Dear Neighbors,

Welcome to the latest edition of the Mount Laurel First E-News letter.

If you have news that you think should be included in my next E-News letter, please send me the information at JimKeenan@MountLaurelFirst.com
Remember that this E-News letter is dedicated to Mount Laurel news.

Mount Laurel Township Council:  This month's public meetings will be held on April 7th and April 21st at 8pm in the Courtroom and the two work sessions will be held on April 14th and April 28th in Meeting Room A - Municipal Building at 7:30pm.  The public is welcome to come to ALL of the meetings.

Mount Laurel - Planning Board:  Will hold it's next meeting on Thursday, April 10, 2008 @ 7:00pm - in the Courtroom. 

Verizon Wireless:  Is holding a "Family Safety Day" on the 19th where representatives from the McGruff ® Safe Kids Total Identification System program will be on site to provide free child abduction-prevention tools for parents, including identification cards and DNA collection kits, as well as digital fingerprinting for children in attendance.  The event will take place at their newly opened store at Cambridge Crossing - 4317 Dearborn Circle (near LA Fitness) on Saturday, April 19th from 10am - 2pm.

Mount Laurel Baseball:  Is having its OPENING DAY PARADE and ceremonies to kick off its 2008 spring baseball season.  The girls Mount Laurel Softball program will also participate in the parade. It will be held on Saturday, April 12th - at Laurel Acres Park - from 8am-9am.  The Rain Date will be April 19th.

Mount Laurel - Trail System:  The weather is getting nicer and I thought it would be a good time to remind you that there are approximately 3.5 miles of trails that were opened in October 2007.  There is a dedicated parking lot on the road leading  to the St. John Neumann Church and Monastery, off of Hainesport Mount Laurel Road - just a block from the Hartford Road - Hainesport Mount Laurel Raod intersection.  This lot gives you access to two sections of trails in that direct area, but until the connector is completed, you can not access the Trotter's Crossing trail section without leaving Township property. For the Trotter's Crossing section, parking is at Trotter's Crossing sport fields - which is on Walton Avenue.

VOTE ON TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2008 - 3PM TO 9PM
Lenape Regional High School District:  Presents its proposed 2008/2009 budget. Highlights include a 10 Percent State Aid Increase and a budget growth capped at 1.96 Percent.  The Lenape Regional High School District (LRHSD) Board of Education approved for submission to the New Jersey Department of Education a budget for the 2008/2009 school year. The budget includes a significant increase in state aid for the first time in seven years.  The increase in the total budget is limited to 1.96 percent over the previous year.  According to LRHSD Superintendent Emily Capella, following six consecutive years of budget defeats that led to cuts totaling $8.3 million, the 10 percent increase in state aid was welcome news. "The budget outlook is more optimistic than it has been in many years." said Capella. "If the budget is approved by voters, the district will be able to maintain the existing high quality programs that meet the state's Core Curriculum Content Standards at all of our district's schools." According to Capella, the news for taxpayers varies depending on the community in which they live.  Five of the eight communities served by the district will have a decrease in regional school taxes and three will have a tax increase.  Evesham, Medford Lakes, Medford, Southampton and Woodland will see a tax decrease in their regional school taxes.  Communities that grew in terms of wealth (property value and income) and student enrollment - Mount Laurel, Shamong and Tabernacle - will have tax increases.  Each municipality's required regional school taxes are determined by the regional apportionment formula established by State statute. The formula considers community wealth and enrollment to determine each community's share.  The tax impact of the proposed 2008/2009 budget on Mount Laurel call for a tax levy increase of 3.7 cents, resulting in an increase in regional school taxes of $52.25 on a house assessed at the township average of $141,100. 
To read the District's BUDGET NEWSLETTER - go to: http://www.lrhsd.org/813610368599797/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=56901

VOTE ON TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2008 - 3PM TO 9PM
Mount Laurel Board of Education:  Voters are asked to go to the polls on April 15, 2008 to select three members to the Mount Laurel Board of Education, each for a full three-year term. Incumbents Margaret Haynes of Farnwood Road, William Crowe of Glenbrook Drive and Diane Blair of Yorktown Road will seek to retain their seats, while newcomer Ronald Bess of Mount Laurel Road has also filed a nominating petition for a board seat. You may meet the candidates in person and pose your questions at the April 10th Candidates’ Forum to be held at the Hattie Britt Board Building 330 Mount Laurel Road beginning at 7 p.m. Also on the April 15th ballot will be the proposed budget for the 2008-2009 school year. The local school taxes will increase by 2-cents per $100 of assessed value if the proposal is approved. To the owner of a home assessed at $200,000, passage will result in a total of $40 more to support your K-8 educational system next year. For more information on the budget and MORE, please visit the Mount Laurel Board of Education website at http://www.mtlaurelschools.org  They have provided tons of information for you to read.

Mount Laurel Library:  Did you know that the Mount Laurel Library has "E-Books"?  You can read books right on your computer.  Visit their website to find out more about this and many other treats that they provide at http://www.mtlaurel.lib.nj.us

Report Graffiti: The township is committed to cleaning up any graffiti around town, so please let me know if you see any.  To report graffiti in Mount Laurel simply click on this link: Report Graffiti and tell me the location and the cross streets nearby.  If the link above does not work, simply email me at my Council email address of JimKeenan08054@gmail.com and put the word "Graffiti" in the subject line and I will forward your report to the Township Manager to alert the proper departments to note the incident and then remove it from Mount Laurel.

Report a Pothole:  With the weather changing from cold to warm and back to cold again, potholes will seem to form overnight.  To report a pothole in Mount Laurel simply click on this link; Report a Pothole and tell me the name of the street that the pothole is located on and the closest intersection.  If the link does not work, simply email me at my Council email address of JimKeenan08054@gmail.com and put the word "Pothole" in the subject line and I will forward your report to the Township Manager to alert the Public Works Department.  Thank you for your assistance in this matter. 
 

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,