Dear Friends,

This issue provides a quick update on many of the same issues that we have been following for much of the year - construction of the new recreation center, flood update, traffic calming and the impending tax re-assessment.  However, it also points out how difficult a year 2004 has been for Lumberton.  

New Recreation Center:  The construction of the first three general purpose fields is underway.  However, the contractor is eight weeks behind schedule.  As a result, the contractor will miss the fall planting season for grass.  The fields require two full planting seasons before play should begin on the fields.  As a result, the scheduled opening of these fields will probably be moved back from Fall 2005 to Spring 2006.  

The lights for the three fields are installed.  The township is waiting on the illumination drawings from the contractor to set up a meeting to explain the potential impact to nearby houses.  

Land Acquisition:  The township also reached an agreement to purchase the Raab Farm for approximately $825,000.  The Raab farm is a 7.34 acre, triangle shaped farm running along Municipal Drive from Little Bobby's Run down to the municipal center.  The property will be used for future expansion of the municipal recreation center that is currently under construction.  The property is zoned for public sewage and water and would enable a developer to build houses at a higher density than almost anywhere else in town.  The township will pay 25% of the purchase price using the Lumberton Open Space Trust Fund, and Burlington County will pay another 25%.  The remaining half will be paid for with matching funds from the state of New Jersey's Green Acres program.  The sale is expected to close in early 2005. 

Flood Update:  As of Thanksgiving, most of the 108 flooded houses are now re-occupied.  However, many of the residents who moved back living upstairs or in the trailers in their driveways.  Most, if not all, still have a considerable amount of re-construction to do from completing the kitchen to insulation, drywall, flooring, and furnishing.  The Lumberton Flood Victims Relief Fund is still open for donations.  To make a donation, send a check to:  Lumberton Township Disaster Relief Fund,  Commerce Bank, 1636 Route 38 East, Lumberton, NJ 08048.

Traffic Calming:  On November 8th, the township committee held a public hearing on speeding and related traffic problems on Main Street.  On October 3rd, Gerry Archuleta was killed on Main Street while emptying groceries from her trunk.  Several dozen residents spoke about other accidents where cars have drove into their homes, across their lawns and taken out rows of mailboxes.  

The county agreed to narrow the lanes, provide assistance in enforcing the speed limit, look at more (and/or better placed signs), and evaluate engineered traffic calming options such as pedestrian cross walks, flashing speed limit signs, and lower speed limits for trucks.  

Within a week, the county painted narrower lanes, posted additional speed limit signs, and  frequently parked the flashing speed limit sign on Main Street.  The township committee also directed the police department to step up patrols and speed limit enforcement on Main Street as well as some other roads in town including Bobby's Run Boulevard.  No timeline was given on the longer term engineered solutions.

Tax Re-Assessment:  On December 6th, the township held the first of two scheduled "Open Forum on Tax Re-Assessment".  The second session is scheduled for Saturday, January 22nd at 10:00 AM in the Municipal Center.  At the session, the Tax Assessor, Dennis DeKlerk spoke about need to do a re-assessment because the average assessed value to market value ratio in Lumberton is 67% which is well below the state mandated level where a re-assessment is required.  The tax assessor also stated that, residential property values are more under valued than commercial property.  However, the difference between them has decreased over the past year.  This is important because when the Re-assessment is set on October 1, 2006, if there is still a difference between commercial and residential property values, it will result in a tax burden shift from commercial to residential property values.

The tax assessor also laid out the timeline for the re-assessment starting in physical home inspections taking place between May 2005 and February 2006.  Each homeowner will receive several notices of the assessed value between August 2006 and January 2007.  The deadline for appealing the assessed value will be April 2007.  The re-assessment will take place in tax year 2007 and will be applied in the August and November 2007 tax payments.  

The tax re-assessment was originally scheduled to take effect in 2006, but the township committee agreed to delay the implementation of the re-assessment by one year to allow more time for the commercial property values to come in alignment with the residential values so that we do not see a large tax burden shift.  The Tax Assessor also stated that delaying the re-assessment any longer would likely result in a state order for Lumberton to complete the re-assessment even sooner than 2007.

Be Free Park:  The township will be re-naming the Bobby's Run Park to "Be Free Park" in memory of Bryan Freeman, Jr.  Bryan was killed by enemy action in Iraq on November 9th while serving with the Army Reserve's 443rd Civil Affairs unit.  Byran grew up and lived in Lumberton.  Bryan's nickname through out his High School years at Rancocas Valley was "Be Free".  

Thanks again for your support and have a safe and joyous holiday season.

Sincerely,