Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Council still trying to resolve Superstorm Sandy issues.
Enough is enough. Faced with delay after delay, the Township Council instructed township attorney Thomas Ryan last week to write a letter to Service Electric Cable Television Inc. demanding the company send a representative to appear before the board. The township has been trying since last fall to meet with cable officials to discuss the service outage and a possible refund for Sparta residents. Ryan was instructed to offer the company a choice of two meeting dates to discuss with the council the company’s performance during Superstorm Sandy. Service Electric has a 10-year contract with Sparta. Following the damaging storm, Sparta residents have appeared several times at council meetings to complain about the cable company, including…
Monday, May 20, 2013
Ordinance gets by town council with superstorm Sandy outages serving as a backdrop.
The Sparta Township Council peaceably approved an ordinance that allows homeowners to install standby generators on their property. The generators became an issue after Superstorm Sandy when large segments of the township lost power for a week or more. The ordinance sparked a debate two weeks ago between Deputy Mayor Molly Whilesmith and Councilman Jerry Murphy. Whilesmith insisted the ordinance include a statement that temporary generators were not included in the new rules. But Murphy said then the phrase “portable generators” was not included in the ordinance because the rules would only apply to standby generators, an issue that would be made clear when the resident picked up the application for a generator. The council voted on the …
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Township files FEMA paperwork by May 1 deadline.
The township would like to plan a special one-time only spring pick-up of brush and yard debris to allow residents to clear their yards of debris left by Hurricane Sandy. The hang-ups, discussed at the last Township Council meeting, are being able to get a reimbursement application filed with the Federal Emergency Management Agency by the last eligible day, and whether the Lake Mohawk Country Club, a private neighborhood with its own bylaws and rules, should be included in the townwide effort. If the project was approved, FEMA would reimburse Sparta for 75 percent of the cost. Township Manager David Troust said other Sussex County towns are planning such cleanups. If Sparta was to schedule one, he said, homeowners would be able to get rid …
Monday, April 29, 2013
New ordinance would set rules for installation of standby generators.
Sparks flew in Sparta last week as the Township Council introduced an ordinance that would set standards for the installation of standby generators on residential lots. The ordinance was drawn up and discussed by the planning board following Hurricane Sandy, when most of the township lost power for about a week. Land-use ordinances are written and approved by the planning board, and sent to the council for review. Once the council approves an ordinance it is sent back to the planning board for final approval. The council can request changes in the ordinance, but the planning board can reject the request. The council last week was acting on a revised land-use ordinance that would allow stand-by generators on residential lots. Deputy Mayor …
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Council has been seeking meeting with cable provider since Hurricane Sandy.
The Sparta Township Council has not been able to secure a firm meeting date from representatives of Service Electric Cable Television Inc. to discuss a 10-day outage that occurred during Hurricane Sandy. Since last fall the township has been trying to meet with cable officials to discuss the service outage and a possible refund for Sparta residents. Following the damaging storm, Sparta residents appeared several times at council meetings to complain about the cable company. On Tuesday, resident Rich Sullivan asked about the issue, saying it seemed to have dropped off the council’s agenda. Councilman Jerry Murphy has said previously that the contract calls for periodic meetings about service. “This is why we wanted a two-year contract,” he…
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Ambulance Squad seeks higher credits for increased service activities.
The Sparta Township Council postponed a decision on the expansion of LOSAP members of the Sparta Ambulance Squad until April 23. Mayor Gilbert Gibbs said council members wanted to study the data provided to them by the ambulance service. This is the second such postponement since March LOSAP, the Length of Service Award Program, is designed to provide a contribution to a retirement fund for volunteer emergency service members such as ambulance squad members or firefighters. The awards are based on active participation in the squad’s activities, and can range from $100 to $1,150 annually per qualified member. Squad Capt. Robert Shurgard had presented the council with a list of members who served on various squad committees, saying that …
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Township Council OKs $24.5 million spending plan.
The owner of a home assessed at the township average will see a $44 municipal property tax hike following the Tuesday passage of the 2013 township budget. The Township Council unanimously approved the $24.5 million budget that calls for $15.9 million to be raised by local taxes. The owner of a home assessed at the township average of $295,600 will pay $1,998 in municipal property taxes this year. That homeowner will also pay $32.52 in municipal open space taxes, and $138.64 to support the Sparta Public Library. Township Administrator David Troust said the 1.82 percent budget increase was the smallest in several years. In 2010, he said the township had a 6 percent increase, and in 2012, a 3.14 percent increase. The council accomplished two…
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Squad wants to expand eligible activities that would result in extra LOSAP payment.
The Sparta Township Council said last week it would study a request by the Sparta Ambulance Squad to increase the ways members qualify for retirement benefits. LOSAP, the Length of Service Award Program, is designed to provide a contribution to a retirement fund for volunteer emergency service members such as ambulance squad members or firefighters. The board will take up the issue for a vote on April 9. The awards are based on active participation in the squad’s activities, and can range from $100 to $1,150 annually per qualified member. Squad Capt. Robert Shurgard said the squad was asking the council to consider expanding the types of qualifying activities beyond making service calls or being on duty at the squad building. The change …
Monday, March 18, 2013
Nine-member team will find ways to make township more eco-friendly.
The Sparta Township Council took a step in its goal to gain a silver certificate under the Sustainable Jersey program that promotes environmentally friendly government practices. The council by resolution created a Green Team which is tasked with guiding the township’s efforts. Sustainable Jersey lists over 117 actions a municipality can take to show a commitment to environmental stewardship, including community gardens, supporting local businesses, conservation of energy and water and waste reduction and recycling, according to the group's website. Each town in the program must create a Green Team. For a silver certificate, Sparta must complete three of the seven priority actions: An energy audit for municipal buildings, a municipal …
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
$24 million spending plan to receive final vote April 9.
The Sparta Township Council tweaked the proposed 2013 municipal budget to add additional funds to support local civic groups. The change, which will be discussed in detail at a 7 p.m. March 19 special budget workshop, raised the overall budget by an additional .05-percent, said Mayor Gilbert Gibbs. He said that in recent years the township had held flat or reduced its support of local groups. This year, Gibb said, the council wanted to see if it could increase that financial support. The preliminary budget called for a 1.77-percent increase, which was set at 1.82 percent in the budget formally introduced Tuesday. The new figure is still below the state mandated 2-percent tax levy cap. The issue of funding civic groups was raised by the …
Michele Guttenberger
2:29 pm on Thursday, May 23, 2013
Could we get Thomas Ryan to be Hopatcong's attorney? I can't envision Ursin writing these type of letters on behalf of the residents of Hopatcong. Hopatcong could sure use a good legal letter writer that cares to address the issues of its average residents. But then again, we don't have a Mayor who would ask him to do this kind of letter writing. more ›