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In the News

Swedesboro Republicans:
The True Champions of Property Rights

 

New Town Press
October 2009
Mayor Playing Politics
Letter to the Editor:

It appears that Mayor Tom Fromm couldn’t wait to play politics with this years election when he got a late summer start by accusing Councilwoman Joanna Gahrs of misleading the public in regards to a parking study for the Boro of Swedesboro.  The mayor would not mention the name of the council person at the regular meeting on August 17th, but he had no problem with it in an interview with a reporter of this paper.  I am not sure which side of an issue does the mayor stand when it does not benefit himself.  In the past, he has always said that if there is an issue he will go to the source and discuss it.  However, it seems that when he disagrees with the issue then he uses the phrase “Put the town in front of politics”.  Although we all agree that parking is an issue here in the boro, this survey should not have been released until we looked at all of the properties and determined what areas should or should not be looked at.  The mayor owes Councilwoman Gahrs an official public apology and surely he is the one who should stop playing politics.

Sam Casella, Councilman
Swedesboro

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New Town Press
July 2009

Police Transition “Excellent” Council Says
By Sam Fran Scavuzzo

SWEDESBORO -- The shared police services transition in Swedesboro and Woolwich is “going excellent,” officials said. At the June 15 borough meeting, Republican Councilman Sam Casella discussed the progress of the historic June 1 merger between the neighboring communities’ police forces.

“It’s awesome that more officers are available,” Casella said. “We can answers more calls in a more timely manner now. Also, we can provide better follow-up and more investigation.”

In his police committee report, Casella detailed the initial activity of the joint squad. From June 1 to June 12 Swedesboro/Woolwich police received 181 calls and made 97 traffic stops. In the stops, 27 tickets were issued with the rest receiving warnings. Casella said the warnings were to educate people as to the change.

So far, Casella has seen a “positive response.” A detailed report will be given by Police Chief Russel H. Marino at the borough’s July 6 meeting.

Casella said the move was positive in that many former officers were hired by Woolwich. According to the township’s Web site, Mayor Joe Chila swore in former Swedesboro Patrolmen Chris Beckett and Christian Gregory June 1. Additionally, former borough officer Steve Spithaler was hired by Woolwich as a part-time officer.

A proclamation is in the works for all former Swedesboro officers, council said.

The move has a projected savings of nearly $4 million, according to The New Town Press. Over the next five years, Swedesboro will pay Woolwich $537,000 on average a year.

Swedesboro will be paying Woolwich $212,000, the prorated amount for the remainder of 2009. For the duration of the five year contract, it is projected that Swedesboro will pay $477,000 in 2010, $505,620 in 2011, $535,957 in 2012, $568,114 in 2013 and $602,201 in 2014.

As for the former police facilities, Casella confirmed the upstairs office in Borough Hall is empty. Marino informed him that everything was properly destroyed or moved. Mayor Tom Fromm invited Council members to check the office for desired supplies.

A possible tour of the new police facilities is planned for the future.

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The documented history of Swedesboro Republicans fighting against an over zealous usage of eminent domain.

Mr. Sam Casella (R-Councilman), keeping his campaign promise to the people of Swedesboro, formally introduced his draft of an Ordinance prohibiting the use of eminent domain to seize residential homes for economic development in Swedesboro.  Mr. Casella indicated he would give the Mayor and remaining Councilmen time to look the Ordinance over and have it reviewed by the Borough Solicitor so that they would not feel unfairly surprised. 

Meeting Minutes, Page 5 New Business, March 19, 2007

Mr. Casella (R-Councilman) after months of trying to get a answer on when the Mayor would be willing to formally consider the Ordinance introduced by Mr. Casella in March, tried to force a vote on September 17th.  Ultimately, Sam agreed to Mayor Fromm’s suggestion to again postpone the first formal reading of the Ordinance for one more Council Meeting until it could be looked at by Borough Solicitor Tim Chell, something that the Mayor should have arranged for months earlier when Mr. Casella first introduced the Ordinance. 

Meeting Minutes, Page 4 Old Business, September 17, 2007

Historic Swedesboro Residential Homeowner Protection Ordinance barring Eminent Domain to seize residential homes in Swedesboro for economic development, finally passes on first reading, unanimously, with verbal support from the Mayor.  This was the very first time the Mayor had voiced support for this Ordinance in public or in private, and only after more than 2 years of pressure from Swedesboro Republicans.

Meeting Minutes - October 1, 2007

Swedesboro Residential Homeowner Protection Ordinance finally passes after public meeting and final vote, October 15, 2007.” 

Meeting Minutes October 5, 2007