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A wilted
field of Butternut Squash (right) shows the difference a year makes in rainfall
collections. Last year at this time, the fields were under water (left).
Photo by Karen E. Viereck
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3rd
Annual Tomato & Heritage Festival, July 17
WOOLWICH TWP. -- Although Woolwich Township has become known for its
residential growth spurt, the lands upon which the new developments sit were
once known as the richest agricultural lands in South Jersey, and were
recognized for producing the best of the famous “Jersey Tomato.”
And
while much of Woolwich Township still maintains the beauty of open meadows,
forests and farmland, it is important to celebrate the township’s agricultural
history and to remember and preserve the history of the township itself.
In
that spirit of celebration, Woolwich Township will host its 3rd
Annual Woolwich Township Tomato and Heritage Festival on Saturday, July 17
on the grounds of the Municipal Building, 120 Village Green Drive.
Beginning at noon and lasting until 5 p.m., the festival will celebrate the
common tomato, which might not seem so common when you consider that it can be
eaten fresh or cooked, frozen, canned, preserved, pickled or dried. You can
also bake, broil, fry, sauté, grill or stuff them. The tomato is included in
many recipes, casserole dishes, sauces and soups.
What
other food can do so much? How many times in the dead of winter does your
mouth water at the very thought of a fresh Jersey Tomato?
Well,
July is Jersey Tomato time in Woolwich, and what better time to come out and
support the local farmers selling their fresh produce at the Farmer’s Open-Air
Market, where you can choose from fruits and vegetables picked fresh that
morning from Woolwich fields.
Bring
a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the down-home music of Blue Frances and
George J. Tanger, the One-Man Band.
Enter
the Wine Garden, where you will be greeted with samplings of the finest wines
grown in local vineyards and produced by the area’s best wineries. Purchase as
many varieties as your taste buds will allow.
The
Mid-Atlantic Arabian Horse Association will be representing the equine aspect
of Woolwich farms with stalls of Woolwich Township Arabian horses to view, and
Apollo Farm will have educational demonstrations to teach about the care and
handling of horses.
Take
a step back in time as the 1st Battalion of New Jersey presents a
reenactment of war and camp life in the eighteenth-century way, and stroll
through the display of restored tractors and farm equipment brought by the
South Jersey Antique Tractor Association.
Children will be entertained by pony and hay wagon rides, games and craft
tables. Speaking of children, enter your little ones between the ages of 3 and
5 in the Little Mr. and Miss Tomato Contest. Entry forms and contest rules are
available on the township’s Web site
www.woolwichtwp.org.
Do
you make the best salsa in Woolwich Township? Find out by entering the Salsa
Contest, or cast your vote for your favorite and help decide whose should win.
Gardeners can also enter their best home-grown tomato and let our local
farmers decide if yours is “The Best” township tomato. Details and entry forms
are on the Web site.
There
will be plenty of great food, fun, activities, history, and of course, Jersey
Tomatoes. So mark your calendars for a day to socialize and celebrate the
history of Woolwich Township.
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Council
Opposes Merged
Services With County
by Michael Williams
LOGAN
TWP. -- Mayor Frank Minor and Council passed a resolution to oppose a New
Jersey Senate Bill that would create a countywide consolidation of certain
municipal responsibilities.
Under
S458, assessment and collection of property taxes, public health services, and
animal control services would transfer over to the county’s responsibility and
out of the hands of local municipalities.
“Three out
of four of these I’m good with personally,” said Deputy Mayor Lyman Barnes,
addressing the Council at June 15 public meeting. “But the tax collection
fees, I do have a lot of problem with. From a control standpoint for cash
flow, it’s imperative that we get the money and distribute the money to
county, rather than having to beg for money back to run our municipal
businesses.”
He also
added that seniors and other members of the community who physically pay their
taxes at the municipal building would be unfairly inconvenienced.
Minor
agreed with opposing the bill, adding that the municipal government is fully
capable of handling its own taxes.
“We’ve
demonstrated over the years the ability and the wherewithal to manage our own
money without having someone in Trenton doing it for us,” said Minor.
In other
business the council approved a resolution to designate the Old Bridgeport
School, also known as the Historical Society Building, as the future site of a
senior center. The site has been undergoing construction to its exterior and
will soon be ready to begin interior renovations.
Through
the county’s Community Development Block Grant program, the site has already
been outfitted with new windows and doors, a handicapped-accessible ramp, and
renovations to its roof.
This
resolution allows the site to continue participation in the CDBG program, and
will continue to be completed as funds are made available.
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S/W School
Budget Appeal
Could Mean Potential Tax Increase
by Michael Williams
SWEDESBORO -- The Swedesboro-Woolwich School District has
appealed the recommendation from both the Swedesboro and Woolwich Township to
decrease their budget by a little over $755,000 in an effort to get more money
put back into the school budgets.
The school district’s appeal has been brought to the
attention of the County Superintendent for review. After review, the appeal
would then be submitted to Trenton with the county’s recommendation.
Citing an unofficial tip, Swedesboro Mayor Tom Fromm said
the County Superintendent may be recommending that roughly an additional
$355,000 be added back into the school budget, cutting the overall budget
decrease down to around $400,000.
The original figure was based on the teachers and
administration taking a pay freeze. However, though the district’s
administration took a pay freeze, its teachers did not. According to Fromm’s,
the Superintendent felt it was necessary to add this money back into the
budget, so not to place too much of a financial burden on the schools’ other
programs.
Though exact figures are still undetermined and
unofficial, Swedesboro and Woolwich taxpayers could expect an increase to
their local school tax if the cuts to the budget are reduced.
“We had actually started at a much higher number, “said
Fromm, who was displeased with the appeal.
“We tried to have mercy on [the schools],” said
Councilmember Russell Zappala. “We didn’t want to decimate the entire system,
but at the same time we felt we needed to act.”
The budgets are now out of the Council’s hands and will
be acted on at a county and state level.
In other business, Council approved a request by the St.
Paul U.A.M.E Church to block off a portion of Richardson Ave and Second Street
for a block party in mid to late August. The resolution and exact date of the
event will be pending while details regarding traffic, police presence, and
insurance are worked through.
Finally, Fromm announced that renovations to the
borough’s water tower should be starting sometime in July and are expected to
finish in October.
The Swedesboro Library’s construction is also said to be
on track, with construction expected to begin in the coming weeks.
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No Public
Comment From Woolwich Residents On 2010 Budget
by Beth S. Biermann
WOOLWICH TWP. -- A public
hearing for the 2010 Woolwich municipal budget that calls for no local purpose
tax increase was held on June 21.
No residents commented during
the public session. However, the committee was not able to officially pass the
budget because they are waiting for the state to review it.
On a rotating schedule of
every three years, each municipality is required to send its budget to the
state for review and this is the year in which Woolwich is required to do so.
Once the state review is completed, the township can officially pass the 2010
budget.
Despite more than $100,000 of
state funding lost, the township avoided a tax increase by cutting $200,000
from the capital improvement fund, implementing a wage freeze for all township
employees excluding the police department, and using $200,000 less surplus
than was used in 2009.
In addition, the police
department shared services agreement with Swedesboro will bring in $477,000,
resulting in a net revenue of $250,000.
In other business, New Jersey
American Water presented a $1,000 charitable donation to the People for People
Foundation at this meeting. Mayor Joe Chila had won a raffle at last month’s
New Jersey Conference of Mayors in Atlantic City, sponsored by New Jersey
American Water, that awarded $1,000 to three mayors. This money was to be
given to the charity of the mayor’s choice.
Chila chose People for People
to receive the donation. People for People is a Gloucester County based
grassroots organization that provides assistance to people who are normally
self-sufficient but find themselves unable to make ends meet and don’t qualify
for traditional government assistance programs.
Bernadette Blackstock,
Executive Director of People for People, accepted the $1,000 check, presented
by New Jersey American Water Vice President Jason Gonzalez. Gonzalez stated
that this was “a way for us to give back to organizations that are relevant
and meaningful to the communities that the elected officials serve. We are
very pleased that Mayor Chila chose a deserving organization like People for
People to receive this donation.”
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