Monroe Township Ranked Among Safest Cities in America
MTPD Introduces Five News Police Officers
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Mayor Stephen Dalina and Chief Michael Biennas introduced five new members of the Monroe Township Police Department as the Township once again ranks among the safest cities in the state and country.
As a testament to the dedication and professionalism of its police department, Monroe Township earned top rankings in the Safest Cities and Towns in America 2021 Report by MoneyGeek, a personal finance technology company. According to the report, Monroe Township ranked 10th safest city in America and fourth safest city in New Jersey.
“The safety of our residents, businesses and visitors is a cornerstone to the wonderful quality of life we enjoy here in Monroe. We welcome the new class of recruits,” said Mayor Stephen Dalina. “I am truly thankful to our men and women in blue who work tirelessly every day to keep us all safe. This recognition year after year is a testament to their hard work.”
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The Monroe Township Police Department comprises 66 sworn officers. The Department consists of a detective bureau, a juvenile/youth services bureau, a domestic unit, a traffic safety bureau and has an officer assigned to senior citizen crime prevention.
“The Monroe Township Police Department is committed to keeping crime rates very low. We are thankful to Mayor Dalina and Township Council for allocating the appropriate resources toward that mission,” said Chief Michael Biennas. “This new class of recruits joins a department of highly dedicated law enforcement professionals. We wish them all well in their new roles with the department.”
New Officers:
- Officer Richard A. Diaz
- Officer Heather M. McClain
- Officer Jake D. Lloyd
- Officer Martina Stewart
- Officer Benjamin N. Ostner
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Officer Richard A. Diaz is a 2012 graduate of Monroe Township High School. He earned his associate’s degree in criminal justice from Brookdale Community College in May 2015. He then earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from New Jersey City University in May 2019. Prior to his employment with the Monroe Township Police Department, Officer Diaz worked at the Monroe Township Department of Public Works as a road equipment operator. Officer Diaz graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.
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Officer Heather M. McClain is a 2004 graduate of South Brunswick High School where she was a varsity basketball player. Officer McClain attended Centenary College from 2004 to 2006 and later graduated from The University of Scranton in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. She began her career in law enforcement as a 911 dispatcher at the Camden County Sheriff’s Office in Woodbine, GA. Prior to attending the Cape May Police Academy she worked as a Monroe Township Police Department 911 dispatcher. Officer McClain graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.
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Officer Jake D. Lloyd graduated from Manchester Township High School in 2017. Officer Lloyd earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Ocean County Community College in 2019. Officer Lloyd received his NJ PTC SLEO II certification from the Ocean County Police Academy on in May 2019. His law enforcement career began when he was hired by Toms River Police Dept as a SLEO I where he served from April 2018 to September 2018 for seasonal help. Prior to going to The Cape May Police Academy he worked at Mantoloking Police Dept. as a SLEO II for seasonal help. Officer Lloyd graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.
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Officer Martina Stewart is a 2014 graduate of Marlboro High school where she was a four-year varsity athlete in soccer and two years in lacrosse, leading both teams as Captain. Officer Stewart then attended Brookdale Community College from fall 2014 to spring 2016. She then transferred to Willington University where she earned a BS in business management in the spring of 2019. During her college years she continued to play soccer at both Brookdale and Willington University. Officer Stewart graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.
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Officer Benjamin N. Ostner is a 2007 graduate of Freehold High School. Ofc. Ostner Attended Centenary University from August 2007 to May 2008. He then attended the College of New Jersey from August 2008 to May 2012 and studied at American College of Education. Officer Ostner graduated with a B.S. and master’s degree majoring in history, special education and educational administration. He was employed at the Monroe Township High School as a special education teacher from July 2012 to October 2019 and he was employed by New Brunswick High School as their varsity wrestling coach from November 2017 to October 2019. Officer Ostner graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.
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Monroe Receives $609,000 to Upgrade Three Major Roads
Monroe Township is getting a $609,250 boost in municipal aid to support roadway improvements on N. State Home, Lower Matchaponix, and a section of Spotswood Gravel Hill Road adjacent to the project.
These well-used municipal roads need to be repaved. With the grant support, Monroe officials will begin the design process. It is expected that Monroe will have to contribute about $425,000 for the total project.
Monroe Mayor Stephen Dalina and Township Council said the township has been very successful in securing state funding for its infrastructure work, based on a strong working relationship with the state Department of Transportation (DOT) and state legislators representing the township. The Mayor thanked the 14th Legislative District for their ongoing support of the Township’s roadway maintenance and repair needs.
“We are proud to report that the Township has secured $3 million since 2016 in state money to upgrade our roadway system,” Mayor Dalina said. “This is work that needed to be done, and the Council and I can move forward with limited impact on our taxpayers. We attribute the progress to our ongoing ability to reach out for support and effectively advocate for what our community needs.”
Mayor Dalina noted the state has more than doubled its municipal local aid to Monroe since 2016.
Monroe recently received grants for upgrades to Spotswood and Ellingham Avenues, a major section of Monmouth Road, Daniel Road and 10th street, and School House Road. Two other projects with state support are being designed: The Camelot neighborhood off School House Road and Costco Drive.
The DOT’s municipal aid program is very competitive, Mayor Dalina said, adding the department received 635 applications from 549 municipalities, requesting more than $342 million. There was $161.25 million available, supported by the state’s gas tax.
“This grant program is a shining example of what can happen when we invest in our transportation system,” said Assemblyman Daniel Benson, chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee, who represents Monroe. “By renewing the Transportation Trust Fund four years ago, we created a path to provide towns with resources to make improvements to local roads and bridges with the goal to increase safety and provide a better quality of life.
“While upgrades to major highways are always important, it’s road projects at the local level that impact drivers on a daily basis,” he added. “These state grants help ease the burden on Monroe’s property taxpayers while investing in the road infrastructure we use every day.”
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Monroe Seeking Volunteers for Township Boards and Commissions |
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In an effort to get more community members involved in Monroe Township government, newly appointed Mayor Stephen Dalina, in cooperation with Township Council, is encouraging residents to apply for current and future openings on Township boards, commissions and advisory councils.
“The Township Council and I would like to see more residents sharing ideas, implementing programs and planning for the future of our great community. What better way to get involved than to join one of our various boards and commissions,” Mayor Dalina said.
“Our residents have a wide variety of valuable skills and experiences that would greatly benefit us all,” he added. “We are thankful to those who give of their time in service to these important groups.”
The Township of Monroe is accepting volunteer applications for appointments to various boards and commissions, including: Americans with Disabilities Act Committee, Affordable Housing Board, Commission on Aging, Cultural Arts Commission, Environmental Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Human Relations Commission, Library Board of Trustees, Open Space & Farmland Preservation Commission, Planning Board, Recreation Advisory Board, Shade Tree Commission, Sustainable Jersey - Green Team Advisory Committee, Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Residents are invited to visit monroetwp.com to view a list of boards and commissions. Those interested can send the downloadable form located at the bottom of the boards and commissions page of the Township website for their area of interest.
Submissions may be sent to the Municipal Clerk by mail to town hall at 1 Municipal Plaza, by email at preid@monroetwp.com or by fax to 732-521-3190.
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Monroe Residents Saving 12% on Electric Bills This Winter Through Township Program
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In Fall 2019, the Monroe Township Council locked in the lowest fixed electric rates to date for the Monroe Township Community Energy Aggregation (MTCEA) program by approving a contract with Constellation New Energy (CNE) for Round Four of the MTCEA. The contract with CNE began in December 2019 and runs for a 24-month term that ends in December 2021.
“Monroe Township is a pioneer in New Jersey when it comes to municipal energy aggregation and leveraging bulk purchasing to guarantee lower energy rates for our residents,” said Mayor Stephen Dalina. “The MTCEA program saved residents approximately $13 million in the first six years of the program under Rounds 1 through 3 and participating residents are seeing even more savings now. Our residents can expect to see a reduction of more than $250 over the life of the MTCEA Round Four contract for a typical household – more for those using large quantities of electricity or living in all-electric homes.”
As the lowest bidder, CNE proposed a set price of $.08395/kwh for the duration of a two-year contract. This rate, which took effect in December 2019, represents an approximate 12 percent savings off the prevailing JCP&L tariff price during winter months when consumption, particularly for all-electric households, is at its height.
Current participation is approximately 15,000 households with aggregate Round Four savings through January 2021 estimated at about $2 million.
With the harsh and cold winter we are experiencing so far this year, and electricity usage in all-electric up homes up significantly as compared to last winter, individual residents living in all-electric homes are currently seeing savings of as much as $30-40 per month, or in some cases even more, during these peak winter months.
Residents seeking additional information should contact program coordinator Harold Klein at 732-521-4400, ext. 135.
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© 2020 Township of Monroe, New Jersey |
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