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Woolwich Township Committee adopts consent agenda, appoints UCC official; debates park lighting and stormwater compliance
Summary
At its Jan. 20 meeting the Woolwich Township Committee unanimously adopted a consent agenda of resolutions and appointed William Miller as UCC Construction Code Official with a $140,000 salary; members discussed competing field-lighting bids for Locke Avenue Park, state stormwater compliance and a resident letter urging limits on data-center development.
The Woolwich Township Committee on Jan. 20 adopted a consent agenda of resolutions covering bond releases, veteran tax deductions and professional services appointments, unanimously approved the appointment of William Miller as the township’s UCC Construction Code Official with an amended salary of $140,000, and discussed park lighting bids, stormwater-management compliance and a resident letter asking for restrictions on data-center development.
The committee voted to adopt Resolutions R-2026-46 through R-2026-55 on a single consent motion; the roll call recorded Committeeman Frederick, Committeewoman Minhas, Committeewoman Williams, Deputy Mayor Nocentino and Mayor Matthias all voting yes. After a closed session on contractual matters, the committee resumed open session and adopted R-2026-57, appointing William Miller as UCC Construction Code Official/Building Sub-Code Official and Building Inspector with the amended $140,000 salary; that resolution passed unanimously by roll call.
Why it matters: the consent agenda bundled several routine but consequential municipal actions — from bond releases tied to local development to appointments that affect permitting and audits — while the new UCC appointment fills a technical enforcement role that bears on inspections and building approvals.
The meeting included several informational reports. Administrator Mr. Watson updated the committee on ongoing items including Kings Meadow sewer connection fees (flagged for closed-session discussion), a referenced SADC proposal that would require a $452 million farmland preservation budget and currently yields Woolwich no direct funding, and the township’s stormwater-management work to meet a 2026 state compliance deadline; the committee asked staff to submit questions to the administrator before the February meeting. The Tax Collector reported $670,312.57 remitted for December and $57,074,246.47 for the fiscal year to date.
Parks and recreation and public-works topics drew detailed discussion. For lighting at Locke Avenue Park the committee reviewed two all-in proposals: Musco Lighting (via Wyndham/Deerfield) at $905,628 and GeoSport Lighting (via Deerfield) at $723,837.43. Committee members pressed for specification comparisons (lumens, safety for baseball fields), requested change-order language and concept plans, and asked the township engineer to verify whether GeoSport meets Musco specifications as an approved equal. The committee also discussed relocating a 12-by-24 storage shed and pursuing cinder-block dugouts to match existing structures.
Land-use activity included a brief presentation from McDonald’s representatives on revised plans for a pad site at Weatherby Town Center near ShopRite; Mayor Matthias recommended the applicants open an escrow and schedule a Zoom meeting with the planning-board planner and the Joint Land Use Board subcommittee to continue review. Separately, a resident letter asking the township to consider ordinances restricting or regulating data-center development — citing water and electrical demands and aquifer concerns — was presented and the committee deferred detailed consideration to a future meeting.
Local public-safety and service reports were delivered: the Woolwich Fire Company and Swedesboro Fire Bureau provided year-end summaries, and Chief Thomas E. Daniels Jr. was sworn in as police chief and gave remarks. Liaison reports covered events (including a summer pickleball tournament scheduled for June 6–7) and programs such as a new wellness initiative launching in February.
In other business the committee approved minutes from Dec. 29 and Jan. 5 and approved bills and purchase orders; Committeeman Frederick registered an abstention on Verizon bills during the roll call, while other members voted yes. The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:57 p.m.; the next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 2, 2026, and a town-hall session on municipal land-use law is set for Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m.
Votes at a glance: Resolutions R-2026-46 through R-2026-55 (consent agenda) — adopted unanimously; R-2026-56 (closed-session authorization) — approved to enter closed session; R-2026-57 (appoint William Miller as UCC Construction Code Official, amended salary $140,000) — adopted unanimously; approval of bills and purchase orders — adopted (Frederick abstained on Verizon bills).
