Gloucester County swears in Thomas Bianco, approves slate of contracts, grants and infrastructure funding

The Gloucester County Board of County Commissioners swore in Thomas Bianco as a county commissioner and approved a series of routine resolutions on July 16, 2025, covering contracts, grants and capital projects.

The swearing-in: Clerk of the Board Laurie J. Burns read the certification appointing Thomas Bianco to the vacant Democratic commissioner seat, and Stephen M. Sweeney administered the oath of office. Bianco was escorted by family to the dais.

Why it matters: The board’s actions included multi-year and single-year contracts, grant acceptances and a local aid infrastructure agreement that together set immediate spending authorizations and positions the county to receive state funding for road and infrastructure projects. One resolution amending commissioner assignments prompted a formal objection from Commissioner Thomas DeSilvio, who read a prepared statement into the record.

What the board approved: The meeting minutes and a broad set of resolutions were approved by motion. Key approvals recorded in the minutes included:

- Resolution 56031 — Authorization of a split contract with DeCotiis, Fitzpatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLC (not to exceed $100,000) and ChancE & McCann, LLC (not to exceed $50,000), term June 12, 2025 to June 11, 2026. Motion approved.

- Resolution 56032 — Insertion of special items of revenue into the 2025 county budget pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:4-87. Motion approved.

- Resolution 56033 — Approval of bill lists and bill list amendment for July 2025. Motion approved.

- Resolution 56034 — Amendment to the 2025 Board of County Commissioner assignments. Motion approved; Commissioner Thomas DeSilvio read a statement expressing his disappointment with this amendment and the statement was entered into the record.

- Resolutions 56035–56039 — Health and human services items approved included acceptance of a Strengthening Local Public Health Capacity Program grant for $30,858 (56035), participation in public-health emergency preparedness grant programs, and contract amendments including a second amendment with Ascendient Healthcare Advisors and amendments to motel contracts for temporary housing (56037–56039). Motions approved.

- Resolution 56040 — Purchase from Motorola Solutions, Inc. for $497,591.78; motion approved as recorded.

- Resolutions 56041–56042 — Adoption of the PY2025–2029 Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan covering CDBG and HOME programs, and authorization of workforce training provider contracts using WIOA and Work First New Jersey funds (aggregate not to exceed $700,000 per year). Motions approved.

- Resolutions 56043–56044 — Acceptance of HIDTA funds from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General ($175,944) and authorization to apply for a $5,000 Walmart-Spark Good Local grant; motions approved.

- Resolutions 56045–56052 — Multiple public works and land/engineering contracts and funding items were approved, including a Patriot Roofing contract (up to $650,000 per year), payment of $41,026 to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission for Gloucester County’s FY2025 planning share, a Local Aid Infrastructure Fund agreement with the New Jersey Department of Transportation for up to $5.5 million (56048), a zone striping contract for $910,980.30, a South State, Inc. contract for $672,527.70, consent to a Tri-County Water Quality Management Plan amendment (SEI West Cohawkin, LLC), and engineering services contracts each not to exceed $200,000. Motions approved.

Public comment and other remarks: During the public portion, Steve Soloff of Vineland identified himself as founder of informthevote.com, a nonpartisan civic information project, and said he was present to help spread information about elections. Former Commissioner Lyman Barnes of Logan Township addressed Commissioner DeSilvio about bringing politics into a government building after DeSilvio read his statement criticizing Resolution 56034. The minutes record that the public portion was opened and closed and these remarks were entered in the record.

What the minutes do not specify: The minutes record the motions and indicate votes in tabular form for each item, but detailed roll-call tallies by name for each resolution are not transcribed in full in the minutes excerpt. Where individual vote tallies or movers/seconders are not listed in the minutes, those details are recorded as not specified in the official minutes.

Next steps: The board adjourned at 6:35 p.m. and the minutes record that the resolutions were approved as entered in the record. Any implementation or contract execution steps referenced in the resolutions (for example, contract signatures, grant acceptance paperwork, or NJDOT agreements) will follow the standard administrative processes outlined in the applicable resolutions and county procedures.