'Last Minute Gifts' In 2021 For Chatham Twp. Residents: Mayor

CHATHAM, NJ — With the year winding down, Chatham Township Mayor Stacey Ewald shared in her final "Mayor's Message" of 2021, with updates on grants, tax credits and more.

Among them are tax credits for the Chatham Family Apartments project and grants for a trail project and electric car charging stations.

She additionally thanked the township's first responders, volunteers and residents in her message.

See her full message below:

"As we close out 2021, the holiday season brings a few last-minute gifts to Chatham Township residents.

On December 17th, the Chatham Family Apartments project at 522 Southern Blvd received an award of 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) from the NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA). The 9% award provides a federal tax credit over 10 years to equity investors, subsidizing some of the cost of the municipally sponsored 62-unit affordable housing development and lessening the financing burden on Chatham Township taxpayers. I’d like to thank our Township Administration and Walters-Cornerstone Development for all their efforts in helping to secure the 9% tax credits.

On December 27th, the Township received notice that we were one of ten projects selected to receive funding from the 2021 Trails Construction Grant Program. Chatham Township was awarded $120,000 toward the Design and Permitting phase of the Green Village Road Connector Trail project, a project when completed will connect our beautiful Loantaka/Green Village trails with Nash Field on Southern Boulevard. I’d like to thank our Township Administrator and our Township Engineer, John Rushke of Mott & McDonald, for all their work on this project.

On December 27th, we also learned that the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP) executed our grant award for three electric vehicle charging stations, clearing the way for procurement and installation. Thank you to Chatham Township’s Environmental Commission and our Township Administrator for their work getting the grant to fund this project.

I’d also like to thank the many volunteers who played a big part in securing these and other grants and who volunteered countless hours for the benefit of our Chatham Township community. Volunteers take time from family, work and other commitments to serve. They do not receive compensation for the many hours they contribute and often work tirelessly behind the scenes. They are a cornerstone of our success in Chatham Township, and I hope you will join me in thanking them for their service.

All this good news was a welcome refrain from COVID updates. COVID cases are up from approximately 50 per month in the Fall to over 270 cases in just the first three weeks of December. Our Health Officer notes “the virus is spreading but the hospital rates have not gone up in proportion to the number of positive cases, and the number of individuals who need hospitalization and/or ICU units also has not increased substantially over the past few months.”

This is in no small part due to the high vaccination rates in our area. Cases of severe illness and hospitalization are greater for the unvaccinated so, please make every effort to get your booster shot, and talk to your pediatrician about vaccination for children 5 to 18.

Thank you to our First Responders including our Police Department, Fire Departments and Emergency Squad for their exceptional work caring for Chatham residents, especially given the added complexity of a continuing pandemic. I’d also like to recognize the rest of our Township staff – Township Administration, Department of Public Works, our Sewer Service team, our Construction team and more - who go above and beyond to take great care of our town and residents.

As we close out 2021, I want to thank Chatham Township residents for allowing me the opportunity to serve on the Township Committee and to serve as Mayor. It has truly been an honor and a privilege to serve our exceptional residents and community. From my family to yours, best wishes for health and happiness in 2022!"

Questions or comments about this story? Have a local news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.