Busy Court Docket Among Residents’ Concerns

MANCHESTER – Several township residents brought their concerns, recommendations and suggestions to the governing body during a recent Township Council meeting.

Resident Tom Farrell noted that with Manchester sharing court services with nearby Lakehurst and Plumsted that things may be getting crowded. “I’ve had to appear in the court and this is standing room only here. Court opens at 9:30 a.m. and I imagine that if you came in at 10:30 a.m. it would be packed.”

He added, “Everyone is lining up against the wall to see the prosecutor and it goes on for hours after hours well into the afternoon. I think it is a disgrace to have residents have to come in here and be subjected to these long delays.”

“I don’t know if it has to do with Lakehurst and Plumsted coming here but there is definitely a bottleneck. The judge, the clerks and even the police officer are all waiting,” Farrell said.

Mayor Robert Arace said he would discuss the matter with the court administrator to see if he had any suggestions on how to streamline the process. “This is the first time I’ve been hearing about any extreme long delays. I’ve not heard any complaints yet but I will see how we can get around that and will let you know.”

Resident Tanya Bacon spoke about a dedication for her late mother Williemae Bacon who the mayor said was very active in the community and “the council is considering honoring her in some way and Mr. Bee as well.”

Bacon said her mother was a child care provider “and was in the community for 40 plus years. My mother was the voice for those parents who couldn’t speak for or advocate for their child and not just in Manchester but all of Ocean County.”

“She worked for DYFS (Division of Youth and Family Services, which now goes by Division of Child Protection and Permanency) and took in so many different children. She’d be at ShopRite and she wasn’t afraid to talk to anyone. Where my mom worked, my dad worked. She’d make sure the floors were shining at ShopRite in Manchester. My mom was an inspiration to so many,” Bacon added.

“Mr. Bee (a well-known town bus driver who died earlier this year) was so nice to my mom. She didn’t have to go outside to get the kids off the bus. He would give out his hand and they would leave the bus and walk from the edge of the driveway and curb,” Bacon said, noting that there had been an effort to get her name dedicated on a street in the township.

Bacon added, “that would be the biggest blessing because everyone knows that white house in the corner of Route 571. I appreciate how much information you guys (Council) have given in helping us get one step closer to getting that done as we’d like to honor her on May 18 which is the day when she passed away last year.”

A dedication for her is being planned for Williemae Bacon at Tuskegee Park that day. Mayor Robert Arace confirmed during the meeting that the information had been received by the clerk from the family and that further action would take place.

Resident Gail Apgar thanked members of the township police department as she shared her concerns following a recent incident in her senior development. “A neighbor came to my house and told us a story of a gentleman who was cleaning a dryer outside the house and when he came to get paid and entered the house, said many inappropriate things and she said no to him. He was much younger than her and she walked toward her own door and he followed her and left.”

“Hours went by and she was in shock and she came to my house. I called a trustee in our village and they agreed with me to call the police who were kind to the woman and to me and were super professional,” Apgar added.

Apgar said, “that man may have given this job to another man. All of our village residents have got to start calling and seeing if this is a licensed person coming to their house and that it is a legitimate business.”

Resident Judy Kuhmichel came up to the microphone to show the mayor and council a photo “to bring attention to this eyesore between the Dollar General on Route 530 and a medical building. It looks really bad.”

Mayor Arace asked for a copy of the photo and said he’d be bringing it up to the Code Enforcement Office for review.