Abandoned property faces legal action in Plumsted

PLUMSTED - The Township Committee has authorized the municipal attorney to initiate legal action for non-compliance with property maintenance and construction codes against the owner of an abandoned structure on property next to the community's Welcome Center on Main Street, New Egypt.

According to Mayor Ron Dancer, the last remaining abandoned structure in the business district, located on North Main Street, faces a similar fate if improvements are not forthcoming in a timely fashion.

Commercial zones in other areas of the township are preparing to open doors for business. Dunkin' Donuts has started construction next to the new Yardville National Bank at the intersection of Route 539 and Route 537. On the other side of that intersection, next to the new Roma Bank, another million-dollar-plus business ratable consisting of five professional offices will be opening shortly.

The new multimillion-dollar Wawa facility (with gas service) will begin the first phase of construction with a demolition of the abandoned buildings across from the existing Wawa at Route 539 and Route 528 within weeks, Dancer said.

In other news, the Township Com-mittee has appointed Christine Ward as a part-time deputy court administrator. Ward, who resides locally, is also a part-time deputy court administrator in Jamesburg and will continue to serve both municipalities on a part-time basis.

Ward will be in the Plumsted court office for one to two days as the workload warrants, since the total number of court filings for criminal indictable, disorderly persons, traffic and DWI cases has declined significantly in Plumsted, according to the mayor.

Of the 33 municipalities in Ocean County, Plumsted continues, as in past years, to maintain the lowest crime rate per 1,000 people county-wide. The Town-ship Committee was also able to reduce the total appropriations to operate the municipal court that contributed, in part, to lowering the 2007 township budget by nearly $100,000 from last year's budget.

Plumsted's municipal court sessions are still scheduled to remain at two sessions per month and there is a volunteer position available for someone to sit by the courtroom doors and sign people in prior to court. Additionally, this volunteer would also deliver papers from the courtroom to the court administrator's office during the court session. Anyone interested in volunteering for this court appointment should contact court administrator Anita Stevens at (609) 758-2241, ext. 117.

The next regularly scheduled public meeting of the Township Committee will be May 2 at 8 p.m.

Dancer said Sue Gazzara, a former journalist for regional weekly and daily newspapers, has established an Internet Web site at www.thevillagegreen.org devoted to news of Plumsted and neighboring municipalities in Burlington County.