In a combined effort between the Town Council and the Secaucus Municipal Alliance, smoking has been banned by anyone participating in town’s recreation programs, even as observers.
In a simultaneous effort, the Municipal Alliance also conducted seminars in the Secaucus schools warning kids about the dangers of smoking.
The Town Council voted at its April 23 meeting on an ordinance to prohibit use of tobacco products.
“This means there will be no smoking at the Mill Ridge Road fields, Little League Field, the Kane Stadium fields,” said Town Administrator Anthony Iacono.
Under the provisions set by the ordinance, police and school officials would enforce the smoking ban in the stands, while coaches and recreation department officials would monitor field activities. Smoking on the field had already been banned.
Iacono, however, said the ban would not affect people using nearby areas for park recreation.
“It’s only if you are a spectator of the event,” he said.
The regulation came as a suggestion for the Municipal Alliance, Iacono said, noting that smoking by spectators as such events made a poor example for kids participating in the events.
During the last week of April, the Municipal Alliance brought into the schools speakers from the Hudson County chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence to talk with kids about their smoking habits, and to help offer advice to quit smoking or avoid starting.
Council settles legal case involving pumping station
Mayor Dennis Elwell said that about six months ago, the town received a complaint about the use of private property for a pumping station on Acorn Road. At some point during the 1970s, the town had installed a small pumping station to handle the new development in the area. Later the pumping station was expanded several times. The property was owned by a family named Swartz, and recently Plycloth Corporation – who took over the property at some point – said that the piping and flood pump would not allow the property to be developed.
In order to avoid costly and lengthily litigation, the town agreed to give the corporation a $200,000 settlement and purchase the one and a quarter acre property at $500,000. The town has also acquired first refusal rights on an adjacent property. This means that the town would have first choice to purchase the additional piece of nearby property if it goes up for sale.
“Both properties are critical to the river front walkway we have planned,” Elwell said.
Castle Road assessment approved
The Town Council also voted to authorize a $3 million bond to expedite the reconstruction of Castle Road. Property owners would be required to pay for the repairs, but the town would take over maintenance once the ailing roadway has been brought up to town standards.
Castle Road, originally built by Hartz Mountain, was owned by a group of property owners. Over the years, management company went out of business and the road fell into disrepair. The town would not maintain the road because it did not meet the town’s minimum specifications, so year by year, the roadway became nearly impassable and the sewerage system began to deteriorate.
Iacono said construction plans are just about ready and that the town hopes to go out to bid on the project by May. 15 The project will include rebuilding the roadway and the sewers, and the cost will be passed along to the property owners over a 10-year period. If a company goes out of business, the town will put a lien on the property to get back its repair costs, Iacono said.
Garage sales and other items
Deputy Mayor John Reilly said the town would be setting up new regulations regarding garage sales. This would cover signs that have spread out throughout the town and have not been removed. In the past, the town controlled the proliferation, but the signs and the sales have increased dramatically, and the town will seek to limit both.
Councilman John Bueckner said he would like to institute a local ban on driving with hand-held cellular telephones. He proposed the ban over a year ago, but other council people told him the state was about to implement a ban of its own.
“That does not seem to be happening,” Bueckner said.
Elwell asked Bueckner to hold off on his request to give the state a few more months to pass legislation.
“If they don’t, then we’ll look into passing a ban of our own,” Elwell said.
Light poles used at the Millridge ball fields were tested last month, because town officials noticed that some had “a crazy bow” to them. He said some poles have only a few years of working life left in them and that the town would have to look into a plan that would replace those with the least age.
Elwell also noted that work to build an island for Flanagan Way has started, although the island will be further west by a block than first anticipated.
“The island is going to start at Third Street and go west,” he said. “We may continue it east later.”