Woodbury High School Cheerleaders at the Stewart Lake Clean Up on April, 25, 2021 |
Dear Woodbury Residents and Friends,
I am sure that you join me in welcoming May and the onset of warmer weather!
We received a lot of great feedback from our first blog and want to continue to use this as a forum to provide interesting information about our city, its citizens and businesses.
Interestingly, we even received an email from ‘across the pond’ from one of the relatives of our founder, Henry Wood. He lives in Norwich, England and obviously, follows our city’s website!
Looking forward to continuing the communication between us that makes Woodbury “OUR” community!
Sincerely,
Mayor Peg Sickel
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Councilwoman O’Connor Woodbury History Lesson
What is the ‘story’ behind the broken windows on the Old Carpenter Street School?
In May, 2020 the police were dispatched to 55 Carpenter Street for a report of vandalism.
Juveniles were suspected of being the culprits that threw the rocks, breaking a total of eight historical windows.
These were not just your average windows and this building was not just your average structure. It has both local and national significance. A history we are proud to share.
The vandalized property was the Old Carpenter Street School, built in 1840 by Joseph Tatum, a Philadelphian who championed education for African American children. A rare antebellum survivor, this building is believed to be New Jersey's oldest existing schoolhouse and the oldest surviving structure associated with the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Woodbury, a congregation founded in 1817. Eight years later, a larger schoolhouse was built a block away, and the Old Carpenter Street school became a parish house.
The report of vandalism in her community and the 2nd Ward she represents sparked a flame in Councilwoman Karlene O’Connor. She believes that we, as a community and parents, need to reeducate people. “If the young people don’t know why it (the old Carpenter Street School) is relevant, they aren’t going to value it.”
As the city welcomes residents of varied ethnicity, she feels that we need to “be more inclusive to the diversity of our community. Let’s continue our history as a sanctuary city by embracing and respecting each other.”
THE OLD CARPENTER STREET SCHOOL WAS A ‘STOP’ ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY THAT HELPED SLAVES TO FIND THEIR WAY TO FREEDOM
The city of Woodbury was an important ‘stop’ on the underground railway and the Old Carpenter Street School was one of the shelters for runaway slaves on the road to freedom.
A rug on the schoolroom floor was lifted to reveal access to the basement. There, the slaves were housed and fed, usually for a few days, until it was safe to move to the next ‘stop.’
Naomi Nelson, Gloucester County College Grants and Special Projects Administrator and past vice president of programs at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, addressed the concept of helping others of diverse backgrounds when she told NJ.com:
“In the early days when the nation was built on slavery, there were white people, black people and Native Americans who all helped people run away from slavery,” Nelson said. “They all helped people they didn’t even know. Each one made a decision to make a difference in the world they lived in. Anyone today can challenge themselves to also make a difference in the world.” (2011).
Martin Luther King Jr. summed it up when he preached, ““We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”
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Carpenter Street School was an important Stop on the Underground Railroad |
The roped area shows the access of the basement of
The Carpenter Street School where runaway slaves hid.
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Support Local Business!
“When you buy from a small business,
an actual person does a little happy dance.”
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Antiques on Evergreen Grand Opening
Woodbury is becoming an antique shopper’s destination!
On Saturday, May 1st, ANTIQUES ON EVERGREEN is having their grand opening celebration! The public is welcome to peruse a wealth of treasures that are on display (and for sale!) at the 20,000 square foot building that used to house the Golden Mango Farm Market.
Located at Martins Plaza at 429 Evergreen Avenue, the store will be open 7 days a week from 10 AM – 6 PM. The center even has a section for shopper’s companions to relax with a cup of coffee! If you are interested in displaying your wares, contact them at 856-848-0002 or check out their website at www.antiquesonevergreen.com.
ANTIQUES ON EVERGREEN joins Broad Street’s WOODBURY ANTIQUES CENTRE at 66 S. Broad Street in attracting collectors to shop in our town.
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FATHER & SON PIZZA Help the Hungry
Four months ago, Ernie Tagliaferro made the bold move to open Father & Sons Pizzeria (40 S. Broad Street in Woodbury; 856 –384-7700) right during a global pandemic!
Having been in business with his family for over 50 years, serving the public in Philadelphia, Ernie’s father inspired in his son the importance of community involvement. He understands that their restaurant’s paying customers “enable them to feed those who are hungry.”
Tagliaferro expressed, “my blessings are many and it must be a terrible feeling for parents to be fearful of being unable to feed their children.” Father and Son’s Pizzeria made the decision to donate food vouchers to the local food bank even as they were challenged with keeping their employees on the payroll and the business operating during the COVID-19 crisis.
“If the vouchers can give them the security of knowing they will eat that might be the little break needed to help (them) regroup and move forward,” the restaurant owner explained.
When you get a chance, pay a visit to Father and Son’s Pizzeria and welcome them to Woodbury!
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The Woodbury Olde-City Restoration Committee
often known locally as “WORC”, was organized in 1977 by Woodbury attorney, John Holston Jr., along with a group of passionate residents with the goal of preserving the historic character and the historic structures of the city.
In the last ten years, WORC has already rehabbed several houses throughout Woodbury along with their partner in the projects, The Saint Joseph Carpenter Society.
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RESTORING ONE OF WOODBURY’S OLDEST HOMES: WORK IN PROGRESS!
WORC is currently funding the conversion of the historic Pillar House at the northwest corner of Franklin Street and East Barber Avenue formerly German Street).
One of Woodbury’s oldest homes, the structure dates back over 200 years.
It reportedly served as a hospital for wounded Hessians during the Revolutionary War after the battle of Red Bank on October 22, 1777.
In addition, it was an Inn and station where fresh horses were exchanged for tired ones when stagecoaches operated between intervening towns.
In modern times, A landlord capitalized on its deteriorating state and proceeded to divide it into three rental units - with no appreciation for its historical significance.
The restoration project will see this former Woodbury historical home refurbished into a single-family home. Look for the unveiling this year!
ATTENTION WOODBURY INVESTORS:
IT PAYS TO BE SINGLE!
The Woodbury Old-City Restoration Committee (“WORC) has designed a grant to address neighborhood stability, housing density and neighborhood parking/traffic.
WORC will award up to $5,000 per unit removed from the property. The awarding of this grant is at the sole discretion of WORC Board of Trustees.
Applicant dwelling must have been a single-family dwelling and currently be a multi-family dwelling, exception would be in the case of structural twins. The home must also be currently legally zoned for multi-family use.
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DAM PROJECT UNDERWAY
dam /dam/noun
· 1.a barrier constructed to hold back water and raise its level, forming a reservoir used to generate electricity or as a water supply
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Several significant leaks are noticeable in this photograph which prevented the proper water retention in Woodbury’s waterways. At the top of the photograph is a fish ladder that will be replaced, enabling fish to climb upstream to spawn. |
Since February, heavy equipment has been present on Broad Street, working on the ambitious project of building a new dam.
The existing spillway, built in 1954, had deteriorated, and several holes in the dam prevented it from retaining water.
The City administrators consulted and contracted civil engineering firm, Federici & Akin, to design and manage the construction of the new dam spillway. Construction is expected to be complete in Mid-August and, with the new structure, the lake system should return to its normal elevation.
This is great news for water enthusiasts who enjoy kayaking and canoeing and who have been hampered by water levels that have often dropped to less then a foot. When the new dam is operating properly, the waterway is 7 feet at its deepest point.
Construction is not without its challenges!
Workers discovered a few obstacles in their path – most significantly, an obsolete abandoned brick and concrete sanitary sewer junction box with multiple pipes that was completely buried and had to be removed before progress continued.
Stan Bitgood, the engineer on the project, explained that on the south side, they encountered a timber bulkhead that required extra excavation work.
Look for updates on this important project in future issues of the Mayor’s blog!
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Councilman Fleming and Council President Hagerty with Woodbury Senior High School students Ally Campo, Gracie Johnson, Nicole Hunter and Chaele Swanson |
Green Team Clean Up
Stewart Lake Park
The Green Team, along with Bijou Ponds and Matthew Soldano put on the first of several Green Team Clean Ups on Sunday, April 25.
Over 60 volunteers came out to Stewart Lake Park from 11 am - 4 pm and collected approximately 1000 pounds of trash!
The Mayor and City Council are very appreciative of the community coming together to clean up the Lake. They hope this sense of community continues throughout this year.
You can view additional photos on our website.
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Arbor Day Tree Plating
Thomas Dukelow generously donated a tree in honor of Arbor Day 2021. Today, April 30th, Mr. Dukelow, Mayor Sickel, Council President Hagerty, Councilwoman Miller, Councilwoman O'Connor, CFO Bob Law, Public Works Director Rich Leidy and his team, Commissioner DiMarco, GWCC Vice-President John Campbell, MSW President Gerald O'Connor and resident Rick Clark came together to celebrate the planting of the tree in West End Veterans & Oscar Thomas Park, and to proclaim April 30th as Arbor Day.
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SPOTLIGHT:
PUBLIC WORKS
“Trash and recycling collectors have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world and the fifth most dangerous job in the United States.”
READERS DIGEST, JAN 6, 2020
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The scope of the Woodbury Public Works Department’s responsibilities ranges from maintenance of the parks, sports fields and playgrounds; vehicle maintenance; handling the trash and recycling; snow removal on all the city roads; building maintenance (ex. city hall, the library, police and fire departments) and the delivery of treated water. Clearly, they are very much a part of the resident’s daily life.
Here are some interesting insights from the department!
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Dubbed “The Father of Recycling,” former Councilman Donald Sanderson (now 91) first introduced the idea of mandatory curbside recycling to his community in the late 1970’s. It was the first program of its kind in the nation – if not the world!
Within three months of its introduction, Woodbury’s recycling program had an 85 % compliance record and was a model for other cities and towns. The book, The Woodbury Way, outlined how to operate a curbside recycling program.
Sanderson later served as the city’s Mayor for eight years, beginning in 1994.
You can read more about Donald Sanderson and his recycling vision here.
Today, Americans recycle or compost about 1/3 of the waste they generate.
Together, we can help to preserve our natural resources!
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DON’T OVERLOAD THOSE TRASH CANS!
With three Public Works trucks on the road each day, employees pick up 100’s of home’s trash and recycling on any given day.
Please make sure to adhere to OSHA guidelines when preparing your trash, recycling or yard waste for pickup.
Homeowners have made the mistake of investing in large rolling trash totes that weigh 36lbs EMPTY! When they are filled, the total weight exceeds the 50lb maximum weight.
When in doubt, review the guidelines here.
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Recently, a Public Works employee suffered a medical emergency when an aerosol can exploded, causing the contents to penetrate his eye.
PLEASE safely dispose of aerosol cans that are not empty with hazardous household waste to avoid unnecessary danger to our city employees.
“Even if the active ingredient is not a hazardous chemical the can is still capable of exploding or turning into a dangerous projectile.” Fortunately, in this instance, the resulting metal projectile fragments hit the truck, not the employee, when the can was being compressed by the Public Works truck.
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Managing the Canadian Geese Population
Large groupings of geese have become more then a nuisance to homeowners, businesses and government.
The City of Woodbury join many who struggle to limit the intrusion of these migratory birds at our public parks and lakes. Consider that ONE hungry goose, who can consume up to 4 pounds of grass in a day, can generate up to 2 pounds of poop a day – at a frequency of every 12 minutes!
These droppings account for high costs for cleanup, repair and maintenance.
Public Works, though not responsible for controlling the geese population, are assisting the Department of Wildlife and Animal Control in Gloucester Township to reduce the population in our lakes and parks.
A little over a year ago, they installed an electronic, programable geese management system.
This program features a base unit and 4 speakers that emit one of three audio sounds to deter the geese from congregating in the parks. The first is an alpha male geese call that relays a message of danger in the area to the rest of the flock. The second is a coyote call – an animal that is a geese’s top-level predator. Finally, there is an electronic bullet that emits a shock wave on a frequency that, again, scares the flock.
These units are located in several of the city’s parks and are programmed to emit the audio every 15 minutes throughout the day.
In addition, plastic alligator heads are placed in the lake systems and are moved, periodically, to different locations.
The deterrents have been effective in cutting down the population to a more manageable level.
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IMPROPER BATTERY DISPOSAL CAN CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION
Would you imagine that a tiny lithium battery from an e-cigarette or a singing greeting card, casually discarded in your trash, could result in a fire in the recycling or trash truck?
It has become a big problem throughout municipalities when these minuscule batteries get lost in the mass of waste.
Even the smallest lithium-ion batteries can blow up or melt when their internal electrical components short-circuit
Every year, recycling plants battle hundreds of battery-caused blazes, as reported by Waste 360, a recycling trade industry website, in its “February 2020 Fire Report: 2019 Waste and Recycling Summary.” Improperly discarded batteries – especially rechargeable, lithium-ion batteries – can also cause fires in recycling trucks, harm the environment or endanger health.
You can help prevent these fires and do their part to limit environmental damage by keeping these lithium-ion batteries out of their trash or recycling bins.
TO FIND A RECYCLING OUTLET check out:
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If you are putting a mattress out for trash pickup, make sure it is wrapped in plastic. That is the only way our public works employees can help you dispose of it. Free mattress bags are available at City Hall.
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Protect you identity by properly disposing your sensitive documents. The City of Woodbury’s Bi-Annual Shred Event is Saturday, May 1, 2021 from 9 am – 12 pm at the Old Police Station, 200 N Broad Street. For more information contact Rich Leidy at: 856-853-0892 x 202 or [email protected] In cooperation with the Gloucester County Board of Commissioners, Robert M. Damminger, Director
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As the weather warms up and flowers start to bloom, please remember that lawns need to be maintained. If you see a property maintenance issue, you can report it on our website or call 856-845-1300
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WOODBURY COMMUNITY GARDEN
“Bloom where you are planted.”
St. Francis De Sales
Woodbury residents have the opportunity to raise their own fruits and vegetables with your neighbors at the Woodbury Community Garden. This welcoming calm space is located on East Red Bank Avenue, next to the water treatment plant. Designated City Park property, individuals, families and organizations are invited to secure their own plot to organically grow their own fruits, vegetables or flowers. Garden plots are currently available for a small fee ($.40 per square foot). Depending on the size of your plot, the cost can range from $10-$40. Gardeners have access to an excellent watering supply as well as access to gardening tools. Ready to try out your green thumb?
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Contact Your Councilpersons
City Hall - 856-845-1300
Ward 1
Ward 2
Ward 3
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Born and raised in Woodbury, Mayor Sickel is excited to give back to her community.
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856-845-1300 | City Hall, 33 Delaware Street |www.Woodbury.nj.us |
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Follow the City of Woodbury |
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