Mayor Joann Gattinelli updates residents on community events, township improvements and the impending winter preparations
Veterans Day celebration
I was honored to spend Veterans Day with our fantastic veterans of Washington Township. The day began with a breakfast, which was generously donated by Charlie Chiango of Egizi Funeral Home, at the Washington Township High School. The veterans were very passionate about what this day represents. I enjoyed hearing their stories and getting to know them. After the breakfast, we went to All Veterans Park for a ceremony to recognize their bravery and service. I was happy to say a few words in honor of not only the veterans of Washington Township, but all the veterans of our nation. I would like to thank Bob Abbott and the Veterans Affairs Advisory Board for all of their help and coordination of this event. I would also like to extend a big thank you to the Washington Township ROTC students who volunteered their time to clean up the leaves and brush in the park for this celebration. Finally, my sincerest thank you to all of our nation’s veterans.
Repairs on damaged public works buildings
With the winter months approaching, we want to make sure our public works equipment is protected and stored properly, so there is no damage and the equipment can be protected. Two pole barns, one in Washington Lake Park and one in public works were in desperate need of repairs after 10 years of wear and tear, and have now been repaired. These pole barns house essential equipment such as: mowers, blowers, salt, leaf boxes and safety equipment. Now that the pole barns have been repaired, our equipment is protected from the elements and we can extend its useful life. It is important to the township we take care of this equipment as it allows us to keep the town, parks and roads clean and safe.
OEM Weather Preparedness Meeting
As the winter season approaches, please be aware that my administration puts a lot of thought and time into preparing for the winter weather. Our Office of Emergency Management has been involved in trainings, drills and exercises for emergency preparedness. The most recent was the “Winter Weather Preparedness” News Conference sponsored by Atlantic City Electric in Clayton, at Gloucester County’s Office of Emergency Management. The purpose of this conference was to review the proper protocol for dealing with dangerous and hazardous weather conditions. Our OEM Coordinator and Public Works Director Ernie D’Orazio and Senior Deputy OEM Coordinator and Business Administrator Jason Gonter attended to learn information on how to handle volatile weather conditions. This event was filled with plenty of helpful information for OEM to incorporate during the winter months. I would like to thank our Office of Emergency Management, partnered with our Offices of Administration and Public Works for all of the hard work they put in, not only during the winter months, but year round to make sure we are prepared for emergency situations. There are many weather concerns that arise throughout the year and our Washington Township employees are very reliable in addressing these concerns quickly and in an organized manner.
Joann Gattinelli is the mayor of Washington Township. She can be reached at mayorgattinelli@twp.washington.nj.us.
