Gypsy Moths

Is anyone else a bit peeved at their town for not spraying the Gypsy Moths? This is the second year in a row that they have been bad. Tree experts say 3 years of Gypsy Moth damage will kill an average tree.

Here in Hardwick last Friday I over heard a tree crew (who were cutting down dead tree's along Millbrook Road)tell the Warren County Road Department guy the following: "You know what's killing these trees? The Gypsy Moths.. Someone better do something about it or you'll have a lot more dead trees".

It has become unbearable outside. Beside the fact that our trees are being eaten up and damaged beyond belief, you can't even enjoy sitting on your deck. Ours is filled with catapiller poo, it gets in your drinks, hair, etc. When it gets wet it becomes mush and slippery, etc. Besides the fact that they are killing my trees.

I know there are those out there who apposed the spraying saying that it will kill the "butterfly".. Well, according to tree experts, the Gypsy Moths, if not taken care of soon, will cause far more damage to the enviroment then not having butterflies for a year. Interestingly enough, some of the most enviromently "aware" organizatins around here are the camps (Princeton/Blairstown, Mason, etc.) However, THEY sprayed for the Gypsy Moths.

I urge the citizens of the various towns around here to start bombarding their town officials about spraying. Go to the meetings, write letters, send them the bills for the trees you will have to take down because they were killed off by these insects. We pay very high taxes around here and get very little in return. The least they can do is spray for these horrible insects and save our trees.

logcabin
June 23, 2008 4:33 pm · Link

OK logcabin do you have any idea how much it was going to cost Hardwick to spray for gypsy moths? $100,000 and that was with no guarantees that it would have any effect. When spraying was done last year around the state the spraying had little or no effect. $100,000 doesn't sound like alot but in a small town like Hardwick it is major. Also the cost of $100,000 would have covered SOME of the town where the state thought there were stronger problems. DID YOU GO TO ONE TOWN MEETING TO EXPRESS YOU CONCERNS> NO. DID ANYONE GO TO ANY TOWN MEETINGS TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS BEING DISCUSSED --- NO. On a $200,000 house that would have been $40 increase. Lets not forget that fact that the budget in Hardwick this year is at MAX. increase this year of 2.8 cents is max. The town is at cap. We cant even increase it anymore if we wanted to increase it. With the great Gov. Corzine taking away state money and leaving the threat of making us pay for State Police ($175,000) that is what you should be crying about. The cost of our court in Hope double this year. COAH cost hanging over our heads, cost of rising insurance and fuel, the town to pay for spraying, Hardwick just cant do it. We need state help on that and they refused. BTW it isnt just Hardwick it is all over NW Jersey. So go ahead and be a bit peeved, but maybe next time you will go out to a town meeting and get the answers. AND I AM SICK OF HEARING YOU PAY VERY HIGH TAXES AROUND HEAR AND GET NOTHING FOR IT. Not to Hardwick, 5% of your taxes go to the town, you are paying high taxes for schools and county. Again go to a budget meeting and see where you taxes are going and how much control we actually have, YOU HAVE NO CLUE.

I urge the citizens of the Hardwick to get off their rear ends and go to a meeting and stop complaining and CRYING about things that they have no clue for what they are talking about.

logcabin I put my name up now call me I am in the book and I will talk to you about this more, or COME TO A MEETING. We have one the 1st and 4th Wednesday of every month.

Jim Perry Deputy Mayor Hardwic
June 23, 2008 9:56 pm · Link

By the way I agree they are bad and I just sprayed my own yard tonight, I just hope I am not to late. Also you said send Hardwick the bill for taking down dead trees. Smart way to drive property taxes up more.

Sorry for typos, I guess I should proof read better, but was trying to get it posted fast just in case you checked it tonight.

Jim Perry
June 23, 2008 10:01 pm · Link

Mr. Perry, I completely understand the problems with budgets here in town, etc. But, perhaps Warren County needs to do something. The point being is that if something is not done, a lot more money is going to be spent on removing dead trees from the road sides, public properties, etc. I sympathize with the budget problems. Our good-ole-Governer has put the screws to everyone in this state (except his special interest groups who got funded after he raised the sales tax).. All I know is that in 10 years my taxes went from $3,000 a year to $8,000. I know that much of it is for the schools (which we constantly vote down their budgets)But, we are older adults who have no children in this school system and never have. You live here, you understand. Not everyone can get to town meetings due to their work schedules, etc. Perhaps these types of things should be put in the paper. I'm not the only one who is not aware of these problems. I speak to my neighbors, talk to folks in the A&P, etc. Everyone is complaining about the Gypsy Moths and are concerned.

Perhaps I rattled off at the mouth too much out of frustration and anger (having just come in from slipping and falling on Gypsy Moth poo on my deck), just like you rattled off out of anger towards me. I apologize. But, the point remains, if something is not done thousands of trees will be killed. The amount of money this town, county and state (and individuals) is going to have to spend on tree removal will be astrnomical if something isn't done. Let alone costs of potential law suits if someone gets hurt from a falling tree, etc.

Next year will be the 3rd year for them. According to tree experts, the 3rd year of Gypsy Moth infestation is the killing year. Trees, especially oak, will die after the 3rd year of infestation. I know I personally would not mind paying the town an extra $40, $50 or even $60 next year to spray; even $100. Perhaps the town should post that question to the citizens. See if the vast majority of the citizens of Hardwick want to pay this one time extra charge so we can get Hardwick sprayed. My feeling is that most will be willing to do it to save our trees. It will be a lot cheaper in the long run.

logcabin
June 24, 2008 9:01 am · Link

I agree with you about the 30 or 40 dollars, as a matter of fact when I mentioned it to my wife that it would raise our taxes about $50-60 she said it would be worth it for one year, coming from her (mrs. tight wallet) I was surprised. But again 2 things with this, first when we looked into getting the town spreaded (through the state) there were no guarantees that it would work. They have had problems with spraying and it having no effect. Second we have what is called a budget cap. The cap only allows us to raise the budget a certain percent over last year. Cost of living alone put us at cap. We had to CUT about $50,000 out of our road department (which I was against) to get under cap. That money was for paving Primrose Rd. If we get behind on paving roads and dont keep up with them year to year then we will be in trouble. But money had to be cut somewhere.

Now it is possible to get permission from the State to go over Cap in budget but it is not easy and the spraying we could possible get excluded from cap if we could show hardship. I will bring it up at the meeting tomorrow night. I will also bring up about putting it on the ballot in November so see if town residents would be in favor of the ONE TIME increase.

Also my anger was not towards you but it does bother me when people say my high taxes, I just got back on the committee in January (was previously on it from 2000-2003), I have disagreed with some of the other committee members at times and agreed with them at others but everyone I have served with from the past and current have always been careful with the way town money has been spent and with not wasting any town money. I do understand your frustration and we will work to see what we can do. As far as the county I dont think they can help but I will talk to Freeholder DiMaio to see what we can do, but I will also talk to Assemblywoman Karrow who is ALWAYS alot of help to Hardwick as well as Assemblyman Doherty about what help they can get us from the State.

What you said about bombarding local government with letters wont help much but bombarding the state offices, Karrow, Doherty and Senator Lance, will help. (Just dont send the bills LOL)

Also "be in the paper" not mocking you but that is a joke, do you know how hard it is to get a newspaper to come to our meetings. We would love to have some kind of coverage. Nobody on the Township Committee has time to become newspaper writers also. We ask local papers to report for us but never get anyone there. Mayor Duffy was finally able to get the Star Ledger to come out to an event we had June 13 but I think they showed only because Karrow, Doherty, Sheriff Simonette, Freeholder Director DiMaio and Freehold Gardner all attended, the Express Times, North Warren News, Warren Reporter, and the Herald were all no shows. The Press out of PA is running a story on the event this week but they are understaffed and are looking for a local reporter to cover the meetings.

Question: Did you know the local school budget was voted down in Hardwick this year? Do you know what came of that? The point is we took action on that and NOBODY was at the meeting and NO newspaper was there to report what we did. I would also be interested to talk to you about that. I can't understand for the life of me why the school budgets were voted down this year when for the first time in many years the school budgets went DOWN.

Question: Did you know there is a town website? http://www.hardwick-nj.us I did the website myself but even that isn't finished because that takes alot of time. I have trouble just updating that every once in a while. Would love to have a volunteer for that, I would even show them what to do. HINT HINT

DOUG M maybe you could put a link to that site here somewhere?

It is sad to see how nobody has time for meetings and always say they are busy but want to complain. At least call us before venting, we are town residents also, we dont get paid much to do this and we arent doing it for the money. (about 2000 a year and all 3 members of the committed turned down any pay increases this year). The 2000 doesnt even cover gas and phone bills let alone all the time that we have to put in. We often layout money out of our own pockets for meetings that have fees to attend. We do it because we feel the same passion for the town as you do but we need more help and volunteers. Logcabin my offer still stands, call me 362-5555 (business number in my home) and I will be happy to talk to you more about what we can do. I will keep your name confidental if that is what the concern is.

We are VERY VERY limited in this town with volunteers, we do have a few that always do everything and we are overwhelmed at times.

If you email me take the "at" off the email below and add the @ sign in email. I have it that way to stop any computer SPAM Bots from sending me spam.

jjperry"at"ctechnj.net

Jim Perry
June 24, 2008 4:43 pm · Link

Thank you for your understanding. I hope the idea of a Ballot works in November. I believe that most will agree to a "one time" increase to spray.

I can only imagine your frustrations with the budgets, caps, state aid, etc. It is frustrating to me that the state government and officials create all these fiscal problems, then expect "us" to pay for them, deal with cut-backs and higher taxes. It is very frustrating to me, I can imagine how frustrating it must be for you.

I apprciate your openess and frankness. I again apolagize for "shooting off my mouth". I will consider your "hints" and perhaps will one day show up at a town meeting. Neighbors keep telling me I should run for town committee. I don't think I could hack it. I don't have the patience for certian things..

I look forward to seeing if the idea makes it to the November Ballot.

Thank you

logcabin
June 24, 2008 7:53 pm · Link

Going to a town meeting won't help - we PUSHED hard for one in Blairstown and although they held one, the town did nothing to publicize the fact that they were having one - we found out word of mouth. The people voiced their opinions and concerns at the meeting and made suggestions for cost sharing but the town had already made up their mind. They had no intentions of doing anything. The budget was spent - they didn't care what we thought or wanted. They had the meeting to shut us up. I sent an email to the mayor and all committee members and it was ignored - apparently they never reply to letters or emails. The thing that was MOST frustrating was that EVERYTHING fell on deaf ears - people were making suggestions and asking for suggestions and the town committeee just didn't care.

I heard every word that both of you just said - it is a problem and it is a costly problem but it does need to be addressed. There is state assistance for this as we found out but planning is what is needed not waiting until the last minute to do something. An additional 40 or 50 or 60 to have the trees sprayed is not a big deal - my neighbor paid $400 to have just a piece of their property sprayed (less then an acre). Not sure about Hardwick but Blairstown meetings seem to be held while the taxpayers are at work - so going to a meeting is an issue. There are NO guarantees in life - taking measure to prevent the total distruction is what we are looking for - killing all - not going to happen. This is something that I think the towns in this section of Warren County should get together on and come up with a mutual solution.

I also think that as elected officials, knowing that the community has major concerns, should get together and organize a strategy for handling this - or at least suggestions for us to vote on.

Ellen
June 27, 2008 2:36 pm · Link

Blairstown and Hardwick are 2 different towns. Don't assume that because Blairstown took that action that Hardwick would have. I KNOW if enough people showed up in Hardwick it would make a difference. I dont mean 1 or 2 people, I mean a group, although I know if 1 or 2 did show up they would be heard. Local politians HAVE met on this. We have meetings all the time with each other. The problem gets back to budget, we are already being squeezed by Trenton and the Democratic Gov. who will not do anything to help a Republican area, all the money goes to Camdem, Newark, Paterson, Jersey City .... Do you know that in I believe it is Union, NJ which is a State run school district, the school bus drivers all get there cell phones paid for and to top it off get 3 HOURS OF OVER TIME A WEEK TO CHARGE THEIR PHONES. This isn't a joke. This is all about the state taking funding from rural areas and local officials having to do what they can.

Hardwick has 2 meeting a month, 1st and 4th Wednesday of the month and anybody is welcome. All meetings whether it be Hardwicks or Blairstown or anytown has to give 2 weeks notice before any meeting and it has to be advertised in 2 papers. NOBODY is sneaking meetings in.

Logcabin don't count on it being on the ballot, when I bought it up at the meeting everyone there from Tom Campbell the Road Supervisor to Kevin Duffy the Mayor all said they had ZERO complaints and until somebody does something as a group I can tell you my voice isn't enough. Do you know if you want something on the ballot you can get it there yourself? All you need is a signed petition with a certain number of signatures and the town HAS to put it on the ballot. For more info call the town hall or Pat Kolb the County Clerk in Belvidere to find out the correct procedure.

I also know that at the time this was being discussed in the beginning of the year the few we did hear from were against the spraying because of the chemicals and the harm it might cause.

Ellen, I would have to disagree with you about the Blairstown Township officials, I know Sal and Steve and they both care very much for Blairstown, what possible reason would they have not to have the good of the town in their decisions. Again it gets back to the budget process and them knowing what it took. Also what suggestions did you make for cost sharing? If any town would have sprayed we would have be blasted by the people who didnt want it done. Either way we lose. Just about every decision a town official or a Board of Ed member makes is challenged by half the people. So tell me the answer here. Then tell me what I should say to the single mother of 4 who thanked me for not doing this cause she cant afford her taxes now.

One answer is GRANTS, but that gets back to volunteers. We can't do it all ourselves. There is so much grant money out there, and I intend on working with all four NW districts and the local and regional school districts to help get what ever money is availible from grants. Frank Van Horne already has their grant writer and I am meeting with that grant writer on the 11th of July. The Mayor or myself will approach the other towns about joint grants we can do to save money. If anyone one of them read this call me and I would love to have you at the meeting on the 11th.

Jim Perry
June 28, 2008 12:20 am · Link

One answer is information, there is a battle going on in your own back yard and no one is getting correct information on the enemy. This doesn't need to be about money and chemicals just a little effort on individual property owners. The only people who would gain from spraying are tree farms because the tax payer would be footing the bill for protecting their hardwood stands. As for home owners if you are truly concerned about your trees and keep them healthy they can survive the gypsy moths. An unhealthy tree which looses its leaves cannot protect itself from infections which is what really kills the trees. The internet puts the information you need right under your nose if any one cares to look. If you did you would know that the females, the nice long fat ones are going to do about 90 percent of their eating, so if you think your trees look bad now just wait a couple of weeks more. Or instead you can go out and do some property management. If you know anything about the insect you know it has a taste for oaks and some trees they will not touch so just by putting up a burlap collection band around your oak trees you can greatly reduce next years population. just remember that for every healthy female you destroy thats up to a thousand less eggs that will be hatching next year. However if you truly want to spray you should have had a meeting to convince every one to give up the annual fire work display after all were all trying to convince our selves that were going green what better way then to save the trees.

ray scott
June 29, 2008 2:36 am · Link

You bring up a really good point. If the fireworks display is put on with tax money must we continue to waste that money right now? Too late for this year...

Do the fireworks bring the town any financial reward or are we truly just burning our money? I don't know where the funds actually come from. In these times, that cash could be used for a more important cause that needs our attention? Some that come to mind are Gypsy Caterpillars, Road Maintenance, and road salt for next winter just to mention a few places. I'm sure there are a lot of good ideas where we could use the funds.

The fireworks are fun and patriotic but it's time to rethink how we spend our tax money. With financial cuts by the Feds and the State our towns are really feeling the pinch.

I think if we want to have a firework display donations are needed from residents of all the local towns. Blairstown can host the show as usual. Donations would if not pay for the whole show would at least subsidize the cost.

Why not sell a shell or a blast for $10.00 up to $25.00 per type of shell. The purchaser can name their shell and watch it go off at the show. I'm sure if everyone wants to continue the fireworks display they would be willing and able to donate some money and or time to put the show on. Wishful thinking??????

DM
June 29, 2008 10:05 am · Link

I believe the cost for each town is $1000 for the fireworks which wouldn't even put a dent in the spraying. That doesn't count Blairstowns cost for Police coverage. North Warren Regional hosts the fireworks. I also believe a large part of the money comes from the Blairstown Business Association.

You say lets take away the fireworks? Why not take away any money spent on giving something to the town residents, ie. recreation, Seniors, Library? Of course I am not serious, the public deserves these things and Blairstown has done a great job of being the center for all these activities. The key is GRANTS, GRANTS, GRANTS. We can not get a grant for fireworks but maybe we can get a grant for something else that we pay for that would free up money so the fireworks would be less of a burden.

Jim Perry
July 2, 2008 5:12 pm · Link