Cumberland County Improvement Authority

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 31, 2007

IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY CUTS RIBBON ON NEW PARKING LOT

BRIDGETON, NJ: Members of the Cumberland County Improvement Authority, Bridgeton Mayor James Begley, Freeholder Director Doug Rainear, Deputy Director Bruce Peterson, and representatives of South State, Inc. gathered at the corner of 78/80 Atlantic Street to cut the ribbon on a new public parking lot, retaining walls, and fencing financed by the Cumberland County Improvement Authority.

“Parking in and around the County Courthouse and Jail complex has been an ongoing problem for years,” said Albert B. Kelly, Cumberland County Improvement Authority Board Chairman. “This new parking lot is a small, but necessary first step in order to begin to alleviate the problem. The Improvement Authority looks forward to being a partner in future efforts to address the needs of the Bridgeton area, and stands ready to assist other municipalities within the County with projects that fall within our purview.”

“We appreciate the Improvement Authority’s efforts to help with the parking problems in the area,” said Bridgeton Mayor James Begley. “We hope this project, along with the upcoming Bridgeton Stadium project, are only the beginning of a new partnership with City government that will truly benefit all of our residents.” “The Improvement Authority purchased the property for the parking lot from the bankruptcy court in August of 2003. The site previously served as the location for a laundromat and dry cleaning business,” said Steven R. Wymbs, Improvement Authority Executive Director. “Once the property was purchased and demolition was completed, extensive environmental studies were completed to test the effects on the soil and groundwater sources of potential chemical contamination from the dry cleaning business.”

“The extent of the soil contamination was delineated and a plan for remediation of the soil was included in the parking lot construction bids,” said Bernard D. Germanio, P.E., D.E.E., Improvement Authority Chief Engineer. “The plan also called for the installation of four ground water monitoring wells to determine what steps would be necessary to correct the problem should any water sources be contaminated.”

“The appropriate DEP permits were obtained, as well as easements from a nearby bakery and the County, and the project went out for bid in 2005,” Wymbs continued. “The first round of bids was rejected, and the project was re-bid in 2006. A contract was subsequently awarded to South Sate, Inc. of Bridgeton.”Construction on the project began in September and was completed by the end of November. Ground water monitoring has begun to determine what if any remedial steps are necessary.“Once again, the Cumberland County Improvement Authority has stepped up to the plate in an effort to help County residents and the City of Bridgeton,” said Bruce T. Peterson, Freeholder Deputy Director and Co-Liaison to the Improvement Authority. “Not only are we getting badly needed additional parking in the Courthouse area, but the environmental concerns at the site are being corrected.”

“My thanks to South State, Inc for their fine work and for bringing the project in on time and on budget. Also, congratulations to the Improvement Authority staff who worked long and hard with a number of County and State agencies to successfully complete the project,” Wymbs concluded.

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For more information about this press release, please call Steven R. Wymbs at 856-825-3700.