Good evening everyone. Monthly business meeting 14, 2025. Notice this meeting has been duly advertise. Please be advised that this meeting is being ordered possible. Everyone
please of America to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible mayor passed Thank you everyone. Okay. Um Councilwoman S. Councilman Jackson here. Councilman
Lowski here. Councilman Morrisy here. Councilwoman Patton here. Council President Randolph Sharp here. Mayor Ro here. Please motion the bills have been properly sign.
Any questions? Councilwoman Hes. Yes. Counciloman Mowski. Yes. Councilman Jackson, yes. Councilman Marsy, yes. Councilwoman Patton, yes. Council President Randolph Sharp, yes. Following reports have been filed and are
available in their respective offices for review and will be included in the minutes. The tax collector's report, the student report, treasures report, engineers report for May of 2025 and the others for April of 2025. First reading ordinance 202504 nonp
contractual salary ordinance by title only entertain motion please. Make a motion for first reading of ordinance 202504 contract entitle only be adopted as read on first reading published according to law and posted at the
bal with this and being passed by next reg. Second any questions. Councilwoman Hess yes. Councilman Lowski yes. Councilman Jackson yes. Councilman Morrisy. Yes. Counciloman Pat. Council
President Randolph Sharp. Yes. Second reading ordinance 2025 zero call three. Call ordinance 0 2025. Um this time I' like to open questions of commerce regarding
ordinance 2025 calling three. See the public. Thank you. Motion to board second reading ordinance 20253 be adopted on second reading and publish.
Second, please. Councilwoman Hess, yes. Councilman Lowski, yes. Councilman Jackson, yes. Councilman Morrisy, yes. Councilwoman, yes. Council President, yes. Resolution
202596 read a motion 2025's budget and a second please. Second. Councilwoman H. Yes. Councilman Lowski. Yes. Councilman Jackson. Yes. Councilman
Morsy. Yes. Council member Pat. Yes. Council President Randall Sharp. Yes. Resolution 202597 2025. Public hearing. Good evening everyone. My name is Don Thompson. I am the business
administrator and the chief financial officer for the broad lend. and I welcome you to this evening's 2025 municipal budget public hearing. Tonight's agenda will be as follows. Um we'll go over the 2024
financial highlights 2025 budget priorities, 2025 budget challenges, 2025 municipal budget and grants for the general fund as well as the two utility fund and we'll end with an overview of
capital and American rescue plans which is ARP budget projects as well as future budget strategies for 2024. 4 financial summary of our general fund. Our 2024 tax collections, as you can see, was over 32
million. The allocation of the tax collections is broken down into four components. The municipal levy, the local school levy, the special district levy, as well as the county level, the county levy. And as you can see, 42%
which is the largest piece of the pie, represents the local school. Our tax collection rate for 2024 was 98.44% versus 97.08 in 2023. Our available cash surplus was 15%
down from 2023. Looking at our general fund again, the allocation of the county tax piece. The county tax piece of our levy is 5.6 million and it's broken down into four components. It's the general
county, the county library, the county open space, as well as the added and omitted taxes. And as you can see, as far as the pie, the general county represents the largest piece of the county
taxes. 2024 financial summary for our sewer utility fund. The total sewer fee collections was 1.9 million, which was up 6.3% from 2023. Our sewer utility is selfquidated and that's funded by our
user fees. So that means we get in enough of our sewer fees to cover all of our expenses in our sewer utility. Our available cash surplus for the sewer utility was up 17.8% from 2023. Our 2025 budget priorities.
Despite ongoing financial challenges, including reductions in state aid, increased pension contributions, and rising health care costs, this governing body remains committed to responsible fiscal management and maintaining
essential services for our community. The key budget priorities for 2025 are as follows. Keeping municipal property taxes steady. maintain the same level as in past years while maintaining the essential services such as public
safety, sanitation, and recreation without placing an added burden on families. Another priority is improving public communication and accessibility. Enhance how we connect with residents by upgrading our website
to be more userfriendly and inclusive. Improvements include the addition of a chatbot and the integration of an audio to ensure full ADA compliance, making the site accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Another priority is enhancing pedestrian safety. Taking steps to make our streets safer with installation of additional solar powered crosswalk signals, particularly in high traffic and school areas to protect to protect pedestrians
and promote walkable neighborhoods. In addition to the construction of pathways at Lindwall Memorial Park and Lindwall Athletic Complex shared a full use pathway for black bik bicyclists as well as pedestrians. Some of our 2025 budget
challenges are as follows. A reduction in state aid by $217,000. Health insurance premiums are up by 16%. increase in animal control services, 30.5% rate increase in animal shelter
fees. Our monthly rate in 2024 was $9,833.33 versus 2025, which is $12,833.33. So, as you can see, our animal control services for our animal shelter increased by $3,000 a
month. Additionally, we had pension obligations which were up 5% and that includes both our public employee retirement system as well as our police and fire retirement system. our 2025 budget at a glance for our general
fund. There are statutory budget cap calculations and they are as follows. Our tax levy cap which is 2%. Our maximum allowed to be raised is 11.6 6. And as you can see, our amount to be raised, which is what our local
tax is, 11.177, which leaves us with 424,124.94 that we can bank for next year if we need to use it. The other cap is the appropriation cap, and that's at 2%. We're only allowed to go to 3 and a
half% if we do the COLA ordinance, which we did the second reading of our COLA ordinance this evening. The maximum allowable is 17.9 and our total appropriations was 7.9. And as you can see, we only have
$10,300 remaining to bank for next year. Continuing on with our 2025 budget at a glance, our 2025 anticipated revenues and appropriations equal at 20.3 million. We increased our utilization of surplus in order to
support the general appropriations. Our we anticipated 5.3 million of surplus which is up 12.8% from the prior year. We utilize a tax collection rate of 97.77% to calculate the reserve for
uncollected taxes leaving a small margin to generate surplus. The reserve for uncollected taxes is the amount that we don't anticipate that we will collect. In the years that our tax rate is higher, the reserve for uncollected
taxes will be lower. In a prior slide, I had mentioned that our tax collection rate in 2024 was 98.44%. Well, I didn't take it to the max, which is 98.44. I utilize 97.77% which allows us to be able to
generate some surplus. So that's the most potent thing to do when looking at the tax collection rate and using it to calculate the reserve uncollected taxes. We had a reduction as I mentioned in the reserve for uncollected taxes of
27.6% and that was a result of the higher tax collection rate. Additionally, we have deferred charges which uh increased and that's due to a special emergency authorization for five years. There's
$400,000 that we uh did for our special emergency authorization which allows us to put 80,000 uh per budget for five in our budget for five years and that's due to the revaluation of our town. The purpose of the revaluation is to ensure
that the property tax assessments are uniform and equitable reflecting the true market value of properties within the municipality. So, I know quite a few of you have already had your homes re um re reassessed. Uh you've had a PPA come
out and knock on your doors or you received notification that we were going through a rebal. Well, that rebound is costing us $400,000, but the state allows us to spread it over five years, which is what we did as far as discussion emergency um
authorization also state and state mandated. As council president just mentioned, we had no choice but to do the rebound this year. Based on a 20.3 million budget for 2025, the 2% levy cap has been met as well as the
appropriation cap. Our local projected tax rate of 1.754 equates to a tax increase of two cents. Earlier in the presentation, I mentioned the uh budget strategies for this year. And one of those strategies
had to do with the tax increase and that this government bond has been steady with two cent increases over the past few years. This is just a summary of information of our general fund showing where our variables are what we call our total
assessed value um where it was in 2024 versus where it is in 2025. Um our local tax levy which again is a portion that you're responsible for paying um in property taxes. um what the municipal tax rate is, the average
assessed home for our town, and what the average tax per home value is. Well, not value, but the um the tax. And then just the breakdown of the total budget or our revenue as well as the appropriations. Our revenues and
appropriations must be when we do our budgets. This is a summary of information as it relates to our tax rate and what the effect would be. So if we're looking at a home that's valued at
$150,000, a two cent tax increase would be $30.29 to the taxpayer. And again, this is just the local tax fees. It doesn't take into consideration any of the any of the other taxes, which includes the school, the fire district, and the
counties. This represents a five-year trend of our anticipated revenues from 2021 to 2025. The breakdown of our revenues is is as followed. Surplus anticipated. We have our municipal local
revenues, state aid revenues, uniform construction code fees, other special items, receipts from delinquent taxes, and our amount to be raised, which again is the local municipal tax fees. And just so you can see where I mentioned
our state aid revenues in 2024, our state aid revenues was 2.3 and in 2025 you'll see you'll see that we're at 2.1. So we did lose some of our state aid this year and that was across the uh the
state. As far as our general revenues, um this pie just shows the allocation of which 55.1 uh% represents the amount to be raised, which is the local
taxes. This chart represents the percentage of tax collections over 8year trend. So this shows you where our tax collection rates have been since 2017. So from 2017 to 2024 you can see that
we've jumped. We were at 95 63% in 2020 in 2017 and we collected 98.44% in 2024. These are the budget
appropriations. This is our five-year trend. Our appropriations are broken down into general operations, deferred charges, capital improvements, municipal debt service, shared service agreements, other operations, rents offset by
revenues, and the reserve for uncollected taxes. And again, as you can see, I mentioned early on that the reserve for uncollected taxes in the year that you have a high tax collection rate, your reserve will be lower. So in 2024, you'll see that we were at
998,000 versus 2025. We're at 722 because we had a higher tax collection rate in 2024 that we can use for 2025. The allocation of our general budget appropriations, you can see
88.45% represents general operations. And on this next chart, our general operations is broken down into various components. Sal and wages, other expenses, statutory expenditures, insurance, and utilities. 44% of our
general operations consist of salary and wages. Pension costs over the last five years, as you can see, has gone up from 2021 to 2025. And this includes our public employee retirement system, our
police fire retirement system, as well as our defined contribution retirement system. Health insurance expenses, they've gone up as well. 5-year trend 2021 2025. You can see there's been
increase. Now we're moving into our 2025 budgetary plan for our student utilities. Our 2025 dedicated revenues and appropriations for our sewer utility amount to 1.79 million. We utilize 288,000 of the sewer surplus to support
sewage utility operations. And with regards to our other expenses, there were increases that were attributed to anticipated repairs and maintenance of pump stations and aging sewer equipment. The five-year trend for our sewer
utility anticipated revenues is broken down into four into three categories. Surplus anticipated rents and miscellaneous. And as you can see, our rents, which are the user fees, makes up the bulk of our anticipated
revenues. Our five-year trend for our budget appropriations is broken down into four areas. salary and wages, other expenses, debt service, and statutory expenditures. Now, you can see in this particular chart, it's not the salary or
wages that's the bulk of of the of the appropriations. It's other expenses. Other expenses uh is dealing a lot with repairs and maintenance uh for our home stations and 2025 proposed capital projects. Some
of our projects are being funded through our general capital capital and some are through grants. For road reconstruction improvements, we're looking at the completion of Colonial Square Drive at Square Place. Carter Avenue improvements, Lynon Wall Park, bikeway
connector, Brighton Avenue, Aman Avenue, the Carlton Street pedestrian improvements, reconstruction of various roads, which includes London Avenue, Oak Avenue, and Hawthorne, and enhancements to our memorial park with fitness stations. Other improvements in
equipment include the purchase of asphalt patch equipment and public building upgrades to include energy efficient upgrades to various buildings. Additionally, we're looking at computer equipment for various departments, upgrades to our municipal
website as well as installation of storm drains. For our sewer capital, we're looking at sewer force main replacements as well as various pump station upgrades. For ARP funded projects, we have completed quite a bit with our American
Rescue Plan funds. the expansion of the municipal building parking lot, reconstruction of Wallace Avenue, installation of a HVAC management system for our police department, enhancements to the dog park, paving and resurfacing
of the police department's parking lot, roof repairs, basketball court resurfacing, resurfacing, and upgrades to pump station number six to be completed in 2025 with the ARP funding funds will include upgrade
operates the pump station number eight. We're also looking at in a general capital traffic light installation at US Avenue and Route 30 25% cost share with the New Jersey Department of Transportation. Um it's taken some time for this project. Um, you know, we have
earmarked the funds, but we're not really sure when exactly it's going to be completed, but we're hoping that in 2025 there will be some movement with regards to this because it is an area that has had quite a few accidents, but
yes, we're working with New Jersey Department of Transportation. That's why there's a cost share. So, we're really at hairy with regards to this project. Basketball court um enhancements and the installation of additional solar powered crossmart flashing beacon systems at
Gizboro Road as well as the middle school. Future strategies looking ahead remain fiscally responsible and continue to manage surplus and debt levels to improve long-term financial stability and stabilization of property tax.
continue to seek operating efficiencies where possible, such as shared services and to take advantage of opportunities to apply for grants and investigate additional revenue sources to minimize the tax burden. We appropriate bond ordinances to reduce cost on new debt
issuance and provide an ongoing commitment to our residents by continuing to provide the highest level of services while minimizing the tax burden. That completes the uh public hearing. There is so much that's in our
our budget. I couldn't possibly go through everything this evening. So, if anyone is um would like to get a copy of our budget, I can uh definitely provide that to you. Um if you have any questions at this time, I can answer them. If you have questions that come up
afterwards, you can send me an email or give me a call and I can address them further. So, are there any questions with regards to what was presented this evening? I have a question. Why are we paying for county library when we have
the county library? That is a part of the share. Everybody in camp, whether there's a library or not, is is paying. It's just part of the taxable. If we're dropped out of the county system, you can't use Camden County
Library. We can have a library in town and we're the only town that has our own. So Linda's the only people playing I was just at a meeting in Boston Township and they have their own library Black and there other towns that
have libraries. We're not the only people. Matter of fact, the town that don't have libraries, they come here and use ours and go to boardies. So, they come here and use ours because their library closing. I have a question. So, speaking of the library, um, how much do each of the
library advisory board members receive for compensation serving on the advisory board? There's no Okay. I'm a little confused then because according to your form that you filled out, the municipal budget expenditures for the library board is
over $90,000 a year. So what what does that figure 9,810? What does that figure represent? What what form that? I'm sorry. This is the NJSL25 AP. It's apparently the form you guys have filled out for at least eight
last eight years to apply for state for the library. on that form line two indicates that the municipal budget expenditures to the library board is $90,810. This is your form manage with your
signature. So the library board No, that's just that's for the library itself. This is written in my native language. So you explain to me how this is about the budget. We're not documents. Now, this is this is last
year's, but this is the municipal budget expenditures to the library board. It's not a library board. It's for the library. It's the library. So, the word is No, it's this is how we report it in order to be able to get the state a 90,000
paid to the library. 90,000 is the total budget for the library. That includes salary and wages and yes total budget because according to this over 140,000 that is what the way that's broken down
Trevor is that you're also looking at the uh expenses that are allocated from the public works department. So the public works that they have to maintain they do a calculation and that's also included on there. So this represents noticing an average
increase of $4,000 per year that this is jumping. So well salary salary and wages will increase every year. We have contracts. So there are employees that are contract way this is worded this is worded that
the board is receiving $90,000 and as an advisory board that seems kind of there's no there's no one receiving anything um in terms of compensation on the advisory board for the library that is the overall expenses up I can't if you want to take
it up with the states you can Trevor but every year they receive the documentation and there are no issues we've already spoken with Keith he explained the formal fully and I'll get back to you. Thank you. Okay. Well, I will say to you that has nothing to do with the public hearing, but if you want
to talk about it after the meeting or we can meet at a later date, we can we can No, understood. But it does have to do with the budget. No, it doesn't have it doesn't have anything to do with this public. With all the respect, ma'am, you highlighted in your budget presentation that the animal control cost you right
there, that right there was 2025 million is rather 2024 Trevor and that was based on 2024 for that application for stating, right? 91,000 to the library and that does not have
anything to do with the 2025 public hearing. That is an application for a grant for the library state aid. So if Bob Keith told you something different than what I've been told and you and I can sure
have a conversation about it, but I will tell you every time that application is completed, we receive library ste 217,000 across the board. Mhm. Um, and I noticed that we're talking about grants and things like that. Do you have a grant writer that's looking to Most of
the grants we apply for are dealing with roads and our engineers assist us with that and they they're the ones that then applies for those grants to take care of. We we we actually do the we apply for it, but they help us with the uh
with the applications. Okay. And there's future plans to try to make up that difference. Well, we made up the difference in with surplus. So, just being that we made up that difference with the surplus, next year that surplus
surplus surplus gets generated. Um, there's a variety of ways that surplus is generated. I mentioned that with having a 98.44% tax collection rate. If we don't use all of that, that helps to generate surplus. What also helps to generate
surplus if we get miscellaneous revenues in you know if they come in that goes to surplus. Also if there are any um reserves that are remaining they could lapse and that could potentially turn
into a surplus as well. So there's a combination of ways. Okay. But this governing body um has been very fiscally responsible and that we will not allow the surplus to get under a certain level. So um again you know
Yeah. Absolutely. And if ever there's a situation where the uh general surplus has declined there all there's also opportunities to use the sewer surplus but the governing body has not made that
determination use it because there's not need to use it. Right now the sewer utility is using its sewer surplus just to help to build the surplus. Yes. So, did the sewer actually go up for next year for this year 25? No. No.
We actually had an increase in the stew rate, I believe, the year before. So, the rate is still the same. Any others? Yeah. So, the fire district being that they're building the new fire department, that money has
nothing to do with our budget, right? No. What happens? What what happens is it's not part of our budget. It's a part of your total tax bill. So your tax bill consists of the fire district, the school, the counties, and the municipalities. And what happens is the
burrow is the collecting agent for the fire district. So quarterly I send money to the fire district. Quarterly I send money to the county. Monthly I send money to the school based on what we collect from the tax
bill. Any other questions? I'm not sure. Do they already have theirs? They already have theirs. Yeah, it's like a two I think 2%. I think%. And what percentage did ours go up on
our bills? Did he say it went up? I think Yeah, I know. She said it was um I think it's like two two% increase about 2% increase.
supposedly good news is I kind of heard and don't quote me on this please county did not go up county stay any other questions all right well thank you for your Okay. Resolution 2097 resolution
202597 for the adoption of the 2025. Councilwoman H. Yes. Councilman Lowski. Yes. Councilman Jackson. Yes. Councilman Morrisy. Yes. Councilwoman Patton. Yes, yes. Next up is consent agenda. The items
listed below considering by the law and will be enacted upon by one motion. There will be no formal discussion of these items. If discussion is desired, this will remove from the consent agenda and consider separately a motion for resolutions 202598.
Motion to resolution consent agenda items 202598 through 2025. Second, please. Second. Councilwoman H. Yes. Council Mowski. Yes. Councilman Jackson. Yes. Council
Marsy. Yes. Councilwoman Patty. Yes. Council President Rand. Yes. Thank you, mayor. Two things I want to mention briefly before I start on the fire commission report. There are couple
paper shredding events coming up that are available for minimal residents. There's one being held on May 31st at Clemson Library, which is for Clemington and mobile residents only 92. coming up on Saturday, June 21st. Um,
which is countywide held at the Blue Crest Station parking lot from 9 to 2. As far as the fire department, um, they responded to 76 calls which included a crease fire at St. Mark's Church. All the vehicles are currently
in service, although the squirt has some intermittent issues. They're still trying to pinpoint what the what was causing them. This sets at the last meeting. There's another uh commission meeting next next week on May 19th at 7:30 p.m. It is a public meeting.
Everyone's invited to attend. Uh two firefighters suffered minor injuries during a training session and the fire department is also looking to update their website to include an online application for membership um to
make it easier for people to apply. The again this is as of the last meeting. The firehouse is uh the architect working on the new fire station is working with the county to resolve a store management issue. Uh the
Lynon Avenue station has been vacated. It is empty at this point in time. They're using exclusively the station on Scott Avenue. They're still estimating the completion of the new building by July of 2026.
Uh smoke alarms continue to be free for uh resident homeowners. You need to call the fire office at 856 346935 to make an appointment for installation. And uh couple of couple of activities
they had uh the end of April uh the fire department, the fire marshall's office and police department and schoolboard staff conducted a radio communications testing early childhood center so that
there no issue should there be an emergency where they have to have members involved and have to talk uh pull out the program. Also, a couple other things there. They uh just held a uh training session on
rapid inter rapid intervention training, which is to train members on how to assist firefighters that may become trapped in a structure and they may be unable to get to safety. Uh they the uh instructors presented a scenario which
allowed the challenge of members to remove a simulated injured firefighter with zero visibility. Also three members of the fire department attended specialized training course held by Texas&M University in Texas. class included
emergency personnel from Liver fire and police, citizen fire and police, New Jersey Transit, PACO and other civilian agencies. They engage in a lot of activities um tailored to challenges specific to our region
region. They have more training plans for later dates. Uh, our fire department was represented by Lieutenant President Stickley, officer candidate Albert Trey Smith, and firefighter. And then last thing, last
thing I have is last week students from the middle school stopped by tour of the firehouse. They got to check out the fire trucks and fire safety tips and fire marshal Tim Shannon and fire inspector Mike Breeze on hand to help
out the middle school students. That's all I have, my Thank you. Thank you. Um before I come to counc I just want to let you know that the microphones are have been fixed. So if you leave them where they're at and just press the button should pick up without having distortion. I'm sorry I didn't mean I
forgot to tell you before we start council. Thank you, mayor. Middle police department for the month of April. General services call 1,747 traffic accidents 44 community policing 46 traffic enforcement 77
criminal complaints issued by officers 63 traffic summon issued by officers 53 complaints issued by citizens. 16 traffic summon issued by citizens 2 detective with bureau investigations 39.
submitted by Michael Chief. Monthly report for public works for the month of April of trash collected 819.03 03.t items collected
296. Scrap metal picked up 93. Concrete picked up 10. Stumps and logs picked up zero. Property maintenance zero. Number of accidents zero. Number of injuries zero. Service calls 47. Stoppages 15. Mean stoppages
zero. Emergency calls seven. Marks 32. Pump station repairs four. trouble trouble areas jetted five pump stations vector two for Laurel Springs there was four service calls four stoppages one emergency call and zero
markouts all that's all for public works for our library our book sale from April 9 to April 12th went very well we still have a father's day print coming up on June 12th the summer reading program which will run from second week of July
to August 22nd. There'll be weekly crafts, fun games on Thursdays and activities, juvenile reading challenge, prizes for incentives for reading throughout the summer. One more yard sale will be again June 14th. Our Easter
egg hunt went very well, very well attended. Thank you, Councilman Jackson, for all your hard work down there. Um, we had our first bus trip for our senior center. It went very well. We went to the casino. Everybody enjoyed themselves looking forward to their next
trend. I told them let me know what they want to do and we'll work on something else. And that's all that I have. Good evening everyone. Um just a few things I have to go over with you tonight. Um, first from our code enforcement office, excuse me. We had
104 CO inspections for the month of April, zero smoke inspections, 27 violations found, 42 violations written, 13 abatements, six tickets written, 302 yearly rental inspections, 18 yearly
brief rental inspections, nine foreclosures, and 12 residential locations. Um, as some of you may know that May is mental health month. Uh, Governor Murphy signed a proclamation last May making May mental health month
in New Jersey. It's a time to recognize the needs of people who may be struggling in a way and to offer assistance. On Saturday, May 17th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Williams Farm, Cameron County Board of Commissioners will be hosting a not all
wounds are visible walk and run. It is a mental health awareness program. Uh, and if you don't know where it is, it's right down by the waterfront in Camden where they have the concerts and things like that. Uh, the focus will be there will be proprietors there from different areas of mental health. mental health
and substance use treatment providers will be present to provide educational information and resources for youth, adults, family, and community based services. Um, you're invited to take a table there if you have something that um you feel as though would uh assist
people in this area. Um, and I have a flyer here if you would like to do so. But I would encourage everybody to check in with your own mental health from time to time. Sometimes we burn our candles at fins. Sometimes we try to be everything to everybody. Uh sometimes we
try to just take on more than what we should. So everybody needs a mental health break every once in a while, right? Um whatever it is, if it's reading, but if it's reading, walking, exercising, spending time with friends,
uh whatever it is that brings you pleasure and peace, I encourage you to find that and do that for yourself periodically. So many is mental health awareness. Um social security administration stopped in our office. Um
I did share this with u our clerk. Um all of this with the real ID. Everybody's panicstricken, right? You can't get into motor vehicles. And so if you do fly and you don't have what's necessary, the real ID, they are giving you a grace period, especially people from New Jersey, but you will have to
bring everything but the kitchen sink to the airport. Okay? They're advising you to leave early. Um, you'll need such things as your birth certificate, um, a photo ID, uh, something with your address on it, and your social security card. Well, now everybody's realizing that they don't have your social
security card or can't find it. So, the Social Security Administration stopped by our office. I have flyers with a QR code. They say you may even be able to apply for this online. So, if you have misplaced or know someone who has misplaced your Social Security card, you might want to get on that as soon as
possible. Also, Ruckers University Law stopped by the office last week and they are offering clinics in certain areas for residents of Camden County. Um, the clinics are domestic violence clinics and these are uh legal students that are
on lawyers that are almost at the end of their their studies that um under the hospice of an attorney that help you with these needs if you qualify. Um, I don't think there's any money involved in it. Um, but they do things like domestic violence, the expungement law
project. And this is important because a lot of people have minor offenses on their records that are holding them back from getting jobs and they're able to help you expunge these things, but there's certain things that can't be expuned, it's on this list. Entrepreneurship plan. If you're interested in starting your own business
and want to know what you need to do and where to do so, they have that housing advocates. They help people with evictions or illegal lockouts where they've been locked out of their apartment illegally and they can't get their the things that belong to them. Um
legislative the policy advocacy and parent uh re-entry and child support clinic. So if you're interested in that, I have those flyers here as well. Um just a reminder, we are in voting season. May 20th is the last day to register to vote. Um, our primary this
year is May uh June 10th, Tuesday. Yeah, Tuesday. So, our early voting in New Jersey begins June 3rd through June 8th. It's only for one week. There are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven voting places. Now, you don't have to
vote in Lind Mall when you early vote. You can go to Wer Township, Camden City, a lot of uh Collinswood, Shering Hill, Runy, Winsow, or Borhees probably be the closest for us. And that's the Lions Lake Community Center. They're open
Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. So, it's seven days a week that you can do early voting. If you're not going to be in town for the election and you're not a vote by mail person by mail applications as well, you
can sign up for this and it won't be too late for you to get your ballot in the mail. You have to June 7th to apply for it. After that, we'll have you go to the Camden County Elections Division to get a ballot from them. And um I want to say magnificent Doug on
your presentation. Again, I always say she sums it up to a couple of slides, but there's a lot of work that goes into that. Thank you for showing representing MR Castle in a great way, showing what you're working on and all of those things. Um, really appreciate all that
you do. I tell you that a lot of times, but I would like to say a couple. Thank you. And lastly, if you weren't at the Easter egg hunt, you missed something nice. It was nice. And I told you this the other night. We were together Monday night, Monday night. And I told him
this, the mark of a great event to me, whether it's a party or whatever it is, is when you kind of just sit around and like you look around and see what people are doing. These people had already gotten their eggs, right? They had already gotten their face painted, but they were just chilling. Like they were
just sitting around with benches just it was like they didn't want to go home. They were just sitting around chilling. So to me, that's the mark of a great event when people don't want to go home. So uh great job to you, your family. and his kids were the bunnies and Mike was out there. Everybody was it was a whole
family affair for them. So, um really appreciated that. So, thank you. And all our seniors help. Okay. Thank you, Mayor. I'll tell you, you know, I've been going for it for a while. I know she's
absolutely and I think I'd like to commuse to shared services um you know through the uniform shared services consolidation act. You know that was enacted in April 3rd, 2007. And this was made to encourage financial
accountability of local units of government to empower all of us as citizens by reducing unnecessary waste and duplicative services, clearing legal hurdles hurdles to shared services and consolidation and supplementing and
amending and repealing sections of statuto law. Um, you know, like these these three shared services we have with the school system, they save us thousands of dollars. Um, instead of having to hire a couple of guys to take care of the parks and everything, we pay
them some money and they come over and take care of it. I mean, we have a resource officers over there instead of not having to hire private security. It all works out. It's just a great thing to share. And we also know it's a road and other things. Thank you, Mr.
mayor. Over the past few months, I met with five residents to discuss history and preservation effort. I presented five readings on the history of the wall. We're about halfway through, a little more than halfway through with
the book as we completed one onite library visit research. We received three community member submission contributing to our archival efforts. As we continue to explore and
document into Wall Street history, I welcome anyone interested in contributing or joining our informal study group. We get Monday evenings right now by an application for us towards the historic
event in the fall. Our excursion of the month is May 31st Walk Fest held at the Women House from 11 to 3 in. So we'll be going um a historic to a preacher and free
trial will be that day from 11 to 3. So please join and speaking of mental well one of my resources for healing from multiple bosses several years ago. I used to go to Women House a lot and I used to go to Crystal Springs a lot and
I um would read wall women's poetry very very often. It was a healing sanctuary for me just as it was for me over 100 years ago. So please visit there. It's a really um easy commute of course and please visit
saf. Thank you. Thank you mayor. Good evening everyone. Uh just want to make a few announcements. Uh first just a reminder of our Memorial Day celebration be held at the uh Vendal Park United States. That will be obviously Memorial Day May
26 and it will begin at 9:00 a.m. So if you get time, please come out and support our fellow soldiers. Also, um there is a community food pantry and health fair. Jefferson Health invites
community members for a fun day of I'm sorry, a day of fun support and community spirit. Enjoy food and toiletry giveaways, free health screenings, raffles, and more. Uh that will be held Saturday, June
7th at 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and that's at Jefferson Stratford Hospital. Uh let's see. The Candy County Board of Commissioners is excited to announce the return of the summer parks concert
series. Uh the concert series will enliven and amplify the green spaces throughout the 2700 acres of parkland in the county and provide some something. Uh these concerts will be held on Mondays in Wiggins Park in
Camden. uh Wednesdays in Hatton Lake Park and Thursdays in Cooper River Park. There are numerous uh concerts scheduled uh too many to name. I have a list up there
and you can also look them up on candyount.com. And lastly, I just want to return thanks for to everyone, mayor and council that was able to help come out. Um, we had a few community members that came to help out. Some
secret secret bunnies that came to help out. Then most importantly, my awesome awesome seekers at the senior congregation. Well, for you guys, they packed about 4,000 eggs worth. I don't know how they did it. I did a couple
hundred. My hands were cramped, but they did it. Every time I dropped them a thousand, they bought me. So that was really awesome. I really appreciate that. That's it. Thank you. It was very very well attended.
Shame it hadn't been a lot better than the I just I just forgot to mention too that the newsletter should be hidden. um
probably in the next week or so. Um so look out for that. It's also available online. And my sister reminded me that this week is also National Police Week and Memorial. So we just want to remember all our fallen police officers. And you know, keep them in your prayers
as well. Oh, and when is that? And a unity run that you're having. Oh, yeah. In Washington, right? That's been more important as the police officers. Thank you.
All right. Open to the public. Anyone from the public wish to speak, please come to their microphone. State your name and address for the record. Sunday. Okay. Pull it a little short. But I really think I think this is the perfect time to follow up with what
Linda and J and I say may and to each one of you. We here this evening, Jackie, Carmen, and D representing the
senior citizens and we're here to personally thank you all for your endeavors to provide a better quality of life for us at that center. It is with such delight
to be able to assemble and have fun together and to meet new season. I'm a rise and sing. The delicious food that is catered from cathedral kitchen is also a vital
part of our enjoyment. Not to mention the trips we go on driven by experienced drivers. We're grateful for the exercises, games, and all the other blessings that come through various resources. We also are blessed to have
great site managers to accommodate us at the facility. On behalf of all the seniors, even when I'm here, from ages ranging from early 60s to 97 years old, thanks again for renal service to our
God bless each of you. Good evening neighbors. Nice to see everybody the crowd. I think the mayor knows what I'm talking about.
address. My name is Joe on 25 Georgetown. Our condo fees going up 107%. Uh it's really devastating, you know, hurting me and a lot of retired people in here
just trying to get everything done. we're not getting all the answers that we needed. Um, but we kept getting answers from our action management and uh, uh, they're constantly doing legal business with the township uh, to get
dumpsters or well actually to get reimbured for not having to lend the wall coming in and picking up our trash. Now, was that true? Did the government have to go or was there a court session or legal sessions that ever occurred?
That's the impression we've been getting from our our management. There's been no litigation between the borrow and Georgetown. Okay. Because they always brought up Simone Simone the lawyer and negotiating. Um the main reason I'm up
here is the dumpsters. Are we getting the dumpsters? Joe, we passed a resolution in December of last year that we are ready to place dumpsters out on the property. Okay. The superintendent of public works went out there, I think
at the end of January for place in dumpsters. You're still under private contract. Well, you're still under contract. Georgetown is still under contract with a private hauler until they get out of that contract. We're ready to do it tomorrow. Okay. But until that contract is terminated and until we
get proof it's been terminated, we're just waiting. So, our our action management and our board is lying to us about uh they actually at our Zoom meeting yesterday told us that we're waiting for you to drop off
the dumpsters and I said, you know, and so they're lying to us, you know, they haven't done what their eyes are supposed to do. What you're asking them to do, they haven't done. The mayor specifically told them that we're ready to do this at any time. We need confirmation that that contract with
waste management in determining Frank said from what I understand he was supposed to. I think he did a following email. They said that they met with the township last couple days. Last it was like two weeks ago. Two weeks ago. Yeah. They said it was just recently when we
saw you out there. All right. When we saw you out there when we were out out doing the survey, you got to meet with them then. Then we met them. So they they know what you want and they're telling us yesterday they're waiting for the township to drop off the dump and oh
the other thing there may be a delay because it has to be approved by the township you know like how you you know first meeting second meeting you know that that type thing no okay so they're lying to us I don't know what they're telling me I I hope anybody that at
Georgetown could see that they're lying to us action and the board's lying to us. All we need is a letter confirming that their contract has been right. Exactly. We get that letter. All right. Thank you. I had a
couple in the meeting too when at the zoom meeting they cut me off. Uh as soon as they they heard my name I was I had a dozen questions to ask them like that. I don't have a some reason their Zoom didn't work for
me. But soon as I mentioned my name all of a sudden let's go to the next person. So you know I'm telling you right now Georgetown your Zoom didn't work for me. Thank you. Anyone else
with in the budget you mentioned about animal control and one of the things I actually came to talk to tonight was I had a couple people reach out to me who said that code enforcement was going to them and finding them or feeding the
cats that are fixed. So I don't know exactly what's going on. So I told them I would ask like why is code enforcement people that we have TNR? There's an ordinance in Berlin about feeding one of them. It's not but if we have TNR you
have a problem. That's why you do the TNR and you feed them. But it's not where they're feeding them is not anywhere near their home. They're doing it where it's annoying. place I know there
and they we've had we've had nothing but complaints from these people. So they can't they can't keep having because they have three litters a year and if they're not fixed that that's the problem.
So the other thing I wanted to say was that um so back to that was I outside my house I had in the garage. So with mine are all fixed the travels and I travel and I get a fix. I don't go through a
deal. So they tell me I can't anymore. We get complaints we have to follow up on the complaints. They've been given notices. They haven't been fined or anything else like that to not feed the animals. We get a copy
of the ordinance please don't feed the animals anymore. If they do then they get Okay. I have 17. Yeah. But you're coming by your house, right? They're talking about people that go to the woods and they got these big
elaborate setups there where they're feeding cats twice a week. Yes. pretty good. Well, you know that they sit at the back signal catch while you'll have 50 at your door the next
day. My next thing is go. I wanted to say thank you for taking care of that illegal parking X that was taken care of. But now that that was done, whenever I'm in that area, the person has to come out of the house and say nasty things to
me. I ignore it. And eventually it's going to go over because he always has something to say when I'm in that area to me. But he runs out of the house as soon as he sees it. And what I wanted to say is I know because Cheryl you said when we see things we have to bring it
here but what happens is when we say it we have to deal with it with all the same. Yeah, I do. I do. Mayor, when you have your next Democratic meeting, didn't you have tell the deos the difference
between the illegal parking and a markout because they tortured me telling me that it was a Markout X. We don't have meetings. I'm just saying so they explain to them the difference between a Markout
X and illegal project. my entire event for no reason at all. [Music] Anyone else? Hi. Um, thank you for those explanations. I'm very interested in
what's going on with our taxes. I like the fact that you take the time to explain so that the average resident understand. Now I do have a question. I do like to read over this and when you pass resolutions sometimes I don't
understand what they are. So what is resolution 202510 government is um a software program that currently our public works department is using and we renewed it to include um other departments
because they have different modules. So everybody will be on the same. No, not everybody because we have um our code enforcement which is on um spatial data logic which is SDL and the public works department
decided that pilot was something that was better for them um because they were initially on public works. So the pilot would give them the ability to just say for example if there is a a work order that um you know we need some work done
here we can flip we can go through the pilot and put in our work order request that they will receive and know that they need to come here to perform some um some maintenance to bathroom or whatever the case. So we are on different systems but they did um renew it and that's what that that's what that
is that's the contract. So this will work more efficiently then they had well they had them pilot but it was only for a short period of time so they just had to do it where it's a long period now anybody
else program you just mentioned is the codes office fully transition now on the iPad software system that you guys talking They they are using their iPad. Yes. And we're trying to get to the public facing partners to go on the website. Thank you. And Trevor, while
you're here, um at the last meeting, you brought up um um an individual in town that you um Yeah. You brought up an individual in town who um uh is labeled as a person that owns a number of properties and uh
some are not where they should be. And so we spent quite a bit and you also right you did right your next door neighbor. Um so we spent quite a bit of time looking into um the properties own um and currently there's season 16 of
them that we were able to identify uh in connection with him. Um they are all currently up to date. They're registered and everything else. The one property that has an issue we're unable to do anything about right now because it is involved in a legal lawsuit. um right
it's a a legal matter that we are not able to um go forward with some of the things that we need to go forward with because of the legal standing that it's in right now. So, I do want to let you know that we did the investigated uh Trevor Nico enforcement office. Um, uh,
Tyler, I'm sorry, uh, Tyler, um, our solicitor, the mayor, myself, we did invest some time and energy in it, pulling deeds and things like that. So, that's the standing of that individual right now. 16 properties. So 809 has been properly certified thing
like yep code enforcement witness I don't know but they didn't do it no we checked we didn't go inside the properties okay we checked to see because there was word on the street was like this guy just sets up shop he just does what he wants to do they're not
you're not uh properly registered and things like that and so they are properly registered so 809 is properly registered and and everything's up to date. So, if she has a complaint, if that homeowner or that tenant has a complaint about something that isn't
being fixed in the property or is she needs to file and complain here at the office that would trigger us to go out and take a look to in the inside. You can't really go by like I don't I'm not putting this like down and you put like by hearsay. So, you know, if she has an
issue, I know what I saw. She get the glasses window missing off the the the stove and this that and the other. I mean, you might want to encourage her if you're friendly with her like, "Have you tried to get this stuff in?" Well, unfortunately, where people have your money and the amount of money that he
got from her and I don't know, but then this is what I'm telling you that that is her then that then that's when she needs to call over here and we can send someone out and then it can be visited and you know how to fix it, right? My question is in that case you say that
it's what exactly does register mean? So when I see that little sticker on it that means that it's been inspected. Inspected means somebody physically goes in there and looks around prior to the person moving in. Right.
All these units have every it's not for each tenant. Somebody use that, they don't go back and inspect. It has a co saying it's a rental propert. It gets a once a year inspection. Thank you very much for following up. I guess we'll have to speak off the record
because clearly not all of the Okay. So I need to do some more digging. Thank you. Go ahead. So I just wanted to understand the process when somebody for instance a property or investment company buys a house and they want to
use it as a rental they register with lendable an inspector then goes out and walks through the property to make sure that it's fit for correct then they get a se that person buys a house in 2020 and they
have a record for 2022 that renov. Does the home need to be reinspected or we use the seals from 2020? Reins. It happens in one of two occasions when they initially um ren register the
property as a rental. There's an inspection right then and then if there's a change of occupancy, even if it's during the year, we go out and inspect it again before the occupancy changes. We generally don't inspect it twice. So example, if they do the CO, they got a 12-month period grace period where we don't reinspect again for the
rental registration. But let's say the tenants been living there for a number of years. Each year, every year, the borrow will go out and inspect again. I like the conversation offline because as a supervisor at a healthcare facility, I did rounds, property rounds,
and I'm telling you, I was in that unit. So I was something fishy no more. When did she move that? She was dead. When did she move? Um I don't remember the the exact date, but
this So this is made in April, March. March. I need to talk to your inspector. We need to have a conversation off. No, for real. [Applause]
We need to have a conversation online. That's what I told you. No, no, no. That's okay. I I understand that that I'm not going to I'm not going to dispute what she has going on with that man. I know that from my classifications to inspections and what you're telling
me that that band did and I was in the apartment after she moved in and inspections are supposed to be done prior. Maybe I need to know what your for Yeah. My name is
[Music] March. The reason I'm here, I have one big complaint. I live on West Avenue as on my street there's a stop sign. There's also a school um middle school which there's a
walkway. There's um kids gas. No one stops at that stop sign. No one. They use my street as a race street. Is that by no one? They use it. It's a oneway street, but they use it as a two-way street. And my concern is that I'm
worried that someone's child is going to get hurt because there's a crosswalk for the kids. And there's a path at least from that school. And the fact and the fact is that I'm worried about other people's children. No one. They look at
the stop sign, but they I'm afraid I'm going to come outside one day and there's going to be an accident or someone's child is going to be killed. And there no, there's no crossing guard. There's not anything. And I wanted to know is there can
anything be done about it? Is it mainly around school time? just like, oh no, they all the time. Even the parents are sitting out there, some parents pick their children up and even when the parents are sitting out there waiting for their child, no one stopped at that stop sign. They just keep going.
I mean, they be fine. They be going before the fight, the stop sign before you come. Oh, by the park. Okay, got it. Okay. Yes. Once you come on the right side on West Avenue, there is a stop sign and that stop sign is between
West and Pierce. Thank you. 25 Georgetown Road uh for the code uh in Georgetown that the people get new air conditioners, water heaters and u
heaters and the code department. Uh, how can you prove that your code department actually goes out to see someone gotten a new uh air conditioner or water heater or heater? Uh, because your own house
and you know like a neighbor gets Joe to go fix it. So, you don't know. Yeah. So, the code is supposed to go out there and make sure that everything is on the up. I don't think they get a terminator. They don't have a permit. They don't know.
Well, you don't know if they got a permit. That's what I'm saying. They didn't get a permit. They don't know. Question whether they have or not. They don't want to have and Joe, that happened to me. My neighbor during co and all of a sudden this big electrical
box appeared on the side of the bed and I'm like, you know, you got water, you got electric. And I didn't think nobody got out there to do anything. and our houses are very close. So I called eliminated a lot a lot of things for inspection but I think
they don't get they don't know what's going on you you called and they came out how can you follow up on that though how did you I mean you may not have been there to see them go there but say you come to the office and say well I want to make
sure that that was checked you know that's what you That's what you have to do. Proof that, you know, the code. I mean, they're professionals. If I called and he said they're going to send someone out, I saw the tag on the the thing that, you know, they had
flag inside somebody's house, water heater, air conditioner. They won't. They don't have a permit. If they didn't get the permit, they're not going to inspect us. They don't know. Exactly. You have to go. You have to come here to
see if they got Did you come here? They won't tell you. No. What do you need? The open language. Yeah, I'll email it to you. You're telling them it's none of their business.
We can help. That's what you got to do. That's the process. Office, let them know involved. Make sure the code enforcement office did in fact act on it. Wait a couple of weeks when requested for whatever else you have to get a permit.
So they're not going to come out and inspect it if you don't have a permit. Before I before I close it out, I just wanted to let you square drive here. I know they had a bunch of issues with all of it. I just want to let everybody know that Colonial
Square Drive and Columbia Square I even my engineer out here who was gracious enough to come tonight would put all this stuff together for me and then I don't get to use it. um is being totally repaved. There's a few changes in in in hand parking areas
uh that will be corrected. Also, if you go there, if you know anybody there because of the parking issues they have there, we're also looking at getting another grant to put a strip down the back of it to uh for
another 20 parking spaces like guest parking. So, straight in. Uh we also look we got to find a grant that's you know there's also possibility of problems with the uh because it's green acres so it becomes an issue parking but
I just want to thank you for coming out and I thank you for the information you gave me and next month they'll all be here and I won't have anything anyway thank you anyone else please Second
segment. Thank you.