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CAMDEN COUNTY
BOARD OF CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS MEETING
MAY 17, 2007 - 7:00 P.M.
COLD SPRINGS SCHOOL, CAFETORIUM
1 COLD SPRINGS ROAD, GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ

The meeting was called to order by Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. at 7:00 p.m. The Director asked the Clerk to call the roll and the following Freeholders answered to their name:

PRESENT: CREAM, GRECO, NASH, RIPA, MCDONNELL, CAPPELLI
ABSENT: RODRIGUEZ

The Director stated that adequate notice of this meeting has been provided in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act.

Director Cappelli asked everyone to stand for the invocation and asked Louisa W. Llewellyn of United Methodist Church of Gloucester City to come forward.

Director Cappelli then called upon Roger Lord, a senior of Highland Park Program for Success to lead everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Director Cappelli asked Samantha Steffen, 4th Grader of Mary Ethel Costello School to come forward. Ms. Steffen sang America The Beautiful.

The Director commended Samantha on that performance and said at some point in the future, Gloucester City will have a winner on American Idol!

Director Cappelli advised that the County has available, if requested, large print agendas for the visually impaired. The Director explained that if anyone requires one to please see the Clerk of the Board.

Director Cappelli welcomed everyone. The Director said we are very pleased to be here this evening in Gloucester City. The Director said when we go from town to town and have these meetings, we typically make a presentation to the Mayor and Council of each town. He said we have already done that this evening because Mayor and Council have their own meeting tonight at 7:00 p.m. The Director said we made a presentation to them and to the Rotary Club at 6:45 p.m. this evening.

Director Cappelli said we also presented a recycling tonnage grant rebate check in the amount of $15,175.96 to Gloucester City.

PRESENTATION

Director Cappelli called upon Sheriff Chuck Billingham to come forward.

Sheriff Billingham said the County Clerk, Jim Beach; the Surrogate, Pat Jones and he run a poster contest every year for Fourth Graders in Camden County. The Sheriff said it was pretty awesome. He said twenty-one schools competed – 309 Fourth Graders and the theme of the poster contest was “What makes Camden County so unique”. He said we got so many wonderful things about our libraries, our parks, and the battleship. He said it was incredible and lucky for them they didn’t have to judge them. The Sheriff said we have three of the four winners here this evening.

The Sheriff called upon 3rd Place Winner, Asia Kittle of St. Stephens School; 2nd Place Winner, Randy Hoang of St. Cecelia’s School; and 1st Place Winner, Val Vadino of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School. The Sheriff asked Val to hold up his poster. The Sheriff also noted that the 4th Place Winner, Shani Thapa, of EM Burke School was not able to attend. The Sheriff congratulated each one of them and thanked them for participating.

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

Freeholder Cream said each month the Freeholder Board has one Freeholder who takes the time to honor his/her employees. She said all of us realize that without good employees Camden County would not be able to operate as it does. She said it just so happens that tonight is her time. Freeholder Cream said she is honored to call to the front of the room James Johnica. She said it just so happens that Mr. Johnica is a resident of Gloucester City. Freeholder Cream said he has been employed with the County for over nine years. He is affectionately known by most of you and all of us as “Sledge”. He is the senior building maintenance worker in City Hall. He has been married for 34 years and has raised four of his own children and three of his grandchildren. Freeholder Cream said very seldom does he take any time off. She said we can always count on him to be present, never late. His superiors and co-workers describe him as very polite, considerate, dedicated and helpful to others. She said he takes pride in his work and is a wonderful team player. Freeholder Cream said we are proud to have employees like Jim who exhibit such professionalism and dedication. Freeholder Cream congratulated him on his accomplishment. Freeholder Cream then presented him with a clock and a check.

COMMUNITY AWARD

Freeholder Nash said every month Camden County scours the County to look for a person who gives so much of themselves to others and to their community. He said this month we are very pleased to give this very prestigious recognition to one of Gloucester’s own, Louisa Llewellyn. Freeholder Nash said for those of you who might be one of the three people in this town who do not know this woman, Louisa Llewellyn, legendary long-life resident of the City of Gloucester, graduated from Gloucester High School in 1950 and went on to earn a teaching degree from Glassboro State College and then taught for seven years at Audubon Park Elementary School. The Freeholder said in 1961, Ms. Llewellyn followed her heart to Gloucester High School teaching English and serving as the advisor to any publication the Junior/Senior school students chose to print and remained there until her retirement. He said less than two years later she was back as a member of the Board of Education, where she has served as the Vice President and currently is the President. He said in addition to her tireless efforts at Gloucester High, this mother of two, grandmother of five and great-grandmother of four, gives of her time, expertise and education to her Church, Trinity United Methodist Church. He said she serves weekly at the Food Pantry and serves as Treasurer of the Police Athletic League. She also is a member of the Historic Preservation Committee, the Mayor’s Advisory Council and is a lifetime commissioner of the Gloucester City Girl’s Softball League. Freeholder Nash said that on behalf of the entire Freeholder Board, it is our honor and pleasure that Louisa W. Llewellyn receives the County’s Community Service Award. He congratulated her.

Ms. Llewellyn said as she looks out in the audience, there are a number of people who are just as deserving of this award. She said she is willing to share everything with them. She said anything at all that she can possibly do, she does but she said she has a lot of friends who back her up and who work just as hard as she does. She acknowledged one of her friends, Theresa Graham, who works just as diligently and just as hard frequently behind the scenes but does she ever work! She said she appreciates everyone’s efforts to help the City be what it is and what it needs to be. She thanked everyone.

Freeholder Nash said he understands she carries her famous red pencil and that her staff is afraid to make mistakes. He said we hope you have your red pencil with you today. The Freeholder said what we are going to do is borrow that red pencil and mark up the mistakes in the Proclamation and replace it and have it hand-delivered to her.

Director Cappelli acknowledged former Freeholder Thomas Gurick from Gloucester City and his wife, Joanne. The Director welcomed back a very special County employee, who took some time off to get better and he welcomed the Director of Veterans Affairs and leads the best Veterans Affairs office in the State of New Jersey and is a great leader – Norm Sooy.

PROCLAMATION

Freeholder Cream called upon Melissa Hopp to come forward along with any members of the College. Freeholder Cream said she is the Freeholder liaison to Camden County College and being the liaison to that wonderful institution certainly gives her a great deal of pleasure and honor to be presenting this Proclamation to Melissa Hopp tonight. Freeholder Cream said Melissa started in 1994 as did she, as a Freeholder in Camden County so that too makes her feel very well because Melissa has worked so very closely with all of the Freeholders to help make Camden County College one of the best in the State of New Jersey. Freeholder Cream said personally she thinks, “It is the best”. Freeholder Cream said Melissa has been involved in many things at that College since 1994. She said she is a young lady who is very intelligent; she works very hard, is very capable. The Freeholder said though she knows she is going to another place, the Freeholder is proud to say that she was a part of mentoring Melissa. Freeholder Cream said now she is going on to higher heights and when that occurs with young people, she feels that it is something, though I regret her leaving, I am proud that she is going on to her new position. Freeholder Cream read the Proclamation. Freeholder Cream said she is very proud of Melissa for her strength, for her intelligence and for her commitment to this County. Freeholder Cream then said, “Bless you”.

Director Cappelli said over the past decade, Camden County College has grown in leaps and bounds, not only in size and in number of students that it serves but also in quality. The Director said Freeholder Cream just stated that it is the best in the State of New Jersey and there is no doubt about that. The Director said it also has been recognized as one of the best community colleges in the entire United States. He said that is because of the leadership that we have had there over the past decade, Phyllis Della Vecchio, who we said goodbye to not too long ago and Melissa Hopp. Director Cappelli said on behalf of the Board of Freeholder and all the residents of Camden County, thank you for your hard work and dedication. He wished her luck in the future.

Ms. Hopp said I am going to turn around and thank some Freeholders. She thanked Freeholder Ripa, her favorite Board Treasurer. She said she learned so much from him as Board Treasurer and when he was a Trustee at Camden County College he was very helpful to her. To Ed McDonnell, who continues to teach her things everyday in his work as the entrepreneurial leader of the College. To Freeholder Nash, she said he is the man with the vision. She said he taught her a lot about that. She thanked everyone and said she appreciates this recognition.

MINUTES

The Director said the next order of business is the Minutes of our previous meeting and asked for a motion to accept the Minutes as presented. Freeholder Nash made a motion to adopt the Minutes with a second by Freeholder Ripa and on roll call, all Freeholders present voted aye.

CORRESPONDENCE

The Director then asked the Clerk of the Board if there was any correspondence. The Clerk answered that there was correspondence.

Ms. Szczesniewski said the Board of Freeholders received an e-mail from Susan Heidt about the County’s recent shredding event. She said it reads, “Kudos and congratulations for the shredding event at Camden County College. It was organized, efficient and fun.” Ms. Heidt went on to say that she had called earlier in the week to ask exactly where on campus it would take place and was told by the person she spoke with that there would be signs directing her to the event. She said she was concerned since she is handicapped and would not be able to walk far or carry her boxes with ease. She said the signs were there. She said, the fact that workers would go to your car to get the stuff was amazing. She said she arrived shortly after 9:00 a.m. and was about 25th in line. She said the line moved very quickly once they opened up and she was on her way. She thanked the Freeholders for this event and also for sponsoring the flu shots in the winter. She said she is grateful for these services.

Director Cappelli said he would also like to thank Gina Forte, Director of Constituent Services and everyone else involved in that shredding event. The Director said that was our second one and it has just been a tremendous success. He said we received a lot of pieces of correspondence like that and he thanked Gina for her hard work and dedication to that project.

COMPTROLLER

The Director then asked for a motion to adopt the Comptroller’s Report. Deputy Director McDonnell made a motion to adopt with a second by Freeholder Cream and on roll call, all Freeholders present voted aye.

The Director announced that the next portion of this meeting will be opened to the public for discussion on the Resolutions that the Freeholders are going to be acting upon this evening. He said there will be another public session after the meeting, at which time the public can ask any questions they want regarding the business of the County or anything else they wish to talk about. The Director said that he asks that this portion of the public hearing be limited to the Resolutions that the Freeholders are going to be voting on.

The Director then declared the public hearing open. Seeing no one wishing to speak, Director Cappelli asked for a motion to close the public hearing. Freeholder Ripa made a motion to close the public hearing with a second by Freeholder Greco and all Freeholders present voted aye.

The Director said that at our Caucus on Tuesday evening, the Board of Freeholders reviewed the resolutions to be acted upon tonight. He said it was at that time that the Board discussed items to be voted on and we will be voting on resolutions in blocks based on unanimous consent of the Freeholders.