BASEMENT WATERPROOFING IN Jackson Township

JACKSON — The seven-member Jackson School District Board of Education has a vacancy and is inviting residents to apply for an appointment to the panel.

Scott Sargent is leaving the school board following his recent election to the Jackson Township Council. Sargent will join the governing body in January.

School board members in New Jersey serve without compensation.

Jackson School District Business Administrator and Board Secretary Michelle Richardson said the process for filling a vacancy such as this differs from a typical school board election.

The individual who is appointed by the board will take the oath of office and become a full member of the board on Dec. 21 and will continue to serve in that position through the panel’s reorganization meeting in early January 2024.

The individual who is appointed this month – and anyone else in the community – will have the opportunity to file a petition to run for election for this seat in the election to be held on Nov. 7, 2023, according to a press release from the school district.

In order to be considered for the appointment, interested individuals must submit a resume and cover letter that outlines the reasons for wanting to serve on the board and the qualifications for being selected.

These materials can be mailed to the attention of Michelle Richardson, Board Secretary, Jackson School District Board of Education, 151 Don Connor Blvd., Jackson, NJ 08527 or emailed to [email protected]. District administrators are asking respondents to put “board vacancy” in the subject line of the email.

The deadline to submit materials is Dec. 19, according to the press release.

During the Dec. 21 closed session portion of the board’s business meeting (which begins at 4:30 p.m.), all applicants will be invited to make a brief (five minutes maximum) statement that elaborates on their resume and cover letter: reason for wanting to serve, qualifications, expectations for service and areas of priority. Board members will ask follow-up questions.

When the board returns to public session to begin its regular meeting, the board members will vote in public to appoint one of the candidates and the appointed candidate will be immediately seated after taking the oath of office, according to the press release.

Qualifications for a board member, established by state law, are as follows:

• Be a United States citizen;

• Be a resident of the school district for at least one year at the time of election or appointment;

• Be able to read and write;

• Be a registered voter in the school district where the person is submitting the nomination petition (or being appointed);

• Not be disqualified as a voter pursuant to state law;

• Not have been convicted of any of the crimes or offenses enumerated in state law or conspiracy to commit or attempt to commit any of said crimes;

• Not be the mayor or a member of the governing body of the municipality;

• Not have a direct or indirect contract with or claim against the board.

LAKEWOOD - The Township Committee is poised to approve an ordinance that could allow all private and public schools in Lakewood to operate banquet halls and host events such as weddings and concerts.

The second reading and final approval of the ordinance is scheduled for a vote to take place at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at Town Hall.

Some residents have complained about the potential impact of the rule change. The main point of contention: parking.

“I think it is going to cause chaos," Lakewood resident Peter Flum said. "Because parking is a huge problem in this town. And who knows how many people are going to show up? You cannot have an open-door policy. If the place is a school, it should remain a school.”

The draft ordinance requires one parking space per every 100 square feet. That is 45 parking spots for a venue the size a basketball court, which typically hosts about 550 guests.

With schools present in 97% of Lakewood zones, allowing banquet halls in all schools will be detrimental to the township, said Robert C. Shea, an attorney contesting the ordinance who represents clients from Lakewood’s Industrial Park.

Last week, the Lakewood Planning Board recommended one parking space per every 45 square feet of banquet facility space, including kitchen and foyer space. That would mean 100 parking spaces for a venue that can host up to 500 patrons.

Shea contested the parking formula, saying that one parking space per seat should be the appropriate ratio, which is the number of parking spaces local ordinances require for hotel banquet halls.

Currently, Lakewood requires theaters to have one parking spot per every two seats.

Noise in neighborhoods

The planning board offered mixed feelings on whether schools in residential areas should be excluded from the ordinance.

At one point Moshe Neiman, the planning board chairman, argued that it wasn’t necessary to exclude schools in residential zones from having banquet halls as long as they could provide enough parking spaces.

“If we come up with a parking ratio that works, who cares what zone is it?” Neiman asked.

However, board member Bruce Stern brought up concerns about the noise these venues can produce.

“I've got to be honest. That would be a disaster. If you start putting weddings and halls (in residential zones), you are going to start dealing with music, you are going to enter in a conversation about buffers and noise,” said Stern.

Stern's argument prevailed, and the planning board voted to recommend excluding schools in residential zones from having banquet halls. It's up to the Township Committee to decide whether to act on those recommendations, or approve the ordinance as is.

Lakewood Mayor Ray Coles said that the ordinance will not intervene with previous resolutions that have banned specific schools from having a banquet facility. Such is the case of Bnos Yaakov, an all-girls elementary school on Kent Road, which the Planning Board banned from building a banquet facility in a resolution memorialized last May 24.

Juan Carlos Castillo is a reporter covering everything Lakewood. He delves into politics, social issues and human-interest stories. Reach out to him at [email protected]

JACKSON - The township is "finalizing details" on a land grab that would preserve 32 acres of open space where a developer planned to build four private religious schools.

The Bellevue Estates LLC proposal for four schools on Leesville Road has been controversial since the minute the plans were filed. The schools would hold up to 2,850 students, which a traffic engineer hired by the developer said would result in more than 1,500 additional cars on the road every day schools were in session.

Earlier:Jackson religious schools would cause 'disastrous and catastrophic' traffic, residents say

Mordechai Eichorn, principal of Bellevue Estates LLC, already had a three-school project approved just two miles down Leesville Road, with another 1,400 students.

A potential purchase price for the property was not disclosed.

"We have been successful in negotiating with the owners of this Leesville Road property with the intent of having the township acquire this parcel of land," Mayor Michael Reina said in a statement. "As details are being finalized with the landowners, no additional information is available at this time."

"My priority is to protect existing neighborhoods within Jackson Township, and to protect and honor the rights of all Jackson residents. We have found a way to achieve both outcomes with this agreement once it is finalized and approved."

Eichorn could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.

Subscribers Only:Jackson is changing, from businesses to people and politics

The applications for religious schools came after the township settled a civil rights lawsuit with the federal Department of Justice.

The DOJ accused township officials of targeting the municipality's booming Orthodox Jewish community with ordinances and other actions designed to "prevent (them) from further populating Jackson," including a ban on school construction. The ordinance also served as the basis for numerous civil rights lawsuits against the town, including one filed by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office.

As part of the settlement, the township is required to pass an ordinance "permitting schools in numerous residential and other zoning districts," replacing the school construction ordinance.

Reina's announcement of the land purchase comes just over a week before Election Day, where he is seeking reelection to a fifth term. He's opposed by Council President Martin Flemming III and, in recent weeks, both have said they were committed to purchasing more open space as a tool to control development.

But Flemming said the Township Council had never been informed that the municipality was even in negotiations to purchase the site. A lack of communication between Reina and council members has been a sticking point for Flemming, who is running alongside council members Andrew Kern and Samara Porter O'Neill.

"This is way too convenient to be happenstance," Flemming said. "I'm the council president, and I have no idea what the price is. I have no idea what the terms are. The mayor held the residents in Leesville hostage to make a political point and, if it wasn't a political point, then why wasn't the council involved?"

In August, Flemming and other township officials met with Eichorn to discuss using the site for housing instead of schools after hearing concerns from neighbors. Eichorn submitted a plan for 48-single family homes to the zoning board, but it was rejected.

"The schools didn't belong there," Flemming said.

Mike Davis has spent the last decade covering New Jersey local news, marijuana legalization, transportation and a little bit of everything else. He's won a few awards which make his parents very proud. Contact him at [email protected] or @byMikeDavis on Twitter.

There is debate on whether Central Jersey exists. In colonial times, the state was split by the Keith Line, which separated East Jersey from West Jersey. Today, it is more clearly split geographically by the line drawn by Giants fans or Eagles fans — and those who refer to our state’s signature meat treat as Taylor ham or pork roll into a North and South Jersey demarcation only. Benjamin Franklin referred to New Jersey as a barrel tapped at two ends because of how it was situated between New York and Philadelphia. The middle of that “barrel,” the area that is basically equidistant from the two cities that define the loyalties and leanings of many Jersey residents, is Jackson Township.

Situated in Ocean County, Jackson is big: It’s a little over 100 square miles. In addition to the township’s main draw, there are some classic food establishments with loyal followings that seem as big.

There is a lot of great pizza in New Jersey, and Jackson certainly has its fair share of pizzerias, none garnering more positive press than Brooklyn Square Pizza. Pietro Grippo’s family has made the migration that many others have — Southern Italy to Brooklyn to New Jersey. He commuted from Brooklyn for years, working at another place before opening his own.

Grippo can stake claim to his pizza as being “out of this world” and not have it be hyperbole; one of his creations accompanied astronaut and New Jersey native Garrett Reisman onto the International Space Station in 2010. When he was named Jersey’s best pizza in Pete Genovese’s pizza showdown in 2017, Grippo exclaimed that a restaurant “in the middle of nowhere” to many could become one of the destinations in the state. (It’s not the middle of nowhere, of course; it’s Central Jersey.)

Bella Italia Pork Store in Jackson has a range of prepared foods, imported specialties and more. Photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media

Another Jackson business that caters to Italian food lovers is Bella Italia Pork Store. It literally caters but also provides a wide range of prepared foods, imported specialties, freshly butchered meats, baked goods and more. The Sgroi family also made the migration from Italy to Brooklyn (with a stop in Staten Island) to New Jersey, opening Bella Italia in 2009 and quickly becoming a community mainstay.

There is one place to keep in mind if you are heading into Jackson early in the day, with an emphasis on early. Village Donut Shop opens at 5 a.m. and stays open until they sell out. That means the red-awninged shack of baked goods often closes by noon. Be warned: A lot of your favorites may sell out much earlier, so get there early and buy a box.

Tacos y Alitas brings acclaimed Mexican-American fare and wings to visitors. Photo courtesy of Tacos y Alitas

Some businesses are located in Jackson; this one is centered in Jackson. Tacos y Alitas means Tacos and Wings, and this really popular food truck run by the Angeles’, a father-and-son team, brings acclaimed Mexican-American fare and wings to visitors. Follow them on social media because they do occasionally pull up stakes and head off for festivals and private parties.

In 100 square miles in the middle of the state, you can expect to find farms, too. Jackson is home to numerous horse farms, but for fresh, Jersey-grown produce, there are options as well. Look for I and G Farms, an 80-acre farm and garden center, for its locally grown fruits and vegetables. People drive from all over, not just Central Jersey, for the corn.

We would be remiss to not mention one of the largest theme parks in the world, which takes up over 500 acres in Jackson. Great Adventure was conceptualized by a New York businessman who saw the Jackson area as an ideal place because of its location between New York and Philadelphia. His LeRoy Adventures opened some of the splashiest eating and drinking establishments in New York at one time: the Tavern on the Green, the Russian Tea Room and Maxwell’s Plum.

Fatburger, the famed Los Angeles-based burger joint, is expanding to Six Flags Great Adventure this summer. Photo courtesy of Fatburger

Alas, the food situation at Great Adventure never got to those heights, and while some think a full stomach and death-defying rides do not pair well, a day of fun food fits right in with the thrill of the park’s attractions for many others. You will find many of the categories of expected and desired treats throughout the park, some business names familiar to regular visitors, and some new additions every year. This year, the park will have a Fatburger, the famed Los Angeles-based burger joint that continues its eastward expansion. This will be its first theme park location, and many fans will see it as an elevated and most popular culinary ride.

Or hit up some of these other Jackson local businesses before going to or when leaving the park.

Hank Zona writes regularly about wine, spirits and a range of other topics such as food and culture. He also has been running wine and spirits events of all sorts for over a decade.

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Dear Egg Harbor Township Fire Department,

"I live in the 'We Think We're Better Than Everyone Else' subdivision. This year, please do not bring Santa Claus and his loud siren to our neighborhood on Sunday night. That's the night 'Yellowstone' is on my 188-inch TV and I don't want Santa and his merry band of loud men to interrupt me and my pudding cake while we're watching Beth on the big screen."

OK, that's not real. I made it up. That's way too crazy, right? No one would possibly do that.

Or would they?

In a post to a private Facebook group (we won't identify which one) a local resident (we won't identify that person) pleaded with the powers to be to have Santa tone it down this year and lay off the siren when he swings by the "Holier Than Thou Cul de Sac."

Here's a snippet of what was posted:

"Every single year animals cower, children cry, and adults curse this insane, loud ritual of straight ear-splitting sirens with the intent to let us know that sweet, kind, (and usually makes extremely quiet entrances), Santa Claus is in the neighborhood. On the contrary, it is terrifying. I would like to suggest that, instead of the sirens, perhaps play extremely loud Christmas music. There must be something better than the sirens. The same sirens allow people the knowledge that something is wrong and that there is rescue nearby. Please. I think the pups in the area would petition if they could."

Well, we found the Grinch!

I have several thoughts on this person's complaints and I have numbered my thoughts for easy referencing later.

1. It's Christmas! Lighten Up!

2. For years, as they grew up from this little `til this big, my own kids, and countless others in EHT looked forward to Santa riding into the neighborhood late at night. It was the one night of the year that they were allowed to tear out of the front door in their pajamas and run to the sidewalk to welcome the Jolly Old Elf's arrival. The sirens were their only warning that "tonight was the night!"

3. The arrival of Santa to the neighborhood! Kids of all ages (and adults) went outside to greet Santa - and often each other. Heck, since we're now in the age of "livin'-on-the-screens" it may be the only time of the year that neighbors actually see each other all at once!

4. In addition to welcoming Santa, his arrival with the sirens and fire truck was also a way for us local residents to wave and sort of say "Thank You" to the volunteer firefighters who not only cart the big guy around, but work to keep us, our family, and our homes and businesses safe all year long.

5. We don't care about your stinkin' dog! OK, that's a little harsh, it's not true. We love animals. But, this is CHRISTMAS! It's an hour or two a year. Think of it as a challenge: you have 364 days to prepare and train your pet for this event that happens only once a year.

6. Do you think a couple of thousand years ago people complained that the Christmas Star that showed up in the sky, welcoming another dude to the neighborhood, was shining too bright? "It's too bright! My dog keeps barking at the shadows it makes!"

Merry Christmas everyone - and thanks again to all the volunteer firefighters of EHT (and everywhere) for what you do year-round. I'll make sure to give you a wave when you come down my street.