Mayor Keffer's Message for May

In his May message, Springfield Mayor Hugh Keffer recognizes and celebrates signs of Spring and highlights public service.

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May started with a bustle of events in town. The Recreation Department youth soccer, baseball and softball leagues were out on the fields running two and three games an afternoon. It’s fun to watch a cloud of children chasing a ball around the field with parent and grandparents cheering them on or just catching up with friends.

Clean communities program ran this week. Several groups picked up tools at the Department of Public Works and set out to clean sites around town. The clean communities program started in 1986 with an Act of the Legislature. Each participating town must run at least one volunteer cleanup of public lands a year to be eligible for State grants supporting programs that remind people not to litter. My wife and I picked up on the street and grounds around Cohn Park on Baltusrol Way. While there, we had a chance to watch a vigorous game of pickup basketball and meet with neighbors.

Over at the Library, the Garden Club held a successful plant sale. Thanks to those who worked the booth and thanks also to the members of the garden club who planted flowers on the library grounds.

This weekend was also time to celebrate the achievements of Nick Rossomando and Justin Sequeira who climbed to the rank of Eagle Scout with Troop 73. Each of them had to complete a project to qualify for the award.

Nick refurbished and rebuilt a wheelchair access deck for cerebral palsy children at The First Cerebral Palsy Center in Belleville. The deck had fallen into disrepair and disuse. Through his efforts, the children are able to go outside on a safe deck.

Justin refurbished and rebuilt baseball bleachers and the basketball court at Washington Park on Rahway River Parkway in Springfield. He received a commendation letter from Union County for his effort. Both young men should be proud of their service to the community.

This week, I think I just stay home and rest. Of course, it will be after a week of working the festival at St. James. It was great to see such a huge turnout.
 
Township Digest
 

May 3 Meeting:

The Mayor proclaimed Municipal Clerks Week (May 1-7) and awarded certificates to the very excited winners of the annual Clean Communities Week Poster. All the children in the participating schools will be recieving magnets made of composits of the top winners.

RVSA

Our commissioner, Steve Eisenberg, reported on the recent events at the RVSA. There may be enough money in insurance  to cover the the losses from the cogeneration issues. The new Excutive Director, on the job only a few weeks, seems to be making positive changes.

Ordinances- no new ordinances for either first or second reading.

Resolutions

A contract was approved for Dimilia Inc. for 2011 Basketball Court improvemnets and installation of playground equipment at Ruby, Patriot, and Irwin Parks.