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APRIL 2023 FREE
Municipal manager talks about the future of fire safety
Educational aid
BY BILL SANSERVINO
The Lawrence Township Education Foundation presented checks in support of 25 grants to the Lawrence Township Public Schools at the March Board of Education meeting. Pictured are representatives from the LTEF, the school board and administration, and many of the faculty and staff who received grants. (For more, turn to Around Town on page 3.
Athlete honored at Wah Dinner BY RICH FISHER
Teachers love it when their students are success stories and ready to embark on the next phase of their lives. But for Lawrence High School English teacher Erica Ingram, the upcoming graduation of Graham Walter will be bittersweet.
“Though I wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” Ingram said, “his presence here will be sorely missed.” And why would that be? Cardinals football coach Rob Radice puts it in perspective. “Graham is one of the reasons why coaches love to coach,” Radice said. “He always puts the
team first and leads by example. He always gives 100 percent in practice, games and in school. He is very unselfish and is one of the most well-rounded student-athletes I have had the pleasure of teaching and coaching in my 32-year career. Character, outstanding work ethic, strong See WALTER, Page 8
After the completion of a fire study in 2021, it was clear that Lawrence Township needed to bolster the ranks of firefighters serving the community. Since then, the township has been working to implement the recommendations of the 171-report in an effort to make sure that there is enough coverage to protect the town 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Currently, Lawrence is served by three volunteer fire companies (located in the south, central and northern areas of town) and career staff. The career firefighters cover the day shift Monday through Friday, and the volunteers cover the evening, weekends and holidays. According to Municipal Manager Kevin Nerwinski, there has been a dramatic decrease in volunteer firefighters in recent years. One of the report’s most significant recommendations is to create a single combination volunteer and career fire division under the authority of a full-time career fire chief. The report also recommended an in-depth study to determine the feasibility of constructing a
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new fire station in a central location that would accommodate the Fire Department, EMS, and Emergency Management functions of the Township. To that end, last year the township obtained $725,000 from the state to fund the study and design of a new emergency management operations facility. Lawrence Gazette editor Bill Sanservino recently sat down with Municipal Manager Kevin Nerwinski to talk about the state of the township as it enters 2023. Fire protection and public safety were a top priority in his mind. Below is the first part of a Q&A based on the interview with Nerwinski. It has been edited for length and clarity. More of the interview, which deals with different township issues, will run in next month’s issue. Lawrence Gazette: What do you see as some of the biggest challenges facing the township in 2023? Kevin Nerwinski: I think the most important service that the municipal government provides its community is the service of public safety—police, fire and EMT service. See NERWINSKI, Page 5
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