Camden County approves $27 million open-space financing, adopts bond ordinance; block vote clears dozens of resolutions

The Camden County Board of Commissioners on July 9 voted to approve county consent for up to $27 million in county‑guaranteed open‑space trust fund revenue bonds and adopted an amended bond ordinance that alters previously authorized improvements.

The financing consent, presented by county staff and read into the record under public hearing number 2, gives the Camden County Improvement Authority authority to issue one or more series of tax‑exempt county‑guaranteed open‑space trust fund revenue bonds or bond anticipation notes in an aggregate principal not to exceed $27,000,000. The measure passed on a roll call vote with all present commissioners voting yes.

The board also held and closed public hearings on (1) an amendment and restatement of the county’s guarantee on certain bonds or notes issued by the Camden County Improvement Authority related to the Camden County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund and (2) a bond ordinance further amending a 2021 bond ordinance as previously amended in 2022 and 2023. Both items were adopted after public hearings.

After public hearings concluded, the board moved by unanimous consent to adopt resolutions 1 through 75 in a single block. The clerk recorded “yes” votes from the commissioners present and noted a small number of abstentions on specific items: Commissioner Cooley Fleischer abstained from resolution 6; Commissioner John Young abstained from resolutions 8, 24, 25 and 67. Those abstentions were registered on the roll call.

A separate resolution, number 76, did not receive a motion and therefore was not adopted.

Votes at a glance - Public Hearing 1 (amendment and restatement of county guarantee for certain CCIA bonds/notes related to the Open Space Trust Fund): Adopted on roll call (recorded yes votes from Commissioners Dyer, Cooley Fleischer, Nash, Betteridge, Young and Deputy Director McDonald). - Public Hearing 2 (consent to financing and issuance of up to $27,000,000 in County‑guaranteed open‑space trust fund bonds/notes): Adopted on roll call; no opposing votes recorded. - Public Hearing 3 (bond ordinance amending prior ordinances adopted 08/19/2021, 07/21/2022 and 09/21/2023): Adopted on roll call. - Block vote on Resolutions 1–75: Adopted by unanimous consent with the abstentions noted above. - Resolution 67 (award of contract for MAC Center): Recorded as approved as part of the block; resolution 67 was among the items from which Commissioner Young recorded an abstention. - Resolution 76: No motion; did not pass.

Why it matters The actions advance county efforts to fund park and open‑space projects and implement improvements tied to the Camden County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund. The $27 million authorization will support purchase and construction activities by the Camden County Improvement Authority and related loan agreements between the county and the authority.

What the record shows County staff read the resolutions and bond ordinance into the public record during the three hearings. There were no members of the public who spoke in opposition during the bond financing hearing. The board then used a block vote to expedite passage of dozens of routine resolutions; the clerk recorded specific abstentions against individual items.

Next steps County officials will proceed with the financing steps described in the adopted consent resolution and the Camden County Improvement Authority may begin the issuance process under the terms approved by the board and consistent with applicable law.

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