HAZLET HAPPENINGS A Message from Mayor Dave Tinker Dear Fellow Hazlet Residents: As we say farewell to a busy summer filled with great capital construction projects and citizen initiatives, we also look forward to an exciting autumn of academics, outdoor activities and continued community improvements. Since I last wrote you, your township committee has overseen the rehabilitation of the last phase of the improvements to Veterans Park. This work includes the installation of a new Gazebo and walking trail though the Great Lawn at Veterans Park and replacement of soil and the installation of a beautiful new sod lawn throughout the pond and playground areas. We also restarted the township’s capital improvement plan which was largely abandoned several years ago. Authorized was the paving of Winthrop Place (Phase I), New York and Maple Avenues (Phase I) and Laurel Avenue (Phase I). This work will also include concrete and drainage improvements. We have also completed the federally-funded “Safe Route to School” project that now provides a safe sidewalk-based route through Knoll Terrace, Peach Drive, Bedle Road to the Beers Street School. We have also applied for grants to reconstruct Franciscan Way and Laurel Avenue (Phase II). We are preparing to do the first year of our new long-term Park Improvement Project which will invest $50,000 a year into our other community parks—parks and neighborhoods that have been neglected for far too long. On the operations side of our municipal government, we have purchased the first new police cars in more than five years and will retire many older cars—some with nearly 150,000 miles on them. We have hired the first new police officers in years. We have hired three new public works employees and have deployed new and much needed equipment into your neighborhoods to help make improvements. Our new Joint Court with Matawan and Keyport is a great success. The rebirth of the Hazlet Swim & Tennis Club is approaching its zenith after nearly closing several years ago. A club that was losing tens of thousands of dollars every season has beat our revenue projections by nearly $100,000. With hundreds of new members enjoying our world-class facility (not to mention our public-private partnership with our new “Belly Flop Café”), a financially successful pool utility, and more improvements on the way, it is easy to see how the Club is returning to its glory days. In closing, every Hazlet resident can be justly proud that the difficult choices we made as a community of citizens over the last two years of financial uncertainty have paid off. Our operations budget is flat and every penny of new tax revenue has been spent on making real improvements to our neighborhoods, streets and facilities. Our government is working better and costing less and meeting our never-ending goal of KEEPING HAZLET A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
DAVE TINKER Hazlet Mayor 34
Community Magazine
FLOOD PROTECTION & INSURANCE UPDATE
Hazlet Township participates in the Community Rating System program. Since portions of our low-lying areas are prone to flooding, please contact the Township at 732.264.1700, ext. 8660, or visit our website www.hazlettwp.org/flood-insurance. html for additional information regarding flooding and services offered by Hazlet Township.
CITIZENS ADVISE MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP
Three new citizen groups are advising the Township Committee and other municipal leaders on matters of community importance. The Citizens Leadership Council is comprised of residents who are receiving briefings from municipal department heads and are discussing a wide array of topics from park improvements to code enforcement and finances. Hazlet Tomorrow, the Township’s Youth Empowerment Initiative, brings together interested young people and town business and civic leaders to plan events and work on community-wide projects. Finally, the Advisory Board of Senior Citizens will meet with key officials to discuss concerns and issues important to our senior community. If you would like additional information on any of these groups, contact the Mayor’s Office at 732.217.8682.
LEAF BAGS AVAILABLE
Leaf bags are now available from the Hazlet Department of Public Works at the recycling yard. The bags may be picked-up now thru December 15, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
VOLUNTEERS RECOGNIZED Two of Hazlet’s most active volunteers have been recognized for their long history of service and devotion to the welfare of our community. PEGGY KING was named “Monmouth County’s Volunteer of the Year” and was honored at the Governor’s Summit. Peggy has served as an active member of the Hazlet Municipal Alliance for over 17 years and thrives in the role of public relations/awareness representative for the Alliance. Her commitment to the work of the Alliance, her strong advocacy and her long tenure as an active volunteer have made her the cornerstone of the Hazlet Alliance program. Among Peggy’s many contributions is her active recruitment of volunteers to participate in the various programs administered by the Hazlet Alliance. If there is a community need, Peggy promptly springs into action and helps to organize whatever needs to be done. She has recently been named as co-chairperson of the Alliance. BARBARA HILLIARD was recognized by both the Monmouth County Freeholders and the Township Committee of Hazlet. Barbara was honored when the Freeholders named a day “Barbara Hilliard Day” throughout Monmouth County in recognition of her service as Chairperson of the Professional Advisory Committee (PAC) of Monmouth County. She has been a member of PAC for more than 10 years and has served as an officer for the past 6 years. The Hazlet Township Committee also honored Barbara by proclaiming a day as “Barbara Hilliard Day” in the Township of Hazlet. She helped start the Alliance in 1990 and served as a volunteer until 1993 when she was hired by the Township as the Alliance Coordinator. She continues to serve as the Alliance Coordinator, County PAC and is an active member of the Monmouth County Suicide Prevention Task Force. Her passion is educating the community, parents and students on making the right choices regarding alcoholism and drug abuse and keeping the community safe. Congratulations to both Peggy King and Barbara Hilliard for their untiring devotion of service to our community, our county and the Alliance.