Moorestown Township Council hosted its first meeting of the month on Sept. 13 and addressed the first proclamation of the evening.
“Now, therefore be it proclaimed by the township council of the township of Moorestown that the month of September be known as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and encourage all residents to support this cause that so deeply impacts families in this and every community across our country,” read Mayor Nicole Gillespie.
September is also known nationally as Child Cancer Awareness Month.
Moorestown resident Pamela Lowe spoke about the proclamation at the meeting; her daughter was diagnosed with leukemia at 4 years old and is now in fourth grade.
“Moorestown is made up of an immense number of heroes doing all they can to come together and support families in what is the darkest and scariest time of their lives,” Lowe said.
“I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all that has been done to support these children,” she added. “However, there is more work to be done.”
The Moorestown Better Together Task Force has put together a community survey where residents can give honest feedback about living and/or working in Moorestown, and on issues such as diversity, equity and inclusion. After identifying and addressing those issues, the task force will eventually make recommendations to council.
Moorestown resident and task force member Barbara Schwartz gave a presentation at the meeting that focused on providing a brief snapshot of the Moorestown Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Task Force, now known as Better Together Moorestown.
“The objective of the task force was to explore how Moorestown can better protect and celebrate diversity and ensure inclusion among all of our resident’s businesses and visitors, while promoting an innovative, engaged, and informed community,” Schwartz said.
Gillespie addressed a resolution on the award of one plenary retail distribution license for the sale of alcoholic beverages to 73 OPCO LLC. According to the mayor, the resolution was about awarding the license to the applicant, not other issues related to plenary retail distribution licenses in Moorestown.
“For decades, Moorestown dollars have been spent in Mount Laurel, Maple Shade, Cinnaminson, Delran, Cherry Hill, and many other communities for liquor that’s consumed here,” Moorestown resident Mark Hines said. “The awarding of this liquor license will eventually come to provide significant revenue to Moorestown and provide economic development to the area where the new business will be located and create new jobs.”
One of the last items discussed at the council meeting was an issue that has been addressed on social media, according to the mayor.
“The township does not have public works’’ employees pick up the trash; trash is picked up by a contractor,” said Township Manager Kevin Aberant. “The contractor has notified us that they are seeing a lot of cans that are just too heavy for one person to lift.”
“The contractors bid based upon what’s in our ordinance, which says cans should weigh no more than 60 pounds and be no larger than 32 gallons,” he added.
“Everybody has larger trash receptacles these days.”
