The township committee was given an update that the 2016–2017 tax rate has been set for Shamong Township.
The tax rate for the average assessed home valued at just less than $308,000 will pay an extra $197.74 total in taxes this year.
According to Township Administrator Sue Onorato, the township as well as the Lenape Regional High School District and the Shamong Township Schools all sent in their tax information on time. However, there was a delay this year on the county’s end. The county didn’t officially set the township tax rate until a week before.
“Usually what happens is there is some element (causing delay). We had our taxes in on time, Lenape and the school district; the county was the delay this year,” Onorato said.
There is a 6.5-cent increase, making the average assessed home pay $8,432.71 a year in total property taxes
Onorato said typically the due date for taxes is Aug. 1. However, due to the delay, taxpayers have a 25-day extension after the bills have been sent. She said hopefully by the end of last week, all mailing should be sent.
Once everything is sent, the township will update the website and an email will be sent to residents to remind them of the 25-day extension.
Although the extension is good news to residents, Onorato wanted to remind residents that anything received after the 25 days will acquire interest beginning back to Aug. 1.
In other news:
• Addison Bradley gave an update on the cemetery initiative the township has been looking into. According to Bradley, the committee has investigated the feasibility of developing a cemetery in Shamong. A subcommittee has been created. It has reviewed a certificate of authority, and it is working on submitting one to the state board for review.
“We are in the process of putting that together right now,” Bradley said.
For the cemetery, the township has purchased the former Cowperthwaite farm, minus the residence, and will be using Green Acres funds for most of it, according to a letter from former Mayor Ken Long. There is approximately seven acres on Willow Grove Road surrounded by hedgerows that is perfect for a country setting oriented cemetery. This initiative will serve the residents of Shamong and the surrounding municipalities and will generate revenue to help keep taxes in place and maybe even lowered for many years.
Bradley said the proposed name could possibly be “Pinelands Memorial Park, a Country Cemetery.”
“We’ve had a lot of discussion on it, and just in my experience you can’t find a country cemetery,” Bradley said. “I encourage the committee to advertise that it is a quiet country cemetery; that is why a lot of people move out here because it is quiet and it is nice.”
• The committee approved a social affairs permit for Semper Fido, Inc. for Sept. 17 and 18. According to Onorato, the event will raise money for the military with a beer garden at the Valenzano Winery. The Semper Fido program helps to unite wounded warriors suffering with PTSD with homeless, rescue shelter dogs, who are evaluated and deemed viable, to nurture a healing and rejuvenating bond between the two.
• The next township committee meeting is Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Shamong Township Municipal Building, 105 Willow Grove Road.
