JACKSON – The Jackson Township Council has received a $3,000 grant for the 2017 Cops In Shops Summer Shore Initiative. The program is a cooperative effort between the Division of Highway Traffic Safety and the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
The intent of the initiative is to use the grant to allow local undercover law enforcement officers to join forces with local retail establishments to deter the sale of alcohol to underage individuals and to stop adults from attempting to purchase alcohol for people under the legal age of 21.
Councilmen Robert Nixon, Barry Calogero and Scott Martin and Council Vice President Ann Updegrave passed a resolution accepting the grant at the governing body’s July 25 meeting.
During public comment, resident Rae Ann Walker voiced her concerns regarding the township’s Zoning Board of Adjustment.
“A good majority of the (business) that is put on the agenda is adjourned because there is not a full board (present),” Walker told council members. “As an applicant, I would not want to go before the board if I did not have a full board of seven members (hearing the application). It appears your appointments to the zoning board have a lot of conflicts of interest and have to recuse themselves.”
Walker said while applications for emergency generators and fences may be heard by the zoning board, applications of a more significant nature often have to be carried to a subsequent meeting.
Calogero responded to Walker and said, “I looked into this and there are one or two members who have been remiss in their responsibility. What I can tell you is that this council person will not reappoint them. They have a responsibility and even though (serving on the zoning board) is a volunteer job, they should take it seriously.”
Calogero said Walker’s assertions regarding the zoning board are “unfortunate because they do a great job as a whole.”
“When you take a position, no matter what it is, you need to show up to the meetings. If people are not showing up to meetings then there need to be consequences,” Nixon added.
