Council held its latest meeting at Mt. Laurel Municipal Utilities Authority building to bring the meeting closer to different residents in town.
Mt. Laurel Township Council tried something new with its meeting last week by taking it “on the road.”
Rather than hold the meeting in council’s regular meeting place in the courtroom at the township municipal complex on Mt. Laurel Road, council held the meeting at the Mt. Laurel Municipal Utilities Authority building on Elbo Lane.
Although the meeting was open to all residents, leading up to the meeting council had encouraged residents of the nearby neighborhoods of Birchfield, Holiday Villages and Stonegate to attend and speak about issues in their areas of town while council was nearby.
Mayor Dennis Riley described the change of venue as an attempt to hear from residents in different parts of the town and focus on different issues.
“We’re trying to do this over the course of the year to get out into the various areas of our township,” Riley said.
One nearby resident to take advantage of the meeting was Renee Liciaga of Birchfield.
Liciaga asked council for guidance related to an issue she had presented the township previously with a neighbor who she believed was violating township code by repeatedly working toward restoring a car outside of an enclosed garage, which Liciaga said created excess noise and fumes.
“On a Sunday evening at 6 p.m., none of us really want to hear that,” Liciaga said. “Remember how gorgeous it was this week? I couldn’t open my windows.”
According to acting township manager Meredith Tomczyk, the township’s zoning officer has previously sent a notice to the individual, but the township would continue to pursue the issue if it continued.
Riley also thanked Liciaga for speaking on behalf of her fellow Birchfield residents.
“Thank you for coming out and speaking on quality of life issues. This is exactly what the public portion of hearing is, so you can voice those concerns … we do it the old-fashioned way. You come in and tell us,” Riley said.
Later this year, council has plans to hold meetings in other locations across Mt. Laurel, with a meeting scheduled for May 15 at the fire station on Church Road and a meeting scheduled on Oct. 23 at the EMS building on Masonville Road.
As always, residents can learn more about upcoming council meeting dates, times and agenda items at www.mountlaurel.com.
The next meeting of the Mt. Laurel Township Council is scheduled for March 13 at 7 p.m. at council’s regular meeting location at the township municipal complex.
In other news:
- Council approved a resolution to advertise the sale of a new liquor license for the township, with a minimum bid price set at $1,250,000.
- Council approved a resolution appointing Erik Jarvis, Christopher Cannatella, Floyd White and Curtis Green as chaplains for the Mt. Laurel Police Department.
- Mt. Laurel police officer Dwayne Anthony was sworn-in to the position of sergeant with the department.
