Township Committee fired the last one Jan. 27
PETERSBURG — Township Committee has begun the process of replacing former business administrator Gary DeMarzo, who was terminated Jan. 27.
Following a closed session at the end of that meeting, the governing body adopted a resolution hiring Joe Verruni of Jersey Professional Management as temporary administrator and for recruiting services. Chief Financial Officer Barbara Ludy estimated the contract would amount to $17,500.
DeMarzo, 57, was terminated as administrator but retains his civil service position of personnel officer. On Jan. 27, Township Committee hired the law firm of Blaney, Donohue & Weinberg to “formulate a layoff plan for the position of personnel officer for purposes of economy and efficiency.”
DeMarzo’s employment was divided into 70 percent personnel officer and 30 percent business administrator with a total compensation of $121,000.
During a meeting Feb. 10, Verruni outlined the recruiting process, noting he had done it hundreds of times.
He said he and his firm would be meeting with each member of the governing body about what they are looking for in an administrator and then
move on to department heads.
Verruni said the firm has a large database of business administrators, noting emails would go out to more than 500 in New Jersey and southeast Pennsylvania.
Next week he hopes to be collecting resumes and start narrowing down the search.
Verruni plans to present a status update during the Township Committee meeting March 10 and set up interviews for the week of March 17.
Verruni said it is important to stick to strict deadlines to conduct the process as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Beesley’s Point
Development Group
Committeeman Tyler Casaccio reported that he and Mayor Curtis Corson met with the Beesley’s Point Development Group last week for a project update.
“They are in the last stages of remediation of the project up there and they’re looking forward to moving forward with their development plan,” he said.
The group bought the former B.L. England Generating Station property in November 2021 and began an environmental cleanup of the site to make way for a commercial and residential complex featuring a hotel, marina, retail shops and an extensive public environmental installation.
Located along Great Egg Harbor Bay, the site includes sections of wetlands, lowlands, uplands and maritime forest — criss-crossed by multiple natural and man-made paths — that are home to numerous species of plants and animals. There’s also a former nine-hole golf course.
The BPDG, which specializes in redeveloping at-risk sites, has grand plans for boosting the ecology of the site, which they hope in turn boosts the economy of the entire township.
“I can’t go into too much detail right now about what they have planned but they are planning some great things to put up there and really make the head of Beesleys Point a positive destination going forward,” Casaccio said.
Solar power
Corson said he and Casaccio met with a solar power company and may reach an agreement to put solar panels at the former landfill.
Calling it a work in progress, Corson said it could turn into a long-term revenue generator.
“We have to look at every revenue stream we possible can and are going to have to think a little outside the box,” the mayor said.
Recreation cuts
Committeeman Sam Palombo announced that the township has canceled its annual Easter egg hunt.
“We had to make the difficult decision together to unfortunately get rid of the Easter egg hunt that the township normally does,” Palombo said. “It’s a budgetary issue as well as a manpower issue. We won’t be doing that any longer.”
Corson said he has reached out to the Upper Township Rescue Squad about doing an Easter event as a fundraiser.
“We are looking for somebody in the private sector who is willing to do it and we want to continue the celebration but in a different venue,” he said.
Palombo said they also are considering options for the Fourth of July.
“We are going to attack that either through finding a vendor or changing the date,” he said.
Project update
Engineer Ryan MacNeill said he has finalized the scope of work for the athletic court resurfacing project, noting it is expected to “fall right under the project budget.” He said he would have information about final costs at the next meeting, set for 5:30 p.m. Feb. 24.
The Putnam Avenue reconstruction project is moving along. MacNeill said the plan was submitted to the state Department of Transportation for review and would be submitted to the Atlantic County Conservation District as well.
He said they are hoping for approvals in the middle to end of March so they can put the project out to bid in April and award a contract May 12. He noted work on the street in Strathmere would be held off until the fall.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
