community service are provided. Send an email to mtownvolunteer@middletownnj.org with volunteer’s name, phone number and email address. Please include grade level if volunteer is a youth. Call 732-615-2260 for details.

Middletown Rabies Alert #7

From Middletown Alerts:

The Middletown Township Health Department has received confirmation of a seventh animal testing positive for Rabies.

The Animal Control Division responded to calls regarding a fox that appeared ill walking around the Croydon Hall Complex located at 900 Leonardville Road, Leonardo. Animal Control tracked down the animal and confirmed that the fox was presenting symptoms of disorientation, wobbly gait, aggressiveness and not being afraid of humans. The fox was captured by Animal Control and sent for testing. The New Jersey Public Health Laboratory has found that the fox was Rabid.

Over the past 2 months, the township Health Department has found and reported 6 raccoons that tested positive for Rabies, but this is the first in a fox. The previous locations of the raccoons were:

• Route 35 between Kanes Lane and Kings Highway East
• Red Hill Road between Dwight Road and Deepdale Drive
• Michael Drive off of Nutswamp Rd
• Ueland Road off of Nutswamp Road
• Essex Street off of Bray Ave
• Clay Court off of Hartshorne Road

The township would like to alert residents about the dangers of interacting with any wildlife. Rabies can be found in many animals. The Health Department would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to keep their distance from all wildlife, ill appearing or not, and to also keep an eye on pets around these animals. Do not let dogs or cats run free where they may become in contact with wildlife. All dogs and cats must be licensed in Middletown, which requires that they all have current rabies vaccinations.

If you come across a sick or injured animal, keep your distance and please contact Animal Control at 732-615-2097 immediately or contact the Police Department after hours and on weekends. Remember, Rabies is a fatal disease. The best course of defense is the vaccination of your pets and not handling or interacting with wildlife.

Middletown Day Volunteers Needed

From Middletown Alerts:

Middletown Day will be held on Saturday, September 28 from noon to 6 at Croydon Hall rain or shine. It takes many volunteers to make the day a success. Individuals as well as civic, fraternal, community, and school organizations are welcome and encouraged to participate. Certificates documenting community service hours are issued. Please send an email to mtownvolunteer@middletownnj.org if you or your group can lend a hand.

For those interested in the fate of the Lincroft Library building.....

At tonight's Special Meeting of the Board of Education taking place at 6:30pm at the August T. Miner (Board of Ed) Administrative building on Leonardville Road, the board plans to enter into a five year lease agreement with the township for use of the Lincroft Library building for administrative offices, leasing the building for just $1 per year to the township.

In reading the lease, it is not clear what administrative offices would be housed in the building, and whether Crossroads drug rehab counseling center is outside of the allowed use, seeing how Crossroads is in the process of vacating Croydon Hall to move there.  Furthermore, the Lincroft community was not given the opportunity to collaborate with the Board of Education on the use of the building, as Dr. George had promised would happen. Members of the community felt strongly that if they were going to lose the library then they would want the future use to be in line with what was lost, i.e., for the building to have an educational use that benefits the children. While the Board of Education may not have an educational purpose for this building now, they may have one later. A shorter term lease should be given and then the use of the property could  re-assessed in a new budget year.

It would seem that the residents and students of Lincroft all lose out on this deal. Educational enrichment, clubs, community center, etc..... are all possibilities that could be of benefit to students and the community. How does leasing the building for the township's administrative offices benefit any students other than those who will be attending the all girl "Catholic" school, Trinity Hall?  Did they even think in a progressive way at all or reach out to non-profits, Brookdale, or other educational entities to see if there would be a better fit for the building or community? Apparently not.

You would think that after constantly being reminded by the Township Committee that 62% of all taxes collected in Middletown goes to the Board of Education and that is why our taxes are sooo high, the Board of Eduction would want to off set those taxes in someway by leasing the building to someone that would pay more than $1 per year. Again, apparently not.

The agenda and property agreement to lease the Lincroft Library to the Township can be found  - HERE

(Thanks to M.E.  for the heads up)

Taking Crossroads to Lincroft

Last week I posted how Trinity Hall, the all girls "catholic" school, demanded that Middletown remove Crossroads, the Middletown substance abuse service from its long time home at Croydon Hall by June 30th as part of Trinity's $285K lease agreement.

Crossroads at Croydon Hall

At the time of the posting it wasn't clear where within the township Crossroads could relocate to. It had been rumored that the program would be moved to the old Bayshore Branch of the Middletown Library located in Port Monmouth, since it was township property and Middletown was relocating the Recreation Department and a couple of other services that were housed at Croydon Hall there. That idea was scrapped however when it was learned that the building has structural issues and is too small to provided private counseling areas for the individuals and families that use Crossroads services. So, where will Crossroads be relocated to? It seems that the Township has approached the Middletown Board of Education (BOE) and has requested that Crossroads be relocated to the former Lincroft Branch of the Middletown Library. The BOE owns this build and it has sat empty since the library closed back in April when the Middletown Library Board of Trustees decided to close its satellite branches due to budget constraints . The BOE has pledged to lease the building to the township for just $1.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm happy to hear that the township has found a new home for Crossroads and the substance abuse services that it provides, but there are a few issues with moving Crossroads that can affect its moving to Lincroft:


1st off, the building in general, needs a lot of work - work that the libray was gearing up to fix before Tony  Fiore and his cronies put their fingers into the til and swipped the library's surpluses.

2nd, the interior of the building needs to be remodeld to provide private office space for counselors and other social service workers.

3rd, I'm told that the service contracts of the various counselors are very specific due to state and federal grant money need to fund Crossroads. The counselors can not just move to a new location. The new location needs to be approved by the state before a move could be possible and the counselor's service agreements/contracts need to be amended and approved before they can counsel individuals or families. And what happens with those individuals who are currently performing community service at  as a result of drug and alcohol legal offenses, who are currently working at Croydon Hall, helping out at the Senior Center? You just can't change the terms of their court ordered community service

Lincroft Library

4th, the building is located directly across from the Lincroft Elementary School. If Trinity doesn't want Crossroads at Croydon Hall how will Lincroft parents feel when they find out that Crossroads and those it services will be directly across the street from where their kids are going to school? I doubt they'll like it very much.

So the questions I have in my mind are as follows:

Who's paying for the building upgrades? The BOE, the Township or Crossroads? What are the legal ramifications of moving Crossroads from Croydon Hall?  How will the BOE react if/when school parents start bitching about Crossroads moving in across the street? And what's up with the integrity of School Superintendent  Dr. George? He personally assured a number of Library supporters that before anything is done with the Lincroft building the BOE would hold discussions with library advocates and school groups to determine the best possible use of the facility before any decisions about the build were made. Obviously that hasn't happened.

Middletown needs Crossroads and the substance abuse services that the program provides, it should not be moved. It needs to stay where it is. If /when it does move, it has to be done in timely fashion, it can't be rushed to meet Trinity's unrealistic June 30th time frame.

At a Crossroads; Middletown Substance Abuse Services told to hit the road

Anyone who thinks Middletown doesn’t have a widespread drug problem either has their head in the sand, waiting for the train to pass, are ignorant, uninformed or in total denial. All they need to do is read the weekly Middletown Police reports that I post here to know that there is a big, big problem. Every week the report is filled with the names of Middletown residents that have been arrested on various drug possession charges. If reading the police reports aren’t enough to convince you that there is a problem than take a look at the Methadone clinic on the corner of Apple Tree Farm Rd and Hwy 35 – if there isn’t a problem, why is it there? - Or talk to any Middletown high school student that you know and ask them if there is a problem, if they’re honest you’d be astonished. My son and a few of his friends have told me in the past that the hallways of his school are full of all kinds of drugs that can be easily scored at anytime. There are kids that sell drugs out of their lockers between periods and after school.

As a parent of a teenager, I’m concerned when I hear that drugs are as prevalent as they seem to be. It’s easy to dismiss what a handful of teenagers say and chalk it up as teenage angst or hyperbole, knowing what it was like when I was 17 years old and in high school. We all knew who the druggies were and where to get a couple of joints if that was what you were into, but today it’s different, we’re not talking about marijuana anymore, we’re talking heavy duty drugs like Heroine, methamphetamines and prescription drugs such as Oxycodine and Xanax. It’s scary how easy it is for kids to get a hold of this stuff and get hooked. That’s why it concerns me when I hear that Crossroads, the township sponsored substance abuse counseling center located at Middletown’s Croydon Hall complex, has been told that it must ” hit the road” to make room for the new, all girls “catholic school”, Trinity Hall.


Back in January, the Middletown Township Committee passed ORDINANCE # 2013-3076, leasing the former Parks & Recreation Administration Building on the Croydon Hall property, to Trinity Hall. Trinity Hall describes itself as an “independent all-girls high school in Monmouth County……. (Whose) mission purposely honors the values of Roman Catholicism – an objective valued by the school’s founders from the start.” The township ordinance refers to this temporary lease as “expanding educational opportunities in the community while also providing much needed funding for open space and recreational purposes, and resulting in certain capital improvements being made to the building.”, which is all well and good however, the Trinity Hall administrators have expressed concerns regarding the many individuals (both young and old) and families who utilize the services within Crossroads - Crossroads was opened in 1998 and is a short-term, outpatient treatment center which offers services at no charge to Middletown residents. It is a New Jersey State Licensed facility that provides education, consultation, assessment, treatment and referral assistance to all who need it. Crossroads provides several types of counseling services which includes individual adolescent and adult counseling, family counseling, and group counseling. Crossroads is also home to the Middletown Municipal Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse.

Trinity Hall administrators don’t want any part of Crossroads or the many individuals that they provide services to at Croydon Hall, mingling among their student population and have told the township as much. Back in March, on the day before a parent meeting held in the Croydon Hall Gymnasium, Trinity Hall administrators had the township remove two identifying signs from the complex; One was removed from the main office building (the White House) and another from the entry sign leading into the Croydon Hall grounds so as not to raise concerns from the parents of potential students.

More recently, in order to accommodate Trinity Hall‘s administrators, staff, parents, and students and save the $285K the township will receive in lease payments along with a promise to upgrade the former Parks & Recreation building that will be used for the school over the next year and which is not currently necessary for any public purpose, township administrators have told Crossroads it must relocated to a new, as of yet, unnamed mystery location somewhere within Middletown.

Drug and alcohol abuse does not differentiate based on color, religion, political affiliation, social status, sex, age or for any reason, moving Crossroads - a program that has helped so many, is wrong.

This action by Middletown administrators demonstrate that for a few shekels of silver, the needs of many citizens of the township doesn’t matter when compared to the special interests and demands of Trinity Hall and the 30 or so soon to be enrolled students, few of which will be Middletown residents themselves.

Croydon Hall Relief Center Operations Winding Down

The Croydon Relief Center, which was opened in the wake of Superstorm Sandy last year to provide emergency assistance to storm victims, will close April 1.

Middletown’s Volunteer Corps, which manages the center, has teamed up with Project Paul to ensure that residents can continue to access direct assistance such as food and clothes. The Croydon Hall Relief Center will remain open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 am to 2pm through end of March.

Remaining supplies housed at the Croydon Hall gym will be given to Project Paul as of April 1. Project Paul, located at 211 Carr Avenue in Keansburg, has been providing food, clothing and assistance with living expenses to the needy since 1980. Project Paul, a non-profit organization, offers the largest independent food pantry in Monmouth County, a thrift and furniture store, beds and mattresses to qualified residents, free income tax preparation and educational assistance.

In addition, the township is planning a Superstorm Sandy Resource Fair. Expected participants include representatives from FEMA, the state, non-profits, relief organizations and banking and insurance assistance. Event details will soon be posted to the township’s web page.

After hundreds of residents came forward to help their neighbors after Superstorm Sandy, the Township Committee officially established the Middletown Volunteer Corps in 2012 to manage the township’s wealth of kind-hearted volunteers, explained Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger.

“The Volunteer Corps is doing an outstanding job managing volunteer services during the recovery phase of Superstorm Sandy,” said Mayor Scharfenberger. “I’m looking forward to reviewing their suggestions regarding the permanent structure and mission of the Volunteer Corps as well as strategies for recruitment and retention of volunteers who will help in future emergencies and with community activities such as Middletown Day.”

Call 732-787-4887 for more information on Project Paul. Additional food pantries in the area include the Matawan United Methodist Pantry, Holy Family and St John’s Pantry in Hazlet, Keyport Ministerium, Calico Cat in Middletown, Middletown Assembly of God, and St. Anthony’s Food Pantry in Red Bank.

Mtown Newsflash 2-1-13

Seasonal Job Opportunities
Applications Accepted Beginning Saturday, Feb 2
Looking for a fun job this summer? Come work for Middletown Township! The Recreation Department Recreation is looking for enthusiastic and motivated candidates for our Summer Recreation Program. Lifeguarding positions are also available for our beaches – applicants must be a certified lifeguard from an accredited agency. The Public Works Department is seeking candidates to work in Maintenance – Parks, Roads, Buildings and Automotive.

Applications will be accepted beginning Saturday, February 2 from 10 am to 12 pm at the Croydon Hall Senior Center, 900 Leonardville Rd. After that day, return recreation applications to the Recreation Office, 900 Leoanardville Rd, Leonardo and maintenance applications to Public Works, 52 Kanes Lane, Middletown. Download applications from www.middletownnj.org. Go to Forms and Resources then Parks and Recreation to access application.


High School Scholarship Contest
High school juniors and seniors who live in Middletown are invited to submit essays about their local government for a chance to win a $1,000 scholarship in the 2013 Louis Bay 2nd Future Municipal Leaders Scholarship Competition.

The scholarship is offered through a joint venture between local mayors and the New Jersey League of Municipalities. The contest is open to any high school junior or senior who lives in Middletown. Each student must write an approximately 500-word essay on the theme, “What My Mayor and Governing Body Do Best,” to be included in the contest. The theme is chosen by the state League of Municipalities, said Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger.

All essays must be received by March 8, 2013. Read more

2013 Scholarship Application


New Hours
FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC)
Saturday hours for New Jersey disaster recovery centers will change to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 2. Monday through Friday the hours will remain 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Location: Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center|, 945 Highway 36, Leonardo, NJ 07737

New Hours
Croydon Hall Relief Center
Wednesday and Saturdays Only 10am to 2:00 pm
900 Leonardville Road, Leonardo NJ 07737
Clean-up supplies, non-perishable food items, clothing & personal essentials
Keep Updated: www.facebook.com/croydonhallreliefcenter
VOLUNTEER: please click here http://vols.pt/hEK3M7 and sign up for a shift


2013 Ski/Snowboard Trip Registration Open!
Like to Ski? Interested in learning how to Snowboard? Join the Middletown Recreation Department on a trip to Camelback Mountain Resort (Tannersville, PA) on February 9th or February 23rd. Trips are open to all Middletown residents. Children under 13 years of age must have a parent/guardian present. Registration is ongoing until all slots are filled. If needed, a waiting list will be generated. Registration can be done via mail or in person at the Croydon Hall Administrative Office, Mon-Fri 9am-3pm. Visit www.middletownnj.org, go Recreation, then special events to download registration form.



Help Wanted: Part-Time Recreation Aide
Middletown Township is seeking part-time recreation aides for Tonya Keller Community Center to assist with recreation activities and preschool program. Must 18 or older, have a background in recreation and/or education, basic office skills, and be able work flexible hours including weekends. HS diploma req. Apply at Recreation Dept, 900 Leonardville Road, Leonardo 07737.


Sandy Recovery

Sandy Recovery Information Tips and FAQs
Americorps:www.facebook.com/AmericorpsReliefMonmouthCounty
Middletown Disaster Relief Fund www.middletownrelief.com
FEMA Assistance, SBA Assistance - REGISTRATION EXTENDED TO MARCH 1, 2013 www.disasterassistance.gov/ Find assistance, request assistance and track applications

SAVE THE DATE
Feb 2 – Season Job Applications Accepted – Senior Center, 10 am to 2pm
Feb 2 – Duprees and Planotones @ the MAC
Feb 9 - Ski/Snowboard Trip
Feb 14 – Tea & Chocolate Tasting – Library, 7pm
Feb 23 - Ski/Snowboard Trip
Feb 23 – Poricy Park Summer Camp Open House – 2-4p
March 1 - FEMA Registration Deadline
March 3 – MAC Open House 1-4pm
March 23 – Eggstravaganza
Oct 25 - Halloween Hullabaloo
1st & 3rd Saturday Monthly – Mayor’s Office Hours – 10 am to noon, Town Hall.

Mtown News Flash 1-18-13

2013 Mayor's Open Office Hours Begin Jan. 19
Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger generally holds open office hours the first and third Saturday of each month from 10 am to noon at Town Hall, 1 Kings Highway. Visitors are seen on a first-come basis. Residents can also contact the Mayor's Office at 732-615-2024 during regular business hours or through the township’s website at www.middletownnj.org

As part of Middletown’s annual Organization Day, Committeeman Gerard P. Scharfenberger was selected to serve as Mayor and Committeewoman Stephanie C. Murray as Deputy Mayor for 2013. Read more


Free Seminar: Sandy’s Impact on Your Federal Taxes – Jan 21st
H&R Block will be conducting an informational seminar on Super Storm Sandy and its impact on your federal taxes on Monday, January 21st from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at Middletown Arts Center on Church Street next to the Middletown Train Station. The seminar is open to the public and free of charge.

Sandy Recovery
Croydon Hall Relief Center Hours
The main distribution center for the town at the Croydon Hall Gym. Croydon Hall Relief Center (900 Leonardville Road in Middletown) is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am-2pm. Clean-up supplies, non-perishable food items, clothing and personal essentials are being distributed to residents as they recover from Superstorm Sandy. The Center is closed January 21 in observance of Martin Luther King’s Birthday

Like Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/croydonhallreliefcenter

Americorps Is Here to Help
www.facebook.com/AmericorpsReliefMonmouthCounty

Americorps is now stationed at the Croydon Hall Relief Center. If you need assistance with storm clean up, they are available to help. They offer free labor and clean up assistance, gut outs and other tasks related to storm damage. They have individuals who are trained in mold removal, sheetrock installation and spackling. Please contact Americorp directly at 609.508.2500, americorpsmonmothcounty@gmail.com or visit them at Croydon Hall.

Middletown Disaster Relief Fund
The Mayor and Township Committee has established the Middletown Disaster Relief fund to directly assist the hardest hit residents of our Bayshore. Please visit the website for information on how to apply and donate www.middletownrelief.com.


Seasonal Job Opportunities
Applications Accepted Beginning Feb 2
Looking for a fun job this summer? Come work for Middletown Township! The Recreation Department Recreation is looking for enthusiastic and motivated candidates for our Summer Recreation Program. Lifeguarding positions are also available for our beaches – applicants must be a certified lifeguard from an accredited agency. The Public Works Department is seeking candidates to work in Maintenance – Parks, Roads, Buildings and Automotive.

Applications will be accepted beginning Saturday, February 2 from 10 am to 12 pm at the Croydon Hall Senior Center, 900 Leonardville Rd. After that day, return recreation applications to the Recreation Office, 900 Leoanardville Rd, Leonardo and maintenance applications to Public Works, 52 Kanes Lane, Middletown. Download applications from www.middletownnj.org. Go to Forms and Resources then Parks and Recreation to access application


2013 Ski/Snowboard Trips Now Open!
Like to Ski? Interested in learning how to Snowboard? Join the Middletown Township Department of Recreation on a trip to Camelback Mountain Resort (Tannersville, PA).

Trips are open to all Middletown residents, any age! Children under 13 years of age must have a parent/guardian present. Parent/Guardian not required to ski. Helmets are required for anyone under 18 years of age. If you do not own one, you must rent one.

All trips leave from the Town Hall parking lot (1 Kings Highway, Middletown) at 6:00am SHARP. The lifts open at 8:30am. All participants are REQUIRED to check in with a Recreation Department staff member in the CBK Lodge between 12:00pm – 1:00pm. All participants are required to be on the bus ready to leave at 4:00pm SHARP. The expected return time is 6:30pm. Any participant failing to follow these procedures will not be permitted on future trips with the Department of Recreation.

Registration has begun and will be on going until filled. All trips are first come, first served. Sign up for one or both trips. If needed, a waiting list will be generated. Registration can be done via mail or in person at the Croydon Hall Administrative Office, Mon-Fri 9am-3pm. Visit www.middletownnj.org, go Recreation, then special events to download registration form.


Bray Avenue Bridge in Port Monmouth Closed
Monmouth County’s bridge on Bray Avenue over Pews Creek Port Monmouth is closed in the interest of public safety. While only the bridge is closed, traffic between Main Street and Thompson Avenue is being detoured. Bray Avenue will be open to local traffic only. The bridge is closed to vehicle traffic until further notice. Pedestrian access will continue. Detour signs have been posted. Prior to the closure, Monmouth County had been in the process of preparing plans and specification for the replacement of the 60-year old bridge. Read more


Seeking Employers for Youth Job Fair
Middletown's 22nd annual Youth Job Fair will be held Wednesday, April 10th from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at High School North, located at 33 Tindall Road. The event. which is organized by Middletown Community Affairs Council, will bring together Middletown youth and employers to explore the possibility of full-time and part time job placement at no cost to the student or employers. Employers interested in participating can contact Mitch Gotesky at 732- 915-2445 or John Giordano at 732-996-7495.


Sandy Recovery Information Tips and FAQs

FEMA Advisory Base Flood Elevations
Superstorm Sandy Information

FEMA Assistance - Register By January 30, 2013
www.disasterassistance.gov/
Find assistance, request assistance and track applications
Survivors of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey have until January 30, 2013 to register for disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Association.

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC)
Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center
945 Highway 36, Leonardo, NJ 07737


RESOLVE TO EXPLORE THE ARTS IN THE NEW YEAR AT THE MAC
Class registration for Winter through Spring 2013 is now open at the Middletown Arts Center (MAC), located on 36 Church Street in Middletown, NJ. The institution is encouraging adults and children of all ages and abilities to make 2013 the year to explore the arts. This past fall left many families with little or no time to spend together, but the Middletown Arts Center invites the public to visit its 23,000 square-foot arts facility for some much needed rest, relaxation and entertainment.

The Middletown Arts Center’s arts programming allows members and non-members to discover their inner artist, musician or dancer and also offers children unique activities to explore their imagination and express themselves. The classes offered for children include Doodle Dude’s cartooning and animation, musical theatre fun, puppetry, fashion design, guitar, dance classes for boys and girls, kiddie rock concerts and music lessons with Miss Sherri and much more. There are also exercise classes available for adults looking to carve out some time to de-stress in the New Year. Classes include Tai Chi, Zumba, Yoga, Hula Hooping, authentic Argentine tango, Irish-step, tap and ballroom dance.

For individuals and families in need of financial assistance due to Sandy, please contact Maggie O’Brien, the Middletown Art Center’s Executive Director, at 732-706-4100 and she will discuss opportunities for discounted programming. MAC members also receive discounts on classes and camps throughout the year.

Join the Middletown Arts Center Team The Middletown Arts Center is currently looking for artists and educators to join its team. Individuals who are interested can contact Maggie O’Brien at 732-706-4100. The MAC is currently looking to expand its programing by offering classes in adult crafts such as jewelry, beading, fiber and photography, as well as children’s classes in film making, animation, advanced art, drawing and arts and crafts.

Visit www.middletownarts.org for more information. The MAC can also be found on Facebook at Middletown Arts Center and Twitter @MiddletownArts.


Save the Date
Jan 30 - FEMA Registration Deadline
Feb 2 – Season Job Applications Accepted
Feb 9 - Ski/Snowboard Trip
Feb 23 - Ski/Snowboard Trip
Feb 23 – Poricy Park Summer Camp Open House – 2-4p
March 23 – Eggstravaganza
Oct 25 - Halloween Hullabaloo
1st & 3rd Saturday Monthly – Mayor’s Office Hours – 10 am to noon, Town Hall.

12-3-12 Middletown Township Committee Meeting

Monday night's Middletown Township Committee Workshop meeting was short and sweet, which will make the video below a quick watch. The meeting lasted just 30 minutes but even though it was a short meeting there were a few interesting discussions worth mentioning.

The first discussion of interest takes place at about the 6:45 minute make of the video and the discussion centers around the replacement of the roofs at the Croydon Hall Senior Center and the Public Works. That discussion was followed by a discussion about the need to implement road projects in the year that the funding ordinance was adopted. Often times the township puts the cart before the horse as it pertains to road projects that are then not done in a timely manner.

Tony Mercantante, the Township  Administrator, reminded the Committee that the projects were divided so the engineering work was done in one year and the actual work was done the following year. The Administrator said the schedule is being refined so the engineering work is done in the cold months so the project will commence when the weather warms up.

Township Committee Comments start at the 12:20 mark and other than Tony Fiore, who spoke and droned on several minutes (sometimes I think he just likes to hear himself speak) about Governor Christie's visit to Port Monmouth last week, the FEMA information session at Middletown North High School on the November 28th and the Mayor's meeting that took place in Tinton Falls between 23 regional mayors and JCP&L to discuss what JCP&L could have been done better in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
My favorite portion of the meeting, the Public Comments, starts at 21 minutes into the video.

Linda Baum asked about the cost of storm related expenses and how much money would be needed for clean-up and repairs. She also wanted to know if the earlier mentioned roof replacements where among those that were included in the solar analysis from earlier this year.

Also of note and a point of interest to those affected by flooding after Hurricane Sandy,resident Andrew Bane asked about the new FEMA flood regulations that specify how,when and why flood victims would need to elevate their homes before they could rebuild after excessive storm flooding. Tony Fiore and Tony Mercantante gave him a pretty good explanation but it was a bit confusing. For more information about FEMA's new flood regulations you can find it .... Here



As always, you can download a copy of the meeting agenda  that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars