MICKLETON — At their meeting on Sept. 13, the East Greenwich Township Committee passed a resolution that would approve the purchase of goods and services through a Gloucester County cooperative contract to repave Sharp Drive in Mickleton.
Mayor Dale Archer called the roadway the worst street in East Greenwich.
Archer said there was money left in the municipality’s budget to finance the repair work. He noted, “I’m always happy when I can get some help from Gloucester County.”
Archer credited Committeemen Rick Schober and Stephen Bottiglieri for their work on the township budget, which called for no tax increase.
In other news, the Committee adopted its salary ordinance after a public hearing. Archer explained that this measure allows township employees to receive a two percent salary increase.
“Many of them have gone several years without a raise,” the mayor commented.
The Committee authorized raises for two Public Works employees in August.
Elsewhere in resolutions, the Committee authorized negotiation of a redevelopment agreement for Royal Farms. Another resolution approved an agreement with Gloucester County on the Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse program.
In Environmental news, Committeeman Bob Tice reported that a shredding event is scheduled for Oct. 22 at the Municipal Building. For Judiciary, Bottiglieri said that East Greenwich was negotiating with Woodbury to extend their shared service agreement for the court system into 2017.
In Public Safety, the Committee moved to go through applications currently on file to fill an opening for a full-time crossing guard. Also, Archer announced that an agreement had been reached between East Greenwich Township and the local school system on a solar energy project. Archer said the deal had the potential to save the municipality $25,000 a year.
In Parks and Recreation, Schober admitted that reviews for the East Greenwich Day Parade were mixed due to intense heat. The Parade took place on Sept. 10, in the middle of another heat wave.
My vision for this parade was always to see our community come together and celebrate,” commented Archer. “We can only be as successful as the participants and volunteers who come out.”
At the beginning of the meeting, the Committee adopted a resolution commending Christopher Cook for obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout. Cook is a member of Troop 7059 of the Boy Scouts of America.
Cook received his award on June 7, and Bottiglieri attended the ceremony. “Younger scouts look up to their Eagle Scouts with the utmost respect,” pointed out Bottiglieri. “I’m grateful for receiving the invitation from the family.”
Deputy Mayor Jim Philbin added that it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to accomplish what Cook had done. Archer called the Eagle Scout ranking Cook’s “foundation.”
“You’ll rely on what you learned here later in your life,” noted the mayor. “It will help you more when you have children.”
For his Eagle Scout project, Cook created a Wall of Honor at Kingsway Regional High School for Kingsway graduates since 1963 who served in the military.
— by Robert Holt
