Gloucester Township Council held its regular meeting on Sept. 9 and quickly turned to a topic of significant interest: a proposal to install batting cages at Hickstown Park.
The plan has been discussed for more than a year and aims to provide enhanced facilities for the township’s baseball and softball organizations. But it sparked concerns from residents, including financial implications and limited public access to those facilities.
Somerdale resident Dina Hendry addressed council during the public portion of the meeting with her concerns about the potential burden of the project on taxpayers. She argued that the teams using the batting cages should be responsible for fundraising to cover costs, rather than relying on taxes, especially since the facilities would not be open for general public use.
“I am for youth sports, don’t get me wrong,” Hendry said. “I have three children who play flag football. If there was something that was needed extra, of an enhancement, I would have no problems putting on a fundraiser or taking part in a fundraiser for these enhancements. So, I ask, why is this the burden of the taxpayers, not the teams?”
Hendry also raised additional concerns about issues such as the likely need for bathroom and other facilities at the batting cages and potential costs associated with water, electricity, sewer services and even insurance. She suggested council may have been premature in soliciting bids for the project without fully considering those issues.
“I think we put the cart before the horse a little bit in getting bids,” she argued. “We should have thought about this before and said, ‘Okay, what are these things that we need before we say, okay?’ Let’s put it out to bid.”
Council President Orlando Mercado responded to Hendry by explaining that the batting cage project originated with requests from local baseball and softball programs that have long advocated for enhanced facilities. The centralized location at Hickstown Park was chosen because it can efficiently serve multiple programs, according to the proposed plan.
Mercado acknowledged concerns about public access and funding, noting they are important considerations that council will continue to evaluate if the project moves forward.
The meeting also brought attention to public participation in township government. Shawanna Smith, a resident of the Millbridge Gardens apartment complex, raised questions about the transparency and accessibility of township workshop sessions that precede formal council meetings, claiming they’re not widely advertised, recorded or documented with minutes.
“I was surprised to hear that something that was just discussed 20 minutes ago at a workshop was already on the agenda,” she noted. “I thought that this portion was strictly for agenda items only, things that are to be questioned, put on, or taken off. I didn’t realize that items discussed at a workshop could be brought up during the first public speaking section.”
Smith also questioned the extent of public participation in the workshops, suggesting that there may be a need for greater clarity. Council members said that public comments are indeed permitted during workshop sessions and they ensured that agendas for the sessions will be more visibly posted in the future.
Council also provided an update on an upcoming referendum that will be voted on in the general election on Nov. 5. Gloucester Township voters will decide whether to approve the sale of the township’s sewer system to New Jersey American Water, a deal that’s been a topic of significant debate, with some residents expressing concerns about the long-term implications for utility rates and local control.
The winning bid for the sale was submitted by New Jersey American Water, but the deal will not proceed unless it is approved by voters.
The next township council meeting is scheduled for later this month. Details about the session, including its agenda and public participation guidelines, will be made available on the township’s official website and posted at the municipal building.
