Township also moves forward to renewing South Jersey Gas agreement and create Bill Dudley Day
The Tabernacle Township Committee unanimously approved an ordinance allowing the creation of the position of fire marshal.
Some residents voiced concern during the public comment portion of last week’s meeting that eliminating the fire sub-code protection inspection position and adding the fire marshal position would not result in savings to the township. While both jobs were part-time positions, the previous job paid a maximum of $2,500 while the new position is paid a maximum of $13,000.
The state currently performs fire code inspections in the township. The township would keep the inspection revenue it was paying the state as well as have a local understanding and communication about facilities in Tabernacle. The township also said the fire marshal would only inspect commercially occupied structures, except for owner-operated farms.
In 2016, the state performed the inspections and collected approximately $14,000 in fees in Tabernacle. Under the current system, Tabernacle only received 80 percent of the revenue. With the new system, the township would do the inspection itself and keep all the revenue.
Tabernacle Construction Official Thomas Boyd stated that if a violation is considered a dedicated penalty, the money would be given to the fire company for training and apparatus replacement, and the other penalties would stay in the township. Boyd also estimated there will be 100 inspections in the township.
Once the position is filled, the township has a goal to have all commercially occupied properties in the township compliant in three years.
In other news:
• Committee approved an ordinance that gives South Jersey Gas permission to continue to distribute heat to the township.
The original 50-year agreement made in 1967 between South Jersey Gas and Tabernacle recently expired, and the township is looking to make a new agreement. Committee member Kimberly Brown said she was looking to give the utility company a consent to work in the township for five years. Some other committee members were concerned South Jersey Gas would be looking for a longer commitment and would go to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and request a longer-term agreement.
Committee member Joseph Barton also recommended if a problem does arise with South Jersey Gas, the township can block any permit South Jersey Gas applies for to work in Tabernacle, a tactic the township has used before. Barton noted that method had gotten the company’s attention in the past.
The committee eventually voted 5–0, with Brown voting yes with reservations, to offer a 10-year renewal agreement. It was also revealed the township would be meeting with South Jersey Gas to see if certain areas of Tabernacle would be able to receive service. Some locations within the township are not able to get gas service due to the cost of delivering gas those areas.
• William Dudley, a Public Works Department worker who retired at the end of 2016, was awarded a proclamation at last week’s meeting, and the evening was dubbed “Bill Dudley Night.” Dudley began working for the township on Sept. 7, 1990.
“It feels good to be back. I have not been back to Tabernacle since I have left.” Dudley said. “Tabernacle has been good to me. The people, you have your ups and downs, but when I was here, I tried to keep people happy. Tabernacle is a good town. That is why I spent over 26 years here. People were great. They are down-home people. I appreciated working under Doug Cramer. Doug hired me. It is great to have this, and I appreciate the people coming out, especially the committee giving me this.”
