Dear Neighbors,

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

I have been very busy running my business and working for the residents as a Member of Town Council.  I have sat down time and time again to try to send out another E-News letter but have not found the time to do so.  A few readers had approached me at this years Fall Festival and asked about my letter.  Thank you for your words of encouragement. 

New Sports Field to Open Next Saturday:  Saturday, October 18, 2008, the first football game will be played at the new turf field here in Mount Laurel.  Opening ceremonies will begin at 4pm and the game is set to kickoff at 6pm.  The field is located off of Mount Laurel Road across the street from the Pheasant Mere neighborhood.  The field has been designed for a multitude of different sports but was necessitated by the growth of the Fleetwood Indians Football program, an all volunteer program led by its current President - Tom Perry. The need for this field is because of the success of the hard working parents who volunteer to help set up and run the recreational sport programs here in Mount Laurel.  Good Luck Indians, on your opening day.  

Our Community Calendar is Now Online:  The Township now has a Community Calendar at it's website.  If you have an event that you wish to place on this site, please contact the town Clerk, Pat Halbe, via her email mlclerk@mountlaurel.com or via phone at 856.234.0001 ext 236 and ask to have your event posted online.  It is our desire to make this a "GO TO" calendar to assist organizations and residents in communicating events throughout the community.  I would like to see postings of the various volunteer organizations, community yard sales and the like.  So please help us make this serve you.

Here begins a detailed letter by me:  At the Township's last Public Meeting (October 6, 2008) one of the Democrat Candidates for Council stood up at the public portion and attempted to attack me AND this E-News letter in regards to me posting articles explaining the County's attempt to ignore the Township ordinance of a buffer requirement between a business and residential zone, by placing a driveway from the Shopping Center on to the township's road without seeking Township permission.  Specifically mentioning my August 2, 2007 E-News letter, which you can read in my back issues.  He addressed me like I was a rebel rouser "seeking to protect the rights of the few at the expense of the many".  Everyone who travels this area on Church Street agrees that the area is dangerous and that the County should do something to improve the flow of traffic and provide a safer exit from the shopping center.  I had even sent letters to the local papers stating this fact and that the County should put an exit behind the Rite Aid building utilizing the traffic light at Elbo Lane and Church Street.  I said this before I was placed on Council and I say it today.  The County should improve this area not by dumping the problem on to a township road and risk the safety of the pedestrians who walk in this area, nor risk the safety of the children who wait for the bus on the nearby street corner, nor accept the fact that there will be accidents at the location of the driveway on Ramblewood Parkway (the County said that); and yes, to protect the quality of life of the residents who purchased their homes in the immediate vicinity.  All of these homeowners bought or built their homes without a business driveway pointing at their homes.  Ramblewood Parkway sees many vehicles who now use it as a cut through street from Route 73 to Church Street.  All of the families on this street confront this traffic on a daily basis, not only when they wish to purchase a gallon of milk or buy a cup of coffee at the WaWa.  People find it impossible to back out of their driveway in the morning and are constantly worried about their children playing in front of their house.  Why add more traffic to an already overburdened street?  Yes, it would be easier for me to drive my car to the WaWa to buy my milk, but wouldn't that be a selfish act with total disregard to the "few" that live close to the center?  The Democratic Candidate for Council even went so far as to falsely accuse me of "wasting taxpayer monies" by suing the County.  I had to remind him that I was not on Council at the time.  He then went on and told Council that he would have voted YES to put the driveway on to Ramblewood Parkway because the County said that they couldn't go behind the Rite Aid building.  I then pointed out to him that the County had told the Township that the light at Elbo and Church could not be installed... but it is there today.  The County told the Township that the light at Laurel Acres Park and Church Street could not be installed... but it is there today.  The same county engineer who he quoted told me only a few years ago that the light at Laurel Acres Park was "an accident and should not have been installed"  I ask anyone in Mount Laurel if they think the light at Laurel Acres should not be there?  The County was wrong before, they could be wrong now. 
This past Thursday, the Democratic Candidates for Council released a press release in regards to their unfounded attack on me at the last Township meeting.  Below I am printing their ridiculous statements with my reply.  I have promised that this site would not be used for political purposes but I am not telling you how to vote on November 4th.  I am just filling you in with what is going on within Mount Laurel.  I apologize to anyone who does not want to read this (and you should stop here if you think this is political) but I always said that we should be informed of what is going on here in Mount Laurel First:

“Keenan nor his colleagues offered no workable alternative solution for this location,” said Riley.  “They have spent thousands in legal fees fighting the county and yet offered no alternative solution.  This is a perfect example of failed leadership.” 

I DO FEEL THAT THE COUNTY COULD PLACE AN EXIT BEHIND THE RITE AID BUILDING UTILIZING THE LIGHT AT THE CORNER OF CHURCH ST AND ELBO LANE. THE COUNTY ASSISTANT ENGINEER TOLD THE PEOPLE ATTENDING THE MEETING THAT THEY WOULD NEVER DO THIS BECAUSE IT WOULD ADD 14 SECONDS TO THE TIMING AT THAT LIGHT.  I HAVE A COPY OF THEIR LETTER TO THE TOWNSHIP DATED APRIL 15, 2005 WHERE THEY SAID THE COUNTY COULD PUT IN THAT EXIT BEHIND THE RITE AID BUT FELT THE DELAY WITH PERMITS AND THE ADDITIONAL COST OF $200,000 WAS NOT WORTH IT. THEY WROTE THAT THEY HAD DECIDED TO PUT THE FULL ACCESS ON TO RAMBLEWOOD PARKWAY.  I DON’T KNOW WHO HE MEANS BY “HIS COLLEAGUES” SINCE I WAS NOT ON COUNCIL AT THE TIME AND THEREFORE I DID NOT AUTHORIZE ONE DOLLAR OF LEGAL FEES.  THE SITTING MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AT THE TIME DID, INCLUDING DENNIS RILEY’S MENTOR, TRACY RILEY.  

“Keenan wrote: Even though the Township Council had informed the County that they do not want a driveway from this non-residential use site in to a residential area, the County has ignored this request and has informed Council that they will proceed.   

“County’s Response: The County of Burlington did not ignore Council’s request.  At Council’s request the County scheduled two meetings with residents.  At the first meeting, the primary concern dealt with neighborhood safety.  The County revised the plan to show installation of a pedestrian crosswalk; flashing warning beacon; and increased sidewalk area and presented this information to the residents at a second meeting.  The County also provided all information to the Township’s traffic engineer to determine if other alternatives were practical. 

THE COUNTY WAS PLACING AN EXIT FROM A BUSINESS ZONE INTO A RESIDENTIAL ZONE RISKING THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE WHO WALK AND LIVE IN THE AREA.  THIS WOULD REMOVE THE BUFFER BETWEEN A BUSINESS ZONE AND A RESIDENTIAL ZONE WHICH IS REQUIRED BY LAW.  THEY DID IGNORE THE TOWNSHIP’S REQUEST TO STOP THE DRIVEWAY AND THAT IS WHY THE TOWNSHIP WAS FORCED TO TAKE THEM TO COURT TO STOP THEM.  THE MEETING THAT THE COUNTY SCHEDULED WITH RESIDENTS IN THE AREA, WAS SCHEDULED IN THE AFTERNOON, MAKING IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ATTEND AND THEY CLEARLY TOLD US AT THE MEETING THAT IT WAS AN “INFORMATIONAL MEETING ONLY”.  THEY WERE HAVING THE MEETING TO INFORM US ON WHAT THEY WERE DOING.  SIMPLE AS THAT; ASK THE RESIDENTS THAT WERE THERE. 

“Keenan wrote: The County will require all traffic from the Center to use this driveway and only allow right hand turns in and right hand turns out from and on to Church Street. 

“County’s Response: No.  This is not true.  Some residents suggested restricting the southbound Church Street entrance to ‘right in, right out’ only, but the County has not adopted this position.  There is no  restriction proposed by the County that will require all traffic from the shopping center to use this driveway on Ramblewood Parkway. 

THIS IS TRUE. THE ASSISTANT ENGINEER TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS THEIR PLAN.  I WILL SWEAR TO THAT IN A COURT OF LAW.  WHY DO YOU THINK THEY PUT A TURNING LANE ON THE NORTH BOUND SIDE OF CHURCH ON TO RAMBLEWOOD PARKWAY?  ONCE THEY HAD THE FULL ACCESS INTO THE SHOPPING CENTER FROM RAMBLEWOOD PARKWAY, THE COUNTY COULD CHANGE THE ABILITY TO MAKE LEFT HAND TURNS INTO THE CENTER FROM CHURCH STREET WITHOUT ANYONE’S APPROVAL.  ASK THE COUNTY IF THIS COULD BE DONE.  THIS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A “PROPOSED RESTRICTION”; BUT IT WAS THEIR PLAN. 

“Mr. Caruso’s letter demonstrates the severity of this situation,” said Riley.  “Unfortunately, Mr. Keenan and the Republicans have failed to take any substantive corrective action other than to blame the problem on the county.  He’s failed to offer a solution, take responsibility for his false statements, and admit to squandering taxpayer dollars in a lawsuit that did nothing to solve the ongoing problem.” 

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS; IT HAS TO DO WITH PROTECTING THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE, WALK AND TRAVEL IN THE AREA.  SINCE I HAVE BEEN ON COUNCIL, I AM THE ONLY MEMBER WHO HAS CONSISTENTLY ASKED THE TOWNSHIP TO CONTACT THE COUNTY TO TELL THEM THAT THEY MUST ADDRESS THE SAFETY OF THE TRAVELING PUBLIC, WALKERS INCLUDED, IN THAT AREA.  MY SUGGESTED SOLUTION IS TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO EXIT FOR A LEFT HAND TURN BEHIND THE RITE AID BUILDING.  IF THE COUNTY WANTED TO PROTECT EVERYONE IMMEDIATELY, THEY COULD SIMPLY BAN LEFT HAND TURNS OUT OF THE CENTER AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY OR IN ITS ENTIRETY.  THIS COULD BE DONE TOMORROW.  I CANNOT ADMIT TO AUTHORIZING TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE COUNTY SINCE I WAS NOT ON COUNCIL.  MAYBE HE NEEDS TO DIRECT THAT STATEMENT AT HIS MENTOR, TRACY RILEY AND ASK HER WHY SHE VOTED TO SUE THE COUNTY.

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:  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,