UPPER TOWNSHIP – Upper Township honored outgoing solicitor Dan Young Monday evening.
Former mayor Rich Palombo was in attendance to support his longtime colleague as he accepted an award and gift from the committee.
The committee first formally adopted a resolution recognizing his years of service and wishing him luck in the future, then Mayor Curtis Corson Jr. said, “Dan, I guess you want to come up here?”
“Not really,” he joked. “It’s a lot easier out here.”
Corson read from a statement that Young served with “honor, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to fairness and justice” and called Young “a natural born leader.”
He said Young will leave a legacy of “honesty, morality and integrity to all who have known and worked with him.”
Young thanked the committee, saying, “I can’t say how much of a joy it’s been serving this town.” He especially thanked his wife, Kathleen, and Palombo.
Committeewoman Kim Hayes thanked the Public Works Department for both completing repairs on the state park, which is now open, and cleaning up recent vandalism at Amanda’s Field.
“The long-term plan is still to replace it,” she said of the state park. “We have an open application with County Open Space. We’re looking to modernize it.”
Hayes said a new nine-hole disc golf course will soon be installed at Amanda’s Field.
Committeeman Mark Pancoast also complimented the public works crew for their efforts during the recent storm in cleaning up debris and fallen trees.
Deputy Mayor Jay Newman explained that June 11 the Marmora Volunteer Fire Company will be celebrating its 75th anniversary.
He said that Monday was the 43rd anniversary of Corson’s father, Curtis Corson Sr., losing his life in a fire on Harbor Road.
Corson Sr. is the only Marmora firefighter to be killed on the job, he said.
“How do I know that? Because I was actually a senior in high school at the time. It was one of the first fires I was on,” Newman said.
Administrator Gary Demarzo said he has been following the mantra of “hire internally” to save on pensions and benefits to keep local taxes down.
Demarzo has worked with engineer Paul Dietrich and public works director Craig Reeves to expand the municipal sanitation code.
“We can reduce, keep it internally, and expand the abilities of our current workforce,” Demarzo said.
Demarzo made a point to thank all of those who have helped him improve efficiency and aid in his transition.
He mentioned clerk Barbara Young, CFO Barbara Ludy, Dietrich, EMS chief Melissa Coker, tax collector Rhonda Sharp, tax assessor Megan McAfee, and municipal attorney Dan Reeves.
“Without these people the municipality doesn’t operate as well as it does,” Demarzo said.
The committee adopted four resolutions regarding the 2022 budget, which was introduced in March and has not changed.
Committeeman John Coggins was the lone dissenting vote in adopting the budget.
The committee also passed a consent agenda including appointment of Beach Patrol personnel and liability counsel.
The agenda also awarded a contract for monitoring the shoreline and consulting to Dr. Stewart Farrell of Stockton University.
The agenda honored locals Christopher Lemmon and Nicholas George for becoming Eagle Scouts.
There were public hearings for six ordinances on the agenda, but four were postponed at the recommendation of Reeves. He said there was pending litigation regarding them and, thus, the discussions should be tabled to private session or pushed to a later date.
Corson and Newman said they had to recuse themselves from an ordinance regarding campgrounds and trailers. The committee resolved to postpone discussion to the next meeting May 23.
By KYLE McCRANE/Special to the Sentinel
