CNBNews

By Bill Cleary

GLOUCESTER CITY-Did you notice all the construction work on South Broadway between Market and Monmouth Streets last week? If you rode by the area it was pretty hard to miss the workers cutting up the sidewalk and the backhoe loading buckets of dirt into trucks. Trying to get into the City Post Office was a nightmare since the area was roped off with traffic cones and construction tape. I couldn’t recall reading anything about plans for a major project this size anywhere. And so being a curious person I contacted Councilman Nick Marchese.

PHOTO South Broadway between Market and Cumberland Streets

Marchese explained that $150,000 is being spent to enhance this section of South Broadway. “Plans call for five iron park benches, 12 banner poles and 17 free standing decorative lights to be installed along with state-of-art sidewalks. Depending on the weather it is expected to take between two to three weeks to complete.”

Marchese said the funds for the work are being provided by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the Gloucester City Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ). He added, “The City engineers are working on a similar streetscape plan for Market Street from Broadway to King Street and for sections of Burlington Street. Plus the City recently received $270,000 from President Obama’s stimulus project to be used to extend the project north on Broadway from Monmouth Street to Hudson Street. The work will begin in spring 2010.”

I came across an article about protestors at the 3rd Annual "Leif Erickson Day Celebration" in Philadelphia at the statue of the Viking explorer on October 11. The demonstrators were from the Keystone State "Skinheads" . The reporter for the blog http://libcom.org interviewed the convicted felon Christopher DeMunguia, of Gloucester City. I can’t believe this guy is not in jail. Checking with the local police department I was told his case is still pending.

PHOTO: Christopher DeMunguia

From …http://libcom.org

In February, DeMunguia, only six months out of jail on an aggravated assault conviction, assaulted a police officer when he and three other officers went to a bar in Gloucester City to arrest him on another aggravated assault charge. A judge not knowing his background or the threats he made to police, allowed him to post bail, even though he didn't even have a known address. DeMunguia told the libcom reporter that he justified his situation with the fact that child molesters and rapists are also released. "I would rather somebody that beat somebody up live next to me than somebody that's going to molest my kid," he said.

I received a Tip this past week about the contractor who is storing equipment on the Market Street lot between north and south Route 130. The individual, a plumber, wondered why there was no meter on the water hydrant the contractor is using to gauge the amount of water being used. Administrator Jack Lipsett said, “The City charges a contractor either by bulk or by a meter. In this case the contractor for the 295 project, RE Pierson is being charged by bulk. The City is being paid.”

Et Cetera…By the way I don’t post comments on ClearysNoteBook.com that pertain to family members of elected officials. I mention this as I received a remark this past week about the wives of three city council members that never saw the light. I don’t believe family members should be singled out just because their husband/wife happens to be serving on council. This particular commentary was posted to the article PBA Union Official Response to Gannett News Articles. Why this person thought it was necessary to bring the wives into the contract fight between the City and the union is beyond me.

Send your Tips to [email protected] or my mail to Gloucester City News, PO Box 151, Gloucester City NJ 08030,