Student's life-saving actions in medical emergency gets noticed by city officials

MILLVILLE – City commissioners put a spotlight on a high school senior for being the good Samaritan in a medical emergency at a convenience store last month.

Tuesday night’s City Commission meeting opened with a special recognition for John Wallop. The 19-year-old was working the deli at a Wawa at West Main and Sharp streets Dec. 17, 2021 when a woman experienced a seizure.

Wallop got his manager’s attention and asked her to call 911. Then, he administered CPR to the fallen woman until an emergency medical services crew arrived.

“We want to commend you for stepping up, being that good Samaritan, and getting the ball rolling, and keeping things moving, and making sure the person was cared for prior to EMS arrival,” EMS Chief John Feltes told Wallop at the meeting Tuesday. “And giving our EMS group a good report on their arrival.”

Mayor Lisa Orndorf then presented a Good Samaritan certificate to Wallop. “I hope that your actions in our community and others can see that and step up to also do good things as well,” she said.

In more ordinary business, commissioners filled a number of staff positions, including moving to convert the position of city solicitor from an appointed contractor to a full-time employee.

City Solicitor Brock Russell has been the principal city attorney since 2015, but for a one-year absence. Russell, whose office is in Millville, will be paid $162,500 under a salary ordinance that gets a public hearing and final vote on Feb. 1.

Vice Mayor Joseph Sooy said Russell will not draw city benefits. Sooy said an in-house legal department also is the practice in Vineland and Bridgeton.

“I believe, in the long run, this will save the city money,” said Sooy, who is director of Revenue and Finance. “It certainly will increase efficiency as we will be not his client, because he will be an employee. … And we will have him full time at our disposal. We also experience some savings as the additional litigation that he does is charged extra to us.”

On Wednesday, Russell said he agreed with the move.

“The job is big enough that the city really should have a full-time attorney,” Russell said. “And I know Vineland, I believe, has two full-time attorneys. The job really requires full time and I think I’ll be able to devote 100 percent of my time to the city now.”

Millville previously considered making solicitor a full-time position when the position was held by Richard McCarthy. Commissioners ultimately decided to stay on a contracted basis. McCarthy retired at the end of 2013, having spent about 20 years representing Millville.

In other business Tuesday, the commission introduced an ordinance to re-establish a nonprofit corporation to oversee its Urban Enterprise Zone program. State legislation signed last summer revived that program. The program diverts state sales tax revenues to the city for specific purposes.

Russell said the first edition of the Millville UEZ Development Corp. was dissolved after the state took control of UEZ revenues a decade ago.

The ordinance describes an 11-member board of directors for the nonprofit corporation. Members would be nominated by the mayor and approved by the commission. Two commissioners would be directors along with two municipal employees.

Five directors would be picked from business and community organizations along with one “at large” member who is a resident. The ordinance, up for a public hearing Feb. 1, allows for hiring an executive director.

Additionally, Mayor Lisa Orndorf announced that former Commissioner William F. Davis has been hired as an executive assistant for the Public Affairs department.

“Bill was a past commissioner and brings awesome experience to this department,” Orndorf said. “And I’m looking forward to working with him.”

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Davis was a commissioner for part of one term, winning a special election in November 2016. A vacancy was created when Commissioner James Quinn resigned in January 2016 to become a Cumberland County freeholder.

Davis unsuccessfully sought re-election in November 2017 to a full term. He finished sixth with Sooy, seeking a second full term, finishing seventh. He did not run in the 2021 commission race.

Generally, the new commission is moving to re-staff city economic development and planning offices.

The same ordinance moving the solicitor to employee status established a director of Economic and Industrial Development salary range of $70,000 to $104,040.

Orndorf also said the city is seeking a full-time supervising planner, a recent staff vacancy.

In early 2020, the city struck a deal with the Cumberland County Improvement Authority to serve as a development consultant. The arrangement was for two years, but the city ended it in mid-run.

Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey more than 30 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times.

Have a tip? Reach out at jsmith@thedailyjournal.com. Help support local journalism with a subscription.

This article originally appeared on Vineland Daily Journal: Commission gives 'Good Samaritan' status to senior for his medical aid