Gloucester City Council Opposes Change at Postal Facility
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Gloucester City Mayor Bill James
By Sara Martino
Gloucester City News
Mayor William James and Gloucester City Council members passed a resolution opposing the U.S. Post Office’s plan to move local letter carriers to Camden August 25 during last week’s meeting.
Opposition to the relocation of carriers to report to the Mount Ephraim Avenue facility was discussed, and City Council was against it.
The Gloucester City Post Office on Broadway has served the residents since the 1930s and now, according to a report by CNBNews.net the front office window will still be open with only one clerk up front for service.
“Mail will still be delivered to city residents by the carriers, but now they will be stationed in Camden,” Mayor James said.
“The Post Office is a hub of activity and an economic generator for the city,” Councilman Daniel Spencer said. “This is another issue that affects our economy.”
According to a report in the Gloucester City News by CNBNews two weeks ago, Post Office Union President Steve Lipski is also against the proposed action.
In other business, Council announced that Ryan Fox, a city resident, was appointed as a Gloucester City firefighter after being interviewed by the council committee members.
He has been serving as a volunteer with the department for a number of years.
Monies received from a FEMA grant in the amount of $598,038 will be used towards his salary and other new hires.
Several resolutions were approved dealing with a clean-up of special items in the budget and canceling unexpended balances of several water and sewer utility capital improvement authorizations that were never completed in hopes of reducing the city debt ceiling.
A special item of revenue in the 2012 budget in the amount of $6,043.86 was approved. The revenue monies will be used for administrative fees for the special courts to deal with drug and traffic offenses and to pay for judge’s fees.
A second reading and public hearing was held to authorize various capital improvements and the acquisition of equipment for the city in the amount of $716,000.
The governing body said they tried not to spend too much on equipment, but there were necessary purchases needed – mostly in the Public Works Department.
Councilman Jay Brophy said a dump truck is needed, sewers must be cleaned, water valves need replacing and a brine system is in the works.
“These necessities are all part of a five-year plan to maintain services in the city,” he said.
“Reconstruction of eight streets, more or less, a new Fire Department command vehicle, doors and computers for the Library are some items that will be taken care of,” Spencer said.
Resident Theresa Graham said the paint in the senior citizens’ meeting place looked “good.”
“For those coming into the facility, it makes a nice impression,” she said during the Public Forum.
An advocate for a long time for the replacement or improvement of the bridge from Brooklawn into Gloucester, Graham said she noticed that concrete barriers are in place on the bridge and hopes that work will start soon.
The bridge is also scheduled to be raised higher than the present level.