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A Message from the Mayor We survived. Hurricane Sandy and the Nor’easter that provided the icing on the cake over the last two weeks caused the residents of Millstone Township to reflect on what is important. There are so many things in life that we take for granted, and this storm helped to put things in their proper perspective. The devastation at the shore resulted in the loss of lives and homes. For the most part, residents of Millstone Township had some property damage to their homes and suffered a loss of power. It could have been far worse. Not having power for such an extended period of time is not fun as I also personally experienced for a prolonged period of time. It was cold, dark and we lacked running water. We had to revert to survival mode – preparing meals in unconventional ways, heating our homes with fireplaces designed to be decorative, bathing with cold water from a bucket, and of course finding a way to flush those toilets. No one was happy. JCP&L and other utility companies were under a mandate to get power on as soon as possible. Numbers became important and were used to measure the success and efficiency of restoration efforts. The priority list set forth by the governor and power companies was clear: hospitals and care centers first; schools second; and then age-restricted housing and large developments followed. There was no consideration or priority given for communities with well and septic systems even though we emphasized the eminent health hazard associated with the lack of running water. Therefore, our community with its low density, a characteristic that attracted most of us to it, caused us to be placed at the bottom of the list. However in advocating for our community by working closely with our legislators and JCP&L’s area manager, we were able to move our community up the priority list and were able to restore power more quickly than JCP&L was projecting. This event brought out the best and worst of our residents. The vast majority of residents were patient, helpful to neighbors and willing to assist in any way possible. Others however, believed that assailing work crews would restore power faster, but as they learned it only delayed the process and would lead to arrest. Under the circumstances, I am extremely proud of the way in which our community came together and am happy to be a resident of Millstone Township. Warmest regard,
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