Washington Valley trail closures-THIS COULD BE BAD!!!

Kirt

Kirt

JORBA: Chimney Rock, Team MTBNJ.COM
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Team MTBNJ Halter's
I figured I'd get the word out there. More to come...

SOMERSET COUNTY PARK COMMISSION NOTICE OF EMERGENCY MEETING HELD PURSUANT TO N.J.S.A.10:4-9bSOMERSET COUNTY PARK COMMISSION355
Milltown Road Bridgewater, NJ 08807

NOTICE is hereby given in accordance with the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act--specifically N.J.S.A.10:4-9b—that the Somerset County Park Commission will hold anEMERGENCYMEETING on August 12, 2020at 11:00 a.m.at355 Milltown Road, Bridgewater, New Jerseyfor the purpose ofconsidering prohibiting members of the general public from entering certain areas of Washington Valley Park, located in Bridgewater Township, Somerset County, New Jersey. This prohibition and the proposal to restrict areas in Washington Valley Park against public accessis necessitated due to the substantial harm to the public interest as well as the public safety and welfare as the Park Commission has recently experienced numerous violations of its park rules and regulations to include swimming in waterways, jumping off of cliffs and a tower located in the reservoir in Washington Valley Park, possessing of alcohol and controlled dangerous substances, littering, lighting of camp fires, urinating and defecating, parking illegally, and trespassing on private property surrounding Washington Valley Park. In addition, the park and surrounding areas have recently become the target of vandalism (no parking signs have been removed and spray-painted over). The Park Commission will consider restricting public access to all areas within one hundred (100) feet of any body of water. Entry into these restricted areas will be considered a trespass in violation of N.J.S.A.2C:18-3, a petty disorderly persons offensepunishable by to up to 30 days in jail and a fine of $1,000.The meeting will take place at Park Commission Headquarters, located at 355 MilltownRoad, Bridgewater, NJ. While the meeting will take place “virtually” by Zoom format, members of the public mayattend this meeting and areadvised of the following:1.Park Commission Headquarters will be open from 10:45am until the end of the meeting in question. Headquarters will close thereafter.

2.Members of the public may only participate by personally attending this meeting. Members of the public may participate only during the specific open to the public portion during the Commission’s agenda.3. All attendees shall engage in social distancing.4.All attendees must wear facemasks or face coverings.One or more executive sessions maybe conducted. Formal action will be taken at this meeting. Somerset County Park CommissionGeoffrey D. SorianoSecretary-Director(908) 722-1200 Ext. 5237August 7, 2020cc:park Commissionersvia emailSomerset County Office of Public Informationvia emailSomerset County Clerkvia emailPark Commission Bulletin Board




 
Ugh. 11am on a weekday, trying to sneak it in. Will do my best to be there.
 
Any idea on what exactly they're looking to close? "all areas within one hundred (100) feet of any body of water" is a pretty broad brush...
 
So they know where the problem is and instead of fining the offenders they want to close it off to everyone and fine people who break the rules by going there? They have the manpower to enforce a closed area but not to curb the illegal activity that's causing them to threaten to close it in the first place? That's grade A bureaucracy at work right there.
 
jklett said:
So they know where the problem is and instead of fining the offenders they want to close it off to everyone and fine people who break the rules by going there? They have the manpower to enforce a closed area but not to curb the illegal activity that's causing them to threaten to close it in the first place? That's grade A bureaucracy at work right there.
Click to expand...
Truth ! As a teenager I'm sure I was guilty of all infractions listed. but I also remember being rounded up by the police once or twice and not repeating same infraction. This has to be teenagers or early 20's kids. Enforce the rules for like a week or so. This whole letting a couple bad apples ruining it for the rest of us law abiding citizens is getting out of hand ! !
 
This is BS! Wednesday at 11 no less. Gonna try to break away from work time but what sneaky crap is this. Path of least resistance.
Rangers need to man up and patrol this.
Stagger shifts for night patrols. In civilian life We’re all expected to do things out of the normal during these crazy times.
Just another kick in the teeth in 2020. Wtf.
 
If a particular bank keeps getting robbed do you place law enforcement on alert or shut down the bank?

Do they really need an EMERGENCY MEETING to figure this out?

Using their logic, an inevitable shut down of Somerset County as a whole should occur, because if they can't patrol the lake how the hell are they going to arrest anyone for coming within 100 feet of it?
 
Signed and shared. Can’t make the meeting as I’m out of town but good luck to those who can.
 
When I was there last Wednesday there were police walking up the trails off gilbride looking in the woods for something. There were 3 cruisers on the bridge. They didn’t say anything to me as I pedaled by. There was another at the gate by the base of the dam.
 
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