to order December 3rd. Notice that this meeting has advertised for this meeting is being audio record. Everyone please rise for the flag of the stands. One nation under
God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. Here >> mayor >> here the administrator of post office. You want something to hold it for you?
>> Okay, here's your right hand and repeat after me, please. >> I state your name. I James Wilson >> to solemnly swear >> to solemnly swear >> to support the Constitution >> to support the Constitution >> of the United States >> of the United States >> and the Constitution
>> in the Constitution >> of the State of New Jersey >> of the state of New Jersey. and I and that I bear true faith >> And I bear true faith >> and allegiance to the same. >> and allegiance to the same. >> and to the government established >> to the government established >> in the United States. in the United States
>> and in this state >> and in this state >> under the authority of the people >> under the authority of the people. >> And I do further solemnly swear >> And I do furtherly solemnly swear >> that I will faithfully >> that I will faithfully >> impartially >> impartially >> and justly perform >> and justly perform
>> all the duties of >> all the duties of >> police officer >> police officer >> according to the best of my ability >> according to the best of my ability. >> So help me God. >> So help me God. I know we're running late, but if you guys want to take a couple pictures before we start the meeting,
thank you again for your support. We appreciate that. You're always behind us and helping us stay staying our manower. So it makes a big difference for us to fulfill our mission. So thank you for that. >> And I'd like to congratulate Officer
Wells and Officer Ortiz graduating academy tomorrow. It's a big task for 24 weeks now. >> 22 weeks of training. It's rigorous training academy training physical fitness. They do defensive tactics and obviously all the academic firearms
training. They have to qualify for the fire and and also the people operations as well. So, it's it's very extensive training. Uh, you know, unfortunately, not everybody makes it. Both these officers did. Congratulate for that. And we're happy to have them part of our organization. We know they're going to
do a great job. We have a lot of confidence in both of you. So, congratulations again. Welcome to With Get it. >> Huh? Thank you for
congratulations everyone. Thank you to the Yes. >> Yes. Following items considered routine by law formal discussion of these items. If
discussion is desired, this item will remove from the consent agenda and will be considered separately. I enterain a motion for resolution 25 181 through 2518. >> Make a motion. Resolution consent agenda
items 2025 181 through 2025 18. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. Yes. >> Okay. Council.
>> Thank you, mayor. One thing I'd like to mention before I start the fire commission report. Uh there's a community cleanup being sponsored by the South Jersey Water Trust this weekend on Saturday morning uh at Kirkwood Lake.
uh from 10:00 a.m. till noon. Uh we've done several they've done several community cleanups within the burrow sometimes in in sponsorship co-sponsorship with other groups. Uh this time I believe it's just uh by themselves but any participation would
be uh gratefully accepted to help. And uh it starts at 10:00 a.m. at the end of Pine1 Avenue off of Berlin Road where Pine Avenue dead ends and then we walk into the wood there clean up around the
lake. Uh and I do have a copy of the of the information if anybody's interested. Okay. The fire department reporting for the month. Uh there are actually two meetings I'm reporting on. Their regular uh meeting from November and their reorganization meeting which was held
last night. Uh their next meeting, the next regular meeting which is their end of the year meeting uh is Monday, December 22nd, 7:30 p.m. at 8:01 Scott Avenue, which is the Fourth and Scott Firehouse. Uh the reorganization meeting
was held last night, December 2nd. The commissioners who were elected at the November general election were sworn in. Frank Wendell who was reelected and Paul Maurice who was newly elected both took the oath of office. Fire commissioners elected the following officers for this
year for the commission. Tammy Duca as chairman, Frank Wendell as vice chairman, Frank Luca as treasurer, Paul Ree as secretary and the fire commission voted to advertise for all professional services for this year.
Last month, the department responded to 76 calls. 35 inspections were completed. 17 reinspections were completed. As far as the vehicles go, the engine is back in service. And as of last meeting, the
squirt needed tires replaced and squad needed a bumper replaced. New firehouse work is progressing on schedule. Plumbing work was in progress. They're working on their retention bas on site retention basin. They're expecting to be
pouring the uh concrete slab um if weather permitted. There are two smoke alarms installed. And just a reminder again, free smoke alarms are available for resident homeowners. Call the fire commission office at 856346935
to make an appointment for installation and it's done at it's free. There's no charge. Uh other other items, uh airpack testing is in progress and they're investigating the possibility of switching the medical insurance provider
uh to a less expensive provider, but uh they're just beginning to look at that process. As of November 1st, uh they started uh inspections for new houses and resale resales of uh properties which are fully
done by the bureau. Uh the 2024 audit was accepted by voter 4 to1 and they received as previously mentioned they received a fire safety grant of $1,000. That's all I've got. Thank you mayor council.
>> Thank you mayor. I just want to remind everyone of our parade which is on Friday. Excuse me. Starting at Kingsro Apartments and going down Landing up Lake Boulevard down the park.
>> Yeah, park. I said not not not Lake Park. Sorry. Um that starts at 7, ends at the library at 7:30 and where we will visit with Santa and have some cookies and hot chocolate. We hope everyone comes out to
visit. Maybe we'll have special visitor come by too. That's all that I have. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening everyone. I don't have a report from the code enforcement office um to read today, but I will follow up
one already sent something out and I'll read the next month's reports. Just a few things. Um it's come to my attention that Cliff Mitchel um the former um towers property manager has passed away on December the 2nd. Here's a viewing at
Wooers on Sunday from 6:00 to 8 if you'd like to go out and pay your respects. He's a property manager for many years and the multi. >> Yep. Absolutely. Um, also I wanted to u bring up something that came to my
attention. Um, White Oak Baptist Church, which is located on Holland Avenue. Um, it's been um in our community since 1924. Um, has taken on feeding our seniors for Thanksgiving and they prepared over a
100 meals on Thanksgiving Day. Um, home-cooked meals. And I'll give you an idea what the menu was here. Um, it was turkey, stuffing, macaroni, and cheese,
string beans, sweet potatoes, rolls, water, and dessert. And if you've ever been to a Baptist church, then you know the food is delicious because that's one thing they going to do is feed you well. Um, but they do this. They've been doing this for a couple of years now, feeding the seniors. Um, we've had some
discussions in the back about U. Mayor Council teaming up and and doing something with them next year. So, I just want to go on the record for thanking uh Pastor Cedric Holmes and the um White Oak Church community for um just blessing our seniors um during a
time when some seniors don't have anyone or are unable to cook for themselves or whatever the case may be. So, we I just want to go to for thanking them. Um, also I wanted to bring to everyone's attention that the VA, Volunteers of America, doesn't adopt a family every
year. These are families and children that are in need of things that parent may not be able to provide for Christmas. Um, I have a family that I'm um doing this year. We did a family last year. Right now, they're at 96% of the
families that have um someone is sponsoring. There are still 33 families out there that don't have a sponsor for Christmas. Um, some of them are just one child only. Some of them are a couple of children. You don't have to get everything that's on the list. There is
a want and then there's a wish list as well. But if you have it in your budget and on your heart to help out, um, I encourage you to go on the Volunteers of America adopted family website, pick a child, use the greater gift set wrapped or unwrapped. Um there's a drop off
right in Collinswood and a couple of months after you give the gift you'll get a cute little handwritten note from the family thanking you uh for thanking them. So again, if it's in your budget and in your heart, Volunteers of America, adopt a child, you go on, you
select the family, you print out the list, and it's that easy. So hopefully be able to do that. Um, and then keeping in line with this real ID thing in the airport, um, because I work in, um, part of my office has to do with the passports, we're always on the the front
lines of this thing. So, February 2026, if you are flying domestically, which means, you know, within the United States and you don't have ID, do not panic. There's a $45 fee that you can pay at the airport and fill out a form
that will allow you to fly without your real ID. Now, this is not going to be always. I think they're trying to allow uh states like New Jersey and places like that that were behind the eight-ball with Real ID um to catch up. So, again, you're flying out every
February, and this only um applies to the 18 and older. If you're under 18, you do not need Real ID to fly. So, if you're flying domestically after February 2026, you do not have to um you know, scramble around. You can pay the
$45. You probably will need to bring a lot of things with you, i.e. your birth certificate, your social security card, things that prove your address, uh work IDs, whatever it is that you have. You can probably drag a whole bunch of forms with you over to that. And if that is something that you need to do, I can
reach out to the TSA website and they'll tell you exactly what you need to do to bring it to the airport. Um, and I think that's Yeah, thank you, Mary. Uh, yeah. I also want to thank our council president and Dawn for uh the real ID thing we had the
other day. It was real nice. Dawn made sure everybody got through real quick. I finally got my real ID. I've never had any time to take off. Want to congratulate our new officers. You know, I've heard this branch is causing a lot of problems here on Linton
Avenue. Maybe we'll be able to have her hand. >> Thank you, Mayor God. >> Over the past month, we conducted five reading sessions on the history of Lind. I received one community member submission contributing to our efforts
at one uh historic request from the neighbor and we're continuing to invite neighbor to join our group. Uh for the month of December we are working on a special project with love and the sher family. So please stay tuned for that
update. And as a brief reminder as we continue our historic and community based work, there are new important standards and best practices um in that divide the state that guide how local history is now collected, preserved and
shared. Anyone interested in contributing or um going with a training when it's announced in the future is encouraged to stay informed with me about those upcoming training opportunities to help ensure that our efforts remain accurate.
respectful and properly documented. Um uh tonight um just reminder the Washington crossing at the Delaware and Battle of Tren Trenton discussion tonight at 7 and this Saturday at Peter
M house in Bside uh they are beginning book club series titled comedy Harriet Tub in the com river said that wrong and black freedom during the civil war. Um, like I said, that starts this Saturday
at 10 a.m. That's it, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. >> Thank you, Councilman Jackson. >> Yes. Thank you, Mayor. Good evening, everyone. Uh, first thing that the board of commissioners caucus meeting, uh, the Kenya County Board of Commissioners hosts monthly meetings at 520 Market Street, meeting on the sixth floor in
Camden. These meetings are open to the public and allow the community members to stay up to date on county proceedings. The next caucus and monthly meetings will be Tuesday, December 9th and Thursday, December 11th at 12:00 p.m. You can also watch these uh via
Zoom. Uh I have the link and information up here if anybody wants that. Uh all my seniors here, the most wonderful time of the year free senior prize bingo will be Thursday, December 18th from 11 to 2:00 p.m. at the Wayne
Bryant Community Center. That's 323 East Charleston Avenue, Lawnside, New Jersey. Uh doors will open at 10:45 a.m. Please do not arrive before. Uh there will be entertainment and lunch will be served. Bingo will begin approximately at 12.
Seating is limited and is first come, first serve. You have to register to attend bingo. It fills up fast. So if you're interested, again, I have a flyer up here. You can get the information. And last thing is the uh Camden County Board of Commissioners presents Holly
Jolly Senior Dance. That will be Wednesday, December 17th uh from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. That's at the Donald E. Wilson Community Center, 425 Brook Avenue, Magnolia, New Jersey.
Uh that's all I have today. >> Thank you. >> Good evening everyone. As Councilman As council, as Councilman Lowski mentioned, on
November 26, we had the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission mobile unity event, and I can honestly say it was very successful. I had a lot of those that attended said that they really appreciated that one vehicle was brought here so that they didn't have to go to
motor vehicle. So with that in mind, uh we are looking to do another event and we're actually looking to do a week long event. So I'm just waiting to get confirmation of the date and once that information is provided, you all will be
notified because we get on our website as well as do um an email blast. Um I will tell you that once it went live, all of the slots were taken within a matter of hours on the first day. So,
uh, people do look to attend these events and it's open to everyone in the state of New Jersey. So, they could be coming, they could be coming from all over, um, to attend these events. So, again, I thank those that were able to come, those that wanted to come, but the
slots were filled. You will have another opportunity. So, thank you. And I do thank Mayor Council for allowing us to have another here because as you can see we had the space um in our parking lot as well as the indoor space for them. So thank you.
>> One thing Dor is leaving out is that they were also able to assist people by printing things out for them here. So >> I just want to thank Miss Thompson because she went over and above for some of these seniors that came here who were missing things and missing documents.
She had people emailing her and so she could print them out for them. She went over and above to make sure that these things and every anybody who was missing something got taken care of. The one gentleman was here for almost three and a half hours, >> but she helped him and she got it all
done and >> motor have done that but and they were very motivated people were very gracious in in allowing us to help them like that. So >> So stay tuned. >> So stay tuned. Yes. >> All right. I just want to say merry
Christmas, happy holidays everybody. So uh with that I'm going to open the meeting to the public. Anyone for the public wish to speak? Yeah, but I'm not. >> So, but I'm dressed now. I'm not going to be dressed on this. >> Go ahead. I'm sorry. >> You're good.
>> Good evening, guys. How are you? Um, first of all, I want to thank all of you for taking time to serve. I was a council woman in the town I lived in prior to this, and I know what you guys have. I know what you have to do. So, thank you guys. Um, I was a little shocked.
The town that I came from had 3,000 residents. You guys had like 22,000. That's disappointing, but it's also difficult to make a 6 p.m. meeting when you work. >> I will start by saying my name is Jennifer Demarco. I live at 311 Landing.
I'm going to do my best to not get emotional, but it's when you when it involves you personally and your child, it becomes emotional. I bought my very good childhood friend's grandmother's house. She lived there since 1980,
uh, doc, and it's on the dead end street off of Lake Boulevard. There's two homes total on my street. You turn down, there's a rancher. You keep going and there's my home. My house, part of my property borders the public access. If you're facing my home, my front door, to
the right is my driveway. To the left is the public access. The main reason why I bought my home was one emotional ties family. Um, I've been in that family for 38 years. But the other thing was the privacy of my home,
a place that my child could fetch and enjoy. I was one-year-old and 15year-old. I've been there 3 years. I did not I haven't had any issues. I came home from work in the middle of June one day and the entire left hand over facing my home left is the public access. The
whole left side was tore up. It looked like someone had went fourwheeling back there, like an excavator. I didn't know what happened. So, I called the police and they came out and the officer took photos and he filed a police report for property damage. And my neighbor came
out and he said, "Wait a minute. It was the DPW, the Department of Works." And he said, "Um, they were out here." And the cops said, "Let me see your camera." They confirmed. I got in touch with the DPW. I spoke with the gentleman and he said he was not out there personally,
but they were returning the next day to finish the job. I told him that they were on my property because I do have a fence that borders the entire public works and I have a natural vegetation barrier. Well, I did and they cut it all
down. So now the burrow has now put out a welcome map. My natural vegetation barrier was a way to keep an honest person out. Um, you can walk into the public access and you can walk right into my yard
straight from there and it's completely clear. You can see my entire backyard now. I've had incidences of I I go down there and clean up a lot. Drugs, kids are going down there. People are not utilizing that public access. You really can't. The border is so shallow. the lace in mess. In the three years I've
lived there, that lake has deteriorated so bad in three years. It's it's it's disgusting to be honest. But kids go down there to do drugs. And a couple weeks ago, a man was walking down there and I was outside with my dog and I
said, "Sir, you can't be down there after dark." And he said, "What are you going to do to call cops on me?" And I lied. I said, "No, sorry." I said, "But we're patrolling heavily and I don't want you to get in trouble." And he walked away. Monday morning, my 2-year-old was asleep in his bed. I went out front to let my
dog in. I have a 5B dog, so I don't go in the backyard because it's on the lake. It's dark, but we have fox, right? We all hear them. I went on my front lawn. I'm standing like this. My front door's to my back of me. My dogs right here down to the bathroom. And I hear rustling
with leaves. I feed the deer. Like, I literally hand feed here deer. I'm expecting a deer to come out. The distance between me and this gentleman, a man came walking from my backyard. This male, this is he came right from my own backyard. I looked at him, he looked
at me and he went right around me right right down Laurel Landing up to Lake Boulevard. I took a picture of the back of him and I called 911. He made a left on Lake Boulevard. The police came and they got him. The police then searched my property.
My 15 was asleep in his bed. I had to call my ex-husband and say, "Hurry up and come get Collins." He goes, "Collins. He's going to be late and all I have to wait the police are here." And they did a search in my yard. The man tried to enter a structure that's
feet from my son's bedroom window. He was sleeping under my gazebo because one of the cushions from my chair was moved to my couch where he was utilizing his pillow. And I think he fell in my pond because things were all disturbed in my pond. was a border in my area in
St. Louis. The police told me not to worry. He was drunk. He came from the speed line. I'm going to worry. My 15-year-old son didn't stay there the last two nights. Would you want to stay there? You want your kid there? This man
was he violated me. He was in my backyard. I have been addressing this issue since June. I've left messages for you. I've left three messages for the chief of police. I called the DPW. I'm not asking you guys to do anything
above and beyond. I'm asking for my natural vegetation border back. I'm asking for my privacy back. I'm asking for my safety and security back because I'm telling you, I know that that's the way he entered. If you're fixing my home, you go to go off my driveway, a
motion lane's going to hit you. You keep you're brave enough to keep going, you're bold enough, another motion lane's going to get you. You go behind my house, the motion light. If you're facing my front door and go to the left to enter that way, the motion lights, too. It only makes sense that that
entered right out of that public access. As soon as you walk through the the difference between before and after is so drastic. I have provided photos and if you guys see them, I'm telling you, you're going to be like, there's no way it's the same area. They dug a ditch and they dumped
rocks in it. It's for rain runoff. And the man from the DPW told me that if he had it his way, it would be solely for that use. And I agree with him. Yes, I think it's nice to have a bench and a trash can down there. Nobody goes down there for anything good. Every once
in a while, you'll see someone with their dog turn around and walk back. Other than that, people are going down there to drink, to do drugs, and ask me out. So, I'm cleaning it up. They're on my front lawn. I only had a man urinate on my front lawn two months ago.
I'm not welcoming it. I'm not. And I just want my safety back. >> All right. We >> I time it cuz I'm not finished. >> Okay. Well, I didn't get your message yesterday. And I just want everybody to know that we did dispatch the engineers. They want they called you supposed to be
meeting with you. >> They haven't contact me with a date or a time um on communication, but I've provided photographs um and emails and details. >> Right. But I wanted to make sure for the record this evening. I wanted to make sure your council members also knew what
was going on and anyone in the public I would like to let everybody know um the state also. >> Is my 5 minutes up? >> I'm sorry. >> Thank you. Also, I would like to say it was used for like a a rain runoff. My properties are rooting now because
they dug up against my trees. The roots are exposed. So now my property is just piled up with dirt and sinking in. So, I would I am looking forward to hearing from the engineer and I'm looking forward to having this resolved, having my property back to the way it was and
looking back to having my piece. >> Are you done? >> I'm finished. >> I just want to let you know that my backyard was raided, too. I had I have a sixoot fence around my whole entire yard. >> I went in my backyard. They took my all
my tools out of my shed >> and they took it from me and left. Yes, I know what it's like to be violated like that. You don't feel safe. I have locks on every single one of my gates and everything. >> Did you s my turn?
>> I am making sure that that engineer when he called me and asked me about I never got any of your phone calls because if I get your phone call, they'll tell you I call every single person back whether I like them or I don't like them. But I called everybody back and I didn't get one of yours. But when he told me
about this, I told him, gave him permission to reach out to the engineer to have him come and meet with you to to see and determine what the situation is out there. They're the ones who will tell us what we can do and what we can't do. >> And I appreciate that. And I appreciate
Mr. Cambosi was very prompt in getting the engineer involved and speaking with me. Again, I came here tonight because I want to make sure that everybody knows that this has been happening since the middle of June. And I have expressed a safety concern back then. And now I I
can deal with the pettiness of people coming in and out, the kids throwing the rocks. When I came in here this evening where you guys have the rocks by the front door, they're the same rocks. You guys have a sign in front of your building that says something about rocks and safety and keep off them. They're
the same rocks except mine go all the way down in a ditch. So if you have signs saying to people to be careful and they're the same rocks, how come I don't have them any public access? Someone's going to get hurt now because they don't maintain it. So now you have leaves
falling on top of it. So if somebody does go into my yard, they're walking through, most likely they're going to bring that. So, it's also a liability issue on the on the barrow side because the DPW can't possibly keep up on maintaining that. I
mean, there's a lot of trees and it's going to come up with these a lot. That's another burden to our DPW. >> Thank you. Reaching out to you. >> Okay, great. Thank you. Thank you for listening. >> Anyone else in the public wishing to
speak? >> Did you sign in? >> I did. Okay. Thank you. John McGill of 30 Columbia Advent. I'd like to start off by wishing you all a merry Christmas and a happy holidays. Um, my favorite house 405.
It appears that everybody has left and abandoned the house. So now appears to be vacant and no electricity. So, I'm concerned for the security of the house because with no one in there
who knows who's going in and out of there. And can the person that bought the house for the tax leave be made to clean up the property? >> Well, the lean isn't final yet.
>> It's not It's not final yet. I did some research in my office on the property and it's in the beginning stages, but it hasn't been fully foreclosed on yet. There has there hasn't been a final dispendance file on the property yet. >> So, I've been tracking it. I've been tracking it every week in my office. To
>> answer your question, there's nothing that I'm aware of that we can do to make them clean that up because they don't entitle the fire or I understand what you're saying. Um, we'll we should let the chief know this is the law. Yeah, we we'll let the chief know that this is
going on and I'll also send somebody from code force to go check the house and make sure that there's no pipes broken or anything else like that. >> I mean, with with no electricity, there will be. >> Well, that's I'll get take care of that tomorrow.
>> I mean, if if need be, I will go and clean up the trash, but I will need some cooperation from the bar for making sure the stuff gets picked up. But this is going on way too long. stop. >> Well, if you do, just let me know and
I'll make sure public works out. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else from the public would speak? We'll see none. Close the meeting to the public and entertain a motion for journ. Motion carries. Thank you.