Middle Township to plan for 2022 at Jan. 4 reorganization meeting
Ike Gandy will be sworn in to a second three-year term on Township Committee
Middle Township will plan for 2022 and reflect on a year of continued growth despite formidable challenges at its Jan. 4 reorganization meeting.
The 7 p.m. meeting will be streamed through Zoom and will not be held in person because of weather conditions and rising COVID cases in the area.
Deputy Mayor Ike Gandy will be sworn in to a second term on Township Committee by Assemblyman Antwan McClellan during the meeting. Gandy will continue serving with Mayor Tim Donohue and Committeeman Jim Norris.
“Both Committeeman Norris and I want to congratulate Deputy Mayor Gandy as he enters his second term,” Donohue said. “We are excited to move forward with our great Town Hall leadership team to continue to build a better Middle Township for all of our residents.”
The past year was the second spent operating during a pandemic, but that did not slow Middle’s progress. The former Pier One building in Cape May Court House was redeveloped to house Starbucks, Verizon and Taco Shop. Chipotle opened in Rio Grande, and more businesses – including A Piece of Cake bakery – will open soon.
Other projects focused on making Middle a better place to live and visit. Construction began last fall on the final phase of Bike Path North, which will fully connect the Township in the county-wide trail network. The Township also has applications pending for future Open Space Projects to preserve and enhance the municipality’s natural resources.
Many projects and development opportunities are on the horizon this year. A Jan. 19 land sale will give residents and others the chance to repurpose vacant and abandoned properties.
Residents also will benefit from a five-year paving plan that will launch in 2022. The first projects are tentatively set for Rio Grande roadways. The Township will again apply for state grants, seeking to fund drainage and road improvements on Main Street in Whitesboro, west of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Important strides are expected in the Del Haven Water Main Extension Project, which the Lower Township Municipal Utilities Authority awarded to a contractor last fall. The project to bring fresh water to more than 1,000 Del Haven homes will begin construction the first quarter of this year, pending supply availability.
Other quality-of-life upgrades will include pump station modernization to ensure a reliable sewer system. Phase One of the improvements began in November and should be completed by the summer of 2022. Phase Two will follow, with a targeted completion date of summer 2023.
TO WATCH THE MEETING
Register in advance to watch the reorganization meeting via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvdOutpzMiGdz7OGndreob-P4G9mK7o38c. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
No public comments will be taken through Zoom. If you have a question you would like to submit in advance, email Business Administrator/Clerk Kimberly Osmundsen at kosmundsen@middletownship.com
