Carneys Point to join Salem County purchasing for animal shelter services; FEMA trailer cited as short‑term measure

The Carneys Point Township Committee voted April 16 to enter a joint purchasing agreement with Salem County to procure animal shelter services, a step Chairman Mayor Brown described as part of a county‑led effort to find a shelter solution without the county directly operating shelters.

"The County does not want to be in the Animal Shelter business," Mayor Brown said, adding that the county indicated it would bond for property and help move a shelter solution forward. He said a FEMA trailer in Pennsville would be used only for dogs that may have rabies and need observation as a short‑term measure.

The committee approved the joint purchasing agreement by unanimous vote (RES 2025-91). Mayor Brown said Carneys Point has two representatives participating in county meetings on the issue and that a short‑term resolution at the county level would be pursued. Meeting minutes attached to the agenda include the county meeting notes and the committee noted the next county meeting would be at the Salem Historic Courthouse.

The committee also authorized administrative follow‑ups: designating the Township Clerk as the EPL hotline contact for the township and directing staff to coordinate with county procurement efforts. No public comments on the matter were recorded during the meeting.

Next steps recorded in the meeting minutes include county coordination on procurement and reporting back to the committee; the minutes did not specify a firm timeline for a permanent shelter or identify a proposed site within the county.