State grant will help rehab substandard housing units

PLUMSTED - Charles A. Richman, the acting commissioner of the state Department of Community Affairs, has notified the Township Committee that Plumsted will receive a Neighborhood Housing Rehab Grant in the amount of $50,000.

Mayor Ron Dancer said the grant will provide funds for the rehabilitation of existing substandard housing units occupied by low- to moderate-income households in Plumsted's designated Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) downtown area.

This $50,000 grant award is in addition to the $525,000 NPP grant the committee obtained two years ago. During the current 2007-08 NPP fiscal year, $100,000 of the $525,000 original NPP grant is budgeted for downtown New Egypt improvements and, with the additional $50,000 from the Neighborhood Housing Rehab Grant, a total of $150,000 will now be available for the fiscal year, according to Dancer.

In other news, Dancer said the entire length of Lakeview Drive will have new paving and drainage improvements during September and October as a result of the Township Committee obtaining a state Department of Transportation grant in the amount of $140,000.

The committee has authorized and submitted another grant application requesting $128,047 to pave more streets extending from Lakeview Drive. Within the financial parameters of this grant application, the following five streets off Lakeview Drive would be scheduled for paving: Brazil Drive, Crystal Avenue, Terrace Avenue, Chestnut Avenue and Twin Drive.

As more grant funds become available in the next grant cycle, the remaining streets in this neighborhood, Oakford Avenue and Locust Lane, will be also be paved, the mayor said.

And, new fencing is being installed at the township's leaf and branch recycling center on Magnolia Avenue as a result of the committee obtaining an Ocean County recycling grant. Earlier this year, Plumsted's recycling center was expanded with the construction of an additional container area paid with grant funding from state and county recycling grant programs.

The Township Committee obtained a tourism grant from Ocean County to pay for a Plumsted tourism brochure that will include a free business directory for all businesses in the township. To be included in this free business directory, submit business name, address, telephone, fax, e-mail and Web site information by Oct. 15 to sgano@estreetdesigns.com or leave a message at (609) 758-2733.

Dancer announced that two site locations for Plumsted's new Senior Outreach Search (SOS) program will be offered. On Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to noon, at the 31 Main St. Welcome Center, representatives from Ocean County Community Services will be present to provide information on many services available to seniors, including Meals On Wheels, medical transportation services and more. The second site will be at the Jensen's retirement community clubhouse on a date to be announced.

Residents may meet personally with the mayor at the Plumsted library on the second Wednesday of each month (Sept. 12) from 7-9 p.m. to discuss local concerns or state issues