Mt. Laurel scored 90 percent on the state’s annual Best Practice questionnaire, which ensures it will not see a loss in state aid for the upcoming fiscal year.
The state created the Best Practices checklist in an effort to improve transparency and accountability at all government levels. The checklist acts as a tool for municipal officials to use so can they can better operate local government.
Many factors determine a township’s ability to qualify, township clerk Meredith Tomczyk said. Mt. Laurel benefitted from having a shared services agreement with other municipalities as well as partaking in the state health benefits program. Municipalities scoring below 80 percent receive cuts in state aid.
Tomczyk said the main contributing factor for the township not having a perfect score was the fact it had not revised the township’s master plan in seven years. The required time is every 10 years.
The checklist allowed towns to indicate items that were “not applicable” and to provide explanations to certain questions where simple “yes” or “no” responses did not allow for appropriate review of the survey. Also, towns were advised they could respond “yes” to a question if they planned to implement the practice within the next year.
In other news:
• The council presented a proclamation declaring Oct. 20–26 Friends of the Library week in Mt. Laurel.
“One of the things that makes Mt. Laurel a great place to live, raise our kids and attend our schools is our volunteers, and that certainly includes The Friends of the Mt. Laurel Library,” Mayor Linda Bobo said.
The Friends of the Mt. Laurel Library is a non-profit group of volunteers dedicated to supporting the library through fundraising activities and fostering relationships through community events and advocacy. The friends raise an average of $50,000 a year for the library and have provided furniture, concerts, scanners, computer workstations and book collections over the years in response to community needs.
Members of the community are encouraged to join the Friends of the Mt. Laurel Library. For more information, visit http://www.mtlaurel.lib.nj.us/Application.pdf
• Residents raised concerns about vandalism and illegal activities taking place at a park within the Willow Turn community located on Larchmont Boulevard. Cathy Hartman said that at dusk the area becomes a popular hangout for teens who are drinking, smoking as well as vandalizing playground equipment with graffiti.
“Bottles and garbage are being left behind. There is broken glass,” Hartman said. “It is becoming an eyesore, and it is affecting the property value of the homes in the area.”
Township manager Maureen Mitchell said she would speak with both police chief Dennis Cribben as well as the public works department about what can be done to make the area safer. Ensuring the hours of the park are displayed as well as potentially adding a light was discussed by the council. Hartman was adamant that the area needs to be better lit as opposed to patrolled more.
“The police cannot be there all hours of the night. The park needs a light to deter kids from being there,” Hartman said.
