Citizen, Government Link to Protect Creek

VILLAS – We have all heard the term “voter apathy.” We see that many election results are based on voter turnouts of less than 50 percent. To some, government seems disinterested in “the little guy,” while politicians care only about the next news cycle and how it affects their chances for re-election.
For one alert, concerned resident of Lower Township, and one responsive Lower Township official, citizens can still get involved, and government can still act in the best interests of the people they have promised to serve.
Anne Kniatt drives past the Cox Hall Creek restoration project on Clubhouse Drive in the Townbank/Cape May Beach area of Lower Township on a regular basis. Recently she had been noticing large piles of materials that appeared to be tar buckets, trash and pallets with boxes stacked on them at the base of the sign that announces the Cox Hall restoration project.
Kniatt stopped and noticed that some of the materials seemed to be hazardous and she was concerned that these materials would seep into the creek and ruin the environmental work that had been done at the creek over the last couple of years.
At the Dec. 15 Lower Township Council meeting, Kniatt approached Mayor Michael Beck. She explained concerns and Beck immediately referred her to his clerk and to the Construction Office.
Gary Playford, head of the Lower Township Construction Office, overheard the conversation and Kniatt’s vocal concerns, and got involved.
At that point, Kniatt had taken photos of the debris and visited the Herald offices in an effort to publicize the potential hazardous material problem at Cox Hall.
The Herald made a visit to the site Dec. 16 and discovered that some, but not all, of the material had been removed. The Herald contacted Playford who returned the phone call Dec. 17.
Playford stated that the materials in question had been left by the road construction firm that worked on the repaving of Clubhouse Road. He added, “I wanted to wait a little before responding (to the Herald) because I wanted to go out and see for myself that all the materials had been removed.”
As of Dec. 17, Cox Hall Creek area was free of any trash, debris or potential hazardous materials. The publication received a call from Kniatt about the result and added, “I hope everyone will get involved when they see something that may be a danger to our community.”
It seems that in this case, one concerned citizen and one dedicated civil servant did produce swift and positive results based on a vigilant citizen and a government that is dedicated to serving the community.
To contact Jim McCarty, email jmccarty@cmcherald.com.