What a year it has been.
I recently looked back on the remarks I wrote in January when I was sworn in as Deputy Mayor. I spoke of our shared sacrifice and suffering in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the dawning of hope for better times.
Almost a full year later, while the pandemic is not over, we are indeed in a better place. We have increased staffing and funding in our Health Department. We have wide access to vaccines, which are highly effective in preventing hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Our high vaccination rate in Hopewell Valley should continue to increase as 5-11 year olds become fully vaccinated. While indoor masking, handwashing, and staying home while sick likely will be with us for a while to come, life has re-emerged, and we are able to gather with friends, family, and community.
Even beyond the pandemic, it has been a monumental year in Hopewell Township. The Township Committee worked hard to mitigate the financial impact of BMS leaving their site in Hopewell. This year we welcomed PTC Therapeutics with a ribbon-cutting that celebrated their work to treat rare diseases, and we approved a redevelopment plan that will facilitate the arrival of BeiGene, a company that develops cutting-edge therapies to treat cancer. The presence of these state-of-the-art biotech firms in our community not only helps township taxpayers, but their work changes lives for the better every day.
Further on taxes, in September, we passed an ordinance allowing one cannabis cultivation and processing license in the Township. With a 2% tax rate on receipts, this has the potential to provide a huge financial benefit to the township, and therefore to township taxpayers.
Our ordinance is a “best of the best” in environmental protection, pulling from ordinances all over the state and country. It provides for impervious coverage limits and strict setbacks and screening requirements, control of odor, pollen, noise, traffic, and lighting, and protections for water, soil, and stormwater management.
The need for environmental protection was highlighted when Hurricane Ida struck our community in late summer. Our police department, along with help from neighboring communities, responded heroically, performing 50 overnight water rescues. Officers James Hoffman, Michael Makwinski, and Robert Voorhees ran toward the danger in rescue attempts, and each spent hours clinging to trees as the floodwaters rose.
Our community is grateful to have these courageous first responders in our midst, while mourning the tragic loss of two motorists, and planning for the future of dealing with extreme weather.
Because storm events are likely to be with us going forward, we must prepare as a township. To this end, in March we adopted new, strengthened stormwater regulations which focus on green infrastructure and mitigating stormwater runoff. These measures are critical to protect both our environment, and the lives and property of township residents.
As I said in January, even in difficult times, we have hope for the future and good things on the horizon. This remains true for 2022. We look forward to the opening of Mercer County’s Hopewell Valley Golf Course, to join the pool and tennis facilities there. We are excited to plan for the new bandshell coming to Woolsey Park, which will inspire and host new community events. We look forward to our new Senior and Community Center as a place where we can all come together.
With the difficulty of the past two years, the importance of community has been driven into sharp focus. I feel so fortunate to live in Hopewell Township, where we have always understood this. I look forward to continuing to work together for our shared future and bright days ahead.
Courtney Peters-Manning is deputy mayor of Hopewell Township, which provided this content.
Courtney Peters-Manning,
