Supervisors grapple with sewer, finance and recreation issues
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
New Garden Police Chief Gerald R. Simpson congratulates Police Officer First Class John M. Gibson, who was named Officer of the Year for the township police, as part of Monday night’s annual Police Awards Ceremony prior to the meeting of the Board of Supervisors.
NEW GARDEN — The township’s police department honored the best of the best of the department Monday night, proffering honors on a half dozen officers, as friends, family and community members looked on in a jam-packed Municipal Building.
Chief of police Gerald R. Simpson presided over the ceremony, before the Board of Supervisors meeting, and honored officers for driving under the influence enforcement, life saving and named the 2013 Police Officer of the Year.
While a total of six officers were honored, either with awards or letters of commendation, it was Police Officer First Class John M. Gibson who was the star of the night.
Gibson was named Police Officer of the Year for 2013, honored for his efforts in saving a man from a burning car and for having the highest DUI enforcement rate on the force in 2013.
New Garden Police Chief Gerald R. Simpson congratulates four officers from his department on their Driving Under the Influence enforcement work. From left Simpson, Officer First Class John M. Gibson, Police Officer Matthew R. Jones, Cpl. Jeffrey D. Cali and Officer Joseph P. Versagli.
The 28-year veteran — who Simpson noted wryly had served under five of the six police chiefs in the township’s history — was lauded for his willingness to adopt new methods enthusiastically, and “still has the passion of a first-year officer” while setting an excellent example for younger officers. Simpson also noted that the officer dislikes attention and ceremony
Gibson was honored along with Officer Matthew R. Jones, a first-year recipient for DUI enforcement. Officers Joseph P. Versagli and Cpl. Jeffrey D. Call were both honored for the second straight year.
New Garden Police Officers Matthew Jones (left) and John Gibson (right) were honored for saving the life of Alejandro Velazquez-Castano of Toughkenamon (center), who was trapped in a burning car following a crash, June 15, 2013.
Jones and Gibson were honored for saving the life of a township man, Alejandro Velazquez-Castano, trapped in his car, following a single-car crash on June 15, 2013. Velazquez-Castano was in attendance Monday night offer his thanks to the two officers.
Two new officers were sworn in: Jose G. Reyes and Ryan D. Kushner, who took the oath office before District Justice Matt Seavey.
In other township news, at the Supervisors meeting following the ceremony, the board tackled a handful of complicated issues — including whether to take a more serious look at potentially selling the township sewer assets, concerns about spending and taxes and issues regarding use of township parks by various local sports organizations.
New Garden swore in a pair of new police officers Monday night, Ryan D. Kushner (left) and Jose G. Reyes.
Financial realities may force supervisors to make tough decisions in the coming months about the future of the sewer system.
Interim Township Manager Spencer Andress noted that a handful of major investments in the system — potentially costing millions of dollars — are likely in the years ahead.
Because of the overall slowdown in development, the township’s Sewer Authority can no longer expect to fund such work with tipping fees, as had been the case previously. Unless the township wants to pass these multi-million expenses onto rate paying customers, Andress said supervisors will have to look at other options, including bonding debt to pay for the upgrades and repairs, or, potentially, selling the system to a third-party.
He noted that two commercial entities and one municipal system had expressed initial interest in potentially buying the township’s system.
Former supervisor Bob Perrotti said he had concerns about the current employees of the municipal system in the event of a sale and that he hoped supervisors would take their fates into account, and that the board would delay any rate hikes, in anticipation of a sale, as it seems likely a new buyer would likely have to boost rates.
Still, ultimately, noting the current situation, the supervisors voted to approve Andress and Township Solicitor Vincent Pompo to hold exploratory talks with potential buyers to better determine the market for the system.
Addressing the township’s current financial situation, supervisor Stephen Allaband expressed some concerns about criticism in the community over the board’s decision to raise taxes in 2012. He noted that the township operated in the red for a number of years, and was only able to balance the budget by tapping into the rainy day fund, and the the increase, the first in more than two decades, was needed to keep pace with increasing costs.
Allaband noted that in 2011, the township ran a $480,000 deficit and $243,000 deficit in 2012.
“When I hear we raised taxes for no reason,” he said. “It’s kind of troubling.”
Also, Matt Tucker, President of KAU Little League addressed supervisors to discuss the use of a township field. Currently, KAU maintains a field in the township’s park and has paid for numerous upgrades, including dugouts. Tucker was questioned about allowing other sporting organizations to sue the field during the spring, when it is almost entirely in use by KAU’s Minor League softball and baseball.
The current agreement between the township and KAU gives the organization priority use on the field — in exchange for the maintenance and facility upgrades, so far in excess of $25,000 in costs to the organization.
Tucker expressed some concerns about opening the field up to other organizations, when KAU is paying for the field — and other organizations have not been asked to pay. Tucker was asked whether it would be possible to have one night a week as open for other organizations to use and he said he would take the matter back to the KAU board for its opinion.
