Monthly News & Updates

EHC to host Atlantic County Firefighters Association 100th anniversary celebration

Save the Date!

The Atlantic County Firefighters’ Association will hold its 100^th Anniversary Parade and Celebration Saturday, Oct. 7 in Egg Harbor City where the association was founded.

The event will celebrate the service, dedication and endless contributions of firefighters all across Atlantic County.

The association was formed Jan. 17, 1923 under the guidance of Egg Harbor City Fire Chief Henry W. Breder. According to a poem written in 1948 by John J. McGeary, president of the Mays Landing Fire Department, the mantra of “Egg Harbor’s foremost citizen,” was “In unity there is strength.”

The six charter members of the association were Absecon, Egg Harbor City, Hammonton, Mays Landing, Pleasantville and Somers Point. Since then, the association has grown to include all of Atlantic County’s fire companies, both volunteer and paid departments. Its goals have remained constant – to provide an open forum for the exchange of firefighting techniques and ideas, coordinate communication and mutual aid, and to provide professional training for all levels of firefighting service.

The association’s 75^th anniversary was held in Egg Harbor City May 9, 1998. The pouring rain stopped long enough for spectators to enjoy seeing dozens of fire trucks converge on Philadelphia Avenue in a show of “unity for the safety of all.”

Apparatus judging will be held 9-11 a.m. at the EHC Industrial Park, followed by a Gala Parade at noon on Philadelphia Avenue. The parade travels to Egg Harbor City Lake Park for muster and a trophy presentation at 2:30 p.m.

The celebration includes live music, free hot dogs, beverages, and food trucks. Souvenir mugs, glasses, T-shirts and challenge coins will also be available for purchase. Multiple raffles will be held for items including large-screen TV, a custom New Yorker helmet, overnight stay at a local resort and 50/50.

Updates are available at www.atlanticcountyfireassociation.org.

NJ American Water honors former Councilman Ed Dennis

New Jersey American Water Company and the City of Egg Harbor honored former longtime City Council President Ed Dennis Saturday, Aug. 5 for having the foresight to build a new water treatment plant in 2013.

Mayor Lisa Jiampetti and former Mayor Joseph A. Kuehner Jr. said nearly every recent public project was brought to fruition thanks to Dennis’ vision and tenacity in getting things done.

“This was never one person doing this, believe me when I tell you. This was a team effort all along the way," Dennis said. "Others deserve credit because they had level heads and kept me focused on track about what we really wanted to accomplish."

Dennis thanked numerous people for their assistance in getting the water treatment plant built, including architect Harry Harper who designed the building; Dennis Yoder, who was tasked with building a plant that would take the utility into the future; Gordon Dahl who helped the city find financing for numerous public projects; and Remington & Vernick Engineers who have been the city’s engineers for more than 110 years.

Dennis said originally he was not in favor of selling the plant, but now believes it was the right thing to do and he commended the City Council for having the vision to sell the plant. 

"Egg Harbor City could not afford to pay for the plant. It was time for a change,” he said.



NJ American unveiled a bronze plaque dedicating the building in honor of Dennis which will be prominently displayed in the building.

Financial assistance available for housing rehabilitation

If you are struggling financially and need to fix up your house, funding is available for qualified residents through the Atlantic County Improvement Authority’s Housing Rehabilitation Program.

The program can help residents address basic rehabilitation needs, including plumbing, heating, electric, roofing and weatherization. Windows, doors, insulation, exterior repairs, painting and Code Enforcement issues are also covered.

Qualified applicants must own and occupy the property, meet income eligibility guidelines, be fully insured, and be current on taxes and mortgage payments.

An inspector will visit the home to advise homeowners about what improvements will be covered.

The program provides financing for residents earning less than 80% of the median total household income for Atlantic County in the form of an interest-free deferred loan of up to $20,000 for eligible repairs. There are no monthly payments, but the loan must be repaid in full at the time of a sale or transfer of title.

Qualifying total household income levels:

One Person $49,950

Two Persons $57,050

Three Persons $64,200

Four Persons $71,300

Five Persons $77,050

Six Persons $82,750

Seven Persons $88,450

Eight Persons $94,150

Residents will select from a list of pre-approved contractors.

On an annual basis, the ACIA funds as many as 70-100 contracts averaging about $20,000. Funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Click here to download a brochure.



Learn more at http://acianj.org/community-development/acohrp.html

SustainableEHC resumes meetings, seeks new members

SustainableEHC, the city’s green team, takes a break from meeting during the summer months when many members take their summer vacations. The green team will resume having monthly meetings 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26 and new members are welcome to attend.

The year ahead is an important one for the team, which will seek Sustainable Jersey

recertification at the bronze level. A total of 150 points are needed to

maintain certification, which was last approved in December 2021 when the team

earned 220 points for actions that included educating the public about the dangers of lead, water conservation, holding prescription drug collections and paper shredding days. The team was also awarded points for actions involving

the preservation of the city’s existing street tree canopy, including conducting a tree hazard inventory and tree plantings. 

In 2024, SustainableEHC will contract with a certified arborist to complete the city’s Fourth Community Forestry Management Plan, which sets guidelines and goals to maintain the city’s tree cover.

Since it joined Sustainable Jersey in 2009, the green team has secured more than

$117,000 in grant funds for sustainability actions.



Meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month, except for June, July

and August at Egg Harbor City Hall and on Zoom. The next meeting is scheduled

for Sept. 26.

EHC participates in reusable bag recycling campaign

What am I supposed to do with all these reusable bags piling up in the trunk of my car?

That’s a new mantra being echoed by many environmentally conscious individuals since New Jersey instituted its single-use bag ban in May 2022.

The Atlantic County Utilities Authority is collecting donations of gently used reusable tote bags and has repurposed more than 1,000 of them over the last year.

The ACUA distributes the sanitized bags to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey Southern Branch in Egg Harbor Township, and other social service agencies have requested donations of bags for other purposes.

Egg Harbor City residents can drop off their clean, gently used and no longer needed reusable grocery bags at Egg Harbor City Hall, 500 London Ave. during business hours.

Reusable bags will be brought to the ACUA.

CITY SNIPPETS

The Public Works Department is ready for winter with the recent acquisition of snow plows. The city now has five trucks equipped to plow the streets during snowstorms.

Police Chief Marcella Aylwin announced the department was awarded a $16,000 grant to purchase body-worn cameras for officers.

Due to rising personnel costs, the City Council held a public hearing and approved an ordinance raising the administrative fee to $250 for the Code Enforcement Department to address property maintenance issues. Residents are advised to maintain their properties up to code to avoid additional costs.

The Neighborhood Preservation Program this month will create a "center of place" installation at First Responder Park on the corner of Route 30 and Philadelphia Avenue. When completed, residents and visitors will know exactly where they are in NJ. The project is part of the NPP's business district beautification effort.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The city will be accepting applications for a temporary full-time laborer (40 hours a week) for the Public Works Department.

Applicants must possess a valid driver’s license. Deadline to apply is Sept. 18.

Applications are available at the city website www.eggharborcity.org.

Send completed applications to City Clerk Meg Steeb, Egg Harbor City Hall, 500 London Ave., Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215, or email [email protected].

The city reserves right to interview candidates before the deadline. EOE.

'See you at the Library'

The Atlantic County Library/Egg Harbor City branch located in the Rose Mohr Learning Center, 134 Philadelphia Ave., offers programs for children and adults.

Pre-school Storytime is held 10:30 a.m. Mondays for children ages 2-4.

A Robotics Club will be held 6 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 19, Oct. 24, Nov. 21 and Dec. 19. Learn how to code and construct a robot.

Afternoon Board Games & Puzzles for children 10 and up, 2-4 p.m. Saturdays through Sept. 30.

The Crochet Group for adults meets 6:30 p.m. Thursdays through Dec. 28.

Shelf Indugence Book Club meets 6 p.m. on the second Thursday each month.

Registration is required for all programs. Call the library at 609-804-1063 to reserve a space.



The library will be closed on Labor Day, Sept. 4.