Discussions over a petition to disband the Tabernacle Fire District took a step forward at the township committee meeting on Jan. 27. It just may not have been as big a step as some residents were hoping.
Mayor Joseph Barton appointed a subcommittee to further look into the validity of concerns raised in the petition and to share that information with the rest of the township committee.
“I am appointing a subcommittee made up of Committeewoman Kim Brown and Deputy Mayor Stephen Lee to take the time and resources necessary to get all the facts and information, then present that information back to the committee,” Barton said. “I’m sure they’ll do a good job in calling whoever they feel necessary to interview and getting the information they require. So that one day, we can put this on the agenda and make an intelligent decision about the petition that is before us.”
At the committee’s regular meeting held Nov. 25, Tabernacle resident Sean Vena presented township clerk LaShawn Barber with a petition to dissolve the fire district and place the responsibility for managing township fire services back in the hands of the township. The Tabernacle Fire District is a taxing agency in the township that receives 6.5 cents per $100 of assessed value of Tabernacle properties. The district is governed by five elected commissioners, who are not paid for their service. They oversee a budget of approximately $543,000.
Resident Fran Brooks questioned the committee on what information they still needed to see before making a decision.
“I can speak for myself, not the entire committee, but we know what the budget is for the fire district, what the cost is. For myself, I’d like to see costs for similar towns that have districts, for similar towns that don’t have districts. Is it a good value, is it not a good value?” Barton said. “The subcommittee will do whatever job they need to. They’ll talk to whatever professionals they need, to bring back a report, and we’ll meet as a committee and make a decision based on more information.”
Barton confirmed the validity of the petition despite Brooks raising concerns about some incomplete signatures or signatures that were not dated. Both the clerk and township’s counselor certified the petition as something on which the township should act.
Jim Jones, a resident and someone who signed the petition, asked the committee to certainly take time for due diligence but also hoped it would come to a decision sooner rather than later.
Township solicitor Peter Lange confirmed that the township is not bound by any specific timeline legally, but that the committee’s expectation is to act in a “couple to a few months.”
In other news:
• Township administrator Doug Cramer recognized the public works department’s efforts in snow removal but said improved snow removal depends on residents.
“We ask for the cooperation of our residents in our efforts to keep roads clear and not to throw snow from the end of driveways into the street. Throw it onto the shoulder. It’d be a great help to us. We thank everyone for their anticipated cooperation,” Cramer said.
• The committee approved parade permits for the South Jersey Enduro Riders, Inc. and the Pine Barons Clock Run to hold events March 23 and April 6, respectively.
• The township has a work session meeting scheduled for Monday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. and a regular meeting scheduled for Monday, Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. Both meetings will take place at town hall.
