Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press Southampton Township on trash pickup, road repairs and speeding at public comment
Summary
During the April 15 budget hearing and public comment period residents urged the township to address brush and bulky‑item pickup, sidewalk repairs, road crown on Eayrestown Road, bikeway expansion and speeding on Hawkin Road; officials said some fixes are constrained by state rules or insurance limits.
Residents used the budget hearing and privilege-of-the-floor comments at the Southampton Township Committee meeting on April 15 to press for clearer trash‑collection rules, sidewalk repairs and traffic enforcement.
At the budget hearing, resident Greg Sobocinski said he did not view brush and trash pickup as a problem and noted his municipal tax contribution for garbage service. "I do not think brush and trash pickup is a problem that needs to be resolved," Sobocinski said. Administrator Brandon Umba responded that the budget also funds emergency services and that changes aimed at efficiency could reduce the township’s insurance claims related to manual collection.
During the public comment period resident Chris Donner asked whether bulky‑item pickup would carry a fee; Umba said the township proposes one scheduled free pickup week each month for a limited number of items and that a fee would apply only to dumpster drop-offs. Donner also asked whether worker’s compensation costs would drop if public works staff no longer manually collected trash; Umba said the township’s premium is higher when employees perform manual trash loading and described plans to invest in mechanical collection equipment.
Other public concerns and official responses - John Tustin asked the township engineer to review the crown on Eayrestown Road and provided photos of uneven sidewalks in Vincentown and by the bridge, requesting repairs. He also suggested exploring bikeway expansion near Red Lion Recreation Park and repurposing former Blue Acres home sites for a dog park, community garden and walking trails; Administrator Umba said those sites could be considered. - Pat Finlay raised speeding on Hawkin Road; Mayor Ronald Heston said he would look into the issue and communicate with the New Jersey State Police, and Administrator Umba noted that the joint insurance fund does not cover speed humps. - Ramilia Scott asked about the bond-ordinance dollar amounts and who was being reappointed as Construction Official; Administrator Umba confirmed the larger appropriation is $5,500,000 with a statutory reduction to $5,225,000 and that Thomas Boyd was the nominee for reappointment.
What officials said they would do next: officials said they will follow up on specific repair requests and transportation concerns, and the township will publish adopted budget documents and continue procedural steps for redevelopment hearings and capital purchases.
