Woodbine Council Continues Port Authority Transfer

WOODBINE – This municipality’s Borough Council met March 2, and the first item of business was to consider an ordinance which provides for the dissolution of the Woodbine Port Authority and the transfer of its operations into the Woodbine Airport Utility Department. 
This ordinance was slated to be open for a public hearing, but council decided that more information was needed for members’ discussion before the step of opening the subject to citizens.
Thus, action on this ordinance was continued until April, date to be announced.
Two other ordinances that council considered were approved with no public comment. One dissolved the Woodbine Municipal Utilities Authority and transferred its operations to the Municipal Utilities Department. The other established salaries for borough employees for 2017.
Under “Unfinished Business,” council continued its discussion of the borough use of Open Space funding for the environmental project adjacent to the elementary school.
“We’re still grappling with the issue of the red-headed woodpecker and its nesting there although that’s a low possibility,” said Mayor William Pikolycky.
“We’re asking Stockton (University) students who’ve helped us in the past do a study for a couple of days in May when it’s nesting season, and hopefully that will help the project move forward with Pinelands considerations addressed,” he added.
Pikolycky updated council on some grant applications the borough has in the pipeline or will soon submit.
These included proposed fire and rescue equipment for $50,000 funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a potential Small Cities grant of $386,000 for the borough’s Head Start building renovations.
“The most exciting news I have for tonight’s meeting is my official proclamation for the 114th birthday of Woodbine,” announced Pikolycky.
In reading the proclamation, he highlighted that borough founder Baron DeHirsch purchased 5,300 acres from Dennis Township in 1891 for the resettlement of Russian Jews and that this tract of land was deemed a good location to begin a new community because of its railroad connections and favorable soil for farming.
“Woodbine’ is another name for honeysuckle which grew all over the place in those days. We’re fortunate that we’ve been able to build on the tremendous vision of Baron DeHirsch and all those he helped come here to make the Borough such a great place to live and work,” Pikolycky concluded. 
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.