East Greenwich Renews TRICO-JIF Insurance Coverage

by Robert Holt
MICKLETON- At their meeting on Sept. 23, the East Greenwich Township Committee announced the renewal of their insurance coverage with TRICO-JIF.
TRICO-JIF now consists of 36 municipalities who share their services in an effort to keep their insurance payments down.
There would be a flat assessment for this year, and a “retro” plan was removed from the agreement. That plan would have allowed the company to raise their rates if East Greenwich experienced a bad year of losses.
“We had a plan here, and at the end of the day we saved money for the employees and residents of East Greenwich,” commented Mayor Dale Archer. That amount was said to be about $8,000.
The Committee announced another shared services agreement earlier this month that would work with the township school district to attempt to bid to install solar panels at the municipal building and possibly public works.
“I have worked directly with the Superintendent Dr. Jim Lynch of the Jeffrey Clark and Samuel Mickle School to bring this green project to fruition,” explained Archer.
“Our potential cost savings is over $20,000 per year at no cost to our township.”
Elsewhere, the Committee introduced an ordinance that would allow towing companies with equipment over the current 10-ton limit to use Timberlane Road in an emergency. “This was a request by one of our small businesses, and it was authorized by our street and road management,” Archer said.
In resolutions, the Committee approved the submission of a grant application with the New Jersey Department of Transportation for 2015 state aid in the reconstruction of Swedesboro-Paulsboro Road from Democrat Road to Route 130/295.
They also gave approval to the purchase of a live scan system desktop. “This is for our fingerprinting machine that we so desperately needed,” noted Archer. Committeeman Stephen Bottiglieri had earlier pointed out that the police department’s fingerprinting system needed to be updated to comply with Meghan’s Law requirements.
Archer and Committeeman Sam Giordano are working with Chief Barry Jenkins to petition Gloucester County to conduct a traffic study at the intersection on Kings Highway and Wolfert Station Road and Kings Highway and Tomlin Station Road. An East Greenwich resident recently lost his life in an automobile crash on Kings Highway and Tomlin, and accidents have been increasing there, according to the mayor.
In economic development, Archer has confirmed that a private company would be building a 290,000 square foot cold storage facility and making East Greenwich their new corporate office. And Excel Hydraulics is moving their business from Woolwich into a building on Berkley Road. The company would also be adding 80 square feet to the building.
Also, Archer touted the success of the community’s first annual East Greenwich Day Parade three days before the meeting. “It was an overwhelming response from the community,” Archer observed. “I was proud to be the mayor, and mostly a resident, of East Greenwich.”
“We’re bringing back the community to East Greenwich,” added Archer.