News and photos from
Uptown Hammonton
p. 15-17
16-Page Menu and Dining
Take in the sights and
Guide! Hope you’re hungry smells at the Flower Show
p. 23-38
p. 43
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
$255 SEWER, WATER INCREASE
Volume 19 • Issue 8
by Brittany Mauro
Gazette Staff WRiteR
HaMMONtON—at their regular meeting of february 23, town
council unanimously approved the
first reading of an ordinance for
sewer and water rates that included
a $255 rate increase for town water
www.hammontongazette.com
Unanimously approved; deficit of nearly $1,000,000
and sewer services. the rate increase is needed to offset an approximately $1,000,000 deficit in
the department, town officials said.
[See related article, Page 1.]
“2014 saw a substantial decline
in revenue to the utility. the final
water and sewer budget expended
approximately $980,000 surplus,
which was not replenished. the
bottom line? the utility needs to return to financial sustainability in
2015. and to accomplish this, the
problem with declining revenues
must be addressed immediately …
the water and sewer committee
working with the town administration has developed a proposed rate
structure which, if adopted, will restore the utility on a self-liquidating
basis … Under this new rate struc-
ture, the price for residential water
service will be increased from $170
annually, to a semi-annual price of
$140 for base-level service. the
new annual price for base-level
sewer service will be increased by
Water and sewer Friends gather on Third Thursday
rate hike detailed
See COUNCIL, Page 14
Rates could increase $255 for users
by Brittany Mauro
Gazette Staff WRiteR
HaMMONtON—Mayor
Stephen DiDonato and council
members edward Wuillermin,
Steven furgione, Michael Pullia
and Sam Rodio met with Public
Works Manager/Business admin-
istrator Jerome Barberio and town
accountant frank zuber to discuss
the 2015 utility budget and solid
waste collection services during a
meeting of the Public Works
transportation Committee and
Water and Sewer Committee
(PWtC/WS) on february 18 on
the third floor of Hammonton
Taking a closer look
at the PARCC test
by Paul J. Macrie IV
Gazette Staff WRiteR
HaMMONtON—the Partnership for assessment of Readiness
for College and Careers (PaRCC)
exam is a two-part assessment. the
first portion will be implemented
in March to evaluate performance,
See SEWER, Page 12
while the second part will take
place towards the end of the academic year. New Jersey is one of
12 states that will be offering these
exams to public school students
from third to 11th grade. the computer-based test will gauge students’ math and english skills.
Masons’ Friday night Fish Fry Lincoln St. site’s
See PARCC, Page 10
THG/Paul J. Macrie IV. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
Dorothy Orlandini, Tamie Watkins, Dr. Donna Pherribo, Cathie Lucca and June Wrobleski enjoying Third Thursday
festivities in the back of Casciano Coffee Bar on February 19. For more photos, see Page 40.
remediation plans
by Paul J. Macrie IV
Gazette Staff WRiteR
HaMMONtON—the Public
Works and transportation and
Water and Sewer Committees
(PWtC/WS) of town council met
on february 19 at Civil Solutions,
a division of adams, Rehmann
and Heggan (aRH), located on
150 N. Second St. the committee
addressed some items ahead of the
february 23 Hammonton town
Council meeting, including public
works technology issues, the airport runway lighting project update, some engineer discussion
Town merchants see
more cards than cash
by Paul J. Macrie IV
Gazette Staff WRiteR
THG/Paul J. Macrie IV. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
The members of the local Masonic lodge are hosting a fish fry every Friday in Lent at their Central Avenue location.
Above: Tim Russell fries fish, while fellow members Matt Smith, Frank Thibault and Brian Jones help.
ON SALE AT 70+ LOCATIONS • SUBSCRIBE TO The
HaMMONtON—How
are
local consumers currently paying
for items? The Gazette spoke to a
host of local businesses about the
subject. are people using cash,
credit cards or checks to pay for
items? after speaking to representatives of the businesses, cash is
See PWTC/WS, Page 3
becoming less of a spending feature for consumers, while credit
and debit cards are taking precedent.
Casciano Coffee Bar and Sweetery Owner Linda Cashan said her
customers pay for her items via
credit or debit card at least 35 percent of the time now.
“i would say it could be actually
closer to 40. Most people use debit
Gazette • $20 FOR 52 WEEKS
See CREDIT, Page 4