Upper Township Weighs Hiring Administrator

PETERSBURG – The regularly scheduled meeting of Upper Township Committee Dec. 19 reviewed some resolutions. These included a resolution supporting Cape May County’s project to improve Corson Tavern Road (CR 628) and another authorizing an amendment to the Shared Services Agreements with the Upper Township fire districts for website services. 
A second shared services agreement approved was with Ocean City to provide emergency medical services and fire suppression services to Strathmere, which is part of Upper.
“This is a continuation of a contract we’ve had for a number of years with Ocean City. This version eliminates the ‘call back’ charge anytime there is a mutual need with usual aid rendered and repays a credit owed by Ocean City that is also included in the contract,” explained Township Solicitor Daniel Young.
Committee considered an ordinance for second reading and public hearing that would create the position of township administrator, a position that currently does not exist.
Unlike some municipalities in the county which have administrators, Upper’s individual committee members supervise a particular department or departments.
“This ordinance allows us to keep open the option to hire someone as administrator. The position would not be the traditional ‘business’ administrator, and would work under committee with the individual department supervisors reporting to that person,” explained Mayor Richard Palombo.
The departments that would come under the purview of an administrator’s responsibilities are public works, public safety, emergency management, personnel and emergency medical services.
“This ordinance gives us the flexibility to appoint an individual as township administrator if desired, and I stress if desired,” continued Palombo.
After committee unanimously voted to approve the ordinance, a Strathmere resident queried, “Won’t the power of committee be diminished and therefore the power of the public through our electing committee members?”
“There’s no way committee members will relinquish responsibility for supervision of our departments. We’re at the infant stage of figuring out what the day-to-day duties of this position would be. We’re interested in having an administrator who would only serve at the pleasure of committee for reasons of efficiency,” answered Palombo. 
Township Engineer Paul Dietrich reported on his efforts to move forward to submit an application to the county Open Space program for a bike path and arboretum funding.
The concept is for Upper to buy the old Texaco station lot on the corner of Roosevelt Boulevard and Route 9 in Marmora for the construction of the bike path which would head south from the new Parkway bridge.
Dietrich explained that the county funding might be combined with funding from the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to build a larger parking lot and restrooms along Harbor Road near the base of the new bridge.
This funding could also be used to pay for signage for the bike path.
The township is calling the idea a “gateway project’ to complement the pedestrian and bike path which has been built along the west side of the new southbound Garden State Parkway bridge over the Great Egg Harbor Bay which was just completed at the cost of $130 million.
The path will allow pedestrians and cyclists to traverse between Upper and Somers Point. North and southbound traffic are using the completed span until a separate $50-million project to repair the existing northbound GSP bridge is completed.
Regarding the Texaco station site, Dietrich said a different Open Space application could permit the township to move forward with its purchase.
This site has been remediated with the underground fuel tank removed but has been vacant for many years.
The Upper Township Green Team has suggested this site as ripe for an arboretum or public park.
Dietrich said he would be attending a meeting on environmental aspects of the plan and then will report back to committee to see if and how to proceed.
Committee approved another regulation that allows commercial properties to buy three-yard dumpsters for recycling which is a relaxation of the current regulation.
The ordinance provides for the township to give one 96-gallon container free of charge to businesses.
Anything more than that amount generated would need to be contained in a three-yard dumpster purchased from the municipality or be hauled away by a private contractor.
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.