Planning board approves 86 more beds for drug rehab
Page 4 • Wednesday, September 4, 2019 • The Hammonton Gazette
PLANNING, from Page 1
ed Marinelli—were in attendance.
Those four, along with board
members James Matro, Gordon
Pherribo, Salvatore Capelli and
Charles Baldi, were in attendance
for the special meeting.
On the agenda was application
#9-19zB, submitted by Pyramid
Healthcare inc., who were request-
ing a D1 variance and a site plan
waiver for a portion of 1000 Cen-
tral Ave., the property formerly
known as William B. Kessler Me-
morial Hospital.
Local attorney Brian G. Howell,
of Howell and Bertman, presented
the application, with testimony of-
fered by Jon Wolf, the company’s
founder and chief executive offi-
cer; Jeff Davis, Pyramid’s vice
president of engineering; and
Lance Landgraf, planner.
Pyramid Healthcare opened an
inpatient rehabilitation center for
substance abuse at that site in Jan-
uary of 2019 with 100 beds. They
are now seeking to expand into
Horton St.
mosquito
tests positive
for WNV
HAMMONTON—Atlantic
County has reported finding a
mosquito sample in Hammonton
that has tested positive for West
Nile Virus (WNV). The sample
was collected from Horton Street
and confirmed positive on August
28. Public health officials note it
is not unusual to find positive
samples during the summer and
fall. A man living in that area
contracted West Nile Virus a cou-
ple of years ago.
County public health and mos-
quito control officials are con-
ducting mosquito surveillance,
implementing additional control
measures and providing educa-
tional materials to area residents
and businesses.
West Nile Virus is carried by
infected mosquitoes and can be
transmitted to birds, animals and
humans. Health officials encour-
age residents to reduce their risk
and the spread of West Nile Virus
by reducing their exposure to
mosquito bites by following these
tips:
• Use an insect repellent when-
ever going outdoors. repellents
are an important tool to assist
people in protecting themselves
from mosquito-borne diseases.
The Centers for Disease Control
recommends the use of products
containing active ingredients
which have been registered by the
U.S. environmental Protection
Agency for use as repellents ap-
plied to skin and clothing and ap-
proved for efficacy and human
safety when applied as directed.
Be sure to follow product direc-
tions carefully and consult with
your child's doctor prior to using
on children.
• rid properties of mosquito
breeding grounds by draining
standing water.
Mosquitoes do not travel far
from where they breed. Buckets,
bird baths, flower pots and other
containers can hold water and
provide an ideal environment for
mosquitoes. Be sure to empty
these containers regularly.
• Clean clogged gutters; check
and repair screen doors.
For more information about
West Nile Virus, visit the Atlantic
County website at: www.aclink.
org/publichealth or call the Divi-
sion of Public Health at (609)
645-5971. if you need assistance
in removing stagnant puddles or
floodwater from your property,
call the Office of Mosquito Con-
trol at (609) 645-5948.
what was the emergency room of
the former hospital, which will
allow them to add 34 more patient
rooms with a total of 86 additional
beds.
“The number-one public health
issue today across the country is
the opioid epidemic. it’s a national
problem, but it’s also a local prob-
lem. Last year, 190 people in At-
lantic County died of opioid
overdose. This year the number is
82... it’s a startling number, the
number of people who are falling
victim to this opioid epidemic,”
Wolf said.
Wolf stated that they invested
$8.8 million in the community
when they performed the property
renovations for their current facil-
ity. Approximately $2.4 million of
that went to local tradesmen, with
$1.15 million going to Hammon-
ton contractors.
“This additional 86 beds will be
about $5.7 million. Our investment
in this structure will be about $14.5
million. We’re a proprietary corpo-
ration, so we pay taxes, so it’s all
back on the tax rolls again,” Wolf
said.
Davis stated that the expansion
will follow the same type of plan
for the expansion as it did for the
initial renovation, and that it will
match the existing aesthetic.
“exactly the same way it was
constructed, same materials in con-
struction, same contractors, two
local contractors here in Hammon-
ton. About $1.2 million; basically
the same trades that were there, the
same group of people,” Davis said.
Wolf stated that the facility cur-
rently has 60 employees, 22 of
whom have Hammonton ad-
dresses. This expansion will allow
them to hire an additional 60 em-
ployees.
Landgraf discussed some of the
zoning particulars as to why a zon-
ing variance was necessary.
“This zone permits a lot of dif-
ferent commercial uses. it permits
hospitals, but it does not permit the
rehabilitation and behavioral health
services that they will provide here.
We received a D1 variance a few
years back to allow this use on this
property,” Landgraf said.
Landgraf also went into detail as
to why this property was especially
well-suited for the expansion.
“We have to get a site that is par-
ticularly well-suited to this use. it’s
obviously well-suited to it. One,
it’s already there. Two, it’s been set
up as a medical facility since its in-
ception. There’s really no differ-
ence here. You’re dealing with
someone’s mental health instead of
their physical health, but it’s the
same type of services. You have
doctors, you have nurses, you have
medical staff trained to treat those
patients,” Landgraf said.
As to why there is a need for
such an expansion to the facility,
Landgraf spoke of an incident in
his personal life where his mother-
in-law, after having hip surgery, be-
came addicted to opioid pain
killers.
“She spent 30 days in rehab.
She’s 72 years old, and she was ad-
dicted to the painkillers. That’s
what these facilities are here for.
This is an epidemic that hits every
family, every walk of life... This is
a facility that’s trying to help peo-
ple get their lives back,” Landgraf
said.
City planner Kevin Dixon noted
that the particular type of variance
requested by Pyramid Healthcare,
inc. had previously been granted to
them with their initial application.
“By virtue of the previous grant
of the D1, i think the evidence is
already on the record that they’re
not impairing the intent purpose of
the zone plan, because this board
found the first time around that
they were not impairing the values
of the town’s ordinances,” Dixon
said.
The board agreed, and approved
the application.
The Hammonton Planning
Board meets at 7 p.m. in town hall
on the first and third Wednesday of
each month. Their next meeting
will be on September 18.
hammontongazette.com/littleleague
Watch the original video from
1949 celebrating Hammonton’s
Little League World Series vic-
tory. Hammonton is home to
the first team outside
of Pennsylvania to win a Little
League World Series
Championship!
See special section,
pgs. 45-60