Mayor, Scaltrito debate Frog Rock purchase
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 • The Hammonton Gazette • Page 3
TOWN, from Page 2
when DiDonato originally pro-
posed it on July 23, 2018 and put a
60-day timeframe on completing
the purchase.
“i mean, there was such a rush
back then and we’re in the same
spot. So, were we being overdra-
matic five and a half months ago
about having to hurry up and pur-
chase it within 60 days?” Scaltrito
asked.
DiDonato said the situation re-
garding the frog rock parcel has
“evolved” since it was first intro-
duced, and, in recent weeks, new
developments have been discov-
ered about the site that have neces-
sitated the special meeting and
presentation.
“i really don’t want to get into it
tonight, but there are extenuating
circumstances that have been re-
vealed in the last two weeks …
You’re not only going to hear
things from five and a half months
ago [at the february 7 meeting].
You’re going to hear things from
1993 of how this site evolved and
how maybe along the way we have
some issues related to this site and
how it was handled and how it was
constructed,” DiDonato said.
Scaltrito also questioned why
the cost to purchase the land was
now $1.7 million [the January 28
meeting agenda now states the
number as $1.8 million] even
though she said the property was
appraised at $841,000.
“it is part of the lawsuit, settle-
ment of a tort claim of a possible
lawsuit,” DiDonato said.
Councilman Sam rodio ensured
Scaltrito that all of her doubts and
concerns will be addressed during
the meeting on february 7.
“We will have everything.
You’ll have a solicitor. Our solici-
tor [Michael Malinsky] can’t speak
on it; there’s a conflict here
tonight. He can’t say a word to
you. Next week, you’ll have a so-
licitor sitting in that can tell you
exactly where we’re at, where
we’re going, no holds barred, no
hiding of nothing. 100 percent, you
will hear where we’re going, what
we’re doing, why we’re doing it,”
rodio said.
after Scaltrito concluded a se-
ries of questions about the logistics
and reasoning behind the proposed
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frog rock purchase, Council-
woman Brooke Sacco commended
her for her questions to mayor and
council.
“i want to thank you, Mrs. Scal-
trito, for your effort and research
and all that. i really appreciate your
passion and i think all of us do,
even if we don’t agree with it. You
put in a lot more thought and edu-
cation, research, into this than most
people that are out there running
their mouths about it. So, i do ap-
preciate it,” Sacco said.
Given the changes that have oc-
curred and discoveries that were
made about the frog rock prop-
erty, Scaltrito suggested that it’s
fortunate that council had not
reached a purchase agreement
when the proposal was first intro-
duced in august, but DiDonato
said that may not be true, given
what the town will likely be paying
per acre in the amended proposal.
“i don’t know if it would have
been better because now we’re
going to end up paying a higher
number for less acreage because
the lawsuit and the issues that tran-
spired … there’s always tradeoffs
in everything we do in life,” DiDo-
nato said.
resident Steven Hartzell also
spoke during the public comment
portion of the meeting and ex-
pressed his disappointment about
the job done by construction crews
during a recent road improvement
project near his home on Virginia
avenue.
after the work was completed,
Hartzell said the curbing on the
street is no longer level with the
grass and sidewalk in several areas
and some of the old curbing in
front of his home was damaged by
steamrollers during the road
repaving.
“i don’t think anybody’s been
there to see the quality of the work
that was done of our tax money
being spent because it’s terrible,”
Hartzell said.
Hartzell said he has been trying
to get in contact with public works
department head Scott rivera to
discuss the issue since early De-
cember but has not received a call
back. He also said he contacted
Public Works Manager/Business
administrator Jerome Barberio
and only heard back from him
once.
“Nobody got back to me ... i
waited two months. i came to the
meeting. i figured two months was
enough time to say, ‘We took a
look at it. We’re looking into it;
we’ll get back to you. it’s probably
going to take until spring,’ but i
haven’t gotten that, so that’s why
i’m here,” Hartzell said.
Hartzell questioned why only
some of the curbing on Virginia
avenue was replaced when “95
percent” of the town’s roads that
were recently repaved received all
new curbing. rodio refuted
Hartzell’s claim, which sparked a
See MEETING, Page 10
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