Town hall demo in May

New town hall opens May 5

by Julie Fink, Gazette Staff Writer

HAMMONTON—During its regular meeting on April 28, the Hammonton Town Council awarded the demolition of the old town hall building at Central Avenue and Vine Street to Winzinger Demolition in the amount of $92,000. An asbestos removal bid from Winzinger Demolition was approved $32,400. Demolition work on the old town hall is scheduled to begin in May to make way for parking for the new town hall.
The new town hall is scheduled to open May 5.
Earlier this week, the town received positive news regarding the asbestos in the building, Mayor John DiDonato said.
“Some tests have come back, and some items that were thought to be asbestos were not. That asbestos removal number will probably drop,” DiDonato said.
A bid not to exceed $4,900 to Health and Safety Services Inc. to oversee the asbestos removal and provide notification to the DEP to ensure everything is done to DEP specifications, was also approved, DiDonato said.
Town council approved the spending associated with demolishing the town hall unanimously during the meeting.
During the mayor’s report, Mayor John DiDonato addressed the many town employees that spent several years of their career in the old town hall. He said they should cherish that time, but the town is ready for a new chapter in the town’s history. The April 28 meeting was the final scheduled meeting in the current town hall building. A new $5.9 million 27,000-square-foot building is scheduled to open on May 5 behind the current building, at the corner of Central Avenue and Vine Street. The current town hall will be closed April 30, May 1 and May 2 for moving purposes.
“This is the last council meeting in this town hall. I know many retired and current town employees have worked here for their entire careers. Many residents have visited this building on a regular basis over the past 50 years. While yes, it will be sad to leave this building, this building has served the town well and it is time for a change and a new chapter for our future. A chapter filled with positive changes for the town, that is simply the best place to live, work and play in South Jersey,” DiDonato said.
An open house for interested residents to tour the new building is scheduled for Monday, May 19 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., prior to the next regular council meeting.
In a related matter, the town announced and council approved a resolution authorizing a public auction on May 10 beginning at 10 a.m. at town hall, 100 Central Avenue, for the sale of remaining office equipment and municipal and police vehicles.
The sale of items such as desks, filing cabinets and chairs a 1999 Harley Davidson and a 2001 Crown Victoria used by the police department, along with several other vehicles, will be auctioned off and the monies placed in the 2008 police budget, according to Mayor DiDonato.
In other council news, mayor and town council unanimously passed the second reading of the 2008 proposed budget and approved that a resolution be drafted to officially adopt the first reading of the 2008 budget at the next regular meeting of town council.
Chief Financial Officer Rob Scharle testified that the proposed budget is financially strong, but tight. The town’s Fiscal Oversight Committee worked to prepare the budget, which includes a zero tax increase and a reduction in municipal spending.
With the state imposing their “financial woes” on the municipalities for pension costs and cuts in aid, the proposed 2008 budget absorbs the state’s costs and has kept the municipal tax increase at zero, he said. The budget also reduced municipal government spending, dropping to $12,261,634.66 from $12,345,947.84 in 2007.
Scharle also mentioned the push by state legislators to put money back into their budget before June 30 to cover the loss of state revenue to the municipalities.
“We have options if this happens, but we will not know until June 30,” he said.
Bertino further asked questions of the CFO on the town debt.
“The equalized value of the town right now is at 1.5 percent, which is below the norm. This is very good. We have come along way in meeting our debt obligations in recent years and we are financially stable in that area right now,” he said.
Bertino continued to question Scharle about the budget.
“As the CFO, are you comfortable with the budget as presented? Is it a sustainable budget that we can live with?” Bertino said.
“I am concerned about the utilities moving into a new building and having no experience in that area,” Scharle said.
Additionally, with the $2.5 million settlement from South Jersey Gas, the budget proposes that $1 million be put in capital reserve so future water projects can be fully funded. Bertino further questioned that idea, but Scharle said he agreed with it.
“That is a viable option for water so that you wouldn’t have to incur any further debt in that area,” Scharle said.
The council needs to determine what will happen with the other $1.5 million, but ideas proposed by the mayor include paying down current debt over a four year period, Scharle said.
According to Mayor John DiDonato, the total debt for the town since 2005 has been reduced 6.1 percent including water and sewer and the $2.5 million settlement by South Jersey Gas.
The surplus of the town has increased with the anticipation of using $2.3 million in the 2008 budget, which is expected to be fully replenished, he continued.
Scharle testified that he did not anticipate a problem replenishing the surplus using the generation of surplus last year of approximately $2.8 million as a guide.
DiDonato said changes were made to the budget proposal since the introduction at the March meeting.
Additional expenses included in the budget: gypsy moth spraying, a state tonnage tax estimated at $15,000 and the actual insurance costs versus the estimated amounts and changes in income included the actual versus estimated interest on cost and taxes for 2007 and the state grant for the gypsy moth program for approximately $10,000.
Additionally, the police department budget will include the hiring of one new police officer in the fourth quarter of the year.
“This will bring the force from 30 members to 35 members within the last two years,” DiDonato said.
The Hammonton Police Chief Frank Ingemi thanked the council for the addition to the police force.
“I want to thank the council for the addition to the police department. It is a hard sell to add to your police department when towns surrounding you are laying people off. So I thank you for hearing my request,” he said.
Ingemi continued by informing the community that they can be proud of the work the department is doing.
A motion to prepare a resolution to officially adopt the 2008 budget as presented passed unanimously, with the changes noted and the withdrawal of layoff letters to recreation supervisor Louis Rodio, a senior clerk typist for the police department and a clerk typist in the tax department.
The two ordinances pertaining to the amendment of rent control and the dissolution of the Rent Control Board were passed 4 to 3 for second reading. Hammonton First members DiDonato, Councilman Jerome Barberio, Councilwoman Tracy Petrongolo and Councilman Edward Wuillermin voted for the measure. Republican Councilmen Bertino, Anthony Marino and Jerry Vitalo and Jim Bertino voted against it.
“I still feel the same as last month. Rent control and the Rent Control Board are very important aspects to the town of Hammonton. Issues come up each month, and if this is passed there will be no place to address them,” Councilman Vitalo said.
Tenant Marsha Santos expressed concern over the loss of the rent control board.
“In the past I have brought issues to the rent control board for help. I want to know that I will still have that same protection. Who will help the renters if there is no longer a rent control board?” she said.
According to town solicitor Brian Howell, the ordinance appoints the Quality of Life Committee as the source to hear complaints by concerned residents.
Additionally, the checks and balance system the dissolution of rent control will create will be a healthy system and ultimately improve the quality of life for tenants, he said.
Howell further addressed concerns by Santos, relating to overpriced rent, indicating that tenants still have rights in the courts.
“If a landlord attempts to gouge, the courts in Atlantic County will protect you,” he said.
An ordinance that would have modified how the municipality handles its solid waste pickup, including changes to bulky waste and leaf collection, was withdrawn by Wuillermin for further review and consideration in committee.
“Due to amount of public response to this ordinance, I believe we should give it further review,” Wuillermin said.
Council awarded the bid to Corrosion Control Corp. of Pedrickstown in the amount of $183,460 to paint the 1.5 million gallon water storage tank located adjacent to the Early Childhood Education Center off of Liberty Street.
Work is scheduled to commence sometime in the fall, according to Town Engineer Robert Vettese.
In addition, council authorized Adams Rehmann and Heggan (ARH) to provide construction management services and any additional work needed to complete the Vine and Second Street utilities and re-pavement project in the amount of $86,600.
Bids were received on April 23 and Jersey Construction offered the lowest bid in the amount of $973,558.75 for the work on the streets.
Council was not able to award the contract until the second reading of the re-appropriation of funds during a special meeting of the town council on May 8 in the new town hall, according to DiDonato.
Petrongolo also announced during the meeting that a painters’ union was looking to build a training facility in Hammonton.

Gabe Donio contributed to this report.