Campaign Issues

1. Revitalizing the Main Street shopping district


Niki and Lou discuss ideas to revitalize Main Street with Scott Bergman, President of the Mullica Hill Merchants’ Association.

One of the reasons Niki and Lou decided to raise their families in Harrison Township is because of Mullica Hill’s charming Main Street. Niki, coming from Cherry Hill, wanted a sense of community. She wanted to be able to shop, dine, and spend her recreational time where she lived. Lou, from Collingswood, wanted to give his family the same small-town feel. Mullica Hill, with a beautiful and charming Main Street, which was placed on the National Historic Register in 1991, seemed like the perfect place. Unfortunately, because our merchants are receiving little support from our Township, we are not realizing the full potential of our Main Street shopping district. For example, did you know our merchants decorate Main Street for the holidays out of their own funds? Presently, there are no less than 10 businesses and residences for sale on Main Street. Our Main Street desperately needs strong, committed leadership through our Township Committee to maintain current businesses and attract new ones. Niki and Lou, knowing how other towns, such as Haddonfield and Collingswood, have created a wonderful sense of community through a thriving Main Street area, are committed to working with the existing merchants and potential new merchants to help our Main Street reach its full potential by:

• Meeting with the current merchants on a quarterly basis to see what Township Committee can better be doing to help them stay on Main Street and to expand their businesses.
   

• Learning from other municipalities what they have done to attract new businesses.
   

• Communicating with our existing Boards and Committees the importance of working with potential new merchants and avoid creating obstacles to developing new businesses.
   

• Working with Harrison Township Beautification Committee members to see what their needs and visions are for Main Street and how Township Committee can help reach their goals.

2. Implementing the Youth Sports Initiative

Niki and Lou address recreation needs with Dennis McBride, President of Harrison Township Youth Basketball, and Joe
Cosgrove, Vice President of Public Relations for Clearview
Youth Football and Cheerleading.

Parents whose children participate in any of the town’s youth sports programs know first hand about the poor quality and lack of field space available to Harrison Township residents. That fact is unavoidable as you travel to facilities throughout South Jersey that are far superior. Our children deserve better. Niki and Lou envision a township where all of our children will be able to play local sports at home and not be required to travel to neighboring towns for practice or home games because there are not enough fields in Harrison Township. With more recreational areas, we also preserve open space and maintain the beauty of Harrison Township. Niki and Lou intend to implement their own Youth Sports Initiative through:

• Meeting with Harrison’s youth sports leaders regularly to learn what their needs are.
   

• Coordinating with local officials in getting enough recreation area for all of our youth sports’ needs.
   

• Communicating with our sports leaders and residents as to the status of new recreation areas for Harrison children.
   

• Creating additional open space to promote recreational activities and encourage community involvement.

3. Safely closing the Harris Landfill

Niki and Lou walking the Harris Landfill.

Our residents’ safety is Niki and Lou’s first priority. Part of monitoring resident safety is seeing the safe closure of the Harris Landfill. The Harris Landfill, in operation in the 1970s, ceased operations in 1981. The current landowner purchased the land in 2006 and is now in the process of closing the landfill and hopefully developing the land to turn it into usable property. There are many misconceptions about the closure. For example, there have been allegations that contaminated soil is being brought into the landfill daily. The fact is that the landfill is presently being closed in accordance with permits issued by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, who continuously monitors the type of fill that comes into the landfill and spot checks the closing process twice a month. Niki and Lou feel it is vital to our safety to know everything about the landfill, the facts and the fictions about how things are being done and overseen, and how it is being properly closed to ensure our safety. Niki and Lou are dedicated to:

• Working closely with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection to make sure the landfill is closed in accordance with all state regulations.
   

• Communicating with Harrison residents as the land is closed so they are aware of every step in the process and how it affects or does not affect neighboring lands.
   

• Meeting with the landfill’s owner to make sure he is cooperating with state and local officials to close the landfill and develop this land for a use that we can safely enjoy for years to come.

4. Advocating for the best traffic solution for Harrison residents

Harrison Township residents have by now heard and read about many opposing viewpoints regarding the State and County proposed “322 extension” through the center of Harrison Township. One thing all residents will agree with is that we would like to see congestion at 322 and 45 and at 322 in Richwood reduced.

Niki and Lou believe that the Township Committee should not take lightly that some have deemed this a “State and County issue,” rather than a local, Harrison Township issue. Township residents, the Township Committee, and the Planning Board need to work together and gather the most information we possibly can. We need more information and need to evaluate all feasible, less intrusive alternatives.

The County came up with the idea for the 322 cut-through by "drawing a line on a map," and announced the plan before completing important engineering and environmental studies. Because this proposal goes through Main Street, houses, backyards, protected wetlands, and cemetery property, and along side a church, and youth sports fields, it is important that all studies are carefully undertaken and reviewed before concluding that this alternative is the best one for Harrison residents.

The studies are important not only to demonstrate that the proposed extension will work (in other words, that, aside from shore traffic, the number of Harrison residents utilizing the cut-through 365 days a year to get from the Harrison House Diner to Route 55 will significantly reduce the traffic in town), and the effect it will have on the environment. These studies are still being worked on, as is the precise route of this proposal. While those studies continue, we need to also consider other viable alternatives, such as one proposed by the DVRPC in 1997, or the Urban Engineers 2002 study, both of which take out of town traffic around the town, instead of directly through our historic district, homes, and wetlands. These proposed alternatives are appealing because they also reduce traffic, but obviously without the same considerable environmental impact on Harrison Township. In fact, the existence of these viable, less destructive alternative studies underscores the importance of taking all factors into consideration and studying all options. The preliminary studies on the alternate routes are already completed – why not give the residents and leadership of Harrison Township the opportunity to consider all information and alternatives?

Because information is crucial to determine the best solution for Harrison, Niki and Lou are committed to:

• Making sure the State, the County, and Harrison Township work together to thoroughly investigate all possible alternatives and together come up with the best possible solution for all Harrison residents.
   

• Communicating all progress with the investigation phase to Harrison residents.
   

• Once an acceptable solution is reached, facilitating a positive relationship with the State, County, and Harrison residents to ensure the appropriate implementation of whatever solution is finally agreed upon.
   

For updated information about the County’s proposal, what Township Committee is doing to investigate the proposed solution, and other information available to all residents, Niki and Lou encourage you to visit:

http://www.co.gloucester.nj.us, http://www.harrisontwp.us, and
www.322bypass.com.