Haddonfield’s Mayor conspicuously absent from lengthy proceedings
Haddonfield’s Board of Commissioners meeting on Feb. 12 began on a surprising note, with the revelation Mayor Neal Rochford would be unavailable for an undetermined period of time due to a medical issue.
A statement published on the borough’s website read: “Mayor Rochford will temporarily be unavailable due to a medical leave of absence. Please contact either Commissioner Kasko, Commisioner Moscatelli or Borough Administrator Sharon McCullough as follows should you need to discuss an issue:
– Kasko
429–4700, ext. 316; [email protected]
– Moscatelli
429–4700, ext. 317; [email protected]
– McCullough
429–4700, ext. 215; [email protected]
Kasko, Moscatelli and McCullough did not comment further. The 59-year-old Rochford has served as mayor since 2017 and also serves as commissioner for public affairs and public safety.
During public comment, borough residents Anna Marie Plum and Diana Cunningham, both of whom reside on the 100 block of West Park Avenue, spoke at length about concerns stemming from two separate incidents involving electrical wires on or near their property that occurred two weeks prior.
Plum and Cunningham both related how, on Jan. 29 and Feb. 3, wires experienced what they termed “explosions,” but which engineers from PSE&G — who are responsible for maintaining them — termed “arc blasts.” Both then expressed frustration and exasperation that PSE&G, along with the state Board of Public Utilities, failed to adequately express concerns that the wires could experience another arc blast, or worse, given that children routinely walk to school on that side of the street.
Both Plum and Cunningham said their families have experienced periods of stress, restlessness and worry over the last several weeks that it is not safe to go outside or to remain in the house asleep with the situation unresolved.
After the commissioners listened for more than 30 minutes to these concerns, Moscatelli suggested the whole block band together and pester the BPU and PSE&G through phone and email to take further action, as well as notifying their state government representatives.
On a lighter note, the two remaining commissioners passed a resolution for a “leafer bonus” to borough public works street employees who were responsible for the arduous and thankless task of weather-dependent collection of leaves throughout the fall.
To qualify for the bonus, street division employees must work every scheduled Saturday during leaf season. If the season includes more than six Saturdays, an employee must work a minimum of 85 percent of those Saturdays to be eligible.
Street division employees who meet the requirement will receive a half-day of Christmas Eve off with pay. Other public works employees who are not in the street division are eligible to work scheduled Saturday leaf collection. To qualify for the bonus, these employees must work every scheduled Saturday during leaf season.
If the season includes more than six Saturdays, an employee must work a minimum of 85 percent of those Saturdays. Non-street division employees who meet this requirement will receive a half-day of New Year’s Eve off with pay.
In addition, a complimentary “leafer luncheon” will be scheduled on the last workday of leaf season that happens to fall on a weekday. This luncheon is intended to be for all public works employees as well as temporary help.
In other news:
- A resolution to change costs associated with the reconstruction of Centennial Field was passed unanimously. The original contracted amount between the borough and Command Co. Inc. of Egg Harbor Township was for $207,000, but cost overruns dictated the amount be altered to $256,351.55. Moscatelli added he believed Centennial Field was still on track to be open in time for spring.
- Also during public comment, Kasko revealed that, due to state mandate, he believed low-income housing units would be integrated throughout the borough, rather than simply placing them in one place i.e. the Bancroft Hall site. Moscatelli added residents should not “be scared of the term ‘affordable housing’” since it is intended to serve not only low-income families, but also those with stable jobs who might not otherwise be able to afford to purchase or rent a dwelling in the borough.
