Avalon Lauds Volunteers, Employees for Storm Efforts

AVALON — Avalon Borough Council thanked dozens of employees and volunteers for their outstanding efforts during two blizzards that put more than two feet of snow on Avalon during February 2010.
According to a release, Avalon Borough Council President Chuck Covington began the council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 24, by thanking Avalon employees and volunteers for their outstanding efforts during the two snowstorms that resulted in power outages that lasted for several days in the community.
Among the groups that Covington recognized: Avalon Department of Public Works, Avalon EMS/Rescue, Avalon
Volunteer Fire Department, and the Avalon Police Department. He also took time to recognize an effort to evacuate nearly two dozen residents to the Woodbine Developmental Center at the height of the storm.
The center was opened by the county to assist Avalon residents who had no power and heat.
Residents also came to the council meeting to express their thanks for the spirit of volunteerism that
enabled Avalon residents to safely get through these difficult storms. Avalon Home and Land Owners
Association President Michael Matt addressed council and thanked the Borough for a job well done.
Matt also read into the record a letter he wrote to area newspapers to show AHLOA’s gratitude to the
Borough. The letter read, in part:
“…Advance preparation, foresight, smooth execution, and outstanding communication all came together
to make what had the potential to unfold in tragedy, into merely an unavoidable inconvenience….We are
very thankful for the professionalism and dedication displayed when the chips were down, and fully
recognize our good-fortune to reside in such a well-run town”.
Covington and the rest of Borough council also thanked the efforts of Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi,
who also serves Avalon as its Emergency Management Coordinator. Pagliughi spent the first big weekend
of the blizzard volunteering at the Avalon Fire Department, where he continually assessed the damage in
the town and coordinated evacuation efforts for people in need.