CNBNews

success and will continue this year with the institution of a citywide accessible Enforcer program whereby all our governmental agencies will be able to access, input and retrieve information related to problem properties and problem tenants. The development of evidence laden packages on each property will not only enhance our enforcement efficiency but will also enable us to revoke rental registration of non-conforming landlords and tenants. An example of the need for this type aggressive action is clear when we discovered that of the 18 last drug raids conducted by our police department all 18 were rental properties.

We continue to monitor our Fire Department overtime and report the following

2005 ($385,797) 2006 ($255,312) 2007 ($305,577) 2008 ($154,568) and 2009 ( )

We continue to monitor our legal costs as it relates to our solicitor and report the following 2003 ($338,692) 2004 ($358,360) 2005 ($241,326) 2006 ($467,652)

2007 ($62,289) 2008 ($126,016) and 2009 ( )

After taking back Freedom Pier we have been working on obtaining a water front development permit that will include the pier development along with the residential construction along King St. Within the next two weeks we will go out for bids on decorative fencing, lighting ,benches and trash receptacles along the piers entire length that will be complimented by a walkway accessible to the general public. Plans also call for a footprint designed to incorporate a waterfront restaurant on the end of the pier as well as possible retail/entertainment destinations and a marina for waterborne access. The idea is for the city to maintain pier ownership and at the same time develop what we believe to be our most prime piece of real estate within the city at this time. A restaurant operator has been identified in Patrick O’Donnell and a selected architect is in the design and cost analysis stage.

The purchase of the socially deteriorating Chatham Square apartment complex, away from absentee landlords, non-existing management and uncontrolled tenant population has been a political hardball. But overcrowding apartments, drug sales, criminal activity, assaults on police, neighborhood thefts, abuse of our school systems resources, people squatting in vacant apartments and just plain blight had to be addressed. That alone with the fact that the owner was looking to sell to another investor who operated in a similar manner possessed us to take drastic action in difficult economic times. After a lot of hard work and meetings with interested developers we identified and signed an agreement with Orens Brothers, who in partnership with the City will turn the 100 rental units into 50 town homes. We expect construction to begin this winter.

The Senior/Community Center/Firehouse work has been completed and we continue to make improvements on the buildings’ interior and exterior. We have a caterer available who arranges rentals but it is not required that you retain his services. You can if you choose rent the hall and bring your own food or caterer to the location. The hall holds between 200 and 250 persons and if your interested in renting the hall you can call Dolson Catering or the City Administrators Office. The monies raised through the rentals goes directly back into the building and supports our Senior Center location as well.

We continue to meet with our grant consultant Triad and continue to monitor our projects, grants and loans on the matrix we developed two years ago. Since that time we have not lost any grants due to inactivity of projects awarded or for failure to maintain proper timeline requirements. This program has afforded us a hands on and visible way of maintaining organization of effort and accountability of our responsible professionals.

Good government is best to realize that they don’t have all the answers or all the solutions and our promises to involve the community in the decision making practices that directly affect them has come to fruition through the development of numerous citizen advisory committees. All volunteer, these committees have put in countless hours working very hard for our citizenry with great input, research, recommendations and program implementation for one lone cause. To make Gloucester City a better place to live and raise a family. I’d like to thank the members of the Mayors Executive Committee, The Public Safety Committee, The Farmers Market Committee, The Arts and Cultural Committee, the Celebrations Committee, The Feral Feline Committee, The Northwind/Gloucester City Sail Committee, The Chatham Square Development Committee, The Broadway Improvement Committee, The King St. Improvement Committee, The Tree and Beautification Committee, The renewable energy committee and the Brownsfields

Designation Committee. All volunteer all hardworking and committed and all invaluable to our community.

We have been meeting on a weekly basis for a year now regarding the Southport area of town. The 160 or so acres of both privately and publicly owned properties has been identified as a Brownfield area in need of redevelopment. This avails us to 5 million dollars annually of Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Funds from the State Department of Environmental Protection for the purpose of investigating the extent and type of contamination and the required remediation action necessary to achieve an identified standard for use. This administration has taken a more realistic approach to this redevelopment as it relates to end use and we are presently investigating a port, light industrial and commercial idea. We need three things for the area to be put to best use, jobs, jobs and more jobs.

Again this year we will enjoy the services of three, not one engineer, in an effort to cut costs and create an atmosphere of fiscal accountability. We have found improved quality in service and timeliness in work product by conducting business this way and appreciate all of our engineers and look forward to many new and successful projects.

We continue to promote our Marina, what first started as alone Business association sponsored Catfish Tournament three years ago has grown to 6 additional bass tournaments and more to come. These tournaments bring 100's of out of town people into our community and promote our waterfront and marina. 90% of the participants did not know our facility existed and they continue to come back and use it as well as enjoy local establishments while they’re in town.

One of our last responsibilities as it relates to the new middle school location is being completed. Identified buried oil tanks are being removed and street vacation and property deed transfer to the school will follow in the immediate future. Information recently afforded to the city indicates that the new school will be built and construction could start in 2011.

This year we conducted an energy audit of all city owned buildings and identified actions we can take to save money. The repairs are costly, however there is available grant money to accomplish this task and having taken the first step to address the situation we should be at the top of the ever growing list for funding.

A contractor has been selected to remove underground storage tanks from the old pizza shop at Broadway and Middlesex St. This is a city owned property acquired through forfeiture for fines. The future for this property includes acquisition by the local UEZ , total remodeling and sale to an interested and acceptable business.

The Northwind, which is the city’s Schooner has been taken out of the water at no cost to the tax payer and is being prepared for sandblasting and a paint job that is expected to last 5 years. The program for the youth will begin in the spring, and several area high schools are interested in the developed curriculum inclusive of Gloucester High and Gloucester Catholic. The interest in the schooner is growing at a feverish rate thanks to the Gloucester City Sail Board of Directors and it is becoming more and more self supportive through the efforts of all involved. A special thanks goes out to Charles Reed our resident Captain of the Northwind.

The third year for our community calendar has fell upon us, a lot of changes were made to improve it’s quality and content and it will be on your door step this week. The Calendar Committee worked very hard over the year putting everything together and a special shout out goes to Bruce Parry who spearheads the effort.

We have not been able to successfully negotiate settlements with our unions. Right now Police and Fire unions are in costly binding arbitration and other unions are in mediation. This I am not pleased with but everyone has to become more realistic as it relates to acknowledging that we are in the most difficult economic times since the Great Depression. Read the newspaper, record rate Home Foreclosures, 10.2 percent Nationwide unemployment, Decreased Home Values, Businesses closing at alarming rates and unbearable tax increases. Remember that Gloucester City is a business with the inherent obligation to afford the citizens of Gloucester with the best possible and most affordable services. We can no longer count on bailouts from the state and the budget cap placed upon us by the governors office leaves us no alternatives. We must become more self sufficient. If these situations continue, layoffs, furloughs and cuts in services are inevitable in 2010.

We are consistently trying to promote volunteerism in our Fire Department an this year have instituted the LOSAP program a length of service awards program that provides an incentive to volunteer firefighters for attendance at training and calls for service. This program works towards providing the volunteers with a type of retirement savings account.

The Welsbach Superfund cleanup continues and agreements and arrangements have been made with the contractor through meetings with the EPA, City Officials and the representatives of the baseball, softball and football. All is well at this particular time and hopefully the impact upon the youth programs will be nowhere near what was originally anticipated.

We continue to work with the development of a new Master Plan. History, Economic Development, Innovative ideals, job growth, affordable housing opportunities, zoning considerations and redevelopment initiatives are among other considerations that drive this costly endeavor, but no town can exist or qualify for incentives without it’s lawful existence. Your governing body realizes the magnitude of this procedure and will be soliciting the input of the general public and business community for assistance in the development of the plan.

With the assistance of the advisory committee on the feral cat issue we have trapped neutered and released over 250 cats a significant impact for only a two year old program. We will continue with the program and commend the efforts of the committee and the Board of Health.

This spring we will again participate in the Cool Cities Program with the planting of over 125 trees in the area of Hudson to Warren and King to Broadway. This program has already placed 335 trees in sections of town for the purpose of cleaning the air and lessening energy costs of residential properties within the city.

A more customer oriented informational program has been developed out of past program difficulties and many volunteers are outreaching to the affected neighborhoods to move this neighborhood beautification program forward.

We are happy with our sign installation and crosswalk painting initiative that has cleaned up several troublesome intersections in town and will continue with the effort this spring. Thanks goes out to the Public Works and environmental Utilities Department for their support and hard work with this project. The improvements and enhanced pedestrian safety is obvious and appreciated. I would also like to thank the same two departments for their commitment to our campaign to cleanup our entryway and new signage program. The first impression is a lasting impression and to the businesses who generously got involved with the donations of the signs we commend your commitment.

In closing I’d like to thank the hardworking members of the Celebrations Committee and all of the volunteers who worked many long hours to bring us some great events this year. The old style Memorial Day Celebration, The old style Gloucester Day, a super 4^th of July celebration, the Irish festival (sponsored by the Gloucester Irish Society and the UEZ) the Easter Celebration, the Art Show, the Car Show, Fishing Tournaments, Welcome Home Ceremonies for our returning Hero’s and most recently the Christmas Celebration. I would also like to thank all the members of our Advisory Committees, our Administration and our staff because without the volunteerism, hard work and dedication to our community not even half of our accomplishments could have been achieved.

Thank You and everyone have a healthy, prosperous and blessed New Year.

William James, Mayor of the City of Gloucester City