$1.8M purchase of Frog Rock ‘back 9’ golf holes passes 1st reading
Wednesday, February 13, 2019 • The Hammonton Gazette • Page 3
COUNCIL, from Page 1
ture on a portion of a 120-acre
parcel of land (Block 4303, Lot
20) at Frog Rock Golf and Coun-
try Club that will be purchased by
the town as part of the bond.
According to Mayor Stephen
DiDonato, purchasing the land
will allow the town to distribute
treated effluent from its waste
water treatment plant.
According the council meeting
agenda, the bond ordinance in-
cludes $1.8 million for the acqui-
sition of the Frog Rock Golf &
Country Club’s “back nine” golf
holes acreage. DiDonato said the
bond ordinance includes $1.7 mil-
lion that will be used to acquire
the parcel of Frog Rock’s land,
plus an additional $100,000 in
“soft costs” (delineation of a wet-
lands buffer, paperwork, legal
fees, closing costs, etc.) required
to finalize the purchase, which
will give the town up to an addi-
tional 65 acres of land (depending
on wetlands buffer) to dispose of
its treated effluent, thus prevent-
ing any waste water from being
discharged into the Hammonton
Creek and the waterways that
flow into it.
According to town clerk Frank
Zuber, the $2.6 million bond ordi-
nance also includes $600,000 for
the construction of additional drip
irrigation infrastructure for the
town’s land application site on
Boyer Avenue; $100,000 for the
purchase of equipment for the
utility department and $100,000
for the design of sewer lines on
Boyer Avenue.
The soft costs will be expended
during the next 90 to 120 days,
DiDonato said.
“The only money that will be
expended over the next 90 to 120
days are the soft costs. The only
thing you’ll do is sign a contract
with contingencies and you’ll put
a deposit down that will sit with
our attorney or a title company; it
will not sit in the hands of the
seller,” DiDonato said.
Former councilman Edward
Wuillermin gave a presentation
about the history of the town’s
waste water treatment plant dur-
ing the meeting.
DiDonato said the purchase of
the property from Frog Rock and
the consequent construction of the
necessary infrastructure to dispose
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of the town’s waste water is ex-
pected to ensure that the town will
be able to manage its waste water
disposal for the next 50 years.
“If we make this purchase and
these 65 acres of additional drip,
we will control our own future for
a minimum of 50 years. We have
the opportunity to purchase the
adjoining site; this option does not
come along every day and we can-
not afford to let that opportunity
pass us by,” DiDonato said.
Before the purchase agreement
is finalized, DiDonato said the
town must resolve claims against
it.
“I will personally make sure
that all those with claims against
the town will sign off, every sin-
gle person,” DiDonato said.
DiDonato also noted the town
would be saving $5 million in re-
tired bond money during the next
seven years and said the sewer
plan will ensure that there will be
no increase in the residents’ water
and sewer rates.
“We can solve our sewer prob-
lems and not raise your rates guar-
anteed.
It
is
truly
a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
So, now is our time to make the
decision that is best for our fami-
lies, our children, our grandchil-
dren, our hometown we know and
love,” DiDonato said.
After outlining the specifica-
tions of the Frog Rock property
and the details of the proposed
purchase agreement, several
members of the public spoke
about the proposed plan, which if
agreed upon, would spend $1.8
million to acquire a parcel of land,
according to the agenda. The par-
cel has an assessed value of ap-
proximately $880,000, according
to town conflict solicitor Brian
Howell.
DiDonato also commented on
The Gazette.
“Since this summer, there have
been many opinions and quarrels
between opposing views. I was
not worried about how I was
viewed as long as I was doing
what I felt was right for Hammon-
ton and to its residents. Ladies and
gentlemen, I judge myself not by
public opinion, but by the man in
the mirror every morning, and if I
could live with the man in the mir-
ror, I could keep moving forward.
“However, I feel it is time to
end my silence. The only thing
that we have in our life is our
name. I would like to address the
stories that surrounded this case.
DiDonato Family Fun Center, my
business, our family’s business
since 1952. My father’s in the au-
dience tonight. We’ve never hurt
anyone it this town. We’ve always
been an advocate for Hammonton
… And if I do do something to
embarrass my name, he’d be the
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