Slight changes to the 2012 Tabernacle municipal budget were addressed at the Monday, April 23 township committee meeting at the town hall. Due to the state not approving the amendments prior to the meeting, registered municipal accountant Kevin Frenia said the adoption of the budget would be extended.
The changes were to general revenues and general appropriations, leading to to the same good news: No tax increase again in Tabernacle.
Mayor Richard Franzen said this was the fourth year in a row that the township has been able to avoid raising taxes.
“We did not have a tax increase this year,” he said. “I think Terry (Henry) and Doug (Cramer) did a great job with that this year. It’s a great accomplishment.”
The warmer weather helped keep costs low this year, Frenia said.
Plus, good budgeting surely didn’t hurt, he said.
The total budget for the township this year is $3,383,280.
Officials hope the budget will be adopted at the Monday, May 14 committee meeting; however, that’s all dependent on the state’s progress.
Adoption does not mean that the budget would be final. That, too, needs to be completed by the state.
While weather was overall mild this winter, the township is still recovering from the 1,000-acre South Park Fire of last month.
Mayor Richard Franzen applauded the work of Sammy Moore and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service at the meeting. Without their prompt actions, he said, the fire could have spread to more grounds.
Franzen also commended the work of Jack McGinnis and his wife, Nancy, at Nixon’s General Store at the meeting. The McGinnis’ were unable to attend the meeting.
According to the proclamation, the general store was originally built in 1850 “to provide the people with basic staple goods such as groceries, local produce, eggs and dry goods.”
The owners remodeled the building at the turn of the 20th century to give the store its modern appearance — right at the same time as when the town became known as Tabernacle.
In 1956, Abner and “Babe” Nixon bought the store, which remained closed until 1962. At that point, deli items began to be sold.
More than two decades later, Jack, the Nixon’s grandson, with Nancy, took over the business, adding cheesesteaks and new menu items. Those changes readied the store to win Best of Burlington County for the past seven years.
For more than 50 years, Nixon’s has provided employment to hundreds of local residents, has supported innumerable charity organizations, churches and community organizations.
Nixon’s General Store is located at 540 Chatsworth and New Roads.
Visit their website at www.nixonsgeneralstore.com or call them at (609) 268–9800.
