Tire, Motor Oil & Filter Disposal Service
Ends In Swedesboro

by Michael Williams

SWEDESRORO – The borough will no longer provide the service of collecting old tires, motor oil, and oil filters for residents. In a unanimous decision the council voted to stop the service at the regularly scheduled town meeting on Sept. 21.

“Based on the volume of the material that’s coming in, it’s determined that most of this is coming through our commercial residents,” said Council Member George Weeks.

The service was initially intended to benefit residential residents, but is something that commercial entities have been taking advantage of. Commercial residents should have alternate methods of disposing of their own waste without the service, said Weeks.

Up this point the borough has been paying for the disposal of tires, oil and oil filters for the commercial residents. “In a three month period we spend about $2,300. Over the course of the year we’re talking a little over $8,000, and that’s just for the disposal of the tires,” said Weeks.

Residents are able to take their old tires to the county dump for disposal. Waste oil and oil filters are accepted by most service stations that perform oil changes.

“It’s been way overdue,” said Mayor Thomas Fromm. “(The service) was never designed to be commercial and it just sort of morphed into that over time. No one who changes their own oil is going to have problem. You can just take it up to any place that changes oil and they’re required to take it.”

In other business, Swedesboro resident and Republican candidate for Council Russell Zappala approached the council to ask about new water meters that will be installed for older Swedesboro homes. Zappala asked if the cost of the meters would be paid by residents.

“Initially the cost will be paid through a bond, but over time we should save a significant portion of money,” said Council President David Flaherty. Fromm also indicated that there will be no upfront cost to the residents for the installation of the new meters.

The radio-read water meters will allow for more accurate water usage readings and will allow readings to be taken without entering the home of a resident. “This should save the borough a lot of money,” said Zappala in a later comment.

Also the Olde Kings Annual Jazz Fest will be taking place on Oct. 17. The event will take place at various businesses and historic sites between 4 p.m. to midnight. Advance wristbands can be purchased online at the Swedesboro website for $20 or at the event for $25.

For more information call 1-888-315-8009 x 707 or visit www.swedesboro-nj.us and click on the Jazz Fest tab.

Coughlan Honored as Hometown Hero

by Beth S. Biermann

EAST GREENWICH – The Township Committee voted to officially proclaim Stephen W. Coughlan, a soldier in the United States Army, a Hometown Hero on Sept. 8. The presentation of a framed proclamation to Coughlan was held on Sept. 22.

Coughlan, an East Greenwich Township resident, was deployed to Iraq from September 2006 to October 2007. He just returned from Afghanistan in September, having served there since February 2009.

In other business conducted at the Sept. 8 meeting, the Committee passed an ordinance prohibiting parking on residential lawns. A resident convicted in Municipal Court of violating the ordinance by parking on or allowing someone else to park on their lawn will pay a fine between $50 and $500. Each vehicle parked on a lawn will count as a separate violation of the ordinance. Every day a vehicle is parked on a resident’s lawn will also be a separate violation.

Another ordinance passed by the Committee approved the installation of stop signs at four intersections in the township. Two of the new stop signs will be located on Hereford Lane at the intersections of both Bodo Otto Dr. and Still Run Rd. A third will be placed at the junction of Stone Ridge Dr. and Clover Ridge Dr., while the fourth will be at the meeting of Gaunt Dr. and Howard Dr.

Woolwich To See Revenue
for Cutting Energy Use

by Beth S. Biermann

WOOLWICH – The Woolwich Township Committee voted to enroll in an energy saving program with Energy Curtailment Specialists, Inc. (ECS). ECS is a New York based company, which through its PowerPay program, pays businesses for voluntarily reducing their electricity consumption during peak demand times.

Through the program, Woolwich will receive an annual sum of $17,205.19 in exchange for being willing to reduce power use when requested. According to ECS’s website, organizations are typically given one day notice when they will be asked to reduce their energy use.

In addition to the annual revenue, each time that Woolwich is asked to cut down on their electricity consumption when the demand on the grid is high, the township will receive an additional $570. In order to accomplish a reduction of power use, the new municipal building and the public works building (the former municipal building) will use a generator for electricity.

The resolution states that the township’s interest in this program lies in the desire to reduce its carbon footprint, as well as acquiring another revenue source.

In other business, the Committee authorized the advertisement of bids for roof insulation for the Woolwich Fire Company Fire House. Mayor Joe Chila asked Committeeman Sam Maccarone, Jr., committee liaison to the fire department, if there was an agreement with Swedesboro to pay Woolwich back for half the cost of the insulation. Maccarone said there wasn’t yet an agreement and Chila stated that they could still go out to bid, but wouldn’t award it until the reimbursement arrangements were straightened out.

On July 20, the Committee passed an ordinance that appropriated $45,000 for both the purchase of radios and for roof improvements for the fire department. The portion attributed to the insulation was $25,000. According to Maccarone, the insulation was not adequate when the roof was replaced last year, resulting in high heating costs for the fire house.

In July, when the appropriation was made for the insulation project, Township Administrator Jane DiBella stated that the township would be applying for a grant that, if awarded, would recoup the funds for the insulation. The township has not been informed yet of the status of their grant application.

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