By Joseph Sapia
MIDDLETOWN – They came with a variety of issues on their minds: deteriorating roads, an over-population of deer, development, a neighborhood dispute.
This was another session of Neighborhood Spotlight, in which township officials are on hand to answer questions and listen to concerns of residents one on one. At the 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. session Tuesday, March 22, they were at the Poricy Park Nature Center to hear from residents of Oak Hill and Nut Swamp.
“It’s fantastic,” said Joanne Irwin, 68. “You’re not sitting in a row (at a meeting), listening to feedback. You’re face to face. Face to face is always the best.”
Irwin wanted to know about the “condition of roads,” such as that of Bamm Hollow and Oak Hill Roads. A township resident of 36 years, Irwin said “it’s not just the potholes,” but generally deteriorating roads.
Unbeknownst to Irwin, Robbie Cohen also had stopped by earlier to talk about road conditions.
“I wanted to inquire about Bamm Hollow Road,” said Cohen, 67. “It’s deteriorating. Potholes, deteriorating road, it’s like a washboard.”
Township officials said Bamm Hollow and Oak Hill Roads are to be re-paved later this year.
Cohen also talked to Police Chief R. Craig Weber about the traffic light at Normandy and Oak Hill Roads – why it turns red for Oak Hill Road traffic when there seems to be no traffic on Normandy Road.
Normandy Road, closed to general public traffic, is the road used by Naval Weapons Station Earle between its Colts Neck and Leonardo sections.
“They (the Navy) control the timing,” Weber said. “I will check with the Navy.”
Weber also was to check with the Navy to see if the traffic light had a sensor to determine traffic use, as do other traffic lights in town.
“Almost every traffic light (around town) would have a sensor,” Weber said.
Weber and Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger also talked to a couple about neighbor-to-neighbor friction.
The idea of the Spotlights is to have dialogue with residents in a non-meeting setting. Representatives of various departments are on hand to answer questions one-on-one in an informal manner.
An estimated 15 residents attended, moving in and out over the two hours, said Cindy Herrschaft, the township public information officer.
“You had a very nice, even stream of people,” Herrschaft said. “It’s really created good face-to-face opportunities.”
Scharfenberger, for example, said he provided general information on the township – which sprawls over 42 square miles and has 67,000 people – to a “relatively new” couple in town. He also suggested they get involved and serve on one of the town boards.
“It’s a great idea for the mayor to come out and meet and talk about what’s going on in town,” said Don Byck, who was there with his wife, Ellen.
The Bycks, who described themselves as seniors, said they have lived in the township for 50 years.
“We just wanted to know what was going on with the building around here,” Ellen Byck said. “I was a little concerned about overdevelopment.”
Ellen Byck was happy to hear a T.J. Maxx department store is going in at the former Pathmark shopping center on Route 35.
“We used to have a T.J. Maxx in Holmdel,” Ellen Byck said. “They moved to Eatontown. I don’t really get to Eatontown. (But) if they’re right here, it’s nice.”
Don Byck said “the shopping is terrific” in the area, both in terms of choice and price.
Karen Kandra brought her concern of deer, carriers of ticks that cause Lyme Disease and who eat her shrubs.
“The deer population is just getting crazy in New Jersey,” Kandra said. “All vegetation, they eat everything.
“They sit on my property,” Kandra said. “I’ve got about 10 of them. Something has to be done.”
Perhaps the deer population could be controlled through hunting, perhaps through birth control, Kandra said.
“I’m seeing dead deer everyday,” said Robert Card, an animal control officer, speaking of deer killed in traffic accidents.
Over the last 10 years, Animal Control has seen deer giving birth to more fawns and more often, Card told Kandra.
People can take individual measures against deer, but they could be costly, such as fencing, Card said. Overall control of deer, though, would be a state issue, he said.
“I thought this was really good, a diverse number of topics,” Scharfenberger said. “Luckily, the issues are not really monumental.”
