At the Monday, Dec. 11, Moorestown Township council meeting passed three resolutions related to affordable housing expenses.
Moorestown Township Council convened in Town Hall on Monday, Dec. 11 to discuss a light agenda. With no ordinances up for discussion, council passed a handful of resolutions and looked toward the year ahead as they discussed upcoming committee vacancies.
The official action portion of Monday’s meeting saw no ordinances up for first or second reading, with council instead passing three resolutions related to affordable housing legal expenses.
Following the Council On Affordable Housing’s disbanding, towns have to petition the court for approval of their affordable housing plans. Developers and other interested parties can intervene on these proceedings through declaratory judgment actions. In 2005, Moorestown filed a declaratory judgment action with the superior court of Burlington County. Since then, Fair Share Housing Center became an intervenor, or a defendant in that case, with the number of units Moorestown will be required to provide to meet their affordable housing obligation in dispute.
Under COAH’s current regulations, municipalities are permitted to use 20 percent of the funds in a municipal housing trust for administrative costs including consulting fees.
Council authorized approximately $21,000 from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund for consulting services. According to the resolution, council appointed Clarke Caton Hintz in January to serve as the township’s affordable housing consultant, and the $21,000 represents fees from August through October.
Additionally, council authorized approximately $49,000 from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund for the law firm Capehart Scatchard’s consulting services. On Jan. 3, the township appointed Anthony T. Drollas, Jr. of Capehart Scatchard as the township attorney for 2017. The $49,000 encompasses fees for services completed from Aug. 1 through Nov. 30.
Council also unanimously authorized approximately $2,000 from the fund for special court master services. In November 2015, the Superior Court appointed Elizabeth McKenzie as special court master for Moorestown. The $2,000 represents fees for her services from Aug. 1 through Oct. 31.
In other news:
• During the workshop portion of Monday’s meeting, council set the date for their upcoming reorganization meeting. Council decided they will meet on Monday, Jan. 8. Traditionally, council selects who will serve as mayor and deputy mayor for the upcoming year during this meeting.
While on the subject of reorganization, council also informed those in attendance there were openings on township committees and strongly encouraged those interested in volunteering to apply.
“There are upward of 27 vacancies,” Mayor Manuel Delgado said.
• The next meeting of Moorestown Township Council will be a special meeting on Friday, Dec. 22 at 8:30 a.m. in Council Chambers. The only agenda item up for discussion will be the authorization of an application for a community development block grant.
