By John P. Schmidt
NEWS Correspondent
Gloucester City Mayor and Council presented two proclamations during last week\’s meeting honoring Library Director Elizabeth Egan and Mary Lou Adams, who recently founded the Cultural Arts and Heritage Society.
Egan received the NJ Library Association President\’s Award for 2008, which is given for outstanding public service to the library community.
She has been the library director in Gloucester City since 1989. Egan said she had planned to be here for five years and move on, but she decided to stay.
\”As time went on I realized the work never ends,\” Egan said. \”There is always something new that has to be done here.\”
Egan mentioned that since 1989 the library has gone under a revolution in service from being all paper based to being automated. But, it still has the role of educating the community.
During the meeting, resident Charlie Pie inquired about the schooner the City has purchased, and which will be docked at the former Coast Guard Pier.
Pie was concerned about the costs that this boat would incur would be placed on the taxpayers.
Bob Bevan, the former mayor and current Community Relations Specialist, who has been working on this project, addressed the public.
He said the City hopes to educate children on it about sailing. There are many other programs for the community, especially children, including the sciences.
Gloucester City plans to have the schooner be solar powered, and is trying to get the schooner registered as a 501C3 Non-Profit.
He explained that there are grants from many organizations out there interested about the schooner, and that it should be able to pay for itself and eventually generate revenue for the City.
Bevan also noted the schooner was purchased with Urban Development Action Grant money, which can only be used for economic and urban development.
This ship would bring a tremendous element of pride to our community, Bevan said. \”The one thing we\’re lacking anymore is the pride.\”
Gloucester City resident Charles Reed, who will serve as a captain on the schooner, also addressed the public.
\”We have a lot of people who want to volunteer. There are different organizations that want to come in and work on the teaching capacity, the schools are very interested in it and we have grants coming in for this,\” Reed said.
Mayor William P. James called the schooner a tangible asset.
He added that the city is going to involve the youth of the community, and create relationships with other maritime personal.
\”The pier is one of our gems,\” James said. \”We haven\’t used it, and were going to begin to use it. We\’re starting to take action, we\’re going to make things happen.\”
City Council passed an ordinance on first reading regulating salaries for certain employees, including an administrative assistant for City Administrator Paul Kain.
City Finance Chairman Nicholas Marchese expressed concern that he was not notified about the proposed salary for that position, and requested the minimum salary would be $15.25 per hour to $21.00 an hour.
The proposed minimum salary was $17.25 per hour. The new assistant, Lori Kraft, was hired after Executive Session Thursday night.
The ordinance passed, 6-0-1, with Councilman William R. Hagan Sr. abstaining. The administrative assistant will be a temporary position for 10 weeks.
\”There is a lot going on in the City, and us as mayor and council are creating a lot more,\” Marchese said. \”The administrator position should require an assistant.\”
City Council also approved to hire a Regional Contribution Agreement (RCA) director by a 6-0-1 vote, with Councilman Marchese abstaining.
He said the state is mandating the city have an RCA director, which will be paid by the RCA – a state agency.
Council also approved a resolution to approve funding for a new water works facility in the amount of $9,445,000.
Public Works Chairman Jay Brophy in an interview said that construction will begin this year, after the bid process is completed.
Resident Janet Cowgill, who lives on Ridgeway Street, expressed concern about the Rock n Roll Festival, the amount of noise it created for residents, and the inconvenience it caused businesses.
Council members said in the future it would be located down on King Street, by the Delaware River.
Marchese apologized to the residents and the business affected by the event. He said it was not the Celebrations Committee, but the UEZ who organized the event.
Councilman Bruce Parry announced that planning for the 2009 Community Calendar is underway, and for information or to put events in it, contact the UEZ office.
Parry said the Fourth of July Celebration will be July 3rd. The parade will begin at 6 p.m., starting at CVS and heading down Broadway to O\’Donnell\’s Restaurant. From 7-9 p.m., there will be live music at Johnson Boulevard, followed by fireworks at 9 p.m.
The annual Baby Contest will be held on July 4th at Martins Lake at 11 a.m.
Councilman Hutchinson thanked the Business Association, who invited Mayor and Council to their event on the Flagship IV. The ship is a charter boat which currently sails out of the old Coast Guard pier.
Hutchinson asked that if any residents know where to attain pictures, or has pictures of fallen veterans from Gloucester City, if they could contact the Clerk\’s office.
Mayor James also announced that the PAL Center located on Brown Street will be open everyday throughout the summer from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
James said there will be a physical education teacher present for the weight room and basketball courts, a yoga instructor for yoga classes, as well as arts and crafts.
City Council meets again Thursday, July 24, at 8 p.m. in City Hall, 313 Monmouth St.
Source: Gloucester City News, July 3, 2008
