PETERSBURG — A check will be in the mail — if it can be delivered.
Township Committee discussed ways to reimburse residents whose mailboxes were knocked down during plowing operations related to the snowstorm Jan. 25.
Township Administrator Jimmy Van Zlike said Feb. 9 that there is no policy to address mailboxes damaged by the Department of Public Works.
“I think it’s prudent that the committee comes together and decides whether we want to adopt a policy, and if so, what it contains,” he said.
Discussion ranged from buying boxes and poles and having Public Works install them to simply paying a reimbursement fee. It ultimately was decided to pay $50 per incident once a year, something that must be approved via resolution.
There also was talk about whether the township was liable for all of the boxes that were knocked down or only those that were struck by the vehicle, not displaced by snow.
Upper Township has a total of 156 miles of roads, excluding private developments and unpaved byways. Of that, the township is responsible for about 78 miles, while there are 38 miles of state roads and another 40 miles of county roads.
Van Zlike said 28 mailboxes on township roads were knocked down, only two of which were the result of a direct strike.
“There was a lot of them on state and county roads, and obviously we can’t be responsible for something that we don’t do,” Mayor Curtis Corson said.
Committeeman Tyler Casaccio, who plows his family’s commercial properties, said the storm was an anomaly.
“The way that snow turned to rain and it froze, the snow became very heavy. So then when the plow truck is driving, that snow is throwing a 10-pound dumbbell,” he said.
Van Zlike said he looked at the regulations of six municipalities in both Cape May and Atlantic counties and that five of them limit reimbursement to direct strikes. The exception is Middle Township, where the issue is addressed on a case-by-case basis.
Van Zlike said options include the township repairing or replacing the boxes with a standard black metal box and a 4-by-4 pressure-treated timber post or writing a check.
He said there are pros and cons to each, noting the township could buy boxes and posts in bulk for cheaper than $50 apiece but replacing them would involve labor and equipment costs.
Writing a check “removes Public Works from the equation, but it kind of creates an administrative burden for the finance department,” Van Zlike said.
“I think Public Works being in the mailbox repair business is pretty unrealistic, but I think giving residents a little compensation for our mistake is probably a good way to meet in the middle here,” Casaccio said.
He added that if the township were to reimburse residents for their mailboxes, it should stop assisting with plowing on county roads.
“The township in the past has been gracious enough to plow county roads when they’re lacking. I don’t think the township, if we’re going to be paying for mailboxes, I don’t think that we should be plowing county roads and absorbing their costs and their problems,” Casaccio said. “So I’d be happy to give them a $50 check to reimburse them.”
Committeeman Zach Palombo, who oversees Public Works, said its time already is in demand.
“I think a one-time payment per year is probably the more common-sense approach,” he said.
Parking outside the
Community Center
Deputy Mayor Victor Nappen reported on methods to improve safety outside the community center, where popular events such as Friday night wrestling force motorists to park along Route 50.
“I personally view this as a good problem. Our community center is so busy because we have so many wonderful coaches and athletes and parents that want to frequent our events, so this challenge is welcome for me,” he said.
Nappen said that the facility is not being packed to the point of a fire code violation, noting that there simply is not enough parking.
He said the township is somewhat limited in what it can do there because Route 50 is a state road.
“We do not have jurisdiction to unilaterally ban parking or anything on that road,” he said.
Nappen said Township Committee is seeking a long-term solution, noting talks have been taking place with the owner of the adjacent property regarding a land purchase.
A short-term solution involves the State Police.
“For the remainder of the 2026 wrestling season, we will have a State Police presence, flashing lights, making sure that people slow down and drive safely around our community center,” he said.
Another solution would be finding a better location for wrestling matches.
“This will provide temporary relief on the issue as we try to find a long-term solution,” Nappen said.
Municipal budget
Upper Township Chief Financial Officer Barbara Ludy said Township Committee likely would introduce the municipal budget later this year than normal.
Because Gov. Mikie Sherrill is new to the office, she has longer to introduce the state budget, giving municipalities until the first meeting after March 31 to present their spending plans.
Ludy said all of the members have reviewed the budget.
“It’s still a work in progress,” she said, noting that at this point the plan is within the spending and levy caps.
“We are waiting for the governor to give her budget address so we know where we stand with state aid,” Ludy said.
Committeeman Tyler Casaccio, who oversees the Revenue and Finance Department, said it’s beneficial to wait.
“We had everything lined up last year and Gov. (Phil) Murphy pulled $650,000 in state aid funds, so that’s one of the reasons we’re hesitant to put anything out there,” he said. “We’re going to be a little extra patient this year with the governor’s first term and give that extended grace period to introduce the budget there.”
