Committee discusses anticipated plans for 2019
Further discussion of potential rotaries and the budget will take place at the work session meeting on March 11.
At this week’s committee meeting, topics were discussed that will be added to the work session meeting on March 11.
Committeeman Stephen Lee suggested an update on potential rotaries to be implemented outside of town hall at the intersection of Carranza Road and Chatsworth Road, along with outside of Seneca High School.
Lee stated that when he was mayor in 2013, he met with members of the Lenape Regional High School District and the Burlington County engineering office to put together a study for that intersection, although nothing further came of the study. He also mentioned Mayor Joseph Barton and Township Administrator Doug Cramer met with officials last year regarding the rotary, but again nothing further came of it.
Lee said he would like to hear further updates on where they are in the process and planning of the rotaries and he would like residents to be informed as well.
Barton said the county currently does have a plan for the rotary outside of town hall that is anticipated to be funded through the county, and the rotary outside of Seneca is anticipated to be funded through federal funds.
Barton said that at the time he and Cramer met with officials, the freeholder board did not commit to a timeframe, and now that there is a change on the board they will have to revisit it.
Ultimately, the committee will add this to its overall 2019 agenda and will follow up on this when there are updates.
In addition to rotaries, the committee also discussed the game plan for the budget this year.
Chief Financial Officer Rodney Haines said he anticipates receiving state aid numbers in March, therefore they can ideally review the budget line by line at the work session meeting where the public can make comments, and officially introduce the budget at the regular meeting on March 25.
Haines suggested the committee be on board with the budget prior to its introduction, therefore it will reduce the time it takes to adopt the budget. He said if the committee decides to alter the budget post-introduction, it will have to re-advertise the budget and it will delay the process by a month.
During public comment, Jason Litowitz commented on the contract between the township and the rescue squad. Litowitz commended Committeeman Samuel Moore for his involvement in getting the contract resolved in a timely manner.
“I am actually quite happy with what’s in there. I think it does recognize the value and quality of service that the rescue squad provides,” Litowitz said.
As an extension of that, he cautioned the committee on what it does with the information it receives from the rescue squad and fire company. He stated they previously published the full roster of the rescue squad and fire company and that it increases the risk of malicious actors.
Litowitz suggested the township not overtly publish names, but rather keep the information private unless someone were to submit an open records request.
“To put it out there like that, I think it’s irresponsible, and I’d urge you to not do it that way again in the future,” Litowitz said.
The next committee meeting will be held on March 25 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.
