The week of Monday, June 3 through Friday, June 7 was tabbed “Kindness Week” throughout Cherry Hill, as an introduction to June being “Pride Month” nationwide.
Residents, as well as those working within the township, were encouraged to be a part of the initiative to inspire meaningful change, to share words of healing and encouragement and actions of paying it forward on various township-related social media outlets using the hashtag #CherryHillKind.
In his report on the undertaking during the most recent council meeting, Mayor Chuck Kahn said the following:
“We can establish equality, we can establish respect, and bring awareness to important issues that surround us. Hatred and bullying are two very important issues in our society today. Cherry Hill is proud to combat these epidemics through groups of projects that are aimed at reducing hatred, bullying and bias. Instead, promoting acceptance and tolerance towards others. A few years ago, we established our Cherry Hill Human Relations Committee, which compromises about two dozen representatives of various cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds, as well as township school and police department individuals. This group’s mission is to promote and celebrate Cherry Hill’s diverse character while also working towards identifying areas of concern and to provide solutions to unify our community.
“With the support of our Human Relations Committee, last week, we challenged our residents to inspire a meaningful change in our neighborhoods, schools, local government and businesses through kindness. We asked residents to spread kindness and help celebrate what makes our community so great. No matter gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation – here in Cherry Hill we celebrate our differences. They make us who we are. So let’s celebrate all of us this month. We are a community where people of all backgrounds, all walks of life come together that are welcome, safe, valued and loved.”
Council also unanimously approved a resolution for the police department to purchase new mobile automated license plate recognition systems. These mobile systems allow officers patrolling inside their vehicles to quickly check license plates against databases geared toward on-street enforcement of violations like stolen/unregistered vehicles, Amber Alerts and parking violations.
The ALPR is placed atop the vehicle, just under the lightbar, and provides unobstructed, high-resolution coverage of a full lane of traffic, according to the PIPS Technology website.
“We currently have four that we are replacing because they are beyond their useful life. We hope to place the order now that the resolution has been approved so we can have the new equipment installed by the end of the summer if not sooner,” said Police Chief William “Bud” Monaghan.
In other news:
- Cahn and Councilwoman Carolyn Jacobs presented a proclamation to Jimmy Phillips, owner and operator of “La Barberia,” celebrating its 50 years of service to the township. The mayor additionally proclaimed June 17 as “La Barberia Day” in Cherry Hill.
- Council unanimously passed a resolution involving an application to the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres program intended to widen a portion of Kresson Road for a dedicated turning lane onto Brace Road.
- A public hearing on the second reading of an ordinance amending a prior ordinance dealing with traffic regulations was postponed until council’s next meeting on June 24.
