Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • May 1, 2013 Franklin Lakes Borough certified by Sustainable Jersey by Frank J. McMahon The Borough of Franklin Lakes has been notified by Sustainable Jersey representatives that the municipality has achieved certification at the program’s bronze level. “Sustainable Jersey is a certification program for New Jersey municipalities that want to go green, save money, and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term,” Franklin Lakes Borough Administrator Gregory Hart explained. Hart said the actions taken by Franklin Lakes to obtain sufficient points for certification included the creation of a Green Team, preparation of an environmental resource inventory, preparation of an energy audit of all borough buildings and making upgrades based on that audit, development of health and wellness programs including the “Mayor’s Wellness Campaign,” adoption of the Sustainable Land Use Pledge, preparation of a Community Forestry Plan, and carrying out recycling depot improvements. Franklin Lakes is one of 113 of New Jersey’s 566 municipalities that are Sustainable Jersey certified, Hart advised. In order to achieve certification, municipalities must obtain at least 150 certification points in areas such as energy efficiency, recycling and waste reduction, woodlands management, and water conservation, he said. According to Carole Holden, chair of the Franklin Lakes Environmental Commission, Sustainable Jersey “is a wide-ranging program that encourages municipalities to work toward certification in areas as disparate as creating ‘green fleets,’ building healthier communities through recreational programs, encouraging residents to buy local products, and managing both domestic and wild animals in and around their communities.” Holden said the borough created the Green Team, which consists of the members of the borough’s environmental commission and several local citizens and students. The team completed the tasks necessary for becoming certified, with the assistance of many others, including Mayor Frank Bivona and the members of the borough council, the department of public works, the planning and zoning boards, and the Franklin Lakes Shade Tree Commission. “It’s quite an accomplishment to become Sustainable Jersey certified. Our certified communities are leading the way with impressive sustainability initiatives in New Jersey while providing a model for towns across the United States.” Pam Mount, chair of the Sustainable Jersey Board of Trustees, said in a recent press release. Mount explained that one of the primary benefits of becoming certified is the ability to obtain grants, training, and access to information about the latest resources to help communities improve their environments and increase the well-being of their residents. She added, “Franklin Lakes is a naturally beautiful community and the borough’s Green Team will continue to work with Sustainable Jersey to keep the borough a wonderful and healthful place to live.” Hart urged anyone interested in helping the borough with its sustainability efforts to send an e-mail to the borough’s environmental commission at EC@franklinlakes.org. As part of the ongoing effort to ensure that local roadways are as safe as possible and to address the occurrence of traffic violations within the borough, the Franklin Lakes Police Department has initiated “Operation Safe Streets.” This campaign is now under way and will continue for the next two months. Operation Safe Streets is designed to specifically target speeding and carelessly driven vehicles on the borough’s roadways. This multi-faceted program will consist of a public information component complemented by the use of electronic speed display signs at various locations and an additional level of aggressive traffic violation enforcement. The speed limit on all streets within Franklin Lakes is 25 miles per hour, with the exception of the county and state roadways. The police department routinely receives complaints regarding vehicles exceeding the speed limit within ‘Operation Safe Streets’ under way the community’s local developments. Police say that, many times, the speeding vehicles are being operated by borough residents. Motorists are reminded that they share the roadways with pedestrians, bicyclists, children at play, animals, and other vehicles, whether moving or parked. According to police, exceeding the speed limit or driving carelessly on any roadway invariably results in an increase in auto crashes that may include personal injuries or fatalities and property damage. The Franklin Lakes Police Department encourages all borough residents to help keep local roadways and neighborhoods safe by driving at the legal limit. The police also invite residents to discuss with friends and family, especially children, the many reasons to drive safely. The ultimate goal of Operation Safe Streets is a more secure community, where virtually no preventable traffic incidents take place.