ROCKY HILL BOARD OF HEALTH LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
ROCKY HILL BOARD OF HEALTH LAUNCHES NEW SOURCE FOR LOCAL HEALTH INFORMATION
New Website Focuses on Important Health Information and News for Residents and Local Businesses of Rocky Hill
5/19/08 (Rocky Hill, N.J.) Leaders in Government and healthcare agree on the importance of individuals being active partners in keeping themselves healthy.
There are many sources of health information available ranging from checkout magazine stands to authoritative government agencies.
Obtaining accurate health information can be time-consuming, even overwhelming. The Rocky Hill Board of Health has created a website ( http://rockyhillnjboh.org ) to help residents and those who work in the Borough find the relevant information they need, at the level of detail they want, to protect and enhance their own health and that of their families and community.
Report From Rocky Hill for July/August
Isn't organized politics fun? In the June 3 primary, Democratic Borough voters preferred Lautenberg (29 votes) over challengers Robert Anderson (6) and Donald Crestelo (4). They also gave Linda Stender, who was running unopposed, 39 votes for her challenge against the Republicans in the fall for departing Rep..Michael Ferguson's seat in the House of Representatives.
Rocky Hill Republicans picked Dick Zimmer (40) over fellow Republicans Murray Sabrin (5) and Joseph Pennachio ((11), to run against Democrat incumbent Frank Lautenberg for a Senate seat.
Republicans picked Leonard Lance (33) over a field of challengers for Lautenberg's seat, the nearest, Kate Whitman, getting 16 votes.
Borough voters split the ticket for Freeholder, giving Montgomery Township Mayor Cecilia Birge and Doug Singletarry 34 votes each.
For male county Republican committeeman, Ray Whitlock got 47 votes, against one vote for former mayor Brian Nolan, whose name was written in for one vote, and incorrectly spelled, at that. Former councilperson Eileen Yurick got 42 votes for female Republican county committeeperson. Peggy Harris got one vote, and Randie Zimmerman got one vote for that position also.
At which point, things get interesting. Perennial challenger Bill O'Brien got three votes for male county Democrat committeeman, but his name was misspelled twice, Bill Hallman got two votes, and Robert Yurick got two votes. For female county Democrat committee, Susan Orsham and Jane Oakley each got one vote, so there was no winner.
There were several write-in votes for a Democratic challenge for a three year seat on Borough Council, with Bill O'Brien getting two votes, Marilyn Crane one vote, and Susan Orsham getting one vote. Again, O'Brien's name was spelled incorrectly or ambiguously.
For a one-year seat on Borough Council, write-in votes for a Democratic challenge gave Bill O'Brien (or his misspelled clone) got two votes, wife Barbara O'Brien got one vote, David Rosen got one vote and Mary Seither (a registered Republican when last seen) got one vote. The County will have to sort out that mess.
Meanwhile, Independent Mark Pausch filed a petition for a three-year seat, and Courtney White for a one-year unexpired seat on Borough Council. Filers need six signatures each. Do the math.
The Republicans were a lot more organized, giving Julia Hasser 50 votes for a three-year seat on Borough Council. Peggy Harris and Eileen Yurick each got one write-in vote.
Mayor Zimmerman indicated that the State may relent more on the amount of money actually given to the Borough, probably restoring anywhere from 25% to 100% of the $80,000 it cut from expected funds. The Governor has also restored funding for local State Police patrolling for now. There had been a serious proposal made to get the Borough to pay as much as $80,000 for patrolling the streets.
The Borough School Board also met with the County School Board and the Millstone School Board, and for now, the Borough School Board will remain independent. There had been an attempt to get sending Boards, such as Rocky Hill's, to merge with other communities into a regional board. That appears to be dead in the water for now.
The Borough Engineers report cited some few problem areas in the new park, including coaches parking SUV's in non-parking areas, but most of these concerns are being address as growing pains. The new shelter roof should be finished by the end of June.
The Borough is looking into building a practice wall and half-court for solo tennis practice near the tennis courts behind Borough Hall. The current court needs repairs for cracks that have appeared, with quotes ranging from $2,200 to $4,000. This appears to be a repeat of a problem supposedly solved with improved drainage.
In another nod at municipal sharing, Franklin Township would like to build a cricket pitch at Panicaro Park.
Cricket is a very civilized sport, the uniforms superb, and what better way to while away a languid summer afternoon than watching a cricket match? Now if only someone could explain the point of it and how it is scored.
More in that direction, the Borough is considering a a Shared Public Works Agreement with the County, in which various municipalities agree to share specialized equipment, mostly, and other services. For instance, one municipality may have a pot hole filler, which could be shared with another lacking such a device. Since the Borough's equipment is limited to shovels and brooms, it would mean the Borough could borrow, lease, or rent equipment and services as need from other County municipalities. "There is no downside," Mr. Whitlock pointed out.
Council approved an ordinance to increase the budget from 2.5% to 3.5%. It permits the Borough to increase the cap, but doesn't commit the Borough to actually spend it. "It gives a safety net at the end of the year," said Councilperson Courtney White.
The consequence of the uncertainly in State funding is that Borough taxpayers can expect a 7.8 cent increase in the Municipal tax rate. If the Borough receives funding, taxpayers will get a 5 cent break on the rate. 7.8 cents will mean a roughly $195 increase for homes assessed at $250,000.
The Borough also approved the purchase of a new fire truck, from Pierce Manufacturing.
Council also approved annual liquor licenses for Santa Fe and One 53 restaurants, with no objections.
Additionally, the Borough voted to spend $1,500 to assist the County developing real-world numbers for the municipal COAH obligations. Mayor Zimmerman said, "The is to help the County, which has the best numbers, keep their numbers straight." State-wide, COAH has been under a lot of fire for using what most regard as a highly flawed, deeply imaginative map to determine each municipality's obligations. There be dragons here.
There were two parking violations and 39 moving violations during May. The Courts raised a total of #3804, of which the Borough received $793.07. This is because no court was held during May as the judge was unavailable.
Several residents complained of an unleashed and very unfriendly German shepherd, apparently owned by a Montgomery resident, walked in the Greenacres behind Borough Hall on some evenings. Council pointed out that as yet there was no sign to warn of the Borough's dog leash law, which requires owners to keep their pets on a leash and to clean up after them.
Although the municipal water supply has consistently passed water quality tests, the DEP has failed it for small items, mostly record keeping. Borough Clerk Whitlock pointed out that the records were kept but had not been forwarded to the correct party at the DEP.
Under an agreement with the State, once Verizon has 60% market share in any municipality, the 4% tax on telephone services paid by its customers will be passed along to the municipality from Verizon and from any other carrier, such as Comcast. But not from Direct TV, which is unregulated.
Meanwhile, Borough Council has been plugging away at Code Book Ordinance updates, hacking tediously away at the underbrush of outdated laws, rewording the ones it will be keeping, and bringing fines and penalties in line with State law. This is amazingly mind-numbing work, and it's no wonder it hasn't been done before. Among the joys, all the old codes must be renamed to meet modern conventions. The cost will come to about $100 per page, with 22 pages complete so far. Council hopes to spend an hour or so at the end of each meeting at this work, and good luck to them. That's what they're paid those big bucks for.
What summer is really all about will be on view July 5, when the Fire Company celebrates Independence Day with the Borough Parade at 4 pm. The picnic to follow will be held behind Borough Hall, as usual, and attendees are asked to bring a potluck side dish or desert. The Fire Department will be selling hotdogs and hamburgers, and there will be music, entertainment, and activities for all ages.
After some discussion, the Borough agreed to pay up to $1,000 in advance of the July 5 parade and party. The usual method is to pay vouchers upon receipt of invoices after the event. The payment will be made by the Recreation Committee, which has the funds in their budget, by way of the Rocky Hill Community Group.
Borough Council will next meet on the July 21 at 7:30 at Borough Hall. For more information online, www.rockyhill-nj.gov.
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