Mayor Joann Gattinelli talks community events, township safety
40 Mayors and 40 Developers Event
I was glad to attend the 40 Mayors and 40 Developers Event hosted by the Dare Business Network at Rowan University on Oct. 13. I enjoyed being a part of this event with Business Administrator Jason Gonter, Councilmen Joe Perry and Sean Longfellow and Administrative Assistant Megan Tahan. We spent time connecting with those in the business community, including developers, consultants, businesses and other towns present. It is very important to me that we continue to improve economic development within Washington Township, and this event allowed us to become more connected and let people know that Washington Township is business-friendly. I would like to thank the Dare Business Network for hosting this event, along with those who took the time to stop by and see what Washington Township has to offer.
Emergency management training
On Oct. 13, Washington Township’s Office of Emergency Management officials, Ernie D’Orazio and Jason Gonter, attended a training program held by state police Detective Sergeant Jim Varick and Lieutenant Dave Yusko. OEM, along with our school administrators and all the Washington Township emergency agencies (police, fire and EMS) were in attendance to review and learn the best practices for keeping our students safe in the case of an emergency. I am proud our Office of Emergency Management took the time to set this training up for emergency personnel and school administrators. There is no such thing as too much training when it comes to keeping our children safe. Washington Township staff is constantly updating their information and is committed to keeping the children in Washington Township safe. Thank you to Varick and Yusko for the presenting the training program.
Annual Clean-Up Day
On Oct. 14, Washington Township’s annual Clean-Up Day was held in Washington Lake Park. I was glad to be a part of this event, working side-by-side with council members to clean up areas in town and prepare food for the volunteer barbecue that took place following the clean-up. Perry and Longfellow did a fantastic job preparing the food for the hungry volunteers who took time out of their Saturday to beautify the township. Councilwoman Angela Donato, state Sen. Fred Madden, Assemblyman Paul Moriarty, Assemblywoman Gabriela Mosquera and “Man of the Year” Bob Timmons were also there to lend a hand with the barbecue. I would like to thank the Environmental Commission for their hard work in organizing this event. It is no wonder Washington Township was officially named a sustainable community after receiving our Sustainable Jersey Certification. We can count ourselves among the more than 200 New Jersey municipalities who have achieved this status. I would also like to show my appreciation to all of the generous volunteers who spent their free time cleaning up the township, along with the Environmental Commission for the work they do to constantly ensure we have responsible and sustainable environmental practices.
Food Truck and Music Festival
Another great event that took place on Oct. 14 was the Food Truck and Music Festival, which also took place in Washington Lake Park. There were many people there enjoying the variety of food truck vendors. There was also live music to enjoy in front of the amphitheater. This was another unique event that showcased everything Washington Township has to offer and allowed us to enjoy the community. Perry and Longfellow, along with Donato were also in attendance for the festival.
Joann Gattinelli is the mayor of Washington Township. She can be reached at [email protected].
