September  2008  -   Vol.  XXXVII No. 8

              

All meetings start at 7:30pm unless noted otherwise

September

 1 Mon.                Labor Day

 3 Wed.                 School’s Open ! 

 4 Thurs.               Recreation Committee - 7:15pm

 6 Sat.                   Recycling at the Drop-off Depot - 8-11am

AVFC Harvest Festival - 4-11pm

 7 Mon.                 Farmland  & Open Space Preservation

 9 Tue.                  Board of Adjustment

Recycling Committee

10 Wed.                Planning Board

Board of Fire Commissioners - 8pm

11 Thurs.              Township Committee

15 Mon.                 Agricultural Advisory Committee - 8pm

HCRHS Board of Education - 7pm

16 Tue.                 Board of Health

17 Wed.                EATS Board of Education

22 Mon.                Environmental Commission

23 Tue.                 Historic Preservation

25 Thurs.              Township Committee

 

October

 4 Sat.                   Recycling at the Drop-off Depot - 8-11am

 5 Sun.                  AVTA Hunter Pace - 9am - 1pm

14 Tue.                 Deadline to register to vote in November

 

The deadline for the October VIP is Fri., September 26th

 

 

Add this to the masthead info:

Product Manager ............................................. Amy Zambrowski

 

 

 

Life is a coin.  You can spend it any way you wish, but you can only spend it once. 

 

 

 

The Weather Record

by Fred Gardner

June and July were unusually hot, but August has provided some relief. 

Inches of precipitation                                                                        

2008                  2007               2006

January                  2.2                           3.7                          5.7 

February                  6.4                           1.5                          1.7 

March                     4.9                           4.7                          1.1 

April                  2.6                       1 1.9                  3.7  

May                        4.4                           2.1                          3.1 

June                  3.5                          4.9                       10.0

July                   5.2                           5.8                          5.4 

August                    2.6 *                        3.6                          3.5 

September               0.9                           5.0  

October                                            5.0                           8.6   

November                                               2.5                           6.7  

December                                               5.8                          2.7   

           Totals                                  52.4                  55.4         

Average High/Low Temperatures                                                   

2008                       2007                       2006

January                 41/25                     43/27                     48/27

February               42/24                     31/15                     42/24

March                   50/29                     51/28                     50/31

April                       64/41                     56/38                     65/41

May                       67/46                    75/50                     72/47

June                       83/61                     81/59                     79/62

July                        86/65                     82/63                     86/62

August                   81/58 *                  84/63                     83/63

September                                            79/55                   73/54

October                                                  72/51                     63/42

November                                          51/32                     57/40

December                                              41/28                     51/32

Year                                       62/42                     64/44

* through 8/24/08

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                   VIP Roundtable

The VIP is a non-structured type newspaper.  All citizens of East Amwell are free and equal to express their opinions and ideas for this paper and its programs.  We do not have written by-laws to hamper this freedom.

The VIP is a community-oriented newspaper.  It serves as a communications line to give residents information as to civic and cultural happenings which are open to the public.  We hope more interest and awareness of the available resources within our community has resulted due to this medium. 

We welcome anyone who would like to contribute to the paper, be it reporting, folding, or delivering.  Please contact us if you would like to help. 

All letters must be signed and include the writer’s name, address and phone number.  Unsigned letters and anonymous articles are not considered for publication.

 

 

 

Terracycle Program

Remember to separate your two liter and 20 oz. soda bottles.  These bottles are recycled through a manufacturing company of organic fertilizer and proceeds are used to support Clawson Park  development.  Bottles are collected at the monthly recycling depot. 

 

 

 

 

Annual Harvest Festival

at  the

Amwell  Valley Fire  House

Saturday, September 6th, 4pm‑11pm.  Rain date is Sun., Sept. 7th.  GAMES,  FOOD,  MUSIC,  CRAFTS, & FIREWORKS.  Fun For All!!! 

 

 

 

 

A penny saved is a government oversight. 

 

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement

 

The sole purpose for a child’s middle name is so he can tell when he’s really in trouble. 

 

The Cardiologist’s diet: If it tastes good, spit it out. 

 

The following is taken from the Sept. 1973 issue of the VIP:

Did You Know . . . . ?   By Ed Quick

Did you know that the Old York Road between Lambertville and Ringoes was macadamized by the Board of Freeholders in 1906?  It was the first such road in the county.  The Flemington-Ringoes Road received the same treatment in 1908.  

 

 

Township Notices           Township Notices

 

 

 

 

Used Clothing Drop-Off Shed

Sponsored by

Larison’s Corner Church

1000 Old York Road  (back parking lot)

 

Items Accepted: All clothing, shoes, sneakers, belts, purses, blankets, sheets, pillowcases, drapes and stuffed toys.  (Please, no rags, fabric scraps, toys or household goods.)

This endeavor is co-sponsored by Turnkey Enterprises whose mission is to get useable clothing to people who can use it -- here in the U.S. and in 3rd World Countries.  Your donations will not be cut up or shredded. 

Help keep your donation clean and dry by putting your items in plastic bags. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amwell Valley Trail Association

Hunter Pace

October 5, 2008 - 9am‑1 pm - Rain or Shine

Big Sky Farm, Van Lieu's Rd., Ringoes, NJ

visit www.avta.net or contact Di Huns at 609.466.7473 or at plantersro@aol.com  for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

Caring For Kids with Cancer

Show you Care – Be There

Ride4erik is a non‑profit foundation to raise money for Pediatric cancer Research.    Each year we choose a different type of pediatric cancer research foundation to donate our earnings to and to financially assist families in the area with a newly diagnosed child.  The events that we have are also trying to promote awareness to these special children and what they and their families are going through.   A cancer diagnosis sneaks up on you and takes over your life without any warning.  It is devastating what the families go through emotionally.  This I know firsthand.  We will also have the chance to honor some of

our little survivors from our area.   This is a chance to show them you care.

 Our event this year will be on September 27th at the Valley Road Park.  It's located just off Rt. 29 right after Bell Mt. ski area.   Our website will have further direction.    The day begins with a bicycle ride starting at 9AM and then a motor cycle ride starting at 12noon.   12 noon also is the beginning of our community event with an afternoon full of activities for adults and children, bands, tons of food and entertainment, raffles and vendors.

We learned so much last year and are ready to come back this year bigger and better than last.   This event is for the whole community to come and enjoy themselves while supporting  pediatric cancer research and the families affected by it.

If anyone would like to be part of the planning please we need your help.  We are really asking that you come and attend this event and show your support for all the kids battling this horrible disease.   I have learned that this can happen to any family and no one has a guarantee it will never affect someone you love.

                                    - Norma Zimmerman -

 

 

 

 

 

EAST AMWELL HISTORY

Ringoes Vigilant Society

Yes, Vigilantes in East Amwell!  For over 54 years, from 1885 until 1939 there existed in East Amwell, The Ringoes Vigilant Society. It was set up as "a society that would pursue and apprehend horse thieves, robbers, tramps and incendiaries, or other such criminals or marauders who threatened the well being of the community". This was part of a larger movement throughout the State that ultimately in 1891 formed the Consolidated Vigilante Society of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, of which Ringoes was a member.  Other towns in the area that had similar societies who were members were Mt. Airy, Titusville, Pleasant Valley and Lawrence Township. A state law enacted in 1884 authorized members of "thief detecting societies," "without warrant, to apprehend and arrest all persons committing breaches of the peace." This law led to the formation of the Ringoes chapter the following year.

The Ringoes Vigilant Society met once a year, in January in the Ringoes Grange. Initially started with only 29 members, the organization grew to encompass almost 100 residents by 1900. When the alarm was sounded, members had specific Pursuer Routes to cover so they could, hopefully, apprehend the culprits. There were 12 routes. Each route had 3 men assigned to travel the route looking for the criminal.  A typical route was Route #4 ‑Flemington, Whitehouse and Germantown (Oldwick). Another, Route #8‑ encompassed Wertsville, Rocky Hill, and Millstone.  It is not known if the Society ever caught any criminals, but it is known that the last horse that was ever reported stolen in Ringoes occurred in 1899 and belonged to the local undertaker, Hiram Wilson.

A "Minute Book of the Ringoes Vigilant Society from 1903 to 1939," part of the Quick Collection, resides with the East Amwell Historic Preservation Committee. In reading the minutes of the yearly meetings it is interesting to see how the organization evolved. Members paid dues, fines and occasionally an added assessment. If a member had any property stolen, the Society would reimburse the member up to three quarters of its value. In essence it was a local insurance policy. Some of the stolen property members were reimbursed for over the years included "12 bushels of wheat; a stolen overcoat; loss of a typewriter; 100 chickens; 4 milk cans; a stolen bicycle; a blanket and flashlight stolen from a car while parked in Lambertville."  But times were changing when in 1918,  P. C. Young was reimbursed $300 when someone stole his car!

The annual meetings appear to have been a great social event in the community. Typical meetings had 50‑60 members present (you were fined if you didn't make the meeting). Two events however killed the Society. The first was the formation of the New Jersey State Police in the early 1930's. Now when something was stolen you would pick up the telephone and call the State Police. With this, the 12 Pursuer Routes were dropped from the organization. The second event seems to have been the Depression. More and more members dropped out of the Society because they couldn't pay their dues. Throughout the 1930's the membership talked about how to increase their rolls. Their numbers  kept dwindling.  Finally, with only 13 members left the Ringoes Vigilant Society disbanded on April 1, 1939.

                                         - Jim Davidson -

 

 

 

 

 

Correction

In the July/August VIP we inadvertently cut off the middle of a sentence in Toni Robbi’s  Notes from the Woods.  It should have read: “Notice the bird life, hard to see in summer, but you can hear them, particularly early or late in  the day.  With luck, you might spot a pileated woodpecker, a scarlet tanager, or an indigo bunting.  Binoculars help.”

 

 

 

 

 

Entertainment 

Somerset Valley Players

         The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas:

                September 5‑September 28

          Angel Street:  October 24 ‑ November 9

Bucks County Playhouse

         Evita:  September 3‑September 21

         Phantom of the Opera:

               September 24‑October 12

        Jekyll & Hyde ‑ The Musical :

              October 15‑October 26

        The Rocky Horror Show:

              October 24‑November 1

Off‑Broadstreet Theatre

         Leading Ladies:  September 5‑October 11

 

Additional Children's Events

Bucks County Playhouse

       Pinocchio:  October 4‑October 11

         Willy Wonka Junior:  October 18‑October 25

                                                    # # #             

Somerset Valley Playhouse, Amwell Road (Rt. 514), Hillsborough, NJ. 908‑369‑7469 or

www.svptheatre.org.  

 

Bucks County Playhouse,  Main St, New Hope, PA

215‑862‑2041 or

www.ticketbiscuit.com/buckscountyplayhouse

 

Off‑Broadstreet Theatre,  S. Greenwood Ave,

Hopewell, NJ. 609‑466‑2766 or                  

www.off‑broadstreet.com

 

 

 

Travel Softball Tryouts

Amwell Attitude softball will be holding tryouts at Dilt's Field in Delaware Twp. on September 13 (raindate September 14).  To be eligible for a level, you cannot be older than that age on December 31, 2008.  Otherwise, you must tryout for the next level up.

Levels and times are as follows:

10U 10am‑12pm

12U 12:30‑2:30pm

14U 3‑5pm

For questions contact Rich Miller at richmiller17@hotmail.com

or Thyra Zengel at tmzengel@hotmail.com.

 

 

 

Linvale Methodist Church

150th Anniversary Picnic

The Linvale United Methodist Church will be holding a community picnic on Saturday, September 13, 2008 from 11am to 30pm.   The picnic will be held rain or shine. 

There will be live music and games for children.  The menu  includes hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, baked beans, beverages and dessert.

This is a free event.  We want to invite the community to help celebrate the church's 150th anniversary.  All we ask is that you bring your own lawn chair.

For more information call the church at (609) 466‑8311 or Mary Van Horn at (908) 788‑2726.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cub Scouts Pack 32

( Lambertville, West Amwell, and East Amwell )

Do you have an American Flag that needs to be retired?  The Cub Scouts will hold their annual flag retirement ceremony to properly dispose of American Flags in a dignified manner.  If you have a flag that needs proper retirement, you can contact Sharon Inglin for drop‑off. 609‑397‑1366 or drop them off at the Cub Scout table at the Amwell Valley Harvest Fest September 6th from 4‑7pm at the Firehouse.

Are you interested in joining Cub Scouts? Contact James Cally, Cub Master  609‑397‑8345 or visit the Cub Scout table at the Amwell Valley Harvest Fest September 6th from 4‑7pm at the Harvest Fest.

                                          - Sharon Inglin -

 

 

 

 

Notice to Residents      

Brush Drop-Off

The Grit Yard will be open during our normal working hours for brush drop‑off. The brush does not have to be tied just neatly piled on the left side of the Grit Yard once you pass through the gate.  The schedule is as follows:

 

September:   Monday thru Friday from 6:00am ‑ 2:30pm.

October:   Monday thru Friday from 7:00am ‑ 3:30pm.

The following Saturdays the Grit Yard will be open:   September 13 and 27   and October 11 and 25 from 8:00am ‑ 12:00pm.                                     

 

 

 

 

Hunterdon County Clerk’s Office

The General Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov.  4, 2008.  To be able to vote in the General Election, you must be a registered voter.  The deadline to register is Tuesday, October 14, 2008. 

If you are unable to make it to the Polls (open 6am until 8pm), you have the right to vote via an absentee ballot.  No excuse is necessary.  Applications for absentee ballots are available form my office or online at www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/countyclerk.htm.  Once an absentee ballot application is accepted, you will not be able to vote at the polls on Election Day.  Should an event occur in your life that makes it impossible to make it to the Polls, you are welcome to vote via absentee ballot in-person at the County Clerk’s office.  Our regular hours are Monday-Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm.  We will be open Thursday, October 30, 2008 until 7ypm and Saturday, November 1, 2008 from 9am to 1pm.  The deadline for in-person voting is Monday, November 3, 2008 at 3pm. 

Register Now!

“Searching the Search Room” is back.  The course will be offered on Saturday, October 25, 2008 from 9am to 1pm in our newly renovated Hall of Records.  Registration to attend the course may be made through the Fall 2008 Hunterdon County ESC Adult, Continuing and Community Education Brochure or online at www.hcesc.com.  This course is listed under “Hobbies & Special Interests.”  There is a nominal $20 registration fee.  Find out how to trace your property ownership, search for liens, easements or right-of-ways or do some research on your family tree.  Registration is limited so sign up now.  The Search Room will offer extended hours on Thursday, October 30 and Saturday, November 1 to allow you to use your newfound knowledge. 

If you have any questions regarding the election process, absentee ballots or any other issues related to the County Clerk’s office, please feel free to contact me at 908-788-1214 or via e-mail at countyclerk@co.hunterdon.nj.us   Our office embraces suggestions and welcomes comments. 

                                         - Mary H. Melfi -

                                            County Clerk

 

 

Historic Preservation

The historic house that fronts Marion F. Clawson Park features several interesting architectural characteristics that make it worth preserving.  Currently, the township’s Historic Preservation Committee is investigating a number of angles that will enable us to rehabilitate the Old York Road farmhouse.

The main block of the Clawson House was built between 1810 and 1819 and is worth preserving because it offers a solid example of rural Federal‑period architecture in Hunterdon County . The house also serves as a perfect example of how the railroads brought prosperity and were a cultural influence to the township.

While successive owners to the house made numerous changes over its nearly 200 years of existence, several original features of the house remain. These include the main entrance staircase, the mantle, a sideboard cupboard in a downstairs parlor, some window trim and all the hallway and bedroom doors upstairs. In addition, floors, floor joists and attic rafters are original.

The main portion of the farmhouse features classic Georgian proportions. This architectural style, which was popular throughout the Northeast in the 1700s, typically focused on square, symmetrically shaped houses with a paneled front door in the center, decorative crowns over a front door, columns on either side of the door and paired chimneys.

True to form, the Clawson House has a center front door of an Italianate design with a Victorian‑era style two‑light transom above with one fluted pilaster to the right of the door. (The other fluted pilaster is missing.). The main block of the house is five bays wide, two piles deep and stands two‑and‑a‑half stories high. It’s covered by a standard roof of slate over wood shingles.

As mentioned above, the house has undergone numerous changes over the years. For example, many longtime residents may recall when a front porch ran across most of the front of the house. At the turn of the 20th century, the bay window was installed in the northeast parlor along with a large sliding door opening between the north parlors. Also, after 1951, the fireplaces at the north portion of the house were removed along with a small corner fireplace in the southeast bedroom. (There’s also the remnant of a fireplace that was started in the mid‑20th century, but not completed.)

Several years ago, an historic structures report on the house was prepared for the township.  Among its conclusions, the report recommended “sensitive rehabilitation” as the best form of treatment to preserve the house. The plan would be to preserve as many of the existing historic features as possible, while removing any “inappropriate” 20th century changes. The original floor plan would be kept, but the bay window and doors connecting the north parlors would likely be preserved to serve as a focal point for a large meeting room.

The Historic Preservation Committee recently applied for a grant from the NJ Historic Trust and continues to investigate other avenues of funding to help preserve the Clawson House. 

                                         - Dave Harding -

 

 

 

 Friday Night Soccer

Friday  Night Open Soccer  starts again the first Friday night in September. This program is sponsored by the East Amwell Recreation Committee and is open to adults and teens from the South County area.  The Program starts at 7pm and is under the lights at the East Amwell Municipal Field.  Recreational pick‑up play is the format for this weekly event (weather permitting). Participants should bring their own water.

                                         - Dennis Hajek -

 

 

 

 

 

Adult Open Basketball

The 2008‑2009 East Amwell Adult Open Basketball Program set to begin late October.  Time again to dust off those “Chuck Taylor All‑Stars” and come join your fellow East Amwell residents this fall and winter for Adult Open Basketball at the East Amwell School gym. The program is sponsored by the East Amwell Recreation Committee and runs from 7pm until 9pm, most likely on Thursday evenings (to be determined by EATS). Teams are formed for both half court and full court games depending on attendance.  Participants are encouraged to bring both a dark and light t‑shirt to help identify teams during play.

As the EATS school gym has limited space we are requesting that children be left at home and that participation by non‑East Amwell residents be limited to one guest per township resident (space permitting and EA Resident must be participating as well).    As a rule Adult Basketball is canceled whenever the East Amwell School closes.

We will publish the actual schedule in the October VIP.  Until then, please call Rob Mulcahy (609‑397‑7311) if you have any questions."

                                         - Rob Mulcahy -

 

 

 

 

 

Hunterdon Central

The administration and staff of Hunterdon Central Regional High School welcome all East Amwell families and students back to school for the 2008‑2009 school year!

We'd like to extend a special welcome to freshmen and students new to our community, and hope to see you at the high school's Back To School nights, on September 18th and 24th.  Information on this will be mailed to high school families very soon. 

East Amwell's representative to Hunterdon Central's Board of Education is Jim Davidson.  Mr. Davidson invites all community members with questions or interests in the high school to contact him at: 908-285‑0322. 

Information about the high school is also available online, on Hunterdon Central's website:  www.hcrhs.k12.nj.us

- Nancy Tucker -

Communications Officer

Hunterdon Central Regional High School

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mayor’s Update

 

 

 

Affordable Housing

in East Amwell

 

What's "COAH"?

You've probably heard of "COAH," New Jersey's Council On Affordable Housing, created by the Fair Housing Act of 1985.  It's the state agency responsible for implementing court‑mandated affordable housing requirements.  The basic concept is to ensure that lower income people have access to affordable housing, but also includes other options such as group homes for disabled and senior citizen housing. 

In concept, this is a reasonable idea.  However, rural municipalities provide few opportunities for work and no public transportation for low income housing residents.  Other COAH options have worked well here, and we continue to pursue them to meet our future obligations.

 

How It's Calculated:

Last year COAH developed new regulations for the Third Round (the third 10‑year period) based on higher levels of court‑ordered affordable housing.  Statistics of new housing units and increases in business employees during 2004‑2006 were used to calculate each municipality's Third Round obligation.  Municipalities with large increases in development would expect a larger COAH obligation.

 

How About Us?

East Amwell's Second Round obligation was 46 units, which we successfully met (and actually exceeded) through various approved approaches.  We expected our Third Round obligation to increase somewhat but the actual number floored us: 74!  Our COAH Liaison, a part‑time municipal employee, found that the numbers used by COAH to calculate our obligation far exceeded the actual numbers of new units constructed and employees added ‑ which both were essentially flat during the study years.

In March, our Liaison and I met with COAH staff to try to convince them that they used the wrong numbers to calculate our COAH obligation.  While they agreed that their numbers were wrong, they made no promise to actually reduce the obligation.  Subsequent discussions have brought a reduction to 55.  We continue to work with COAH to ensure that our obligation truly represents our growth rate.  Meanwhile, we are exploring a number of options to meet our obligation over the next decade.

 

 

 

 

State Police Update

Last month I wrote about how the State is planning to charge us for the formerly‑free rural response provided by our State Police.  We now know the number:  $175,328 for one year of service.  We continue to explore all options, but one way or another, we will have to pay for policing, UNLESS¼..

 

PLEASE HELP!

If only a couple hundred residents from each of the 89 towns losing free State Police called or wrote the Governor, it would send a strong message!  Call Governor Corzine at: 609‑292‑6000.  Or write an e‑mail to:

http://www.state.nj.us/governor/govmail.html

Tell him that there's nothing "unfair" about the State paying for rural State Police response, when our residents' taxes support many millions in aid and grants to big cities.  And while you're at it, you could mention our loss of $61,000 in state aid, and Crazy COAH and¼..!!!

                                          - Larry Tatsch -

                                                  Mayor

 

 

 

Coming Soon...to a library near you.   Here are some of the hot titles coming to the library during September.   Request your copy now at the library or online at www.hclibrary.us

Adult Books

Brad Meltzer                        The Book of Lies

James Patterson                   Against Medical Advice

Philip Roth                            Indignation

John Sandford                     Heat Lightning

Curtis Sittenfeld                   American Wife

Nicholas Sparks                   The Lucky One

 

DVDs

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day         Recount

Shine a Light                                        Smart People

Street Kings                                           The Counterfeiters

How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer - The Life Before Her Eyes

 

Children's Books

Cornelia Caroline Funke                    Inkdeath

Megan McDonald                               Judy Moody Goes to College

Kevin Henkes                                       Old Bear

Judy Blume                                            Going, Going, Gone