Page 4 • Wednesday , January 19 , 2022 • The Hammonton Gazette
Mento outlines plans for 2022
MENTO , from Page 1
“ We ’ re very fortunate to have our own in-house bus department . They ’ re all our own workers , we own our buses and if you look around the surrounding communities that are closing around us , a lot of it is because they can ’ t get bus drivers ,” Mento said .
Mento also noted that the board will be meeting with the Teamsters to give drivers a raise as well as raising the starting pay level to approximately $ 22 an hour .
One goal the board has set is the addition of a turf field for the high school . The field will be primarily used for field hockey but will also be striped for soccer . Mento estimates the cost will be close to $ 1.5 million .
Mento is hopeful that the board will be awarding the contract on January 20 and that the field will be ready for use by next school year . The completion date in the contract is for July , according to Mento , but the worry surrounding the completion date stems from issues with getting supplies in time .
“ In the bid , we have a hard completion date of July 30 . The project itself is not the concern . Our biggest concern is the material , being sure we would be able to get that . So , we would also have to look into that once we award the contract because what we ’ re not going to do is have the field tore up and not ready for the season because we are placing this new artificial turf on top of the existing girls varsity field hockey field ,” Mento said .
Mento also mentioned that he ’ s very confident that the solar project will be completed and optimistic about the town ’ s fullday pre-K program .
Mento also wants to make sure that students get to enjoy the events that they have worked so hard for throughout their academic careers .
“ It ’ s really just the return to normalcy . Providing the students the time honored traditions and milestones like prom , Hop , N . H . S and in-person graduation . They ’ re small goals at this point but this virus , we ’ re taking it day-by-day ,
COMMISSION , from Page 1 fantastic ,” Oliva said .
Oliva said that the addition of secretary Kelly Vitalo has been a boon for the commission .
“ Kelly has been a fantastic addition to this team — and Kelly , I can ’ t thank you enough for stepping in mid-way last year and helping us as we underwent a dramatic increase in tree permit applications ,” Oliva said .
That increase , Oliva said , required “ everybody to get out into the field a little more and see more of people ’ s properties and take a look at some tree removal permits with a little more ferocity .”
“ Understanding that we were doing that so much more so than normal , we instituted the badge access for everyone so everyone would have a badge through the town of Hammonton with the town of Hammonton emblem on it . This way , it gave our residents confidence that it is a person who is coming from the Hammonton Environmental Commission , and everyone on the board is comfortable , understanding that they have the protection of the town seal behind them , saying that they ’ re here for official town business ,” Oliva said .
Oliva then entertained nominations for chairperson of the Hammonton Environmental Commission for a term of one year . Commissioner Michael Hozik nominated Commissioner Dan Bachalis for the position ; Commissioner Martha Matro seconded the
week-by-week and our hope is to provide the best and ‘ normal ’ education for all our students ,” Mento said .
THG / File Photo
Sam Mento III was reelected to be
the president of the Hammonton School Board on January 3 . Mento outlined his goals for the upcoming year .
Bachalis named chairperson of Env . Comm .
nomination , and Bachalis was unanimously voted as chairperson .
“ Members of the commission , I want to thank you for your continuing , inexplicable trust in my leadership — my dubious leadership — and I want to thank you very much for that vote of confidence in me ,” Bachalis said .
Hozik then nominated Commissioner Terri Caruso-Cafiso to serve as vice-chair and Commissioner Amy Menzel seconded the motion . Caruso-Cafiso was approved unanimously .
“ Thank you . I appreciate the support ; let ’ s continue what we ’ re doing , the good work ,” Caruso-Cafiso said .
Joining the commission for the meeting was Paul Signore , the Mullica River Watershed Ambassador . Menzel said that Signore helped to organize a cleanup of Hammonton Lake Park in December of 2021 .
“ We had a great time and had some high school students out there — nice crowd — and covered a lot of territory at the lake . It was really nice to be able to talk with Paul a little bit and learn about his interests , and to find out that he is really interested in perhaps partnering with us for some invasive species removal . We definitely look forward to working with you ,” Menzel said . Signore discussed his background . “ I ’ ve been a marine science educator for about six years . I worked at Marine Science Camp ; we have locations all around the state . I teach kids about environmental science and marine science and the local ecosystems of the towns that I work in ; it could be anywhere from Rumson to Beach Haven — pretty much all over the coast and rivers ,” Signore said . Signore described his position as Mullica
River Watershed Ambassador . “ I help promote environmental stewardship through presentations , projects and other initiatives , like cleanups like we most recently did at Hammonton Lake . I also do presentations at schools for classes . I was just at Galloway Twp . Middle School . The Sooy Elementary School was the most recent one ; I know that ’ s close by ,” Signore said .
Signore said that he was excited to work with the town on more partnership projects .
“ Invasive species removal is a potential project , tree plantings , any sort of maintenance on public parks or any other sort of projects that are in need . Rain gardens are another potential project that watershed ambassadors often like to get started ; keeping up on existing rain gardens is another type of project . We ’ re also excited to maybe in the spring do a macro-aquatic invertebrate sampling with students , to teach them how to go out and do that themselves ,” Signore said .
In other business , the Hammonton Environmental Commission discussed their work plan for the coming year , which includes updating the Community Forestry Management Plan , a review of the Community Stewardship Incen-
See ENVIrONMENTAL , Page 10