Ken thank you for all you're doing to assist the citizens of our community... your persistence and dogged determination to ensure that the utilities don't forget Washington Twp. hasn't gone unnoticed. Keep up the good work!

OK...let me get this straight. Today is November 8, 2012, right? Sandy made landfall in NJ on October 29, 2012. For the math challenged, that's 10 DAYS AGO! For the Mayor to be putting out this type of whiny message now is a testament to his gross incompetence and ineptitude. My goodness....they wouldn't return my phone call? You should have been camped out in the CEO's driveway for pete's sake! Mayor Short just won re-election unopposed. Washington Township deserves the incompetent leaders they continue to elect. I didn’t think anything could surpass Mayor Short’s 11% tax hike debacle back in 2005; this is pretty close!

Thank-you Mayor for all your efforts. Others please note - our mayor has been in contact with us. Pick up a battery operated radio tomorrow and listen like we all did years ago.

Love you Kevin.

Communication from our municipal leadership has been sorely lacking. The Twp Twitter feed has gone virtually unused. Signs of pressure being exerted on JCPL are nonexistent. And In the age of Facebook and Twitter, when what people want more than anything else is communication about status of repairs, time to repair, etc., the Mayor is MAILING a letter by snail mail? Meanwhile, the mayors of Mt Olive, Mt Arlington and Hackettstown (and I assume others) are communicating several times per day with their constituents by social media. I have supported Mayor Short through multiple campaigns. But during this crisis, our Twp COmmittee and frankly, the Bd of Education, have failed the citizens of Washington Twp by first and foremost, failing to communicate.

Just spoke with an old buddy of mine from North Carolina. They got here today with 50 trucks and over 100 men, staging out of Dover. Problem is they have to stay in Reading, PA because all the hotels are booked up in the area. He says they usually contract for 2 weeks. There are logistical problems to deal with as well, aside from the destruction of the storm. To Nedd's point, JCP&L gave us the same song and dance routine last time. There is nothing the mayor can do except send the police to kidnap a crew! That's the problem with a monopoly. What we need is a good old local utility company. Unfortunately, that isn't going to happen.

Thank you Mayor Short, from Kathy and me. Also, kudos to the DPW guys who are busting their humps every day. Bronx cheer to JCPL, as usual. We're really confused on why Gov Christie seems to be giving them a pass this time. We're extremely grateful to have been spared the damage like the shore, but JCPL Sr. management is absolutley criminal for their lack of any planning or integration with various state, county and municipal OEM operations.

GIVE 'EM HELL!

what evryone can do is pick up your phone and call a news station and get them to send the news crews out here to see how jcpl is treating us and how they are handling the situation

abc 212 456 3173 / cbs 18002426397 /news 12 7323463270 / fox 2124523800

so pick mup the phone and call

The communication from our township/school board leadership has been poor to say the least. The latest letter is too little too late....

Thank you Mayor Short. I have followed your numerous updates in WRNJ since the beginning of this disruptive event. I have found your reports helpful and sincerely concerned and you are anxious to solve the issues for your constituents. Ignore the 'noise' made by Mr. Nedd - "Empty vessels make a lot of noise".

I suggest those of you who have not been listening to WRNJ's stations (they have three: 1510 AM, 92.7 FM & 104.7 FM) get yourself a battery powered radio and catch-up with the current news and status reports. The station has done an outstanding service to the community, with daily interview with utility and gov't representatives and news on where to go for help.

All I can say is that if 10 days is the best this JCPL team can do... the team needs a lot more practice...if you drove around long valley today, the town looks like the storm hit last night....the team needs a lot more practice....

I'm not a big fan of Kevin's comments, but he is entitled to them and happens to be correct this time around. Mr Short is a day late and a dollar short if you ask me. Heidi, who are you to pass judgment on anyone? Why should he be thrown out of town, just because you don't like what he says? Is that how you act towards your customers as well, because if so, I don't want to visit your establishment...

I get it everyone is frustrated and rightfully so, but the frustration needs to be focused on JCPL. JCPL is a disgrace, I just got off the phone with them again in which I was assured that workers would be in the area throughout the weekend however they don't know which closed roads they will be working on. Really? What kind of company is this? They don't know where they are going? No wonder nothing is getting fixed. JCPL needs a complete over hall, as they are obviously a severely mismanaged company.

Power is back on at West Springtown.

Thank you, Mayor Short for communicating with the residents of Washington Township daily on WRNJ and giving us the updates from JCP&L. Thank you also for returning all those phone calls from residents as quickly as possible. As I had stated at the special meeting last year with JCPL, (only 50 residents showed) truthful communication is what is lacking from this utility company. Tell us the truth, so we can prepare, instead of constantly changing the restoration dates. Call the governor, your legislators and file a complaint with BPU. We need to make JCPL accountable for a lack of truthful communication, a lack of routine maintenance, and a lack of modernizing the equipment.

Power is back on on Hacklebarney Road!

Here is the bottom line folks. For some reason Mayor Short thinks his job is to simply report to us what JCPL tell him. Any 5 year old can do that. What we need is a Mayor who can challenge what he is being told by JCPL and ask tough questions until he gets sensible, verifiable answers which he then communicates to his constituents in a timely and efficient manner given the circumstances.

@dxj between wherli and zellers?

E. Mill Road still without power!!! And what's the deal with that pole still down on Bartley Rd??? And just TODAY some genius decided to finally put a "single lane ahead" sign there. It has been a hazard for days. None of this makes any sense, and I have had enough.

"I can assure you this will be corrected in the future"

This is what the mayor told us last November.

This community has allowed dumb to become the new normal.

This whole thing is just plain ridiculous. I was at the meeting last year, been on the phone with them every single day, and got nowhere. Nothing has changed. We are at the bottom of their priority list and are forced to tolerate their lying crap once again. The date for repais changes every day. I have the power line, Comcast line, and the phone line still in my driveway, can't get oil, and they don't care one bit. I personally wish my house was destroyed by the storm so I could get out of this nonsense.

I live on Pleasant Grove. Why is it that all of the roads off of Pleasant Grove received power, but nobody on Pleasant Grove did?

Kevin Nedd - thought you were a business minded professional. Our girls went to GSB together. YOU DON'T understand the First Energy / JCP&L business model I plan on working with our mayor after this. So whine elsewhere. Get your AM radio yet??

They need to get the SCHOOLS up and running!!

I commute to NYC via bus service from Rockaway Mall. I have noticed there were utility trucks at the Garden Hilton each morning @ 5:30 AM and each night at 9:00PM but did not pay to much attention. Tonight I counted 51 Utility trucks parked at the Hotel. Apparently another JCP&Lie, "that the crews are out 24 hours a day." Imagine a world with 51 utility trucks restoring power in Long Valley.

Kevin - I spoke to the mayor yesterday. Perhaps you were overly emotional. I received excellent info. Btw- not seeing you run for office. Come on - this is the 21st century. Don't know how to survive?? Really?

@dxj markham not powered up

Someone explain to me why there is power on hacklebarney but not on nesrlingwood. What about doing repairs that impact the most people first? How are these repairs being prioritized if wooded valley, one of the biggest neighborhoods in town is still without power.

Kevin - thought you were a business professional. Stop embarrassing yourself. Right - you weren't elected. You - voted off the island.

Kevin - take off tomorrow and help the mayor since you can solve this.

Kevin - are you available to work with us tomorrow?

Take off. I will.

You said you were in Hawaii. Lol. Nice. Can't take a vacation day tomorrow. Then GO away.

Kev - go away. Lol

Fine. - u r in hawaii w/ power. What--can u contribute? You available w/ a call with mayor short at 9 am tomorrow?? Don't want to leave you out.

Kevin - all of LV watching us spar. You available to call the mayor and me at 9 am tomorrow? Deal? No deal?

And I offer this to the others

Join me tomorrow 9 am. Town hall.

Kevin. Assuming you're not available, can your wife help us out at 9 at the town hall?

Kevin - respond.

Kevin Nedd - I was going back to work tomorrow. Will YOU or your WIFE will be with me to assist our town?? If not GO AWAY.

What part of provide a dial in number don't you understand?

Kev - I spoke to jcpl. Doesn't take brains.

Kev + give us ure contact number. Will mrs be with us in town??

Kev - call 876 3315. Ill pick up.

JoAnn,

Go to bed....you are in way over your head.

Kev - gnite. -I'll work with the town.

Kev - join me if u have any guts. 9 am. Luv being over my 'head'. Do a background check on me sweets.

Kev 876 3315. Hope u have lots to contribute.

Btw? All others? Feel free to join me with the mayor tomorrow 9 am. Thanks all. See u tomorrow morn.
.

Kevin - truce. Let's just work this as a team? Good?

I would like someone to tell me why it is I have friends and family near the shore area posting on Facebook they are seeing JCP&L trucks when they do not service that area and their customers are still out?

I have heard the JCP&L trucks are working at the shore and that is the reason they are not in our area. Is that true?

Now is not the time to criticize. Unity in helping neighbors and one’s self is what is needed here. Communication was and is sessential and may have been less than some expected. We also need to establish an accurate reverse 911 system to call all residents with periodic updates.

Had a happy moment when we saw a power company in our driveway yesterday morning. They were some nice guys from Ohio who said they couldn't read the work order telling them which lines are "live" so they cant do anything. Guess they didn't read it before they got here or couldnt use a cell phone to call & find out? (omg) They said it was upper management that was screwing everything up. Since they couldn't read the paperwork, they were driving over to somewhere, where there was a guy who knew what was going on. Yeah they'll never be back.
JCP&L: You are a disgrace to business. Whomever is in charge of your emergency planning needs to be fired.
I am just starting to learn the LV politics so I will reserve judgement on the Mayor overall, but for the little I do know: his response, to this point, is very underwhelming. I am rescheduling my morning to listen in at 9am.

I don't know how many of you like me are holding back the tears. I cannot believe we have been left for dead. It may not really be the case but that's how I feel.
We have to be complete idiots to allow trick or treating tommorrow .

"It is very unfortunate that much of the information provided to me by JCP&L is incorrect. It took over 36 hours for a return call from our contact “hot line” from JCP&L. I can only relate the information that I am provided. I can assure you that this will be corrected in the future."

So we've had widespread power outages, massive delays in returning power, and terrible communication from JCP&L at least 5 times in the past few years, and we're supposed to believe that things will be different in the future??? I would like to know how our mayor can assure us that this will not happen again.

What exactly is being done, or will be done to ensure this does not happen again?

This is amazing ...if everyone who is bitching about stuipd stuff put that effort into calling the press and the governor maybe we can have this situation settled .Mayor Short can only do so much .If the power company does want to fix the problem they dont fix it .remeber they are the only company and thry have us by the ba--s.
The power of the press is very strong so call i will give the numbers direct to the news room .
fox 212 452 3800 cbs 18002426397 abc 2124563173
news 12 732 346 3270

the govenor office 609 292 6000

so pick up the phone and call

Everyone here is right, communication from the town stinks. Bruce is right, the county has a new reverse 911 system in place, why wasn't it used? There were NO updates on the Town's facebook page, and the Twitter feed was all about halloween and food handling cancellation. The information everyone needed for the Octoblizzard was there last year, this time nothing! What's up?

Sorry someone is so offended that Hacklebarney got power back. We were just as impacted as everyone else in LV. Truthfully, I wasn't expecting it for many days considering the devastation over here.

Looking ahead to Sunday night, when it becomes obvious that hundreds of residents are still without power, the Mayor's/JCP&L line will be "We didn't realize that the damage was this severe".

For those who dont get it: Washington township is the largest municipality with the smallest ratio of commercial establishments. JCP&L, as a general rule, goes where the money is & LV's rural residences are not it. One way we will get acceptable service is to choose other options. *Start* with choosing a different company for your electric supply. Yes the wires are still JCP&L but if we, as a whole, start diverting our money elsewhere, we will start to make a point that JCP&L will hear.

I can not believe that this is what Washington Twsp has become. The bickering back and forth like 5 year olds is a disgrace. Everytime you turn on the news you hear about how people are helping others. And here you all are arguing with each other. I understand that patience are being tried. But why cant this town band together and help each other? Hot meals can be made, blankets can be donated to distribute to the families in our town that may need them. I am sure there are other things that that our community may need.

I have lived in Long Valley all my life and have been very proud to say that. But hearing all this is actually sad. In the past 2 weeks This town has become a fend for yourself community. Is that really what you want Washington Twsp to be? So maybe instead of wasting time arguing on the Patch, you can think of a way to make a difference in our town during this trying time.

I was volunteering at Schooley's Mountain Fire and Rescue until Tuesday. We were told that we were no longer needed as the center was being closed because of lack if volunteers. This is an incredibly sad situation and reflects poorly on our whole community.

cbs will on paula dr around 1200 noon

LV Resident - I respectfully disagree with your portrayal of "what WT has become". Citizens voicing their concerns/frustration on one hand, and helping their neighbors or volunteering their time on the other, are not mutually exclusive. My experience has been that most people in this town have been going above and beyond and helping one another, not to mention the drives for donations to send down the shore where there is great suffering. Folks should still feel free to voice their issues, whether here, on facebook, or in person at the next TC or BOE meeting. There will be differing views, which is usually productive if done in a respectful way that acknowledges we are all neighbors and will continue to be after this situation is over.

LV Resident, if you have read the Observer-Tribune the last few years as well as the Patch, you would note that some of the "niceness" of this community has been gone for quite a long time, and that is very sad. I think many people do give a lot back to the community and their heroic efforts fly under the radar. But in order for a town to band together we need people in charge that know how to bring people together. Unfortunately many of ours don't know how to do that.

I believe that many do give back to our community. I volunteer in organizations in town myself.. And I commened all that do volunteer. I just think that we as a town need to step up to the plate and take care of our community during this trying time. There is noting wrong with voicing your opinion. But does it really need to turn into bickering back and forth. That wasted time and effort can sure be used elsewhere.

I like animated discussions, but the thug-like name-calling in some posts really have no place in any intelligent discourse....in my opinion. There are many ways to be pursuasive without being disrespectful and sophmoric. Very sad. But I know most people in WT do not exhibit that kind of crassness, so it's not fair to paint the whole town that way.

I live on Jackie and am stuck out of town on business. I've seen a few pictures of Long Valley and have been trying to find more. Can anyone point me to some? I'm returning Monday and hope power will be restored by then. I guess I'm lucky to not be there, but wish I could have been home to help my neighbors.

The mayor should declare town wide protest day against JCP$L after all the power is restored, shut main power off and run your generators, let the meters stop running, send a massage, hit them where it hurts most in their pocket, we have collective power to stand up to big money corporations, we should not be under their mercy.

The title of this article is almost funny - "Mayor: Much JCP&L Information 'Incorrect'
" - all you needed to do was drive around town and see that JCP&L was not telling the truth about getting the power back on.

It's just kind of sad that it took until Nov 8th for someone to notice!

I contacted CBS news desk, our 3 state representatives, the governors office and yes even the White House yesterday morning. I also made actual contact with Lorraine Ash from The Daily Record. I am glad others have done so as we'll. We matter and need to be heard. I would love to know if CBS showed up. Since my power is out I only have access to info via my iPhone or radio.

People, please take a note here; the next time you see a crew cutting down trees near the power lines in town, don't start crying to the tree-hugger foundations. This is part of the problem why we don't have power now. The out of state guys that have been in our town for the last 2 weeks are amazed on how poorly our maintenance has been for so long. To simplify for the tired or dumb.....Trees near power lines = bad(power out)

CBS was in town today. If possible watch the five o'clock news

Crews are finally arriving after 10 days? Yes, please let us get a local utility company. First Energy = LAST in customer service. I'm on Schooley's Mountain Road -- walking distance from the Municipal Building where Mayor Short spends some of his time -- and a crew was here last Saturday and repaired almost everything. When they were about to leave, I asked "Does this mean I am getting my power back?" The reply was the following and I quote "No, JCP&L forgot to give us a can (transformer)." No one has returned with the transformer despite daily calls from us. Why would you NOT come back and finish a job you had started, especially when most of the work had been done? Incompetence can be the only answer. And I wonder at Mr. Christie when he defends this poor excuse for a utility.

look, i'm not mayor short fan... i think he needs to step it up and DO a bunch of stuff.. i do however think the lack of communication stunk, but i get it.. it's hard to communicate without power or cell service.

NOW he needs to get this town back on it's feet (power, schools, etc) NEXT he needs to figure out how to be better prepared for next time (this is storm ???? where we just fall apart and don't have power (infrastructure, not people)

we need a list of who to call for trees on driveways, who to call for senior checks, food for non-powered, etc...

then as a town Mayor Short needs to stand up, put on his big boy pants and FIX the whole HS problem, look at the tax situation (high taxes does not sell houses), the storm issues, and figure out how to bring in some money to this town.

personally i give the man credit for being willing to run again, i mean all anyone around here does is want 'more of the same' and 'run from change' ... this town needs some serious change.

We will get power back when JCP$L decides since Mayor Short has not figured out how to make it happen any sooner. Why in god's name anyone is thanking him I do not know. He has been ineffective in getting ANY improvements in service for Washington Township during his tenure and each incident proves it.This is the fourth major outage in just over two years and it rolls out exactly the same way and in the same time. However, maybe he will get them to show up again so we can all yell at them instead of him. That was so unsatisfying and pointless. I do believe the tweets people are making to the governor, president, and media are having more of an effect. As always, we are on our own to help ourselves.

I moved to LV in July, so I do not know Mayor Short at all. On 11/06 I voted FOR him anyhow because of these 2 simple logic: 1) to have any faith in whatever "External Relations" people from a utility monopoly have to say, that is a sure sign of a trusting person, and therefore he deserves some trust as well. (Maybe he can learn to be less naive). 2) There's no other choice on the ballot, and I am not so arrogant as to write in my own name... LOL

At Wolfe Run Ct still no power. Only Barrier Islands and Us I assume. Very upset now. I demand an explanation. There is power at north South east and west to us. Why?

Lolita gives rednecks a bad name

JoAnag gives cowgirl rednecks a bad name too