Leeann

The 96^th Street Bridge along Stone Harbor Boulevard leading into the Borough of Stone Harbor will be undergoing repairs to the bascule span (movable span) during nighttime hours beginning on Monday, July 10^th and ending on July 13^th.  Work will proceed Monday thru Thursday nights between 10:00pm to 6:00am.  Due to the nature of the work, the bridge cannot remain open as work proceeds. Thru traffic wishing to access Stone Harbor via Stone Harbor Boulevard will be detoured during these work times with access to Stone Harbor directed to Avalon Boulevard.  Local traffic wishing to access businesses and residences up to the west side of the bridge will be permitted to proceed along Stone Harbor Boulevard. The bridge will re-open at 6:00am each workday and remain opened until 10:00pm that night.  There are no anticipated closures on Fridays thru Sundays during the construction phase.  The contractor anticipates that the work will be completed by July 13^th barring any unforeseen complications.

Traffic heading north on the Garden State Parkway wishing to access Stone Harbor at exit 10 will be redirected to proceed north on the Parkway to exit 13 and proceed east on Avalon Boulevard (C.R. 601) to Ocean Drive (C.R. 619). Traffic will then be directed south along Ocean Drive to Stone Harbor. Traffic travelling south on the parkway will be directed to take exit 13 onto Avalon Boulevard as well. Traffic heading east on Court House South Dennis Road (C.R. 657) will be advised to either take Route 9 north to Avalon Boulevard or to take exit 10 north onto the Garden State Parkway to Avalon Boulevard. Stone Harbor traffic wishing to head west along Stone Harbor Boulevard will be directed north along Third Avenue /Ocean Drive (C.R. 619) and west along Avalon Boulevard (C.R. 601) to the Garden State Parkway.

The proposed work was prompted by the deflection/vibration of the top side bascule back plates under traffic loads.  The proposed repairs will arrest this situation and reduce the likelihood of continued vibrations and damage.  The detour will be in place only during the periods of night work and normal traffic will resume Monday thru Thursday between 6:00am to 10:00pm.

Middle Township to honor America with 4th of July celebration

Family-friendly festivities will include a kids’ freeze dance, line dancing and fireworks opens in a new window
Kids will compete in a pie-eating contest as part of the 4th of July fun in Middle Township

Middle Township will light up the night with fireworks and festivities in honor of America’s independence at its 4th of July celebration.

The family-friendly event will be held on Tuesday, July 4, at the Goshen Complex in Cape May Court House. There is no entry fee or registration required.

Activities will take place on Field 1, starting with a kids’ freeze dance at 6 p.m. Adults can get in on the fun, too, with a line dance for all ages at 7:30 p.m. Standing Room Only Studios, a new local dance studio, will lead the dances.

A kids’ pie-eating contest at 8:15 p.m. will have contestants eating a pie topped with mounds of whipped cream as quickly as they can – with their hands behind their backs. Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in age groups 5-7, 8-10, and 11-13.

Guests who build up an appetite from all the dancing and activities can check out food trucks including Spanky’s BBQ, Mac’s Café, The Patriot, and S&H Custom Cuisine. Craft vendors and music by Animal House will round out the fun.
After a full evening, visitors can relax and watch a spectacular fireworks display at dusk.

For more information or questions about Fourth of July events, please contact (609) 465-8728.

Middle approves pay raise for Special Law Enforcement Officers Class II

Increase in hourly rate will keep officer recruitment competitive

Middle Township approved an increase in the hourly pay rate of Special Law Enforcement Officers Class II (SLEO) at the June 19 Township Committee meeting. After graduating from the police academy, these officers will now receive $23 an hour, up from $20 an hour.

“Recruitment is a priority for law enforcement nationwide,” said Middle Township Police Chief Jennifer Pooler. “We are struggling to maintain our workforce level and must be aggressive in our recruiting efforts. When full-time positions become available, we will hire from our current list of SLEO II officers, so it is important that we can back-fill these positions. Increasing the SLEO II pay is one way to be competitive.”

The Special Law Enforcement Officers are important for supplementing the police department, added Pooler. They are assigned to squads and patrol the township. Their responsibilities include enforcement of criminal laws, traffic laws and local ordinances; arrestee/prisoner processing; and court security. Officers of this class are authorized to exercise full powers and duties similar to a permanent, regularly appointed full-time police officer.

The SLEO II position also is a pathway to becoming a police officer, Pooler said. After graduating from the police academy, an officer enters the Middle Township Police Field Training Program. Officers are assigned to a squad upon completion of the program. When a full-time police officer position becomes available, the township usually hires from the current SLEO II group.

Middle Township currently has two SLEO II openings and is anticipating four more in December. Candidates with SLEO II training will be given preference. The Cape May County opens in a new windowSLEO Class II course consists of more than 460 hours of training mandated by the Police Training Commission.

For more information, visit opens in a new windowwww.middlepd.com.

Notice of Upcoming Roadway Resurfacing Middle/Lower Townships-

Bayshore Road (Cr 603) and Norbury’s Landing Road (Cr 642)

The County of Cape May will be resurfacing portions of Bayshore Road (Cr 603) and Norbury’s Landing Road (Cr 642) in the Del Haven section of the Township of Middle and northern end of Lower Township beginning on Monday June 19^th.  The paving work will include the full width paving of Bayshore Road from 300lf north of Eldredge Avenue to Route 47, the full width paving of Norbury’s Landing Road from Bayshore Road to Delaware Avenue , and the south bound lane and shoulder of Bayshore Road from Eldredge Avenue to Miami Avenue in Lower Township. The paving operation will be a nighttime operation, with work beginning at 8:00pm each night and ending at 6:00am the next morning.  Work is expected to occur Monday thru Friday the week of June 19^th and thru the middle portion of the week of June 26^th.  There will be no weekend work.

To safely execute the work, only one lane of travel will be permitted along Bayshore Road (north bound direction) during active work. During active work, south bound Bayshore Road traffic will be detoured around the work zone.  Traffic travelling south on Route 47 and wishing to access Bayshore Road southbound will be detoured to Fulling Mill Road (Cr 654) and back to Bayshore Road. Residents will always have access to their homes as local traffic will be maintained using flaggers.  The detour will be lifted at 6:00am everyday and normal traffic patterns will resume between the hours of 6:00am to 8:00pm. No detours will be in place on the weekend. The resurfacing of Norbury Landing Road will occur under a lane shift using flaggers, traffic will be maintained.

The resurfacing activities will result in traffic delays and motorists are urged to avoid the area during the paving operation.  Due to the night paving operation, change of traffic patterns,  and construction activities, motorist are urged  to proceed slowly and with caution thru the work zone.

Middle seeks positive change through expansion of Rio Grande redevelopment area

Township believes update will enhance opportunities for business, county partnerships

The Middle Township Planning Board is preparing to study the possible expansion of the Rio Grande redevelopment area.

The Board is expected to consider the update over the summer, following Township Committee’s April 17 resolution that authorized the investigation. If the Planning Board finds that the area meets the state’s requirements for a redevelopment zone, a public hearing will be held before the Township Committee’s final determination.

On a similar summer timeline, the Township will work with Cape May County to engage the community in a public process to plan Rio Grande area development. This process will help ensure that any development addresses the needs of the nearby community and the Township at large. The Township and County are working to finalize these plans over the next 60 days.

The exploration of an expanded redevelopment area is driven by the Township’s belief that the wider zone would attract developers and enhance the development partnership with the county.

“As with every action we take in Middle, studying the redevelopment area is motivated by our desire to improve the quality of life for those who live here,” said Mayor Tim Donohue. “Healthy business and residential development support a better Middle Township. We will continue to balance the needs of the business community with our responsibility to our residents.”
Donohue said the redevelopment area is another tool to create a business-friendly climate.

“Creating a redevelopment area does not change the zoning in the area,” Donohue said. “It provides the Township the ability to work with qualified developers to address zoning issues as the need arises.”

Although Township Committee authorized the Planning Board to study a redevelopment area that would allow the use of eminent domain, there are no plans underway to enact that power.

The Township will update community members about the outcome of the Planning Board’s investigation.

“We look forward to the Planning Board’s review. The designation for redevelopment, coupled with our discussion on an economic development partnership with Cape May County, offers us the best chance to enhance quality business opportunities in Rio Grande through public-private initiatives and incentives,” Donohue said.

Middle to hold Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony

Fire companies and mounted patrol among participants in procession

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The Middle Township Parade will be followed by a ceremony at the American Legion Post 198.

Middle Township invites the community to honor military members’ sacrifices during the annual Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony on Monday, May 29.

The family-friendly event also includes a children’s bike-decorating contest.

Patriotism will prevail throughout the day, from the parade and red-white-and-blue theme of decorated bikes and wagons, to the solemn ceremony at American Legion Post 198.

Mayor Tim Donohue, Deputy Mayor Ike Gandy and Committeeman Jim Norris will walk in the parade, as will Middle Township’s own Miss New Jersey, Augostina Mallous. First responders, including fire companies, the sheriff’s department and the mounted patrol, also will join the procession.

Middle Township holds a Memorial Day essay contest to help children understand the significance of the holiday. American Legion Post 198 will choose the winners from around 100 submissions received this year. The students with the winning essays on the topic “What Memorial Day Means to Me” will read them aloud at the ceremony.

All the events start bright and early on Monday, with bike-decorating contest judging at 9:20 a.m. on Memorial Field. The parade starts at 10 a.m. at Memorial Field on Pacific Avenue. It will continue north on Boyd Street, turn left on Mechanic Street, left on Dias Creek Road and end at the American Legion Post 198. The ceremony will be held after the parade at Post 198.

Participants in both the bike contest and the parade must be registered prior to May 25. Registration forms can be returned via email to abecica@middletownship.com or completed opens in a new windowonline.

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Middle Township seeks to regulate temporary structures

Ordinance would address homeless encampments raising safety concerns in Rio Grande

Middle Township has introduced an ordinance to help maintain the safety and attractiveness of the municipality.

The ordinance to amend the Township Code to define and regulate temporary structures such as tents and canopies was introduced at the May 15 Township Committee meeting. A public hearing and adoption are scheduled for June 19. The amendment is not intended to regulate licensed campgrounds.

Although the measure has a range of practical applications, it would be a vital tool to address homeless encampments in Rio Grande. The tent set-ups create a fire risk and sanitation issues.

“We are concerned about the hazards these encampments present for the community,” said Mayor Tim Donohue. “Our Police Department is working closely with Volunteers of America to connect homeless people with the resources to help them get off the streets. We also need to address the other piece of the issue, which is ensuring the community is safe and clean for those who live, shop and run businesses there.”

The ordinance prohibits temporary structures that create an “attractive nuisance,” which includes those that draw trespassers; have unsanitary plumbing facilities or defective electrical equipment; pose a fire hazard or other danger; need repair or are structurally unsound; or are dilapidated or abandoned.

In addition, the ordinance specifies that temporary structures “may not be utilized for habitation.”

The measure also establishes requirements for dimensions, proper anchoring and setbacks – the distance a structure must be from roadways and property lines. Temporary structures are permitted for no longer than seven days within a 180-day period.

Violators are subject to a fine of up to $2,000 or up to 90 days in the county jail and/or community service.