[Adopted 8-9-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-09]
A. 
It is the intent of this article to establish uniform procedures to reimburse property owners for damage to mailboxes due to snow removal operations. The Township's primary obligation is to ensure that its roadways are as clear as possible of snow and ice.
B. 
It is also understood that most mailboxes are located within the public right-of-way and, therefore, while fulfilling the primary objective, mailboxes may be unintentionally and unavoidably damaged. This policy assumes there is a shared responsibility between the Township of Allamuchy and the property owner when mailboxes located in the public right-of-way are damaged during snow removal operations.
Snowplow operators make every effort to remove snow as close to the curb line as practical and to provide access to mailboxes for the Postal Service. However, it is not possible to provide perfect conditions and minimize the damage to mailboxes with the size and type of equipment the Township operates. Therefore, the final cleaning adjacent to mailboxes is the responsibility of each property owner.
Property owners assume all risk of damage for landscaping/hardscape, including nursery and inanimate materials that are installed or encroach on the Township right-of-way. The Township assumes no responsibility for damage incurred to these elements as a result of snow plowing and ice control activities, with the exception that lawns that are scraped or gouged by Township equipment will be repaired by top dressing and seeding the following spring. In addition, inanimate materials such as boulders, timbers, etc., are a hazard and can cause damage to plow equipment.
It is the policy of the Township of Allamuchy to reimburse property owners up to $50 for eligible mailbox damage caused by direct plow contact or thrown snow coming off the plow on the part of the Township's Department of Public Works. Nothing in this article shall be construed to entitle any property owner to reimbursement prior to an investigation and determination by the Director of Public Works or designee that the claimed damage is eligible for reimbursement pursuant to this section.
For the purpose of this article, boxes used for receipt of United States mail and placed outside of residences and established for such purposes shall be referred to herein as "mailboxes." All mailboxes must be installed in accordance with the United States Postal Service mailbox guidelines.
A. 
Eligibility; mailbox damage claim. The reimbursement provisions shall only apply to those property owners who satisfy the following criteria:
(1) 
The mailbox is securely fastened to a sturdy post which is sufficiently anchored in the ground to resist the impact of plowed snow.
(2) 
The damaged mailbox and/or post must meet the requirements of the United States Postal Service mailbox guidelines, as well as all other requirements in regard to construction and location. Mailboxes that do not meet the requirements of the United States Postal Service and/or any other applicable regulations are not eligible for reimbursement.
(3) 
The damage must have been caused by direct contact with or thrown snow from the Township Department of Public Works.
(4) 
The property owner must notify the Township within 90 days of the date the damage occurred. Damage reported outside of this time frame will not be eligible for reimbursement.
(5) 
The property owner must sign a general release discharging the Township from all debts, claims, demands, damages, actions or further tort claims under Title 59.
B. 
Claim procedure.
(1) 
Within the time period above, a property owner making a claim for reimbursement shall contact the Department of Public Works and file a mailbox damage claim.
(2) 
The mailbox damage claim shall be on the prescribed form and accompanied with the following:
(a) 
Name, address, phone number and email address of claimant.
(b) 
Date and time of damage.
(c) 
Exact location of damage.
(d) 
Explanation of what happened/description of damage.
(e) 
Photographs of damage.
(f) 
Itemized receipt for the cost of the new mailbox and/or post.
(3) 
After submission of the claim, the Director of Public Works or designee shall investigate the alleged damage to determine if the damage was caused by the plow blade, vehicle and/or thrown snow coming off the plow. A written response on the findings of the investigation will be mailed to the property owner.
(4) 
If it is determined that the mailbox was damaged by the plow blade, vehicle and/or thrown snow coming off the plow, the property owner will be reimbursed for the cost of the mailbox and/or post in an amount not to exceed $50 upon the submission of an itemized receipt for the cost of the new mailbox and/or post. If it is determined that the damage was not caused by the plow blade, vehicle and/or thrown snow coming off the plow, no reimbursement will be given. All actual repairs and/or replacements shall be the responsibility of the property owner.