Economic Development Task Force Created

COURT HOUSE – Sen. Jeff Van Drew and Assemblyman Robert Andrzejczak (both D-1st) announced newly-appointed members of the Economic Development Task Force for the first district Sept. 4.
This new initiative has 25 members, including Van Drew who will be chairman of the organization, and Andrzejczak, co-chair. The other 23 members consist of local officials, business leaders and academic presidents from the First District.
Van Drew noted that the panel is never completely final and people may be added as needed over the next two years.
The task force will spend those two years examining issues hindering economic development for South Jersey. They will be meeting with officials in other states who have been in similar predicaments as well as seeking the advice of experts in economic growth.
“We need to do more. We need year-round employment so that our children can stay here, so that our parents and grandparents can stay here, that our future is here. Quite frankly we are not there,” Van Drew said.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Cape May County has an unemployment rate of 12 percent with Cumberland and Atlantic counties with equal rates. As of June 2014, New Jersey had a statewide unemployment rate of 6.6 percent, which makes the First District virtually double the unemployment rate. Van Drew believes that having an “open, honest, candid conversation” will help close this gap.
Van Drew noted that in light of the current economic problems in Atlantic City this task force could not have come at a better time. Approximately 2,000 people will be out of work in the First District when the casinos close their doors.
Those 2,000 people will be joining many others in South Jersey who are out of work during this time of the year. Van Drew stated that a large problem for the district is the large quantity of people who are about to become unemployed because there simply is not enough business in the area to employ everyone at this time.
Van Drew said one of the goals is to seek out employers, discover what they need in a task force and then help provide the resources residents need to become eligible to be a part of that work force.
An objective for Andrzejczak is bringing business back into South Jersey. He noted how difficult it was for him to find a job when he returned from Army service in Iraq. That is something unacceptable for him.
“For veterans to be able to come home and not find work says a lot about South Jersey,” Andrzejczak said. “I want families to prosper and stay here.”
Andrzejczak and Van Drew noted that part of the issue in the district is lack of communications between organizations such as the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The DEP currently has 11 different divisions that deal with aquaculture/agriculture and are not agreeing. Business owners are receiving conflicting information. Van Drew stated that it is “not worth it for them” when miscommunication arises. Van Drew said the task force will work harder at correcting this.
“We do not have all the answers. We are going to find out what some of the questions are, what some of the problems are, and hopefully what some of those answers are,” Van Drew stated.
Solutions that can be seen will be implemented and the task force will not wait until the two years is complete to begin improving the economic state of the area.
The first meeting will be held Sept. 9. The location is unknown at this time. Meetings will be open to the public and held in each county so as not to exclude anyone.
Task force members:
Chair/Vice-Chair
• Sen. Jeff Van Drew, chairman
• Sgt. Assemblyman Robert 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
• Thomas Isekenegbe, Ph.D., President, Cumberland County College president
• Peter Mora, Ph.D., President, Atlantic Cape Community College
• Herman Saatkamp Jr., Ph.D., The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey president
• Richard Perniciaro, vice president, Atlantic Cape Community College Planning, Research, Facilities & Executive Support
Business/Economic Development Expertise
• Michele Brown, 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, Lund’s 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.
Republican Viewpoint
Assemblyman Samuel Fiocchi (R-1st), in response to the Democrats’ task force announcement, issued the following:
“I meet hardworking families everyday who struggle to make ends meet. Creating decent-paying job opportunities for middle-class families remains my top priority. That is why I volunteered to serve on the task force three months ago and am still willing to serve.
“The public rightfully expects their legislators to put aside party differences and do what’s right. I will continue to use my experience to work with anyone to find solutions that help local families.”
Fiocchi, who operated a family business in the district for nearly four decades, has already been holding round-table discussions with local business and community leaders. Last week Fiocchi hosted more than 40 businesses at a roundtable discussion on cutting red tape.
To contact Ashley Hoff, email ahoff@cmcherald.com.