Dear Friends,

I hope you had an enjoyable summer. As Fall begins, there are a few new developments with the Tax Re-Assessment, traffic along Bobby’s Run Boulevard, the flood relief efforts and a great local heroes story that I want to share.

Tax Re-Assessment Update: Earlier this year, I reported that the Lumberton Township Committee unanimously approved a plan to do a tax re-assessment. The township committee approved a plan to go ahead with a re-assessment so that it could be conducted over a longer time period and at less expense to the township. They expressed concern that if we are ordered to do a full revaluation, the revaluation would have to be done in a much shorter time frame and at a much larger expense to the township.

After reviewing further data provided by several residents (myself included) that indicates the primary impact of the re-assessment will be a shift in the tax burden from commercial property owners to home owners, the township committee has decided to delay the re-assessment by one year. The intent is to still do it in house, but delay the implementation until 2007.

Lumberton’s residential property values have increased significantly in the past few years yet the values of commercial property has not kept pace. The township committee has asked the tax assessor to do some analysis that will show an average impact by area in town. The committee also indicated that they will provide one to two public workshops on the re-assessment to help taxpayers better understand the process and potential impact.

The tax re-assessment can not be delayed forever. Lumberton will eventually be ordered by the state to revalue our properties. This may occur at any time the average ratio of assessed values to market values falls below the level where the state mandates a revaluation of all property values. Assessed value is the portion of our property value on which we are taxes are based. At the end of 2003, Lumberton's Ratio was about 76%. The state cut off level is a ratio below 75%.

Bobby's Run Boulevard Traffic Calming Town Hall Meeting: The Lumberton Township Committee will be holding a public meeting to discuss traffic calming options on Bobby's Run
Boulevard. Some of the items being examined are lowering the speed limit, speed humps, bike lanes, rumble strips, etc. The committee wants to discuss the pros and cons of each option with the community before any decisions are made. Over the past few years, many residents have expressed concerns about the increased traffic volume on Bobby’s Run Boulevard and the number of vehicles that drive in excess of the speed limit. The meeting will be held on Monday, September 27th at 7:30 PM in the municipal center.

Dadz Flood Benefit: At the September 6th Township Committee, the organizers of the Lumberton Flood Relief benefit presented a check for $25,000 to the Lumberton Flood Relief Fund. They also presented a check for $9,000 to the Township of Lumberton to cover the direct clean up aid that the township incurred as part of the flood relief efforts. The benefit was sponsored by the Mount Holly and Burlington Rotary Clubs. The benefit was held at Dadz Bar and Grille on August 22, 2004.

Flood Rescue Story: Several weeks ago while I was helping to distribute supplies to flood victims, I heard bits and pieces of a great rescue story performed by two members of Lumberton’s Emergency Rescue squad. I finally caught up to them and compiled the full story. It’s the kind of story that deserves to be told. So, here it is.

In the early morning of the flood, July 13th around 1:30 AM, John Slifko returned to the Emergency Squad after Lieutenant Nagle and he had made a dangerous boat rescue on Bridge Road. John and R. J. Hakins had to get portable lanterns and forced entry tools for their next set of calls, Ed Brown’s Meadow. On Bridge Road the rescue team used the spot lights from the truck to illuminate the rescue area and to help navigate the fast moving and quickly rising water. At Ed Brown’s Meadow, the spot lights from the truck would not help. The entry point at Ed Brown’s Meadow would be a much greater distance from the homes and is obstructed by trees. With lanterns in hand, John and R. J. Hakins got back into the truck with the township’s 12 foot aluminum boat and 15 horsepower engine in tow.

When they arrived at Ed Brown’s Meadow, they had four calls from residents stranded in the second floor of their homes with 8 feet of fast moving and rising water running through their first floor. Ed Brown’s Meadow sits along the bank of the South Branch of the Rancocas Creek off Landing Street. There are about 8 homes located in the woods on the flood plain. There is one road down to the homes. The road goes down the hill towards the creek then turns parallel to the creek. The area around the homes is wooded, with partially and completely submerged cars, sheds, shrubs, and flood debris from upstream. It was completely dark except for the portable lanterns. The water was moving very fast with multiple whirlpools, cross currents and chop. To make matters worse, there was quite a bit of floating debris including large items such as decks, yard furniture and fallen tree limbs.

Once John and R. J. set into the water, they discovered two people in a canoe trying to get to dry ground. They took the canoe under tow and helped them get to dry land. Their next stop was the first house up stream in the Meadow. The residents at this home were watching the water rise all night. For most of the night, the water level was about 3 feet. They had their escape canoe tied off on the deck just in case the water got higher. But within a 15 minute period of time, the water rose to 8 feet, the deck broke off and made the front door and windows inaccessible. The only accessible window to the home was a small bathroom window. R. J. broken in the window while John held the boat steady. They then helped the two residents, their cats and dog into the boat.

After ferrying the first group to shore, John and R. J. set out for anther home down stream. This house had one man who had difficulties hearing. John and R. J. had to spend a lot more time next to the house where the water was most turbulent while they gave the man instruction. They instructed the man to go to the roof. The man made his way to a second floor window which they broke in so that the man could slide down about 3 feet into the boat. At which point John and R. J. thought they were going to capsize the boat. They steadied the boat, and got the man to shore.

At the third house, there were two older gentlemen. Again, there was a lot of turbulence and getting the people into the boat proved very difficult. R. J. had to physically pull the men and their dog into the boat as John worked to keep the boat steady against the house. Again, John and R. J. both felt they came close to capsizing the boat.

When John and R. J. returned to shore to drop off the last group of residents, the couple in the canoe asked if John and R. J. could go back to look for their cat. The owner had left the cat to get in her canoe to rescue a neighbor who was holding onto his flooded house by an outside window. John and R. J. agreed to go. Enroute to the home, their boat was nearly hit by a large floating object that they stated would have flipped their boat. They only avoided the object that they believe was either a deck or a dock, by a sharp last minute maneuver. After this point, they decided it was no longer safe to continue and broke off the search for the cat. It was now about 4:00 AM.

After this, John went on with a couple other people to make 10 more boat rescues in the downtown area until well after dawn. R. J. continued to work on other flood related assignments.

I hope you found this information useful and enjoyable. On an administrative note, I have been advised that, because I am running for public office, Lumberton E-News may now fall under the scrutiny of the NJ Election Commission. So that I can not be accused of violating any election laws, I must tell you that Lumberton E-News is a part of "Friends of Pat Delany". This will not change the content and manner in which I prepare and deliver Lumberton E-News one bit.

Thanks again for your support.

Sincerely,