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New Jersey uses plasma cutter to free dog stuck in tire
Police and firefighters in Franklin Township, New Jersey, rescued a dog whose head was stuck in a tire.
Franklin Township Police Department
Lake Region Development, Inc., led by Settlers Hospitality CEO Justin Genzlinger, plans to build the historic White Mills Hotel in downtown White Mills. Settlers Hospitality owns numerous lodging and dining options in the Wayne/Pike County area.
The proposal aims to use the building to provide affordable apartments for Settlers Hospitality employees. Genzlinger did not say how much the rent would be.
A crowd gathered at the Texas Township Municipal Building on March 19 as Genzlinger explained the plans during a conditional use zoning hearing. Regulators have yet to issue a ruling that could impose conditions on operations.
The White Mills Hotel on Main Street (Route 6) is located on the corner of Elizabeth Street, across the street from the Dorflinger Factory Museum. The hotel’s history dates back to 1901, when hotelier Thomas Gill added a restaurant. The village landmark has sat vacant for years.
Kiley Associates engineer and principal Mitch Jacobs said the proposed use remains the same as before, with up to nine dormitories accommodating up to 16 people.
There are four bathrooms and a small common area.
Ten off-street parking spaces will be provided at the rear to meet zoning requirements. There are currently only four spaces available.
Building dimensions will not change and no land development plans will be required. If the conditional use is approved, the next step will be to obtain a building permit to ensure the renovations comply with state codes.
In his application, Jacobs confirmed the scheme met a “community need” for housing and would not harm community character or transport.
Ben Krempasky of Beach Lake Sprinkler testified that the required sprinkler system limits occupancy to 16 people in accordance with international building codes.
Attorney Thomas Farley, representing the applicant, said his client needed to do a lot of work to repair the property, which Farley said was in deteriorating condition. “Some of the rooms were terrible, some of the bathrooms were unusable,” Farley said. Krempasky estimated that the sprinkler system alone cost about $20,000 to $50,000. Genzlinger said in his testimony that the cost of the needed renovations would be “in the six figures.”
Farley said when it last opened as a boarding house, the code was not yet in effect and the building did not have sprinklers.
Farley clarified that the hearing was not about the tenants renting there, but about the use of the property within the Commercial-1 zoning district. Nonetheless, he cited Genzlinger’s testimony to explain the expected actions to a curious public.
Genzlinger said he is CEO of Settlers Hospitality and Settlers Holdings, which includes Lake Region Development and a number of other real estate companies. “We employ over 500 people in four different counties… all in the hospitality industry, and we have and operate with a large group of other investors primarily in Wayne and Pike counties, covering 500,000 square feet ft. portion of the real estate”.
Locally, they operate the Settlers Inn, Ledges Hotel, Silver Birches Resort and Runaway Train, as well as the Holley Factory, Holley Medical Center and Lakeland Deli. They own about 40 residential units, vacation rentals on Lake Wallenpapack and long-term rentals for their hotel employees, mostly in Wayne County.
That afternoon, the Town of Palmyra (Pike County) approved conditional use of a new urgent care facility near the Wayne border owned by these commercial investors.
Genzlinger said the White Mills project helps fill a need in the community as restaurant workers face challenges paying rent. He said rent in Hawley has nearly doubled. “The purpose of this project and other projects we’re doing is to provide accommodation for people who are gainfully employed long-term and need to be able to afford hourly rent,” he said.
Four years ago, their entry-level wages doubled to $15 an hour, he said.
“That’s 30 pounds a year. However, when you go to work 40 minutes, a lot of money disappears,” he said, “because a one-bedroom apartment in Horley costs $1,000 a month instead of $500. Or 600.”
He emphasized that he knew their staff could fill vacancies at the White Mills hotel, but if there were vacancies, rooms would be made available to anyone legally employed. The lease requires employment; if they lose their job, they must leave according to due process.
He said the town will have a 24/7 contact person listed in case any issues arise.
He made it clear this was not a short-term rental. “We try not to hire people for a week,” he said. Additionally, he said the program is not subsidized housing.
Tori Barone, a neighbor of the hotel, asked: “Who are these people and where are they from? Are these people legal citizens there?”
Genzlinger said he doesn’t care where they come from. “I demand that they be legal and have jobs,” he said.
Barone responded: “Are these people going to become legal U.S. citizens?”
Genzlinger said he does not knowingly rent to “illegal immigrants,” but added that he does hire “international individuals who are legally working in the United States and have appropriate identification.”
related: Immigrants won’t be housed in Honesdale-area hotels, officials say
Another neighbor, Bridget Irwin, asked how the plan would benefit the community. Genzlinger mentioned several points. He said restoring a vacant building “on the brink of decay” and renting it out to workers would reduce risks to the community.
He said tenants would also benefit the town by patronizing local businesses.
Owen expressed concerns about whether there would be space for the tenants’ guests or whether they would park on the street, in the church parking lot across the street or block the school bus stop. Engineer Jacobs responded that the ordinance did not require guests to park, but that they could actually park on the hotel’s lawn.
Bridget Owen added that she hoped sex offenders would not be held there. Another resident, Mary Irwin, said she wanted animals banned.
For more information about Settlers Holdings and Settlers Hospitality, please visit Settlershospitality.com/settlers-holdings.
Peter Becker has been with the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Contact him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.
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