TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Jeff Van Drew to reconstitute the 1st Legislative District Economic Development Task Force, which is charged with studying and recommending ways to improve economic conditions in the one of the most economically depressed areas of New Jersey, was approved today by the Senate.
Created in 2014, the task force is made up of a bipartisan group of state and local officials, academia, and individuals with business and economic development expertise from Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic counties. The task force is chaired by Senator Van Drew, who sponsored legislation to create the task force. The new bill (SR-41) will allow for the continuation of the task force work in the new legislative session.
“These areas of deep southern New Jersey are faced with significant challenges, including exceedingly high joblessness, low incomes, high rates of poverty and the health problems that often exist as a result. The task force has been working to examine the issues that affect residents in the region and to develop initiatives that will serve as a foundation for improving economic conditions over the long-term,” said Senator Van Drew (D-Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic). “We look forward to continuing our work with business leaders, academia, local officials and others in the region under this legislation.”
The task force was developed by legislation (SR-78) sponsored by Senator Van Drew and is an effort to improve the economic conditions in the Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic County area made worse by the recession. The region faces the highest rates of joblessness in the state, the lowest per capita income rates in the state and extremely high rates of poverty. Residents in the three-county area also experience high incidents of teenage pregnancy, childhood obesity, infant mortality, domestic violence, gang violence, alcoholism, and drug abuse, according to statistics. The task force is charged with identifying methods, policies, regulations, incentives, and tools to foster economic activity and create jobs.
The next meeting of the task force will be held this March 17, 2016, at 1:00 p.m., at the Campus Center – Board of Trustees Room, Stockton University, 101 Vera King Farris Drive, Galloway, NJ 08205-9441. The Task Force will take testimony from invited guests concerning the regional job market in the First Legislative District and the impact of the programs and efforts of the workforce investment boards representing the region.
The membership of the task force is as follows:
Chair/Vice-Chair
- Senator Jeff Van Drew, Chairman
- Sgt. Assemblyman Bob Andrzejczak, Vice Chairman
Local Officials
- Joseph Derella, Cumberland County Freeholder Director
- Frank Formica, Atlantic County Freeholder Director
- Leonard Desiderio, Cape May County Freeholder Vice Director
- Norris Clark, Lower Township Deputy Mayor
- James Quinn, Millville Vice-Mayor/Director of Revenue and Finance
- Anthony Fanucci, Vineland City Council President
Academia
- Shelly Schneider, Interim President, Cumberland County College
- Peter Mora, President, Atlantic Cape Community College
- Harvey Kesselman, President, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
- Richard Perniciaro, Vice President, Atlantic Cape Community College Planning, Research, Facilities & Executive Support
Business/Economic Development Expertise
- Melissa Orsen, Chief Executive Officer, New Jersey Economic Development Authority
- Vicki Clark, President, Cape May County Chamber of Commerce
- Chuck Wyble, President, Greater Millville Chamber of Commerce
- Victor Nappen, Chairperson, Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce
- Dawn Hunter, Executive Director, Greater Vineland Chamber of Commerce
- Bill Nardelli, President, Nardelli Lake View Farm and Produce
- Jeffrey Reichle, President, Lunds Fisheries
- Curtis Bashaw, Co-Founder, Co-Managing Partner, Cape Advisors and Cape Resorts Group
- Barbara Jones, Owner, Servpro Cape May & Cumberland Counties
- John Asselta, Production Supervisor, Progresso Foods
- Ray Burke, Dealer Principal, Burke Motor Group
- Ralph Cooper, Board Member, Upper Township Business Association
- Carol Johnston, Director of Medical, Industrial, and Heavy Equipment for the Medical Consultants Instructional Training Center
