April 16, 2021

1. NO TAX INCREASE Again in the 2021 East Windsor Municipal Budget Introduced by Mayor Janice Mironov and Council Members on April 6. The 2021 municipal tax rate component remains the same for nine consecutive years -- 2013 through 2021, at the rate of $.433 per $100 of assessed valuation. This means that for the current 2021 average residential assessment of $259,299, the 2021 municipal tax is $1,122. The East Windsor municipal component remains at less than 15% of the total local property tax bill, and is among the lowest amounts in the entire region and well below the statewide average. The 2021 municipal tax levy also is well below the available state cap levy amounts which the Township is legally allowed to spend. The fiscally conservative and responsible budget document will continue to deliver a high quality level of services to residents and respond to the needs of the community. The NO TAX INCREASE municipal budget is a result of the Township's commitment to continually seek out additional efficiencies, cooperative purchasing avenues and service sharing opportunities, a significant increase in new businesses and ratables, a low debt level, and pro-active efforts to carefully plan and to closely monitor expenditures and revenues throughout the year.
2. REMINDER: East Windsor Township Holds Document Shredding and Electronics Recycling Event on Saturday, April 17 from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M., Rain or Shine, at the East Windsor Senior Center (40 Lanning Boulevard). NO OTHER DROP-OFFS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THIS EVENT. This Township event, sponsored by Mayor Janice S. Mironov and Council Members, will offer Free document shredding to East Windsor residents (no commercial drop-offs are permitted), with a limit of ten boxes per household. Electronics Recycling is limited to only televisions, computers and accessories, monitors, fax machines, cell phones, VCR's, cable boxes and telephones. All drop-offs shall be "Contact-less" and residents must remain in their vehicles at all times. Trained staff wearing masks and gloves will remove items from the trunk and rear seat of the vehicle. For further information, call (609) 443-4000, ext. 215.
3. Mayor Janice S. Mironov Proclaimed April 8, 2020 Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust, known Internationally as Yom HaShoah. The Mayoral Proclamation recognizes Yom HaShoah, "in memory of the victims, survivors and their liberators, and in furtherance of the hopes that we, as a Township and as individual citizens, will strive to overcome prejudice, hatred and indifference through education, tolerance, vigilance and remembrance."
4. East Windsor Township Opens 2021 Community Garden, which is located adjacent to the Disbrow Hill Playing Fields and across from Etra Lake Park. The East Windsor community garden provides residents with the opportunity to rent a plot of land to plant their own fruits and vegetables and is part of the Township's ongoing sustainable community efforts.
   
   
   NOTE: This photo was taken prior to Covid-19 and the introduction of state guidelines regarding face coverings and social distancing. Mayor Janice S. Mironov and Council Members Denise Daniels, Marc Lippman, Alan Rosenberg, Perry Shapiro, and John Zoller join with Health Advisory Board Chairperson Nancy Toledo and Board Members and gardeners to kick off the 2019 East Windsor Township Community Garden at Disbrow Hill Park.
   
5. LAST CALL: East Windsor Is Soliciting Nominations for the Sylvia Weiss Senior Citizen Award for Outstanding Service as a Volunteer. The annual award is to recognize a senior citizen who has exhibited outstanding service through volunteerism to the community by way of the schools, religious institutions, service organizations or directly to the public. Nominees must be at least 60 years of age and residents of East Windsor. Nominations forms, due Friday, April 16, are available (CLICK HERE) for submission of nominees, and must be sent to SYLVIA WEISS SENIOR VOLUNTEER AWARD, ATTN: Mayor Janice Mironov and Council Members, East Windsor Municipal Building, 16 Lanning Boulevard, East Windsor, New Jersey 08520. For further information or a nomination form, go to the Township website at www.east-windsor.nj.us or contact the Municipal Clerk’s Office at (609) 443-4000, ext. 238.
6. Stream Cleanup Co-Sponsored by East Windsor Township and The Watershed Institute on Saturday, April 24, from 9 A.M. to 11 A.M. at Etra Lake Park, Rain or Shine. In order to comply with current health policies, Pre-registration is required (CLICK HERE) and a maximum of 25 people per available time slot will be permitted, Masks covering the mouth and nose are mandatory, and temperature checks will be performed upon arrival. Hand sanitizer will be available, but it is recommended that participants bring their own in order to best maintain a safe distance between groups and staff. Volunteers should wear closed-toed shoes and long pants and bring work gloves and a reusable water bottle. Trash bags will be provided. Adults must accompany minors. For further information or to register, visit The Watershed Institute website at www.thewatershed.org or contact Erin Stretz at estretz@thewatershed.org or (609) 737-3735, ext. 17.
7. East Windsor Encourages Community Groups to Participate in 2021 Township Adopt-A-Spot Program. Under this program, participating groups "adopt" a public property and keep it clean during the year. A placard is erected on the site indicating that it has been "adopted by" with the name of the group. The groups are expected to perform clean-up three times per month from April 1 through November 30. Adopt-A-Spot is a great program in not only ensuring public areas of our community are well-maintained, but also has been a wonderful educational tool for teaching young people social responsibility and community pride. To participate, interested groups should send a letter to East Windsor Clean Communities Committee, ATTN: Mayor Janice S. Mironov, 16 Lanning Boulevard, East Windsor, NJ 08520.
8. East Windsor Will Participate in Operation Medicine Cabinet on Saturday, April 24 from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M., offering residents the opportunity to dispose of unused, unwanted and expired prescription medications in an environmentally responsible manner and reducing possible access by unauthorized persons and young people to these drugs. The Township has a drop box in the lobby of the police/court building at 80 One Mile Road for the collection of these various medications. This special one-day collaborative event with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is intended to focus community attention on the importance and opportunity for secure and responsible disposal of medications. Collected medications will be turned over to the DEA on the next business day for final disposal. The Township maintains a year-round 24/7 accessible permanent medicine drop box in the lobby of the police/court building.
   
9. East Windsor Promotes Township Memorial Tree Program During Arbor Day, which is celebrated on the last Friday of April. The Memorial Tree Program offers residents a unique opportunity to provide a living memorial to a deceased relative or friend or in remembrance or commemoration of a special person, group or event, by the planting of a tree in the Township Memorial Tree Grove located on the grounds of the East Windsor municipal building. The tree, including tree planting and accompanying granite marker with the name of the deceased person or event to be remembered, can be ordered through the Public Works Department. Brochures describing the program and costs with an order form are available on-line CLICK HERE, at the Township Municipal Building or by calling (609) 443-4000, ext. 215.
10. East Windsor Continues Distracted Driver "U Drive, U Text, U Pay" Campaign Underwritten by $6,000 Distracted Driving Enforcement Grant, to Run through April 30. The $6,000 NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety "U Drive, U Text, U Pay" grant, part of a statewide initiative, is for targeted enforcement of distracted driving behaviors, such as texting, holding a cell phone, reading, and using other electronic devices while driving. This initiative is geared to promote the responsible operation of motor vehicles for everyone through increased public awareness and education as well as enforcement of existing state distracted driving laws. Motorists should give their full attention to the roadway while driving and do their part to help keep our roadways safer for all drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.