Camden County commissioners read dozens of resolutions, close public hearing with no speakers and move to closed session on personnel

The Camden County Board of Commissioners convened, read a large slate of resolutions covering public-works contracts, park projects, grant applications and county purchasing, held a public comment period with no speakers, adopted a closed-session resolution to discuss personnel matters and then adjourned.

The meeting opened with the chair noting the session had been properly advertised under the Open Public Meetings Act and calling the roll. Commissioners who answered present included Commissioner Dyer, Commissioner Cooley Fleischer, Commissioner Nash, Commissioner Bianco Bezic and Commissioner Young; Deputy Director McDonald was present and Director Capelli was excused. The board led the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence before reading the resolutions to be considered.

Commissioners presented dozens of items. Notable financial and procurement items included a $1,690,170.70 award for East Esham Road improvements (Bid B-26-2025), a $418,081 change order for a Sickleville/Ariel Road roundabout, a $650,000 substitution to finance an open-space purchase of Block 8401 Lot 12 in Gloucester Township (funding contingent on a substitution resolution), and multiple park and waterfront project contracts and change orders (amounts cited in the meeting for individual line items included $377,894; $108,327.42; and an increase of $36,621.90 on one park item). Departments also presented grant applications and contracts for health and human services (including a $200,000 award for a narcotics overdose prevention program and a $260,069 Municipal Alliance grant application), corrections (reentry services contracts totaling six- and seven-figure amounts), and numerous police and elections procurements and licensing agreements (multiple items contingent on passage of 2026 temporary or permanent budgets). Several procurement items noted available funding amounts and that the balance is contingent on future budget passage.

When the chair opened the public-comment portion for members of the public, the deputy director reported that no one online had requested to speak. The chair then moved to close the public hearing; the motion was seconded and, after a voice vote, the chair declared: "Public hearing is closed." The chair then read a resolution invoking the Open Public Meetings Act to exclude the public for discussion of personnel matters, stating the subject matter to be discussed was personnel and that it would be made public when final determinations were reached. The board moved to adopt the closed-session resolution, seconded the motion and a voice vote was taken in favor of moving to closed session. A final motion to adjourn was made, seconded and approved.

There were no substantive public comments recorded on the resolutions during the open comment period. The meeting did not record a roll-call vote on the many resolutions read aloud; the transcript records procedural voice votes on closing the public hearing, adopting the closed-session resolution and adjourning. Next procedural steps: personnel matters will be discussed in closed session and the board indicated those matters will be released when final determinations are made.

(Reporting note: where the transcript included vendor and project names and dollar amounts, the article uses those as presented; funding availability for some items was described in the meeting as contingent on passage of the 2026 temporary and/or permanent budgets.)