Camden County honors opioid task‑force partner, approves block of resolutions and confirms housing award

At a scheduled meeting of the Camden County Board of Commissioners, the board presented a proclamation honoring Jerry Daley for more than a decade of service to the Camden County Opioid Addiction Task Force and approved a block of resolutions covering routine county business.

Commissioners read the county's Open Public Meetings Act notice, recited the Pledge of Allegiance and turned to a proclamation recognizing Daley's work with the task force. The proclamation listed three goals of the task force: to inform the public about the opioid crisis, to promote law‑enforcement efforts to remove drugs from the streets, and to develop policies to increase access to treatment. Senator Edwards, who addressed the board during the presentation, said, "Thanks to also to the Camden County Metro Police and the Camden County Prosecutor's Office who were our tremendous partners and assets that we were so proud to work with." Jerry Daley accepted the recognition and thanked the board.

The board then took routine business. A motion to approve the minutes of the previous meeting passed on the record, and the comptroller's report was accepted after a separate motion. The chair opened a public hearing limited to discussion of resolutions scheduled for action; no speakers indicated they wished to comment during that public hearing and it was closed.

The commissioners voted to approve resolutions 1–56 as a block by unanimous consent for the items not later noted as abstentions. Commissioner Young said he would "abstain on 1 and 48" while otherwise voting in the affirmative; Director Cappelli recorded abstentions on items 6, 7, 15 and 33. For the items not listed as abstentions the roll call recorded affirmative votes. The chair called for a motion on resolution 57; no motion was made and that resolution did not pass.

Members of the public later addressed the board. Cole Whaley, identifying himself as with Whitson Culinary Group, asked whether a juvenile‑justice food‑service award referenced in the caucus was part of the approvals; staff clarified that the item referenced in caucus corresponds to resolution 25 and that it was "awarded" today in the meeting record. The public exchange in the transcript did not clearly identify the award recipient for resolution 25 in the audible record. Separately, Heather Cahill of Ernest Bach and Sons confirmed that resolution 48 concerned the Camden County supportive‑housing project for Lakeland and that the board had awarded that contract to Ernest Bach and Sons.

Commissioners closed the meeting with remarks and announcements. Commissioner Young promoted volunteer opportunities and county sustainability programs, including a certified‑gardeners holiday workshop and a horticultural training class slated to begin Jan. 21 for a 2025 cohort of 34 new participants; he noted the county's hydroponic greenhouse will donate produce to Cathedral Kitchen and the Camden County College student food pantry. Commissioner King reminded attendees of the county Veterans Day breakfast at the Collingswood Ballroom and thanked the Office of Veterans Affairs; the time announced in the record was inconsistent across remarks and the exact start time was not clearly specified in the transcript. Commissioner Betteridge said the county will sponsor a Nov. 15 food‑insecurity conference at Rutgers with an assembly‑level speaker scheduled for the morning and noted available flu and COVID vaccine clinics listed on the county website.

The board adjourned after a final recorded vote.

What happened next: The transcript shows the board approved routine business and several procurement/contract awards (including the supportive‑housing award recorded as resolution 48 to Ernest Bach and Sons). The transcript does not provide a clear, audible identification of the recipient for resolution 25 in the public exchange; the record provided here lists the item as "awarded" but the award recipient is not specified in the portion of the transcript included.