County approves recycling grant for Englishtown
BY MARK ROSMAN Staff Writer

ENGLISHTOWN — Recycling efforts in Englishtown will get a boost with the news that Monmouth County has approved an application for a $14,000 recycling grant.

Speaking at the Oct. 28 meeting of the Borough Council, Borough Administrator Laurie Finger said Englishtown will use the funds to purchase 32-gallon recycling buckets. The borough is not required to match the county grant, Finger told municipal officials and members of the public.

The grant is expected to cover the cost of about 800 buckets that can be used for recyclable materials.

In other news, Finger said that the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) has accepted the borough's repetition for substantive certification of a third round affordable housing plan.

Anyone who objects to the plan may file an objection with COAH, and the borough will then have an opportunity to respond, the administrator said.

Councilwoman Jayne Carr announced that the borough has received a $3,000 grant to be used for tree care in the borough.

Councilman Rudolph Rucker reported that plans are in the works to paint a crosswalk on Main Street in the vicinity of the entrance to Sanford Park. As per state law, motorists will be required to yield to pedestrians at that location.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, one resident asked Mayor Thomas Reynolds and the council members to do whatever they can to retain Englishtown's police force.

The resident said he accidentally dialed 911 and officers responded to his home within two minutes. He said even though this is a difficult economic time, the borough should keep its police department.

In response to his comments, Councilwoman Janet Leonardis said she is getting calls from residents who are telling her that their property taxes are too high.

The staffing and the future of the Englishtown Police Department was a matter of discussion in late 2008 as officials were putting together the 2009 municipal budget. No officers were laid off from the eight-man police department, although layoffs had been discussed as a possibility at one point.

On the issue of taxes, it was announced that a tax sale will be held on Dec. 21.As of Nov. 11, delinquent taxes will be placed on the tax sale list. People who are delinquent in their taxes will be given an opportunity to pay the outstanding amount prior to the tax sale, officials said.