Mayor Joann Gattinelli also proclaimed May as Williams Syndrome Awareness Month
Council introduced two ordinances at last week’s meeting that may change the speed limits on two roads.
On first reading, an ordinance was introduced to increase the speed limit on Salina Road from 25 miles per hour to 35 miles per hour from the Deptford Township line to Egg Harbor Road. An additional ordinance was also introduced to reduce the speed on Stage Coach Road from Whitman Drive to East Black Horse Pike from 40 miles per hour to 35 miles per hour.
According to the ordinances, these changes were results of a speed study conducted by the Washington Township Police Department and the township engineer.
The speed limit changes will be open to a public hearing and possible adoption at the council meeting scheduled for May 24 at 7 p.m.
Resident and Little League baseball coach Keith Ludwig spoke at the meeting about his concerns with the speed of traffic in the area of the baseball complex, located on Hurffville-Grenloch Road.
“I nearly got hit trying to cross the road,” Ludwig said of a recent game weekend. “If I hadn’t stepped back as fast as I did, very possibly I could have been clipped.”
Ludwig called the police department who then sent an officer to the complex to control the speed of the traffic passing through. According to Ludwig, the speed of traffic was instantly reduced at the sight of a police car present.
Ludwig said the speed limit for that location is 45 miles per hour. He asked council to consider making changes to the area to help decrease the speed of traffic and create awareness of children crossing the street, such as parking a dummy police car at the crosswalk, advanced warning signs, trimming the trees alongside the road or adding reflectors to existing signs alerting drivers to the crosswalk.
At the meeting, Annina Hogan, township engineer, said she had put a request in to the county, as the road is a county road, for changes to be made.
In other news:
• Council passed resolutions establishing a policy for the assistance of riders on the senior bus program, as well as a policy for seat belt and mobility device securement, ensuring operator and passenger safety.
With these resolutions, riders who require and request additional assistance on the senior bus program will be accommodated, while all passengers and drivers are required to be secured in the vehicle by a safety belt, or safety harness and straps if in a wheelchair or mobility device.
• Mayor Joann Gattinelli proclaimed May as Williams Syndrome Awareness Month. Having received a call from a resident at the beginning of her administration asking to raise awareness for the rare disorder, Gattinelli felt it was necessary to recognize the syndrome and the awareness efforts that are taking place nationally.
According to Gattinelli, Williams Syndrome is a rare genetic condition that is present in one out of 10,000 births. In the U.S., there are between 20,000 and 30,000 people with the disorder, causing medical and developmental problems such as cardiovascular disease, developmental delays and learning disabilities.
The William Syndrome Association, which initially named May as the awareness month across the country, is a resource for people and families living with the syndrome, as well as for doctors, researchers and educators. The organization provides support and the latest medical information to help children born with the condition.
“The William Syndrome Association, families and friends of those with William Syndrome should be commended for all their hard work, compassion and courage for educating the country about the rare disorder,” Gattinelli said. “I ask all our residents to support the families and activities for those children affected by this rare genetic disorder.”
• Council, members of the administration and all township department heads met at a public work session last week to review items of the proposed budget. No changes were made, however the public hearing and possible adoption of the 2017 municipal budget is scheduled for May 10 at 7 p.m.
