By Wyatt Rogers

NEWS Correspondent

Gloucester City Council at its November regular meeting passed a resolution creating an committee to investigate $2.3 million in properties owned by GAF along the waterfront near the original site of the former GAF plant at Water and Charles Streets.

A possible sale of the property had been voided for environmental problems, and GAF has served the Mayor and Council with subpoenas.

The mayor described this as \”childish,\” and said Council would respond in kind by serving the president of GAF and the company\’s Board of Directors with subpoenas.

City Council also passed a resolution allowing Gloucester City to enter into agreements to acquire the Chatham Square and Gloucester Terrace apartments near Route 130 and Klemm Avenue.

During the Council meeting, Councilman Nicholas Marchese Jr. said Gloucester City wants to renovate and rebuild homes in an attempt to create greater value for the area, particularly the new Beazer homes nearby.

\”(Chatham Square) has been a problem for years,\” said Marchese, adding that the City has no intentions of canceling any leases after acquiring the property.

The resolution still needs to be approved by the Finance Committee.

After the meeting, Mayor William P. James announced intentions of proceeding with creating a senior center at Gloucester Heights Fire Hall.

\”It\’s something we need and seniors in this town rightfully deserve,\” James said.

Marchese said the center will be finished in a few months.

In other business, City Council introduced an ordinance on first reading increasing the registration fees for dogs and cats. Spayed or neutered dog licenses will now be $13.20, with a $3 surcharge for non-spayed or neutered animals.

Cat licenses will be $12 for spayed or neutered animals, with the same $3 surcharge.

The mayor said the additional fees are necessary because Camden County is coming up with a new program for handling dogs, cats, and other animals.

Marchese was the only one to vote against the increased fees. After the meeting he said he would like to look at using other sources of revenue.

During public forum, Theresa Graham spoke about the state of the railroad owned by Conrail.

She said there is a knee-deep hole in the ground under the tracks by her house, which makes the tracks unsafe for the train line.

She also said big trucks have had to drive on her neighbor\’s property in order to avoid the hole, and that her neighbor should not have to pay for those damages.

Mayor James said an old pipe collapsed right under the track during a storm. FEMA is donating $115,000 to the reconstruction efforts, leaving Gloucester to cover the additional $230,000 needed.

The City intends to repair the pipes and create a better pipe connection sleeve, James said. Council is unable to hold Conrail accountable for the repairs at this time.

The Council also passed a resolution to allot for a $2,625 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for bullet proof vests, a resolution to designate handicapped parking spaces at 822 Monmouth Street, resolutions for subordination of mortgages held by Gloucester, and resolutions for refunds of a liquor license fee, a certificate of occupancy inspection fee, and return overpayment on various tax records.

A highlight of the meeting was when James presented plaques for years of service on the Planning Board to John Bisconti and Ron Pollander.

Bisconti is moving temporarily, and has to give up the position. As he received the award, the audience gave him a standing ovation.

The mayor then appointed Ryan Murphy and Patrice Cerrone to the Planning Board. Ryan stood up after the appointment was announced, and received applause from the audience.

Finally, the mayor gave a proclamation for the families from the Gloucester City Lakes Association for accomplishments including the aeration system project, the kids fishing tournament, raising funds and grants, and ensuring the health of Martin\’s Lake.

The mayor said he recognizes and congratulates this outstanding organization.

Many of the families were at the meeting and received a standing ovation from the rest of the audience.

The next City Council meeting will be Thursday, December 27, at 8 p.m. in City Hall.

 

WEEKLY HONOR ROLL MEN’S BASKETBALL: Jon Greene (Wildwood/Wildwood) averaged 19.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and shot 15-21 (71.4%) from the field in two Stockton victories. Greene scored a career-high 28 points to lead the Ospreys to a 76-68 victory over Montclair State. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Lisa Neira (Cresskill/Cresskill) scored a season-high 20 points and dished six assists in Stockton’s 65-61 win over Montclair State. Neira also went 4-4 at the line and netted six points as the Ospreys defeated Neumann 57-44. MEN’S TRACK & FIELD: Tony DeFeo (Mays Landing/Oakcrest) finished second in the pole vault at the Ursinus Winter Invitational by clearing a height of 4.41 meters. DeFeo registered the same height as the event winner but placed second due to a tiebreaker. WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD: Ronika Eckart (Pt. Pleasant/Pt. Pleasant Boro) finished second in the long jump (5.12m), fifth in the 55-meter hurdles (8.87 seconds) and ran a leg of the 4×200 relay for Stockton at the Ursinus Winter Invitational. LATEST RESULTS Men’s Basketball (5-2, 1-0) Stockton 77, Arcadia 37 Stockton 76, Montclair State 68 Women’s Basketball (5-1, 1-0) Stockton 57, Neumann 44 Stockton 65, Montclair State 61 Track & Field Women seventh, men 13th at Ursinus Winter Invitational UPCOMING EVENTS (Home opponents in CAPS) Saturday, December 15 Women’s Basketball @ Susquehanna 3 pm Saturday, December 29 Men’s Basketball @ Staten Island Tourn. 5/7 pm Sunday, December 30 Men’s Basketball @ Staten Island Tourn. 1/3 pm Saturday, January 5 Women’s Basketball vs. CATHOLIC 4 pm Men’s Basketball vs. Lebanon Valley 6 pm (@ Moravian Tournament) Stockton Athletics Home

source Media Release

MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM WINS A PAIR OF GAMES
(December 3) The Stockton men’s basketball team pounded Arcadia 77-37 for its second road win in three days. Jerome Hubbard (Neptune/Neptune) shot 5-8 from three-point range and scored a game-high 25 points. Mario Lancioni (Runnemede/Triton) and freshman Kai Massaquoi (Lawnside/Haddon Hts.) tossed in 11 points apiece while Jon Greene (Wildwood/Wildwood) finished with 10 points. Massaquoi did not miss a shot as he went 3-3 from the floor and 5-5 at the line in the game.
Hubbard was an offensive force in the first half, shooting 5-6 from beyond the arc and 8-10 overall for 23 points, one more than the entire Arcadia team. Stockton shot 54.8 percent from the field, 6-10 on three-pointers and 9-10 at the line in the period. The Ospreys outscored Arcadia 30-8 over the final 11 minutes of the half for a 49-22 lead after Massaquoi closed the scoring with a three-point play.
Stockton led by at least 24 points for the entire second half. The lead expanded to 41 points at 72-31 after a free throw by Fran Kelly (Wildwood/Wildwood Catholic) with 11:05 to play, and all 12 healthy Stockton players saw at least five minutes of game action. The 40-point margin of victory in the 77-37 final was Stockton’s largest since an 86-40 rout of Rutgers-Camden on November 22, 2005.
(December 8) Jon Greene scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Stockton to a 76-68 victory over Montclair State in the NJAC opener for both teams. Greene shot 11-14 from the field in the game. With the win, the Ospreys have now won three games in a row. Mario Lancioni contributed 14 points and six assists and Jerome Hubbard added 13 points.
Montclair State jumped out to an early nine-point lead, 13-4. The Ospreys later tied the game at 19-19 with 8:02 remaining in the half on a bucket by Hubbard. Stockton then took its first lead of the game at 21-19 on a lay-in by Greene. The Red Hawks regained the lead and took a six-point advantage into the locker room following a three-pointer that made it 35-29.
The second half featured five lead changes and four ties until Stockton finally took the lead for good on a layup by Derrick Williams (Atlantic City/Atlantic City) with 6:44 remaining. The bucket was part of an 8-0 run that gave the Ospreys a 61-57 advantage. Montclair pulled within two points twice, but layups by Lancioni and Greene gave Stockton some breathing room and Hubbard went 4-4 at the line in the final 42 seconds to seal the 76-68 win for the Ospreys.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM NOTCHES TWO VICTORIES
(December 5) The Stockton women’s basketball team defeated Neumann 57-44 in a non-conference game that was the Ospreys’ sixth consecutive on the road. Jenn Russell (Scotch Plains/SP-Fanwood) led Stockton with a game-high 13 points and Michele Auerbacher (Franklin Lakes/Ramapo) added 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Ashley Hart (Pt. Pleasant Beach/Peddie School) hit three three-pointers and finished with 11 points for the Ospreys.
Kelley Guarrera (Shamong/Shawnee) scored six early points and Hart drained back-to-back three-pointers as Stockton jumped out to a 20-6 lead. Neumann whittled the Ospreys’ lead down to six points, 24-18, at the half. Neumann then opened the second half with consecutive baskets to pull within 24-22, but Hart answered with her third three-pointer of the game to give Stockton a 27-22 advantage.
Hart later capped a 6-0 run with a layup to give the Ospreys a 42-30 lead with 11:14 to play, and Stockton led by at least nine points for the rest of the game. The Ospreys shot 11-13 (84.6%) at the free throw line in the second half to protect their lead and post the 57-44 victory.
(December 8) Stockton, playing its first home game this season, defeated Montclair State 65-61 in the NJAC opener for both teams. Lisa Neira (Cresskill/Cresskill) led the Ospreys with a game-high 20 points plus six assists and Jenn Russell registered 13 points and three blocks. Alyssa Reiter (Sewell/Gloucester Catholic) added a career-high 10 points and six rebounds for Stockton.
Montclair State led 25-24 after a first half in which the lead changed sides four times. Russell topped all players with nine first-half points for Stockton. In the second half, Montclair State led 48-46 with 9:19 left, but Cehara Wellington (Cherry Hill/Cherry Hill East) then scored seven consecutive points, her only points of the game, to propel Stockton to a 53-48 lead that it would not relinquish.
Stockton later boosted its lead to six after a layup by Niera made the score 59-53. Montclair pulled within 61-59 on a basket with 53 seconds left, but Reiter grabbed an offensive rebound and made the put-back to give the Ospreys a 63-59 lead with 26 seconds to play. Niera then hit a pair of free-throws for a six-point cushion and Stockton went on to the 65-61 win after a Montclair basket at the buzzer.

source press release

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Former Rutgers football player and assistant coach James J. (Jim) Taiga passed away on Friday, Dec. 7, at Ocean Medical Center in Brick. He was 82.

Taigia played for the Scarlet Knights as a two-way lineman in 1948-50 under head coach Harvey Harman. Taigia was an offensive line coach under head coaches John Bateman and Frank Burns from 1968-1982.

Taigia served in the Navy as a chief petty officer before enrolling at Rutgers. He received his undergraduate degree from Rutgers in 1950, and his masters in education in 1954. Prior to joining the Rutgers football coaching staff in 1968, he was a teacher and coached football at Rahway HS, Piscataway HS and Hillside HS.

As a two-way guard for the Scarlet Knights, \”Chief\” helped the team compile an impressive 21-6 record in his three seasons on the varsity, including 8-1 in 1947. The 1948 team went 7-2 and was captained by Burns, who Taigia later coached with.

As an assistant coach, Taigia played a key role in teams that compiled a 105-56-1 mark n 15 years. Rutgers posted winning records in 11 of those 15 seasons, including an 11-0 mark and a No. 17 national ranking in 1976. Taigia\’s offensive line helped pave the way for 287 points that season.

Relatives and friends may call from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Dec, 10, at the Quackenboss Funeral Home, 156 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Dec. 11 at the funeral home, followed by burial at Elmwood Cemetery, North Brunswick.

 

 

The Gloucester Catholic Alumni Appeal is currently underway. Funds help support Alumni Scholarships, an Alumni Bus and provide financial assistance for hardship students.

 

Donations may be sent to: Gloucester Catholic Alumni Association, PO Box 596, Gloucester City, NJ 08030. or you can go here to donate online.

 

 

Edith L. Settar
p>Edith L. ŒPeg¹ Settar (nee Schlotter), of Pitman, formerly of Gloucester City, N.J. passed away peacefully on Dec. 9, 2007. Aged 85 years. Peg was a strong and independent woman who was very giving of herself and her time. She was an excellent cook and very talented with crochet and sewing. Peg¹s family has many beautiful pieces of her work to pass on for generations. Peg will be remembered for her strong family values which she has instilled in her children and grandchildren. Born in Philadelphia, Pa., Peg was a resident of Pitman for five years and prior to that lived in Gloucester City for over 70 years. She was a former member of the Women¹s Auxiliary for the Fire Department in Gloucester City, the Women¹s Club of Pitman and the Prayer Group at St. Matthew¹s in National Park. She volunteered much of her time at St. Mary¹s Grammar School in the Cafeteria and delivering for the Meals on Wheels Program until she was 80. Beloved wife of the late, Charles E. Settar Sr.; Devoted Mother of Barbara (Nathan) Worrell, Kathleen M. (Victor) Musciano and Charles E. (Margaret) Settar, Jr.; Loving grandmother of Barbara Ann, Jennifer, Richard, Michelle, Paul, Matthew, Melissa; great grandmother of Bridgette, Beth, Ryan, David, Gianna, Marly Rae and Mason Anthony and great great grandmother of Samantha, Jeremy and Auben. . Viewing on Wednesday, 6:30 to 9 p.m. and Thursday, 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. in the McGUINNESS WASHINGTON TWP. FUNERAL HOME, 573 Egg Harbor Road, Sewell, NJ. (1 800 993 0888)

Newly-elected Gloucester City Councilman Bruce Parry would like to thank the citizens of Gloucester City who came out to vote on November 5, \”especially those in the 2^nd Ward, who gave me their vote for City Council.\”

\”It is an important time for Gloucester City, and some tough decisions need to be made,\” said Parry.

\”Replacing and working hard as Jean Kaye, Elsie Loebell and Rocky Kormann, who have been on City Council for many years, will be a challenge for John Hutchinson, Kellie Ferry and I. It is our goal to continue their hard work and efforts and make the changes needed to improve our city.

\”I along with my running mates want to thank each and every resident for their support,\” said Parry.

 I have heard rumors in reference to the Gloucester City paid Fire Department. If what I am hearing is true, new Mayor and Council should be ashamed of themselves.

Wasn\’t the tragedy of July 4, 2002, enough of a wake up call to all of you that improvement is needed?

It is called moving forward, not backward.

A City of boarded-up buildings, falling down row homes, Section 8 housing, balloon construction, and two senior complexes needs a more than timely response – to mention a few things.

You say you need to cut the budget. There are many departments where the budget can be cut, and it is not with our paid fire department.

You have certainly worn out the definition of nepotism in Gloucester City. So, start cutting the budget with jobs that have been created for someone\’s relative – but not with those who serve and protect.

Firefighters need medals, not unemployment checks.

Carol S. Ruggierio, Gloucester City

The Mt. Ephraim Celebration Committee is sponsoring a Best Holiday Decorated House Contest. The deadline to register your home for the contest is December 14, 2007.

Registration forms are available at the Mt. Ephraim Borough Hall or you can email your registration information to [email protected]. Prizes will be awarded.

Winners will be announced on the town announcement board, channel 19, Cleary\’s Notebook at www.gloucestercitynews.typepad.com and the Gloucester City News.

 

By Sara Martino

NEWS Correspondent

 

\”I would like to have a committee formed to get our great vision going,\” Mayor John Soubasis said during the Brooklawn Borough Council meeting.

His vision includes various future improvements such as a \”streetscape\” to include a town clock, monuments at the circles, widening of the circles, tree removal and planting of natural grasses.

\”The big issue is the amount of traffic going through the town. We would like to plant trees along Highway 130 to create a buffer for the homes and make improvements along Broadway,\” he said.

Borough Engineer Chuck Riebel said top priority will also be given to the painting of the water tank.

\”Another big issue is the need for all employees to understand their role in the borough,\” Soubasis said.

He will call a mandatory meeting to discuss employee participation and also to review insurance coverage. Soubasis also plans to discuss the operation procedures for next year with the council members.

Councilwoman Theresa Branilla said employee questions arise because of uncertainty.

\”Education in the job is always a good thing,\” she said, and reminded members that the \”Spirit\” group is still continuing this year and gift certificates will distributed to local families during the Holiday season. (Call 456-0750 ext. 162).

Donna Domico, public works manager, said leaves will still be pick up and suggested that residents placed the vegetation along the grass strip on the sidewalks.

Also, Domico said the state does not want the washing of commercial vehicles on local streets and the issue will be clarified in the newsletter.

Soubasis commented on the increased number or parking spaces on certain streets due to the enforcement of new ordinances.

\”Boats, trailers and campers were almost all moved in accordance to the ordinances that are now in place\” he said.

Fire and Police Department vehicles were facing difficulty in maneuvering turns on some streets and having the large boats and trailers, etc, removed has created safer traveling down the streets.

Borough Clerk Barbara Lewis said the Borough Reorganization meeting will be Monday, January 7, at 6 p.m. and the regular council meeting will be held on the fourth Monday, January 28, instead of the third Monday, due to the Martin Luther King holiday.