Police Transition “Excellent” Council Says

By Sam Fran Scavuzzo

SWEDESBORO -- The shared police services transition in Swedesboro and Woolwich is “going excellent,” officials said. At the June 15 borough meeting, Republican Councilman Sam Casella discussed the progress of the historic June 1 merger between the neighboring communities’ police forces.

“It’s awesome that more officers are available,” Casella said. “We can answers more calls in a more timely manner now. Also, we can provide better follow-up and more investigation.”

In his police committee report, Casella detailed the initial activity of the joint squad. From June 1 to June 12 Swedesboro/Woolwich police received 181 calls and made 97 traffic stops. In the stops, 27 tickets were issued with the rest receiving warnings. Casella said the warnings were to educate people as to the change.

So far, Casella has seen a “positive response.” A detailed report will be given by Police Chief Russel H. Marino at the borough’s July 6 meeting.

Casella said the move was positive in that many former officers were hired by Woolwich. According to the township’s Web site, Mayor Joe Chila swore in former Swedesboro Patrolmen Chris Beckett and Christian Gregory June 1. Additionally, former borough officer Steve Spithaler was hired by Woolwich as a part-time officer.

A proclamation is in the works for all former Swedesboro officers, council said.

The move has a projected savings of nearly $4 million, according to The New Town Press. Over the next five years, Swedesboro will pay Woolwich $537,000 on average a year.

Swedesboro will be paying Woolwich $212,000, the prorated amount for the remainder of 2009. For the duration of the five year contract, it is projected that Swedesboro will pay $477,000 in 2010, $505,620 in 2011, $535,957 in 2012, $568,114 in 2013 and $602,201 in 2014.

As for the former police facilities, Casella confirmed the upstairs office in Borough Hall is empty. Marino informed him that everything was properly destroyed or moved. Mayor Tom Fromm invited Council members to check the office for desired supplies.

A possible tour of the new police facilities is planned for the future.

Also at the meeting, Fromm said that the town moved toward foreclosure on several abandoned properties. “There was a lack of will to foreclose on properties just sitting there. We’ve been trying to figure it out since I got here,” he said. “We’re finally getting it done.”

Currently, the borough pays the school tax on the properties, some sitting vacant since 1989. The foreclosed houses are not a product of the current economic climate.

As the RecycleBank contract nears its end, the borough faces the question of trash disposal. The town has options: Fromm discussed possibly entering into nearby Logan Township’s in-house system, another shared services project, or simply renewing the current contract. Swedesboro’s partnership with RecycleBank began in March 2008.
 

Accolades Aplenty at Logan Meeting

By Sam Fran Scavuzzo

LOGAN TWP.—Whether it was the superintendent soaking up retirement praise, the police department attaining a grant, volunteers receiving recognition, or the mayor basking in compliments the June 16 Logan Township Council meeting teemed with accolades.

After 19 years as superintendent of schools, John Herbst announced his retirement last year. At the meeting, the Council presented Herbst with a plaque in recognition of his service.

 “I can’t say enough of the time, effort and good will he has given to our children,” Mayor Frank Minor said. “If you look at all the kids from Logan that go to Kingsway, you can’t say enough – not only what the parents have done – but with what John has done.”

Councilwoman Doris Hall highlighted Herbst’s works with “special” kids including her grandson during his troubled years.

 “Thank you for the plaque,” Herbst said. “But the words mean so much more to me.”

Herbst presided over his last eighth-grade graduation ceremony June 15. His replacement, Patricia L. Haney, begins July 1.

Haney worked as the director of curriculum and instruction for the Harrison Township School District for 10 years, according to Logan Township Elementary School.

In another ceremony at the meeting, two longtime volunteers were recognized by council. Plaques were awarded to Katie Smedley and Christopher Oswald for their years of community service.

“Although we may not be seeing you as much now that you’re graduating high school, the two of you are a great example for kids your age,” Councilwoman Bernadine Jackson said. Both Smedley and Oswald attended Logan Township Elementary and graduated from Kingsway in June.

The police department was awarded a 2009 Cannondale Police Mountain Bike valued at $500 through a grant. Given by the Neumann Foundation, Schmidt said it was in conjunction with the bike company’s anniversary.

“I called and spoke about our bike usage,” he said. “We use bicycles for community policing, special services, and for residential and business patrols – like at the strip malls in Beckett.” Logan was one of 100 successful municipalities awarded bikes out of more than 200 applications.

Also, the police are dusting off a chestnut from the mid-1990s: cop cards. Sponsored by local companies, police trading cards will be produced and distributed to children to encourage positive interaction with police officers. The first person to collect all the cards will be awarded a yet-to-be-announced prize.

Although it hasn’t been awarded any grants yet, the Logan Fire Department recently completed one and is in the process of applying for another grant.

The department awaits word on the federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant. If awarded, the company would receive funds to upgrade existing and buy new breathing apparatus and to purchase a diesel exhaust removal system for one of the township’s three firehouses, according to Deputy Chief Rob Taylor.

The grant-in-process, the Station Construction Grant, would allow construction and upgrades to the fire station stemming from $210 million allocated in the federal stimulus package.

And in a more personal interaction, resident Ernestine Diggs thanked the mayor for his help on a problem she had with the water company. Diggs, who has lived at the corner of Paulsboro and Hendrickson Mill Roads for more than 15 years, noticed drilling on the lot within 50 feet of her private well.

After talking to Minor, she learned the water company was working on an underground water pump without the town’s permission, she said. The company stopped and it will go before the Planning Board next month.

Diggs said Minor, “handled the situation well. Our mayor was instrumental in his response. He’s great.”

In addition, she complimented Deputy Municipal Clerk Natalie Lowe for her professionalism.
 

Rainfall’s Effects Felt
Throughout Agricultural Business

By Karen E. Viereck,
Editor/Publisher

WOOLWICH TWP. – It’s rained, and rained, and rained. Besides ruining your outdoor plans, it is causing widespread problems in the agriculture in the area.

According to Gloucester County Agricultural Agent Jerry Frecon, wet and waterlogged fields are causing root suffocation, disease and  fruit rot, mildew, and molds. They are also causing cherries to crack, rough fruit finishes, split pits on peaches, and water laden fruit.

Although you might think this will make the fruits juicier, the lack of sunshine and warm temperatures are producing flat taste because the plants need sunlight to produce the sugar in the fruits.

Strawberry production started early and ended early this year, said Frecon. Those on plastic field rows made out better. However, the later berries are grown on the ground, not on plastic, so it was harder to keep them dry and free of disease.

Any crop near harvest right now is in jeopardy of root suffocation and rot. These crops include cherries, blueberries, very early peaches, filed lowers, nursery stock, cucumbers, and squash, said Frecon.

Wet and muddy fields also makes it harder to get farm equipment into the fields as well as farm workers to pick and tend to the crops.

And the effects don’t end there. The rainy weather is keeping customers away from farm markets. And U-pick farms aren’t able to get people into their fields.

Frecon said that although rainfall amounts vary widely throughout the area because of spotty thunderstorms and downpours, and in even some cases hail, the biggest problem is the long periods of cloud and high humidity when drying cannot take place.

But Frecon is still positive about the situation. “Our farmers survive wet weather because they have new and better technology every day.” Frecon credits better varieties of crops that resist disease and have better flavor and handling characteristics under wet conditions, improved environmentally friendly pesticides, and the use of plastic under or over the plants.

Committee Passes Budget with
$79.19 Local Purpose Tax Increase

by Beth S. Biermann

WOOLWICH – The Woolwich Township budget passed on June 15 by a vote of three to one, with Comitteeman Sam Maccarone, Jr. voting no and Committeemen Paul Lott, Ted Otten and Mayor Joe Chila voting yes. Deputy Mayor James Lavender was not in attendance.

Woolwich received a prorated $212,000 from Swedesboro for the police coverage the township is now providing for the borough. Before the vote, Maccarone proposed using $100,000 of this payment to lower the tax increase by one cent. The proposed budget called for a 65.5 cent tax rate per $10 of assessed home value.

Both Chila and Township Administrator Jane DiBella explained that in addition to paying the salaries of additional police officers, there are numerous “one-time” expenses related to the police coverage of Swedesboro. These include uniforms, raingear, boots and other supplies that will only need to be purchased once.

Chila added that next year the township will have more savings related to the payment received from Swedesboro for police coverage, but there are more expenses this year to get the program up and running and the township needed to have the entire $212,000 payment available.

A resident asked whether the new municipal building was fully occupied, and if not, wondered if the township would consider renting out some of the space. According to Chila, all parts of the building are being used, but not to the fullest capacity.

Lott added that the building was designed for a township of 35,000 residents, according to a 25 year projection in the master plan. He referred to the construction of the building as “once and done”, with no anticipated need to build any additions. He also pointed out that local groups such as the seniors and sports organizations are now able to meet in the building.

In other business, the committee introduced an ordinance that would appropriate $294,000 for reconstruction of Russell Mill Road. Capital funds will be appropriated and then reimbursed with grant money when the job is complete.

According to Mayor Chila, the full sum will be funded by grant money and township engineer Stan Bitgood confirmed that the township has two grants so far and will be applying for more to cover the total cost of the project. There will be a second reading and public hearing for the ordinance at the next regular committee meeting on July 20.

Everwine Promoted to Deputy Chief

by Beth S. Biermann

EAST GREENWICH – The township committee passed a resolution on June 9 that promoted Lieutenant Christopher Everwine to Deputy Chief of Police.

Everwine has been an East Greenwich police officer since May 1994 and was promoted to Sergeant in 2001 and Lieutenant in 2006.

The committee also officially recognized Deuce, a 19-month old Dutch shepherd from Slovakia, as an official member of the East Greenwich Police Department. Deuce and his handler, Patrolman Philip Owens, completed patrol training and will attend narcotics school in the fall.

This is the second K-9 unit in the township. Mayor Fred Grant stated, “The addition of that K-9 unit (is) giving the officers what they need to protect our residents.”

In other business, a bond ordinance was passed authorizing $300,000 for reconstruction of Borrelli Boulevard. According to Grant, $200,000 will be covered by a state Department of Transportation grant, while the remaining $100,000 will be used to pave the rear entrance of the Thompson Family Park.

The entrance and parking lot will both be paved, with speed bumps installed to slow cars down. There is currently a stone driveway and lot, but vehicles are still driving too fast on it.

Kingsway Hires New Principal

By Sam Fran Scavuzzo

WOOLWICH—The Kingsway Regional Board of Education approved the hiring of a new high school principal at its June 22 meeting. Paul Bracciante, currently Williamstown High School’s vice principal, will succeed Tom Coleman as Kingway’s principal, the board said.

“He has a good balance,” Superintendent Avé Altersitz said. “He has an excellent management style and is a good structural leader.”

Bracciante, 51, has worked for Monroe Township Public Schools as vice principal since 2003. Before that, he taught industrial arts at Washington Township High School for 22 years.

“Kingsway has been, and I will do everything I can to keep it, a top notch school. I’m lucky to be walking into a school with a great reputation,” he said during an interview on June 23. “And thanks to Tom Coleman, who has left a solid program. They’ve raised the bar, and I’d like to continue it.”

The school board unanimously approved his hiring. According to Altersitz, about 24 applications for the position were reviewed. From that, eight candidates were interviewed by a nine-person advisory board comprised of Altersitz, KEA President Cathy Fichera, Board Secretary Andrew Eubanks, school board members, and district employees.

Before he can begin at Kingsway, Bracciante must gain release from his Williamstown contract. After putting in his letter of resignation, Bracciante awaits a decision from the Monroe district at its June 30 board of education meeting.

“They have a legal right to hold me to my contract and work for 60 days,” he said. “But usually it is a professional courtesy to release [the person]. I hope there’s no reason to think that they won’t.”

Altersitz says she hopes he can begin by August.

A South Harrison resident, Bracciante received a masters of science in educational leadership and administration from Philadelphia Biblical University in 2002. He has two sons who graduated from Pitman High School this year. One will be attending Rowan University, and the other has enlisted in the Navy. They are both Eagle Scouts.

Coleman left Kingsway following the recent school year to become superintendent in the Woodstown-Pilesgrove School District. He was Kingsway’s principal for 15 years.

His last commencement ceremony, June 17, was held indoors due to rain – a dilemma for many parents.

“This ceremony was lost forever for me and my family,” parent Susan Costill of East Greenwich said. “It was a disgrace.”

Costill said she arrived at the school after 5:30 p.m., but was turned away from the South Gym, where the ceremony took place even though she had tickets. She was told it was full and had to watch the ceremony from the North Gym on a screen, without air conditioning.

Each of the 350 graduates was given three tickets in case of rain. However, some ticketholders could not get in the gym.  

She discussed her problem at the meeting.

“I agree it was awful,” Altersitz said, explaining that many people would go outside and give already-used tickets to other family members, packing the gym to capacity.

“You’d hear 10 people cheer and knew that wasn’t right,” said East Greenwich Board Member Lorraine Grasso.

The board apologized to Costill and offered hopes that future ceremonies would avoid the dilemma.

“I understand the problems they had with the overcrowding,” she said. “I just don’t want this to happen with my other three kids.”

Also at the meeting, Altersitz recommended hiring Derlys Gutierrez as the board’s solicitor for a one-year contract. In an interview with the board, the Newark-based attorney discussed her worthiness as a candidate.

“[My firm’s] goal would be to represent you for the many, many tiny issues that come along over the years,” Gutierrez said. “We try to keep you out of court.”

Gutierrez’s firm – Adams, Stern, Gutierrez and Lattiboudere – specializes in representing school boards. Locally, it also represents Runnemede.

Although travel was an issue for board members, the firm does not include the drive in expenses – unlike other firms, Eubanks said. With this point, East Greenwich Board Member John Lewis and Vice President Katherine DiGiovacchino dropped their concerns about her hire.

South Harrison Board Member Deborah Cunningham said Gutierrez interviewed at South Harrison in the past. Although the school board decided to retain its current legal council, she spoke highly of Gutierrez’s firm.

“When we interviewed her, I thought Kingsway would be better, because it’s a larger district,” she said. “It looks like she found us.”
 

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