Pokeweed, (Phylolacca Americana), is a common plant found in the Eastern part of North America, which has historically been used as both a food and a medicine by Native Americans and early settlers. Although considered a noxious weed by farmers, it is now sometimes used as an ornamental. In the fall, the plant appears to Read More…
More Secret Tabernacle Rescue Squad Deals, Little Detail On Public Safety Ordinance
The Tabernacle Committee continues to stumble over centralizing the delivery and management of emergency services, which was its stated reason for dissolving the fire district. The actual reason was the committee’s need to use the district’s money to plug a hole in its own budget. The committee’s dissolution of the fire district and its grant Read More…
Tabernacle Mayor Hides Agenda Item Yet Again
In Tabernacle, the mayor has the power and responsibility to set the agenda in advance of an upcoming public meeting. Typically, the mayor works with the township clerk the week before Monday’s meeting. The clerk posts the agenda on Tabernacle’s official website late Friday afternoon. Usually, the posted agenda includes the resolutions, ordinances and the Read More…
Tabernacle Township Committee Meeting Canceled
There’s no TTJ Post for the August 28, 2017 township committee meeting. The meeting was unexpectedly canceled and rescheduled for Monday, September 11, 2017, at 7:30pm at town hall.
Tabernacle Committee Struggles With Plans For Public Safety Director
The introduction of Ordinance 2017-7, which creates a Department of Public Safety to coordinate all township emergency services, was derailed and tabled after 1.5 hrs of spirited discussion. The lengthy discussion was unusual. The committee rarely discusses issues when they instruct the township attorney to draft an ordinance. Members rarely discuss ordinances when they are Read More…
Common Dogbane – August “Pinelands Plant Of The Month”
Common Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum), also known as Indian Hemp, is a perennial herb superficially similar in looks to Milkweed. It is recognized by clusters of small, bell-shaped white to pink flowers, milky sap (seen when the stem is broken) and long seed pods. Plants usually grow two feet to three feet in height, but they Read More…
Time For Better Tabernacle Township Meeting Recordings, Emergency Service Rosters
TTJ will not be reporting on the June 26, 2017 meeting because I was not present. So I have no audio or video recording to post. I planned to listen to the official recording so that I could report on the meeting. I purchased a copy of the township’s audio recording but it was inaudible. Read More…
In Celebration Of Independence Day 2017
In celebration of Independence Day, TTJ is publishing two excellent editorials that appeared in NewJersey.com on the importance of an informed electorate to the maintenance of our democracy. The New Jersey Open Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act, as the editorials point out, are instrumental to our freedom. NewJersey.com, June 21, 2017. Transparency is Read More…
Tabernacle Gives More Study To Emergency Services And Capital Bond Ordinance
At the May 8, 2017 public meeting, township committee turned its attention to two issues that had been sitting on its back burner. These are the township’s capital improvement plan (road improvements and equipment purchases) and emergency services (how to better organize and fund fire, rescue and EMS). Both issues were discussed and the committee Read More…
Tabernacle Mayor Unhappy With Half-Baked Budget
With the April 24, 2017 budget vote deadlocked at two votes for (Franzen, Brown) and two votes against (Barton, Yates), the attention turned to Mayor Steven Lee to cast the decisive vote. He anguished about it for about five minutes and spoke about his unhappiness with the budget. But he voted for it anyway, joining Read More…