Municipal Lawyer’s Flawed Bill Records Held To Explain ‘Secret’ Town Meetings

From  the Law Journal

Meetings with town leaders that turned up on a municipal lawyer’s billing records were not secret sessions in violation of the Open Public Meetings Act, a Camden County judge has held.

In a decision made public Monday, Superior Court Judge Louis Meloni found that what appeared to be quorumed meetings not in compliance with OPMA were the result of the lawyer’s outdated computer program, which did not accurately reflect the time billed.

Meloni found Haddon solicitor Richard Klineburger III’s explanation of the billing system reasonable. “[He] seemed sure of his recollection, I did not find him evasive nor was there any unwillingness or reluctance to answer the questions posed,” Meloni said in Cassel v. Twp. of Haddon , L-1426-09.

Though the lawyer’s chats with town officials did not flout OPMA, Meloni held the town did violate the law by advertising a public meeting in 2007 for 7 p.m. but starting it 40 minutes earlier.

He also ruled that the Open Public Records Act did not allow Haddon to charge $5 for a CD with an audio recording of a public meeting, rather than the actual cost of 88 cents.

The plaintiff, Haddon resident Thomas Cassel, came across the references to Klineburger’s meetings with commissioners in billing records he obtained through an OPRA request.

The invoices, covering January through June 2008, contained five entries reflecting meetings attended by Klineburger, Mayor Randall Teague and Commissioner Paul Dougherty.

As the town has three commissioners, including the mayor, only two are needed for a quorum. And if they discuss municipal business, it becomes a public meeting subject to OPMA, which requires prior public notice and official minutes.

So reasoned Cassel when he filed an OPRA request on Feb. 6, asking for notices, agendas, minutes and related papers for the five dates, as well as resolutions that might have authorized a closed meeting or executive session.

Haddon Clerk Denise Adams sought advice from Klineburger on how to respond. His Feb. 18 letter in reply said, “during said consultative meetings, I would meet with either one or both of the [commissioners] with regard to potential, pending or ongoing litigation.”

No official documents of those “consultative” meetings were created, he wrote, only his “own personal notes” that were not turned over to the town as public records. Those notes were prepared in anticipation of litigation and are considered privileged work product under OPRA, which in any event does not deem advisory, consultative or deliberative material to be a public record, wrote Klineburger.

Cassel relied on that letter and the invoices when he sued.

During a hearing on July 2, Klineburger blamed the software.

He explained he had recently become solicitor and, to get up to speed, was spending a lot of time at the municipal building reviewing thousands of documents turned over by his predecessor, Timothy Higgins. During that process, he had brief conversations with the mayor or a commissioner but never more than one at a time unless they were eating lunch or talking about the Phillies or other unofficial topics, he testified.

He was going over multiple matters in a single hour but the program would lump everything together as Haddon Township time, creating the impression of a quorum in talks on town matters, he claimed.

That was a viable explanation to Meloni, who also found sufficient Klineburger’s explanation that when he wrote to Adams, he thought he was dealing with an OPRA request for minutes and not with whether a public meeting occurred.

Klineburger, of Klineburger & Nussey in Haddonfield, says he cannot recall the name of the billing program that created the confusing invoices but it was installed 12 years ago, when the firm was still using a DOS version of Word Perfect.

He says he notified the town when the problem became apparent, before Cassel’s request, and the firm is now using Timeslips billing software.

“No one got overcharged, no one got ripped off, there were no secret meetings,” emphasizes Klineburger.

He declines comment on the other issues in the case — the public meeting held earlier than the notice said and the ordinance setting a $5 charge for CDs — because those public actions predated his appointment as solicitor.

Haddon’s lawyer in the case, Robert Baxter, of Wardell Craig Annin & Baxter in Haddonfield, did not return a call.

Cassel’s lawyer, Oxford solo Walter Luers, says, “we believe based on evidence that meetings took place and that minutes of the meetings should have been maintained.”

He calls the decision “very frustrating” because “at trial, [Klineburger] said when we said ‘meetings’ we didn’t mean meetings, we meant something else and the judge bought that.”

Luers is pleased with the other part of Meloni’s decision concerning the cost of CDs and the violation of OPMA by holding a meeting earlier than stated in the notice to the public.

New state law

there’s a new state law (NJSA 39:4-77.1) that makes it against the law to drive with snow on your car, with fines from $25-$75.

Haddon Twp Phillies Night

 

Watch the World Series on the Recchino Turf Field!

Share this memorable Phillies event with hundreds of your neighbors and friends!!

Large 30 foot Screen
Free Admission
Refreshments available
 
Wednesday, October 28
Pre-Game Festivities begin at 7:00 PM
Bring Blankets and Lawn Chairs

Sponsored by
Mayor Randy Teague
Commissioner Paul Dougherty
Commissioner John C. Foley
 

Police Ask for Help in Luring Incident

Haddon Township Police are asking the public for information about an attempted luring incident that reportedly occurred last Sun., Oct. 4.

Police report that on Sunday at about 6:15 p.m., the police received a report of an attempted luring that occurred in the 200 block of Strawbridge Avenue in the Westmont section.
A gray or brown minivan type vehicle, possibly a Honda Odyssey, approached two juvenile females. The van was reportedly occupied by white males in their early twenties. The driver was wearing a green hat, may have had facial stubble, and had brown hair.
The front seat passenger was said to have darker colored hair.
The investigation revealed that the van pulled up near the two juveniles and one of the occupants told them to get in. The van then pulled away, approached a second group of juvenile females further down the block and told them to get in the vehicle.
The van then approached the original pair of females from the opposite direction, opened a door, and one of the occupants said, “I said, get in.”
The van then left the area towards Haddon Avenue and was not seen again.
Anyone having additional information about this incident is requested to contact the Haddon Township Police Department Detective Bureau at 854-1176 ext. 4135.

Haddon Twp. OKs bond

from the Courier Post

HADDON TWP. — Haddon Township approved an additional $3 million to purchase two properties for the planned redevelopment of the Dy-Dee tract.

During a Tuesday night meeting, commissioners unanimously voted to grant final approval to an ordinance authorizing the township to issue up to $3 million in bonds for the purchase of the last two properties needed for the redevelopment of the 8-acre site.

That’s how much the Haddon Avenue properties — an office building owned by Joseph Sulock and operated by his son and daughter and a parking lot — are expected to cost, Mayor Randall Teague said at the meeting.

The township has already spent $5 million, bonded during the previous administration, to purchase properties needed to make way for the mixed-use development.

Under an agreement between the township and Fieldstone Associates, the site’s redeveloper, Fieldstone eventually is to pay the township for the purchase of any properties in the redevelopment zone that envelops the site. So far, the company has paid only the interest due on the bonds, Teague said. The rest of the money is due when ownership of the properties is transferred to Fieldstone, Teague said.

Resident Tom Cassel questioned whether the township should spend a combined $8 million on the project and risk losing the money if the developer pulls out of the deal.

Teague said Fieldstone has no intention of pulling out of the project, but even if that were to happen, the township could still sell the site to a different developer. Even if the township were to sell the site to a different developer for less than $8 million, the township would still ultimately gain by having the site redeveloped, Teague said.

Teague did not discuss the purchase price for the two properties because a sales agreement had not yet been signed.

Last month, the township agreed to pay nearly $1 million for the two-story office building as part of the settlement of a lawsuit filed by Sulock several years ago. The lawsuit contended township officials had erred when they declared the building was blighted and thus could be acquired by eminent domain, or a court-ordered sale.

Fieldstone plans to build Towne Center at Haddon, a transit village development with more than 200 homes and retail space on an 8-acre site. The redevelopment zone includes the former site of the Dy-Dee Wash diaper laundry, which was demolished more than a year ago, along with several nearby properties.

The project is considered a transit village because of its proximity to mass transit, including the local PATCO station.

The redevelopment proposal ran into opposition from several property owners when it was first proposed in 2002 because, under New Jersey law, municipalities can use eminent domain to acquire properties in a redevelopment zone.

Over the years, many of the opponents agreed to sell, clearing the biggest hurdle for a redevelopment that is expected to revitalize the Westmont shopping district

Meeting Recordings Coming in Haddonfield, Like It or Not

Although this is not Haddon Twp it certainly is along our discussions for taping the meetings.

 

Members of the Haddonfield Civic Association (HCA) have announced plans this week to start video recording the town’s school board meetings. The school board members, while not thrilled with the idea, said at their meeting last Thursday that they know the organization’s plan is moving forward. Board president Steve Weinstein said that they had wanted to discuss the Civic Association’s recording plans with them. Unfortunately, the Civic Association’s meeting night coincided with the board meeting. Civic Association vice president Bill Tourtellotte said that the organization has been moving forward with video plans over the summer. This summer, HCA began recording meetings of the Haddonfield Board of Commissioners and making them available for viewing over the Internet on their website, haddonfieldcivic.com. Weinstein told his board that whether they like the concept or not, the board can’t stop the recording. New Jersey case law makes it clear that governing bodies, like school boards and municipal commissions and councils, can’t prohibit the public from recording meetings. In a 2007 case, Tarus v. Pine Hill, the NJ Supreme Court held that “subject to reasonable restrictions,” the public has a right to videotape meetings in New Jersey. And “although some citizens may be fearful of video cameras, we find that consideration insufficient to deny the right to videotape. Further, no right of privacy protects a citizen’s public comments.” Weinstein noted, though, that the court also found that the public’s right to videotape meetings is neither absolute nor unqualified. That means that a public body, like the school board can impose reasonable guidelines. Such guidelines can include restrictions on the number and positioning of cameras, lighting, and the location of the person operating the equipment. They can also include restrictions designed to control noise levels and prevent damage to public facilities. Several board members, like Drew Hansen, said they were uncomfortable with the idea that students could come to meetings and end up on public recordings. Unfortunately, said Weinstein, he has checked with the board’s solicitor. If students come to a board meeting and speak their minds, it’s public. The board already has a policy (Bylaw #168) about recordings that specifies that they must be unobtrusive and not distract others from proceedings. Another concern, said board member Cheryl Laney, is that cameras might encourage grandstanding, allowing individuals to use the public venue to promote ideas and impress others. Weinstein said under the board bylaws, the organization would have to provide the board with advance notice of its plans. He could also contemplate some kind of notice to the public about the taping at the beginning of each meeting. For the organization, Tourtellotte said that HCA’s core mission is to make people more aware of what’s going on in the community. As the video recording project is still in its development stages, he believes HCA’s taping and Internet strategies will need some tweaking. Long-term, he knows that while public bodies won’t initially be comfortable with taping, they will “come to trust it.” About recording children who might speak up at meetings – as they regularly do at borough commission meetings – HCA doesn’t want an “adversarial relationship,” noted Tourtellotte. Personally, he said he shared the school board members’ concerns about identifying children in recordings. As a group, he believes HCA is open to suggestions. Members of the public at last Thursday’s meeting seemed to like the recording idea. Resident Rhonda Ellis noted that the board has been working hard for the past two years at better public outreach. Viewing meetings over the Internet could be a boon to many people who are too busy to attend. “People want to know what’s going on,” she said. – Copyright 2009 The Retrospect

Converted fullback leads Haddon Township

With his starting fullback sitting on the bench, injured, Haddon Township football coach Nelson Epley had no idea how a converted guard would do at the position against host Overbrook yesterday in a Colonial Conference interdivisional opener for both teams.

However, 5-foot-9, 219-pound Vince Sampoli eased into Mike McGee’s bulldozer role with the ease of an eager demolition worker. In a debut worthy of a scrapbook, Sampoli, a senior captain who had never played in the backfield, rushed 25 times for 169 yards and a touchdown to lead the Hawks to a 27-14 win over Overbrook.

“They switched me at the second practice to fullback, and it worked out, I guess,” Sampoli said. “It’s all about the offensive line. We have big boys on our line, and they got me holes and I ran through them.”

Overbrook coach Mitch Brown knew that his defense and offense would have to handle bigger boys up front to get results, so he hoped that team speed would carry thze day.

It didn’t.

“We tried to get outside from the get-go, but they handled us up front,” Brown said. “They were quicker and stronger than us, and that’s not a good combination.”

Haddon Township (1-0 overall, 1-0 Patriot Division) jumped out to a 14-0 first-period lead on a pair of 1-yard touchdown bursts by senior quarterback Matt Donaldson, another player who has switched positions.

“Matt played wideout last year and was always in our defensive secondary, and this is his first year running the show back there,” Epley said. “We’re ecstatic with his management of the game.”

Donaldson completed 2 of 7 passes for 17 yards and threw two interceptions, proving that as long as the line opens holes for the backs, the running game will be key for a while.

The Hawks also fumbled twice for a total of four turnovers. However, the Rams (0-1, 0-1 Liberty) weren’t able to capitalize.

Their first score came in the second period on a picture-perfect pass by junior quarterback Dan Wilson to sophomore running back Deandra Dredden, whose arms were outstretched in the left corner of the end zone when he caught the ball a step ahead of a defender in hot pursuit.

The touchdown and Wilson’s extra point made the score 21-7 with 35 seconds remaining in the first half.

About a minute earlier, Doug Groff (13 carries for 68 yards) gave the Hawks their third touchdown on a 3-yard run.

Sampoli opened the third quarter with a 2-yard blast for a touchdown to give his team a 27-7 lead.

“That felt awesome,” Sampoli said. “That was my first touchdown.”

But Overbrook wasn’t through.

Switching to quarterback, Dredden pitched the ball left to sophomore running back Russell Forcion, who raced three yards for the score with 13 seconds left in the game.

Brown acknowledged that Dredden, who also had an interception, and his brother, Devon Dredden, are assets that can help the team win in the future.

Meanwhile, Sampoli was thinking ahead, too.

“We came into this game with a playoff mentality,” Sampoli said. “We have tough games on our schedule. We have to start off the season 3-0.

“We’re going to the playoffs this year.”

Deletions and Blocks

I knew I would get criticism for what I did and don’t have a problem with it. The purpose of this blog is bring up facts for discussion. I have had this blog for many months now and only blocked one person before for constantly doing the “copy and paste”. I’ve allowed insults, lies, accusations and bashing. This got out of hand!!!!

People actually come to this blog for information. Information from both sides! Unfortunately, many times it gets sidetracked and that’s the nature of a blog. Opposing sides viewing what they feel is right.

I will reinstate all that are in “timeout” as one person said. Repetition and profanity will be deleted and if continued that person will be blocked.

No more separating for recycling

In an effort to reduce our carbon footprint and cut collection costs, Haddon Township will go to “single stream” with ZERO SORT® RECYCLING beginning September 1st, 2009.

What is “single stream” recycling?
Single stream recycling is the collection of mixed paper and commingle recyclables in one container. A “single stream” program integrates the separation and collection components of recycling; all recyclable materials, except for organics, are collected in one “stream.”

How does “single stream” recycling reduce our town’s carbon footprint and save money?
Because single stream allows for the collection of recyclables in one vehicle, instead of two, less fossil fuels are utilized for collection. Less fossil fuels, less vehicles, and less manpower needed for the recycling collection significantly reduces the cost of collection. Additionally, “single-stream” recycling will save valuable tax dollars on “cost avoidance.” Studies have found that “single –stream” recycling increases participation rates an average of 15% to 17%; therefore, more material recycled means less money “avoided” on landfill fees.

How does single stream affect how I put out my recycling?
Single stream allows residents to put all their recyclables into one container. Haddon Township residents may place all of their recycling into the large red container for pickup.

What if I still sort my recycling into two containers?
Residents who choose to continue to sort recyclables, will still have their recyclables picked up at the curb. Single stream recycling refers only to the process by which recyclable materials are collected.

What is Zero-Sort® recycling?
Zero-Sort® recycling is only the fancy name given to the “single stream” process by Casella, the company which handles our recyclable material!

Learn more
For more information about the “single stream” process go to www.casella.com or view “Recycling Gets Easy” below by clicking on the arrow.

South Jersey cops to target crosswalk violators

From the Courier Post

While this is not in Haddon Twp (yet) all drivers should be aware.

CHERRY HILL — Motorists found out the hard way Thursday that the man in jeans and a gray short-sleeve shirt walking back and forth across Chapel Avenue was no regular pedestrian.

It was undercover Cherry Hill police officer Ronald Harrison and he was targeting drivers who broke the state’s crosswalk law by not yielding as he crossed the street

Thursday’s scene across from Cherry Hill High School West is set to play out across South Jersey in the upcoming weeks as part of a “Cops in the Crosswalks” initiative aimed at bringing attention to the state’s deadly roadways.

Motorists who don’t yield are faced with a $100 fine, plus court costs and fees and two points on their driving record. Cherry Hill Police Chief Charlie Jones said the undercover operations will be carried out Monday to Sept. 13. Burlington City, Collingswood, Pennsauken and Rowan University police also are participating in the tri-county area.

“It is time for our crosswalks in New Jersey to be safety zones, not war zones,” said Division of Highway Traffic Safety Director Pam Fischer at a news conference Thursday announcing the initiative.

By Wednesday, 103 pedestrians had been killed on roads across the state, compared to 79 pedestrians at that time last year. By year’s end in 2008 the total was 138, down from 150 in 2007 and 164 in 2006.

 “We’re committed to reversing this troubling trend,” Fischer said of the increase in deaths so far this year. 

 At Thursday’s sting, Harrison waited on the sidewalk and then entered the crosswalk as a car approached. Drivers that maneuvered around him without stopping were flagged down farther down the road and given a warning or ticket.

In about a half hour, a dozen cars were pulled over, sometimes as many as three at a time.

Thursday’s operation angered area resident Edward Grabosky, who said his father was given a fine.

“It just seems harsh to me,” he said. “It just seems that they are stopping people for no reason at all.”

Motorists are required to yield to pedestrians as soon as they place one foot into a crosswalk, Fisher said.

Police officers will also be on the lookout for jaywalkers and pedestrians who cross unsafely, she said.

Diana Lagarez clutched her 4-year-old daughter Charlize’s hand as they crossed Haddon Avenue in Collingswood Thursday afternoon.

Lagarez, of Collingswood, said the busy roadway is worst during the weekdays as motorists are hurrying to work.

On the weekends, traffic is slower and crossing the street is easier.

“Overall I don’t think it’s too bad,” she said.

Jennifer Buzzelli, also of Collingswood, said she uses precaution when crossing streets in the downtown area.

“The majority of people do slow down and stop but you have to inch your way out and then step,” she said.

Through the initiative, which started in North Jersey last year, 17 police agencies in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland and Gloucester counties will receive a $4,000 federal grant for the increased enforcement.

Jones said there have been two pedestrian fatalities this year.

Cherry Hill Mayor Bernie Platt called the deaths “unacceptable.”

“The fact that we have been faced with multiple incidents involving pedestrians means we need to take serious action,” he said.

Police officers will also be on the lookout for jaywalkers and pedestrians who cross unsafely, she said

Diana Lagarez clutched her 4-year-old daughter Charlize’s hand as they crossed Haddon Avenue in Collingswood Thursday afternoon

Lagarez, of Collingswood, said the busy roadway is worst during the weekdays as motorists are hurrying to work.

On the weekends, traffic is slower and crossing the street is easier.

“Overall I don’t think it’s too bad,” she said.

Jennifer Buzzelli, also of Collingswood, said she uses precaution when crossing streets in the downtown area.

“The majority of people do slow down and stop but you have to inch your way out and then step,” she said.

Through the initiative, which started in North Jersey last year, 17 police agencies in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland and Gloucester counties will receive a $4,000 federal grant for the increased enforcement.

Jones said there have been two pedestrian fatalities this year.

Cherry Hill Mayor Bernie Platt called the deaths “unacceptable.”

“The fact that we have been faced with multiple incidents involving pedestrians means we need to take serious action,” he said

Haddon Twp. to acquire last site for town project

HADDON TWP. — Haddon Township has agreed to pay nearly $1 million for the last property standing in the way of a planned redevelopment project in the downtown shopping district.

“That’s dramatically higher than anything the township ever offered before,” Allen Ettish, an attorney for the property’s owner, said Monday. Initial offers for the Haddon Avenue office building — owned by Joseph Sulock and operated by his son and daughter — fell in the $300,000s and $400,000s, Ettish said.

Township commissioners approved the sale Thursday in settling a lawsuit filed by Sulock several years ago. The lawsuit contended township officials had erred when they declared the two-story brick building was blighted and thus could be acquired by eminent domain, or a court-ordered sale.

The building, which now stands alone in the 200 block of Haddon Avenue, houses an insurance agency and an environmental company run by Sulock’s children, David Sulock and Cathy Sulock Ricciardi.

Mayor Randall Teague acknowledged the township is paying a “premium” price for the site, but said it was worth it to move on with the project, which was first proposed in May 2002.

“I’ll be relieved when both parties sign the agreement,” he said Monday, noting the lawsuit had been costly for both sides.

Under an agreement between the township and Fieldstone Associates, the site’s redeveloper, Fieldstone eventually is to pay back the township for the purchase of any properties in the redevelopment zone.

Fieldstone plans to build Towne Center at Haddon, a transit village development with more than 200 homes and retail space on an 8-acre site. The redevelopment zone includes the former site of the Dy-Dee Wash diaper laundry, which was demolished more than a year ago, along with several nearby properties.

The project is considered a transit village because of its proximity to mass transit, including the local PATCO station.

The redevelopment proposal ran into opposition from several property owners when it was proposed in 2002 because, under New Jersey law, municipalities can use eminent domain to acquire properties in a redevelopment zone.

Over the years, many of the opponents agreed to sell.

The Sulocks said they finally dropped their fight due to the weak economy, mounting legal costs and family concerns. “We have tried everything in our power to have our property excluded from (the redevelopment zone),” the family said in a statement.

Ettish said appraisals for the property had ranged from around $375,000 to $700,000 at the peak of the real estate boom.

“This has not been about the money,” the attorney said. “The Sulocks did a very honorable job of fighting against eminent domain.”

He said the Sulocks’ businesses are to remain in the building for eight months to a year, or until the redevelopment project has municipal approvals needed to proceed

Elevator Snafu Hinders HTAA Clubhouse Progress

Taken from the Retrospect

The Haddon Township Athletic Association (HTAA) clubhouse has been a long time coming and now a wheelchair lift that does not meet code could stall progress.

Haddon Township construction code official Ed Toussaint confirmed this week that a lift ordered by HTAA has been rejected by the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for not meeting building code requirements. In total, the DCA has denied HTAA three times.
HTAA President Bob Davy could not be reached for comment this week.
Toussaint explained the process. When HTAA submitted plans for the clubhouse an elevator shaft was included. Sometime after the groundbreaking in October 2007, HTAA’s architect submitted detailed plans for the elevator shaft to the DCA. Haddon Township’s construction office does not have overview because they do not employ an elevator subcode official.
In October 2008, Toussaint said, Haddon Township’s construction office received written notice that HTAA’s submitted plans for a wheelchair lift had been denied because building codes call for an elevator. HTAA appealed the decision.
In March, the construction office received notice from the DCA of another denial. The same code calling for an elevator, instead of an open wheelchair lift, was cited in the denial plus a new reason. Wheelchair lifts by code are only permitted to travel up to 144 inches; the HTAA lift would travel 160 inches.
At some point, Toussaint said, the builder of the HTAA clubhouse ordered the wheelchair lift. As a result HTAA appealed the DCA decision pleading hardship. On July 20, the DCA denied the hardship appeal.
HTAA then filed an appeal with the Camden County Board of Appeals. On Monday, Toussaint said, the township submitted the necessary paperwork for the board of appeals to review. A hearing date has not been set as of press time.
Toussaint said that light use limited ability (LULA) elevator would be allowed at the clubhouse.
Regarding a temporary certificate of occupancy to allow some use of the clubhouse, particularly the bathrooms, Toussaint is not sure that will be practical. To issue a CO the building should be handicap accessible, which is the chief obstacle the contractors face. Beyond that “there’s an extensive list of items to be done,” he said. From a practical point of view, Toussaint said, getting a temporary CO would mean the clubhouse was essentially ready for a regular CO.

Full Backpacks for kids

Shannon is a graduate of Haddon Twp and does this every year. Hopefully she will able to reach her goal.

Dear Friends and Family,

It is that time of year again that children are getting ready for their next big school year.  Every year there are children in our area that are unable to start the school year with the proper supplies.  Once again this year my agency, Family Service is running a back pack drive to help these desperate families.  I am able to see first hand the positive effects that new school supplies and a new backpack have on a child’s education.  This year more then ever families do not have the money to pay for the supplies that their children need.  For example, I am working with nine year old Sebastian who lives in a motel with his mother and 15 year old brother.  Sebastian’s mother has put in several applications for work but has not had any luck.  Without the back pack drive Sebastian and his brother would not be prepared for the upcoming school year.  When a mother has a choice between feeding her children for the week or school supplies you can guess that she is going to opt to feed the children.  This might appear to be an extreme case however with the economy the way that it has been cases like this are coming to our agency more and more frequently.

 Last year my friends and family were overwhelmingly supportive.  I am asking for your help once again this year.  I have a goal of 100 filled backpacks between myself, my friend and family.  I am so excited to see the results. I have already purchased 19 backpacks with the help of used printer cartridges.  I am asking all of you to help me out if you are able.

 If you would like to help me meet this goal, there are a variety of ways you can.  The first would be filling a brand-new backpack with school supplies of your choice.  Another option is to purchase school supplies that can be put into already-donated backpacks.  Thirdly, for those of you who really want to help but aren’t sure you’ll have the time to shop, a monetary donation would be just as useful.  (I will be the one purchasing those supplies.)  Lastly, if you or the company you work for have any used printer cartridges, I am able to trade them in for cash to be used to buy supplies as well. I receive $ 3.00 in school supplies for every used printer cartridge.

 I am more than willing to pick any of these things up, or they can be dropped off to me at my apartment.  On a side note, all donations are tax deductible

Thank you to those of you who have helped tremendously already.

 With appreciation for all of your support,

Shannon Burke

rjclap@hotmail.com

2-Alarm Fire Destroys Haddon Township Home

HADDON TOWNSHIP (CBS 3) ―

 

Firefighters rushed to the scene of a two-alarm house fire in Camden County Sunday night. Firefighters rushed to the scene of a two-alarm house fire in Camden County Sunday night.

The fire was reported at 205 Emerald Avenue in Haddon Township at about 7 p.m. The family was able to flee from the home, as the firefighters worked to control the blaze.

The blaze reportedly started on the second floor of the home, and the residents told police they had no idea how it happened.

The fire was put under control quickly and now authorities are trying to determine the cause.

Parking Tickets

Jen-

 I understand the Haddon Twp police department issues 130+ overnight parking tickets last night….

 I find this odd, and I find the fact no press reported it completely irresponsible….

Thought you would want to know….

 In light of the new ordinance I thought this email I rec’d might be of interest.

Commissioner’s Meeting 6/23

Unfortunately I was not able to attend so Tom has put some information together.

Just a note which I’m sure most of you have heard. Gary Papa, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson have passed away.

 

Commissioner Dougherty was not at the meeting.  All votes were made by Mayor Teague and Commissioner Foley.

 

At the meeting, there were 5 ordinances up for vote.

 

1235 – Water shut off fees.  This was tabled and will be reintroduced at the next meeting

 

1238 – Overnight parking – The Retrospect wrote a comprehensive article about this. http://tinyurl.com/nhw5wp

  

1239 – Alcoholic Beverages – Hours of operation – They extended the hours on Sundays for allow for our liquor stores to compete with the neighboring towns.

 

1240/1 – Capital improvement authorizations – The authorized $3,000,000 in capital improvements including new bonds to be issued

 

1242 – Salary ordinance – They gave 3.5% raises to the non union employees.  I stood up and well as another citizen stating that in this current environment, we should not be provided raises unless they are merit based

 

All of these ordinances passed unanimously. 

 

Two new ordinances were introduced

 

1243 – Special emergency appropriation – Property Revaluation Project – this is an ordinance to appropriate $530,000 to pay for a complete revaluation of the town’s real estate tax assessed values.  

 

1244 – Amending Chapter 111 – Fees – Water and Sewer Connections – They are proposing yet another increase in fees.  The increases look like they are generally about 10% except that they have over doubled the fees for new construction water and sewer connections. 

 

Relating to resolutions they hired 3 new township employees.  Interestingly, two of these people are people close to the commissioners.  One is the son of one of their contributors and supporters.  The other was a person who worked heavily on their campaign.  That person is going to work for DPW.  This was done even after George Purkins stood up last week and asked why they had bypassed a Military Veteran with a plumbing certification who has all the skills required to work in the Water and Sewer Department and that certification takes substantial effort to obtain.

 

There were a number of other contract related items also approved. 

 

Relating to the contracts for Edison Woods Drainage Improvements, the solicitor read a statement which stated that the bidding process could be construed as flawed and they will be rejecting all bids and asking for new ones.  This occurred after the 2nd lowest bidder challenged the lowest bidder. 

 

They also talked about liquor licences.  They renewed all of the licences except one.  Also Rexy’s will be transferring its license to a new owner and there is a special meeting on July 7th at 4PM to discuss that.  They also stated that there are 3 “pocket” or inactive licences including the one owned by Joanna Pang.

 

I brought up a couple of issues during the public portion.  One related to the Bird Sanctuary situation.  They removed the deed restriction on it but didn’t vote on any of the other related transactions including the land donation.  They clarified that this lifting of the deed restriction would only be signed in connection with the remainder of the transaction.

 

I also brought up the fact that NJ OPMA law required that the minutes of their meetings be release prior to the next meeting.  I agreed to send them the case law on this and asked if they would look into it.  They agreed.  Currently, minute meeting are not made available until 2 meetings after the meeting.  This is clearly a violation of the law.  Here is the link I sent them.  http://njopengovt.blogspot.com/2009/06/new-jersey-cases-regarding-prompt.html

 

Mary Burko asked about when we would see construction at Dydee and the Mayor said it was still a while off because of the environmental clean up.  I asked whether they could get Fieldstone to put all their new plans up on the web which they had promised to do at the last planning board meeting.   

 

 

  

Caucus Meeting 6/16/09

I was not able to attend so Tom sent me the update.

First, the town has been successful in its lawsuit for the Westmont Theatre.  The Commissioners discussed notifying the redevelopers who submitted proposals for an update from them.  They did not come to any resolution on that the plan is because this only occurred today.  More to follow

There will be 5 ordinances brought up next week. 

They have not finalized the water sewer shut off fee ordinance.  They are still waiting for NJ American rates to use as a guide for ours.

There is an ordinance to establish tighter overnight parking regulations.  There will be a $50/year fee for a permit. 
http://www.haddontwp.com/pdf/ordinances/1238PermitParking.pdf

There are 2 capital expenditure appropriates bills. 

They are making changes to the Salary Ordinance. 

There was a fair amount of discussion around the East Oakland Ave. property swap.  The mayor made a major statement that they needed to get this done quickly and didn’t want to go through eminent domain for the sewer easement they needed in connection with the Bettlewood project.  That is why the worked through the trade.  They will be acting on it shortly.  During the public portion, I suggested that they consider whether it makes sense to vacate the paper street (it was never build) which runs through the land while they are doing this to preserve the land indefinitely.  Also, I asked if a Phase 1 environmental assessment was done prior to taking title on the land.  One has not been done.  I also asked if it made more sense for the County to take the land and annex it onto the Newton Lake park which it abuts.

Powerful storm leaves minor damage behind

From the Courier Post

There was no time to count Mississippis during a thunderstorm that wreaked havoc on South Jersey Tuesday morning.

 Power outages, downed trees and instant flooding plagued the area as the isolated storm quickly passed through. 

“It sounded like thunder on top of thunder,” said Amanda DiCostanzo, 29, of Westmont. “The rain was coming in sideways, so that’s when I closed the windows and stepped out front to see the tree down.”

DiCostanzo and her neighbor, Bob Schmidt, 47, were shocked to see not only one large tree rip up the sidewalk in front of their houses, but two more trees fall in their backyards, causing damage to both roofs.

“It was wild,” said Schmidt, a retired police officer. “It was like a big wall of water and wind that came through.”

PSE&G crews and tree service workers were working feverishly to clear trees from houses and restore electricity in the tri-county area. About 1,000 PSE&G customers in Camden County and 350 in Burlington County were without power Tuesday, according to PSE&G officials. Schmidt and his neighbors on Memorial Avenue were told they had to wait at least 24 hours before they can turn the lights and air conditioning back on.

“I’ll have to watch the Phillies game out somewhere tonight,” DiCostanzo said. “I’m just glad nobody got hurt.”

Flooding became a major problem as rain rapidly saturated the region.

“We did have a right lane closed on Route 42 northbound for flooding between Gloucester and Washington townships this morning but not for too long, about a half hour or so,” said Tim Greeley, spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Transportation. “There were some backups due to the location, but we were able to reopen the lane in a timely manner.”

In Collingswood, a power outage kept the lights out at the intersection of Haddon and Collings avenues.

“We were chasing downed trees and flooding,” said Chief Thomas Garrity Jr. of the Collingswood Police Department. “We lost power for over an hour, but there was nothing major. We did have a lightning strike on a house on West Browning Road that the fire department checked out, but nobody was hurt.”

Another storm system was taunting the area by late afternoon Tuesday with the threat of bringing another major thunderstorm.

Today, there is a slight chance of scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms, said Valerie Meola, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Westampton.

“It clears out for Wednesday with some showers Wednesday night into Thursday,” she said. “There’s a chance of showers or thunderstorms the rest of the week, but the weekend looks clear.”

Haddon Township seemed to take the brunt of the storm as police responded to numerous reports of trees that had fallen down or into houses and electrical lines that caused power outages.

“We had an elevator rescue at Wachovia Bank because the power was cut down in the area for safety,” said Chief Mark Cavallo of the Haddon Township Police Department. “We also had stranded cars and flooded roadways.”

An arcing, fiery power line detoured traffic along Kings Highway in Haddonfield.

Schools were closed early due to flooding and power outages in Haddon Township and Camden. Students received cold lunches and were dismissed by 1 p.m.

“We had sewer line back ups because of flooding,” said Bart Leff, spokesman for Camden schools. “We should be on a regular schedule tomorrow.”

There was no major damage reported in Gloucester County, according to officials.

“We had some flooding throughout the county, but it drained away,” said Ken Shuttleworth, spokesman for Camden County. “Our 911 dispatch fielded over 500 calls during a 65-minute period, mainly related to the weather. The volume of calls was high, but they handled them.”

Burlington County reported only minor damage, including fallen tree branches and a few electrical wires.

LONEGAN STANDS UP FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS

from PolitickerNJ.com

Hadden Twp, NJ – Conservative Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Lonegan held a press conference today to discuss the unconstitutionality of eminent domain. Lonegan stood at a privately owned insurance company surrounded by abandoned lots as he blasted Trenton bureaucrats for having too much control over private property rights.

“There is more eminent domain abuse in New Jersey than any other state in the nation,” Lonegan said. “The lawmakers in Trenton think that they have a better idea how to manage your private property than you do. The American people understand what private property rights mean and we are no longer willing to put up with our rights being taken from us.”

Lonegan spoke at David Sulock and Cathy Riccardi’s insurance business that is surrounded by the empty remains of lots already taken by the city. The business is getting pressured by the city to move so it can build a retail center and restaurant.

Lonegan has a proven record of fighting eminent domain. In 2004, Lonegan fought a similar battle as Mayor, placing an eminent domain question on the ballot. Big developers came into Bogota to campaign against it and in a 2-1 Democrat town the question passed by 95%. The people of Bogota made it very clear that they deserve to have complete control of their personal property. The people of New Jersey are long overdue a governor who has a proven track record of fighting eminent domain and who will continue fight it in Trenton and that man is Steve Lonegan.

“37 states in the country have controlled eminent domain abuse,” Lonegan added. “The people of New Jersey have not been given the right to vote and Bogota is the only Borough where each resident has the right to private property. The amount of control that the government has over individual rights is alarming. As governor, I will fight eminent domain abuse and turn New Jersey around.”

Tom Cassel – court case for open government

Below is Tom’s input from the continuing court case. Hoping that all comments related to the case will go here.