By Dave Fried
While December is a time of great thanks, appreciation and celebration, the New Year brings hope.
First and foremost, I want to once again say how thankful I am for the opportunity to serve as your Mayor. I am grateful to the residents, businesses and civic organizations which do so much to ensure that Robbinsville continues to personify the very meaning of community.
Stabilizing taxes is never an easy task, but we have gone from a town featuring one of the fastest growing tax rates in Mercer County to one of the most stable with four flat or reduced budget submitted to Township Council over the past five years. The April 2015 budget included $3 million to construct the new municipal building on Route 33. The single floor, 15,000 square foot complex will not result in a tax increase and will be open this summer.
Also in April, we raised more than $40,000 and were able to provide, with the help of Legacy Treatment Services, a handicap-accessible van to a family in need as part of our “Pay it Forward/State of the Township” initiative. It was a proud and rewarding day for not only me, but for my staff and this entire community. We also packaged over 50,000 meals for the Hunger Project over the summer during yet another successful collaboration with ONE Project.
As mayor, I also recognize my role in working closely with all of our community and corporate partners, including Amazon, in an effort to address issues such as the increased traffic that resulted from added holiday employees at the fulfilment center on New Canton Way in the Matrix Business Park.
With the help of Amazon senior operations management, Upper Freehold Township and our police force, we were able to work out a solution to stagger the outgoing traffic from the warehouse. I am very appreciative that Amazon representatives worked closely with us to make those changes happen, and we will be implementing more long-term holiday traffic solutions as we go forward.
In December, we recognized the vast accomplishments of outgoing Police Chief Marty Masseroni, who retired Nov. 30 after 35 years on the Washington Township/Robbinsville police force.
I never believed I would be mayor without Marty as my chief, and he will be sorely missed. I have every confidence Lt. Sandy Bainbridge, our acting chief, will do a great job until I choose a permanent replacement.
Back in July, Sgt. Thomas Egan and other members of the police department, along with Olivia Drive resident Bob Shea and our friends over at the Hampton Inn and Suites, displayed the very heart of our town by helping a 92-year-old World War II veteran Oscar Ehrhart secure complimentary housing at the hotel for the evening after losing his way in our town after dark.
As for 2016, we are very excited to see plans for Town Center South moving forward, and we hope to have a new owner of the Foxmoor Shopping Plaza early in the year.
As you may know, Colliers International LLC took over as caretaker of the property in November until a new owner is found, one we sincerely hope is dedicated to turning the center into a vital area of commerce once again.
Robbinsville also is very hopeful that it will receive a positive outcome regarding our final affordable housing requirement, which is now in the hands of the court.
Have a safe, happy and healthy New Year!
Dave Fried is the Mayor of Robbinsville.
