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Bellmawr Council meetings will soon be streamed, Councilman Jim D’Angelo announced on November 19, 2018 at the monthly meeting.
“At Caucus, we approved a Resolution to go live-stream for our meetings,” D’Angelo said. “The first week of December, the company comes in and they are going to wire [the] room for cameras and microphones and whatever else they say we need.”
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D’Angelo said it is still undecided if the meetings will go live and then archived on the Borough website or on YouTube. Or, if the meetings will be first recorded and then uploaded online. In the event someone says something “off color,” then that section could be deleted with the video still being uploaded online, he said. “We hope to have it up and running by Re-organization.”
[Editor’s Note: On November 26, 2018, we emailed Borough Clerk, Frani Wright, to ask about the Resolution that concerns live-streaming the meetings, since it was not listed on the November 8, 2018 Caucus agenda. Ms. Wright replied right away and confirmed: “This Resolution was added under New Business by Councilman Jim D’Angelo.”]
D’Angelo also gave an update on the ex-soccer coach who pleaded guilty to theft in 2015. He said that the Borough has been collecting on the money that was stolen from the soccer league.
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“Someone … wanted to come and start a soccer league. Over the course of time, we realized that this person was questionable and eventually cost the borough about $5,000 because the money suddenly disappeared. We’re still collecting on that. The way probation works, it doesn’t matter how much you pay. It could take you 50 years, as long as you send something, there is nothing we can do… We just collected another $150. I think we’re close to being finished. I think we are finally at the point where we have our money recovered. I am going to make sure we get every nickel that she owes…”
Councilman Jamie Casey spoke about the rodent issue that was brought to Council’s attention last month. “The Borough has been in contact with the Camden County Board of Health and we are working on a corrective action plan for it,” he said. “The code official, Jim Burleigh, is going to be doing property inspections for the area in concern. Violations will be given out, if there are any. Any extermination would be at the homeowner’s expense. We are not allowed to actually do that… by law.”
He also said that the town’s extermination company is out in the area and baited the sewer. “This is a State program paid for by the State,” he said.
There will also be a public information meeting in mid-December to provide an update on this matter.
Casey said the Requests for Proposals (RFPs) were recently published for professional services. Bids will be opened on December 21 at 10:00 a.m. at Borough Hall.
Councilman Steve Hagerty said that Bellmawr’s Annual toy drive — Bellmawr Believes is now underway. There are 21 boxes located throughout town for anyone who would like to donate any unwrapped gifts. The boxes will be picked up on December 14 and wrapping will be done on December 19.
In other matters, Hagerty said there were 86 fire calls and 242 EMS calls.
The Annual Fire Christmas Parade is Sunday, December 2 starting at 6:00 p.m. at the Fire Department at 32 Lewis Avenue. The parade will then proceed down West Browning Road, make a left onto Ivy Ridge Road and then turn left onto Creek Road and will conclude at the Bellmawr Recreation Center with Santa Claus lighting the tree.
Councilman Paul DeAngelis said everything is going well with the court system. “We took in roughly $45,000 and [approximately] $19,000 was given back to the Borough,” he said.
Councilman Ray Bider gave a report about the Borough’s Best Practices Worksheet and said that the Borough scored an 84% and will receive 100% State aid with no penalty.
This meeting marked Councilman Steve Sauter’s last public meeting prior to retiring.
“It has been my extreme honor to serve as a member of this council for the last 18 years. I’ve always strived to uphold my oath of office and never wavered,” he said.
Mayor Frank Filipek was absent from the meeting due to a recent hospitalization.
During the public portion, there was discussion about the recent changes made to the town’s recycling program.
Updated information will be included in the 2019 calendar and refrigerator magnets are being printed for residents.
In the meantime, residents are encouraged to download the Recycle Coach app or visit the Recycle Coach web app online for more information.
All business on the meeting agenda was approved. Councilman Steve Sauter abstained from those invoices that pertain to monthly pest control.
To view the agenda and all supporting Resolutions, click the image below:
Video of Council’s Committee Reports: