Winter 2022-2023

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR 

Eric F. Wilsusen 

Here is wishing all our residents a very Happy, Healthy & Blessed New Year! 

It’s hard to believe my first term has come to an end and I begin my second. I need first to thank all who supported me during my tenure. I never take for granted what it means to be an elected official and a good steward of our community. I look forward to the next four years. It certainly had been a challenging first term of four years. On top of setting up a new administration, we experienced as a community a harmful algal bloom to start off. Sadly, our community saw three drownings and a homicide, a historic snowstorm, tropical storm Isaias, Weldon road bridge, oh… and a pandemic, just to name a few! I could not manage it all without an outstanding administration, employees, volunteers, and Town Council to work with. I am genuinely grateful to all! It takes a village! 

So the end of the year is always a good time to look back over the past year. My prediction last year that we would not be so lucky on paving costs thankfully turned out to be wrong. We actually did better than expected and did not have to cut any road projects. As part of our 10- year capital improvement plan for road improvements, our 2022 Township paving program included Heather Hills Drive, Dogwood Drive, Dogwood Court, Toltec, Aztec, Boone, Oneida, Cozy Lake Rd (BVR to Hardbargin), Mitchell, Whitney, Brookside, some of which was also paid for by NJ Natural Gas (NJNG). Micro paving included Pecan, Cardinal, Sparrow, Overhill, Princess, Pembroke, Hardbargain, Eugenia, Center, Pearl, Pheasant, Evergreen, River, Maple, Croft, Como, Moccasin, Arrowhead, John, Abbott, Danbury, Pine, Mill & Tomahawk. Due to ongoing drainage work, Mountain View Trail, Great Sun, Tecumseh Ridge, Shenandoah Crescent, Shawnee Parkway, West Lakeview, Pathfinder, North Parkway, South Parkway, Highview Trail, Highview Terrace, Duck Point, and Mallard will all be completed in the Spring including all of West Shawnee Trail which will be paved by NJNG. NJNG also paved all of the Cozy Lake community. Good news for 2023 the Township was awarded $374,650.00 through NJDOT for road improvements to Minnisink Road. This project will be bid this summer. 

Other capital projects that were completed this past year include the purchase of Police vehicles, Public Works truck/equipment replacements, Rescue truck refurbishment for Fire Co#2, Ambulance replacement for Jefferson Rescue, Fire pumper replacement for Fire Co#1, and ongoing generator upgrades for our essential infrastructure as well as guide rail replacement and ongoing drainage improvements. 

NJNG has been installing gas mains in Lake Forest area as well as on Horace, Clifton Roads & West Elro. For 2023 we were informed that NJNG would be running main down Dover–Milton Road to get to those communities. They also plan on running main on Boa Vista, Canal Crossing and Swan Lane. As always, we advocate NJNG for all of Jefferson to be gassed up! 

Please help our plow crews during storms; per our ordinances no parking overnight or when streets are snow covered, and please do not blow snow into the roadway. I can assure you that our plow operators don’t purposely plow snow into your driveway; it is unavoidable! 

Happy New Year to All!