STATE’S SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM IS ROLLING AGAIN
New Jersey’s schools construction pipeline is flowing again with $3.9 billion in state financing to replace or rebuild projects.

Legislation signed by Governor Corzine designates $2.9 billion for Abbott District schools; $1 billion to finance the state’s share of suburban and rural school district projects, with $50 million directed to county vocational school facilities.

The Schools Development Authority approved the 2008 capital plan for Abbott Districts which identified 53 schools to be funded for construction, including 26 new schools. An additional 27 projects, deferred in April 2007 when the original school construction program ran out of money, now also will proceed.

To address projects in the non-Abbott districts, the legislation calls for the State Education Commissioner to create a process that prioritizes financing.

In addition, the Schools Development Authority will conduct a study to determine potential cost savings through possible use of standardized design elements, components and construction materials. Any school project where the state’s funding share exceeds $10 million will be subject to audit.

SEMINAR ON INFRASTRUCTURE SET FOR JULY 30 AT NJIT
A Seminar on Infrastructure will be held on July 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in Newark. Under the auspices of Leadership New Jersey, the Seminar will be sponsored by NJIT and Atlantic City Electric.

Participants will be welcomed by Thomas G. Dallessio, Executive Director of Leadership New Jersey, Dr. Robert Altenkirch, President of NJIT, and Kenneth J. Parker, President of Atlantic City Electric.

State Transportation Commissioner Kris Kolluri will address the group. A panel on New Jersey Infrastructure 2008-2050 and Beyond will include:
New Jersey Alliance for Action President Philip K. Beachem; Executive Director Dennis Hart of the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust; Executive Director Michelle Byers of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation; Director Joseph McNamara of the Laborers Employers Cooperation and Education Trust; Bill Gausman, Senior Vice President-Asset Management and Planning of PEPCO Holdings, and Chair Susan Zellman of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority.

Other speakers will include Susan Bass Levin, First Deputy Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Bob Hughey, former State Commissioner of Environmental Protection, and Adam Giuliano of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Urs Gauchat, Dean of the NJIT School of Architecture, will give a recap of the day.

STATE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT IS OFFICIALLY GONE
The New Jersey Commerce Commission is officially abolished, as Governor Jon Corzine signed legislation that shut down the department and spreads much of its work to other state agencies. According to the state budget, the move will save $975,000.

Much of the Commission’s responsibilities will be centralized in the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA), where a new Division of Business Assistance, Marketing and International Trade will be established. The Division will assume the duties of business advocacy, marketing and communications and the Office of International Trade and Protocol.

2008 GOVERNOR’S ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
The application process has begun for the 2008 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards sponsored by the State Department of Environmental Protection and co-sponsored by the New Jersey Corporation for Advanced Technology.

Projects must be in New Jersey, be active within the past year and the applicants must agree to have their project shared with others through a written description in the awards program. Three copies of applications must be submitted by September 19, 2008 to the NJDEP Office of the Commissioner in Trenton, Attention Barbara Marshall.

Judging criteria are documented environmental benefits, meeting needs, leadership/innovation, coverage and ability to replicate, and education and outreach. Winners will be invited to an awards ceremony in the fall at Drumthwacket, the Governor’s official mansion.

MERGED BANKS COMMIT $676 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Two banks which are merging --- TD Banknorth and Commerce Bank --- committed to providing $676.5 million statewide over the next three years to support affordable housing development and improvements. The merger will create TD Commerce Bank, one of the 20th largest commercial banking organizations in the country.

The commitment will include $350 million for small business loans; $160 million for below-rate mortgages for low and moderate-income first-time buyers or those who are refinancing; $130 million for loans and investments for non-profit community development organizations; $24 million for low-income tax credits, and $1.5 million in grants for non-profit housing groups.

NEW MOTORSPORTS PARK OPENING IN MILLVILLE
The $150 million New Jersey Motorsports Park is opening on over 700 acres of land adjacent to the Millville Airport. It expects to attract over 500,000 people each year for various events.

The park features Thunderbolt Raceway with more than 2.25 miles of asphalt, 14 turns and over 40 acres of space for team support personnel and vehicles. The first event is scheduled for August 7.

MORRIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT SITE COMING ALIVE AGAIN
A development site in Parsippany that has languished for 20 years and has been referred to as the “eyesore of Morris County” has been purchased by the Commercial Realty Group of Morris Plains. The former Oak Lake Plaza development site at the intersection of Routes 80 and 287 will now be known as Interpark Office Campus.

The site had the foundations for two office buildings, and the steel was erected but never completed for the first building. Commercial Realty Group has begun completion of the existing steel skeleton of 76,000 square feet on four floors and said it plans to begin the second five-story building when the first is 60 percent leased.

CARPENTERS APPRENTICE TRAINING ALSO OFFERS CREDITS TOWARD COLLEGE
The New Jersey Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship Training and Education Funds has training centers in operation in Kenilworth, Trenton and Hammonton. The centers offer a four-year apprenticeship program in which union members attend a total of 840 hours of instruction for five to six week each year.

While 80 percent of the training is “hands-on,” classroom instruction covers topics such as math skills. The program provides 25 to 27 credits toward an associate’s degree at a county college or up to 47 credits toward a bachelor’s degree. George Laufenberg, Administrative Manager of the New Jersey Carpenters Funds, says the program gives participants and their parents an alternative and helps attract a better apprentice.

GLOUCESTER CITY PLANNING RETAIL DISTRICTS UPLIFT
Gloucester City is working on plans to revitalize its older retail districts. The JGSC Group of Merchantville in 2007 produced a community insights program to learn the needs and wants of residents and develop strategies to strengthen existing businesses.

One district would focus on Residential retail such as restaurants, beauty and personal services and groceries. The other district would center on regional retail catering to commuters such as furniture stores, home improvement centers and auto dealerships. The city also wants to use a 75-foot schooner for public sailing excursions on the Delaware River.

MONMOUTH ALLIANCE MEETING COMING ON JULY 18
REMINDER. If you want to hear about protecting our beaches, wind power or aligning the proposed Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex rail line, the place to be is the meeting of the Monmouth County Alliance for Action on Friday, July 18. The meeting begins with registration at 8:15 a.m. and the program at 9 a.m. at Eagle Oaks Golf Club, Farmingdale. The speakers will include:
-Dr. Richard T. Dewling, former State Commissioner of Environmental Protection, who is Chairman & CEO of Dewling Associates and President of the New Jersey Shore Partnership.
-Bonnie Goldschlag, Assistant Planning Director of the Monmouth County Planning Board.
-Project Director Doug Pfeister and Deputy Project Director in New Jersey for Bluewater Wind.
Co-chairs of the Monmouth Alliance are County Freeholder Director William C. Barham and Wyatt Earp, President of the Monmouth-Ocean Counties AFL-CIO, Central Labor Council.
To register for the meeting, Go Here.

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