Front Page News

Swedesboro Council Urges Residents
to Take Advantage of Available Money

by Katherine Harrison

SWEDESBORO -- At the Feb. 17 Borough Council meeting, the members of council agreed that Swedesboro residents need to start taking advantage of the financial aid that is available to them through grants and assistance programs.

One program is RCA funding, which can be used by homeowners who live in their homes and need money for heaters, windows, and roof repairs or replacements. There is an income limit to the program, but Mayor Tom Fromm insisted that this should not dissuade anyone from applying.

“It's surprisingly high income levels,” said Fromm. He added that the income limit increases if there are more people living in the house.

Fromm said that Swedesboro has $250,000 of available funds in this program, and the town has only used about $40 of that. He added that participation in these programs does not hurt the town in any way, and it does not result in any lost revenue for the town.

“This is real money, and it's available,” said Fromm.

Applications for the RCA program can be obtained at the Borough Hall. If anyone needs help filling out the application, the borough will send someone out to the resident's house to help complete it.

There are also some tax breaks for senior citizens and veterans, which many more people could be using.

Fromm said that the tax breaks are easy to apply for, since they just involve a one-page application. There is a strict income limit to some of them, but he said that he still thinks more people should be applying.

Fromm said that currently only about 30 residents in town take advantage of the tax breaks, and that he thinks at least double that amount of residents could be participating.

The council has tried to get the word out about both of these programs through their website, local churches, advertisements, and even going door-to-door. However, there are still many people who aren't applying.

“If anybody knows anybody around town, please let them know that there's money available,” said Councilwoman Diane Hale.

In public safety news, many members of the public have been voicing concerns about changes in traffic patterns in town due to construction started on the Glen Echo Avenue Bridge.

One area of concern is Franklin Street, where residents have noted congestion, speeding, and an increase in truck traffic.

Fromm has asked the county if it would be possible to extend the timing of the light on Franklin Avenue, but they are waiting to see if traffic patterns change first.

“There might be other streets that are also being affected,” said Councilman Sam Casella.

He added that as Memorial Day approaches and people start heading to the shore, the traffic is going to increase, particularly on Locke Avenue and through the center of town.

Casella also voiced concerns about the new blinking yellow light at the intersection of King's Highway and Glen Echo Road.

Due to the fact that the Glen Echo Road is temporarily closed, the traffic light at the intersection of that road and King's Highway has been replaced by a blinking yellow light. Casella said that this is causing people to go faster when they drive through town, because they no longer have to come to a complete stop at the intersection as they would for a red light.

Another problem is the new four-way stop installed on Feb. 6 at the intersection of Glen Echo Avenue and Franklin Street. Many people still aren't aware of the light change and are speeding through the intersection without stopping.

Fromm said that the county is planning to put up more signs on that road to warn people that a four-way stop is ahead.

Casella suggested that it might be good idea to get extra police on duty once or twice per week at the busiest traffic times to monitor speeding and also help with moving traffic through town.

Fromm agreed, and he added that coming up with the money to pay the officers “would not be an issue” due to the extra money that would be made from traffic tickets.

In other business, Councilman George Weeks said that there are a couple of problems with garbage and recycling in town.

One problem is that some people are bringing garbage in from other places and depositing it in their Swedesboro cans, costing the town extra money. Weeks said that if this problem continues, one option that they might want to consider in the future would be to limit residents to one garbage can per household.

Another problem is that people are still not recycling as much as they should be.

Weeks said that while the percentage of trash recycled in town is above the national average, there are still 36 percent of the households in town who are not recycling at all. He said that he is working with Recycle Bank to get some educational material out to the residents to help educate them about the recycling process.

Fromm added that he asked Recycle Bank to give a presentation to the council soon to present a one-year assessment of the recycling progress in town.

The council also decided to have local schools apply for a grant next year to possibly have Recycle Bank give presentations to the students.

In other news, Fromm said that he has asked the Board of Health to help him with getting a derelict house torn down at the corner of Horner Lane and King's Highway. The owner of the house does not want it to be demolished, but it has become a hazard because it is being used by children and animals.

The matter did go to court in early February, and the homeowner was told to board up the house within 24 hours. The homeowner was also told that he would have two weeks to present a report from a structural engineer stating that the house was capable of being fixed.

“There's a very slow process to get a house condemned or deemed unsafe,” said Fromm. “But we're taking the process and we're stepping it up.”

In other news, Hale said that she is working with Weeks on an application for the Safe Walk to School grant. This would provide money to Swedesboro for building sidewalks and crosswalks along the areas where children walk to school.

“We're doing a sidewalk inventory to determine where there are sidewalks, where there are not sidewalks, and where sidewalks need repair,” said Weeks.

Fromm said that this should also be added to a list of infrastructure projects which the town needs. The list is being compiled so that the council will know what to add into the budget if assistance becomes available from President Barack Obama's recently signed stimulus package.

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American Water Will Transfer
Customers to East Greenwich

by Beth S. Biermann

EAST GREENWICH – The East Greenwich township committee voted to authorize Mayor Fred Grant to sign an agreement with New Jersey American Water Company that will transfer any East Greenwich residents who are American Water customers to the township customer base.

According to Grant, approximately 1,500 East Greenwich residents pay American Water for their water. However, this group of residents doesn’t pay for any infrastructure fees in the township. According to the text of the resolution, American Water has “built no infrastructure within the Township and instead wheeled water through [the] Township’s infrastructure.”

By having all residents as township customers, the cost of projects such as the proposed new water tower and well at the intersection of Wolfert Station and Rattling Run roads will be shared by all township residents.

These residents will now be receiving a bill from the township instead of American Water, but the source of their water supply will remain the same. American Water will give the township these customers in exchange for an increase in the amount of water that the township currently purchases from the water company at a bulk rate.

Grant stated that the switchover could be complete by sometime in March. Before that time, customers will receive notification drafted by both the township and American Water.

The committee also introduced a $500,000 bond ordinance that will replenish open space funds. These funds are used by the township to pay landowners an incentive of an additional 15 percent of the land value when they preserve their land through the county.

According to Grant, the last $500,000 allocation of open space funding is now “running dry”. There will be a public hearing and final vote for the ordinance at the next regular committee meeting on March 10.

In other business, Police Chief Barry Jenkins was officially sworn in to office. In front of a packed room of family and friends, and alongside 16 East Greenwich police officers, his wife, toddler son and infant daughter, Jenkins took the oath to become the East Greenwich Chief of Police.

“If it weren’t for the support of my family and coworkers, I obviously would not be where I am today, “Jenkins commented. “Chief Miller gave me the opportunity when I was 21 years old. I don’t feel I’ve let anybody down, and I wouldn’t be standing here if I did.”

Jenkins, 39 and a 17 year veteran of the East Greenwich Police Department, was named Police Chief by the township committee on Dec. 9.

Jenkins joined the force in December 1991 as a Patrolman and was subsequently promoted to Sergeant in 2000 and then Lieutenant in 2005. Previous to being employed by East Greenwich, Jenkins worked for three years in the Gloucester County Sherriff’s Department as a Corrections Officer and a Sherriff’s Officer.

Jenkins replaced retiring Police Chief William Giordano.

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Committee Proposes Regulations for In-Law Suites

by Beth S. Biermann

WOOLWICH – The Woolwich Township Committee introduced an ordinance on Feb. 17 that would update the township code to include zoning and building code requirements for in-law suites.

According to Director of Community Development Anthony Zappasodi, this ordinance was drafted in response to “gray area” construction permits. He added that based on the economy, more in-laws are likely to move in with their immediate family.

While the current code does not allow apartments in residential zones, it does not address in-law suites, except to state that they are “not preferred”.

According to the text of the ordinance, its purpose is to “provide an economically-feasible alternative to nursing home and boarding home care so that immediate elderly relatives (62 years of age or older), or disabled relatives over the age of 18, can live with family members while maintaining some degree of overall independence.”

The proposed regulations require that only a family member may reside in the suite and must have access to the common areas (kitchen, bathroom, living room, etc.) of the dwelling.

The ordinance also prohibits the suite being located in a separate building or having separate gas and electric utilities from the original home. The suite must have access to the outside only through the dwelling and not through its own exterior doorway.

The proposed requirements do allow for the suite to have its own kitchen and bathroom.

Pending review and comments by the Joint Land Use Board, a public hearing on the ordinance was scheduled for March 2.

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Police Nab 4 Suspects In Woolwich Break-Ins

by Amie Simpson

WOOLWICH – Woolwich Township Police Captain Donald P. Doak stated that four men believed to be involved in the rash of break-ins between Dec. 23 and Jan. 26 have been arrested.

The four suspects are Anthony Warren, 26, of Camden, Kendrick Sanders, 23, of Paulsboro, Bergen Quindone, 20, of Clayton and Anthony Morgan, 20, of Deptford.

The men are charged with burglary, theft, and criminal mischief. All four men were placed in the county jail.

Witness said they saw two of the suspects in the process of stealing a large screen TV on Jan. 5. The men were captured 20 minutes later and arrested by police. Due to the quick response efforts, police were able to immediately recover and return the stolen goods to the homeowner.

Woolwich police report that the last break-in incident occurred on Jan. 26 and was in an unsecured vehicle with an unknown suspect. Although no incidents have been reported recently and those believed to be responsible for the recent crimes have been detained, Doak is advising residents to still be on the look out for suspicious activity and to use alarms and lock all vehicles.

Residents of Woolwich Township are being informed by email of any incidents and updates in regards to the recent burglaries. February’s issue of The New Town Press mistakenly stated that residents were being informed by letters.

If any resident wishes to be put on the informative email list, they can do so by logging on to the Woolwich Township homepage at www.woolwichtwp.org and register their email addresses.

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Stimulus Package Provides
Economic Growth for Logan Township

by Amie Simpson

LOGAN TWP. -- On Feb.17, Logan Township Mayor Frank Minor expressed his optimism for President Barak Obama’s signed $787 billion dollar stimulus package. The package will provide Logan Township and its residents with an increase in money.

Minor hopes that money will be available to move forward with the needed repairs of the sluice gates, tide gates and estimated 1,100 feet of levees currently protecting residents from Greenwich through Logan Township from floods.

With Obama’s stimulus package, Logan Township taxpayers will be provided hope that their roads and levees are not only providing them with safety, but with possible economic revitalization with an increase in jobs once money gets down to the municipalities.

Although Minor is looking forward to the eventual completion of the sluice gate, tide gate and levee project, he is “cautiously optimistic.” Minor is dedicated to carrying out this existing project, but will not do so without securing the appropriate resources.

Unfortunately, the existing flood protection project costs are still unknown, as the figures are based on the final design of the proposal. However, Logan Township hopes to receive an acceptable amount of money for the project in the recently signed stimulus package, but ultimately wishes for its residents to feel the effects of its profitability.

Minor hopes that by next year, if not sooner, the project should begin its movement towards completion.

Kerri Stinger, firefight from the Repaupo fire department marked the opening of the floor to the public as she expressed concern and disapproval with Logan Township’s decision to abandon its merger of fire departments.

“The unification of the departments has to honor the fire fighters heritage without fracturization,” stated Committeeman Lyman Barnes. “A voluntary merger was creating problems when it should’ve be conclusive with the department’s historical spirit.”

Right now, Logan Township is working on formulating a budget and the framework needed in moving forward with the project.

Stinger also brought up the issue of the recently appointed Municipal Fire Chief Scott Oatman. Stinger expressed disapproval with the decision, calling it, “unjust” because the fire department didn’t have the choice to vote on the decision.

Stinger frowned upon the townships decision, as she felt it limited the responsibilities of the Deputy Chief of Operations Rich Rhodes.

Although the committee could not give an exact answer as to what the full responsibilities of the newly appointed position of Municipal Fire Chief are, they assured Stinger and other firefighters in attendance that they would look into the duties of each title.

Additionally discussed in the meeting was the 22 percent reduction of trash in the township due to the new automated trash system. Although it is too early to draw any conclusions from one month’s studies, the recycling method hopes to show a remarkable cut down on trash cost and quantity.

Residents are giving glowing remarks on the automated trash and recycling system and special thanks were given to the Public Works Superintendent Dave McCormick and the department for their continual hard work and effort.

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