5th District freeholder race: Bertino vs. Willett
Page 4 • Wednesday, October 14, 2015 • The Hammonton Gazette
FREEHOLDER, from Page 1
election
through
the
county-at-large. Bertino
currently serves as the vice
chairman of the freeholder
board.
Bertino is a lifelong resident of Hammonton and
still lives here today, along
with his wife, Hope, and
James Bertino three children. He served
as a member of town
Council in Hammonton for
14 years before deciding to
run for freeholder in 2010.
He also works as a Plant
Manager and Quality assurance Officer for formica
Brothers Bakery.
“i gained a lot of experience and worked on quite
Thomas Willett a few projects that were
just visionary projects at the time. We
helped bring them to the table. Places like
New Jersey Manufacturers and Kramer
Beverage, all those started during that time
period. Working with the council at the
time, we accomplished a lot,” Bertino said.
Bertino became a freeholder in 2011,
stepping in to complete the unfinished term
of former freeholder and current atlantic
County Surrogate, James Curcio. Having
been able to be a part of such drastic
changes in Hammonton during his time on
town council gave Bertino the experience
he feels is necessary to make
changes at the county level.
“Some of the issues in atlantic
County have certainly had a lot to
do with the changes in atlantic City
over the last three years regarding
the tax appeals with the casinos …
One of the big things we discussed
at the beginning of the year was to
go out and try to find some economic diversity and find out what
our strengths are and market ourselves a little bit differently. With
the changes in state funding and the
lack of funding to do advertising in
atlantic City and atlantic County,
atlantic County government
stepped up,” Bertino said.
Bertino realizes the need for atlantic County to diversify themselves and create jobs in a way they
never have before in the past.
“You have a labor force that’s
ready to work and who needs the
opportunities. the dynamic radically changing has impacted all 23
towns in atlantic County and has
definitely presented a challenge,”
Bertino said.
Bertino hopes to make progress
on stabilizing both the appeals
process and pr