The committee decided to not take action to maintain private roads
The Raritan Township committee opted to not take action on a request that it maintain the private road that borders the Flemington Fields age-restricted community. Committee members based their decision on legal advice provided by the township's attorney, Jeffrey Lehrer.
"There exists no legal obligation to accept these roads," said Lehrer. "It's a policy question."
But Flemington Fields treasurer Bob Traino said he's not finished fighting for the township to pay for the road's maintenance, and he'll also ask the other residents in the 86 single-family homes to fight with him.
"It makes no sense why the roads were made from a planning board perspective," Traino said of the private road, which allegedly takes up six-tenths of a mile.
He said the township is giving the community only 2 percent back for their maintenance of the road. In 2015, the township gave Flemington Fields $1,200 for its road work. That work includes plowing and shoveling snow. The township also has garbage trucks that use the private roads.
"We don't have kids. Where's our benefits here? All we're doing is paying," he said.
He said residents would have liked if the township either maintained the road or offered a much bigger tax break.
"Our taxes are going straight to the township," he said.
Kate Mishkin may be reached at kmishkin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KateMishkin. Find The Hunterdon County Democrat on Facebook.