Grants still available for Plumsted improvements

PLUMSTED - Last year, during 2006, the Township Committee obtained a $525,000 grant to be distributed within a five-year period from the state Department of Community Affairs to improve the downtown neighborhood through residential and business property improvements.

According to Mayor Ron Dancer, in 2006, direct grants in the amount of $68,502 were provided to five homeowners for housing rehabilitation.

Grants in the amount of $17,574 were distributed to nine business owners for business facade improvements. Paint and material grants totaling $3,000 were awarded to three homeowners. Sign grants were received by three businesses in the amount of $750, he said.

This year, in 2007, grants in the amount of $100,000 will be available for distribution, Dancer said.

Anyone interested in obtaining grant funding or learning more about the Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) grants and application process may contact Plumsted's NPP grant coordinator Vicki Berlenbach at the Welcome Center by phone, (609) 758-6990 or send an email to the office at downtownnewegyptnpp1@verizon.net.

A public meeting is scheduled for Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. in the Welcome Center, 31 Main St., regarding the second-year plan of the NPP. Visit the Internet Web site http://www.downtownnewegyptnpp.org for more information.

In other business, Dancer said the New Jersey League of Municipalities, representing all 566 municipalities in the state, has announced that three scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each will be awarded to high school seniors entering college this fall.

Public, private and home-schooled students are all eligible. To be considered for the $1,000 scholarship award, students are to write an essay on the theme "What My Mayor and Governing Body Do Best." The essay should be about 500 words and must be submitted to the mayor at 121 Evergreen Road, New Egypt) no later than March 15.

In addition to financially assisting the students with their college education, Dancer said the scholarship competition advances the virtues and heightens public awareness of elected and volunteer positions in municipal government.

Dancer said students may contact their elected officials for interviews and ask them questions prior to writing and submitting their essay by calling (609) 758-2241, ext. 102. Applications for the scholarships are available at the municipal clerk's office, 121 Evergreen Road, or by calling the clerk's office at (609) 758-2241, ext. 101.

The sixth annual talent show sponsored by the Plumsted Arts Council will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 20 at the New Egypt High School auditorium. The talent show features local adults and children from the fourth grade and higher.