APRIL 2003

Milanesi students offer troops thoughts, thanks

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Third-grader Elizabeth Hartman, 9, of Dena Sweeney's classroom thanks troops serving in Iraq in her letter.

BUENA -- Their bright eyes and bubbly exteriors conceal a well of emotions better left for the written word.

On Monday, the 24 students in Dena Sweeney's third-grade class at Milanesi Elementary School added the final touches to a pile of stirring letters that will soon make their way into the hands of troops overseas.

The children's words were haunting, revealing a mixture of both hope and anguish over current world events, as well as a knowledge far beyond their age.

"Saddam's evil," wrote Brenae Johnson, 8. "I say that because he killed his own people. He even killed children. I think this guy should be killed."

Like most students in Sweeney's class, Brenae is an avid watcher of news programming on networks such as CNN.

So, too, is 8-year-old Joshua Greene.

The questions he posed to the troops in his letter revealed as much.

"I'm wondering if we have any (rockets) because Saddam has (rockets) and other weapons of mass destruction," Joshua wrote. "Do we have some B-2s to bomb Iraq?"

The students display a wealth of knowledge gathered from the media, their parents and class, Sweeney said.

They also are full of questions and uncertainties, she said.

"We are really scared," wrote Alexis Bohren, 8. "I really hope you beat Saddam."

Sweeney makes an effort to answer the kids' questions and allay their fears. "They're at the age where they want to know," Sweeney said. "They really know a lot. We can't hide anything from them."

The kids' letters will be mailed to the troops this week in an Easter-themed care-package filled with food and colored Easter Bunny cutouts.

Above all, the students want to express their hope and gratitude.

"I'm thankful that they support our country and help people," said Elizabeth Hartman, 9. "I hope they feel warm inside and that they belong somewhere when they read this."

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Law blocks official's re-election bid 

BUENA VISTA -- Township Committeewoman Teresa Kelly has been barred from seeking re-election under the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from running for partisan office.

Her husband, Joseph T. Kelly, has agreed to run in his wife's place. He promised to step down should the matter be resolved in a way that makes his wife eligible to run.

Teresa Kelly, a Democrat who has served four committee terms, works for the N.J. Division of Mental Health Services at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital.

She oversees mental health programs in Gloucester and Cape May counties. She doesn't handle federal money, but 16 percent of her salary comes from federal funds.

"It's such a shame," Kelly said. "(The Hatch Act) has disqualified a lot of people who are willing to serve."

"I don't see what the conflict is," she added. "In any job, there could be a conflict. But if you keep up with the ethics, there's not a problem."

The issue came to light after the U.S. Office of Special Counsel received a complaint from an unidentified person.

Kelly sent letters to members of Congress last year when she became aware of the problem. But her pleas remain unanswered.

Now she's trying a different approach.

She's looking for other employment.

"I've been (on Township Committee) for 12 years, and I like what I'm doing," she said. "This is something that's important for me."

The deadline to file nominating petitions for the two open three-year Township Committee terms passed at 4 p.m. Monday.

Filers included Joseph Kelly and current Mayor Chuck Chiarello, a fellow Democrat who called the Hatch Act outdated and inadequate.

"(It) is an antiquated law that hasn't been updated," Chiarello said. "It indirectly affects someone who has no direct connection to the federal government in any way."

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County releases outline of plan for bioterrorism

It may not be as secret as some top-secret Pentagon documents, but Atlantic County residents shouldn't bank on seeing the county's entire bioterrorism and public-health emergency plan.

The county is releasing what it calls an "executive summary'' of the plan, with officials saying they can't release the entire document because of "security considerations."

Left for public review is a very general outline of the various agencies - from emergency management to hospitals to utility companies - that helped develop the plan, along with what it's supposed to do.

Essentially, the plan is what county officials call a "strategic guideline for government and community organizations in the event of a public-health crisis."

Like many other plans of its kind, Atlantic County's plan was spurred by concerns over how various county and private agencies would respond in the event of a bioterrorism, chemical or other kind of attack.

The Atlantic County Public Health Emergency Preparedness Task Force created the plan in December. Established in 2001, the task force is composed of representatives from medical, public-health, law-enforcement and emergency-response agencies.

County officials contend the strength of the plan is its integrated approach.

"This plan is truly a collaborative effort that combines the skills and resources of various county agencies into a comprehensive effort to protect public health," said Atlantic County Health Officer Tracye McArdle. "By working together, we will ensure an immediate and effective response to all public emergencies."

The executive summary outlines key roles and responsibilities on which different groups will focus during a public-health emergency. While some of the functions relate strictly to emergency scenarios, many activities are routinely addressed through the county's ongoing public-health programs.

For instance, along with offering clinical services and health education, the Atlantic County Division of Public Health already works with local health-care providers to track disease outbreaks and investigate sources of environmental contamination. The division also provides up-to-the-minute health alerts and reports to the local medical community through a sophisticated information-technology network.

The executive summary also contains guidelines for managing an emergency incident, caring for individuals who are injured, creating safe environments through testing and decontamination procedures, and providing information and education to the public.

While the initial plan is complete, it will undergo periodic updates.

"As new threats emerge and new scientific information becomes available, we will modify our plans to ensure that we can effectively protect local residents," Atlantic County Office of Emergency Preparedness Director Vince Jones said.

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Buena Vista OKs 3.9-cent tax hike

BUENA VISTA--Township residents will pay more in local taxes under the 2003-04 municipal budget.

Township Committee on Monday night unanimously approved a plan calling for a 3.9-cent tax-rate increase.

That means the owner of a $100,000 home will pay about $439 in property taxes, about $39 more than they paid a year ago.

That does not include school and county taxes.

"We think it's a very prudent budget," Mayor Chuck Chiarello said. "We've been able to maintain our services and able to move forward with improvements. The budget is right on target."

The biggest spending increases this year occurred in line items for insurance, benefits and salaries. The unexpectedly high cost of snow removal also contributed to the tax hike.

The township spent about $25,000 more than it allocated this winter for contractors' fees and employee overtime in the Public Works Department.

Township officials hope to recoup part of that money through Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance.

They'll apply for about $37,000 that, if received, would offset costs of overtime, equipment and materials, Business Administrator Ron Trebing said.

How much the township actually will receive remains to be seen, he added.

Despite township officials' attempts to limit the tax hike, residents' reactions to the increase were less than enthusiastic.

"The only thing you do in life is pay taxes," said Bernie Wolfe, 50, of Newtonville.

For Janice Carano of Richland, the 3.9-cent tax-rate hike seemed reasonable. But as a retiree who lives on a fixed income, paying higher taxes is becoming increasingly difficult.

"What can you do?" Carano asked. "You really have no choice. So long as it's for a good cause, then it's OK."

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Candidates vie for three Buena BOE seats

BUENA -- There are five candidates running for three open seats on the Buena Regional Board of Education.

Incumbents Barbara Jargowsky, Douglas Stewart and Steve White face challenges from Barbara Caselli and Lynda Gazzara.

Here's a look at the field:

·  Caselli, 57, is an admissions coordinator at Cumberland Manor nursing home. She has been on the Buena Vista Township Planning Board for three years.

"I'm well aware of the tax increases and that the board is continuing to fight for Abbott status," Caselli said. "There's a fair chance they'll never get it ... We'll have to learn how to do more with less."

·  Gazzara is owner of Gazzara Real Estate. She has been a licensed Realtor for 17 years.

"Being a business woman, I feel I can make a difference on the school board by continuing to improve education with the taxpayer in mind," Gazzara said. "I want to try to decrease the budget with different grants and by spending less without hurting our school children."

·  Jargowsky, 53, is a bookkeeper at the Vineland Co-Operative Produce Auction.

She has been on the school board since 1992 and currently serves as its president.

"I hope to carry on with our objectives to become (an Abbott) special needs district, increase our resources and lower taxes," Jargowsky said. "I want the district to continue to offer students the best education we can."

·  Stewart, 54, is a construction manager and three-year board veteran. He is chairman of its facilities committee and a member of its negotiations committee.

"I will be an asset to the continuing challenges we face," Stewart said. "Our board works diligently to fight for equitable funding, and I'm proud that we are one of only five school districts in the state to take our case to court."

·  White, 42, is an electrician who has been on the board for five years. He sits on the facilities committee.

"I want to continue with the progress we're making, try to keep the budget down, continue with the middle school project and continue on with the lawsuit to try to get Abbott ... special needs status," White said.

What's next

Polls in Buena Borough and Buena Vista Township are open from 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday.

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Incumbents lose as budget fails again - Jargowsky only incumbent to win

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Voting machine problem delays Buena Regional results

Totals from the school board election Tuesday night for the Buena Regional School District were unavailable before press time due to a problem with a voting machine.

Business Administrator Thomas Kearney said a machine from the East Vineland polling station was being transported to Mays Landing.

"It has something to do with the tape that came out being destroyed," said Kearney. He said there is a copy within the machine, but it would have to be removed by election officials.

"I am not sure what the cause (of the malfunction) is.
 

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Buena Regional budget defeated

The $29.7 million Buena Regional school budget was voted down Tuesday, and only one incumbent was re-elected to the school board, according to unofficial results made available Wednesday.

The budget was defeated 301 to 242 votes.

A problem in a voting machine delayed Tuesday night's election results. Officials said Wednesday afternoon that they still haven't tallied the absentee ballots from the district.

Out of the three incumbents who ran, Barbara Jargowsky was the only one who managed to retain her seat with 306 votes. Jargowsky's fellow board members, Douglas Stewart and Steve White, got 267 and 179 votes respectively and lost their seats.

Voters replaced Stewart and White with Barbara Caselli, who got 327 votes, and Lynda Gazzara, who received 315 votes.

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Hall hosts museum, TV show

BUENA VISTA -- Township Hall proved its multifaceted service capabilities Monday night by hosting a television taping and travelling museum.

Adults and students were on hand to produce the first episode of Youth Perspective, a discussion forum for area youths.

The program is being produced by Minor Adjustment, an educational training and consulting firm working in the township, Buena Borough and Weymouth Township.

Company head Darwyn D. Minor moderated the discussions, which began with four student panelists expressing their opinions on world events.

Their comments stimulated discussion between adults and children in the audience, Minor said.

Township Hall also was the temporary home to part of the African American Heritage Museum of South Jersey Inc., a traveling museum run by Ralph Hunter.

Magazine photos, paintings and media articles depicting the civil rights movement -- with an emphasis on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. -- were among the objects on display.

The traveling museum will spend two months at the Martin Luther King Center in Newtonville this summer, and then Hunter will decide whether to make it the museum's permanent home.

Officials are working out a deal to make the township building the temporary location for the Hamilton Township administrative offices and municipal court, said Hamilton Township Administrator Edward Perugini.

The Hamilton Township court building and municipal offices will be closed down for mold and flooding.

The neighboring township's offices will move in here in a few weeks, Perugini said.

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Buena Vista to take community snapshot for troops

BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP - Okay, everyone - squeeze in reeeeeeeeal tight and say cheese!

That's about the only way to take a photograph of a community - yes, you read right - a community - to send to United States troops missing their loved ones.

At least their loved ones in this Atlantic County community, population 7,387.

The township is planning a "Support Our Troops and Community Photograph" day on Saturday, May 10.

It will be held at the Michael Debbi Park, Cedar Avenue in Richland, from 1 to 3 p.m.

Mayor Chuck Chiarello said he was approached with the idea recently by John Armato, of the Richland Fire Company.

"I thought it was a great idea for our community and all our volunteer fire and rescue companies," the mayor said.

Just how many people will be in that photograph is hard to determine.

But consider this: According to Joan Stahl, who is helping organize the event, the township's annual Fourth of July program easily draws several thousand.

Just how to get all those people - even if it's only several hundred - in a photograph has yet to be worked out.

"We have a giant gazebo - actually we call it our special events pavilion - and we'd like to get as many people in there as we can," Chiarello said.

"We also have steps leading up to it, and we're hoping to line people up there and beyond on the lawn," Chiarello said.

The township has a photographer lined up who is used to taking photos of large family reunions, the mayor said.

The photo will be on display for the community, but more importantly, will be sent to various military Web sites in the state.

"We just think this is a nice way to say to the troops, 'Your community cares about you,'" Chiarello said.

With many troops homesick for their family, even if they can't pick their mother or father out of the photo, the community photo will be just fine.

"It's all about community, anyway," Chiarello said.

The day will include "words of inspiration" from local clergy and officials, hot dogs, soda and other refreshments, and a children's coloring contest implemented through the local schools.

There also will be a "huge American flag" on display.

For questions or information contact Stahl at (856) 697-2100 or (609) 561-5650 and then press 8.

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Municipalities to get $1.6M. for open space

NORTHFIELD - The Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders on Tuesday authorized the release of almost $1.6 million in municipal open space funds.

The money will help municipalities pay for a variety of projects ranging from parks to fishing piers.

It will at least be a year before municipalities get this type of funding again: All 2003 open space tax money will be dedicated to open space purchases.

For the past several years, the county has dedicated half of the revenue raised under its 2-cent open space tax for open space acquisition. The rest was dedicated primarily to "enhancements" - upgrades of existing parks and public properties in municipalities with little open space to buy.

County officials said the change is caused by the need to preserve land to offset the quickening pace of development.

The freeholders awarded a total of $1,574,000 on Tuesday. That includes:

·  $60,000 for Absecon to build handicapped accessible Little League baseball fields.

·  $60,000 for Atlantic City to develop a recreation park at the Uptown Complex.

·  $60,000 for Brigantine to expand the rowing club boathouse.

·  $90,000 for Buena Borough to buy a 12-acre parcel near Bruno Melini Park.

·  $60,000 for Buena Vista Township to develop a football field at Newtonville Park.

·  $60,000 for Corbin City to develop a boat ramp and waterfront park.

·  $60,000 for Egg Harbor City to develop Peace Pilgrim Park on Lincoln Avenue.

·  $90,000 for Egg Harbor Township to buy land at West Jersey Avenue and Broadway to the Betterment Park expansion project.

·  $60,000 for Estell Manor to develop two tennis courts and a tot lot.

·  $57,500 for Folsom to develop a municipal running track at, and make improvements to, Penny Pot Park.

·  $60,000 for Galloway Township to develop a skateboard park at the municipal complex.

·  $60,000 for Hamilton Township to build ball fields at Leipe Recreation Field.

·  $60,000 for Hammonton to build athletic fields at the Boyer Avenue Recreation Complex.

·  $90,000 for Linwood to buy property at New Road and Wabash Avenue.

·  $60,000 for Longport to develop a municipal fishing pier.

·  $60,000 for Margate to develop a wooden pier at the Amherst Avenue waterfront park.

·  $60,000 for Mullica Township to build a skateboard park.

·  $76,500 for Northfield to complete installation of lights along its bicycle path.

·  $90,000 for Pleasantville to expand its park holdings by buying three lots.

·  $60,000 for Port Republic to expand its boat ramp and floating dock at Bowen Park.

·  $60,000 for Somers Point to install lighting at Kern Field and to expand recreational activities.

·  $60,000 for Ventnor to build new athletic fields at Titus Field.

·  $60,000 for Weymouth to develop a youth creation center on township parkland.

The freeholders awarded two municipal open space grants to Ventnor in 2002 and Pleasantville in 2001.

The $60,000 award to Ventnor will now be used to develop recreation fields at Titus Field instead of developing a passive park.

Pleasantville now will use its $35,000 award to further develop its Veterans Memorial Park at Ansley and Franklin avenues.

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        Address:    Buena Vista Township
                         890 Harding Highway, PO Box 605
                         Buena NJ, 08310

        Phone:      (856) 697-2100  or  (609) 561-5650
        Fax:          (856) 697-8651
        E-mail:       buenavistatwp@comcast.net

Copyright © 1999 [Buena Vista Township]. All rights reserved.