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June 2nd:
Trespasser Killed By
NJ Transit Train
A "trespasser" who was walking on the tracks of the New
Jersey Transit's Atlantic City Rail Line was struck and killed today around
noon. The incident occurred about a quarter-mile north of Route 30.
No further information was available but the incident is being investigated by
the Winslow Police and the transit police.
May 25th:
Township Approves
2010 Budget
By a vote of 7-2, the Winslow Township Committee voted to
approve its 2010 municipal budget of 29.8 million dollars. The budget
includes the layoff of twelve police officers as well as eight furlough days by
the township's civilian employees--including administrators--by December 31.
Even with the cost cutting measures, township taxes will still go up by 6.5
cents per hundred or about $70 per home.
Voting against the budget were Mayor Sue Metzner (D) and
Committeewoman Karen Gibison (R).
Norman F. Tomasello Steps Down From
Pinelands Commission
Served as Acting Chairman Since 2008
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NORMAN F. TOMASELLO |
New Lisbon, NJ - Norman F. Tomasello, who served as the Acting
Chairman of the New Jersey Pinelands Commission and was a 14-year veteran of the
Pinelands panel, has resigned from his post.
A resident of Winslow Township, Tomasello has served as Camden
county's representative on the Commission since July 12, 1996, was chosen the
Commission's vice Chairman in 2006 and became the Acting Chairman in October
2008. He tendered his resignation on May 1.
"It is with deep regret that I must submit my resignation as a
member of the New Jersey Pineland Commission after serving nearly 15 years as
both a Commissioner and Acting Chairman," Tomasello said. "I appreciate
the faith that the Camden County board of Freeholders has placed in my decision
making, and would like to thank them for giving me the opportunity to serve both
them and the residents of Camden County."
"I would also like to thank all of the Pinelands Commissioners
that I have had the privilege to work with over these many years," Tomasello
added. "I extend my sincere appreciation to all of the Pinelands
Commission staff for all of their service and friendships over the years."
Tomasello will be missed by the Pinelands Commission staff and
Commission members.
"Norm is a genuine friend of the Pinelands who years of
dedicated service has greatly strengthened the Pinelands Protection Program,"
said John C. Stokes, Executive Director of the Commission. "His service,
insight and affable personality will be greatly missed."
Candace Ashmun, who has served on the Commission as a
gubernatorial appointee since its creation in 1979, praised Tomasello as an
effective Commissioner and gentleman.
"He know his constituency, and he represented them very well,"
said Ashmun, who will now serve as the Commissioner's Acting Chairperson.
"Mostly, I appreciated him as a person. He was always a gentleman, always
fun to be with and did his job well."
Paul E. Galletta, who has served as Atlantic County's
representative on the Commission since 2007, said Tomasello will be remembered
as "one of the most giving, caring and committed members the Commission has ever
had."
"His personality, full of charm, wit, compassion and
statesmanship, can't be replaced," Galletta said. "I think I will miss
Norman Tomasello the most from the Commission because of the rides we took
together to and from the Commission's offices in New Lisbon. I promise to
keep his lively quotes fresh in the minds of the Commissioners in the meetings
ahead."
Tomasello retired after 50 years of operating a 110-acre fruit
and vegetable farm in Winslow Township. He served as Mayor and
Committeeman in Winslow for 15 years. There, he also served as Public
Safety Director and on the township planning board. He is Chairman of the
Camden County Agricultural Development Board, and is a member of the County
Mosquito Control Commission.
Tomasello also served as president of the Camden County Board of
Agriculture for 10 years and as Chairman of the Gloucester and Camden County
Farmers Home Administration. He is a member of the New Jersey Farm Bureau,
on which he served as a past Director. He also is a founding member of the
Elm Volunteer Fire Company No. 1.
During his tenure on the Pinelands Commission, Tomasello served
on the Policy and Implementation Committee, Personnel and Budget Committee and
Audit Committee. He was an alternate member of the Commission's Public and
Governmental Programs Committee and Permanent Land Protection Committee.
The Pinelands Commission consists of 15 members. Seven are
appointed by the Governor of New Jersey. One member is appointed by each
of the Seven Pinelands counties, and one is appointed by the U.S. Secretary of
the Interior. Members of the Commission serve staggered, three-year terms
and are uncompensated for their service.
Winslow Township Plans
To Layoff 23 Employees
For the past two years, the employees of Winslow Township have
been luck--unlike the employees of the Winslow Township School District.
Luck has just run out, however. If the proposed budget is approved, twenty
three employees--including twelve police officers--will be eliminated.
According to township officials, employees could get pink slips
in the coming days as the result of the state aid cut of $1.6 million by
Governor Chris Christie. The layoffs would save the taxpayers $846,260 but
the budget deficit is nearly $4.5 million. In order to raise the
additional $3,653,740 the proposed budget includes an increase of 6.5 cents in
the tax rate. With the current rate at 0.782 cents per hundred, the new
rate would be 0.847. This would result in a tax increase of $81. A
house assessed at $125,000 would now pay $1,058.75.
The budget hearing is set for May 25th at the municipal
building. If approved, the layoffs will begin on June 14th.
School No. 1
Scheduled To Close
With the defeat of the 2010-2011 school budget, school officials are set to
close Winslow School N. 1 in the township's Ward 1. The school, built
along with School No. 2, were the first new schools to be built in the township
in many years and served many hundreds of children along the way. As a
result of the school closing at the end of this school year in June, students
from this end of the township will be most likely sent to School No. 2 pushing
many of those students to Schools 3 and 4.
Voters Reject School Budget;
Peterson, Sturdivant, Tomasello Get Board Seats
In the unofficial vote totals that do not include absentee
ballots, it appears that the 2010-2011 budget for the Winslow Township School
system has been defeated by township voters. According to the
numbers submitted to the township clerk's office, the budget was defeated by 142
votes -- 1518 No and 1376 Yes. This is a sad day for the children who
attend Winslow School No. 1 as school officials indicated that if the budget
failed, the school would be closed at the end of the year and students will be
shifted to other district schools. The defeated budget already included
the elimination of 40 teaching positions, three central office administrators,
three principal/assistant principals, three school nurses, two guidance
counselors, and fifty-five custodians.
In the race for three members of the board of education for
three year terms, Julie Peterson, Aleta Sturdivant, and John Tomasello seemed
headed for election. The vote count was as follows (with no absentee
ballots):
| Julie A Peterson |
1610 |
| Guiab H Gidwani |
928 |
| Alvin G Tucker Sr |
696 |
| Aleta Sturdivant |
1322 |
| John J Tomasello |
966 |
| Eartha Mitchell |
469 |
| Paul DiMeglio |
942 |
In the race for the one year unexpired term, Christopher
McGinnis is currently in the lead:
| Kenneth J Nelson |
878 |
| Christopher McGinnis |
1037 |
The defeated budget now goes to the mayor and township
committee to determine what cuts, if any, will be made to the budget.
(4/20/2010 @ 10:56 PM)
School Vote Calls For
Tax Increase
Winslow Township voters are being asked to approve a $42.51
million school budget that calls a four percent increase in taxes. If
approved, taxes will go up by seven cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
This would make the tax rate $2.67 and would add $74.37 to the tax bill. A
home assessed at $106, 245 would pay $2,837 in school taxes.
Even with the four percent increase, the budget will eliminate
40 teaching positions, three central office administrators, three
principal/assistant principals, three school nurses, two guidance counselors,
and fifty-five custodians. The custodians will again be privatized by the
board as was done unsuccessfully about fifteen years ago.
Voters will also select four residents to serve on the board of
education.
Township Easter Egg Hunt
Winslow
Township's annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Saturday, Marcy 20th, at
Patrolman Daniel Calabrese Memorial Park located on First Avenue and North
Central Avenue in the Cedar Brook section of the township. The event
begins at 11 am.
This event is free for residents up to age 10.
Spring Leaf Collections
Winslow
Township has announced the following spring leaf collection schedule for the
spring of 2010. Leaves will be collected at the start of each week listed.
| WARD |
ROUND 1 |
ROUND 2 |
| 1 |
April 5 |
May 3 |
| 2 |
April 12 |
May 10 |
| 3 |
April 19 |
May 17 |
| 4 |
April 26 |
May 24 |
Fire Budget Defeated;
Passarella Re-Elected
The 2010 Winslow Township Fire District's budget was defeated by voters at the
annual district elections by forty-eight votes in the unofficial count which
must be certified by the county board of elections. The vote on the budget
was 132 yes votes and 180 no votes.
There was also a special referendum on the ballot to exceed the
budget cap and that was also defeated by a vote of 112 to 202.
Re-elected to another term on the Board of Fire Commissioners
was Michael Passarella. Passarella, who serves as vice-chairman,
ran unopposed.
WTPD Apprehends Kidnapper
A man wanted for kidnapping his child was arrested by the WTPD after being found
at his parent's home in the township. Police say he told them he tossed
the baby over the Parkway's Driscoll Bridge into the Raritan River.
Efforts to locate the baby have been unsuccessful. The man has indicated
he is not guilty according to police. (2/19)
Squibb Wins Wing Bowl Again
Winslow's Jon Squibb did it again as he easily defeated all of the
competitors at the 2010 Wing Bowl held in Philadelphia. Squibb, age 24,
ate 238 wings, three short of the Wing Bowl record. He beat his closest
competitor by more than ninety wings.
Winslow Police Seek
Large
Cat in Area Attacks
The Winslow Police Department is still seeking information on a
large tan cat that is possibly the size of a German Shepherd dog that is being
blamed on the attack of a horse on September 28th. According to police,
there have been continued sightings of a large cat in the Tansboro, Cedar Brook
and Warterford sections of the township.
ACE Bridge Work
Now Complete
After nearly a year of construction, the Atlantic City Expressway exit at Cross
Keys Road is now complete. The $5.5 million project consisted of widening
the four-lane bridge to six lanes and also added sidewalks on both sides.
New traffic signals were also installed.
The projected was deemed necessary because of the increased
traffic flow in the area as the result of new retail developments in the area.
Reorganization Meeting Set
The Mayor and Township Committee will be holding their annual
reorganization meeting on Saturday, January 2, 2010 at the Municipal Complex
located on Route 73 in the Braddock section of the township.
In addition to the annual appointments, four members of the
township committee will receive their oath of office: Ward 1 - Anthony
Tomasello; Ward 2 - Barry Wright; Ward 3 - Thaddeus Mackey; and Ward 4 - John
Wilson.
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