First in a series of articles

Through many years of work with the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, I led an effort offering emergency medical volunteers and firefighters more opportunities for the services they provide our towns. At one time this work has almost always on a volunteer basis. I worked with the NJ LOSAP (Length of Service Awards Program) to give these hard-working local volunteers a sense that they would have a pension or benefits waiting for their many dedicated years of service without a major impact on the taxpayers.

The times have changed dramatically with twenty three towns in Atlantic County. Buena Vista Township was amongst the very last to maintain volunteer medical services in our community. But the time has come when major decisions had to be made when you need help in a time of emergency, someone will be there to answer your call. The average rate for these EMT’s (Emergency Medical Technicians) involves a great deal of schooling and follow-up education and the average salary is pushing $15.00 per hour and will likely go higher. A year ago, Township Committee started to make a plan in conjunction with our own Buena Vista Township EMS to keep the ship floating. We are finding that is becoming a major difficulty to attract an employee at $15.00 an hour for a volunteer if they are already in a two income family and also have a great opportunity to be hired by a professional organization, such as a hospital or other medical services. Our local ambulance does not remain in the same status once the organization became a paid service where maintenance and rules for the EMT’s become more stringent under State regulations.

After a years’ worth of studying and putting together new fund raising efforts, and the Township and Fire Districts stepping up to contribute a larger share of taxpayer dollars to provide these services, we are finding it is still one of the most hardest decisions to make. In the months to come Buena Vista Township EMS, led by Chief Soren Hudyma will begin this new program with their newly approved state vehicles under a new paid service which allows them to collect money from insurance companies, where applicable, in order to contribute towards the overall expenses.

It is a very complex issue and the Township will continue to share information with our residents well into 2020. So, when the ambulance arrives to help you in an emergency, it will be operating under different conditions and the Township will continue to provide updates as we go along.

See further details in next month’s issue.

Summer Lunch Program at the MLK Community Center begins July 8th, Monday – Friday from 1-3pm. All Children 0-18 years old are invited to come and have a FREE lunch. Call 609-704-7262 or email MLKCenter@buenavistanj.com for more information.

Children in Atlantic County will have a new option for summer fun this year:  YMCA summer camps will be offered locally for the first time. These are available through the Cumberland Cape Atlantic YMCA.  Included will be Camp Y-Achievers, a summer learning loss prevention program for those entering grades two and three; Camp Hiawatha, for ages six to eight; and Camp Merrywood transportation, for ages eight to fifteen.  All camps will include healthy breakfast and lunch.

The camps will be begin on June 24th and run through August 23rd.  Participation may be weekly or for the entire summer.

Campers will be bused to from these locations:

• Spragg Elementary School in Egg Harbor; Pick up at approximately 8:00am and drop off at approximately 5:10pm
• Mullica Township School; Pick up at approximately 8:30am and drop off at approximately 4:10pm
• Collings Lakes Elementary School (to Camp Merrywood, in Pittsgrove); Pickup at approximately 9:10am and drop off at approximately 4:05pm

Extended day options will also be available from 7:30 am till 5:30pm.

For pricing and other details, please call the YMCA at (856) 691-0030 or see www.ccaymca.org.

The Times They are a Changin’…

I wanted to take a moment to tell our residents that real progress is being made in Buena Vista Township. On March 21^st new Digital LED Lights were tested at Michael Debbi Park, and they looked terrific. This offers the newest state-of-the-art lighting and energy savings to our residents using the baseball, softball, and football fields. This $800,000.00 project, approved by Green Acres, as a loan, will put us in a new dimension of lighting that will take us forward for the next 20 years.

The $400,000.00 Buena Vista Township Local Road Program is well underway re-asphalting over a dozen roads throughout the Township including 6^th Road in Newtonville. The Township has always had a local road program each year for as long as I can remember. We try to evaluate roads to make living and traveling in Buena Vista Township a little easier. Unfortunately, we have 125 miles of paved roads in our Township and can only do so many each year.

We are in the process of replacing a 1988 Road Grader. It is no longer working and parts are not available. A newer 2008 model is in the bid process which will help to maintain our dirt roads throughout the Township. It will even assist during snow storms.

This year we completed the long overdue Weymouth Road Project after six years of State Road Aid Grant money. The next project we have requested from the State is to help rebuild Chestnut Avenue in East Vineland and we are waiting for approval.

Another project that will begin soon is at our Public Works building on Union Road in East Vineland. The plans are complete, and the funding is in place to remove the old concrete portion of the building which was built in the 1950’s. A modern replacement steel structure will be built on the same footprint that will allow us to store more equipment indoors, have a better work area for repairs, offices, and a meeting room/kitchen area. The funding for this project comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a long-term loan.

The Township also plans on purchasing some new equipment for our Public Works Department that is long overdue. Included are dump trucks and pick-up trucks so that our fleet can stay up-to-date and be able to serve the community better.

It is important that the Township try to maintain our buildings, equipment, parks, and roads, so that we can continue to offer all the services that we do. Please know that a great deal of thought goes into making these decisions. Some of the projects mentioned in this article have been in the planning stages for as long as ten years.

Mayor Chuck Chiarello

State Senate President, Steve Sweeney, acknowledges Buena Vista Township Deputy Mayor Teresa Kelly for her service as President of The Atlantic County League of Municipalities on Friday, February 16, 2019, at a dinner held at the Mays Landing Country Club.

The First Baptist Church of Richland held their annual African American Cultural Day on Sunday, February 24, 2019. The event, led by Rev. David Mallory, was filled with culture, music, poetry and special guests.

Pictured here is Musician/Singer Lonnie Youngblood who shared his talents during the day and Mr. Ralph Hunter, the head of the African American Heritage Museum at the MLK Center. Township Committee members were also in attendance at this event.

On Friday, March 1, 2019, Committeeman John Williams read Dr. Seuss Books at Gateway School during Read Across America. In recognition of the birthday of the beloved children’s author, Dr. Seuss, on March 2nd, the purpose of Read Across America program is to motivate children to read. It is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Thank you Committeeman John Williams for recognizing the importance of and participating in this day.

Assemblyman John Armato swore in the 2019 Pineland Municipal Council members at Buena Vista Municipal Complex on Tuesday, March 5, 2019.

On Friday March 8^th, 2019, Buena Vista Township Committeeman John Williams was sworn-in as the new President of The Atlantic County Association of Township Officials. He was sworn-in by Buena Borough Council President, Rosalie Baker.

Buena Vista Township hosted their annual rabies clinics that were held on March 2^nd and March 16^th. Many fur babies came out and visited Township Employees and Committee who helped with the clinic.

A crowd of about 80 people were in attendance on January 7, 2019, to see the swearing in of the newly re-elected Committee Members Chuck Chiarello and Teresa Kelly.

Mayor Chuck Chiarello was sworn in to serve his 23rd year as Mayor alongside of Teresa Kelly as Deputy Mayor, serving her 21st year.

Chiarello and Kelly also started their 28th year as an elected Township Committee Team.

The entire Committee looks forward to serving the community together again. A mass swearing in was held for all of the new appointees and reappointments to the Township sub-committees and staff.

The New Jersey State Police Color Guard presented the Flag while Eugene Moore of Newtonville sang our National Anthem.

We were also honored to have Congressman Jeff Van Drew with us, and he gave a very motivational speech to the audience. Music was provided by Miss Veronica Farkas.

The Rev. David Mallory of the 1st Baptist Church in Richland and the Rev. Ken Albert of the Abundant Living Church in Williamstown delivered the invocation and benediction respectively.