“Lock your doors” to protect yourself from crime

Dear community friends,

Believe it or not, in the same week as your mayor, I received a property tax bill and was the victim of an attempted break-in in my car. Paying taxes and potentially becoming a victim of crime are both unfortunate but just and non-discriminatory circumstances.

All kidding aside, my neighborhood was recently hit by a car thief around 4:00 am. The thief casually walked into my property and attempted to open the doors of all three cars parked at the top of my driveway. My house is very well lit and has security cameras installed all around it that caught this “bum” red-handed. That's not my description of the villain, but that of our famous MTPD.

We always lock our cars. My family knows the drill, having had a career in law enforcement. Others have not been so lucky. Desperate people like this don't discriminate and will take any opportunity they can. Lock your doors and you will almost always create a barrier to protect yourself from lawless acts like this.

The positive thing is that this early riser has been clearly identified by the MTPD and will soon be brought to justice.

On Wednesday, August 14th, I attended the Recreation Committee meeting. The main focus of this meeting was to discuss final planning for our Police in the Park event scheduled for Thursday, September 19th from 5:00pm to 8:00pm at Chestnut Branch Park. This event will be our equivalent of Nation Night Out and will feature a variety of activities for our families. Put it on your calendar.

On Thursday, August 15, I was given a thorough tour of the 18-hole disc golf course at Chestnut Branch Park known as “Tornado Crossing.” Jim Kiel, who managed this project, was kind enough to show Park Supervisor Scott Hellerman and me around. Tornado Crossing looks fantastic. It is ready for play. There is still some minor work to be done. Some tee boxes need to be completed, etc. Our residents are encouraged to visit the course. There is a practice tee where park visitors can take their practice round.

On Thursday, August 15th, we filmed Mayor's Video #23. In this video, I discuss the most recent property tax bills residents have received. I talk about our municipal tax rate, which has not reflected any municipal tax increases for the past three of four years, including this year. I break down your property tax bill and explain how your taxes are actually distributed between the township, school districts, fire district, open space, and county. Look for this video in the coming weeks on the township's social media platforms and on our website at mantuatownship.com/mayors-message.

The state's property tax relief program ANCHOR has begun sending letters to New Jersey homeowners and renters to confirm their automatic eligibility and to inform those who may be applying for the first time.

The deadline for those who need to update their information or submit a new application is September 15, 2024. The final application deadline is November 30, 2024.

• This year, the tax authority has eliminated the need for paper applications and created a new online application through its website.
• To secure the online process, applicants may be required to complete additional identity verification and be asked to create an account through ID.me.
• If you have questions, visit www.anchor.nj.gov or call the ANCHOR hotline at 609-826-4282.

On Wednesday, August 21, we celebrated the decommissioning of the municipal utilities
The agency's executive director, William M. Krebs. Mr. Krebs began his tenure at the
MUA in 2009 and retires on September 30th after 15 years of dedicated service to our community. Krebs is known as a charismatic, capable and caring leader. Vice Mayor Pete Scirrotto and I presented Mr. Krebs with a community proclamation at a retirement dinner in the Administration Building in front of family, friends and colleagues. Congratulations and best wishes, Sir.

Upcoming community meetings and events:
• The next meeting of the Veterans Commission will take place on Thursday, August 29th at 7 p.m.
• Saturday, August 31, the next Convenience Center Drop-Off Station will be at our Public Works Facility between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

On behalf of Deputy Mayor Pete Scirrotto, myself, and the entire Township Committee, we look forward to continuing our service with honesty, integrity, and trusted leadership.

Yours sincerely,

Mayor Robert T. Zimmerman, MAS