JACKSON – During many recent council meetings, Jackson officials have been asked about either development issues such as the state’s affordable housing laws or the status of particular houses that residents say have violated township code.
Resident Sheldon Hofstein frequently appears before the governing body to ask questions and/or make some recommendations. “A couple months ago I asked the council to consider passing a resolution requesting that the state legislature take back control of affordable housing.”
“As of now, everything is being decided by unelected civilian municipal court judges and you’ve seen what a mess has been made of that,” he added.
Hofstein asked if the council made any decisions regarding a resolution requesting “the state to take back this important duty that they should be doing?”
Council President Andrew Kern said the best way to do that would be by voting in the November general election. “Change the people that are there who had the opportunity for many, many years to make these changes. They have not. Replacing them would be the main thing to do.”
Hofstein recommended the council guide the lawmakers as the governing body has in the past, issued resolutions “asking the legislature to do certain things.”
Kern said this idea would more likely see action with “the next legislature.”
Hofstein also previously asked the council to consider hiring an attorney who is an expert in religious land use and who could advise and or represent the town in court in order to level the playing field in these continued challenges to the ordinances. He asked the governing body where that suggestion stands.
Township Attorney Gregory McGucken responded “I’ve had discussions with council and provided them some information and I understand it is being considered.”
Hofstein noted that the Council has the ability to investigate certain matters and he called on them to investigate “why some of our laws are being broken, why our ordinances are not being followed and our code enforcement directives and building codes are being ignored. Why can’t the law breakers be stopped?”
“Why are unsafe buildings being used and occupied and why are people permitted to disrupt residential neighborhoods? It is the council who must investigate these problems and provide the answers. If stronger laws or higher fines are required then you should do your due diligence,” he added.
“Like or not you guys are on the spot. There have been tons of talk around the town of what has been happening in people just ignoring the laws. Most of us in this town are law abiding but there are people who are just thumbing their nose at you guys,” Hofstein added.
During the meeting Township Attorney Gregory McGuckin said that he’d be reviewing whether the township had an ordinance which called for those who were issued violation notices such as stop work notices, that would prohibit them from being granted permits for other work prior to violations being resolved.
Mayor Michael Reina said that there were numerous code enforcement cases that were set to be heard but had been backed up in the court system, delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also noted that the township has been struggling with maintaining its staff within the zoning and construction departments and some inspectors were recovering from the coronavirus.
Reina urged residents to present their information concerning incidents of code violations they have witnessed in their neighborhoods to his office through an appointment.
“Don’t wait for a council meeting to share this information,” the mayor said. He added that posting it to a social media site is not how he and the council learn about issues within the township.
