Vettese retires as Public Works Manager

HAMMONTON—Robert Vettese retired as the town of Hammonton’s Public Works Manager after working for the town for five years.

During the July 22 town council meeting, Councilman Thomas Gribbin gave a plaque to Vettese to commemorate his retirement.

Before being the town’s Public Works Manager, Vettese worked at Adams, Rehmann & Heggan Associates (ARH) for 47 years full-time and two years during college. ARH is the engineering firm for the town.

When the position for Public Works Manager opened up, Vettese retired from ARH in 2019.

The Public Works Manager helps mayor and town council with any projects that may benefit the town including roadways, water and sewer, drainage and recreation.

“You’ve got to be a good listener and more or less be calm,” Vettese said.

During his time as Public Works Manager, Vettese sat at the Planning Board meetings.

“Working for the town at ARH, I know a lot of utilities and roadways and things about the town that could help the Planning Board make a decision and help the people there representing the client a better plan for what they are proposing,” Vettese said.

He said the people in the department are all nice people and they’re polite, courteous and helpful.

“You’re only as good as the people you work with,” Vettese said. “They’re all good people at ARH and the town of Hammonton. You’ve got to be contentious your representing mayor and council but also 15,000 people trying to make their lives better for them.”

While working for the town of Hammonton, Vettese would get a lot of phone calls from people and try to help them out to make their lives better.

“There’s always people that have drainage problems especially after a big rain event. People call up and say, ‘My roadway’s flooded.’ And now we got five inches of rain, but it’s still an inconvenience. So you listen to them because they see what happens on a daily basis, so you’ve got to listen to people and let them explain what they see so you can help them out,” Vettese said.

Vettese said he will miss the people in the department and helping others.

“I enjoy helping people when I can. Sometimes I cannot or I don’t give the proper advise or they don’t like the advise that I’m giving them but I’ll try and do the best I can,” Vettese said.

Jami LaRosa, Vettese’s sister-in-law, said her family calls him Saint Bob.

“He helps everybody and prays for everybody,” LaRosa said.

Vettese and his wife Bonnie are letting Jami live at their house because she lost their house a couple years ago.

“If we can help them out, we’ll help them out. We always had people live in the house other than just ourselves. We had my mother-in-law and father-in-law here, my mother here, my other brother-in-law and his wife and his kids when he was building his house, so wherever I can help, I’ll help out,” Vettese said.

On Sunday nights, Vettese’s family gather together for Sunday dinner.

“My son and my daughter come down and we usually make gravy and meatballs and sausage and have a family dinner on Sundays usually,” Vettese said.

After retiring, Vettese said he’s probably going to look for a part-time job.

In six months he said he would be eligible to work for the town on a part-time basis.