Paul DeAngelis Appointed to Bellmawr Redevelopment Agency; Named Vice-Chairman

At the August 20, 2018 Bellmawr Redevelopment Agency meeting, Councilman Paul DeAngelis was appointed as Commissioner and Vice Chairman. DeAngelis replaces Councilman Ray Bider who resigned as of May 24, 2018 for “personal reasons.”

Commissioners Nick Kappatos, Paul Medany, and Tom Whitman were absent from the meeting.

Chairman and Mayor, Frank Filipek, made a statement regarding the BDA: “I am happy with the Authority… Also, Mayor and Council have the final say in anything that we work together with. And I want to make sure that it’s not a one-way trip. We sit together and put it together … the right way so everything goes the way it should. It’s not one person making the decisions. It’s a team that makes the decisions and that means that the Authority can go over things, but everything has to go through Mayor and Council before anything can be finally approved.”

During the public portion, Councilman Jamie Casey stated: “I see that you’re going through the professional consultant contracts. I don’t remember that ever going through Council.”

Agency Solicitor Michael McKenna responded: “I can tell you that has been upon the table.”

Casey replied: “It has been tabled, but it’s never gone through Council.”

McKenna stated: “The reason is that it’s been on the table is to give Council the opportunity for input. I personally discussed it with you by telling you that the appointments have been made five months ago. I was starting to get legally antsy. But, this is what perfects that which has already been done. Some of these folks are working already.”

Casey said: “I can say that at caucus we’ve never talked about this.”

McKenna replied: “I can say that I have talked about it.”

Casey stated: “It’s never been voted on as far as with us. That’s my portion.”

Councilman Jim D’Angelo asked: “When the time comes to take a vote to take over the ground from the developer…Does this committee/commission have the authority to make that move without going through council first?

Filipek responded: No.

D’Angelo replied: “In order for us to take over that ground, it has to go through Council before a vote…A question came up that the [BDA] could have the authority to override Council when it comes to the final decision when it comes to taking over that ground.

Solicitor McKenna stated: “Actually, it doesn’t matter the order, but it doesn’t work until both sign. For the reasons we have discussed many times, you all have to be a party and you have to agree on all the terms of the contracts.”

There was an Executive Session for the purpose of contract negotiations in the redevelopment.

To view the meeting agenda and supporting Resolutions, click below. Both Resolutions on the agenda were approved.