Times
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS, INC.
Inside This Week’s Edition
THE MANCHESTER
Vol. 22 - No. 8
Lakehurst Approves $4.06M Budget
(Officers - See Page 4)
June 11, 2016
Heritage Minerals Plan Now Up To Council Vote
–Photos by Jennifer Peacock (Above) Residents and others concerned over a plan to add houses to the former Heritage Minerals site listen at a special planning board meeting June 6. (Left) Dave Roberts, of Maser Consulting for the township, speaks on the proposed redevelopment plan.
(Budget - See Page 4)
MANCHESTER – The Manchester Township Police Department welcomed its newest patrolmen, Conner Yatauro and Keith Douglas, with a recent ceremony in town hall. Mayor Kenneth T. Palmer administered their oaths during the event in the Municipal Complex Civic Center on May 31 in front of family, friends and police personnel including Chief Lisa Parker. Taking his oath first was Conner Yatauro, who has been a Manchester Township resident for 23 years. He graduated from Monsignor Donovan High School in 2010,
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By Jennifer Peacock LAKEHURST – Residents will see their municipal tax bill increase an average of $40 for the upcoming year. The Lakehurst Borough Council unanimously approved its proposed $4.06 million budget, staying under the state-mandated cap of 2 percent. The budget increased 1.49 percent, or about $47,000. The amount to be raised by taxes is $2.395 million. “There’s no changes from last year in the level of services,” Borough Auditor William Antonides said. The biggest increase was the state pension payments, which increased $25,000 from last year and are a state-mandated payment. “That’s really out of our control. The actuaries at the State calculate that every year and we’re sent the bill.” Health insurance coverage is usually a significant cost to municipalities as well. Antonides said the increase was minimal this year. “We are in the state health benefits program and there was a minimal increase this year,” he said.
Manchester Police Swear In Two Officers
Business Directory .............24-25 Classifieds................................23 Community News...............10-15 Dr. Izzy’s Sound News...............18 Fun Page..................................26 Health.................................18-19 Inside The Law ..........................21 Letters to the Editor......................8 Wolfgang.................................31
By Jennifer Peacock MANCHESTER – Citing more than 15 years’ worth of litigation already, an opponent of a redevelopment plan to potentially turn the expansive Her-
itage Minerals tract into a redeveloped town center warned more was likely possible. The Pinelands Preservation Alliance is in opposition to the redevelopment plan, developed
by the township’s Heritage Minerals Site working group over the last year. The working group reviewed uses, traffic and fiscal impact information, as well as drafts of the redevelopment plan. The original plan from the 2003 settlement called for 2,450 age-restricted homes on 800 acres. However, with the need for such housing on the decline,
as well as the negative financial impact the township faces over its abundance of senior housing, the township named itself the redevelopment agency and in April last year designated the Heritage Minerals site a redevelopment area. The plan has garnered controversy as it calls for a maximum of 6,543 homes. But Mayor (Vote - See Page 7)
OCC Softball Finishes Sixth In Nation
By Chris Christopher It was a memorable season for the Ocean County College women’s softball team. The Vikings went 26-13 overall. They won the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Region XIX Tournament. And they finished sixth at the NJCAA Division III Tournament. The program was born in 1977. It was the
first time the Vikings won the Region XIX title and the initial time they qualified for the nationals. “Our team was very even keeled,” said Bob Mazanec, OCC’s seventh-year coach. “It never got too high. It never got too low. We rallied to win games a half dozen times. The girls never gave up. They were battlers.” Seven players won postseason honors. Soph-
omore outfielder Kara Molnar, a Jackson Memorial High School graduate, and sophomore pitcher Ashley Hussey (Toms River North) captured first-team all-region and first-team All-Garden State Athletic Conference honors. Sophomore first baseman April Szymczyk (Jackson Liberty), freshman second baseman Kurstin Binshedler (Pinelands Regional) and (Softball - See Page 5)