Letters to the Editor

Mayor: Moorestown Positioned Well for Future

As he approaches the end of his term, Mayor John Button looks back over how far the township's come the last four years and the "bright future" ahead.

To the editor: As 2012 draws to a close and my term on town council reaches an end, I’d like to share a final township update with you that will summarize our journey over the past four years and let you know where we are as we approach 2013, with a bright future ahead of us. When my colleagues, Greg Gallo, Michael Testa and I took office, the economy was changing rapidly and we encountered a budget deficit approaching $4 million. Understanding there were going to be significant challenges attributable to the changing economy and previous operating decisions, we embarked on a quest to understand the issues at a root level, so we could make fact-based decisions that would best serve our residents. The initial challenge was to resolve the …

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Letters to the Editor

Letter: Moorestown Mayor on 'State of Our Community'

Mayor John Button weighs in on a plethora of township issues, ranging from incoming ratables and reassessment to Open Space and the upcoming election.

To the editor: As we enter October, with less than a month until the upcoming election, I wanted to share another township update that, hopefully, will be helpful in understanding what lies ahead for council in 2013 and beyond. In essence, here is a consolidated view of the “state of our community” at this time: Savings, Ratables, Revenue First and foremost, let’s look at our financial health and the tax outlook going forward. It should be noted that Moorestown’s tax rate is low relative to comparable towns in New Jersey. Over the last four years, Greg Gallo, Michael Testa and I have worked hard—with our council colleagues—to instill spending discipline in our town, reducing expenses, with minimal impact on services and, thus, minimizing …

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MtownLifer

11:09 pm on Monday, October 15, 2012

C) is incorrect. First, the 'party' had no influence on J & C.s vote, and second J & C voted for turf bonding to prevent the raiding of the OS Fund (only needed 3 votes), something you should be thankful for, and not judgmental of.   more ›

Swede Run Barn Restoration Takes Hit

Supporters found out recently they won't be able to use money from Moorestown's Open Space Trust Fund to help pay down the project debt—but the township still might be able to lend a hand.

Efforts to expedite the restoration of the Swede Run Barn took a hit recently after supporters learned they couldn’t use township funds to pay off the project’s debt. Julie Maravich, one of the project organizers, said supporters raised roughly $19,000, but still owe $12,000 on work that’s already been completed, plus another $4,000-$5,000 to put in new doors and door jambs to finish the restoration. Organizers had sought assistance from the township, in the form of a possible dispensation from the Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund. But according to township manager Scott Carew, the township can’t spend that money on the work already completed because it exceeds the $17,500 bid threshold, and the workers…

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Letters to the Editor

Letter: With STEM Lawsuit Over, Back to Preserving Open Spaces

Kathy Huffman, president of Save the Environment of Moorestown, says it's time to get back to the business of taking car of Moorestown's open spaces.

To the editor: As the current president of STEM (Save The Environment of Moorestown), I want to thank everyone who spoke up, put signs out, beat the bushes, etc. to help save the Open Space Trust Fund. One thing I would like to make clear is that STEM was never opposed to improving athletic fields. Our children deserve good fields and lighting. They are our most precious resource. They are our future. We were opposed only to the proposed source of funding—the Open Space Fund. That said, I hope we can all get back to continuing to make Moorestown a special place. I do want to publicly thank all the STEM Steering Committee members who were courageous enough to take the initiative to file the lawsuit that helped us accomplish this change of …

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Open Space Lawsuit Dropped, But Questions Linger

Members of STEM withdrew their lawsuit against the township after council voted to bond for improvements to Wesley Bishop rather than use money from the Open Space Trust Fund.

Open space supporters have dropped their lawsuit against the township after council walked back its decision to use the Open Space Trust Fund for field improvements. Elizabeth Endres, a member of STEM (Save The Environment of Moorestown), said the organization contacted attorney Jeffrey Baron last Tuesday—the day after council voted to rescind a resolution to use $1.5 million from the Trust Fund for improvements to Wesley Bishop North—and asked him to withdraw STEM’s lawsuit against the township. On Monday, Mayor John Button confirmed the lawsuit had been withdrawn, saying, “It’s good. We’re moving forward with things that have been outstanding.” Council voted to bond for the Wesley Bishop North project the same night it rescinded the use …

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MotownFan

4:24 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Not getting mine... and neither is Mark Hines   more ›

What You Missed From This Week's Council/BOE Meetings

Moorestown council got a lot done this week, including approval of two park projects (without using any Open Space money), and provided an update on reassessment.

For those who couldn’t make it to Monday night’s particularly eventful township council meeting, there were a few interesting items that didn’t make it into a full story, but were nonetheless noteworthy. Here are a few leftover tidbits from the meeting: Township council will hold its next regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 24, in the IT room at Moorestown High School. ____________________ In addition to selecting a new board member and hiring a new principal, the Moorestown Board of Education this week also adopted (on first reading) a new policy allowing students to use their personal technology—smartphones, iPads, etc.—in the classroom. "The basic idea is, this is how our students are learning these days—why not take advantage of…

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What You Need to Know for Tonight's Council Meeting

Moorestown council could resolve five major issues tonight, including the scope of liquor licenses and improvements to Wesley Bishop North.

Tonight’s council meeting looks to be a memorable one, with the possible resolution of five major projects/initiatives on the docket. The following is a sampling of what’s on the agenda: The council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the IT room at Moorestown High School. Check out the above attached PDF to see the full meeting agenda.

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Under the Radar

What Makes Victoria Run

Patch columnist Marsia Mason sits down for a conversation with Moorestown Republican candidate Victoria Napolitano.

The only positive thing that can be said about the ongoing battle to turf the town is the fact that this has NOT been a partisan fight, Democrats against Republicans, but a tussle between citizens for how they think the Open Space funds should be used. In this insanely polarized world we now live in, how refreshing to know Mo’town is bucking that trend. To be sure, both sides of the argument are angry and absolutely positive they're right and the other side is wrong, but it is not a donkey/elephant thing. Into this fray comes a sweet young lass by the name of Victoria Napolitano, a Republican candidate for town council who, at 24 years old, believes she has what it takes to make this town a better place. I don’t know whether to laugh or …

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Letters to the Editor

Democrats: Kudos to Council, But Leave Trust Fund Alone

The Democratic candidates for Moorestown council give credit to the current council for bonding the Wesley Bishop project, and ask that they fund it without using Open Space dollars.

To the editor: We are thrilled that the Moorestown council has reversed course, and is now supporting the action we proposed in our July 30 letter to the editor on funding the field improvements at Wesley Bishop North Park.  In our letter, we advocated paying for this project through the fiscally responsible process of bonding, and not by taking the entire amount from the Open Space Trust Fund. Last night, the council voted 5–0 to move this project forward by approving, on first reading, the bond ordinance. The community has come together admirably and found significant sources of alternative funding, including sponsorships, which will significantly reduce the burden on the taxpayers. We applaud this action. The funding for the debt …

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