Moorestown Council To Cast Final Vote On Proposed Budget Monday

MOORESTOWN, NJ — A public hearing and final vote on the proposed $26,202,000 budget that includes a 2.48 percent tax rate increase will take place at the Moorestown Council meeting Monday night.

Moorestown Council will meet on Monday night, July 8, 7:30 p.m. The official action meeting will be preceded by a closed session meeting in which council will discuss affordable housing issues. The closed session begins at 6:30 p.m.

The budget was introduced at the June 10 meeting after a series of budget discussions in which council worked on cutting the proposed tax rate increase in half. Read more here: Moorestown Council Introduces Budget With Tax Rate Increase

Due to discussions over the tax increase and debate about whether there should be an increase or if the township should use its surplus to help keep taxes flat, the budget was introduced later than usual. Thus, the township will adopt the budget without state review. It is permitted to do so because it is on sound financial footing.

The state allows municipalities to adopt its budget without a state review twice in a three-year period as long as they are on sound financial footing. In the third year, these municipalities then must adhere to a state review of the introduced budget to ensure the municipalities have been complying with strict state requirements that ensure sound budgeting.

In years in which state review is not required, council must pass a resolution stating the budget complies with statutory requirements. Such a resolution will be considered Monday night.

The resolution confirms that with reference to the following items, the amounts have been calculated pursuant to law and appropriated as such in the budget:

• Payment of interest and debt redemption charges;
• Deferred charges and statutory expenditures;
• Cash deficit of preceding year;
• Reserve for uncollected taxes;
• Other reserves and non-disbursement items; and
• Any inclusions of amounts required for school purposes.

It also confirms that pursuant to the Local Budget Law:

• All estimates of revenue are reasonable, accurate, and correctly stated;
• Items of appropriation are properly set forth; and
• In itemization, form, arrangement, and content the budget will permit the exercise of the comptroller function within the municipality.

There will also be a public hearing and final vote on the obligatory proposed ordinance on introduction to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and establish a cap bank.

It is done so municipalities can adopt a budget that contains an appropriation increase that exceeds the 2.5 percent appropriation cap (but only up to a maximum of 3.5 percent); or "bank" for future use, the extent to which their actual budget appropriation increases are less than 3.5 percent.

Moorestown's proposed budget will include a 1.95 percent appropriation increase, which is about $1.4 million less than if the increase had been 3.5 percent, according to the resolution on the township's website. This ordinance will allow the approximately $1.4 million difference to be "banked" so it can be used if needed in future years. The practice is recognized by rating agencies as being a best practice and helps to preserve the bond rating.

There will also be a public hearing and final vote to modify part of its transient vendor policy. The proposal put the head of a food truck in charge of background checks for every member of their truck for a one-time event.

Under this proposal, the owner/operator of each vendor would still be required to file an application to receive a permit and obtain a background check conducted by the police department.

However, the owner/operator would, in turn, be required to conduct the background check (the same background check utilized by the police department) of employees working the event and certify that the background checks will be available on the day of the event for inspection.

The owner/operator would also be required to certify that no employees with criminal backgrounds would be permitted to work the event without prior notification to the police department and its approval. Read more here: Council Moves On Changes For 1-Day Transient Vendor Permits

Two weeks after a superior court judge ruled that Pennrose couldn’t move forward with its affordable housing proposal off Route 38, Moorestown Council will introduce a proposed ordinance to establish new zoning for the former Miles Technology Site at the corner of Route 38 and Pleasant Valley Avenue.

The site would also be a 76-unit development, with 75 units set aside for affordable housing, much like the Pennrose site. The development would help the township meet its obligations under an agreement reached with the Fair Share Housing Center. Read more here: Pennrose Can’t Proceed With Housing Project In Moorestown: Judge

Council will also consider a proposed ordinance on introduction to set aside $550,000 and borrow $285,000 in bonds or notes to advance Phase II of the repaving project on Borton’s Landing Road, from Hartford Road to Creek Road.

Finally, council will introduce a proposed ordinance that makes it clear that the governing body can make exceptions by resolution to an existing ordinance that otherwise generally prohibits alcohol on township property.

In the past, a resolution made such an exception for alcohol with respect to the Autumn in Moorestown event though the existing ordinance does not expressly allow for exceptions to be made by resolution. The ordinance is considered a codification and recognition of past practice.

There are also two items on the consent agenda. One calls for the approval of a liquor license for Harvest Moorestown, LLC, at the Moorestown Mall.

The other awards a $125,196 contract to Medio Construction for the installation of ADA compliant curb ramps at various intersections. Specifically, improvements would be for curb cuts and improvements making sidewalks more usable for citizens with disabilities.

The project is being advanced separately from other road work as there is a September deadline for completion of construction that must be met to receive Community Development Block Grant funding which partially funds the project.

The township said competition for the project was significant with six bidders, and a good price for the project was obtained.

To view the full agenda, visit the agenda center on the township’s website.