Page 4 • Wednesday , July 6 , 2022 • The Hammonton Gazette
Mayor : Stormwater utility mailer sent by Pinelands Preservation Alliance
COUNCIL , from Page 1
• Approval to transfer Jacqueline Martinez to Police Records . Full-time , yearly salary of $ 30,420 , single benefits , 32.5 hours a week retroactive to June 1 , 2022 . Contingent upon all civil services rules and regulations .
• Approval to transfer Mildred Collazo to Violation Clerk in the Municipal Court . Full-time , yearly salary $ 30,420 , single benefits , 32.5 hours per week effective July 1 , 2022 . Contingent upon all civil services rules and regulations .
• Accept Daniel Sulzner as a junior member in Hammonton Independent Volunteer Fire Company No . 2 . Approved at Fire Company meeting on June 8 , 2022 . The items were approved . While presenting the Business and Industry Committee report , Councilman William Olivo said that a resolution was on the agenda at the suggestion of Main- Street Hammonton declaring July as “ Blueberry Month ” in the town of Hammonton .
“ They ’ d like to have some events focusing on the blueberry . This year would be a pilot program to see where that goes and how far it could be taken . For the first year , they ’ ll have some events and see how we can handle that ,” Olivo said .
The resolution in question was Resolution No . 090-2022 , Recognize July as Blueberry Month in the town of Hammonton , which was approved unanimously .
Later in the meeting , Mayor Stephen DiDonato discussed a mailer that was recently sent to town residents .
“ This was not sent by the town of Hammonton , mayor and council or the taxpayers ’ dollars . This was sent by the Pinelands Preservation Alliance , and it ’ s discussing stormwater utility , if the town were to choose to do something like that ,” DiDonato said .
DiDonato said that the town received a grant from the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters to investigate the possibility of instituting such a utility , including a presentation by Princeton Hydro at council ’ s May 23 meeting .
“ We ’ re still digesting that information ,” DiDonato said .
DiDonato said that he does not like implementing new taxes unless “ we ’ re absolutely forced to .”
Olivo noted that discussions at the previous meeting included voting to take the issue no further so as to not needlessly spend grant dollars . Public Works Manager Robert Vettese commented further .
“ I think the way we left it at last meeting was that we would form a committee to talk about that , and then when the flyer went out , there ’ s also something on that particular flyer that Pinelands Preservation put out that , if people are interested — or not interested — put their opinion together on that . I think it would behoove us to at least see what the people might think ,” Vettese said .
Vettese noted the release of additional material on June 20 .
“ There was a video that went out . It was put out by the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters associated with stormwater utilities , just for information ,” Vettese said .
Councilman Steven Furgione said that the mailer arrived in mailboxes on June 15 , the same day as the Public Works and Transportation Committee ( PWTC ) meeting .
“ We ’ ll go back into committee in July and try to put an end to this thing . It gives the residents 30 days if they have any comments to make ,” Furgione said .
During his report , Town Engineer Mark Herrmann , of Adams , Rehmann and Heggan Associates ( ARH ), had one action item regarding three applications that the town is submitting to the New Jersey Department of Transportation ( DOT ).
“ They all require resolutions that say that council supports signing the application for ARH to submit it ,” Herrmann said .
The three resolutions were Resolution No . 091-2022 , Approve Bike Path Application and Resolution No . 092-2022 , Approve Bikeways Application — both for the Veterans Place Bicycle Connector Phase II project — and Resolution No . 093-2022 , Approve Front Street Pedestrian Application . The resolutions were approved . Herrmann also noted that construction on Valley Avenue was anticipated to start the week of June 20 .
“ We ’ ll be getting that going pretty soon with water main replacement , with School House Lane to follow , so things will be moving . Now that the summer is here , materials are breaking , so it ’ s good news ,” Herrmann said . DiDonato agreed . “ It seems like , with the interest rates increasing , all of a sudden contractors and materials have become more plentiful . I wonder how that happened ?” DiDonato said .
Herrmann ’ s report also included the following information items :
• Old Forks Road Survey ( ARH No . 11-40061 ), Hammonton Bike Path Connector – Phase II ( ARH No . 11-40052.07 ) and 11th Street
Sidewalk Improvements ( ARH No . 11-40062 ): Field work is complete . ARH will submit a proposal for the design of the project , for consideration at the July Meeting .
• 2021 / 2022 Water Capital Projects ( ARH No . 11-30167 ): The design along each roadway has been completed . ARH is coordinating with the Director of Public Works to finalize the scope of the options under consideration , which includes Route 54 , from First Road to Second Road ; South First Road , from 10th Street to dead end in the vicinity of Birch Drive ; and a portion of the water main at the White Horse Pike and the extension along Seagrove Avenue .
• Skinner Property / 317 N . Egg Harbor Road ( ARH No . 11- 01074.01 ): ARH has reviewed the latest sampling results and is performing additional research and coordination with their LSRP to determine the next best steps forward .
• K & K Linens Property / 224 Vine Street ( ARH No . 11- 01094.01 ): The contractor has obtained the necessary utility disconnections and started the asbestos abatement process during the week of June 13 . The building demolition will be performed upon successful abatement . ARH has submitted the parking lot design plans to NJ Pinelands for Public Development approval .
• Octagon Oil / Vine Street Parking Lot ( ARH No . 11-01060 ): The lab results have been received and reviewed by ARH , and the Remedial Action Permit ( RAP ) has been submitted to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection ( NJDEP ).
• Mazza Muffler Site / 104 S . Egg Harbor Road ( ARH No . 11-
01102 ): Project plans and specifications for the demolition of the building have been completed .
• Celona Site Remediation - 130 Railroad Avenue ( ARH No . 11- 01054 ): ARH completed the receptor evaluation at the site and completed the remedial investigation report .
• Water Quality Accountability Act Compliance ( ARH No . P2022-0159 ): ARH has coordinated a conference call to review a draft cyber security action plan and is scheduling site visits to the well sites to do the physical assessments .
• Boyer Avenue Pump Station ( ARH No . 11-50144 ): ARH has met with the Director of Public Works , and we have made minor design changes to the layout for discussion with the residents .
• Lake Park ADA Playground / Small Cities ( ARH No . 11- 01100 ): Construction has commenced . Clearing , grading and paving have been performed . The playground equipment has been ordered .
• Hammonton Middle School Tennis Courts ( ARH No . P2022- 0202 ): ARH has prepared a layout of the tennis courts and is scheduling a meeting with the Board of Education to discuss the project prior to completing the plans and specifications .
• Batchelor Lane / Central Ave ( ARH No . 11-60211 ): ARH has located the wetlands and created the base plan .
During his report , Town Solicitor Michael Malinsky had two action items .
“ If council is so inclined , I need a resolution to approve the settlement agreement that we discussed in closed and authorize the mayor to execute that settlement agree-
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