Council Moves Forward With Senior Center Plans

The Galloway Township Council voted unanimously at its meeting last Tuesday, Aug. 9 to use existing funds from the Recreation Fees account to complete the Senior Recreation Center.

The funding will not exceed $150,000. Currently, there is $300,000 available in the account.

The township hopes to be able to use volunteers and be able to complete the project for less than $150,000. The goal is to have the center opened for later in the fall.

The senior center is located at the VFW building on Rt. 30, and was constructed in 1969, according to the Galloway Township Tax Assessor’s Office.

The township purchased the building last year for $400,000 paid back to it by Egg Harbor Township, which borrowed the money from the Recreation Fees account in 1997, Mayor Keith Hartman said on Monday.

Egg Harbor Township had borrowed $700,000.

Renovations were then done to the building, including new walls, updated wiring, updated electrical work and Asbestos remediation, according to Hartman.

The next step is to improve the safety features and bring the building up to “current standards,” Hartman said.

“The building already has a kitchen, but it needs upgrades so that the county can come in and run services,” Hartman said. “We want to have additional services for those folks who have been ignored for so long.”

Those services include a nutrition plan.

“$30,000 may go into the kitchen of that building,” Deputy Mayor Don Purdy said at Tuesday night’s meeting. “This is money that was supposed to be earmarked for Tartaglio Field, but there’s no resolution for that. This council is big on giving back to the community, and that’s why the council is moving forward on the senior center.”

Although it was a unanimous vote, there were members of council who would still like to see the money allocated for its intended use.

“The money is earmarked for Tartaglio, and I think it should stay there,” Councilman Tom Bassford said during Tuesday night’s discussion.

Tartaglio Field is still in need of concession stands and restrooms, but after last year’s acquisition of the senior center, Hartman said the township’s priority is on the seniors.

“We haven’t done anything for our senior citizens and it’s long overdue,” said Hartman, who voiced concern that the Recreation Fee Account should’ve been completely used up during construction.

“Originally, the money was to be used to make improvements to the fields. It should have been applied before we were bonded to construct the fields, but the field was built and the balance is still there.”

Hartman also said the improvements that need to be done to Tartaglio Field can be done with the use of volunteers. He also said whenever there is money in the account again, the township’s priorities will be reevaluated. This includes Tartaglio Field, but doesn’t necessarily mean that will become the top priority.

“It’s hard to say what we’ll do in the future,” Hartman said. “I don’t want to commit to do something when things can change tomorrow.”

During Tuesday’s meeting, Councilman Dennis Kleiner agreed the project was “about five years overdue.” 

“I’d like to see it get done sooner than later,” Kleiner said.

“The building is there, but there are no safety features,” Deputy Mayor Don Purdy said on Tuesday. “Now is the time to (work on) that building.”