Any idea regarding when open space plan funds will be used to help residents on Birmingham Drive? Open Space bonds have been approved for Monmouth County. How come its taking this long for you to help us? This is a major situation that needs to be resolved quickly before another flood damages our homes. Our children should not live in fear any longer. The mayors of this town has known about this situation for years. Someone needs to step up to the plate and do the right thing by us already. Too much time has passed!

What can we do to raise the age to get a driver's license?

what can be done to allow the police to patrol "private developments"? I live in Knob Hill, where the police are not "allowed" to patrol, only respond to emergencies and every morning and afternoon as my children wait for the bus, take a walk, etc , car after car run EVERY stop sign in the development, drive 30 miles over the speed limit, I could go on. (these cars don't even pretend to stop) Our newly "elected" association president promised he would do something about this and of course, he lied. Nothing has been done. What are YOU going to do?

Why cant I safely get to the park from englishtown? Why arent there sidewalks or crosswalks to the park. My kids dodge traffic everyday n once they had a very close call when a car decided to pass another car at the west entrance on 522. Who was the genious who thought about putting in a passing lane? Also do u know that when my kids walk home after school they have to walk in the road with cars going 50-60 miles an hour (especially trucks n school buses). Shouldnt we be promoting health n fitness? It would b better to b able to ride or walk to park. There should b plenty of grant money for sidewalks but really the question is y didnt u n others have sidewalks on the plan for the park

To Manalapan Mom:

Because during the era of "Etan Patz" after some kid missed a school bus, the ADULTS RUNNING MANALAPAN AND THE REST OF THE REGIONAL AREA went absolutely NUTS!

Children weren't going to be SAFE if there were sidewalks to promote a WALKING COMMUNITY; therefore, the following policies were instituted:

1. Every school child is bused allowing for the opportunity for every child to miss the school bus.
2. People in the community only drive providing a greater opportunity to create more "accidental problems" to pedestrians because the pedestrian travelor (at any age) is being ignored.
3. Since a walking community is not promoted, the opportunity to walk is negated creating more "accidental problems" such as driver fatigue and slower reflexes to the aging population.

And, if you get the wrong case law, the kid who missed the school bus is in California was under the careful watch of the Department of Corrections with monitored visits by the parol board to where a missing child was actually located.

Claudine, thank u for your response. I would like to b part of the solution that is y I have put this statement/question out there. State law does not mandate trans for students to the hs under 2.5 miles n they certainly dont provide it after school. The mayor n others need to make things more accessible in town.. Another prime example is the teen center. Who in their right minds thimks it belongs on route 33. How do u expect teens to get there. Iy should b in thr center of the town preferably at the park in the house next to the rec office. No one will use it on the south side of town with all the traffic n amount of time to get there. At least at the park the kids could do activites inside ot outside, there would always b staff around, building could b used for summer rec program also, n if there was an emergency police fire n first aide r very close by. I dont know y the mayor n others think something would b successful over there. Another option is to have the builders in town contribute towards a suitable building like marlboro did years ago (but better insp of project needed)

FYI -

The feds and the DOT do promote and have provided funding and training to DOT professionals around the US for best practices for installing pedestrian walkways and walking communities.

I have attended National Highway Institute classes promoted by FHWA where local law enforcement are in attendence in uniform and with fire arms visible, meaning law enforcement is not "hiding out" with feds.

The DOT professionals do not promote some of the transportation and planning policies of the community. Young adults should have access to community centers that are accessible to them, and the Manalapan rec center is in walking distance to the high school and across from the police station. Since, the MHS in right next to the police station, the children (AKA older minors of the community) should be considered when making planning decisions.

And that supports my argument about the teen center being placed in the wrong place route 33 is not an ideal location. Lets work towards putting it at the rec center n lets make the rec center accessible by installing sidewalks and bike paths. Wheres the money from snow removal that didnt happen this year and wheres all the money from the 12 officers salary n benefits that havent beem replaced.

Mayor cohen....another question...when I go into town hall y r the lights turned off in police secretaries office n ladies r sitting around talking? It seems as if they dont have any work. Maybe they should split their shifts n have a secretary for each police shift to handle walk ins and telephone calls so we dont have to use a $100,000 police officer to play secretary now that the dispatchers r gone. Have u or the business administrator taken a look to c what all the twsp employees r doing on a daily basis? Looks like there isnt enough work fot those secretaries next to where the dispatchers were. Desks r empty...no work on them n everyone sitting around talking. Hmmmm

How about putting the teen center in the Municipal Bldg and moving the municipal employees to Ray Catena's building on Rte 9 which is a more central location and has plenty of parking. This way the teens would have access to the rec center across the street and could walk from the high school. The late bus could take the kids home towards evening. I would leave the police department where they are since they are only on one side of the building. There could be different activities going on in the rooms, the bottom level could have ping pong, pool table, etc and you could rent out the confrence rooms like the library does and bring in some $.

Dear Mayor:
I live in the development of Bucks Head, my husband and I walk our dog every night. We both are disgusted with all the vacant homes in our community. It seems as if homeowners have taken off and left their homes possibly unable to pay for them. These homes are a disgrace to look at. We take pride in our home and have for the last 23 years. Is there anything the township can do about these homes that have grass and weeds growing all over? It has never been this bad until now.
Thank you for any help you can give in this matter.
Sincerely,

Gregg and Sandy Kaiser