PAULSBORO Residents say they can't wait for the long-touted Port of Paulsboro to come to town because it will bring jobs, bolster the community and provide tax relief.

That was the response from much of the 60-or-so that gathered Tuesday evening at the Paulsboro High School cafeteria for a public information forum on the project.

"I think it's good for Paulsboro, good for the community," Linda Pilger said. "It's fantastic. It's going to bring jobs to the town and might bring property values up. I've been here 26 years, so I'm really looking forward to it."

With fans blasting in the warm gymnasium, residents and officials alike listened intently to a presentation from Marlin Peterson, director of port development for the Gloucester County Improvement Authority.

"There's a lot of different ports on the East Coast," Peterson said at one point. "The Delaware River was and continues to be a niche operator. We have the labor here and want to continue to build upon that niche."

Peterson explained the sustained demand for ports and that there is little room for expansion elsewhere, perfectly positioning the Port of Paulsboro once it becomes operational. Then it would likely be a location for the break bulk shipment of items like cashews, cocoa beans, road salt and lumber.

The $250 million regional port, which officials promise will bring hundreds of jobs and thousands of dollars in tax revenue, is still in the design and permitting phase. But officials say it's on track to begin construction this fall.

He also explained why this particular location is a good choice for a new port.

"There is an existing community that worked here at one point," Peterson said. "You don't have to go far to get into deep water, so that reduces cost and maintenance."

Freeholder Director Stephen Sweeney said it's exciting that things are beginning to move on the project.

"We've been talking fir six years about this port, and now it's finally starting to happen," said Sweeney, also state senate majority leader. "It will be a good thing for the area. It's going to recreate this community. More importantly than anything, it means jobs."

Sweeney pointed out that borough residents will get first priority once the port begins to hire workers, and he hopes to set up a collaborative program between the port and the local high school.

"There should be an apprenticeship-type program," Sweeney said. "This would be great for kids who maybe aren't headed for college. It will give kids a real opportunity for a future."

Jobs were certainly a focus of members of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 18, the union that represents workers at the South Jersey Port Corporation's Beckett Street Terminal in Camden. Kenneth Cosby, Jack Striewski and Bob Weyand, all union members, came to the forum for information about the new Paulsboro port.

"I think it's a great idea," said Striewski, a Brooklawn resident. "I think it could help this town. It does create a lot of jobs. I'd probably stay where I'm at, but I'd just like to see it happen."

Striewski said the port could also help bolster the local economy, with workers and truck drivers patronizing more local businesses.

"A truck driver might need a sandwich or something, so that helps," he said.

"I think it's great," added Crosby, a Thorofare resident.

Borough and county officials have long said that the Port of Paulsboro project would help revitalize the local tax base with a base Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) of $500,000 coming into the borough annually. The borough is also slated to receive 2 percent of the cost of construction of buildings on the site as well as 1 percent of the fair market value of the land.

This arrangement could bring the borough upwards of $2 or $3 million annually once the facility is fully operational, according to borough figures.

This is a major concern for John Vogeding Jr., a local school board member.

"I hope I even live long enough to see it become a reality," Vogeding said. "We've lost so many ratables in town over the last 15 years. I would like to know how quickly it will happen. There are lots of senior citizens and people below the poverty level, and our taxes keep going up each year. You just hope for solutions."

Vogeding said he believes "the mayor's heart is in the right place, his head is in the right place," but tax relief can't come quickly enough.

"I think the ratables that come in from it will most assuredly help with the school and local taxes, which are the biggest concerns for residents," Vogeding said. "If this materializes and money comes into the coffers, maybe we can lower taxes. When that happens, then I'll think of it in terms of a positive move."

Evelene Monroe, a borough resident, said construction noise is a major concern, since she lives about two blocks away from the port's future location.

"I don't want to listen to Ôbeep, beep, beep, beep,' 24/7," Monroe said. "I don't want to have to sell my house to get away from the noise."

However, Monroe said she thinks that the project will be very positive for her hometown.

"When I first heard about the project, I thought it was great," she said. "I think it will be great for us."