Many communities in the area – including Mantua – have recently fallen prey to a group of young car thieves.
On a recent morning at about 3:30 a.m., someone attempted to steal my personal vehicle from my driveway in the Sewell section of town. This was the second time in less than a year that perpetrators tried to enter vehicles parked in my driveway in the wee hours of the morning.
This should be a stark reminder that no one is immune to crime and that we all need to stay vigilant. My family locks our cars religiously, which prevented us from falling victim to these wrongdoers on both occasions.
The modus operandi of these particular thieves is to scour neighborhoods in search of unlocked vehicles, among others. It’s been their only means for success. Simple steps can help prevent your vehicles from being stolen or burglarized, namely to lock your vehicle at all times, don’t leave fobs or keys inside, remove all valuables, park in well-lit areas or inside a secure garage and report suspicious activity immediately by dialing 911.
The township received its annual audit from Bowman and Company LLP for 2024 on July 2. The report indicates that there were no findings or recommendations otherwise known as a “clean audit,” which confirms that our municipality is adhering to relevant accounting standards (e.g., Generally Accepted Accounting Principals) and regulatory requirements.
This is a reflection of our strong financial management and controls. It indicates that our township has robust internal controls in place to safeguard assets, prevent fraud and errors, and ensure the accuracy and completeness of financial records. The outcome of this audit should certainly assure the public’s confidence in our ability to manage finances effectively and use public funds responsibly.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our CFO, Karen Paccione, Assistant CFO, Melissa Gildein, and of course, our Administrator, Jennica Bileci, for their exceptional accountability and oversight of the revenue and finance aspects of the township.
Mantua hosted its first American Red Cross blood drive on July 10 at the township’s administration building. One pint at a time, there were 28 units donated. We are able to hopefully save up to three lives with each valued donation collected.
I spoke personally with state Sen. John Burzichelli on July 11. He informed me of some great news as it relates to taxpayers. His office was able to secure approximately $800,000.00 in state funding for the Clearview Regional School District, and got Mantua a $50,000 recreational grant. He also confirmed $2.6 million in NJDOT funding that will help with the reconfiguration of the Bridgeton Pike and Mount Royal Road intersection.
The township committee and I want to thank legislators for supporting our residents and always looking out for our community’s best interests.
Committeewoman Eileen Lukens and I stopped by to support Payton and Maverick’s lemonade standon Main Street on July 14. The Hauss family has been teaching their children the value of a dollar by selling the lemonade and homemade cookies the past two summers. It’s great to see so many future entrepreneurs throughout our community.
The township committee paid special tribute at our July 14 meeting to long-time resident Sidney Marks on the occasion of his 50th anniversary with the Mantua Township Fire District. I was honored to present Mr. Marks with a township proclamation honoring his many years of dedicated service to our township and its residents.
Also at that meeting, I ceremonially administered the oath of office to newly minted township police officers, Joshua Cummings and Brenden Hiatt.
Mantua hosted its monthly free senior dinner on July 15 at the community center on E. Mercer Avenue. We had about 80 guests who thoroughly enjoyed lemon chicken over angel hair pasta, along with a salad and a roll with butter. For dessert, they had a creamsicle square cake. The meal was prepared by our very own Santini’s in the Timberline Shopping Center, with Tracy’s Treats offering up the fabulous desert.
Committeeman Jay Snyder, Committeeman Steen and I were on hand to serve the meals and assist seniors with township-related questions, concerns and suggestions. I want to thank our hardworking recreation committee members for volunteering to bring these dinners to fruition.
