Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST
Hamilton Stinks: Ignoring Public Health and Safety
This is a letter that was sent to the leadership of NJ. Will the leadership rally and help residents or will residents public safety and health continue to be ignored?
Dear NJ Leadership,
We need to bring to your attention an on going issue in the township of Hamilton for the past several years. The past three years it has escalated in the township of Hamilton, Mercer County. We have contacted the township leadership by letter, their HAMSTAT service and phone. There is no relief. We have not called every time, due to the frequency of this issue, however, we have documented evidence that our trash and recycling has not been picked up over 57 times. Even after numerous calls, letters, and service requests to the township leadership, we get zero relief.
The mission of the Health Department of Hamilton and its leadership is promote and protect the health and safety of the residents of Hamilton, and to protect the environment. The leadership is absent in all aspects as it pertains to meeting the goals through proactive service, by continually reviewing and expanding the efforts in response to the needs of the community, and by serving as a resource for residents and other boards and committees.
Additionally, it is the townships legal responsibility to promulgate and ensure compliance with Board of Health, municipal and State regulations under our jurisdiction in order to achieve the safest, healthiest and most desirable quality of life in our community. This is not what is happening. As a resident of the Hamilton this has escalated to a point to a major public health issue. Our tax dollars pay for the removal of our trash and recycle. To have it not picked up 57 times under the current leadership is radically unacceptable and against the counties Public Health laws.
Recently as well, residents were contacted that their leaves would be picked up Dec 5. We were all instructed to place them (see link) at our curbs. To date, this pickup still has not happened in the Cornell Heights area of Mercer County, Hamilton. During a recent snowstorm when the snowplows came through and created a mess in front of my home with the leaves. See attached photos. This is unacceptable. Residents should not be forced to clean up these kind of messes and have their homes destroyed by public employees. We pride ourselves with how nice we keep our property. We work hard to keep it nice. This just another example of the lack of leadership in Hamilton and concern for the residents property.
During the past 150 years, two factors have shaped the modern public health system: first, the growth of scientific knowledge about sources and means of controlling disease; second, the growth of public acceptance of disease control as both a possibility and a public responsibility. In earlier centuries, when little was known about the causes of disease, society tended to regard illness with a degree of resignation, and few public actions were taken. As understanding of sources of contagion and means of controlling disease became more refined, more effective interventions against health threats were developed. Public organizations and agencies were formed to employ newly discovered interventions against health threats. As scientific knowledge grew, public authorities expanded to take on new tasks, including sanitation, immunization, regulation, health education, and personal health care.
Sanitation also changed the way society thought about public responsibility for citizen's health. Protecting health became a social responsibility. Disease control continued to focus on epidemics, but the manner of controlling turned from quarantine and isolation of the individual to cleaning up and improving the common environment. And disease control shifted from reacting to intermittent outbreaks to continuing measures for prevention. With sanitation, public health became a societal goal and protecting health became a public activity.
Poor sanitation is a general health hazard that can attract flies, mosquitoes, raccoons, rats, and other creatures that in turn can lead to the spread of disease. Garbage contains materials that can seep into our groundwater, streams and rivers. Poor sanitation is not pleasant for your neighbors to look at and takes away from the beauty of our city. Some property owners either store items outside or plan to eventually dispose of the items. Unfortunately, accumulated garbage/rubbish affects your neighbors and poses a threat to the public. The consistent lack of trash pick up in Hamilton is a public health issue that needs immediate attention. The leadership has zero interest in fixing this. If they did, it would not have happened 57 times. I have all the dates that I can share with you if you would like. There are times that our trash is not picked up for one month. This creates large issues, especially in the summer time. We are forced to bring this decaying trash back into our homes.
Garbage pick up is scheduled between Monday and Thursday ,except holidays. Garbage must be in a garbage can or sealed bag not weighing more than 50 pounds according to the townships ordinances. We place our garbage cans and/or bags out the night before so not to miss any early AM pick up. We are always in compliance with the ordinances outlined by the township.
Yard waste will clog the storm sewer system and cause flooding in the spring. This lack of leaf pick up will have a detrimental effect on residents in the spring. It already has during storms with accumulated flooding.
Destruction done to a residents home due to lack of leaf pick up in Hamilton by Public workers
This is just one numerous examples of lack of response from the Hamilton leadership. For years now we have also been trying to get relief as it pertains to truck traffic in our residential community. Our cries for help have gone unanswered by the township leadership. When we send up requests via their Hamstat process, their Director just immediately closes the request. This is a massive public safety and health issue and they do not care about at all. The noise pollution created by the speeding trucks on a daily basis, 24/7 is at a DB above 115. This is creating hearing loss to residents. We have contacted the Health department, Jeff Plunkett and the Mayors office numerous times. The Health department immediately closed our request for assistance. If you would like the letter from Mr. Plunkett's office, we can supply that. I have attached the letter that went to them.
A chemical truck driving thru Cornell Heights in Hamilton NJ
It is our expectation that these issues be rectified immediately for the Public Health and Safety are at risk. The Township of Hamilton, Mercer County is breaking the law by habitually not picking up our trash and it needs to be addressed. We have enclosed a few of the past letters that we have on these and related public health and safety issues. There are numerous correspondence over the years that have all gone unanswered by the Hamilton leadership.
Ice Rink created by poor infrastructure in Hamilton
We look forward to an action plan to address these issues.
Kind Regards,
cc:
MCIA
80 Hamilton Avenue 2nd Floor
Trenton, NJ 08611
80 Hamilton Avenue 2nd Floor
Trenton, NJ 08611
Director of Operations
Patrick Cane
Tel. 609-278-8083
Tel. 609-278-8083
Fax 609-695-1452
NJ Department of Transportation
Richard Hammer, Commissioner
PO Box 600
Trenton, NJ 08625
Cathleen Bennett, Commissioner
Department of Health
P. O. Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625-0360
P. O. Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625-0360
Office of the Governor of NJ
PO Box 001
Trenton, NJ 08625
609-292-6000
Trenton, NJ 08625
609-292-6000
Senator Linda R. Greenstein (D)
1249 South River Rd.
Suite 105
Cranbury, NJ 08512
1249 South River Rd.
Suite 105
Cranbury, NJ 08512
Mercer County Division of Public Health
640 South Broad Street
P.O. Box 8068
Trenton, NJ 08650
P.O. Box 8068
Trenton, NJ 08650
Bob Martin, Commissioner
401 E. State St.
7th Floor, East Wing
P.O. Box 402
Trenton, NJ 08625-0402
401 E. State St.
7th Floor, East Wing
P.O. Box 402
Trenton, NJ 08625-0402
Mercer County Executive
Brian Hughes
Mercer County Administration Building
640 South Broad Street
P.O. Box 8068
Trenton, NJ 08650-0068
640 South Broad Street
P.O. Box 8068
Trenton, NJ 08650-0068
Assemblyman Dan Benson
3691A Nottingham Way
Hamilton, NJ 08690
Assemblyman Wayne P. DeAngelo (D)
4621A Nottingham Way
Hamilton, NJ 08690
(609) 631-7501
4621A Nottingham Way
Hamilton, NJ 08690
(609) 631-7501
Twp of Hamilton
Office of Mayor
2090 Greenwood Avenue P.O. Box 00150
Hamilton, NJ 08650-0150
Posted by tammyduffy
at 10:42 AM EST
Updated: Saturday, 31 December 2016 12:02 PM EST
