January
8, 2006
Dear
Howell Resident,
Attached
is an important update related to the Parkway Water Company request for
a 105% increase in water rates. I’d ask that you please read this and
do all you can to oppose this matter.
If I can
be of any help to you on this or any issue, please feel free to call or
email me anytime. Thank you.
Most
Respectfully Yours and God Bless
America
,
Joseph
M. DiBella
Mayor,
Township
of
Howell
Reply
to:
MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us
Township
Web Site:
www.twp.howell.nj.us
Mayor’s
Web Site:
www.MayorDiBella.com
Phone:
732-938-4500, Ext. 2155
Attachment:
Message from Mayor DiBella:
Parkway
Water Hearing Date Set
December 5, 2005
Dear Howell Resident:
Attached is an important statement regarding the Freehold Regional Board
of Education's plan to re-district. In my view, their plan is bad for
Howell and seriously flawed. I'd ask that you please read the attached
and circulate to it any Howell residents you know. Only if we come
together as a community can we over-turn this flawed plan.
Let me also thank the many parents, PTA members and especially, Joan
Leimbach, the township's FRHS BOE liaison, for her incredible work in
exposing the flaws with the plan. Please pass the word and do all you
can to get as many people as possible to the next Board meeting. This
flawed plan impacts ALL Howell students
If you have any questions or if I can be of any help to you on t his or
any issue, please feel free to call or email me anytime.
Most Respectfully Yours and God Bless America,
Joseph M. DiBella
Mayor, Township of Howell
Reply to: MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us
Township Web Site: www.twp.howell.nj.us
Mayor's Web Site: www.MayorDiBella.com
Phone:732-938-4500, Ext. 2155
Attachment:
Help Reverse the Freehold
Regional High School Re-Districting Plan
November 27, 2005
Dear
Howell Resident:
Attached
is an important statement regarding cable TV laws. The community needs
your helping in contacting the Governor and the Legislature to end the
current way cable is distributed. Please review this important update
and let me know how I can be of help to you. Best regards,
Most
Respectfully Yours and God Bless
America
,
Joseph
M. DiBella
Mayor,
Township
of
Howell
Reply
to:
MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us
Township
Web Site:
www.twp.howell.nj.us
Mayor’s
Web Site:
www.MayorDiBella.com
Phone:
732-938-4500, Ext. 2155
Attachment:
Message from Mayor DiBella: End
the Cable TV Monopoly in NJ
November 20, 2005
Dear
Howell Resident:
I
wanted to give you an update on out efforts made in the “Slow Down in
Howell” campaign. The details are listed below.
I’d
ask that you please review this important set of updates and please let
me know what you think. You can call or email me with your comments and
input. This is our
community and we must do all we can to protect the safety and welfare of
our residents. The updates are as follows:
1)
We
just completed at my design a competition for all school age children in
town. They were invited t submit a drawing that would become the picture
to accompany the slow down in Howell effort. I have nearly 50
submissions and I’ll be selecting a winning drawing this week. We’ll
announce the winner publicly and present a special award to the winning
child;
2)
We’ll
have the winning drawing turned into signs that will be posted all over
town. This will be the centerpiece of the campaign and I hope it will go
on forever,
3)
To
date I have the names of 15 volunteer neighborhood captains. I’ll be
having a meeting with them all at Thanksgiving to tell them their roles
and how they will be our foot soldiers in this effort. We are accepting
more names every day;
4)
At
the December Council meeting we will evaluate all current fines and
penalties for speeding and traffic related offenses. I’ll be asking
that we triple them all;
5)
The
speed humps are on order and should be in place shortly. Note that it is
against State law to place them anywhere where the speed limit is 25
MPH. They can only be placed at locations where the limit is greater
than that. In addition to the five we have just bought, I’ll be asking
the Council that we buy 10 more for 2006;
6)
I
wan our new signs speaking to slowing down in place by the 1st
of the year. These are: “Driving over the Speed Limit = Meeting our
Judge”. A second sign will say “Get a Police Officer’s
Autograph…by Driving over the Speed Limit.
7)
I
will be asking that we hire 2 additional police in the 2006 budget
specifically assigned just to traffic safety;
8)
We
are having yellow lines painted in the street at every corner up and
down
Newton
’s
Corner Road
in Ramtown, creating cross walks to help improve crossing safety in this
busy area. These new lines should be in place by the end of the year.
There
is no question there is much to be done but I believe the entire
community supports this effort and I hope we’ll build more support as
we forge ahead. If you have any additional questions with this or would
like to volunteer in any way, please let me know. Thank you.
Most
Respectfully Yours and God Bless
America
,
Joseph
M. DiBella
Mayor,
Township
of
Howell
Reply
to:
MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us
Township
Web Site:
www.twp.howell.nj.us
Mayor’s
Web Site:
www.MayorDiBella.com
Phone:
732-938-4500, Ext. 2155
November 14, 2005
Dear
Howell Resident:
Attached
is an important statement I have released back in September of this
year. It has to deal with a piece of property referred to as the
Frequency Engineering site or the Hurley Property. As is often the
case in public life, many controversial issues do not get reported
thoroughly and in many cases, this allows the facts to be altered or not
reported at all. In the case of this matter, a small few have actually
tried to twist the facts and outright lie to people about the issues in
play.
I
am re-circulating this letter now because there are again many
misconceptions about this piece of property being circulated. I am
personally against residential housing of any kind at this location.
This would be the absolute worst use of this land. Second, the land is
contaminated and if not cleaned it will in fact further threaten our
drinking water supply. I have little confidence that if left to their
own devices the NJ State DEP will help correct this any time soon.
Third, this community is owed in excess of $4 million in back
taxes and we need to work to get that money back into the tax coffers.
Since the late 1980s, elected officials in Howell looked the other way
and did nothing to try and get this issue handled. We can not wait any
longer as we must act now to make sure we take control of this matter
and have the land cleaned.
The
letter is long but I ask that you read it all. No decision has been made
about a final action yet. I want to know what you think about this
issue. So, please call or email me and tell me this:
A)
Should
the township foreclose on the property and try and get as much of our
back taxes as possible and leave the DEP to deal with the clean up? or,
B)
Should
the township council have the area considered as a tract in need of
re-development so we can have better access to secure grant money to be
used to force it be cleaned sooner and also get as much of our tax
dollars back as possible?
Your
opinion counts and so as always I ask that you tell me how YOU feel on
this issue and every issue facing the township. One thing is for sure:
unlike former councils that go back to the early
1990s, we cannot simply do nothing and look the other way
and hope someone else deals with the problem. We need to act in a
decisive way and resolve this issue so our children and grandchildren
are not saddled with it down the road.
I
thank you for your time and appreciate you sharing your feedback.
Most
Respectfully Yours and God Bless
America
,
Joseph
M. DiBella
Mayor,
Township
of
Howell
Reply
to: MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us
Township
Web Site: www.twp.howell.nj.us
Mayor’s
Web Site: www.MayorDiBella.com
Phone:
732-938-4500, Ext. 2155
Attachment:
Frequency
Engineering Site Update Letter
October 26, 2005
Dear
Howell Resident:
On
Friday,
October 28th at 6:15pm
Howell
Township
will officially unveil the township’s September
11th Memorial. This is a very
special and significant occasion for
Howell
Township
in that we had 5 families who lost loved ones from our community. The
dedication of this memorial symbolizes the extraordinary importance in
constantly remembering the events of September 11th and how
those events have re-shaped the history of the world forever. We can
never pay enough tribute to those who were murdered that day; some as
innocent victims, others who perished while trying to save lives.
September
11th is a day that must live in our hearts and our minds
every day. The unveiling of this monument will ensure that
Howell
Township
pays tribute in a special way to those who perished and at the same
time, ensures that we have a constant reminder of the event and how it
has changed the world we live in.
Please
join us in the dedication. It will be a special evening for our
community and one we should all take part in. In the event you have any
questions about the memorial, or if I can be of any help to you on this
or any issue, please feel free to call or email me at MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us
Best
personal regards & God Bless
America
,
Most
Respectfully Yours,
Joseph
M. DiBella
Mayor,
Township
of
Howell
Reply
to: MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us
Township
Web Site: www.twp.howell.nj.us
Mayor’s
Web Site: www.MayorDiBella.com
Phone:
732-938-4500, Ext. 2155
NOTE:
This email and any communication from Mayor DiBella reflect the views
and opinions of only Mayor DiBella and not the
township
of
Howell
or any elected or municipal official related to the
township
of
Howell
.
October 23, 2005
Dear
Howell Resident
,
Over
the past 2 ½ years the township Council and I have made
repairing township roads a main priority. For nearly a decade, roads
repairs were virtually ignored. As a result, we have hundreds of
roads all over the township in need of re-paving, repairs and
refurbishment. To address this issue in an efficient and productive
way, we performed an engineering study to evaluate the condition of
every road in town. We did so on a “worst condition” to best
condition basis” so that we now have a systematized inventory of
every township road. With this new road plan, we’ll now have a
permanent plan to improve and work on roads every year.
In
having a maintenance plan, we now have a blueprint for constant road
maintenance. To back up this plan, the township council and I
have allocated in excess of $2.7 million in a road fund to address
those streets in need of urgent attention. This is the largest
allocation of such funds in township history. Based on the engineering
study, we have developed the list of roads to be paved in the spring
of 2006. This list contains those roads determined to be in the need
of immediate repair (not in specific order):
·
Alexander
Ave.
·
Arnold
Blvd.
·
Brook
Rd.
·
Cranberry
Ave.
·
Crown
Hill Rd.
·
Easy
St.
·
West
Farms Rd.
·
Fort
Plans Rd.
·
Lanes
Pond Rd.
·
Lanes
Mill Rd.
·
Locust
Ave. (the piece not yet completed)
·
Miller
Rd.
·
Old
Tavern Rd.
·
Redwood
Rd.
·
Salem
Hill Rd.
·
Southard
Avenue
·
Strickland
Rd.
·
Yellowbrook
Rd.
The
above list will be further supplemented once we determine the next set
of roads will be after we calculate final grant money. In total, this
list represents 16 miles of road way in various areas of the township.
The total cost to repair these is approximately $2.6 million and all
work goes to public bid to ensure we get the best price for the best
work possible. The unfortunate reality is that due to the high price
of fuel oil, the cost to pave roads is at an all-time high. In fact,
the plan laid out above will cost in excess of $164,000 per each mile
of road paved.
We
have already paved
Newtons Corner Road
,
Fairfield
Road and
Ketchum Road
along with many other main roadways across the township. These efforts
and the roadways listed above are just the beginning. The governing
body is committed to continuing to make the needed investments to
repair roads throughout the township.
We
are excited about this ambitious campaign. If your street is not on
the list above, rest assured we’ll be getting to it as soon as we
can. I know how important road improvement and traffic safety is to
Howell
Township
and so this is why we have made such an investment. In the event you
have any questions with the above or if I can be of any help to you on
this or any issue, please feel free to call or email me at
MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us
Best
personal regards,
Most
Respectfully Yours,
Joseph
M. DiBella
Mayor,
Township
of
Howell
Reply
to:
MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us
Township
Web Site:
www.twp.howell.nj.us
Mayor’s
Web Site:
www.MayorDiBella.com
Phone:
732-938-4500, Ext. 2155
NOTE:
This email and any communication from Mayor DiBella reflect the views
and opinions of only Mayor DiBella and not the
township
of
Howell
or any elected or municipal official related to the
township
of
Howell
.
October 19, 2005
Dear
Howell Resident
,
With
the County Tax Re-Evaluation slated to begin early next year, I have
received a number of questions from residents about the distribution of
their local tax dollar. Accordingly, the Township Finance Office
prepared a pie chart that illustrates how the local tax dollar is carved
up. This is summarized below:
For
every $1 dollar in taxes, the allocation is:
$0.50
cents to the Howell Township Board of Education
$0.18
cents to the
Freehold
Regional
High School
system
$0.15
cents to the
County
of
Monmouth
$0.11
cents to
Howell
Township
municipal government
$0.04
cents to the local Fire Districts
$0.02to
the Local Open Space Preservation Fund
_________________________________________________
Sum
= $1.00 local taxes
As
you can see, the
Howell
Township
municipal government accounts for only 11% of the local tax levy to
deliver municipal services. The balance is self-explanatory. The
attached Excel Pie chart illustrates this further. I hope the
attached is of use to you. Please know that the Township Council and I
have and will continue to make tough and responsible business decisions
to be fiscally conservative and hold the line on local spending and taxes.
I’ll share additional information related to the
County
Re-Evaluation
shortly and if you have any questions in the interim, please feel free
to email or call me anytime.
Best
personal regards,
Most
Respectfully Yours,
Joseph
M. DiBella
Mayor,
Township
of
Howell
Reply
to:
MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us
Township
Web Site:
www.twp.howell.nj.us
Mayor’s
Web Site:
www.MayorDiBella.com
Phone:
732-938-4500, Ext. 2155
NOTE:
This email and any communication from Mayor DiBella reflect the views
and opinions of only Mayor DiBella and not the
township
of
Howell
or any elected or municipal official related to the
township
of
Howell
.
Local
Tax Dollar Allocation
October 19, 2005
Dear
Howell Resident
,
With
so many questions swirling around regarding the re-evaluation I wanted
to assemble the top issues and place them into a TRUE and FALSE document
for your use. The attached addresses the primary issues people have
called or emailed me about and clarifies what is true from false about
the process that the County has initiated.
I
hope the attached is a help to you and if I can be of any assistance,
please do not hesitate to call or email me anytime. Thank you.
Best
personal regards,
Most
Respectfully Yours,
Joseph
M. DiBella
Mayor,
Township
of
Howell
Reply
to:
MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us
Township
Web Site:
www.twp.howell.nj.us
Mayor’s
Web Site:
www.MayorDiBella.com
Phone:
732-938-4500, Ext. 2155
NOTE:
This email and any communication from Mayor DiBella reflect the views
and opinions of only Mayor DiBella and not the
township
of
Howell
or any elected or municipal official related to the
township
of
Howell
.
County
Re-evaluation Information True/False Fact Sheet
Saturday, October 15,
2005
Dear
Howell Resident,
As
promised, I want to keep you aware of developments related to matters
dealing with Parkway Water Company. As you know, Parkway is the private
water supplier to a large portion of the Ramtown section of Howell.
While today they are providing clean drinking water that they are buying
from the Brick Township MUA, there have been issues with their own wells
having tested above normal limits for certain natural elements found in
drinking water. While the township has done everything in our authority,
this and other utilities are private companies regulated by the NJ State
Board of Public Utilities. We have and continue to test the water and
pipes in Ramtown and we have challenged the NJ DEP to play a greater
role in this process.
Recently
Parkway Water filed for a more than 100% rate increase with the Board of
Utilities. Any increase is downright insulting and the township will do
everything possible to fight this matter. A few weeks back I write to
the community asking to engage your support in calling and writing the
Chairperson of the BPU and to the NJ Rate Payer Advocate opposing even
the slightest increase in water rates.
Attached
for your review is the letter the township had our legal counsel send to
the state authorities. The letter strongly opposes any increase and puts
the state on notice that we will fight any increase with all we have. I
again ask you to call and write to the state authorities that have
control over this matter. Your help and support will demonstrate our
resolve in this matter. Please read the attached letter, share it with
your friends and please do all you can to help us oppose any increase in
water rates for Parkway Water customers.
The
township continues to pressure the NJ DEP to play a greater role in this
matter and we also continue to urge other reputable water companies
capable of distributing clean water to purchase Parkway Water. Please be
assured the council and I have and will continue to do all we can to
protect our residents and we will do all we must to defeat this proposed
water increase.
If
you have any questions about this or any other matter, please feel free
to call or email me anytime. Best personal regards,
Most
Respectfully Yours,
Joseph
M. DiBella
Mayor,
Township
of
Howell
Reply
to: MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us
Township
Web Site: www.twp.howell.nj.us
Mayor’s
Web Site: www.MayorDiBella.com
Phone:
732-938-4500, Ext. 2155
NOTE:
This email and any communication from Mayor DiBella reflect the views
and opinions of only Mayor DiBella and not the
township
of
Howell
or any elected or municipal official related to the
township
of
Howell
.
Legal
Letter Opposing Parkway Water Rate Increase
Saturday, October 15,
2005
Dear
Howell Resident,
On
behalf of the entire governing body, I am pleased to report our new
local access channel, Howell TV 77
is now up and running.
We launched the channel this past Thursday, October 13, 2005 with our
community bulletin board. The launch of this new channel is a
historic event for the community in that it marks yet another way the
township is working to make our government more open, accessible and
convenient for our residents.
As
I have mentioned in a prior email, the channel will include the
following features:
·
The
broadcast all township council meetings,
·
A
community message board with key events and important local information
and updates,
·
The
broadcasting of local events of interest from our school system, like
concerts, plays and sporting events,
·
The
ability to post urgent or emergency messages,
·
Opportunities
for local groups to have special programming time, and,
·
Provide
Local news and related updates.
For
the next several weeks, we will be broadcasting former township council
meetings from earlier in the year. These will be shown nightly at 8pm.
These are unedited meetings broadcast as they took place. Please
also note that any meeting will never be edited or changed. The only
time we may be forced to edit a part of a meeting would be if someone
used “profanity” that would need to be edited for FCC purposes. I
doubt this will be an issue in that the governing body members and
members of the public always conduct themselves in the most respectful
and professional way at all meetings.
If
you have any questions about our new Cable TV Channel, our on-line web
services or any other matter, please feel free to call or email me
anytime. Best personal regards,
Most
Respectfully Yours,
Joseph
M. DiBella
Mayor,
Township
of
Howell
Reply
to: MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us
Township
Web Site: www.twp.howell.nj.us
Mayor’s
Web Site: www.MayorDiBella.com
Phone:
732-938-4500, Ext. 2155
NOTE:
This email and any communication from Mayor DiBella reflect the views and
opinions of only Mayor DiBella and not the
township
of
Howell
or any elected or municipal official related to the
township
of
Howell.