The 2011 Cherry Hill Fire District budget, totaling $24,867,285, passed 1026–695, according to unofficial results.
Of the total budget, $21,269,685 will be raised through taxes, according to local officials. This represents a 2.5-cent increase over last year’s tax rate, which equates to a $2.91 monthly increase, approximately $35 annually, for the average home valued at $140,000 in Cherry Hill.
The budget as presented to the voters is within the 2-percent cap that was enacted by the State Legislature.
In other results, incumbents Robert Campagna and Joyce Alexander Walker retained their seats against challengers Daniel Loveland, Sr. and Robert Segrest. Campagna led with 896 votes, followed by Walker with 805 votes. Loveland received 602 votes and Segrest 593.
“I look forward to continuing to serve on the Cherry Hill Board of Fire Commissioners,” Walker said. “This year will be a challenge to monitor and control costs while providing the level of emergency service required by the residents and businesses of Cherry Hill.
We will continue to implement the 140 cost saving solutions developed by fire department members.”
Walker also noted that the department received a federal grant for new breathing apparatus for firefighters, and the board reviewing the technology available to get the best value from the new equipment.
“We will continue our program to install smoke detectors and batteries in the homes of our senior citizens,” Walker said. “This program is critical to the safety of our seniors.”
“I look forward to working with the development of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) which is being implemented at Central Command on Marlkrees Road. It a project headed by the Fire Chief and Chief of Police to coordinate the efficient use of the resources of Fire, Police, Township and Schools during emergencies. Fire personnel provided the labor to complete the EOC, which greatly reduced its cost. It was pressed into service in our last major snowstorm.”
