Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • July 13, 2011 Franklin Lakes Residents express concerns about black bears by Frank J. McMahon Like many other New Jersey communities, the Borough of Franklin Lakes has been experiencing an increase in the number of black bear sightings in residential neighborhoods, causing a degree of concern among residents. At a recent council meeting, two residents voiced their concern about the black bears, and they described their experiences in encountering the animal in their neighborhoods. Philip Tornetta, who lives on Hilltop Terrace, described how he and his family were sitting at their dinner table when their dog jumped up and they saw a black bear jump over their fence into their yard. While he emphasized that the police do a great job in the borough, he said there are only two police officers trained in handling the black bear situation. Tornetta said he believes something has to be done about the increase in the times black bears intrude on residential properties. “It is interfering with the enjoyment of my property,” Tornetta told Mayor Frank Bivona and the borough council. Another resident, Robert Medeiros, who lives on Roberts Court in the same neighborhood as Tornetta, also voiced his alarm over the bears. He said the bears do not hibernate and will soon be mating and producing cubs. He said while many of the bears are considered a nuisance by the Division of Fish and Wildlife, he doesn’t want to wait until one of the bears is an immediate threat to life and property. “A 220 pound adult female bear is capable of pulling out the windshield of a car,” Medeiros said, “and no dog is a match for it.” Bivona said he shared the resident’s concern having also encountered an adult male black bear in his yard eating his garbage. But he explained that there are 3,400 black bears in northern New Jersey and that population is denser than anywhere in the country due to the lack of control of the animal’s population. “There are 1,000 new bears each year, and the population is not yet stabilized,” Bivona said. “So we live in a community with an abundance of wildlife and the reality is it is conducive to animals being here and breeding.” “Removal of them is a temporary solution,” Bivona continued, “because there are more bears behind the ones you remove. My conclusion is the animals are here to stay for at least the next four or five years unless there are hunts and so we have to learn to live with them.” Bivona emphasized that the state will not remove a bear unless it is aggressive, and the bears in this community do not meet that definition. But he pointed out that the police have the discretion to take down a bear in a threatening situation and that action is supported by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. “If they are threatening, I expect the police to take action,” Bivona said, “but they will not just shoot them in the woods.” He advised that the use of rubber pellets has been authorized, but they will only be used under certain conditions. The borough’s police department encourages residents to call headquarters at (201) 891-3131 whenever a bear is observed along a roadway or in a residential area. They explained that the department’s protocol is to dispatch police officers to each report of a bear sighting, and take the level of action most appropriate to the situation. Generally, the animals are monitored and the responding officers alert individuals who are outdoors within the vicinity until the animal has moved along. Police say most black bears will continue on their way if they are not bothered. But in the highly unusual event that a bear shows aggressive tendencies and poses an immediate danger to persons or domesticated animals, then police officers are authorized to dispose of it. Depending on the circumstances, the police may use air horns or less-thanlethal ammunition when responding to black bear calls. Homeowners who live within black bear populated areas are urged to take precautions in order to lessen the degree of bear activity in their neighborhoods, such as securing trash containers and placing them curbside as close to pickup time as possible, washing or spraying trash containers with a disinfectant to eliminate food odors, and removing bird feeders. If homeowners feed their pets outdoors, the pets’ bowls and food should be removed soon after feeding. Residents are also urged to notify the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife at 1-877-927-6337 or (908) 735-8793, the Wildlife Control Unit, as it is important for the state to become fully aware of the frequency of black bear activity within Franklin Lakes. The 23rd Heavenly Treasures Sale of the Presbyterian Church at Franklin Lakes is under way. Thousands of items are available at incredibly low prices. Furniture, sports equipment, collectibles, and household goods are just a few of the sections in this indoor and outdoor event. The sale will continue rain or shine in the tents and in the church building through July 23. Sale hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays from 9 Heavenly Treasures Sale under way a.m. to 1 p.m., and in the evening Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. The church is located at 730 Franklin Lakes Road. Donations can be brought to the church. Proceeds benefit the mission and ministries of the church, which is celebrating its fiftieth year and welcoming its new pastor, Rev. Louis Allan Kilgore. For further information, check the church website, www.pcfl.org, e-mail pcflmgr@yahoo. com, or call (201) 891-0511.