Paper Street Proposal Tabled; Special Meeting, Reorganization Dates Set In Moorestown

Moorestown, NJ -- Moorestown Council has delayed making its final decision on a paper street that has caused real life controversy in the township on Monday night.

During the workshop portion of Monday night's meeting, Mayor Phil Garwood suggested tabling the proposed ordinance that would vacate a portion of Tiver Avenue.

Garwood cited a resident who spoke on the proposed ordinance's introduction at the Nov. 28 meeting, suggesting the township look at other uses for the area. Garwood suggested the township take extra time to do so.

The proposed ordinance was then tabled during the regular action meeting.

Tiver Avenue is strip of land, known as a “paper street” located off Madeira Court, around the corner from South Valley Elementary School. It has been owned by the township for over 30 years.

If the township vacates the land, it will be up to the residents who live near it to maintain it.

When the measure was introduced at the Nov. 28 meeting, a group of residents voiced concerns that the land was being made available to the residents to make it easier for incoming councilman Mike Locatell to build on his property.

Five properties surround the land and would be impacted by the decision. One property belongs to the township, but the others belong to township residents, including Locatell, who was elected to council on Nov. 8 and will be sworn into office in January.

Locatell said it was his neighbor who brought the idea to the township. He’s dealing with falling trees and other issues, according to Locatell. Vacating the land would give him the ability to deal with those issues.

Township Manager Scott Carew also said the issue was introduced by Locatell’s neighbor. He also said it would benefit the township to not own the land, as it would eliminate a liability risk.

The measure was approved on introduction with a 4-1 vote. Democrat Lisa Petriello cast the dissenting vote.

During the workshop portion of the Dec. 12 meeting, a special meeting date of Dec. 22 was set to discuss awarding a bid for a new Department of Public Works truck.

One of the department's trucks was damaged during a recent fire, and the township must replace it. With one truck already out of commission, the department's fleet is reduced from five trucks to three as winter approaches.

Bids for the truck will be unsealed on Dec. 21, according to Chief Financial Officer Tom Merchel. He said that by approving the bid the following day, the truck might be available by January as opposed to February. The special meeting to do so is set for Thursday, Dec. 22, 8:30 a.m. at town hall.

Council also set Tuesday night, Jan. 3, 2017, as the date for the township's reorganization meeting. The meeting, in which council will appoint a new mayor, will begin at 7 p.m. at town hall.