We're going to call the regular meeting to order. The time is now 7 p.m. The requirements of the Sunsign Law have been met. This meeting was sent to be advertised in the Brunson County Times and electronic notice was given pursuant to New Jersey Administrative Code 539-1.5. Would you all stand for the pledge of
allegiance? Our veteran Marine, Mr. Davidson, will lead us. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. We'll now take a moment of silence. Roll call, please. Committee woman, Dr. Cwell present. Committeewoman Miss Maddox Gantine present. Committee man Mr. Bart present. Committee woman Miss Cono present. Mayor Henley did say that he would be
absent this evening. Also present is the township solicitor, the township clerk, township deputy administrator, uh fires chief, public works director, Chris Taylor, and Vince not, fire marshall, and the police chief, uh,
thank you. To start our evening, Ba County Board of Commissioners, Commissioner Director Dr. Felicia Hopson is um, given her time for us tonight to answer any questions our residents may have. Thank you, Dr. Hopson for being here with us and answering any of our questions. The floor is yours, ma'am.
Hello everyone. So, as promised, as I initially said to you guys, is this on? As promised, as I initially said when I first came to vis with you all that I would come once a quarter. So, this is my third meeting with you all. So, I
really just came here to address any of your questions and concerns if you have any specific questions. Oh, yes, please. Hi, thanks for being here. Sure. I'm uh Victoria Stevenson. I live on 210 Main Street and Caddy Corner from our
home is the former Abto building. Mhm. So that's on Maine and Wills. Maine and Wills. Okay. Wondering what's happening with that building. Uh it looks like some people are renting space there, but I'm unsure.
Sometimes there's cars parked there in the daytime. So that would be with your local planning board to confirm. So that's West Hampton's local planning board. Nothing to do with the county. So who would I get in touch with to find out what my questions are?
Dr. Hel, sorry. A county agency did purchase that building. We bought that building. Yes, doctor. Prosecutors. Ah, okay. So, are you seeing activity during work hours occasionally?
It's it's, you know, questionable what's going on. That's why I'm here. So, now now that I confirmed that I'm I can't say too much. So it was bought by one of our county departments.
Uh and it is being used for research and that's all I can say. Research uh researchers that uh are paid by the county and certain departments. Absolutely.
Yes. Okay. Yes. So the department that purchased it. Okay. They are using it for their research office and their office space. Correct. I keep forgetting that that's the address of that building. So, I
apologize. I keep forgetting about that the address of that building. No problem. Yeah. So, it's it's undetermined as far as what's going to happen right now or it's not undetermined. It's just not being disclosed. And when will it be disclosed? I don't know that it will be. It's it's
it's a it's a property owned by the county and it's being used by the division that bought it. Okay. I don't know what else we could disclose. I mean, I think the best thing to do is possibly come to a county commissioner meeting. So, we are meeting this Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Is it 10:00?
What time is 11? So, our meeting this was 10. Our meeting to this week is at 10:00 a.m. We changed our meeting time because of the Jewish holiday. So, the best thing to do is come there or reach out to our county solicitor's office and your our county
solicitor can give you a more accurate response because I don't know what I'm allowed to say legally about that building. Okay. So, does that make sense? Thanks very much. Of course. Hi, my name is Asha Faganiac. I live at 46 Road. Um, I missed your last meeting.
I was traveling for work, so I not sure if this was answered, but did we ever get the environmental um statement for the land that was purchased by you guys for this homeless shelter? Well, we confirmed that we didn't need one though, right? We didn't need one because we own the property. Okay. Also, um, did we ever come to an
agreement? I know we talked about coming to some kind of agreement, you know, written that the Westampton residents would not ever be financially responsible for this building even though it's in Westampton. This is a Burlington County thing. Whether we never said that West Hampton residents would never be financially responsible.
We said that once the building was in play. We never said that I can go back to some recordings, but okay. Yep. Pull up the recordings. I will um we said that we would definitely work to come to a reasonable
um um what's the right word? a reasonable way to make sure that we the county helps absorb costs because we were talking about increasing costs for emergency services and how that would impact West Hampton residents. That's what we were referring to. I don't know if you guys recall, but we
did talk about this and we did speak about it when with the mayor. He said that we would make sure that the West Hampton residents were not financially responsible for this building just because it's in our township. It is a Burlington County building. So, our township should not be held financially responsible. And when it comes to our LMS and fire and stuff like that, that
should be covered by grant if it's extra. I don't understand why it's put on us as taxpayers just because it's in our township. If we're serving all of What are you responsible for, ma'am? What do you affect my taxes? I don't know. But I don't even know. Yeah. But I need to make sure that's
going to happen before it happens. Like I don't want it to later come down. Our taxes are raised and like, "Oh, we had to do this. We need extra EMS. We need extra police." Because that doesn't work for me. This serves all of Burlington County. Just because it's in Westampton doesn't mean we should have to pay more and not all of Burlington County.
Understood. Hello again. Hello. Thank you for coming. Of course. Nancy Berkeley Street Grand Cocus. Um, I think what was not expressed was uh after the last time you were here, we were told that or at least the mayor
said that the prosecutor's office had bought the building. Yes. Yes. And I think that sometimes what you don't know, your imagination goes in all kinds of directions. And I understand you can't say certain things, but it
might be appreciated in the village because people are talking to each other. Between my knees and my cataracts, I've not been able to come to your meetings. Yeah, feel free to email us and we'll get you an answer. Yeah. Um maybe you could you could for us find
out what you can share and let someone in town know so that we could know that it's not going to be people coming uh who are are uh let out of jail or they're you know they're meeting with No, it's not a saying you know you don't know you
always think the worst. Oh, you know, we just like to have our our little minds be it's in the middle of our residences and and you know, it just is our little village and kids walking around. You hear prosecutor and you just
don't think they're handing out ice cream cones. So, understood. Understood. You're welcome. The other thing is last year when I was there, uh, the county had talked about painting lines on county roads. Painting lines. changing lines on county
roads. And I noticed that I know it's hard for you to know every road in in in the county, but on Rancokus Road, you're going south and it's kind of like more Willingboro uh on Bridge Street and then coming north it's it's West Hampton on
Bridge Street. And Willingboro had their lines painted on Bridge Street and we never did. You can hardly even see any lines on our side of Bridge Street and Main Street's the same way. Mhm. And because of that on Main Street, I almost got hit by a car uh at the post
office because they were zooming and I was standing like this by my car cuz it was too late and and they just 50 m an hour was zooming. Um and there's no lines. There's there's nothing there to tell
them that there's it's a two-way street. Um, so I if there any money left for lines, I would appreciate if you could help us out and paint some lines. And the same on Bridge Street. People people drive down the middle of the street because there's no lines and all the all
the streets in Rand Cookers are kind of tiny. So was there a second street? Bridge Street and Maine. Bridge Street and Maine are county roads. Yeah, we'll follow up with the county engineer. I appreciate that. You're welcome. Thank you very much. You're welcome.
like that. Yes. Hi. Hello. Yeah, it's just a it's just kind of coming off of Vicki. Excuse my neighbor. Excuse me, sir. Can you just uh state your name? Ken Ken Craft 102 Wills. Um there's another building on It's a um
halfway house on our street, which I understand everybody gets a new start, but they pulled all the paperwork on this. Nobody knows anything about it. You got cars racing in and out like 25 mph zone going 40, 50 mph in vans. And then you got, like you said, another
house across the street from her all hours of the night. Lights come on. You just don't know what's going on. People just want to know what's happening. That's all. Are you guys familiar with this property? Halfway house. It's on Second Street. I think it's two um 216, I think.
Is that also a county? I I don't know. Yeah, it's a it's a It's a county area. It's a county res I don't think we have residential resial. It's res being run with It's a halfway house, right? But the county doesn't have a
residential property um in that. Absolutely. So, I'm trying to but they came here to check on it and they said the the state pulled the paperwork on it here. They pulled the paperwork. So, why are somebody pulling paperwork on a place? I would have to ask the solicitor.
Do you know the address there? I think it's 216. I got to check. I I But the street again. What's the street? It's on Second Street. 216 Second Street. It might be. Yeah, it's a little gray house. It's just that Yeah, you got all kind like they race down the road. you you put signs up.
So, sir, we have Captain Not in the back. Um, you should probably talk with him. He could tell you. Okay. I just didn't know if it was Don't Don't get wrong. So, it's quieter now. The last group that was in there with the halfway house. There was probably 30 people. You had people walking around
the neighborhood, Ubers coming in and out at 2:00 in the morning. I mean, I've never had a problem, but you know, you got two little girls that roam around the streets here. You got another girl down there ride two three-year-olds. And I don't know what these people did. I mean, I'm Everybody gets a a second chance, but you have to
stick right in the middle of a in a neighborhood. I I I mean, there's a lot of industrial places or something. I guess you can find a place to start over. But I don't know if you would like that. You know, people roaming around the streets. I I mean, I'm just bringing it up. Like I said, it she she came here and she was
talking about I'm like, maybe I'll bring it up, too, because No, I understand. But yeah, it's reser and they pulled the paperwork. So, we'll have to have the solicitor. Ask the clerk about who owns it and all this. The state came here and pulled the paperwork on. Is that what the county clerk said? What's that? Is that what the county clerk said?
Yeah. No paperwork on it. Just pulled the paperwork. So, if you can leave all the information that you have with with Kevin, I'm just curious cuz it's a residential zone. I Yeah, this is this is all new to me. I don't know if the the township administrators look I said something about a year ago, but
then I let it go cuz it got quieter last time. I mean, it was literally like 30 people living in that little house. Like at that house I mean, it was crazy. Yeah. He's he's I was getting concerned because it was like some of these guys look pretty walking around 2:00 in the morning. Like
and I get up with my dog and I notice it like, you know, I'm not like some nutcase that's spying on my neighbors. I just get up with the dog and he gets up every night like 2:00. I let him out. I'm watch I'm watching guys walking around the road, Ubers flashing lights in. I mean, Victor, he's half of it,
too. Across the street from her. I I asked again that you leave your house. I have not. But he's super good at following up. He'll probably even stop by and say hi. I just didn't I heard her like complain about this house. Nobody knows what it is. And I don't know if anybody realized what goes on there half the time. That's
all. Then when we came here, like I said, they pulled the paperwork. I'm like, why would you pull paperwork on a property? That's a little sounds odd. Like shady. [Music] 220. It's 220 seconds. Rude. But he just answered the question.
He just answered the question. Rude to red. Road to red. No, I know. I know what it's for. I just I didn't know if that was illegal like something they can just place in a neighborhood. And there's is that something I don't I don't know if the mayor would like that. I I think that's a question for solic
for the solicitor. We'll look into it and get back on it. I mean, don't be wrong. It's been quiet this time. I have to say I should knock on wood here. I'm going to bring up cuz the last time it was crazy. There was a lot of people in that place. It was a little dicey. All right. Thank you, sir.
Thank you. Jonathan Davidson, 32 Tallowwood Drive. We already talked earlier and you're going to get me that information. I do have a question I want to ask. Um, I know that they're building the homeless shelter. Do we have a time frame on completion, when that's going to be open, and any other further stuff about that?
Summer 2026. 2017 26 and then um what is the infrastructure other than below it? Uh are we are you reaching out to other faith-based and other organizations as to that being available or is everything just going to be through county services? No. Well, we're still going to keep our
county partnerships that we have with Beloved and um who who are else Christian Caring and all of our other partners, Catholic Charities. So, those relationships are still in play. So, we're not going to not have those relationships because the shelter is
only for adults, right? So, I remember that from last time, right? So, we we still have to keep those other relationships. So, our plan is to just have the shelter off of the wraparound services in addition to the partnerships that we have now.
Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. Felicia, with that too, um you said completion 2026. Do you expect it to be like up and running at that time or do you still have to do our like um bids for I know you talked about like going out to get bids to someone to run it.
Right. Right. So our Yes. So summer 2026 is when we plan to be able to we're open and functioning. So we would have in place by then who's going to be running the shelter 24/7. We would have all the security answers. We would have um all
the wraparound services in place. So, all of that stuff is expected to be in place and ready for summer 2026. Uh, we just haven't gotten to the point where we put out a RFP yet because we're not there yet. There's still no um we
want to be closer to the time when we're ready to open. So, whether it's 90 days, whatever that time frame is, our our attorneys will our attorneys and our county engineer will map that time frame out for us. And then that is when we
will start to do the additional pieces that will be required. Thank you. Are there any other questions? I just had I know one other question that came up about the cost. Um I I want to make sure that you were specific
about like the shared services just for our police and fire when you talked about the extra costs. Correct. Um, Amber. Okay. Because I know that that was something we talked I just wanted to make sure I understood
the question and but I I guess my we talked about but who who said that I never said that West Hampton residents would Okay. Go ahead. Go ahead. No, you do you mean or Yeah. I Yeah. So, I think that what we
said the last time was that that would be a discussion that we would still have because we don't know what the impact would be. Correct. We're just assuming or thinking or everybody's not sure. So, we're thinking that our fire and police might be used more, but we don't know.
And we talked, I think last time saying it would be something that we would talk to the county, continue that partnership, possibly a shared if we saw like our numbers increase or and that is still in play. nothing has changed but to to try to solve for
something when we we would be solving for the unknown right because and that is where when we started that conversation this that's my very first visit here that is when we also started talking about security and the the cost
um and I believe a resident had complained because we would be or not complained but mentioned that we would be imposing on West Hampton police and then that's when we said well we would be imposing more on County Sheriff's Department as opposed to West Hampton Police Department. So those things are
still in play. Those same variables are are and will be considered. But as I said, right now we would be trying to solve for the unknown. So as we get closer and we have to we I know that we have to solve for and I know that we have to give residents an answer and
that is absolutely my intention. Um, I don't want anyone to think that the county is just going to be like, "Oh, it's in West Hampton, so West Hampton's got to because that that's wouldn't that's not the case because we the human services building has been here forever and
the cost is not passed on to West Hampton residents. It's a county building. We pay what we're supposed to pay and as far as taxes and stuff like that. So I don't know how the messaging is being misconstrued and
I know there's a lot of angst around this. Um so it is my intention to be as clear as possible. So yes, we will definitely do all that we can to make sure that we are being as transparent as
we can when it comes to absorbing costs um impacting emergency services for West Hampton versus what the county needs. We will be absolutely transparent, but right now I feel like the question is just a little too
mature. Although we have it and we know it's something that we need to solve for, but to try to provide an answer right now is just too premature. I agree. I think it's just making sure that we have that communication and we Yeah, it it will happen and that's the whole purpose of me coming to East and I get it. People are upset.
People take to social media to voice their concerns. Everyone's invited to come to the county meetings as well. we meet twice a month um to so I'm not nor will I ever shy away from a conversation but I definitely think that we need to keep
everything into perspective and some of the things um appear to be taken out of context. So, I will continue to come once a quarter for as long as I need to to make sure that questions are answered
and we understand and we we control as best we can what's out as far as information as how information goes out and what the residents know for sure versus what's being spread on social media. Thank you.
Thank you so much for coming and I think um I just want to piggyback on what you were saying. It's extremely important to um be transparent and I think there's no other way that that can happen than to have you come and have you answer any questions that
the residents may have um answer that directly because they're hearing it directly from you. Yes. Um, I also think it's important too that you've made a commitment to West Hampton because you've heard our concerns in terms of, you know, the shelter, it's it's there,
the residents concerns. Um, and we thank you for coming because then you can hear what our concerns are so when you go back, you know how the Westampton residents feel, not based on what someone told you, but based on what you've heard in our meeting. So, um, we
really appreciate that and we understand that there's certain things that are need to know at certain times and we appreciate you coming and committing your time and being transparent and spending time and answering the questions that we have and um,
we look forward to getting more information so we can disseminate the correct information um, so we can make it better for for everyone. We're we're residents of West. We want what's in all of our best interest for our children, our children's children, you know, so forth and so on. So, we appreciate that.
Yes. And we're going to keep asking and we're going to and I'll keep and I'll keep showing up and we'll we'll we'll keep at this until until everyone has a sense of calm has has feels like their their questions have been answered um and their the issues have been addressed as best we can. So, that is my
intent. That is my commitment. Thank you, Dr. Hel 14 canabi drive. Um just one question really a comment is it's too premature. I think the people are upset because when is the right time when they open? Is that when we're going to find out?
No. I I seems like it should be push. Well, let me How am I pushing it? you have to step over the microphone. And let me let me just say this and I understand that people are annoyed, but
this is my third meeting. This is only the second time that I've had comments. The last time no one was here, which is fine, but I'm saying that to say I committed to being here. I will continue to be here. So that said,
when we when I I'm only going I'm not going to speak speak for the entire commissioner board. When I say it's too premature and we're trying to solve for the unknown today, we still have a shell. Today we just have framework. We have still. So
if I said today, go and give me an answer. If I said that to the county attorney, go and give me an answer as to how much we're going to impede on West Hampton emergency services. What are they comparing it to? We don't know how many emergencies they're going to have. We don't know what time of day those
emergencies are going to be. We don't know what type of emergencies they're going to be. So, it's too premature. What am I comparing it against? And while you may not agree with my assessment on why I'm saying it's too premature, go ask anyone else. You don't have to take my word for it. Call our county engineer
and ask the county engineer. Call your account. Call your local engineer and ask them the same questions that you're asking me and see if they can give you an answer and prove me wrong when I say it's too premature. Prove me wrong. But I don't know what I would be comparing it to because no one is in the homeless
shelter because the homeless shelter is not open yet. So what am I giving you answers on when you ask me how much your taxes are going to go up? Tell me what am I giving you information on? [Music]
when when we have the information to assess cuz we need data. There's no data to assess. We don't know how many people we're going to have per day, per month. We don't know what type of emergencies we're going to have. If we have them there, we know we're going to have
emergencies, but we also know that we're going to have 24-hour security. We also know that we're going to have wraparound services. So, I'm not quite sure what you want me to say because this it's not open yet.
Correct. Correct. Correct. But, but I don't want people to think that I'm trying to push things off because I don't have problem. I don't have a problem having a conversation with anyone. So, I'm not trying to push anything off. I'm not trying to avoid a
conversation. That's just simply not my style. I don't want people to think that that's what I'm doing. Gary Barber 138 Winstead. I I want to say that I think maybe the could be maybe at the commissioner's meeting or maybe here. I want to say I recall getting like a two-page fact sheet on
the chopper. Is that right? That was the first meeting. Yep. Okay. And I have a vague recollection reading in there that uh some of the resources mentioned specifically access to social workers. Sound about right? Yeah. Well, we talked because that would be a part of the wraparound services.
Okay. I I I guess my question is um are they existing county social workers that are going to be on site at that location or are they sort of rotating from other duties or are we going to be hiring new social workers? So, that's a great question. So, um earlier I talked about we had The
question was asked who's going to be running the shelter because the county cannot run the shelter. So when we put out the RFP for whatever um organization will run the shelter, that organization will have this the social workers. So the social workers will work for that
organization and provide the wraparound services. Okay. Um the the other uh the other point on this was um Canton County. Now this is interesting. Camden County deployed a social worker
in their library. I guess their main flagship in the county library because I guess they had enough information coming in that there were people in crisis that could use you know humanto human contact sort of immediately and that seemed to be making some sort of difference. I don't have you know what their empirical
data says about it now and I'm just wondering um you know I go to library I'm sure you go to library etc. Uh, is there any thought to maybe expanding the ambit of services that would site a social worker there in the library that could then direct people that might need
services to the to the shelter, etc. So, our human services our human services division does that now as as long as it's happening, right? Don't cuz they go out to the library, they talk to um homeless population, they give them
they you can't make them. So we all we could do is inform them, right, of the services that are available. So we we've been doing that for quite some time. It sounded like it was like a new concept that in the entire state that that was something that was, you know, pretty novel.
Thought well maybe, you know, it might make sense to try to offer up here in the county. Yeah, our our human services division has been doing that for quite some time. question. Well, Dr. Hopson, I I want to thank you again for giving your time to West Hampton, our
neighbors, and answer our questions. Thank you very much. You're welcome. Are we Are there any other questions for me before I leave? If there's no other resident questions, I um just had one. First off, thank you, Commissioner Dr. Hopson, for coming spending your evening with us. As you can see, we're all just trying to get
information. we're a little concerned, you know, maybe scared, nervous, um, and we're just going to go on this journey with the county. So, thanks for at least coming and giving us information. Um, two of my question were already answered. I wanted to know about the anticipated open date, which was um,
summer of 2026, and then about the provider, but you have answered that several times. We're going to do a RFP. I know that type of stuff takes time, so I may ask that question again like early 2026. Yes. Um, but I did think of another question. Um, I checked out your website. Um
there's like a website dedicated specifically to the shelter. Is it a plan or a goal to keep that website, you know, updated and running and like can we use that as a resource to get updates as well? Yeah, that's our plan, right? Yeah, that is the plan. Yep.
Thank you. I will share that um please do direct website with Yes, please. everyone. Thank you. That's all I have. Okay. Any other questions before I leave? Yeah. Sure. Put a smile on your face. Oh, that's okay, Nancy. I'm
I'm used to it. Last time I got a ticket on the road was when I was 30 years old. Mhm. So, this other day I No one was coming on red. I was turning right on red and didn't see that the people were turning left and coming behind me. And
about 4 in behind me was a police car. Mhm. Turned out to be the sheriff. Mhm. his lights went on and I thought, "Oh, I'll pull over. Maybe he's going after." And he followed me and he followed me and he was the nicest
person cuz he knew I didn't do it on purpose. Mhm. And he asked me questions and we chatted, you know, and I I couldn't have he realized I kept I must have said I was sorry 20,000 times. He said, "Just remember people are turning left on on a
left turn lane when you think that you're clear." Mhm. And uh then he asked my name and I told him, "Oh, I know who you are." Oh, now are you going to give me a ticket now? He said, "No, no, no, no." And he thanked me for my service to West Hampton.
And I just thought, you know, he didn't have to do that. He didn't have to not give me a ticket because I was in the wrong. But it it made my day. That's awesome. I'm happy to hear that. So, just tell the sheriff. I will. I will tell him that I will see him on Thursday.
Someone appreciates him. I will tell him that. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Well, thank you everyone. Well, are there any There is a question. Yes, please. Oh, okay. My name is Corey Smith Hartman. I live at 36 St. Andrews Court in Westampton. I think Gary and Nancy
and probably Brian and Craig are aware of this. When I was on township committee, actually Westampton absorbed the cost of fire and police and you said that you didn't know for
sure if they would or they wouldn't. Well, is it West Hampton's fire department and Westampton's police department? Then West Hampton residents should absorb those costs. No, it was from the county buildings. It was from the county building, the special services building there that we
had to pay. Do you remember? Yes. So was So this obviously predates me, but was there something was there an agreement with the county to help absorb those costs? I don't believe so. Right. But that's what I'm saying that we will we will have those type of
discussions. But we but we observe the cost as I'm saying. So do you see that right? So I don't I'm not I mean think about that. Why should we be achieving the cost? But I Yeah, I go
ahead. Yeah, I'm I'm I don't solicitor stop me. But what I'm saying is based off of the concerns from my first meeting. I went back to our county attorney and said we need to try to figure something out so that West Hampton residents does not
absorb all of the costs. But this would be my first time involved in something like this. So, I'm saying we need to try to do something different. So, yes, if it's always been that way, that's fine. It's always been that way. But this is me telling you that I'm committed to trying to do something different. I
can't speak for what happened before me. Committee can do something different. I think we can make an arrangement. We don't observe. I think that what we're saying is we're going to be in a partnership and try to have a shared agreement once we know
what the impact is. We don't know. We can't just make up, oh, they're using um emergency services 50% more than what they're doing now, so we need to hire high hire. We have to get that from our chiefs to know what is what how often they're being called out and then come
up with an agreement. She is saying that she the county is open to a shared service agreement once we know what I think we as Westampton taxpayers are going to count on you guys absolutely saying that we are not going to absorb the cost of this homeless
shelter we didn't even necessarily no offense we didn't necessarily want the homeless shelter here but we've accepted that it's going to be here but by the same token I don't think we should have to absorb the cost for emergency service for all emergency services right And I think I think we're
saying the same thing. I I think we're saying the same thing and I'm telling you that I'm committed to making sure that you guys don't have to. I do appreciate that. So that's what I'm saying. I don't know if everybody's hearing what I'm saying. Going into it, we can't have a plan to
say, well, we need x amount of money from the county to cover this when we don't know what understood, but I think it should be absorbed by the entire county. Absolutely. Not just by and it and absolutely it would be. So we only have we work from one bucket of money. Mhm.
So we would we would we would plan for that. Okay. And we would talk to our chief financial officer. We would talk to our attorneys and we would make sure that we make that happen this time around. I can't speak for what happened in the past. We still want to make sure that our
township committee is on top of that. We are. I want to make sure. Absolutely. All right. Absolutely. Okay. Any other questions? All right. Well, thank you everyone. Enjoy. Thank you.
Up next, we have a presentation from Chief Ferguson on school resource officers in West Hampton District Schools. up. Thank you, sir. Thank you. I'll be brief.
Uh good evening, uh committee, members of the public. Uh thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak tonight regarding the matter reports of both our schools and our community safety. Uh my purpose here tonight West Township School District and West Township Police
Department have come to an agreement establish school resource officer position in our school district. We're one of the last districts county some type of security either police officer or security clear
why we need our position school safety and security is a climate school not only education but also a safe environment for students and safe to thrive position will be a proactive measures to deter threats against our children
respond quickly to emergencies and strengthen overall security through relationships. The role of the SRO goes far beyond enforcement. The SRO builds trust with students serves as a position or a positive role model sorry
as a resource for parents and teachers. Many students feel comfortable trying they know and trust which could prevent issues from escalating. The SRO will often teach classes on topics like internet safety, bullying, drug and alcohol awareness, conflict
resolution. The president reinforces respect, accountability, and the importance of good decision making. The benefits to the community will enhance the collaboration between the police department, the school district, and families. Provide a very line of communication between school officials
and law enforcement. Will improve our overall public safety objects at the school, but within our community. The funding options have already been discussed by myself and superintendent in uh school we will be funding at least this full school year um going into next
year. Um so we won't have to worry about any line items other than the small items I told the superintendent and I will pay for uniforms and the basic training that comes with hiring the new officer. Um my conclusion is the safety
of our children must be a top priority. I privilege to reach this voluntary not only addressing security concerns but also investing in prevention and mentorship of the future of our community. I respectfully ask for council support moving this initiative forward. I thank you for your time and
consideration and I welcome any questions you may have for the public. Chief I have one question that uh SRO that's for Holly Hills and WMS. Yeah, the uh it's probably going to be be uh housed
out of our next store here, but will transfer over to the Holly Hills uh campus regularly as well. I personally think it's an excellent idea. I have been attending um uh board of education meetings for a while now
requesting an SRO. There's been a number of things. I have children in the school. So, I have my ear to the ground on what's transpiring and it it's done not just for the safety of the students, but for the safety of the staff. I mean,
there's been some things happening and it's important to have that SRO there present. I applaud you for bringing this up. It is timely that we have it. And I think you said earlier, uh, we're last. Uh there are a lot of other school
systems that already have SRO's in the building. I think it's important for the safety of the children. I think it's important for the safety of the students and it provides us with uh a secure learning environment. I think it's important for us to have this and I
thank you and applaud you for bringing this to our attention and bringing it to us. Thank you, Chief. You have my full support. I I appreciate it. I know you addressed it in your presentation that this was proactive. And I just want to clarify for our neighbors, there was no event that caused this to happen. Yeah.
All right. But I think I echo her thoughts. That's awesome. Currently, it's going to be the only push on our website. It's going to go on social media tomorrow. Um position is going to be I don't see a first come first date, but we are going to fill
this position as quickly as possible. Um soon as I get the right person, uh we'll sit down. interview with the school board to get that person in the schools, get the ball rolling. What has been the reaction of the principles at the schools?
I think very positive. Um I know just in the first few weeks of our school year, we have some issues at school and they um they will solve this. The officer is not going to take the place of in school discipline and everything like that to help understand
that school select. the officers just there to assist with gun at hand. I just wanted to say way to go. Um, as far as being proactive and not reactive, um, I had previously shared that I was a business administrator in a local um,
town and we had an incident and I didn't know what to do. But you know what? We had our SRO there. She knew exactly what to do. Because of her, she enacted our unification plan. We followed her lead and we got everyone to safety. we were never in any um real danger. But the
point is the value of that person is um you can't put a price on it. And also um excuse me, I lost my thought. Good job. That's what I want to say. Jonathan Davidson, 32 Tallwood Drive. um
with this officer coming in, which is a great thing. Um what is the policy of like rules of engagement, escalation, etc. And will it be available to public as a parent going in my kids going in the next few years to school? Will that policy be available? I know other districts have an outline of like, hey,
when this goes down, these are our procedures. This is how the officer is supposed to react, etc. are available undertaken that be reviewed before any position or
anything like that and I'm sure that okay thank you chief I remembered u my thought um I think it's going to be really important to pick the perfect candidate which I know that you will do someone who can relate to our community our students um and our parents and I know you do a good
job with that but I just wanted to put that out there in the spirit of posit positivity that we picked the perfect person for us. Gary Ben 138 Winstead. Um there's another school here, right? BCIT. Do they have a SRO campus
high school? We have one there. It's a West Hampton. Yes. Okay. Very nice. Okay. Um and it's there's two schools. So there'd be two officers.
Absolutely. Uh one officer between really there's three schools intermediate school and the middle school sharing the building the other school. So right now the door we see how things work out. Obviously love to have two officers
at the campus at all times. But this is I think the first step. And it says here class three is is that the appropriate class three is strictly a school officer. Okay. They available to go to the school. They
can't get far police other than the school school activities and everything like that. The burden is uh based you know school district hiring retire officer or the part-time officer. They
also get benefits uh to get pension. So scatter a lot less and that's just the difference in the ranking. I will either hire a plus three or plus two. A plus two would be better for our requirement. I could use that in the uh all times stuff like that. Just depends on who
applies. And what what's the learning curve for somebody to be up and running? The learning curve after they get hired if they don't have like discreet experience. officers that are already retired from
those positions. Um, some might be younger officers. Um, they're they're trained. We get a lot of training. We have some free press, but they're going to get we have
training. Yeah. Okay. And would somebody like uh I don't know, like a reserveist MP, would this be appealing to them to maybe if they're transitioning. Um we need to local
it's even tougher practice alternating job. So I hope the same thing happens here. Um in terms of um technology uh are we also looking at the same time to concurrently deploy additional tech
resources maybe CCTV that sort of thing because you've got the one officer etc. Well you're you're very uh lucky one of our techers is a real tech guy and uh he'll be working with the SRO institute any kind of additional things to deal
with um you know technology and everything like that. Everybody looks already. Yeah. Um and then um Dr. Ka asked a really important question. Uh the perfect candidate,
right? So um can you just give us an idea like what would the interview process be like? Um, it's going to probably consist of, you know, somebody from my command staff, probably my one of my current SRO officers at DC State, uh, somebody from
the superintendent's office. Um, it'll basically be like a quasi school interview position because they're working for the school district, but also for police as well. So, my first time obviously doing this the BCIP position we've had for years. has been
very successful. We have had no issues with the CSA. All schools have a minor issue, but they give you a land right now. When a threat happens at 8:00 at night, she pre my house, I come back from here, lo the
computer here. So now while the family responds to the threats that happens after hours, yes, we're allowed access probably to the Genesis school program. Um, it's a valid cost and I think superintendent,
but it's not a problem. Fair enough. Um, the other thing I was going to ask was, um, how can we help you recruit? Well, the the requirements are going to be posted up on our website. That's
pretty much their standard requirements. I think officers have a newly retired um I love having a newer officer in there and do that, but the cost and the issue of mining power on the street right now can't really afford to do that right
now. Um so I just hope there's been a lot of friends that have retired the word out there. So I hope that alone, you know, good also here. All right. All right. Well, they have a good social network up there. I'm sure they'll be broadcasting
uh that we're looking to hire someone. Oh, good. Okay. Uh and last thing, um this is the the resource officer is is he available to the community members? So, I guess where I'm going with this is, you know, kids getting off the bus, right? I see a kid. Maybe I suspect that
maybe there's somebody that's picking on this kid. Do do I call the the SRO and say, "Hey, do you want to check on this kid or is that new examples for local school district schools
on the campus?" Okay, I'm sure. All right. Thanks. Thanks, Chief. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Next, we'll move on to the approval of minutes. September 2nd, 2025 regular meeting
minutes. I have a motion, please. Motion. Second. Call discussion. Please call the role. Dr. Cwell. Yes, Miss Maddox. Yes, Mr. Clark. Yes, Miss Abstain. Three. Yes. Motion passes.
Next is September 2nd, 2025 close session minutes. May I please have a motion? Motion. Second. Cwell. Any discussion? Kim, would you please call the role? Dr. Caldwell? Yes. M. Maddox? Yes. Mr. Clark? Yes.
Miss Three. Yes. Motion passes. Next, we have reports from fire and EMS, police, public works, court, and construction. We'll now open the meeting to public comment on agenda items only. Please
remember to state your name and address for the record. Please remember to state your name and address for the record as well as write your name and address on the sign-in sheet on the podium. This is for comment only. It is not intended as a question and answer period. If you would like response, please leave your contact information on the podium so we can respond appropriately.
Is that open for public comment? Nancy, stay seated, please. Stay seated, please. Now you I learned Nancy Berkeley, Alice Greenus. I'm talk uh comment on resolution 14325
uh purchased from uh contracts vendors. Um in the first paragraph it talks about the uh public works needs to buy a to replace the broken leaf vacuum apparatus. But then
on the second page when it has the therefore it resolves the chief financial officer is hereby authorized and directed to approve to buy one salt spreader and one plow. So, are you buying a
leaf vacuum that broke or a salt spreader and plow because they don't match? Um, the other thing is when I asked Jim about this, when we heard that they had broken the leaf vacuum two room two years in a row, he said when we got
the big truck, we were given an extra leaf vacuum, so we don't need to buy a second one unless they broke that one also. So, I'm just wondering what you're buying. Thank you. Thank you. Does that make sense? Yeah, absolutely. Thank Chris, what are we buying? That's what
we approved it previously. What was it? What did we previously approve? The purchase of the salt. Salt spreader. Okay. Thank you. Any other? It's a salt spreader. And this one's just add $1,000 because the quote came in correct. So, we're just amending from
our last meeting. This is wrong. We'll we'll amend it in the motion. Okay. We're going to close public comment. All in favor close public comment, please say I. I. Abstensions. All right. Close.
Resolutions 137-25. Payment of vouchers. This resolution approves the payment of bills through 923 2025. May I please have a motion? Motion. Second. Calwell. Any discussion? Can would you please call the role? Dr. Caldwell? Yes.
Miss Maddox? Yes. Mr. Park? Yes. Miss Yes. Four? Yes. Motion passes. Consent agenda resolutions. Consent agenda items are considered to be routine and will be enacted with a single motion. Any items requiring expenditure supported by a certification
of availability of funds. Any items requiring discussion will be removed from the consent agenda. May I please have a motion for A through E and G? I'll make a motion. Cogwell. A second.
Any discussion? Kim, would you please call the role? Dr. Caldwell? Yes. Miss Maxine? Yes. Mr. Clark? Yes. Miss Mona? Yes. Four? Yes. Motion passes. Resolution 143-25. resolution approving additional capital
expenditure. Um, may I please have a motion to amend the paragraph to properly reflect the leaf vacuum? Excuse me. The salt spreader. I make a motion. Calwell, second. Discussion. Can you please call the role?
Mr. Cwell, yes. Miss Campy, yes. Mr. Carr, yes. Miss Londo, yes. Four, yes. Motion passes. We'll now open the meeting for public comment. Please remember to state your name and address for the record. public comment.
[Music] Good evening. I'll try to talk fast. Um, I'm a broken record. I'm always talking about money and how we're spending money and how we need to save money and this is about that, too. Um,
this year we hired a PM consultants to do our finances. uh taking over the job of our last CFO who retired. Um and if I remember the discussion last year, we tried we wanted to first hire someone
who was part-time. Uh didn't work out. We hiring a CFO that was part-time to save money. Well, I don't know if you've been following, but yesterday I sat down with all the agendas and looked at the bill list and figured out how much we've
been spending on the consultants. Now, consultants, it depends. Some are consultants with a lot of uh clients, and then they're we're paying for their building, their benefits, their stat, and anything they're doing. Some consultants are one person, and we just
pay for that one person. But this is a consultant business where they have more than one client. So, this person is part-time in the building. They sometimes hire and bring someone else in to do it, but they're not here all the time. But from January to September,
we have spent $142,53752 for PM consultants to do our bills and our reports. If you take the average and take it out to 12 months, at the end of the year we are planning and we will plan to spend
$190,000 and 9 $50. Now this person does not do the checks for the people. And now we've also we um we hired uh Prime Point and we pay them
14,000 a year. We hired a financial planner. I cannot tell from the bill list how much we're paying a financial planner, but our former CFO who was here for 39 years did the bills, the reports, the checks, and he did the financial
planner for less than $100,000. So my question is next year will you consider hiring hiring an employee like our former employee who was a CFO that will not pay we will not pay over
$200,000 a year for someone who's not here all the time and only does basically pay your bills and make reports and we have to hire someone else to do the checks and we have to hire someone else to do financial planning. I think one person needs to do it all to
be able to see the big picture. So, that is my question. I'm very concerned. I think Prime Point is ripping you off. Uh $14,000 for PE 100 checks, 100 people's checks and they push a button now. Um it
it's just rid and then they don't even give people the the check piece of paper that you get when you even have automatic deposit. Usually get a check that says how much was taken out for this that and this. You have to go
online to find it and print it out yourself. The only thing they sent is basically at the end of the year and some people didn't get that on time. The other thing is PM consultants is making their job easier. They may be saving the township a little bit of money because
everyone who works in rec recreation in the summer and the coaches and helping with basketball and soccer is not an employee anymore. They are a vendor. So they don't have to have their social security taken out, their taxes taken out. It's basically the check that they
put in, the check they got out. It's a very simple thing. So it's a lot less that this person now is doing for lots I think lots and lots of people who work in recreation because there's no figuring out of social security and that
and then these people have to pay their own social security pay their own taxes out of it and it's hard on these people and they also only now get paid once a month. Now, in the summer, these college kids who were helping the recreation get
paid once a month. They need that money. They used to get paid every payday, every two weeks. Now, they're getting paid once a month, and it's after the month is over when they've already gone to college. So, I think we need to look into that. Is it really that hard to put
them back as employees and give them what they need, especially these high school going into college kids who need this money? And I think we could cut our expenses in half if we actually hired our own CFO who did everything. Thank
you very much. Thank you very much. Prepare 138 Winstead. Um, two brief comments in the in the agenda packet just because maybe I just don't remember this, but um, some of the material we're talking about different funds like T7, I
think it was the dog fund. It had $3.60. The affordable housing fund had something like $975 in there. Um, could you just give me some context? Like what is that report explaining? Is it like
are we getting receipts from some payment for affordable housing? We've collected $975. Same thing with the dog fund. We're getting what? Some sort of license payment for $3.60 for the month. So that was my question about the material in
the packet. And you don't have to answer now. Uh just put out a note maybe explaining a little bit. Cody, I can answer please. Okay. So, every municipality in the state of New Jersey has to have a dog trust fund and that is where the money
for the dog goes into and we have to pay the state. Oh, once a month. Okay. We have to have a dog trust fund. And then the other one was affordable housing. So, yes, anything that is coming into the township has to pay
affordable housing. So, this is probably your commercial ratables and Mike Moonman, the construction official, figures that out with the tax assessor and then we get the money and that's where it goes. Okay. Yeah. Thanks. Um, just want to say uh well done. It's it's
rare sometimes, I think, for a politician to keep their word, but Felicia Hopson has kept her word. So, well done to her. Well done to you. Um, I appreciate her coming in here and being candid. I don't know if we always see eye to eye with her, but look, I'll give her a lot of credit. I mean, she is
forthcoming with her with her comments and uh so I do appreciate that. She's got a pretty thick skin, so that really helps too. And I hope she understands that we come in the spirit of just trying to understand. I I don't think anyone here has a hard heart. We
definitely want to see people helped and we want to make sure the resources are deployed appropriately. My fellow residents are talking about, you know, us disproportionately sharing the tax burden. We know that happens because we're the host city for many of the campus facilities here from the county. So, we just want to be treated fairly
and I think we've told you that multiple times and to your credit, you're going to do the best you can to see to mitigate that burden on us as the as the host city for that. So, I appreciate that. Um, you know, a lot of us are blessed. We're
fortunate. we don't need services that this shelter will provide. But, you know, I think it would be really helpful maybe it can be arranged um next time maybe when Felicia comes to see if she can actually bring like some of the professional staff that would actually physically be on site that interacts
with people that are in crisis that are in dire need of assistance. They can do a presentation for us and kind of walk us through like, hey, this is what happens the minute you walk through the door. We triage your crisis. if you need medical, if you need psychological, you need, you know, nutrition assistance,
you need security, you know, I have no idea. We none of us know. And then that that might be really helpful. It might alleviate and mitigate a lot of concerns and fears that people have and help elicit, you know, the right spirit
framework for compassion here. um and and to kind of like make sure that that the shelter servicing the needs of all of the vulnerable in that community and our community. I I would just love it if you guys would take a turn there,
each of you. I don't know if you do it once a month, once a quarter, and just do a few hours in that facility once it comes up on running online and report back to us and say, "Hey, this is what I'm seeing. You know, this is my feedback for you as residents and and
you know, look, I I'll do a turn there. I'll go with one of you guys or all of you whenever you commitment. All right. Thanks, Gary. Same here. Jonathan Davidson, 32 Tallowwood Drive. Uh, one question and one comment. The
question is, I know that the state's going to start asking us to build affordable housing or is that something that's coming in? I know I've missed a couple things cuz I have little kids. Uh what is that impact? What is the time frame for that? Are we going to have to build affordable housing here? And the
second thing is a comment and then you can answer your question if you want to answer your question to me my question. Um, I know we raise taxes and I know everything cost of everything's going up and I appreciate that the township has to cover cost. Um, but I also want to
like kind of say it this way like I'm a young family. Both me and my wife work, child care is incredibly expensive and anytime any taxes go up that puts us in a squeeze. You know, I understand taxes had to go up because
marry all different v variables, but every time local government does that, people who are in the middle and lower middle, you know, who are in a decent spot get squeezed and now we're maybe not in a decent spot. So, I just ask that you keep that in mind anytime we're
looking at taxes or anything like that. So, thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Davidson. have to state my name and stuff again. Yes, sir. Can 102 Wills. I just have a concern for the um the strip of road from 295 to Bridge
Street. Um the traffic there, it's not so much the speed is like these people, it's getting worse and worse. I I go by there every day to work back and forth and it's it's getting to a point now where there's it's it's not the police fault. I mean, they can only do so much.
But can they stick like maybe a vacant car at a light to look like a cop sitting there or like a blinking sign saying, "Hey, you're doing a 100 and a 40." Because we've had five accidents down there between WA and Bridge Road. Two went through the fence. You probably
know two went through the fence at the football field. One car flipped over in the island between the road full of kids and there's been two accidents at Bridge Street light. Now I sit there at that light and people run that light as if it's not even there and I'm I'm not
approved here. I mean don't get me wrong. I mean you go 5 10 over the speed limit. I get it. Or you you get caught in the yellow and you run. No, this is blatant. They don't see any like the police they have more stuff to do. They're not sitting out there. So they just take it
for granted. I'm going to cut people off and I'm going to do a 100. And it's every morning. I go to work from 7 between 7 and 8. Every light, somebody will run that light. I mean, run it to a point where somebody's going to get killed. If you if you don't know if some
young kid or some elderly that are just taken for granted, don't look. And I'm talking about tractor trailer. I had a tractor trailer running late 100 yards, blatant red. He had to be doing 80 mph. And lucky like me, I I just I work all day out on the road. I see this stuff.
So, I'm just bringing the attention cuz I don't I complain at home all the time. I'm like I never say anything. So, maybe just a vacant car, even like a put a Volkswagen out there with a red light on it because as soon as they see a police officer, it's all everybody's an angel.
They No, they do. They just see them. You don't have to pull them over. I don't blame them for not pulling them over. It's dangerous and I wouldn't pull anybody over either. But if you just stick the presence out there, vacant car, buy some old beat up police car and sit it at the light. I guarantee that'll
cut half these people from running that light. That's just it's just my thinking. I've seen in other neighborhoods, like even more so, they got a blinking light. Looks like a police light comes on when you're speeding. And I see cars automatically hitting the brakes. Uh-oh. They think it's a cop car there. So, it's just it's
just a suggestion, that's all. cuz that road is d that 295 to bridge street is it's like a raceway and the light you're referring to is bridge and ran focus. Yeah, it's Bridge Street, Rancokus and then it's the next light the waw wa there but I mean it's like I said I'm
not proved here but it's it's getting worse. It's constant. Even one guy goes by in a Dodge Charger every morning, black car, 710, here he is. I mean, 100 miles an hour and then he goes into Wawa and I almost want to go and follow him
and say, "Dude, what are you doing? You're going to kill somebody." I mean, I don't want to tell him people, but it's it's just it's just silly. I don't understand the the common sense behind it all. So, it's just a suggestion. I don't know. Maybe it'll save one person's life. I have not I mean I'm
surprised somebody hasn't gotten killed by now. And with those accidents I mean that car that flipped over they had to be four kids are jumping out. Teenagers all jumping out of the car flipped over in the middle. I mean you had to be doing 75 80 mph in a 40.
It's out of control. That's just my I'm just bring it to your attention. That's before somebody does get clocked here. All right. Thank you. Thank you very much sir. Ashania 46 do road. Uh my first question is a followup on something we brought up
months ago um about getting signs put up for the different areas like Torrenfield and everything like that if we had any followup on whether or not we had any information that they were going to be made or if we had any plans in the works. Uh, my second question is, I didn't realize Burlington County is
building the homeless shelter, but they're not running the homeless shelter, which seems a little insane to me. So, I would like some information once they figure out who is going to be running it, like who it is, if they could come here and talk to us because it kind of seems that they're putting into work, but they're not running it.
Seems a little crazy to me. Um, and then also this is a grant-f funed project, so I don't know why we can't propose that some of that grant money be put towards our EMS. and um police and everything like that. If they have the grant money for this project, that some of that should be distributed to or should have
already been put into the grant proposal had they done that um to cover some of the cost for our township. Thank you. Thank you. Any other public comment? Okay, looking to close public comment. All in favor, please say I. I.
Those opposed? Any abstensions? Dates to remember. Township committee meeting October 7, 7 p.m. Recreation committee meeting, October 8th, 7 p.m. Historic commission meeting, September 24, 7 p.m. Land Development Board meeting, October
1, 7 p.m. Now move on to the committee leazison reports and comments. Uh, I'll start. Um, I just wanted to thank Director Hopson again for coming out and speaking to our residents. Uh, residents, thanks for coming, um, sharing your, you know, opinions and
asking questions. It's important that we hear that feedback and we can get answers for you. Um, Chief Berg, thank you for that presentation and, you know, helping get that SRO on board. It's important for our school, so we appreciate that. Um, I also wanted to
comment that the historic commission meeting is not going to be happening on September 24th. We haven't had applications since February. So, we're still keep postponing those. And that's all I can go next. Um, thank you West
Hampton residents for coming out um sharing your concerns with us and helping us um get a grasp on this situation and anything else pertaining to uh West Hampton Township. Thank you to Commissioner Dr. Hopson for coming out and keeping her word. This was her
third visit. Um first visit was around March. Um then again in June and then tonight. And so for those that would like to come back and specifically ask her questions about anything related to the county, she'll be here on uh December the 2nd. Um I also wanted to
take a consensus with um the committee and also all of you of after December, will we like her to come back quarterly again? maybe March of 2026 and then again in June of 2026 just to see if um you think so. I think so as well. So, as long as we're all on board, I will make
that request. Um which goes to my next point. Um when I was elected in January, uh one of the things that I promised to do and had the idea of was becoming the Burlington County liaison. And what that entailed was going to the meetings, developing a relationship with
Dr. Hopson and her team and bringing back any and all information that pertains to West Hampton that may happen at those meetings. I'm the kind of person that doesn't like surprises and likes to try to get ahead of things. I'm a planner. I'm a forecaster and um I'm
both myself and committee woman u Maddox Canteen has been keeping up um with that initiative and we'll continue to do that and I see that it's been working out. uh what one thing that came to fruition from that initiative was inviting her to come here as often as we want and I think that her coming here quarterly uh
like like was said you know we may not like the answers but we're getting answers and so we'll continue to do that and I also invite her back in 2026 just to see how things are going. Um I wanted to congratulate the West Hampton Township Police Department and the school district for being proactive with
the school resource officer. I'm very excited for how that's going to turn out and uh how that can benefit the staff, the students, alleviate or achieve and just give us a little bit extra blanket of security. Um, another thing that I
had asked for um was to for us to be able to claim any unclaimed property that belong to us residents. And so I was happy to see that Mr. Brady was appointed to take on that responsibility. So, thank you, Mr. Brady. and thank you for township committee for um approving that
appointment. Um on September 20th, I had the opportunity to go to our Latino festival um right here in West Hampton at the Amley Theater. It was wonderful. Um happy anniversary to them. They were celebrating 25 years as of Saturday. Um
that's something I like to go to every year, so I plan on going to future events. It was wonderful to see. Um Mr. Barbarian, I think I'm saying your name correctly. asked about volunteering and my ears went up because I volunteer all the time. I volunteer every weekend.
I volunteered this past weekend and as long as there's no conflict of interest, I would absolutely like to put some time in at the shelter and then yet again bring back information to all of us as to how it's going. Um, and that's all I have. Thank you.
Good evening and thank you all for uh coming out. Um, special thanks to our fire department, EMS, police, public works, construction, and administration, as well as the residents that are here. We really appreciate you coming out and supporting the township of Westampton.
Special thanks to uh Dr. Felicia Hopson for coming out. And I want to piggy back off what Dr. Paul said. It's very important and we're so happy that we've established a relationship with her. She's coming out. She's listening firsthand to what our concerns are and
that's very important. Uh Chief Ferguson, thank you so much for that SRO report. Um I am super excited about getting that other position and I I look to see more and more of those officers in the school and being able to utilize
those in a positive way. when looking at what the sole responsibility of that person is. Um just creating a secure learning environment for the staff and students. Um that's something that we all can support and I I'm very happy to
be able to um have that in our township. In terms of uh the committee meetings that I've attended, um the recreation committee, we had a meeting in September on the 10th. I'm very very very happy to announce that we will be having our
senior bingo on October the 18th from 11:30 to 1:30 at Westampton Middle School. We will have hot lunch served. We will have prizes. So, I'm looking forward to all of you assisting with the senior bingo
and attending. And Nancy, I'm looking forward to you having uh you support this and putting it on your website. I have some uh flyers in the back. So, if you could please do that. We wanted to do something for our seniors. We want to get them out, make them feel special, and have a little entertainment for
them. So, we're very excited about that. Ashley, I think you had asked about helping before. So, any volunteers that can help. I need some people calling. I need some people in terms of, you know, helping to serve. So, we're excited in terms of being able to do something, you know, special for the seniors. So, I
have uh flyers in the back. Please pass them out. Um we're very excited to be able to do this for them. In terms of uh the Timbuktu advisory committee, we had a meeting on the 12th. We're looking forward to this Saturday from 1:30 to
2:30. It's going to be the 199th anniversary with the Timbuktu Advisor Historical Advisory Society. And there's going to be on Church Street historic reenactments, musical performances, tributes to the descendants, um
presentation of the new signage that's going to go on Church Street. Um so there's going to be a lot going on. I I'd like to thank Chris and his department for paving Church Street. I think Nancy, you mentioned this the last meeting. Great timing. Uh we're going to have a lot of dignitaries here on
Saturday between 1 and 2:30 uh for this particular event. So, we're happy about that. I, too, like uh Dr. Cwell, attended the Hispanic Heritage Celebration this past week. It was great um just to be able to go and and
celebrate and uh do so in our own amphitheater. So, that was a positive thing and a plus. So, um thank you so much, uh once again for attending. And I'm going to turn it over to our deputy. Uh thank you, ma'am. Thanks neighbors for coming. I appreciate all your
questions, comments, and concerns. We can't think of all the questions, and um I'm sincerely appreciative of it. Please keep coming. Please keep sharing your concerns. If you can't make it, send us an email. We'll make sure we ask the question for you. Um and we'll get back to you on that. I had the opportunity to
attend along with chief and the mayor um the fire department's swearing in ceremony of all their captains, lieutenants, newly appointed officers in the last few years. It was a great event. All the firefighters, families, very fun. I was very honored to be there
and thank you for having me. Kim was there, too. And Jim Brady, Sherrod, a lot of people were there. I just wanted to take this time to answer a few questions that our neighbors had. Nancy, I don't disagree. That does sound like a lot of money to
be paying somebody, but I'd just like to, you know, reaffirm that this person's offering more than just pushing the same buttons that was filled the last post. They're also modernizing. They're catching up on reports and things that Westampton has been missing out on for the last few years. But to answer your question, yes, I think we
would all like to pursue something more affordable in the future. Obviously, I apologize. Did you hear anything? Did you hear anything? I mumble. I'm sorry. I said to answer your question bluntly, yes, we would all like to pursue something more affordable for Westampton moving forward. But this
person offers more at this time in this last year. This person's offering more than just doing the same exact function that the last CFO did. They're modernizing the department as well, getting us up to speed on a lot of missed opportunities, missed
requirements of the state as well. Um, I'd just also like to clarify, Prime Point is a software. It's not just a payroll system. It's a time and attendance system. This helps free up the times of all the the department leaders and and managers so they can spend time more effectively and
efficiently elsewhere. It also keeps track of the the West Hampton's liabilities as far as vacation goes, personal time, sick time, etc. It does more than that. I'm I'm definitely trying to cut it down a little bit. We had a question on affordable housing. On
the DCA website, there's a timeline. We are currently in the middle of that timeline. Um, yes, Westampton did get hit with, excuse me, did get assigned a affordable housing number. We do not have to build those houses. I want to make sure that's clear. we have to
zone so that they could be built. Okay. um that deadline or we're close to the end of that process in I think February has to be you have to designate by 2035 the the next deadline is to um adopt any
or ordinance any amendments to the housing element fair share plan by the end of the year and then any ordinances implementing the zoning ordinances have to be done by March 15th of 2026. Thank you Bob. But the township committee is currently strategizing on
how to make that happen with the least amount of impact on our services right now. I'm sorry about hearing about all the speeders on Rancokus. Um Chief, do we still have a speed trailer available to us?
Okay, awesome. Oh, cool. Both directions. Okay. Awesome. While you're talking, Chief, just thank you again. I'm super excited for this program. We all have kids in the schools. I I we've always wanted it and
thank you for being proactive on it and making that happen. That's awesome. Um on the community on the neighborhood signs, we put something out for the community members to help participate in that. Did
we get any response to that Sherrod to the side program? Okay. So, the plan was to have the community members help design these signs so we keep the neighborhood essence of each neighborhood, not have plain Jane the same signs for every place. Um, there was complaints about Rancokus' sign that
was recently replaced. I'd like to see that, you know, better suit the neighborhood and for all the neighborhoods. You don't want me design them. I'm plain Jane. So, we need help. Um, finally, I will also make that pledge to volunteer time in this place
to give a uh this shelter to report back to our neighbors. Thank you all to all our neighbors for coming. I really appreciate you. We all appreciate you. And we're going to be adjourning. We're going to be entering executive session. We will not be returning to an open meeting from that.
Okay. So, thank you and have a good night. action. No.