BLVD Safety made the year end Sandpaper ‘Newsworthy Items’ List

According to The Sandpaper 2011 Countdown of Newsworthy Items, Hurricane Irene targeting the Shore was the BIG news of 2011.  What was number 4 on their 2011 Countdown of Newsworthy Items? The HCTA/Harvey Cedars fight for a safer BLVD.

To quote the Sandpaper: “Responding to complaints from resident and visitors, Harvey Cedars officials wanted to turn the four lane BLVD in to a 2 lane roadway” with a center turning lane and wider shoulders to more safely accommodate other traffic in Harvey Cedars, namely pedestrians and cyclists. Barnegat Light officials worried the configuration would impede evacuation ( did not happen during Irene), first aid responders (the County traffic model says it won’t) and turn shoppers away from BL businesses (huh?).  Here’s the kicker: No other issue resulted in as many Letters to the Editor in the Sandpaper- ALL year long!

WE NEED TO KEEP THIS ISSUE IN THE PAPER!  And, we need to stagger these letters and keep the flow steady. Please, even if you have already written a letter, take 5 minutes to sit down and email another letter to the Sandpaper. OR- mark your calendar to write a letter to the editor next week or next month. The point is,  if we want to see change, we have to keep this issue out there and we need all the help we can get!

The Sandpaper letters/editor email address is: letters@thesandpaper.net.

Thank you.

As another New Year’s Eve rolls around, we wish everyone a Happy, Healthy 2012!

It’s that time of year again- New Year’s Eve. We think about the year that has passed us and contemplate what the new year will bring. The HCTA Board of Trustees want to wish everyone a Happy, Healthy 2012. May we, our families, our community and our country bear our burdens with grace and wish for blessings in the year ahead. Happy New Year!

Fall/Winter Update from President Phil Kunz

Harvey Cedars Taxpayers Association

Fall/Winter Update

Dear Fellow HCTA Members,

I hope everybody had a wonderful Thanksgiving and took the opportunity to enjoy the incredible weather we had over the holiday weekend. I want  to take a moment and let you know what is going on with the HCTA and Harvey Cedars in general. If you were not able to attend the annual meeting in August, the minutes are posted on the HCTA website http://www.harveycedarstax.org under the “Recent Posts” heading. The meeting minutes cover what was presented and discussed at the annual meeting as well as follow up information.

One topic that has been discussed year after year is the less than safe conditions along Long Beach Boulevard through Harvey Cedars. Providing a safer boulevard remains an ongoing battle with Ocean County. Please visit http://www.harveycedarstax.org to show your support for a safer boulevard by signing the online petition. Select the 3 in HC/Boulevard heading and scroll down towards the bottom of the page and select “Signing Our Petition”. At the time of this letter we have only 27 signees and 7 of those are HCTA board members. Please ask your friends and neighbors to sign the petition as well. Whether they live in Harvey Cedars or elsewhere,  we need more people to speak up and sign up if we want a safer boulevard in Harvey Cedars. Please remember that our police department would like reports of any incident involving pedestrians and vehicles along the boulevard. A record of problems and occurrences may help in our effort to have the County provide a safer boulevard.

A related point of discussion from the Q & A portion of our annual meeting was the need for pedestrians to follow the rules of the road. The emphasis of this topic was the importance of pedestrians traveling in the proper direction relative to vehicular traffic and obeying traffic signals and signs. The HCTA will investigate how we might help the Borough with reinforcing pedestrian road safety.

Also from the meeting Q & A session was the request for the HCTA to address changing Harvey Cedars current “no dogs on the beach” ordinance. The outcome of a show of hands indicated an equal number fore and against a change. At this time without a majority in favor, the HCTA is not challenging the Borough’s existing ordinance. This topic lead into a lengthy discussion about owners not curbing their pets and not properly disposing of their waste. In short the outcome seemed to be for all to respect the private property of others and not use somebody else’s yard or trash cans as a toilet for pets. Since we are discussing animals, I would like to note that with the recent donation of four live animal traps the HCTA is assisting the Borough in the effort to control and manage the ongoing problem of feral cats. Arrangements for use of the traps can be made through the HCPD. Please make sure you receive an informational sheet when you borrow a trap.

Other than some beach erosion at both ends of town, trash and recycling containers needing to be returned to their proper places, and debris clean up, our replenished beaches survived Hurricane Irene. In an event like a hurricane, communication between the Borough and the community is very important.  If you have not signed up for the free Nixle Community Information Service I would encourage you to do so by going to http://www.nixle.com . The system will provide you with the latest emergency information affecting your community. This along with the reverse 911 system the Borough utilizes will provide you useful information and instruction.

The Borough has received some reimbursement from the County for work Harvey Cedars performed related to the beach replenishment project. The Borough has also received from the State significant reimbursement for legal fees and settlement cost related to beach front easements needed for the replenishment project. This is money that had adversely affected the Borough’s budget and it nice to see it coming back especially as we are approaching that time of year when next year’s budget has to be addressed. This year as in years past, the Mayor and Commissioners have asked the HCTA to participate in the budget process. The HCTA and the Borough will take advantage of those same meetings to plan what the next steps might be in the quest for the Boulevard reconfiguration.

Borough Hall will soon be getting a new roof and some needed repair to the clock tower. Additionally, if you have been in Harvey Cedars lately you have no doubt seen the new, taller, and imposing utility poles being installed along the Boulevard. The electric company told the Mayor the taller poles are required due to the increased electrical power they will be supplying.

With winter approaching you may want to take advantage of a free house check program provided by our own Harvey Cedars Police Department. Visit http://www.hcpolice.moonfruit.com to learn more and sign up for this valuable service. The program is active between October 15th and May 30th. During this time officers are randomly checking unoccupied residences. The HCPD encourages all residents that are away during the winter months to register. Please note that home owners need to sign up each fall to be included in the program.

The HCTA board continues to meet throughout the year working to make Harvey Cedars a better place for all. We appreciate your support. On behalf of the HCTA I hope that everybody enjoys a safe and pleasant holiday season.

Phil Kunz - President

Don’t Forget To Vote on November 8th!

Tuesday, November 8th is election day! If you are registered to vote in Ocean County but don’t live here full time, please come to Harvey Cedars and exercise your important RIGHT to vote! Poling places are open from 6am to 8pm.

Members of the State Legislature are up for re-election as well as County Freeholder positions. For more information on times, locations, candidates, etc. please go to the Ocean County Elections website at : http://www.oceancountyclerk.com/election/default.htm.

If you are not registered to vote in Harvey Cedars, but are a resident of New Jersey, please consider switching the voter registration of one or more members of your household to Harvey Cedars. The school budget will be up for vote in the spring. There is not much the HCTA or the Boro can do to help keep our school taxes down if we don’t have registered voters who VOTE in Harvey Cedars. Did you know that Harvey Cedars residents pay over $320,000.00 per Harvey Cedars pupil that attends Southern Regional High School? Let’s have a say in this- register to vote!