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Maple Shade council adopts film‑making licensing ordinance, approves consent agenda including PEM Law contract
Summary
The Maple Shade Township Council adopted Ordinance 2025‑02 to add film‑making licensing to the township code and approved its consent agenda, including a non‑fair and open professional services award to PEM Law LLP. Council recorded a roll‑call vote; one member opposed the ordinance.
Maple Shade Township’s council moved forward on local business rules and contracts at its April meeting, adopting an ordinance to regulate film‑making and approving a slate of consent‑agenda resolutions that included a contract award to PEM Law LLP.
At the second reading and public hearing on Ordinance 2025‑02, the council voted to amend Chapter 114 of the Maple Shade Township Code to add Article 6, establishing licensing and permitting for film‑making. Mayor Tyler Rico presided over the hearing. No members of the public addressed the ordinance during the open hearing; the ordinance passed by roll call with Mr. Kaufman and Miss Nunes voting yes, Mr. Simon voting no, Mr. Radnik voting yes and Mayor Tyler Rico voting yes.
Council then took the consent agenda in bulk. Staff clarified the numbering for several resolutions before the vote; Resolution 2025‑R87 was read into the record as a non‑fair and open award of professional services to PEM Law LLP for legal services related to personnel/conflict matters. The council approved the consent agenda by roll call.
During financial reports earlier in the meeting, staff presented the township’s bill lists: the current fund bill list was stated as $2,771,634.38 (staff noted roughly $2.6 million of that total is for school tax payments, leaving an estimated $170,000 for other current‑fund expenditures). Utility, capital and grant fund totals were also listed in the meeting packet; a transcription error in the recorded trust‑fund number prevents a precise public readout from the transcript.
Resident Steve Schmidt raised a separate public‑comment concern about the level of detail in solicitor invoices for February and March and asked that billing line items be more specific. Council noted that routine inquiries should be routed through the clerk or township manager and stated on the record that Mr. Simon is not suing the township, addressing an allegation mentioned by the commenter.
The ordinance will take effect according to the statutory timelines for township ordinances unless otherwise specified in the adopted ordinance text. The council also directed staff to finalize documentation and follow standard procurement procedures for the awarded contract. No further formal actions on the ordinance or the PEM Law award were recorded at the meeting.
