COMMITTEE MTG AGENDA FOR TONIGHT-11/10/2009-7:00 PM

TOWNSHIP OF MULLICA

COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA

NOVEMBER 10, 2009

7:00 PM

CALL TO ORDER

SUNSHINE LAW

FLAG SALUTE

ROLL CALL

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 10/27/2009 Special, 10/27/2009 Regular

HEARING: Ordinance #13-2009/REPEAL CHAPTER 187/SEX OFFENDERS


COMMITTEE REPORTS

CORRESPONDENCE

OLD BUSINESS:

A. Approve Bid Specifications / Triple Combination Rescue Pumper

NEW BUSINESS:

A. Resolution #112-2009/Approve Landsale Block 6602, Lot 12
B. Resolution #113-2009/Refund 4th Quarter Tax Overpayments
C. Resolution #114-2009/Support A-960 & S-2805/Jessica Lunsford Act
D. Approve Change Order/Richards Road
E. Approve Change Order/Darmstadt Ave
F. Approve Change Order/Municipal Roof

PAYMENT OF BILLS

PUBLIC DISCUSSION

ADJOURN

skate park-pinecone zone

Once again the young children of Mullica are punished because of the teenagers in our area. First the disgraceful state of the Pinecone Zone playground and now the skate park. The playground is always broken and the gazebos are falling apart. It is not a very nice haven for our young children and it is embarrassing when other townships come for games at the rec fields and stop in to play! Now they have dismantled the skate park punishing the young SUPERVISED children who use it! I am so tired of our community and our children suffering because we have no official recreation department. How can other townships keep such wonderful assets in their communities? I realize that this all comes down to money, but has anyone even asked the taxpayers what they think? I'm willing to pay a little more to benefit my kids! What parent wouldn't? Couldn't we pay someone part time night shift to sit in a small guard shack and report any trespassers? I'm sure there are lots of people in this economy happy for the part time work! Shame on the teenagers who keep vandalizing the rec- you have now ruined it for everyone!
Concerned parent

Democrats still win in Mullica after provisional ballots

From the Press of Atlantic City, Breaking News, Friday, November 6, 2009 - Rob Spahr, Staff Writer

MULLICA TOWNSHIP - The seven provisional ballots tallied by the Atlantic County Board of Elections on Friday did not change the outcome of the race for Township Committee.

Democrat Anthony Gabris received two provisional ballot votes to increase his total to 1,002 and fend off Republican incumbent Kathy Chasey by six votes. Chasey trailed Gabris by seven votes before the seven provisional ballots were opened Friday afternoon but only added three votes to her total and finished with 996.

The top vote-getter, Democrat Susan Polk, received three provisional votes to finish with 1,045, while Republican former Committeeman Bruce Crowe received the most provisional votes with five but the least votes overall with 961.

The votes still have to be certified, which Board of Elections officials are expected to do Tuesday.

Chasey told The Press of Atlantic City on Election Day that she would not challenge the results of the election and said Friday that she still had no plans to but said she would talk with the Board of Elections and the local Republican club before making that decision.

"I don't know. If it were one or two votes, then maybe. But you know, six votes is a lot of innocent errors for the machine to make," said Chasey, who has served on the Township Committee since 1996.

Chasey said she was not surprised with the results, especially after hearing from prospective voters about Gabris and Polk's "unrealistic" campaign promises.

"Obviously you can't follow them around to try and correct what (voters) were being told. There is only so much you can do. You can't be honest and beat that," said Chasey, who said she is unsure if she would run for public office again. "I would certainly congratulate Susan. And Anthony? Lots of luck."

The Democratic sweep of both of the open seats gives that party a 4-1 majority on the five-person committee. Deputy Mayor William Kennedy, who switched his party affiliation in April, is the only Republican left on the committee.

Gabris said he was on a virtual roller coaster of emotions throughout the entire campaign.

"When we first started, I didn't care one way or the other," he said. "But once I started to see the support we were getting, I felt like it was an obligation to win."

He said he would not even allow himself to enjoy the victory until the last provisional ballot had been counted.

"People kept calling and asking me what was happening. But I just said, 'As much as I like to say it's in the bank, it's not,'" he said. "But I feel much better now, like there's a load off my shoulders. Now everyone involved can lay back and take a breath of fresh air."

After taking his breath of fresh air, Gabris said he looks forward to restoring the township's faith in its governing body.

"We may not always agree on everything, but it will never be the way it was," Gabris said of the public infighting that has been commonplace among committee members. "The last two years was a disgrace."

Mail In Ballots show Polk and Gabris still in lead

From the Press of Atlantic City, 11/04/2009-Breaking News

Mullica Township: Democrat Susan Polk appears to have a solid lead, though the race is still close for the second available Township Committee seat.

Polk picked up 51 absentee and mail-ins for a total of 1,042 votes. Her running mate, Democrat Anthony M. Gabris, received 47 absentee and mail-ins for a total of 1,000, just seven votes ahead of Republican incumbent Kathy Chasey, who received 53 absentees and mail-in votes for a total of 993. Republican Bruce Crowe picked up 47 absentees and mail-ins for a total of 956.

Dems lead in Mullica, but absentee mail in ballots may decide it

From the Press of Atlantic City, 11/04/09-Rob Spahr, Staff Writer

MULLICA TOWNSHIP - The polls closed with the Democratic candidates for the two open Township Committee seats in the lead. But with an estimated 125 absentee and provisional ballots still to be counted, none of the candidates were willing to accept victory - or defeat.

Longtime Republican Committeewomen Kathy Chasey is trailing Democratic challengers Anthony M. Gabris by 13 votes and Susan Polk by 51. And former Committeeman Bruce Crowe trails Chasey - his running mate on the Republican ticket - by 31 votes.

Chasey, who has been on the Township Committee since 1996, said she wouldn't challenge the election results if she is still trailing after the additional ballots are tallied.

"A win is a win. Someone has to win, and someone has to lose. We'll see what happens when all the votes are counted," said Chasey, adding that there were 115 absentee ballots and 10 provisional ballots still to be counted. "It could be at least a week until that happens."

Chasey said she would not lose sleep while waiting for the final results.

"I wish I could tell you that I would be waiting on pins and needles, but I won't be," she said. "I take much more satisfaction and joy from my personal life than anything else."

Meanwhile, the Democrats said they are cautiously optimistic that they will be declared the victors.

"I don't want to count my chickens before they are hatched," said Polk, who received the most votes in her first time running for elected office. "This is far bigger than me. (If I am elected) I feel that it was because of all the people who were behind me and believed in me. I am very, very excited to serve this community."

Gabris said he felt that he was going to lose the election when he left the voting booth, but that as the night went on people kept calling him with good news.

"I'm cautiously happy, but there are still write-in votes out there," Gabris said. "But I am happy that my running mate (Polk) got in. That's a definite. At least (the Democratic Party) will get the majority back no matter what happens."

The Republicans currently hold at 3-2 majority on the five person committee. The Democrats held that same advantage earlier this year, until Deputy Mayor William Kennedy changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in April.

Mullica man buys old school to fulfill late wife’s day care dream

From the Press of Atlantic City, Wednesday, November 4, 2009. Rob Spahr-Staff Writer.

Tom Messina, of Mullica Township, has bought the historic Gertrude Lauer Schoolhouse on Moss Mill Road, in Mullica Township.

MULLICA TOWNSHIP - Rita Messina dreamed of one day turning the Gertrude S. Laurer School - a vacant two-room schoolhouse down the road from her Darmstadt Avenue home - into a day care center.

The retired nurse died from cancer in 2007, a week shy of her 71st birthday and without having the chance to fulfill that dream.

"She loved children and always thought that that would've been a good location for a day care," said her husband, Tom Messina, 77. "But we never tried to go buy it."

When the Mullica Township School District put the building up for sale earlier this year, Messina jumped at the opportunity.

"My vision is a complete day care facility, fully furnished and acceptable to the public," he said. "That is what my wife wanted."

The little red schoolhouse was built in 1910 on the corner of Moss Mill Road and Darmstadt Avenue and called the Agriculture School before being renamed after Gertrude S. Laurer, who was teacher in the township.

It sits on more than an acre of land and features two bathrooms, a kitchen area and a wooden flagpole.

"I'd like to keep it, but it sure is old," Messina joked while looking up at the weathered flagpole Wednesday.

Mullica Superintendent Richard Goldberg said the sale of the Laurer School was "bittersweet" for the school district.

"It is a building that has been around for nearly 100 years and has meant a lot to the people in this community," Goldberg said. "But we are pleased with Mr. Messina's plans for it."

The Egg Harbor City School District once paid the Mullica Township School District $1,500 per month rent so it could operate full-day preschool at the building. The agreement lasted for two school years, 2004 through 2006, until Egg Harbor City was able to make room at its Charles L. Spragg School for its preschool services.

Spragg School Principal Adrienne Shulby, who was the facility supervisor of the preschool at the time, said the schoolhouse had a nice setting and plenty of acreage.

"But due to numbers and to save the district money, we moved our full-day preschool back to Spragg," she said.

Messina, a disabled Korean War veteran, has owned and operated the township-based Tom Messina General Contractors for 55 years. He is also the board chairman for Home Quest, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides permanent housing for veterans.

The group is building 24 residential units for veterans on Main Street in Tuckerton.

But Messina said he will never tear down the historic schoolhouse - which he purchased for $53,200 - in favor of building residential units.

"Are you kidding? They'd run me out of town," said Messina, a former township committeeman. "Mullica needs a day care. The economy is set up where both the husband and wife need to work. And they need a place to put the baby."

Messina did say, however, if he cannot get approval to open the day care center he would consider opening a library at the location.

He said he is tempted to rename the building in honor of his late wife.

"But I don't know, I'll probably just end up naming it 'Mullica' something," he said.

Messina said it would take him six months to a year to rehabilitate the building and grounds to be suitable for a day care center.

"I have a lot of work ahead of me," he said. "But I've been through worse. I've been through a war. This isn't anything I can't handle."

The only concern that Messina said he has is getting all of the environmental permits he needs to renovate the building.

"Pinelands is tough. But I'll work with them all the way because I'm very determined to see this through, 100 percent," he said of the Pinelands Commission. "I'm going to accomplish what my wife wanted to achieve. I'm going to accomplish it."

UNOFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS

THE UNOFFICIAL RESULTS INCLUDING MAIL-IN BALLOTS ARE:

* SUSAN POLK - 1,042
* ANTHONY GABRIS - 1,000
KATHY CHASEY - 993
BRUCE CROWE - 956

The final totals may change subject to Provisional Ballots. As the old saying goes, "It ain't over til the fat lady sings".

SAVE MULLICA

VOTE FOR
ANTHONY GABRIS
AND
SUSAN POLK

ELECTION DAY-PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE

Polls are open from 6:00 AM until 8:00 PM.

Polling Locations are:
Ward 1 - Elwood Firehouse, Elwood
Ward 2 - Nesco Firehouse, Nesco
Ward 3 - Living Faith Chapel, Devonshire

EVERY VOTE COUNTS!

PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE FOR ANTHONY GABRIS & SUSAN POLK
TIME FOR A CHANGE

AND NOW, THE REST OF THE STORY

Dear Fellow Resident:

Even though many of our large political signs have disappeared, Susan Polk and I are still running for township committee. Our expensive signs were run down and removed by thug minded supporters of Chasey and Crowe. Both Susan and I wanted to run a campaign strictly based on our vision for Mullica as defined in many of our fliers. However, this attack on our freedom of speech and the typical lie-filled whisper and written campaign perpetrated by them and their surrogates, I feel obligated to enlighten the voters of Mullica with examples of how Chasey and Crowe have failed to serve our community with fairness, ethics, and honesty.

Below are some examples:

• Chasey and Crowe used their positions on committee to obstruct two legal applications for township towing by qualified local businessmen that led to a lawsuit at our expense. Both applications had been approved by the police department and zoning office. Their objective was to protect their friends from possible competition…so much for being fair and business friendly,

• Both were responsible for hiring a fellow political club member for the position of zoning official; he failed to meet any of the five minimum job requirements listed on the position’s job description……so much for ethics,

• Chasey displayed her disregard for our rights to freedom of speech by allowing her code enforcement official to threaten people with fines for displaying political or statement signs on their property and after fourteen years she concluded that there may be a safety issue when politicking at the transfer station. She is either a slow learner or she realizes that her dictatorial reign is being challenged….so much for respecting people’s rights,

• Chasey demonstrated her true feelings about our environment and the rule of law when she sold three less than five acre lots in a twenty five acre zone that that had been abandon for over ten years and any structures left were unsafe to enter. She claimed that they were pre-existing uses and lied about the report I wrote stating that according to our ordinance these lots should not be sold as building lots. As a result, we lost at least 60 acres of preserved land by her actions…..so much for honesty and adhering to our ordinance; the ordinance is very clear on this issue,

• Chasey defended her zoning official for issuing a permit to a committee member for the construction of a structure in DEP and Pinelands designated wetlands known by all officials involved. The committee person was issued a twenty thousand dollar fine and elevated to mayor….so much for ethics and following the rule of law that they swore to uphold,

• As code enforcement, Chasey told me to issue a summons to Waszen for dumping on Perona property without me witnessing it…..I advised her that by law, I can only issue a summons to the owners of the property as I did that very day……so much for her years of experience and following the rule of law. Actual documentation of the event is still available,

• Under Chasey and Crowe, the Perona junkyard was allowed to continue operation after failure to pay years of back taxes…..their decision led to the Waszen dump debacle,

• Chasey and Crowe are always pontificating about getting commercial development along the White Horse Pike…..in the fifteen years under their leadership; we have had a zero net gain,

• Under the Chasey watch, we were dropped from FEMA’s CRS program for non-participation. This program guided the township through flood damage mitigation and personal safety. By not participating, those in the community that buy flood insurance lost a 5% discount for each year out of the program….so much for being concerned about public safety and “keeping Mullica affordable”.

The above display of the blatant disregard for ethics, honesty and the rule of law is a byproduct of being in office too long and owing too many favors. It is time to clean house and elect people that believe in upholding the rule of law and being honest.

Respectively yours,
Anthony M. Gabris
Candidate for Township Committee and Former Zoning Official

Mullica candidates pledge transparency

From the Press of Atlantic City, Friday, October 30-Rob Spahr, Staff Writer

Three of the four candidates running for Township Committee say they will work to end public infighting among committee members. The fourth candidate insists that any problems among committee members are the fault of the opposing party and that members of her party always performed their duties with open minds and entirely above-board.

Voters will elect two committee members Tuesday.

With Mayor Janet Forman opting not to run for re-election, longtime Committeewoman Kathy Chasey is the only incumbent in the race. However, her running mate on the Republican ticket, Bruce Crowe, was a committeeman from 1996 to 2005 and served as mayor in 2004. He lost a 2005 re-election bid to William Kennedy, who is now deputy mayor and has since become a Republican.

Their Democratic opponents - Anthony M. Gabris and Susan Polk - are newcomers to running for elected office but say that Mullica needs a fresh perspective.

The Township Committee has drawn strong public criticism in recent years for a perceived lack of cohesion and transparency. Those problems, critics have argued, are due largely to partisan maneuverings and accusations of backroom political dealings that have become a regular part of public meetings.

Crowe, Gabris and Polk all say that they would work to open the lines of communications between the parties and end the infighting. Meanwhile, Chasey said Democratic accusations against the Republicans on committee of backroom politics and lack of transparency are "absolutely untrue."

And while the Democrats are aided financially by the local political committee Keep Mullica Green, all four candidates are in agreement about their development goals - preserving open space while promoting commercial development along the White Horse Pike and according to the existing master plan.

The balance of power on the five-person committee - three Republicans and two Democrats - is at stake in the election. The Democrats started the year with a 3-2 majority until Kennedy changed his affiliation to Republican in April.