Politics & Government

Five Things You Need to Know ... July 23 Council Meeting

A quick-hit look at five things that happened at Monday night's Gloucester Township Council meeting.

Here are five things Gloucester Township Patch thinks you not only should know, but need to know about Monday night's Township Council meeting.

1. Council unanimously approved a resolution recommending the "GEMS Landfill Redevelopment Plan" to the Township Planning Board for review and recommendations.

The township is moving forward with a plan to have a private developer install solar panels on the Gloucester Environmental Management Services, or GEMS, Superfund site. The site is located at Hickstown and Erial roads in the township's Erial section.

Find out what's happening in Gloucester Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

2. Council will no longer have to approve raffle and bingo licenses. The governing body unanimously approved on second reading an ordinance that places that power in the hands of the Township Clerk's Office.

The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General's Division of Consumer Affairs determined this authority could be granted to municipal clerks. Mayor David Mayer and Council agreed with "this more efficient manner" of granting the gaming licenses, according to the ordinance.

Find out what's happening in Gloucester Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

3. Scott Owens, a recent appointee of Mayor David Mayer to the Township Planning Board, made the case for Councilman Dan Hutchison's proposed pay-to-pay ordinance, which focuses on super PACs, during Monday's meeting.

He also was critical of a competing ordinance proposed by conservative watchdog group South Jersey Citizens, claiming it would force campaign donations from clandestine sources.

The mayor's appointments of Owens, Antonio Guevara, Michael Jones and Josephine Costa to the planning board for three-and-a-half year terms, through Dec. 31, 2015, were announced at Council's July 9 meeting.

Sandra Shinn was appointed an alternate to the planning board through the end of 2013.

The terms for all five new planning board members began July 1.

4. Council gave the go-ahead for Pettit Associates, of Sewell, to begin architectural design and to prepare construction bid specifications and contracts for renovations at the complex.

The project, which officials estimate will cost a total of $687,900, includes work on both the township-owned complex's clubhouse and the grounds, specifically drainage improvements.

Pettit Associates is charging the township $14,600 for the work it will conduct in advance of the physical project.

Council also gave Remington & Vernick, of Haddonfield, approval to bill the township an additional $6,784 for a project that will result in the repair of a washed-out portion of the Blackwood bike path.

The engineering firm attributed the increase to the newly found need for a flood hazard area permit required by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

"This is the result of our field investigations and changes in New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's requirements," a letter from Remington & Vernick engineer John Cantwell to Township Business Administrator Tom Cardis states.

The firm required an additional $6,034 for work related to obtaining the permit, which Remington & Vernick anticipates will cost $750, bringing the project's total estimated cost to $86,084.

5. Council approved two resolutions relating to the Gloucester Township Green Team as part of its consent agenda.

With the first resolution, the governing body reaffirmed the role and objective of the Green Team, which was established two years ago to lead the municipality into Sustainable Jersey's certification program.

With the second resolution, Council approved the Green Team's action plan, which outlines ways to achieve energy and environmental sustainability.

Township officials, including Green Team leader Councilwoman Michelle Gentek, assured a handful of concerned residents during Monday's meeting that Sustainable Jersey is not part of Agenda 21, which some conservative activists have labeled a United Nations global conspiracy to deprive residents of property rights.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here