Good evening everyone. I'd like to call this meeting to order. Welcome to the H Township Committee meeting of August 11th, 2025. Please rise and join me in salute to the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We have a roll call, please. Mr. Black, here. Mr. here. Here this meeting is being held in accordance with the requirements of the open public meetings act. Do notice this meeting has been published by the clerk and both the
courier post and inquire newspapers as well as electronic notice as required by law. Also a copy of the annual meeting notice has been posted on the bulletin board outside the township clerk's office. Thank you. Our first matter this evening is the first reading of an ordinance amending chapter 102 titled sale of
naming rights to township owned property. Do I have a motion on the first ring of that ordinance? So move second. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. Opposed. So carried. Next is our public comment
for resolutions only. If anyone from the public has a comment on any of our resolutions this evening, please come forward. Seeing no one from the public, move to close up. Yes. For the resolutions, sir. Excuse me. for resol resolutions. Yeah.
Yeah. There there's a separate section. So I don't know what your question is. This one where you just said it was for some parcel of land land of V's Township that's going for sale. No. Sounded like somebody said that. Read it real quick. No.
You what I read? Yes. No. No, I I just read that we advertised for this meeting appropriately in accordance with the law. The ordinance states that the ordinance amending chapter 102 titled sale of naming rights for his own property. We have we have a um an ordinance in
town regulating sponsorships on township property. So if you want to sponsor a township of property, um all this is doing is setting the um sponsorship amounts. So if a business or something wanted to uh sponsor that baseball fields for example, it that's how it would follow the process to do that. But it's not nothing is selling touch of
property at this time. And and sir, can didn't the clerk have your name and uh for the record? Paul L. Thank you. 11 Northset Drive. Thank you.
I believe we had a motion. I don't think we had a second. Second. All in favor? I opposed. The public portion for resolutions is closed. Our resolutions this evening are resolution number 245-25 memorializing an executive session from
the meeting of July 14th, 2025. Resolution 246-25 amending certain records of the tax collector involving refunds. Resolution 247-25 amending certain records of the tax collector regarding cancellations.
Resolution 248-25 establishing the extension of the third quarter grace period. Number 249-25 authorizing the adoption of a prototypical service agreement. Number 250-25 approving the insertion of an item of revenue $7,000 for our drive
sober grant. Resolution 251-25 authorizing the utilization of the 2025 emergency/maintenance repairs and modifications of infrastructure facilities road storm sanitary and utility program under the Cherry Hill Cooperative Pricing System
identifier number 37-CHCPS resolution 252-25 authorizing the award of a contract through the US General Services Administration Purchasing Cooperative Sale quotation number 10112551 for the purchase of a Godwin DRRI prime
sewer pump from Zyllem in the amount of $58,9747. Resolution number 253-25 authorizing the award of a contract through the Sourcewell National Cooperative Pricing Agreement for one side load refuge collection truck from
Firematic Supply Company, Inc. in the amount of $427,476.83 83 cents. Number 254-25 authorizing the award of a contract through the Sourcewell National Cooperative Pricing Agreement for one rear load refuge collection truck from
Mid-Atlantic Waste Systems in the amount of $33,4148. Resolution number 255-25 authorizing the award of a contract through the Sourcewell National Cooperative Pricing Agreement for one new 2025 4x4 International CB CV515
chassis with supplied equipment from Ascendants Truck Center in the amount of $197,43.65. Resolution 256-25 authorizing the publication of a notice of intent to award a contract through the Omni Partners Purchasing Cooperative for Security Camera Replacement in the
Vorhees Township Police Department. Resolution number 257-25 rejecting the bid submission for the DPW security access controls project. Number 258-25 authorizing the promotion of Sarah Schwarz to the position of
personnel technician in the Voice Township Department of Administration. Resolution 259-25 authorizing the appointment of Matthew Wilson to position of part-time emergency medical technician in the Vores Township Fire Department.
Resolution 260-25 authorizing the appointment of Brian Trazik to the appoint to the position of sewer repairer in the VI Township Department of Public Works. Resolution number 261-25 authorizing the appointment of Glenn
Caprio to the position of part-time emergency medical technician in the Vorhees Township Fire Department. Resolution 262-25 accepting the resignation of firefighter Antonio Klene from the Vorhees Township Fire Department. Resolution 263-25
accepting the retirement of EMS Supervisor Harry Woods from the Vorhees Township Fire Department. Resolution 264-25 authorizing the appointment of Sheamus Ellis to the position of SLEO class 2 in the Vorhees Township Police Department.
Resolution number 265-25 authorizing the appointment of Ace Met Spore to the position of technical assistant to the construction official in the Buoy Township construction department. Resolution 266-25 determining the need for a proposed
60-unit affordable housing rental development project to be located on block 213.01, 1 lots 95 and 96 267-25 determining the need for a proposed 60 unit affordable housing rental development project to be located on
block 213.01 lots 95 and 96 phase 2 and uh Mr. Long, we have another 268-25 resolution. Yes, that's correct, Mayor. And I'll just read the title as a resolution authorizing extension of a shared services agreement with Berlin Township
for the services of a police chief. Uh do I have a motion uh on all of those resolutions? Motion. Yes. Second. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Hearing none of those in favor. Please signify by saying I. I. Opposed. So carried. There's no need for an
executive session this evening. Next is approval of our minutes of July 14th, 2025. Our tax collector's report for July 2025. Our bills for July 28, 2025, and our bills for August 11, 2025. Do I have a motion for approval of those? Motion. Second.
Second. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Opposed. So carried. Uh, next is comments from our committee. Uh, I'd just like to remind everybody that the next show in our summer concert series
is Thursday, August 21st at 7:30 p.m. at Connelly Park when we will be having the Beatels, which is a wonderful Beatles tribute band. We've had them before. They're really good. There will be a Duny's beer garden and there will be various food trucks. Any other comments
from our committee this evening? Mr. Mayor, I just like to first congratulate Sarah on her promotion. It's nice to see people growing from within. So, thank you for your work and I'm sure that you're going to do well in your new position. So, thank you. And also, we want to on behalf of my
colleagues wish our township administrator good luck in his upcoming wedding. We just want to say happy not whatever comes with that for you and your beautiful bride and we are looking
forward to hearing all about the life and happiness that you're creating together. So thank you. Thank you. Good luck Stephen. Good luck. Congratulations. Thank you. Any other comments from our committee? Congratulations to Steve.
A safe trip. Go safely. Come back safely. Thank you. And to Sarah as well. And as always, go fills. Our final portion is our public portion. If anyone from the public has any comments, please come forward. You just state your name and address for
the record. Sure. I'm Lewis Mueller. I live at 1260 Gibbs Road in Vorhees in the Kirkwood section. Good evening. Good evening. Um, I'm here to talk about the bald eagles that have returned to for East
Township. So, mayor, committee members, administrator, um, the news that a bald eagle nest has been long established in Vorhees Township in
the Kirkwood section is something that not many people in the township know. Um, it has been brought in the past to the attention of officials in Vorhees Township. This nest has existed for at least six years and it is adjacent to
Kirkwood Lake. It's adjacent to Brewin Lake and it's adjacent to the Carriage House Lake. The nest has been active for many years and it has been monitored and it is noted by the DDP.
This is only one of four nests in Camden County. The nest is about 500 ft from Kirkwood Lake. It's about 80 ft from Bruin Lake and about 500 ft from the carriage house lake.
I have personally witnessed nestlings learning to fly. Um, I've witnessed, you know, the birds mating and fishing in those lakes. I've noticed and watched
them perch in trees around all three of those lakes and they foraged along the lands around those lakes. So, the bald eagle is a species of special concern in New Jersey.
It was recently reduced from endangered in the state of New Jersey. However, it is still subject to the federal act, the Bald and Golden Eagle Act. This law provides significant fines and
jail time for firsttime offenders in violation of the act. It's pretty serious. The act also puts restrictions and special permit requirements for activities within radi of a nest of
about 660 ft, especially if a nest is visible from a property. So, I'm no expert on these matters, but I did consult with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection,
Watershed Management, and the Endangered and Name Species Program. All of which responded to me with significant information, and as well as they're now aware of the nest and
potential threats that might occur to the nest. This information and the information about the nest is available easily by a simple search on the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection website.
So there is also um habitat that is very sensitive that's uh located in the vicinity of the three lakes. There's a there's a mechanism through the Department of Environmental Protection called a natural heritage
report, which is a simple request to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which would then have the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection provide information to any applicant
as to what potential impacts and what potential species might exist in the area and that could also help you know inform an update to the township website which you know the township website has a we
call it resources report that's on it that's probably 12 years old and predates the existence of a lot of these um we call it environmental improvements that have happened to the township over the years and gains
So, so I wanted to give you this information as my opinion, as my information, things my research so that you can understand the value that the nest brings to Vorhees Township. Every citizen of
Vorhees Township who looks in the sky and sees our national symbol, right, is most likely seeing the raptor, the bald eagle that is from that nest. It's the only nest in Vorhees Township.
Again, one of only four in the entire county. To me, this nest, which is the home of our national symbol, is worth protecting. And its protection will bring credit and honor to those who have the courage to stand up and fight
against its many threats. Thank you. Thank you, sir. I'm probably the closest. I'm your neighbor. I guess we are. Yeah. Where's I'm the closest house I think to carriage house lake cuz I have to bring
out special exterminators for my dogs for fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes cuz the wetlands that's the buffer I guess. Um and that lake hasn't been circulated that behind carriage house I'm assuming
you're talking about. Right. You live on Fifth Avenue. Yeah. I'm the close I think I'm the closest off. Where's the nest in relation to that lake? Like my backyard. So So I can't, you know, I'd like I can make it public. It's on Stevens Lane.
It's across Route uh it's across uh County Route 6. I think it's 683, which is Kirkwood Gibsboro Road. Um the countyy's aware of it. The uh the DP is aware of it. Um and many of your neighbors are aware of it and I've
spoken with them about it. They're um I I see the eagles all the time in my my office because they fly over and they're majestic. It's they really are. We see them all the time in our in our backyard. And actually the you know the D takes a special care of it
and they have for many years and I'm happy to sit down uh now but the gentleman uh volunteered who is the eagle watcher the actual person who watches the nest and has been for the past six years and has thousands of photographs of it just so you know you
ask where it's located. Yeah. It's on someone's private property in their backyard and we try not to publicize exactly where it is. Why? We wouldn't give you the address or whatever. I kind of gave you generalities, but it is within a very close proximity to Kirkwood Gibsboro Road
and in a very close proximity to the carriage house restaurant. When you when you mentioned about protections, what are you referring to that we could possibly do or look into doing? Well, there there it's it's protections. It's not only is it protections, it's
law. It's federal law. You're asking additional that we could do, right? Additional. Yeah. You would say anything you can do like to provide. Or do you have any immediate concerns? I guess like is there something right now that you feel is endangering the nest or could endanger the nest? Well, you know, I don't want to talk
about an application that's going to be in front of the planning board shortly. Okay. But, you know, and I don't know if I'm allowed to, which is why I limited myself to this just conversation about the bald eagle. Since you asked, I'm happy to respond. Um, we have really,
really, you know, important consideration. Uh, you know, there's, uh, you know, the nest is in a tree. Uh, the bald eagles forge in all three of these lakes. any development or activity that would happen within a radius of 660
ft is regulated by the federal government and very strictly and would require probably a special permit. And so, you know, my goal in sharing this information is to prevent a lot of
needless work by the township uh in reviewing, approving, spending your time, the time of your various boards uh in in looking at applications if if they I mean, I have to recuse I'm on the plane board. I had to recuse
myself from that application because I'm within the threshold obviously, but they can still apply. We can't stop them. So, um that's actually you can
well they could still apply and then the township engineer from the environment perspective would would guide that. Yeah. So at the hearing is when that would be presented or you would come up and give testimony or so so I don't want to ask legal questions related to what the planning
board can and cannot do. Yeah. But if the planning board perhaps were presented with an application that asked for a waiver of an environmental report, right? Uh, and that environmental report if it were granted waiver
could harm you could harm potentially would would would allow an application to be reviewed and approved and that application if approved may end up being worthless because the information that came as a you know that even if it was granted even if the
waiver was not granted and it was required to be submitted but only but but approvals were given and then a submission happened later, it would negate potentially the application. I I think you need to look at it like it's discovery and like a
legal proceeding. There will be I mean I ask well now we Stephen's going to be on it anyway. Yeah. So I was actually going to say I'm going to contact the D uh to get not that I don't believe you because I do uh but then I get you can ask it's just a process we have to guess. We have to get it directly
from the so I'm going to get right from the D the study and then I'll be able to provide it with everybody on this day and then I'm sure the planning board will be made as well the engineers that information especially if it's an official notice from the D saying hi yes this is true
this is right here please notify their and I think maybe updating the resources report I have asked them to provide that as well but that's great you know as well as you might want to contact Dan safety as well because I understand there's a a permit there that
is in not proper order. Okay. And you and you're feel free to follow Stephen. Yep. We got I gave him my Okay. to get more information. I'll probably be at the planning board tomorrow to make the same presentation in the public Wednesday. Wednesday.
I'm not telling you what to do. It's all right. I'm fine. No, no, no. I would wait till the application day. I understand what you're asking. I understand what you're saying. I don't know that if you obviously have every right to attend the cabinet at any meeting. I just want to make that clear.
No, no, no. But I don't even know what the planning board can listen to or not. What an I would leave it up to them. There's a public portion. Absolutely. The the same way county has that same thing. In the meantime, I'm going to contact the EP tomorrow morning. See if they can
give me something ASAP to share with uh engineers. If you had any questions for Dave about the nest, he's here and I'm happy to yield myself on that if you got unless you have further questions for me. I'm just, you know, No, but I I appreciate the information.
Yeah, really. Thank you. Neither did I. Well, I appreciate all of your time and I really understand that, you know, there's a focus on um development in the township and there's a focus on raidables and and and trying
to make the township better because look around us here, right? Beautiful township building, not so beautiful, right? We get it and I get it and I come from the development side, but there are sometimes that um issues arise that are
more important to than development and more important than the dollar and that in the long term and and I've been involved in a lot of development applications that have failed because of public opposition or various other reasons. And every single one of them in
my career in retrospect turned out better than what I personally had planned. And so with that, I know your hands may be tied based on where you are with uh with the developer uh on that project having signed the
development agreement. However, um I do appreciate your time and listening to me. Thank you. the here it's at um 7 o'clock Wednesday, right? And I don't think the ship's out for sale. If anything, our planning board, you never know what's going to happen.
So, well, good. Yeah, that's a hawk. I had a hawk on the top of my house the other day. A big one. Well, there's a lot of species. I mean, you know, and and I'll tell you, um the and and Dave could tell us more. Dave
lives in Gibbsboro. He lives and and and so he because he's the eagle watcher and Kirkwood Lake is, you know, contaminated and is at some point in the future going to be dredged. Um, Sher Williams is the responsible party and is actually
working towards that. And you know, the the bald eagle's nest is 500 ft from Kirkwood Lake. Um, Charm Williams had to go through some very tense negotiations with the federal government in the state of New Jersey in order to come up with a
real tight time window and real tight restrictions on what they could do in Kirkwood Lake, which is the same distance away from the nest as is Carage House Lake. And Carriage House, the
development is proposed closer to that. So these things will come, you know, we'll figure out what happens, but ultimately Thank you very much for your Thank you. Thank you for taking time. Appreciate it. I have a copy of the letter. Okay. Sure. Great. Thank you.
Hello everybody. Hi. Hello. It's Paul Mui, 11 North Sunset Drive, New Jersey. Uh first I'd just like to ask uh where those blocks and lots are where the 60 resident developments were
considered 600 Centennial 600 Centennial. That's not the old landfill, is it? No. No, it's not. Okay. So, both of them are there. Both developments. Well, it's a uh it's a study, right, to
do uh they're both to determine the need. Right. Okay. Fine. And also I find it rather interesting that this gentleman knows so much about the D and the federal regulations and
planning aspects and protection aspects of that land near where he lives. I'm curious about a few things. Like some of you or maybe all of you appear to not know much about that and I understand why he's not
making the exact location, the address. But I'm also curious about uh what if the person's cut the tree down? It's on their property. Are they not allowed to cut it down? Or what if they move away and and somebody else buys it and wants
to take the tree down? I'm I'm not sure of all the regulations there. So I think maybe we need to be a little bit we're certainly in compliance with the EPA regulations. Yeah. Well, nobody knew the regulations. So
a township engineer and board engineer that do all that due diligence. Okay. So So fine. So also turtle there's if there's certain turtles on property too, you can't it kills a development project right away. What if the uh nest isn't active for a
year or two? Five years protection. Thank you all very much. Thank you. Hi. How are you? Dave Evans, 18 United States Avenue, Gibsboro. But I'm here to represent uh the bald
eagle that lives on Stevens Drive. I've been monitor I am with the state of New Jersey. I'm a conservation volunteer conservation officer. I monitor about 30 nests in New Jersey. Just for the record, there are 242 active nests in
New Jersey this year. That's down from 268 last year. We're seeing a trend of uh nest eagle trend of aven flu and western virus affecting the birds. This nest that's at in Kirkwood has been
active for six years. Interesting enough, my parents built on the property at 10 Steven Drive 40 years ago, and my mom was an avid bird watcher and never got the chance to see bald eagles when Sharon Williams uh remediated the upper
portions of Kirkwood Lake, my daughter's property, my parents property. Um the after it was settled, the eagle showed up and then they built the nest uh on Stevens Drive. Um I monitor that nest in
the breeding season probably every day. So breeding season in that nest is from late December or early January. They tend to lay their eggs in February, March. Takes 35 days for that egg to hatch.
And when the eagles uh become eaglets or nestlings, it's then anywhere from 10 to 12 weeks before they fledge the nest. And at that point that they stay around in the area for another three or four months to learn from its adult, the adults about how to eat and forage and
hunt. Um this nest has produced 10 eiglets in the last six years. Um unfortunately last year we lost one of those eaglets to aven flu and westile virus. But the threat of of any type of disturbance in the area, these eagles
are very aware of what's going on. Uh they're aware of the comingings and goings of people, of cars, of construction, of trees being taken down. Um, as a conservation officer for the for conserve wildlife and the state of
New Jersey, it's my responsibility to monitor the nest to know and to let all the neighbors know of the activity that's going on with the nest. Lou is one of the neighbors obviously. Um, when there's trees, a neighbor wants to take
a tree down, we tend to say that it has to be done after the breeding season. The breeding season, as stated by the federal government for New Jersey, is from January 1st to July 31st. And there there's no construction activity that is
allowed within 660 ft of this nest. That includes the remediation of Kirkwood Lake. The remediation of Kirkwood Lake, the hydro dredging that's going to happen in there will happen from end of July until the end of December for however many years it takes in order
for that to happen. What's that? But we don't know what. Yes, we don't know what year that's going to be. But it's unfortunate that it's it's unfortunate that um that we have to put the restrictions on that even so that the eagles will still have
to find another habitat in order to fish from or forage from. Uh now these eagles are typically have a fivem radius uh in which they live in. This nest is the only nest on the interior of Camden
County. Um, it's a surprise to the New Jersey state bald eagle nesting program because of its location on a private property within uh, central Camden County. The four other nests, one up in
Cooper River in Camden, one in Ottabon by Haden Lake, and another one down in Winslow. Um, it's important to understand that these eagles now uh are aware of everything that's going on. For
instance, they use Silver Lake in Gibbsboro as part of their foraging and fishing during the breeding season. Well, if you look what Silver Lake looks like now, it's lucky that it's outside of the breeding season. And in fact, um, Sir Williams could not start the the
dredging of that until after breeding season of the of Eagles Nest. The reason I bring this all up is because federal regulations, there's a federal act, the bald and golden eagle act, that puts severe restrictions on any activity about bald and golden eagles. You cannot
pres pos possess a feather unless you're a Native American and used in religious ceremonies. If you do, it's $250,000 fine just to have an eagle's feather, let alone disturb, take, hunt, or do
anything that would cause harm to a nest or a nesting activity for bald eagles. It's u from my standpoint, I got involved in it because my mom loved birds so much and that these eagles showed up within this neighborhood. Come
will be um very aware of now all eagles and any raptors whether they be owls or hawks. You probably have a red shoulder hawk that showed up on you. Also on on Kirkwood Lake there is a pair of ospreys
which is unknown here for Kirkwood Lake. Not sure that it's nested yet, but it frequents Kirkwood Lake and Silver Lake and all the water bodies of the Cooper River uh upstream. Um, I want to thank Lou for inviting me here
because I want to make sure that you all are aware of this national bird that lives and has chose it to be your home here in Ko Vorhees and that whatever you can do in order to protect it and
protect uh its future going forward. this it's not just this nest but it's other territorial eagles that show up within Borhees and they're becoming more and more prevalent within New Jersey. Um I said earlier there's 242 nests in New
Jersey. It produced 260 young this year. That's down from 288 last year and down from 302 the year before. So, while the um state of New Jersey took the bald eagle off of the threatened and endangered species, it's still a special
concern, but it's still covered under federal regulations uh by the bald eagle act, by the migratory bird act, and the concern u most recently within the last two years because of the prevalence of aven flu um that the bald eagle may get
have to go back on the endangered list in the coming years if something is not done. So it's of utmost importance for you to protect this eagle within Vorhees. So thank you very much. Thank you for the information. And I'm going to provide you with a map
of the nest. Any other comments? Seeing none, you move to close public portion. Yeah. Oh, nobody second that. Yeah, Paul Muy again, 11 North Sunset Drive.
Maybe uh Chief Bour could help me with this, but uh I was curious if any consideration has been given to maybe lowering the speed limit along 561 and Eve Shim Road. We know it's 40 miles
an hour, but uh I usually set my speed control even in towns where my daughters always tell me, "Oh, never use it in town." But I set it at one mile per hour over the limit because my car goes one mile an hour slower than
the speedometer says. And this I know from passing those red flashing things, your speed is this. So, I'm going 40 and I won't say cars are flying by me, but they are going by me pretty quickly and
they're pretty far ahead, too. And I often catch up with them at a red light ahead and given a little peace sign. But I still believe that that the businesses along these roads and the safety of
people driving and pedestrians would be greatly enhanced if that speed limit could be dropped just say 5 miles an hour to 35 like it is on Somerdale or or like we get when we go a little further
into Berlin over there where it's just two lanes and it's only 25 miles an hour. So, are there any considerations for doing this? I think it's a county road. It is, but uh every time I come and you turn it over to the county, I say, "What's the road?"
Yeah, there there's legally we have no I've contacted the county. Which road though? You said the inter 561 Hadenfield Berlin Road which I think I see in Cherry Hill. They got a sign right there by Mr. got permission from uh the the golf course
to put up a sign. I'm sorry. I thought you were asking if we had given any consideration. Yeah. Well, yeah. Can you We It's not ours to consider. But I mean, can't you contact the county and let them know that citizens are concerned about the speed limit
and we'll contact them again, I think. Yeah, I've already contact them about it because respectfully, you're not the only one that's contacted us and said that people are flying by. because uh we've had conversations and meetings with county engineers about different projects and we bring up this piece. So, okay. Well, maybe now it's time for
me to ask why do they hesitate or deny or refuse or just uh keep push kicking the can down the road for doing anything? I I don't think we can we're not in a position where we can speak for that unfortunately. I can't answer that question. I don't
know why they would. We've had requests on Centennial Boulevard to lower the speed limit. We did. So why they are doing what they're doing, they would have to answer for that themselves. I Well, well, Centennial Boulevard used to be 45. Now it's 40 and it's 35 closer to the hospital area.
Yeah. And 25 that's that's our road. And then when those requests came in, we we acted on it. I can't explain to you why the county has not acted on that request. Well, I guess I have to go to county meetings. Call once a month. You can go to the county meeting and ask them or
commissioners. You should go. Yeah, commissioners. Thank you. Well, they are they're commissioners and they explained to me the whole reason they did I I'll reemphasize that to them. Thank you very much. Thank you. Take care. Enjoy your
Thank you, too. Thank you. Second. Right. Yeah, you're right. Yeah, we got it. We had a motion. I have a motion and a second to close the public portion. Um all those in favor please signify by saying I opposed.
Public portion is closed and we are ajourned. Good evening. There's