Sewer Groundbreaking Ceremony Set — You Are Invited!
The collaboration among Lakewood Township officials, NJ HAND, NJ STEPS/Homes for All, the Lakewood Affordable Housing Corporation, and New Jersey American Water Company to build affordable housing is entering a new phase of development with a sewer groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the growth of Lakewood and the installation of a sewer line. The public is invited to the ceremony on Spruce Street at the intersection of Vine Street on Tuesday, March 13 at 10:00 a.m.
If you are planning to attend the groundbreaking ceremony, please contact Cindy in the Lakewood Municipal Manager’s office at 732-364-2500 Ext. 5204 or email committeeaide@gmail.com.
The installation of the sewer line, which begins at Spruce Street, continues south to Vine Street, then to Oak will allow the completion of the NJ Hand property, which could result in a couple of hundred more affordable housing units and the construction projects of the other developers, the Affordable Housing Corporation, STEPS/ Homes for All.
In Phase I, 72 NJ Hand units of the affordable housing were built. In Phase II, now in construction, about 58 units are being built; however, after the construction of phases I and II, no more units will be able to be built unless a sewer line is installed.
Committeeman Steven Langert as former mayor and Steve Reinman, director of economic development, have been working closely with New Jersey American Water Company to move the project forward into a new phase of development. They established a planning committee to study the infrastructure and to work closely with New Jersey American Water to overcome obstacles keeping the project from moving forward.
Reinman says, “The point of the committee was to lay out long range plans that would determine where growth would mostly likely occur in this town and to see if the infrastructure could handle it. The committee convened all the utilities and we looked at several areas of the town. We decided to attack first what was in the Smart Growth Plan, called the Oak Street core. Because that is a largely unbuilt but growing area in need of infrastructure, we started to plan how we could bring a sewer there. What came out of those planning discussions was the realization that we could lay in an infrastructure for the future growth of this area and unblock a stumbling block—the sewer—that was holding up all this affordable housing growth for close to five years.”
Without the sewer, the only option would be the construction of a $3 million pump station, for which affordable housing did not have the money. Putting in the sewer line, without a pump station, means affordable housing needs only a fraction of the money a pumping station would have cost AND they are able to move ahead with their project.
In addition, consumers will not have to pay as much as in the case of most residential development where the developer puts in the sewer and then the water company reimburses them for the cost, which is then passed on to rate payers or all consumers. In this instance, affordable housing officials and the township are contributing a portion of the cost of this project. Because the water company is not paying for that portion, they will not be able to build it into the rate case. This means the consumer will never pay for the portion paid for by the town and affordable housing.
Committeeman Ray Coles says, “Township officials have been working with New Jersey American Water for several years to get to this point. It is the spirit of cooperation and collaboration that is allowing something that will bring so much benefit to so many people.”
Doing Business with the Federal Government – Free UEZ Seminar
Selling goods and services to the federal government provide opportunities to expand one’s client base and increase revenue. The Lakewood Development Corporation, the administrative arm of the Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), is offering the public a free small business seminar “Doing Business with the Federal Government,” Wednesday, February 29, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Conference Room C, the Lakewood Municipal Building, 231 Third Street, Lakewood.
The workshop, given by Sherry Rose and Dolcey Chaplin of the NJIT Defense Procurement Center, will explain the process of conducting business with the federal government.NJIT Defense Procurement Center has generated more than $30 million a year in new contracts for New Jersey small businesses. A question and answer period will follow.
Register online at www.lakewoodnj.gov/department/uez by clicking “Free Business Workshops.” To find out about UEZ programs and seminars, call Patricia Komsa at 732-364-2500 x5257 or pkomsa@lakewoodnj.org. All businesses are welcome whether or not they are participating in a UEZ program.
About the UEZ: The Urban Enterprise Zone program was designed to foster economic growth to revitalize and stimulate designated urban communities. The program encourages businesses to create private-sector jobs though public and private investment. More than 8,000 businesses throughout the state and more than 500 businesses in Lakewood benefit from tax and financial incentives. Personnel from the Lakewood UEZ are available to discuss program eligibility and answer questions.
Officers Chosen at Lakewood Industrial Commission Meeting
The board of the Lakewood Industrial Commission (LIC) elected its 2012 officers at the annual reorganization meeting of the LIC. Robert Kirschner, owner of Robert Kirschner Real Estate, Lakewood, was elected chairman. Other officers are Shlomo Katz, vice chair; and Justin Flancbaum, secretary. Both Katz and Flancbaum specialize in commercial and residential real estate development.
The rest of the 2012 board is made up of Commissioners Gregory Stafford-Smith, owner of AG&G sprinkler system services; Neil Brooks, owner of Neil Brooks Plumbing, Heating and Cooling; and newly elected commissioners Sam Rabinowitz, real estate developer, and Edwin Schuster, owner of E.J. Schuster’s Office Supplies and Furniture. Members of the Lakewood Industrial Commission are appointed for five-year terms by the Lakewood Township Committee.
In other business, Steven Reinman was confirmed as executive director of the LIC and Anita Doyle was confirmed as secretary-designee. Doyle also serves as deputy coordinator of the LDC (Lakewood Development Corporation) and executive assistant of Lakewood Township and the Lakewood Airport.
Lakewood Township Committeeman Steven Langert will serve as 2012 Lakewood Township Committee liaison to the LIC. Sean D. Gertner, Esq., Gertner Mandel Peslak, LLC, was appointed the 2012 LIC; and Jeffrey W. Staiger of Remington & Vernick Engineering will serve as the LIC’s engineer
The LIC, incorporated in 1960 and operating by New Jersey Statute, is charged with fostering industrial and economic development, increasing employment opportunities, and promoting the economic well-being of businesses in Lakewood Township, among other duties.
James Mahlman of NetCetra Named Business Partner of the Year
James Mahlman, president of NetCetra LLC, an Internet services company, Brick, has been named Business Partner of the Year by the Ocean County Vocational Technical School (OCVTS), Toms River. Mahlman was honored for the internship opportunities he has offered computer science students who learned web design and programming at NetCetra. Recently Mahlman expanded his internship opportunities to include students from the Design and Visual Communication program.
Ocean County Freeholder and OCVTS Liaison Joseph Vicari, who attended the presentation, said, “Business partners like Mr. Mahlmann and NetCetra are vital to the continued success of our students. They provide training and experience beyond the walls of our classrooms. These partnerships instill the values of good work ethic and enable our students to move forward. In this economy it takes more than basic skills to get a job; you need the competitive edge of real experience, you need to be motivated, and you need confidence. We recognize NetCetra for their dedication to our students and thank you for your continued involvement in the district.”
Mahlman, a graduate of Wayne Valley High School, Wayne, N.J., earned a B.A. in marketing from the University of Minnesota. He is a member of the OCVTS General Advisory Committee, the Ocean County Foundation for Vocational Technical Education, CRA (Corporate Resource Alliance), and the N.J. Technical Council. He serves as a board member of MODC (Monmouth Ocean Development Council), and is chairman of the marketing committee and vice chairman of the technology committee for MODC.
Mahlman recently earned the Silver Award for Multi-Media Design from JSPRAA (Jersey Shore Public Relations and Advertising Association).
Free UEZ Business Seminar on Networking: The Most Rewarding Word-of-Mouth Tactic
The Lakewood Development Corporation, the administrative arm of the Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), is offering the public a free business seminar sponsored by the Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship Corp., “Networking: The Most Rewarding Word-of-Mouth Tactic,” Thursday, February 16, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Conference Room C, the Lakewood Municipal Building, 231 Third Street,Lakewood.
Networking is one of the most important business activities that drives revenue and expands your business horizons. Vicki Morgan of Russmor Marketing Group will examine the why, where, and how-to of networking. Learn what to do before, during, and after each networking event that will make it worth your time. Learn how to develop and deliver an attention-getting ‘elevator speech’ that really works. A question and answer period will follow.
Register online at www.lakewoodnj.gov/department/uez by clicking “Free Business Workshops.” To find out about UEZ programs and seminars, call Patricia Komsa at 732-364-2500 x 5257 or pkomsa@lakewoodnj.gov. All businesses are welcome whether or not they are participating in a UEZ program.
About the UEZ: The Urban Enterprise Zone program was designed to foster economic growth to revitalize and stimulate designated urban communities. The program encourages businesses to create private-sector jobs though public and private investment. More than 8,000 businesses throughout the state and more than 500 businesses inLakewood benefit from tax and financial incentives. Personnel from the Lakewood UEZ are available to discuss program eligibility and answer questions.
Join Jersey Shore Business Leaders at red Restaurant and Lounge
The holiday food drives may be over; but local food pantries are still practically empty, and millions of people—adults, children, senior citizen—are going hungry every day. Jersey Shore Business leaders will be donating a portion of its fundraising efforts at its February meeting to the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Join Jersey Shore Business Leaders (JSBL) at “Don’t Get Left Out in the Cold,” an evening of business networking, Thursday, February 16, 2012, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at red Restaurant and Lounge, 3 Broad Street, Red Bank, N.J. Registration is $20.00 for members, $25.00 for non members and includes appetizers, cash bar, and a chance to win multiple door prizes.
To register, visit www.jerseyshorebusinessleaders.com or call Michael Doyle, account executive for Greater Media Radio at 732-681-9591 Ext. 225. Find JSBL on Facebook.com/ JerseyShoreBusinessLeaders and on Twitter at twitter.com/JSBLNetworking.
OHI Alerts Public to Pfizer Recall of Birth Control Pills
Dr. Theresa Berger, CEO, of Ocean Health Initiatives (OHI), a federally qualified health center, has announced that the public should be aware that on Tuesday, January 31, 2012, the Pfizer Inc. issued a recall of over one million birth control pills.
Pfizer claims it accidently mixed up active and inactive pills, making the use of certain birth control ineffective. The company cited the mix up was “due to possibility of inexact tablet counts or out of sequence tablets.”
The birth control brands included in the recall are 14 lots of Lo/Ovral and 14 lots of Norgestrel & Ethinyl Estradiol tablets. The pills were “manufactured and packaged by Pfizer Inc., commercialized by Akrimax Rx Products, and labeled under the Akrimax Pharmaceuticals brand.”
Patients who have received the types of birth control listed in the recall should either visit the Pfizer website where the recalled lot numbers and packet numbers are listed or call 845-602-4768.
Pfizer says it has now corrected the problem.
Dr. Berger says, “Please be advised that if you are taking these pills, they may be ineffective and can result in pregnancy.” Dr. Berger suggests women use another form of non-hormonal contraceptive in place of the birth control to prevent pregnancy.
OHI is dedicated to providing current information to its patients and the Ocean County Community. For more information visit the Pfizer website at www.pfizer.com.
About Ocean Health Initiatives
OHI, a federally qualified health center (FQHC), with locations at 101 Second Street, Lakewood; and 301 Lakehurst Road, Toms River; and 333 Haywood Road Manahawkin, provides comprehensive preventative and primary care, including pediatrics, maternal and child health, prenatal, WIC, universal immunizations, and dental health to the area’s uninsured, underinsured, and undocumented residents on a sliding-fee scale, based on an individual’s or family’s ability to pay. OHIhas a bilingual staff available to assist patients and callers. To become a patient of OHI, call a representative in the Call Center at either 732-552-0377, Toms River, or 732-363-6655, Lakewood. Visit www.ohinj.org. for further information.
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OHI Receives Two National Awards
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an arm of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, honored OHI (Ocean Health Initiatives), a federally qualified health center with offices in Lakewood, Toms River, and Stafford, with two national awards this January at the national meeting of PSPC (Patient Safety Pharmacy Collaborative) in Herndon, Virginia.
Dr. Theresa Berger, CEO of OHI accepted the Outstanding Executive Leader Award, a national award that recognizes an executive leader who has demonstrated outstanding support of its organization’s involvement in the 2011 PSPC national collaborative.
Dr. Shira Meyer, an Internist at OHI received the 2011 Quality Leader Award. This award acknowledges an individual PSPC team member who has removed barriers so that an organization can expand the delivery of clinical pharmacy services and refine its care delivery system in order to improve patient safety and medication management.
The awards were co-sponsored by the PSPC Alliance and the Food and Drug Administration Office of Women’s Health. The HSRA Patient Safety and Clinical Pharmacy Services Collaborative (PSPC) is a national effort to improve the quality of care delivered in the United States through the integration of health care providers and increased provision of clinical pharmacy services. This breakthrough effort targets improvement in health and safety for our highest risk, highest cost, complex patients.
OHI has participated in the Patient Safety Pharmacy Collaborative since 2009. During the past year, OHI has specifically focused on patients with diabetes, asthma, and hypertension, aiming to prevent potential adverse drug events and assist in correcting those who have experienced adverse drug events in the past.
Dr. Theresa Berger, CEO of OHI, says, “Our entire staff is focused on delivering compassionate healthcare that results in outstanding health outcomes for our population. I am proud that HRSA has recognized our achievements in providing health care for the medically vulnerable.”
About Ocean Health Initiatives
OHI, a federally qualified health center (FQHC), with locations at 101 Second Street, Lakewood and 301 Lakehurst Road, Toms River, provides comprehensive preventative and primary care, including pediatrics, maternal and child health, prenatal, WIC, universal immunizations, and dental health to the area’s uninsured, underinsured, and undocumented residents on a sliding-fee scale, based on an individual’s or family’s ability to pay.
OHIhas a bilingual staff available to assist patients and callers. To become a patient of OHI, call a representative in the Call Center at either 732-552-0377, Toms River, or 732-363-6655, Lakewood. Visit www.ohinj.org. for further information.
Financial Resources Federal Credit Union Donates Holiday Toys for Children
Employees and members of Financial Resources Federal Credit Union (FCU), with headquarters in Bridgewater, N.J., participated in Gifts of the Season, the 2011 United Way Toy Drive by filling decorated toy collection boxes at Financial Resources FCU’s five branches in Bridgewater, Green Brook, Hillsborough, Flemington and Somerset with hundreds of unwrapped toys for children in need and to help families struggling to make ends meet.
Receiving the gifts for their children meant that parents could use their limited financial resources for their family’s basic needs, such as food, utilities, rent, etc. without going into debt to pay for gifts for their children.
Lena Matthews, CEO of Financial Resources FCU, says, “The Gifts of the Season toy drive is a great way to encourage community involvement for such a great cause. We feel this is the least we can do to help make the holiday season a happy time for children and their families in the community.”
Each year, thousands of low-income families and individuals receive holiday gifts thanks to the generosity and contributions of local organizations, such as Financial Resources FCU. This was the second consecutive year Financial Resources FCU participated in the United Way Toy Drive. Last year, alone, more than 13,000 gifts were distributed.
Gifts of the Season is a partnership effort of Somerset County United Way, the Somerset County Food Bank Network, the Somerset County Board of Social Services and many other local agencies that serve low-income families.
For more information, contact Daniel Gontcharenko, Director of Marketing, at 908-253-6431 or visit www.MyFinancialResources.org.
About Financial Resources Federal Credit Union:
Financial Resources Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered credit union that offers a variety of financial products and services to its members, and business services for its member companies, organizations, and the communities of Flemington, N.J, and the greater New Brunswick/Somerset, N.J. area. Financial Resources is regulated by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), and savings are federally insured to at least $250,000 Headquartered in Bridgewater, N.J., Financial Resources has almost 25,000 members and total assets of over $400 million. Visit www.MyFinancialResources.org for more information. ###
LDC Sets 2012 Schedule of Free Business Seminars
Patricia Komsa, executive director of the Lakewood Development Corporation, the administrative arm of UEZ (Urban Enterprise Zone), has announced a schedule of eight free business seminars, open to the public. All businesses are welcome whether or not they are participating in a UEZ program.
February 8: Growing Your Business – Panel Discussion (10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)
February 29: Doing Business with the Federal Government (10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.)
February 16: Networking-Invest in the Most Rewarding Word-of-Mouth Tactic
(10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.)
April 19: Shoot 4 Success: Video Marketing for Today’s Businesses
(10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)
March 15: Trade Showmanship and Event Marketing (10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.)
May 9: Doing Business with the Federal Government (10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.)
May 10: Trade Showmanship and Event Marketing (10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.)
April 12: Big Marketing on a Small Budget (10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.)
UEZ workshops are presented by professionals who offer the strategic business skills that help meet today’s challenges to succeed. Among the presenters are the SBA (Small Business Administration), the New Jersey Defense Procurement Center; members of SCORE, and Vicki Morgan of WCEC (Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship Corp.)
All seminars are in Room C, second floor, of the Lakewood Municipal Building, 231 Third Street, Lakewood. A question and answer period will follow each session. Additional workshops may be presented throughout the year.
To register or for more information about UEZ programs, call Patricia Komsa 732-364-2500 Ext. 5257 or www.lakewoodnj.gov/department/uez.
About the UEZ: The Urban Enterprise Zone program was designed to foster economic growth to revitalize and stimulate designated urban communities. The program encourages businesses to create private-sector jobs though public and private investment. More than 8,000 businesses throughout the state and more than 500 businesses in Lakewood benefit from tax and financial incentives. Personnel from the Lakewood UEZ are available to discuss program eligibility and answer questions.