Jackson, NJ – Jackson Township Interim Mayor Jen Kuhn is promoting the township’s “Lights Out” initiative, saying the program has made it easier for residents to report malfunctioning streetlights and improved communication with Jersey Central Power & Light.
The news released via a press release on the township’s website.
Kuhn described the program as part of her effort to make township government “more transparent, more responsive, and easier for residents to work with.”
However, the release was not as transparent as claimed.
While she said the initiative has improved accountability, the announcement did not include performance data showing how many outages have been reported, how many have been repaired, or whether repair times have improved since the program was introduced.
Program centralizes streetlight reports
According to Kuhn, the “Lights Out” initiative was introduced in 2025 to simplify the process for reporting streetlights that are out or malfunctioning.
Residents, homeowner associations, and community organizations are asked to email the pole number of a non-functioning streetlight to LightsOut@JacksonTwpNJ.net. Those reports are forwarded to the township engineer, who logs each outage into a shared tracking spreadsheet that is provided to JCP&L.
Kuhn said the centralized system allows both the township and the utility to track reported outages from the time they are submitted until repairs are completed, while giving township officials the ability to follow up with the utility when necessary.
No statistics released on results
Although Kuhn said the initiative has “significantly improved communication and accountability,” the township did not provide any measurable results to support that conclusion.
The announcement did not disclose how many streetlights have been reported through the program, how many repairs have been completed, the average time required for repairs, or how those figures compare with the reporting process before the initiative was implemented.
Without those metrics, residents have no way to independently evaluate whether the program has improved service beyond creating a centralized reporting system.
Township serves as liaison with utility
Kuhn noted that Jackson Township does not own or maintain most streetlights, which are generally the responsibility of JCP&L.
She said the township’s role is to advocate for residents by collecting outage reports, tracking them through completion, and communicating with the utility to help ensure repairs are made.
“I encourage every resident to take advantage of this program,” Kuhn said. “If you notice a streetlight that is out anywhere in Jackson Township, please report it by sending the Pole Number via email to LightsOut@JacksonTwpNJ.net.”
Kuhn also thanked the township engineer and municipal staff for administering the program and maintaining the tracking system.
Shore News Network contacted Kuhn today for a copy of the spreadsheet and upon publication, has not received a response. Council President Mordechai Burnstein said he will look into releasing that spreadsheet.
This story will be updated once details have been provided.
