Conditions at trailer park continue to irk neighbor

Conditions at trailer park
continue to irk neighbor
By mark rosman
Staff Writer

Anthony DeStefano

JACKSON — Anthony DeStefano has a problem, and he doesn’t understand why township, county and state officials don’t seem to be able to do anything about it.

DeStefano, a resident of the township since 1990, lives off Route 571 near Maria Street in between two trailer parks, Shady Oaks and Luxury. He maintains there are problems at both locations and says he hasn’t been able to get any satisfaction from government officials and agencies at the municipal, county and state levels.

"I can’t get a handle on why, but it seems like these trailer parks are being protected," he said. "There is something wrong."

DeStefano at-tended a Township Committee meeting in March to ask municipal officials what is being done about the situation at the two trailer parks and said he got no response. He said Kevin Starkey, the township attorney, advised committee members they should not address the situation in public.

VERONICA YANKOWSKI Neighbors of the Shady Oaks trailer park in Jackson are upset by the fact that some trailers on the property are in a state of disrepair.

Mayor Michael Kafton referred questions on the issue to the township attorney.

Starkey was on vacation this week and could not be reached for comment.

The owner of Shady Oaks, Earl Terhune, and the township are embroiled in ongoing litigation related to the conditions at the park and the park’s licensing. Lori C. Greenberg, the attorney representing Terhune, said her client is working with the township in an attempt to settle the outstanding issues.

According to DeStefano, one of those issues is what he called the "filth" at the trailer parks. He claims there are abandoned trailers and unregistered vehicles on the site, and that tenants who pick up and leave on a constant basis leave junk outside their units that remains on site for weeks.

DeStefano, who is in the well drilling business, also claims repairs and enlargements are being made on the septic systems at the trailer parks that do not meet standards he says were explained to him by Ocean County health officials.

"The state Department of Environ-mental Protection carries septic permits for trailer parks," DeStefano said. "They told me they don’t know how many tanks are in the parks, so how can they allow any septic work to be done there?

"There are open, abandoned trailers there that I called the town about," he said. "I was told Mr. Terhune is not supposed to be bringing any more trailers in, but within the past month another mobile home was brought in. I have a letter from the Pinelands Commission which indicates that trailers he placed near a Krauszer’s [convenience store] had no permits to be there. The previous owner never got approval for those."

Robert Ryley, an aide to the mayor and Township Committee, said Terhune was asked to provide a site plan for Shady Oaks and did so. However, the plan indicates there are encroachments onto land Terhune does not own, Ryley said, and the question both sides are attempting to deal with is how to address the problems.