QUINTON TWP. -- After open discussion regarding the Army's proposal to transport and treat a byproduct of the chemical nerve agent VX at the DuPont Chambers Works in Deepwater, the township committee here passed a resolution opposing the plan.
At a recent committee meeting Mayor Jim Kates said to the attendees, "we don't have to do anything, but what we would do is take a position."
The committeemen and community publicly discussed the proposal, their opinions, options and based on the response of the resident, unanimously decided to approved the resolution.
"Quinton Township is going to speak up here, opposing future treatment by the U.S. Army," Kates said.
In other news from the committee meeting:
n The township committee discussed its budget, adopted at a prior meeting, that will not be raising taxes.
Kates said the township received additional funds from the state and, in fact, taxes would be lowered. He commended the department heads and finance officer for keeping the township "on a straight and narrow path."
"A township of our size is doing very well by keeping the money in line and this year we actually worked it out where we could continue projects and still lower the taxes," he said. "Quinton Township is moving forward with a lower budget than last year."
Among proposed projects include; receiving a $100,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation to create sidewalks so the children have a safe pathway to the schools, a $105,000 grant from Emergency Management for a new Emergency Operations Center located behind the existing EOC center, a $7,800 grant to continue Clean Communities and continuation of the planned sewerage project.
n Salem County Prosecutor John Lenahan and county Chief of Detectives Charles Miller attended the meeting to personally introduce themselves to the township officials.
Lenahan said that the Woodstown Barracks of the state police are in the midst of strengthening their troop size so more officers will be seen patrolling the Quinton area. He added that the Salem County Prosecutor's Office's Narcotics Task Force will be out in Quinton as well as other areas of the county.
n An ordinance was approved to establish a township Environmental Commission.
Quinton has elected to have an Environmental Commission and received $7,500 from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions.
n A grant agreement between the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the township was passed asking the state to sponsor a $2.5 million sewerage project.
The township already received $250,000. This agreement will allow the township to receive the additional funds.
""This will allow us to go to the next step to make the project a reality," Kates said.
n In open public session resident Jane Turner expressed her concern with the temporary bridge construction and the dangerous "S" curve that allows for little space for both directions of travel in downtown Quinton.
Kates said he would confront the New Jersey Department of Transportation regarding the space in between lanes, detour routes and bolts sticking out of the ground.
"Quinton Township is not going to be shortchanged on this, we will not be the second fiddler to the DOT," he said.
Since the meeting, Committeeman Joseph Donelson talked to the engineer and they are in the process of providing a solution to the problem.
The temporary bridge is in place over Alloways Creek while the old Quinton bridge is torn down and replaced.