Politics & Government
Twp. Committee OKs Field Lights, Slams JCP&L
Power company officials to attend October work session.
Permanent field lights that would be funded by the Long Valley Raiders Football Association at Rock Spring Park were given final approval by the Washington Township Committee on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at the governing body’s monthly work session.
After going through multiple hearings and a lengthy approval process between the planning board and township committee, the Pop Warner football group will be able to install two new light poles–and will adjust existing light fixtures–on the football field to be used for night games.
At the planning board’s , the group gave a positive recommendation to the township committee that included eight stipulations. Among them were adding back shields to existing and new lights; having the lights turned off at 9:30 p.m. via timer; and the lights will be used only for night games, not for practices.
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Speaking of lights…
The township committee expressed its disapproval of the area’s major energy provider, Jersey Central Power & Light, and the way it performed in the days following .
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Nearly at one point following the storm, and it took some homes six days to have the electricity restored.
But it was also the lack of communication between JCP&L officials and the township that drew the ire of some committee members.
“They really underperformed,” said Washington Township Mayor Ken Short. “There was no communication, and besides the aftermath of the storm, the power has been going out here on a regular basis too frequently.”
Vice Mayor James Harmon said he wrote a letter to the power company as a private citizen to express his displeasure.
JCP&L officials have been invited to attend the committee’s Wednesday, Oct. 12 work session to discuss what went wrong and what can be done to fix the problem in the future.
The meeting is open to the public, and Short has asked that residents keep a log or tally of when their power goes out and the weather conditions associated with that same time frame.
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