DeMarcantonio Tapped as Lower MUA Director

VILLAS — Lower Township Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) Board of Commissioners appointed Carl M. DeMarcantonio Jr. as its new executive director March 5.
Two commissioners were absent from the meeting, Charles Garrison and Richard Wall.
DeMarcantonio, who prefers to be called Mike, brings over 35 years of experience in management of water/sewer utilities. He has been executive director of Deptford Township Municipal Utilities Authority since 2004. He will earn $110,000 annually.
According to DeMarcantonio’s resume, he served as CEO of MUA investments, budgeting, personnel, procedures and policies, water and sewer distribution and collection systems, 12,193 water and 10,355 sewer customers and 33 employees.
His responsibilities included fiduciary officer, an $8.2-million budget, $50 million in assets, staffing, purchasing, project planning/development, contract facilitation, state reporting, and resident concerns.
In addition, DeMarcantonio has served on a part time basis since 2004 as wastewater manager for Woodstown Sewage Authority and as water/wastewater-licensed operator for the Borough of Swedesboro since 2006.
He was a part-time water and wastewater instructor from 1997 to 2006 at Gloucester County Institute of Technology Adult Education in Sewell.
DeMarcantonio served as superintendent of public works from 1991 to 2004 for the Borough of Woodstown where he supervised water and wastewater treatment plants, distribution, collection systems, streets and roads, buildings and grounds, fleet maintenance and 11 employees.
His accomplishments include work as a project manager of over $30 million in municipal improvements including water, wastewater infrastructure, treatment plant construction and upgrades and road reconstruction projects.
DeMarcantonio served as president of Public Works Association of New Jersey – Region Six (Camden, Gloucester and Salem Counties) 1995 to 1998, was president of the state Public Works Association of New Jersey 2002 -2003, inducted into Water Environment Federation Quarter Century Club in 2003 and received the Public Works Association of New Jersey Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.
He said he is licensed to operate any wastewater treatment plant in the nation.
DeMarcantonio will serve as interim executive director until April 17, and will then begin a three-year term as director.
He will receive an award from the state Department of Environmental Protection this month for his years of wastewater service and “untarnished record.”
“I’m very proactive, I’m very hands-on,” said DeMarcantonio.
He said he has always had an excellent working relationship with every township manager, mayor and council with whom he was worked.
DeMarcantonio said he is not a stranger to Cape May County. One of his grandfathers had a home in Villas, the other in Wildwood Crest.
MUA’s new engineer Matthew Ecker, of Remington Vernick and Walberg of Wildwood, told commissioners he believed the MUA would be eligible for grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) to install water mains in Town Bank. A number of homeowners in Town Bank have wells contaminated by volatile organic compounds.
The board passed a resolution to allow Ecker to submit an application to U.S.D.A.
“Based on the demographics of Lower Township, you are eligible,” said Ecker.
U.S.D.A. requires a township ordinance be in place to require mandatory hook ups, he said.
Ecker said U.S.D.A. grant funds could be combined with Department of Transportation funding, Small Cities and Community Development Block Grants.
Grant funding is available for solar power from the state Board of Public Utilities, said Ecker. He said he would submit an application for the MUA.
Board Chairman Pete Bitting said the utility spent $38,000 per month on electricity to operate the water/sewer plant.
Ecker said the MUA property would also be ideal for wind turbines.