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Steinmann outlines priorities for 2025 INTERVIEW BY BILL SANSERVINO
Blue Devils lacrosse standout Gavyn Vazquez fights off an opponent during a recent game.
Vazquez enjoys breakout season for boys’ lacrosse BY JUSTIN FEIL
Gavyn Vazquez has always played soccer, but he found another sport when he was a freshman at Ewing High School. Lacrosse. Ewing doesn’t have the big feeder program like some sur-
rounding towns, and almost every player on the Blue Devils boys team is like Vazquez – a late comer to the game. But the junior attackman and faceoff specialist has found just what he wanted in lacrosse. “I knew nothing about the sport, but I got used to the
sport,” Vazquez said. “I fell in love with it really. It’s a sport that I love to play, more than soccer, more than anything else.” Vazquez enjoyed a breakout season in his third year in the sport. He had five points in each of his first two seasons with the See LACROSSE, Page 16
From affordable housing targets and deer population control to cannabis revenue and small business support, Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann has a lot on his plate. In a recent interview with the Ewing Observer, Steinmann offered a candid look at the challenges and opportunities shaping the township’s future, highlighting a careful balance between growth, infrastructure, and community engagement. Many of the topics discussed in the interview are presented below in question and answer format and separated by subject. This article has been edited for grammar and clarity.
Development and tax ratables Ewing Obser ver: What’s the state of residential development and the housing market in Ewing? Residential values are going up, which means more of the tax burden may shift from commercial properties to residential, especially as commercial values drop.
Mayor Bert Steinmann: Property values in Ewing—and across the region—have gone up significantly, year over year. As for new construction, it’s mostly infill. People might buy a lot and build a house, but we don’t have the space for major developments of 25 or 30 homes. The state is looking to repurpose some state-owned land, and I’ve had discussions with them about zoning. But even that won’t be a big number. Freestanding single-family homes just aren’t going to happen here in large numbers. And even if we had the space, that would strain our schools, infrastructure, and emergency services. We’re trying to manage growth so it doesn’t burden the town. We’ve been responsible in our planning. It’s almost like following a master plan. We ask: Where can we grow? How fast can we grow? It’s been a careful balance. Could it get out of whack? Sure, depending on what happens with the state properties. But we’ve been consistent in telling the state: “Here’s our plan. Don’t push something else See STEINMANN, Page 8
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