Council reports from the 9/28/20 Council Meeting follow below.  
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As always, please feel free to reach out at any time with questions or concerns:

Paul Blass paul.blass@pitman.org
Amy Rudley amy.rudley@pitman.org
Matthew Weng matt.weng@pitman.org
Vanessa E. James vanessa.james@pitman.org
Adam Mazzola adam.mazzola@pitman.org





Council Report September 28, 2020
Council President Paul Blass
paul.blass@pitman.org

The Economic Development Committee (EDC) met on September 17th. At the time businesses were in the midst of the Tenzy Frenzy promotion and ideas were discussed for enhancing that for next year. Plans continue to take shape for the final pieces of the Theatre Avenue project. The committee approved funds to purchase planters to replace the plastic orange barriers at the end of the street.

Sustainable Pitman (aka “The Green Team”) met on September 24th. The group continues to look into ways to improve getting the word out about proper recycling. Chairman Aspras is looking into getting a building audit for borough owned buildings since it has been several years since that was done.
Public Works

On September 16th soccer coach Vanessa James notified Soccer President Michael Razze about a possible unsafe storm drain on the Lambs Road field. This was passed on to me. The next morning, I notified Mr. Rodi at public works. By the 21st the PW crew had it repaired.

On September 19th the Public Works Department and, I think, some member of the parks department were out finishing the work on the dam at Alcyon Lake. They repaired the platform at the spillway as recommended in the biennial report.
On September 20th Councilman Mazzola notified me of a sewer issue on Esplanade Avenue. It was a Sunday so Mr. Rodi called the on-call employee who went out and took care of this clog.

Just yesterday Councilman Fitzpatrick notified me of a hazardous inlet on Broadway. Unfortunately, the type of repair required can not be done in house and PW is now looking for bids.

Please remember that bulk trash should only be put out on the first full week of each month. Next week – the week of October 4th – is the next time for bulk trash. Bulk trash is limited to two large items and up to five bags. If you have more than that, please call Public Works department at 589-1040 to discuss options.

Amy E. Rudley
Council Report September 28, 2020

Parks and Recreation
The Senior Bus will be setting up some specific dates for the flu shot clinics in Gloucester County. If you have any interest in taking the bus to one of the flu shot clinics, please contact Steve at 856-582-4766.
We currently have micro-mini soccer, Healthy Kids Running Club, fall baseball and softball, as well as soccer up and running for the season. We will announce winter sports in the coming weeks.

Environmental Commission
The Environmental Commission has not met since our last Council meeting, but will meet this Thursday at 6:30 at Borough Hall. This is a public meeting and all are welcome.  We do have the approval of a recycling sub-committee for the Environmental Commission on tonight’s agenda. I am hopeful that we will obtain some new ideas from volunteers regarding possible ways to increase recycling compliance in Pitman.
Senior Outreach

The Senior Outreach Committee did meet on the Third Thursday and had almost a full committee of attendees. We are looking for ways to make contact with those Seniors who have not yet heard about the Committee and who may need resources.

Should you ever have any questions or need to reach me for any reason, please feel free to e-mail me at amy.rudley@pitman.org or call me at 609-214-6342

Councilman Matt Weng
Council Report 9-28-20

The PPD would like to congratulate and thank Mr. Zach Connor and Ms. Jess Kile for a well-organized and successful Human Trafficking Awareness Event that twas held on this past Saturday. The event brought awareness to our community concerning this tragic issue.

The Pitman PD would like to again, thank Ms. Courtney Milward and the Back the Blue Event for their recent donation of $3,000.00 to the Pitman PD K-9 Unit. Not only did the event provide the K-9 Unit with those funds but several other donations have come in with acknowledgement of the event.

School has once again started back up with the return of “some” students, with the remainder returning next Monday, October 5th. The PPD wants to remind everyone to please drive slowly & safely. Please respect the rules of the road for pedestrians and buses.

Overnight Parking Enforcement is being suspended for the remainder of the calendar (2020) year and all of January 2021. Residents are asked to remain cognizant that all other state and local parking laws are still in effect. This would include, but are not limited to, blocking driveways, timed parking areas and handicap parking spaces (which are only available to drivers who are designated as handicapped).

Council Report 9/28/20
Councilwoman Vanessa E. James
Vanessa.James@Pitman.Org
Liaison: Finance & Audit, Personnel, Welfare Office, Library Board, Chamber of Commerce, Municipal Alliance, Task Force on Diversity & Inclusion

Finance Department
The tax collector reports that the tax collection rate is currently at 97.86 percent, which is up 1.13 percent from last year at the same time.

Greater Pitman Chamber of Commerce
Join the Greater Pitman Chamber of Commerce as they celebrate the Grand Re-Opening of Kelly’s A Touch of Ireland this Saturday, October 3rd at 21 S. Broadway at 11 a.m.

On Friday night, I had the opportunity to attend Pitman’s first ever outdoor Comedy Show at Sunset Auditorium which benefited the Pitman Revitalization Corporation. Congratulations to the organizer, Pitman resident Benjamin Leis on a great event. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time and it was sorely needed. To stay up to date on their upcoming events, you can follow their Facebook page Comic Cure or send an email to ben@comiccure.com to get on their email list.

McCowan Memorial Library
Library usage is slowly increasing, but the library is receiving reports of people that still don’t know that they are open. Please spread the word that the library is open during its regular hours, and please stop by!

Task Force on Diversity & Inclusion
Pitman's Task Force on Diversity & Inclusion met on Thursday, September 24th. The Task Force
members are hard at work on the ideas and areas of research that they discussed in August. As part of their plans to get community feedback and suggestions on potential events and initiatives, they have submitted a survey which will be included in the next Borough newsletter.

Council Report 9/28/2020
Councilman Adam Mazzola
Adam.Mazzola@pitman.org

Board of Education:
Each week for the past 3 weeks, the Pitman Public Schools have provided breakfast and lunch for around 650 - 700 children per week, with over 9,000 breakfasts and lunches this past week. The benefit is free for all children under 18 in the Borough of Pitman regardless of their school enrollment and is funded by the USDA program. Every family is encouraged to sign up for these meals by filling out the form available online. The form must be completed each week to receive the food. Pickup times are Tuesdays from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM and can be obtained in front of Pitman High School at 225 Linden Avenue. Details can be found at pitman.k12.nj.us where you will find a link to the Google document to enroll or https://pitmank12.nutrislice.com for the menus and nutritional information. Should you need assistance with the program, I would be happy to connect any residents with the program director and I can be reached at adam.mazzola@pitman.org.

Today's Question & Answer segment with Councilmen Matthew Weng & Adam Mazzola is from Pitman residents David Schnatterer and Claire Yeager.  They would like to know, “What is your proudest accomplishment as a Councilman,” and “What is your favorite Pitman tradition?”
 
Watch our quick video to hear Matt & Adam's answer!
 
Matt & Adam would LOVE to answer your questions. If you have a question for Matt & Adam please reach out to them on Facebook or by email at pitmandems@gmail.com
For more information about Matt & Adam check out our website http://www.pitmandemocraticparty.com/ and join our Facebook group the Pitman Democrats
#WengMazzolaForPitman
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Below please find the Council Reports from last night's (9/14) Pitman Borough Council Meeting. As always, please feel free to reach out at any time with questions or concerns:
Paul Blass paul.blass@pitman.org
Amy Rudley amy.rudley@pitman.org
Matthew Weng matt.weng@pitman.org
Vanessa E. James vanessa.james@pitman.org
Adam Mazzola adam.mazzola@pitman.org


​Council Report September 14, 2020
Council President Paul Blass
paul.blass@pitman.org
In my address at the 9/11 ceremony I emphasized the often unsung work of our very dedicated public works department. Besides the list of typical tasks I have in a moment, I have two examples of jobs outside their normal routine that just get added to their “to do” list.

On August 26th I was contacted about a “tripping hazard” on Elm Avenue. Within two days public works had gone out and reset a pipe along the sidewalk to eliminate that problem.
On August 29th the remnants of Hurricane Laura hit which caused flooding around town. Two crew members were out at the library sandbagging to help stop the flooding of the basement. Later the next week they dug out the drain pipe on the Ballard Park side.

Public Works Second half of August 2020

HIGHWAY DEPT:
4 Truckloads of bulk trash collected tonnage included in trash total.
Repaired or replaced street signs in town.
12 hours spent cleaning the tops of storm drains.
6 hours patching and repairing pot holes and sink holes.
20 hours grinding leaves and brush for mulch.
Ran street sweeper 4 hours.
Delivered 6 yards of mulch to residents.
Spent 24 hours mowing.
Repaired the trash/recycle can @ various locations.
Dropped off a truck for yard debris to 1 residences & picked up the next day.
Delivered 6 new trash cans to residences and 4 new recycle cans.

WATER & SEWER DEPT:
Plunged out 9 sewer stoppages.
Jetted 2 sewer mains.
Did well work, (painting, cleaning, etc.)
Took Water samples.
Read 7 meters for settlement.
Re-read 1 meters for billing questions.
Upgraded 1 meter heads.
Opened water tower for AT&T.
Repaired cracked water main on Vassar Ave.

Amy E. Rudley
9/14/20 Council Report
I would like to echo my words from the Borough 9/11 Ceremony briefly here tonight to thank, on the record, the Parks and Recreation Department for their incredible efforts during the course of the pandemic.
For the Recreation Commission:

Micro-mini soccer starts up this week with practices and games on Saturdays. The Healthy Kids Running club is also set to get started and we look forward to the return of softball and baseball.

The Environmental Commission met on 9/3 and began plans to resume some environmental efforts which had been cancelled due to the COVID restrictions in the Spring and Summer. They will be putting up some informational signage about native trees and planting some new trees in Alcyon Park. There has been a native New Jersey chestnut tree in bloom, which is a big deal, as this species has been decimated by invasive species of insects and plants. We are hopeful that the State will want to take a sample from this tree and that we can be a part of preserving the native New Jersey chestnut. A member of the Commission is reaching out to them.

Senior Outreach plans to meet this week at 5:00 p.m. and hopes to have a message to the Borough’s Senior Citizens in the upcoming newsletter.

Finally, the Borough-wide yard sale is wildly popular with 86 yard sales currently registered as of 6:00 p.m. today! The cut off was Friday, but I am working on the final list this week, so residents can still get in if they e-mail me right away. Amy.rudley@pitman.org

As always, please feel free to reach out regarding any issues in the Borough at that e-mail address or via 609-214-6342.

Councilman Matthew Weng
9/14/20 Council Report

The Pitman Police Department would like to thank Mayor and Council for the recognition that they bestowed upon the PPD and all first Responders and Essential Workers at the September 11th Memorial Ceremony. They were all truly honored to have been recognized.
The Pitman PD would like to thank Ms. Courtney Milward and the Back to School Back the Blue Event for their recent donation of $3,000.00 to the Pitman PD K-9 Unit. They are greatly appreciative of such a kind and generous donation and the support that was shown to the Pitman PD.

Council Report 9/14/20
Councilwoman Vanessa E. James
Vanessa.James@Pitman.Org

Liaison: Finance & Audit, Personnel, Welfare Office, Library Board, Chamber of Commerce, Municipal Alliance, Task Force on Diversity & Inclusion

Greater Pitman Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Pitman Chamber of Commerce is working with the Economic Development Committee to promote their Tenzy Frenzy Event which runs from September 13th through September 19th. Businesses are offering a variety of deals, so make sure to shop local and support our Uptown this week.

McCowan Memorial Library
The library continues to operate successfully with the appropriate restrictions in place. Thanks to Council President Paul Blass and Councilman Mazzola who met up with me in the pouring rain a few Saturdays ago to address a flooding issue at the library. I’m pleased to report that the library successfully installed a sump pump and it is my understanding that Public Works is working to improve some drainage issues as well.
The Library Board of Trustees will have its first in-person meeting since February on Tuesday, September 22nd at 7 p.m. at the library.

Task Force on Diversity & Inclusion
Pitman's Task Force on Diversity & Inclusion met on Thursday, August 27th. The members came prepared with some excellent ideas and they have committed to a planning schedule which should produce a report of recommendations to Mayor & Council by Spring 2021.
The next meeting of the Task Force will be on Thursday, September 24th in Borough Council Chambers at 7 p.m. Meetings are open to the public. *Please wear a mask.

Council Report 9/14/2020
Councilman Adam Mazzola
Adam.Mazzola@pitman.org
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Clean Communities:
Our first clean up project of 2020 was held August 26th at the Dell. They filled two black trash totes and half of a green recycling tote with what they collected including a broken bag chair that they pulled out of the creek. We currently have 5 scheduled events in the next few weeks including Sunset Auditorium, Shertel Park, the railroad tracks, The Pitman Historical Museum & Grove Auditorium, and Alcyon Lake.

Today's Question & Answer segment with Councilmen Matthew Weng & Adam Mazzola is from Pitman resident Ashley Mason. Ashley would like to know, "What experience do you have professionally or in your past volunteerism that enables you to effectively run the Borough of Pitman?"
Watch our quick video to hear Matt & Adam's answer!
Matt & Adam would LOVE to answer your questions. If you have a question for Matt & Adam please reach out to them on Facebook or by email at pitmandems@gmail.com
For more information about Matt & Adam join our Facebook group the Pitman Democrats
#WengMazzolaForPitman