Gloucester City: Mayor is looking for way to save energy/cutback costs

By John Schmidt

NEWS Correspondent

 Mayor William P. James said Gloucester City approved an executive order to investigate ideas how the town can conserve energy during last week\’s City Council meeting.

He said the City is investigating the possibility of a four-day work week and zoning in all buildings, and will examine EMS response-apparatus as need-ed.

The City is also implementing the following procedures to conserve energy:

• No idling of vehicles except when it is necessary for K-9 health.
• No use of vehicles on side work without additional compensation from vendors.
• Double up on patrol officers when manpower allows and more bike and foot patrols in high incident areas and business districts.
• No city vehicles will be allowed for personal use.
• No city vehicles to leave town except for emergency situations.
• Turn down thermostats over the weekend during winter and air conditioning off during the summer in all unoccupied buildings and zones.
• Turn lights off when rooms are not occupied.
• Unplug and switch off all electrical appliances overnight and over weekends, and maintain gas logs for all City-owned vehicles to monitor use and mpg for future statistical analysis.

The mayor also said the city is continuing to look for other ideas, and if residents have any to contact the mayor\’s office.

Resident Anthony Parisi, president of the Chatam Square Tenants Association, was upset about the conditions of the Chatam Square Apartments.

\”Properties are so dilapidated, so destroyed, it\’s dangerous and it\’s a hazard. There are health violations. These are circumstances that could lead a person to be physically injured severely or dead,\” he said.

Parisi said the maintenance supervisor hardly shows up, and that inspections were done on April 25 and there has still been no repairs.

Mayor James said that the Housing Department will be heading out there on Monday (July 28).

\”What we hope to do out there is locate the best two buildings and relocate everyone into those locations so that we can start the work on those properties,\” James said. \”It\’s something we realize were responsible to do, and we will be doing it.\”

There was also a presentation by Cool Cities, a state run program that will be planting trees in Gloucester City over the next three years.

It was given by Alexander McCartney of Cool Cities and Adrianne Parent, Vice-Chair of the Gloucester City Tree and Beautification Committee.

The sections that trees will be planted in this fall will be Highland Park, Riverview Heights and from Market down to Jersey, which will also include Broadway.

\”You will get door hangers if you live in the area,\” Parent said.

McCartney said each homeowner will receive a mailing with information.

At the meeting Council approved a $98,500 contract with T&M Associates for engineering services to help develop Freedom Pier and the adjacent areas.

Funds come from a 1996 Federal and State Grant for Economic Development.

Sister Christine from St. Mary\’s Church had a concern about the Parking Enforcement Officer in town.

The situation involved a senior citizen in town who received a parking ticket in the mail.

The resident had stopped her car and got out to help another senior citizen who she was picking up to get into the passenger side of her car, and the driver received a ticket in the mail, Sister Christine said.

The next meeting of City Council will be August 28 at 8 p.m. in City Hall, 313 Monmouth St.