Pennsauken Committee adopts ordinance on second reading and approves consent agenda; first-reading fire-prevention amendment also advanced

The Pennsauken Township Committee took multiple formal actions at its March 20 meeting, including adopting an ordinance on second reading, advancing an ordinance on first reading, and approving a multi-item consent agenda covering contracts, project awards and municipal assessments.

Ordinance on second reading: The committee considered an ordinance described in the meeting as "an ordinance to exceed the municipal budget's appropriation limit to establish a cafe at JSA 48, Block 4, Lot 5.14" and conducted the required public-comment period. Seeing no public comment, the committee closed public comment and approved the ordinance by roll call (all members present voted yes). No ordinance number was specified in the meeting transcript.

Ordinance on first reading: The committee approved first reading of an ordinance identified in the transcript as amending Chapter 162, Fire Prevention. The motion for first reading passed on roll call with all members present voting yes; the ordinance will return for second reading at a future meeting.

Consent agenda: The committee adopted a consent agenda that included multiple resolutions read on the record. Items listed in the transcript included (as read): an amendment to a contract for a pond renewal project increasing construction contract value by $34,920; authorization for consultants to apply for a Transportation Community Development Initiative grant to study trails along the Delaware River and at 36 Sixth Street in Palmyra; a tax refund for Mariana Madera in the amount recited in the meeting; resolutions for unpaid municipal charges to be imposed as municipal assessments and enforced through tax sale; awards for landscaping materials and lawn maintenance contracts (named vendors were AFJ Landscaping Supply and Garden Center, Herman's Trucking, Northeast Group LLC); a contract award for the Welcome Home Jakes Place playground construction; and a resolution authorizing a membership cap for the Pennsauken Country Club. The consent resolutions were adopted by unanimous roll call vote of members present.

Approval of bills: The committee approved bills for February 2025 as read at the meeting; the transcript lists amounts read aloud during the meeting (amounts as read in meeting): approximately $8,913,390.75 and a separate figure of $854,448.24 for one section. Those figures were read aloud by the clerk and approved by roll call.

Public comment on agenda items was opened where required and none was received. The meeting record shows the formal motions, roll-call approvals and the list of consent resolutions; no additional departmental reports or policy changes tied directly to these items were made during the meeting.

Votes at a glance: - Ordinance (second reading) to exceed municipal appropriation limit to establish a café at JSA 48, Block 4, Lot 5.14 — adopted (roll-call: unanimous of members present). Ordinance number: not specified in transcript. - Ordinance to amend Chapter 162 (Fire Prevention) — approved for first reading (roll-call: unanimous of members present). - Consent agenda resolutions (multiple items including contract amendment $34,920; Transportation Community Development Initiative grant application; tax refund for Mariana Madera; unpaid municipal charges assessments; landscaping and lawn maintenance contracts; Welcome Home Jakes Place Playground Project award; membership cap for Pennsauken Country Club) — adopted by consent (roll-call: unanimous of members present).

The committee did not record any dissenting roll-call votes on these items during the March 20 meeting.