The First Presbyterian Church in Haddonfield was filled to the brim with people on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 20 for the Mayor’s Breakfast. The Commissioners discussed both new and old initiatives, concluding the ceremony by nominating a citizen of the year.
Haddonfield residents come together every year to laugh, talk and honor the efforts of the borough, in addition to the organizations and members of the community who make Haddonfield not just a town but a community. The First Presbyterian Church in Haddonfield was filled to the brim with people on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 20, for the Mayor’s Breakfast, during which the commissioners discussed both new and old initiatives, concluding the ceremony by announcing the citizen of the year, Robert Turner.
Some of Turner’s achievements include but are not limited to winning Teacher of the Year for Winslow Township school district in 1996 and the Melvin Jones award, a recognition given to Turner through the Lions Club for his service to the community.
The Mayor’s Breakfast is an annual gathering where community members can get a recap on some of the projects the borough has been working on leading into the new year. A Citizen of the Year is nominated, a title reserved for a Haddonfield resident who has not only given back to the community but has impacted his or her fellow citizens.
“It’s (The Mayor’s Breakfast) the essence and spirit of Haddonfield. Everyone has time to sit down with their neighbor and do neighborly things,” said Bob Stokes, president of the Lions Club.
Mayor Neal Rochford took the podium to discuss a few plans the borough will continue to embark on in 2018, which include the redevelopment of the Bancroft site, working on new ideas for Boxwood Hall and improvements to the borough’s website and social media platforms.
“The three of us have worked very hard to build consensus and make sound decisions for the good of the borough,” Rochford said.
Commissioner Jeff Kasko echoed Rochford’s sentiments and added both he and Commissioner John Moscatelli as well as Rochford, together, incorporate a unique perspective to the day-to-day decisions of the borough.
“Let me start by saying that it is a pleasure to continue working with both Neal and John on the Board of Commissioners,” Kasko said. “The three of us bring different perspectives, and sometimes voice differences of opinion, but we share the same desire to find common ground, work as a team and do our best for the residents of Haddonfield.”
With ratables increasing by almost $16 million last year, for a total town-wide property valuation of approximately $2.27 billion, it will help the borough when it comes to the budget, according to Kasko. Working with the borough administrator and the borough’s chief financial officer, Kasko hopes to craft another zero percent property tax increase for this year’s municipal budget.
Switching with Rochford, Kasko explained his newly acquired role, working with the Municipal Alliance to prevent drug and alcohol abuse. He will be presenting a proposal that includes funding from town organizations, individuals and the borough, in an effort to raise awareness of the opioid crisis.
“Some may think this crisis doesn’t touch Haddonfield or its residents, but it does,” Kasko said.
Over the past two years, opioids have been responsible for at least four deaths in Haddonfield, according to Kasko.
“I hope this proposed campaign will increase knowledge, let residents know where and when to get assistance and treatment and help save lives, and I hope we can count on the entire Haddonfield community to be supportive of this effort,” Kasko said.
Moscatelli spoke about the importance of replacing worn-out capital equipment, with the borough taking delivery of a new street sweeper this week, according to Moscatelli. He discussed the ongoing construction and tree maintenance.
“You may have noticed more construction sites around town that have fencing around the borough shade trees,” Moscatelli said. “This fencing is to protect the trees’ roots and help the trees survive the construction process. We have found looking at data from past years that construction activity often kills unprotected trees, leaving the removal cost to the taxpayers.”
Due to most of the land in Haddonfield being privately owned, Moscatelli encourages community members to plant shade trees on their property to maintain the canopy in Haddonfield.
The breakfast ended on a positive note when Turner, a 50-year member of the Lions Club, was named citizen of the year. As he stepped up to accept his award, he remained modest and grateful to serve in Haddonfield.
“Thank you very much, I don’t really deserve this,” Turner said. “A lot of people in this town do a lot more than I do. It’s a pleasure to work in this town.”
