Council Minutes
June 22, 2017
The regular meeting of the Mayor and Council was held on the above date.
Steven Hagerty, President of Council read the following announcement: On January 19, 2017 notice of this meeting was e-mailed to the Courier Post Newspaper and duly posted on the bulletin board of the Municipal Building. All requirements of the open public meetings act have been met in compliance with the Sunshine Law.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00PM by President of Council, Steven Hagerty with the salute to the flag.
Members of Council attending the meeting: Mr. Sandrock, Mr. Casey, Mr. D’Angelo, Mr. Sauter, Mr. Hagerty, Mr. Bider, Charles J. Sauter, III- Borough Clerk, Robert L. Messick- Solicitor, Joshua T. Tregear- Borough Administrator in attendance.
Prior to the regular meeting President of Council, Steven Hagerty made the following Presentations:
Presentation to Joseph Siefert being recognized for the Bellmawr Fire Department’s Annual Fire Safety Poster Contest.
Presentation of Proclamation to Corporal John Mader and Patrolman Kevin Lokaj.
Presentation of Certificate to Bellmawr Purple Eagles Cheerleading.
Ceremonial Swearing in of Mark D. DeBerardinis, Class II Special Officer who was appointed to that position effective August 15, 2016.
At this time, President of Council, Steven Hagerty reverted to New Business.
Resolution: #06:136-17 APPOINTMENT OF PATROLMAN FOR THE BELLMAWR POLICE DEPARTMENT. (ANDREW J. THOMAS)
Moved by Mr. D’Angelo, seconded by Mr. Sandrock. All voted in favor.
RESOLUTION: #06:136-17 APPOINTMENT OF PATROLMAN FOR THE BELLMAWR POLICE DEPARTMENT. (JOHN L. READER, IV)
Moved by Mr. Sauter, seconded by Mr. Bider. All voted in favor.
At this time Chief William Walsh made the following statement:
I just would like to congratulate officers Mader and Lokaj for the job they did it was excellent police work and to our new officers congratulations and keep safe. I would like to thank the Mayor and Council for the support as they have always been very supportive of the Police Department and our equipment as they always take care of what we need.
Communications:
Mayor Filipek and Members of Council received a thank you letter from Father Piotr, Pastor, Saint Joachim Parish thanking them for everything the Borough of Bellmawr did to help with their Parish Carnival last month, Father conveys his deepest gratitude and appreciation to the Borough of Bellmawr.
Mr. Sandrock- Thank you Steve, first I would like to congratulate the Police Officers, Bellmawr Police have done an excellent job for many years and will continue under the leadership of Bill Walsh. All of our Officers dedicate their time and do a fantastic job for our citizens. I would like to congratulate the recent graduates from Bell Oaks School and I wish them the best. And also the Organizations that have succeeded completing there year at volunteering, the Parents at closing out the seasons, softball, baseball, tee-ball. Some Organizations are still going on with there Championships and I wish them well it has been a fantastic season and the weather has been cooperating immensely. Our vacant property in the Municipality in 2016 we had 181 vacant and in 2017 we are down to 91 vacant a 49% drop and year to date in 2017 we have 69 vacant down 24% from January 17th and overall 61% from 2016. In 2016 under the Boroughs Vacant Property Registration enforcement we collected $118,568.00. That was something that was an absolute blessing for our Municipality because what we did was put money in our surplus and allows us a way not to increase the tax for the local portion that we did. Year to date we collected $154,000.00 an this is something that does not go unnoticed because the fact that our Borough Employees they go out there and cut the grass to these properties and maintain them. So the individuals who are not keeping up with there properties various banks and residents are the factors there and we have increased the revenue coming into the Municipality because of our Ordinances we were able to establish requirements and raise the costs which will push them to do the work and maintain the properties in a more effective manner. Again thanks go out to the employees here that do a terrific job. I would like to thank them, this is all I have.
Mr. Casey- To add onto what Paul was saying there is one person I would really like to thank, someone that works for us and that is Jim Burleigh, thanks Jim nice job the way you crack down on them and to make them comply with the Ordinances it is well appreciated good job. I would also like to welcome the new Officers on board I love the way Chief Walsh starts out like a Cadet program he brings them in as Special II’s they come get acquainted with how Bellmawr does things and it is smooth transition to becoming an Officer, fine job how you do that. Just to touch on a couple of things, we did have graduation on Tuesday for Bell Oaks at Triton High School, it was a little different it was in the Auditorium and it was very nice I know a few people were nervous about it being moved out of Bellmawr to Triton but I must say it was a very nice ceremony and everything went well, I would love to see it outside but it is what it is. As you will see throughout the summer the Municipal Building will get a little more of a facelift now that we start summer hours and guys will be in here painting the hallway. That’s all I have.
Mr. D’Angelo- Thanks Steve, being with the Recreation Department we deal with kids mostly so I would like to congratulate all the kids, primarily the Cheerleaders and especially the young man who won the poster contest, listen I have been here a little while and I never seen anyone so excited in all my life to receive an award, if that don’t make your day nobody will, actually I was thrilled for that kid, he made my day. Congratulations to all the Police Officers you are one professional outfit let me tell you I’m overly impressed. Back at the Recreation Department we are doing the fields to get them straightened out and keep them good. We are into the Property Management business now as we take care of all the abandoned properties cut the grass, trim trees and everything we are supposed to do. The playground at the Rec Center we are still waiting for the County to advise us if we received the Grants or not, we will not proceed until we receive the check or Grant approval. Anderson Avenue we originally put up a new fence and we are going to begin the redevelopment of Anderson Avenue and we would like the School District to let the Bell Oaks Girls Softball team to play on there again and turn it into their field again but that is a decision that has to be made by the School District it is out of our hands. The Recreation Center was vandalized and people broke in and nothing was stolen, some minor damage, we are working on getting more cameras. And finally an important thing the Summer Program kicks off on Monday and Orientation is tomorrow, the kids working with the Rec Dept., Public Works or the Schools will be working 7:00AM to 11:00AM and if they are working the summer camp that starts on Monday will be working from 9:00AM to 1:00PM and the program ends on July 27th and we have 58 young men and women who signed up. That’s all I have.
Mr. Sauter- Thank you Steve, I would also like to Congratulate and thank Corporal John Mader and Patrolman Lokaj for a fantastic job policing it is just so impressive these guys everyday they never surprise us and everyday do a fantastic job. I would also like to congratulate Mark DeBerardinis for Special Class II Officer he has been doing a fantastic job for a year and we finally got to the public ceremonial swearing in for him and congratulate Patrolman Andrew Thomas and John Reader for being appointed tonight and as Jim said the award for little Joseph Siefert it made my day as much as his, and the Purple Eagles Cheerleaders, fantastic job, thanks goes out to their staff and all of their families. Under Public Works all of our road projects are going smoothly and on time within budget and no major problems, thank God and I am sure everyone is aware we had the issue that was on the news with the CCMUA problem in Chews Landing, Gloucester Township. I see our Superintendent Mr. George Rennles is here tonight, thank you George for jumping right on that and securing our Plant on Creek Road was supplied with a back up generator, he was right on the horn with the County, with the people from the CCMUA and assuring that will not happen to Bellmawr. That’s all I have.
Mr. Hagerty- I too would like to congratulate Bill and the Officers that were sworn in this evening, they have a great Department down there and I see first handed every week down there talking to Bill and the professionalism that goes on down there so congratulations Chief. Earlier in the month our emergency management officials that is Police, Fire and EMS all attended a seminar in the Industrial Park facility to exercise if anything ever happened there the Police, Fire and EMS to impact the facility and have a better understanding the ins and outs of what goes on there. We had two of our EMT’s save a life in Runnemede and were honored by Runnemede’s Council last month. Leidy Shicay and Rodney Griffith great job by them actually saving someone’s life. Also our Fire Department was awarded a Citation of Merit Certificate issued by the Governor’s Occupational Safety and Health Awards Program this program recognizes that the Fire Department has taken corrective steps to maintain a quality safety and health program for its members they follow national standards with regards to standard operating procedures, annual physicals, training, along with an aggressive drug and alcohol testing programs. These procedures ensure the safety of the members and reduce liability to the Borough and while insuring the Department is ready for the next emergency, we would like to congratulate Jim and all the volunteers of the Department involved for passing their tests and physicals. There were 91 fire calls for the month of May; they are all working very hard. One main thing that is going to take affect is our Annual 4th of July Parade, I have been working closely with Chief Walsh, Fire Chief Burleigh, the State Department D.O.T., to move the parade route to get out of the construction zone due to many safety issues which is a total mess out there, so for the safety of everyone involved we are going to start at the Bell Oaks school parking lot to Browning Road to Borough Hall. The Fire Department will still do their ceremony at the Cemetery head to Bell Road and parade will follow them to Borough Hall. The Baby Parade will be same place the Municipal parking lot by Fire Hall and the bicycle Parade is usually at Annunciation parking lot but this year we will do both here, 9AM Baby, 10AM Bicycle. It is just for this year and we will evaluate next year and see how the project is going. We know it is a little hectic as people like where they watch the parade but we have to make sure everyone is safe and no one gets hurt. We would like to thank Joe Ciano, as Ray stated we received funds from Shop Rite for the bus and Joe orchestrated with Holcomb Bus for the purchase.
Mr. Bider- Just a quick eco what all the prior Councilman have said and Bill it is under your leadership of the Police force it is what it is in town and again thank you for what you have done for many, many years more than we can count. What I would like to do I have a couple of things I would like to say, first under VFW if anyone has the opportunity on June 28th try to go to Knights Park in Collingswood at 7:00PM it is the US Army Band composed of 100 Musicians and Singers from Patriotic themes to music from the past and present. I think that it is an excellent evening bring a chair or blanket it is free and I think not only for Veterans but kids and adults alike. Paul Sandrock brought up a pretty good idea I thought for Veterans to have a drop box mailbox for old flags, not many people know where to put them and unfortunately to many are being thrown away so we are working right now to find either a mailbox in a central location or two locations where residents can drop off their old flags rather than trashing them and we can do the proper ceremony to dispose of them. The park if you have noticed on Creek Road the Borough workers have been working pretty hard to get that finished. In the far back directly across from Larc School will be the Memorial/Monument for all wars. If any of you have any pictures of a memorial you would like to kind of use as an example. We are looking at several options right now but it will be all wars it will involve the flag and emblems but any help the Residents could provide would be helpful. The National V.F.W. and National American Legion have sent photos of some recommendations and a couple of people in town have sent me things so in the next two weeks we are going to try and finalize what type of Memorial we are doing. As far as Finance you will see in the Resolutions tonight under Chapter 159 two sums of money that have come in $23,578.64- Cleans Community Grant and $6,000.00 from Shop Rite towards new shuttle bus for residents and especially the Senior’s. The funds received are greatly appreciated from both. There will also be a drop box outside of the Borough Hall so people can pay their tax, water and sewer bills ect after hours to make things a little more accessible for our Residents. And lastly, the Audit is being completed by next week at that point a report will be given to the Finance Committee sent to the State and will be put on Bellmawr.com and we will go over with the public if there are any questions and any recommendations the Auditor may have. If you noticed in the newspaper we advertized the tax sale online this year for delinquent properties. Just to give you a summary for taxes, water, sewer, & CCMUA we collected a $166,223.00 all done through the online bidding procedure and worked tremendously. That’s all.