East Greenwich has been steadily adding numbers to its police department since a series of layoffs four years ago severely cut back their forces.
Sgt. Messick brings 15 years of Police and SWAT experience to his new position, and is assigned to the Patrol Division with the East Greenwich Police. Officer McIntyre has had part time police experience in Cape May County.
Archer said Messick and his family had been a long standing presence in East Greenwich, and thanked the sergeant for his service in the town. The mayor mentioned that he had been part of the Committee during the time when they were doing the layoffs.
“It’s great to see promotions and additions to our police department,” Archer commented. “And we’ll be adding new members on a zero percent tax increase for 2018.”
The Mayor was referring to East Greenwich’s latest municipal budget introduced at the last Committee meeting, which contained no tax increase for the third year in a row.
The additions to the police department continued later as the Committee authorized them to advertise for the hiring of two full time officers and two Special Law Enforcement Officers Class IIs.
In other news, the Committee introduced a bond ordinance that would appropriate $2,280,200 for various water system improvements to East Greenwich’s Well No. 3. Archer pointed out that Well No. 3 had been shut down for years due to very high levels of perfluorononanoic acid.
The Committee also passed a resolution directing the Joint Planning and Zoning Board to examine the Municipal Master Plan. “The Master Plan is expiring after 10 years, and it is the township’s responsibility to open it again,” Archer explained.
Also, the Committee adopted a resolution awarding a quote proposal in the amount of $30,661.00 for a 40 foot by 40 foot pole barn to be used as a salt shed to Pioneer Pole Buildings, Inc. Another resolution awarded a quote proposal for a 24 foot by 50foot pole barn to Fetterville Sales for $33,120.00.
One more resolution passed by the Committee authorized an Atlantic City Electric grant of $5,000 to be donated to the East Greenwich Little League. Archer expected Atlantic City Electric to hand over the check to the Little League president at a February meeting.
In discussion items, the Committee considered getting a proposal from Docuvault to store township documents. Committeeman Rick Schober noted that the documents needed to be moved to a secure facility.
Archer remarked that the Mount Royal Firehouse had recently been sold. He said that the plan was to build a new firehouse at the Peaslee Annex on 21 E. Cohawkin Road this year. The construction of the Mount Royal building prevented firefighters from bringing in today’s larger fire apparatus.
by Robert Holt
