Cumberland County freeholders have a variety of issues to tackle in 2013 — including a full-time vocational high school.
The freeholders selected Upper Deerfield resident William Whelan as the board’s director at Thursday's reorganization meeting. Whelan, who is serving his fifth year on the board will be the director for the second time. The board selected newly elected Doug Long, also of Upper Deerfield, as the deputy director.
Whelan said a major priority will be building a full-time vocational high school for students to attend and develop trades and skills.
The board will also work on new ways to bring in new economic development and expand on existing projects, he said.
Another priority will be meeting with the state Department of Transportation to work together on repairing faulty dikes along the Delaware Bay, Whelan said. The dikes have caused a lot of flooding in towns near the water, especially during major storms last year, he said.
"We're not responsible for all of it," he said. "We've got to work together."
Other goals will be to work to eliminate costs for planning in the county and expand the public transportation system by partnering with other government agencies and the private sector, he said.
Democrats now have a 5-2 majority on the freeholder board. Joe Derella and Long — who were elected in November and sworn in during the ceremony — join incumbent Democratic freeholders Whelan, Carol Musso and Tony Surace.
Samuel Fiocchi and Carl Kirstein are the board's two Republicans.
Contact Joel Landau:
609-272-7215
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