News Archive

Middle Township invites residents to observe Police Appreciation Day on Sept. 8

Middle Township residents are asked to display blue ribbons to show support for police on Sept. 8.

Middle Township residents are being asked to display blue ribbons on a banner day for the local police force.

On Sept. 8, the Township Committee meeting will include the largest promotional and hiring ceremony in Middle Township Police Department history. Community members are welcome to show their support by attending the 6 p.m. meeting at the Middle Township Performing Arts Center.

The Township has designated the date as Police Appreciation Day, and will distribute blue ribbons to community members at Town Hall, Goshen Sports Complex and MLK Center. Residents are asked to display the ribbons on their property.

“We all appreciate the commitment and heroism of our police department every day,” Mayor and Public Safety Director Tim Donohue said. “But, in these most challenging of times for law enforcement, we want the whole community to join in on September 8th to Back the Blue!  Proudly display your blue ribbons and join us at the Middle Township PAC as we stand shoulder to shoulder with the men and women of the MTPD.”

During the police ceremony that evening, Township Committee will promote two captains, two lieutenants and three sergeants. Several new police officers will be hired to replace recently retired officers and one officer scheduled to retire next year.

The newly hired and promoted officers will replace Detective Sgt. Clint Stocker, who retired Aug. 1, and Capt. Donald Nelson, whose retirement will be effective Sept. 1. Capt. William Adams has submitted his retirement for Feb. 1, 2022.

“I hope the community can come out to thank our retired officers for their service and wish our newly promoted officers and new officers well,” said Chief Christopher Leusner. “This is an exciting time for the Middle Township Police Department.”

In a separate Sept. 8 event focusing on police, Middle Township will host a roundtable with state, local and county elected officials to hear from law enforcement members on the increasing challenges of their job.

The Middle Township Police Department has long worked to build relationships through Community Problem-Oriented Policing. Officers have been trained in Trauma Informed Practices and regularly participate in police-youth engagement activities.

In 2020, Township Committee formalized police-community interaction through creating the Middle Township Law Enforcement Community Engagement Committee. An ordinance established a balanced membership of local clergy, educators, a representative from the Concerned Citizens of Whitesboro, a member of the local chapter of the NAACP, a representative from the Township’s social service partners, and three Middle Township residents.

The first group of nine Community Engagement Committee members began serving terms ranging from one to three years on Jan 1.

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Middle Township will honor first responders on 20th anniversary of 9/11

Event also will include appearance by Police Honor Guard

The 20th anniversary of 9/11 will be a poignant day of remembrance. In Middle Township, it also will be a time to remember the local first responders who bravely serve every day.

Middle will hold a 9/11 anniversary event at Ockie Wisting Recreation Complex in Rio Grande on Saturday, September 11, at 9:30 a.m.

Individual proclamations will be presented to these Township departments and organizations:

• Middle Township Police Department
• Township of Middle Emergency Medical Services
• Rio Grande Volunteer Rescue Squad
• Middle Township Ambulance Corps/Court House Rescue
• Cape May Court House Fire Co. 1
• Rio Grande Fire Co.
• Green Creek Fire Co.
• Goshen Fire Co.

The Township also will honor several first responders from Middle Township who traveled to New York City in 2001 to answer the call for assistance in the aftermath of 9/11.

Middle’s Olde Tyme Harvest Festival celebrates community for 23rd year

Popular event offers residents a chance to regroup after 2020 cancellation

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The Olde Tyme Harvest Festival includes rides, craft vendors and plenty of seasonal along and around Mechanic Street.

For generations of Middle Township residents, the Olde Tyme Harvest Festival is an iconic fall tradition, right up there with pumpkins and Halloween.

So, when the event was canceled last year because of COVID, it was a big disappointment to the folks who look forward to seeing familiar faces amid a fun seasonal atmosphere.

This year’s 23rd Olde Tyme Harvest Festival, set for Saturday, Oct. 23, might feel like a long-awaited reunion for many attendees. The fall-themed event combines the best of a carnival and street fair, filling Mechanic Street with rides, live music, craft vendors, food trucks and more.

Activities such as the inflatable rides, Halloween costume contests and pumpkin decorating are particularly popular with families. But visitors of all ages turn out faithfully for the festival, which is one of Middle Township’s largest events of the year.

“We’re excited and grateful to restore this great Middle Township tradition after a one-year pause,” Mayor Tim Donohue said. “We want the focus to be on fun, family and tradition with an emphasis on local vendors and products. Can’t wait to see everyone there!”

Events will run from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The rain date is Sunday, October 24, from noon to 5 p.m. (The importance of a rain date has been demonstrated over the Harvest Festival’s long history. Organizers had to use the event rain date in back-to-back years, in 2006 and 2007.)

The sprawling festival started modestly in 1998, as part of Middle Township’s bicentennial celebration. Middle was one of 104 townships formally incorporated on Feb. 21, 1798, through the New Jersey Legislature’s Township Act of 1798.

The Harvest Fest has grown over the years to include dozens of vendors and thousands of visitors.

Middle Township is seeking food and craft vendors for the event. For more information, contact Special Events Coordinator Nancy McDevitt at 609-465-8728 or nmcdevitt@middletownship.com.

Middle Township 2021 Final/2022 Preliminary Tax Bills will be mailed the week of August 2nd.  Due to the delay, the grace period for the 3rd quarter taxes ONLY has been extended until August 31, 2021.

Payments received after August 31, 2021 will accrue interest.

To check your account or to pay Property taxes online visit our website at opens in a new windowwww.middletownship.com and click the “View & Pay Property Taxes” button.

PUBLIC NOTICE OF ROAD CLOSURE

BE ADVISED, Railroad Avenue in Rio Grande will be closed  on Friday 07/30 from 7am until 12 noon from Teal Road through the intersection of US HWY 47/ Railroad Avenue.

Please use alternate routes during this construction time frame.

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Middle Township’s Summer Concert Series at the Ockie Wisting Recreation Complex Tuesday July 27th.

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Work will soon begin on the final phase of Middle Township’s Bike Path, fulfilling a vision that’s been many years in the making.

The Township awarded the construction contract to Landberg Construction LLC at its July 19 Committee meeting. Construction on the 4.16-mile extension is expected to take 4 to 6 months.

The Bike Path has been supported through funding from the Cape May County Open Space Board, which has awarded the project a total of $2,285,575.

When completed, the new portion will stretch north from the end of the current path at the Cape May County Park and Zoo. It will run adjacent to Court House South Dennis Road, cross the Stone Harbor Golf Course, and then move back into the Atlantic City Electric right-of-way to connect with the Dennis Township bike path on the northern boundary of the Township at Brooks Avenue. The extension will bring the total distance of the path through Middle Township to approximately 13 miles.

Construction on the original portion of the path began in 2006, while the extension project started in 2016.

But the final phase encountered numerous obstacles along the way. The original plan for the extension required three realignments to navigate around issues such as endangered species, DEP regulations, residential concerns, and private/public easements. Each time, Middle had to survey land, determine boundaries for wetlands and prepare new plans. Middle Township was ultimately able to submit a final alignment to the DEP last Fall and received approval this Spring.

Once the plan was approved, the Township submitted another funding application to the County Open Space Board to cover not only the cost to construct the remainder of the bike path but also for safety measures along the trail. The Open Space Board recently awarded an additional $615,314 to complete the path.

“It took a lot of heavy lifting and the cooperation of multiple agencies to bring this project to the starting gate,” Mayor Tim Donohue said. “We want to thank our great Middle Team and all the parties involved, especially the County Commissioner Board, County Open Space Board Chairman Peter Lomax, and Planning Director Leslie Gimeno.”

“There were many hands that helped this project along and it could not have been possible without sincere dedication and the desire to see that our Township is fully connected in the County-Wide Bike Path System,” said Director of Grants and Economic Development Nancy Sittineri. “We are extremely pleased to offer this amenity to our residents and visitors alike.”

The Division of Taxation has begun mailing 2020 Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement) checks to applicants who filed before May 1, 2021. The deadline for 2020 applications is November 1, 2021.

We will mail checks to qualified applicants as follows:

Application filed:                               Checks will be issued on or before:

Before May 1, 2021                                   July 15, 2021

May 1 – June 1, 2021                                September 1, 2021

June 2 – September 1, 2021                      November 1, 2021

September 2 – November 1, 2021              December 1, 2021

opens in a new windowSenior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement) Program 2020 Eligibility Requirements

• Senior Freeze infoline: 1-800-882-6597 to check the status of a filed application, order an application, and ask questions.
• Automated infoline: 1-800-323-4400 to listen to prerecorded information.
• Online: www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/ptr/index.shtml
• Email: nj.taxation@treas.nj.gov for general information.
• In person: Go to njtaxation.org, then Contact Us and click Visit.
• Deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or those with a speech disability, visit njrelay.com or call 711.