Manalapan Utilities Committee Established

The Manalapan Township Committee will be forming a Utilities Committee that will have an ongoing communication with Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) and New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG).

Manalapan Mayor Susan Cohen proposed the idea at last week’s Township Committee meeting and it was unanimously approved by her colleagues.

In light of Hurricane Sandy, Cohen said that this committee will ensure that there is an open dialogue between the Township and JCP&L and NJNG in order to deal with any issues that emerge, along with having the town be proactive.

“I think that we need to look into our infrastructure,” Cohen said. JCP&L Manalapan representative Gerry Ricciardi will be going over the Township’s grids and meet with the Mayor in December.

Cohen also wants to make sure that JCP&L prioritizes certain areas of town for getting power back first, specifically the senior citizen communities and the sections of town that have no water or sewer. When the Mayor first requested JCP&L do this they said that they do not do priorities, however, they have since acquiesced and have agreed to do so.

Even though Manalapan Township has not had any problems with New Jersey Natural Gas, Cohen said that she wants to look into that infrastructure as well. There is a gas pipeline that runs through Manalapan and the Mayor said that she wants to make sure that it is secure.

The committee will be run by volunteers. Those interested in being a member should fill out a volunteer form available at the Manalapan Township website and specify they wish to join the Utilities Committee.