Page 4 • Wednesday , January 25 , 2017 • The Hammonton Gazette
New gas main for Valley Ave .
PWTC , from Page 1 tees that South Jersey Gas is seeking to perform a partial gas main replacement on a portion of Valley Avenue , extending from the intersection of Bellevue Avenue to the intersection of Peach Street .
According to Vettese ’ s report , when crews were patching a gas leak near the intersection of Valley and Bellevue avenues , it was discovered that an old section of the main would need to be replaced . The main will run behind the curb , but installation will require crews to dig into the base course of asphalt in seven spots .
South Jersey Gas is requesting approval to perform the gas main replacement on Saturday , February 4 and will have until Friday , February 24 to complete the project , which Vettese said will “ probably ” take between one and two weeks . Crews are responsible for limiting their disturbance as much as possible and for paving the spots they work on wherever possible , according to Vettese .
The project will be taking place on a portion of the same road that recently received an extensive , complete utility replacement , during which a 24-inch sanitary sewer main and water main was installed . Vettese said South Jersey Gas does not have permission to cut into the sanitary sewer main because of how deep underground it is . The project is contingent on approval from town council .
Also during the Engineer ’ s Report , Vettese reported that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection ( NJDEP ) is requiring the town to apply for an additional permit in order to proceed with its necessary mesh screen replacement project for Well No . 4 at the town water department . According to Vettese , because the NJDEP has deemed the project as more than “ just maintenance ,” the town must now apply for a modification permit as well . The permit fee and review by the NJDEP will cost $ 1,357.53 .
Vettese said that he will try to stay on top of the NJDEP and ensure that the town gets the well repaired by the late spring deadline it had set when it was first discovered that the mesh screen would need to be repaired .
“ We ’ re going to try to pressure them . They knew the deadlines associated with when we need that back . Can I guarantee that we ’ re going to get in within four weeks ? No , but they know the deadlines ,” Vettese said .
In other news , Public Works Manager / Business Administrator Jerome Barberio asked for ARH Senior Project Mark Herrmann to give an update on the status of the on-site equipment for the Valley Avenue utility replacement project , which recently concluded for the winter .
Herrmann said the reason some equipment ( rollers , backhoes , etc .) is still on-site is because work crews are working on some lastminute “ winterizing ” to fortify the site for the winter .
Committee member and town councilman Michael Pullia pointed out to Herrmann that there is a drainage problem at “ two or three ” spots on Valley Avenue , where water is puddling in the middle of the road after heavy rain .
“ If you go after a rain storm , you see there is a lot of water puddling , but when it is puddling in front of an apron , that is OK because the apron is damming it up . When it is puddling in the middle between two aprons , there is a problem . There are not a lot of them , I have to be honest with you . There are only like two or three — the ones that are there are deep ,” Pullia said .
Herrmann said he talked to officials with the project ’ s contractor , Mathis Construction Co . LLC , regarding the puddling issues on January 19 , and that he intends on meeting with Mathis on location to survey the problem areas and figure out a solution .
“ We talked about it today [ January 19 ]. I wanted to have [ Mathis ] come out and walk with me and look at some areas ... Broadway and Bellevue , on the corners there , it sits . The other day , I think it was from end to end ; the whole entire intersection was flooded . So , we have to find a way to get that water out of there . I want to get [ them ] out there and go over my concerns ,” Herrmann said .
In other business , the committees discussed a resolution to allow for the town to call upon town employs to assist with snow removal via small pickup trucks , as well as large and small dump trucks . Barberio explained that because the employees interested in helping are “ exempt employees with individual agreement work contracts ,” they are not eligible for overtime pay . The resolution would allow these employees to do the work if called upon and be compensated accordingly as a regular employee . No action was made regarding the resolution during the portion of the meeting open to the public .
The Hammonton PWTC / WSC will meet next on Thursday , February 16 , 3 p . m ., in ARH ’ s offices , located at 215 Bellevue Ave .
Marinelli named board chair
BOARD , from Page 2 Gazette he is happy to be back where his
public service career first began .
“ I ’ m very happy to be back . This is where I started in 1982 . I happened to be 18 years old when I started here , and I ’ m really looking forward to it — a lot of the ordinances and everything . Myself and Sal Colasurdo , along with many different solicitors , wrote over the years ; the land use book was very few pages when we came here in 1982 . In fact , Hammonton ’ s master plan had not yet been accepted by Pinelands [ Commission ], and I remember going to Trenton at 18 years old — Sal Colasurdo and myself going to Trenton with Mayor [ Russell ] Clark at that time — to argue to get them to pass our master plan . I ’ m really happy to be back . I love it here ,” Giralo said .
Also returning to the planning board was Salvatore Capelli , who will serve a fouryear term . Capelli told The Gazette that being reappointed has been a good feeling , and he is looking forward to accomplishing as much as he can during the next four years .
“ It feels good to be reappointed . I just hope that we can get moving here and get things going because it hasn ’ t been great . I ’ d just love to move this town forward and hope that we can do it ,” Capelli said .
The Hammonton Planning Board also approved the following appointments during the meeting :
• James Schroeder , of Schroeder Law Group , was nominated for board solicitor by Hozik ( one-year term ). The motion was seconded by DeMarco and approved unanimously .
• Robert Vettese , of Adams , Rehmann and Heggan ( ARH ) Associates , was nominated for board engineer by Giralo ( oneyear term ). The motion was seconded by Capelli and approved unanimously .
• Kevin Dixon , of Dixon Associates , was nominated for board planner and traffic engineer by DeMarco ( one-year term ). The motion was seconded by Capelli and approved unanimously .
• Patti Berenato was nominated for board secretary by Hozik ( one-year term ). The motion was seconded by board member Linda Byrnes and approved unanimously . In other business , the following resolutions were adopted during the meeting :
• Resolution 7-16 : Waiver of site plan review for Hammonton Investors LLC , Taco Bell ( A motion to adopt was made by Byrnes , seconded by board member Vincent Messina and approved unanimously ).
• Resolution 9-05 : Amended preliminary of final site plan approved for Block 4801 , Lot 6 and 6.01 , Main Road Apartments , Mmg Real Estate Holdings LLC . ( A motion to adopt was made by Hozik , seconded by board member Paul Esposito and approved unanimously ). The Hammonton Planning Board will meet next on Wednesday , February 1 , 7 p . m ., in town hall chambers .
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