The Featured Story From The Cherry Hill Sun http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/index.php Copyright 2006 Elauwit Adding to an existing ordinance passed last October, the Township Council passed a new legislative package on first reading that Council President Steve Polansky said would strengthen the township\'s pay-to-play ordinance. Crafted by Polansky and members of the Cherry Hill Reform Committee, the unanimously passed ordinance includes development disclosure for all developers working in the township, the prohibition of political contributions from any redevelopers and a public contracting protection law providing campaign contribution disclosure for any vendors working with Cherry Hill. This transparency ordinance continues to move the ball forward and ensures Cherry Hill continue to go above and beyond state guidelines when it comes to ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=925 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=925 With gas prices passing the $4-per-gallon mark, at least some South Jersey residents are re-thinking their summer travel plans. While families explore creative summer vacations that will keep them close to home, business leaders believe this will be good news for the local economy. It\'s very clear that with gas prices, what that\'s doing to commodity prices and the cost for a family just to survive, that as far as their vacation time, they\'re going to be spending more time close to home,\" John Seitter, president of South Jersey Tourism Corp., said. I look at it as a very positive opportunity, not just for our tourism destinations and our restaurants and hotels, but also for the residents of southern New Jersey, because this is giving them an opportunity to learn what\'s in ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=919 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=919       The township may be looking into the possibility of merging with Camden County dispatchers, according to Mayor Bernie Platt\'s recent mayoral column in The Sun. In his weekly column, Platt mentioned the township may look at merging with the Camden County dispatchers in the future as a possible way for Cherry Hill to save money.       Cherry Hill Communications Director Dan Keashan said there is a possibility the township may look to save money in this way in the future, but the township is currently pleased with its in house service.       We\'re very happy with the exceptional work of the in-house dispatch service. Going forward, we\'ll be assessing the county\'s system and current infrastructure,\" he said. As it stands, we are going to continuet http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=913 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=913 In preparation for future plans, Kennedy Health Systems recently bought 4.29 acres of commercial land located between Route 70 and Chapel Avenue. The parcel of land is adjacent to the Kennedy Memorial Hospital-University Medical Center of Cherry Hill. Kennedy Health Systems purchased the plot of land from Cooper Landing Associates, LLC., for $2.15 million, officials said. Previously approved for a 48,000-square-foot professional/medical campus, permanent plans for the land have yet to be announced by Kennedy Health System representatives. Joseph Devine, senior vice president of business development and physician relations, said that at the present time the property would likely remain vacant ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=907 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=907 The Cherry Hill Public Library unveiled the newest addition to its story time and craft room on May 29. No, it was not a new book for the children to enjoy or a new set of paint jars, but a full mural of Mother Goose characters measuring more than 38 feet high and nine feet wide. Director of Public Relations and Special Events Katie Hardesty said the library has had plans for a mural in the children\'s room for the past several years. A lack of funds and a specific plan limited the library\'s opportunities for a mural, she said. About a year ago, resident Karol Greene Budgick approached the youth services director with her unique idea and a solid plan to paint a large, Mother Goose-themed mural in the library. ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=901 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=901 The weather\'s getting warm, the sun is shining longer, and mosquitoes are beginning to make their presence known throughout South Jersey. Township residents know these telltale signs point to one thing: the forthcoming opening of the Cherry Hill swim clubs for the summer season. An intricate community institution in Cherry Hill since the 1960s, the township swim clubs offer residents a break from the oppressive New Jersey humidity and a unique locale to reconnect with neighbors who have gone unseen since the last swim club season. I grew up in Philadelphia and never had a community pool, but I moved to Cherry Hill to start a family and quickly found out what a unique and valuable institution something like this is for the ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=895 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=895 Members of the Cherry Hill Council levied several harsh comments against the state Assembly for its consideration of a proposed bill that would impose refundable deposits on drink containers. Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, sponsor of the Smart Container Act, said the proposed bill would increase the state\'s dwindling recycling rate, which currently stands at 32 percent. At its peak, New Jersey\'s recycling rate was at about 50 percent in the mid-1990s. A similar bill was voted down by the state about 20 years ago. The proposed bill would impose a deposit of 10 cents on plastic and glass bottles and aluminum cans of fewer than 24 ounces. ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=889 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=889 Three schools in the Cherry Hill School District were recently named as Schools of Character by the state Department of Education. Horace Mann Elementary, Woodcrest Elementary and Rosa International Middle School were named as 2008 Schools of Character for New Jersey. Only 10 other schools in New Jersey were awarded such an honor. The schools were chosen for the award because of their exemplary dedication to character education programs. The criteria used to judge these schools are based on the Character Education Partnership\'s 11 principles of character education. For example, schools must provide their ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=883 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=883 The Cherry Hill School District released the final draft of a transitional study by Swiss-based KPMG, LLP, a global provider of financial advisory services. The 161-page report can be found in its entirety at the Cherry Hill School District Web site, cherryhill.k12.nj.us. While the administration has yet to release a full statement on the findings of the report, it has said that the final report will be used as a tool to guide district management in its business and human resources in the future. Following a full review by school board members and the appropriate district staff, the administration will develop and release a full response to the report, which will serve as a map for addressing ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=877 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=877       Two returning soldiers fulfilled a promise to a second-grade class on April 24 after spending six months in 120-degree weather in Baghdad, Iraq.       Cherry Hill residents Master Sgt. Valentino Lopez and Master Sgt. Tom Fahnestock returned to the township two weeks ago after serving as part of a security force for the Sather Air Base for the past six months. The two grateful soldiers could have spent their remaining leave with their respective families, but they had made a promise to honor a number of Horace Mann Elementary students who made their time away from the country a little more tolerable.       We knew we had to thank them for their support. They did so much for us while we were overseas,\" Lopez said. They took the time to send letters,p http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=871 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=871       The voters of Cherry Hill have spoken, and for the third year in a row, they have voted in favor of the Cherry Hill School District\'s proposed budget.      Voters also elected three new candidates for three open positions on the Cherry Hill Board of Education. Candidates Eric Goodwin, Seth Klukoff and Elliott Roth defeated Stuart Chaifetz, Constantine Cheston and Nancy Muldowney for the open seats on the board of education.       Goodwin, Klukoff and Roth received 4,699, 4,198 and 4,599 votes respectively. Muldowney garnered the most votes out of the three losing candidates with 2,546. Following a tumultuous few months leading up to the April 15 board of education elections, residents voted in favor of the 2008-09 $171 million school budget by av http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=865 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=865      Cherry Hill voters approved the 2008-2009 $171 million school budget by a vote of 4,126 to 3,650. This was the third year in a row township voters approved the school district budget.      The budget features a 9-cent tax increase, which equates to a $126 increase this year for the average home worth $140,000.      Board of education candidates Eric Goodwin, Seth Klukoff, and Elliot Roth defeated Stuart Chaifetz, Constantine Cheston, and Nancy Muldowney for three open seats on the Cherry Hill Board of Education.      Look for complete results in The Cherry Hill Sun on Wednesday, April 23. All vote totals are unofficial and are according to CamdenCounty.com http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=859 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=859 Mayor Bernie Platt levied harsh comments upon the state at a special community meeting on April 3 for the possible cut in state funding and rising pension costs the township must face in its upcoming budget. He also expressed his frustrations at Gov. Corzine\'s decision to effectively increase the Cherry Hill School District\'s aid by $1.7 million, while municipalities statewide are seeing their aid decreased. This should equal savings for the taxpayers. Instead, (the school district) is presenting a budget with a $14 million increase,\" he said. Meanwhile, as we are trying to do all the right things like making cuts and holding the line on spending and aggressively negotiating reality-based labor contracts the governor has cut our funding by $1 ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=853 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=853       Township Council President Steve Polansky levied harsh comments against legislators in regard to potential state aid funding cuts the township faces this year.       Polansky said the township struggles each year to provide its high level of services to residents because of the rising pension costs dictated by the state and cuts in state funding.       Polansky said the state has proposed to cut $1 million in funding for the next fiscal year. Instead of the state giving us tax relief, we\'re in the situation where the state is trying to solve its bills on the backs of the municipalities,\" Polansky said. Over the past three years, we\'ve been assessed almost $4 million in rising pension costs.\"      Because oft http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=847 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=847 If the students of Carusi Middle School went every week to Island Beach State Park to plant beach grass, the state park would be in danger of being overrun by the helpful vegetation. Carusi students flocked to the Island Beach State Park on March 12 for the sixth annual community service project as part of the school\'s annual Mount Misery trip. About 100 sixth grade students visited the national park, Coordinator of the Environmental Program of Mt. Misery John Deitelbaum said, and planted more than 5,000 stalks of beach grass to prevent erosion. It\'s a great experience for these students to participate in a community service project that really makes a difference in the environment,\" Deitelbaum said. It really teaches the students ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=841 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=841 Following a meeting with about 60 concerned residents on March 7, Cherry Hill Fire Chief Robert Giorgio said nothing is set in stone with regard to the possibility of a new fire station in the Garden State Park development. Residents within 200 feet of the fire district-owned parcel of land between Crescent and Third avenues were invited to the meeting. Representatives of the Cherry Hill Fire District detailed their plans for the possibility of a new fire station in the complex and listened to the concerns of the residents who were in attendance. We were able to get some very good feedback from the residents who attended the meeting,\" Giorgio said. There\'s the perspective among some people that we\'re just going to come in and do ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=835 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=835 Instead of focusing on catching their students in the act of doing something wrong, Joyce Kilmer Elementary school teachers and administrators are focusing their attention on catching their students doing something right. As part of a Cherry Hill School District-wide initiative to mold its students into responsible and caring citizens, Joyce Kilmer Elementary School\'s Kilmer Constitution program encourages students to mold their behavior around the school\'s four root values. The Kilmer Constitution program, Principal Broderick Boxley said, is a successful program in its third year of existence that encourages students to treat each other with respect through positive enforcement. Our district is very serious about character ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=829 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=829 After a few months of contention, the Cherry Hill Board of Education has agreed to let the township Council broadcast its bi-weekly meetings on public access channel 19. Township Council President Steve Polansky made the announcement at the Feb. 26 Council meeting. ""While progress may be slow, we are indeed making progress," Polansky said. ""The board of education has agreed to let us use channel 19 to broadcast our Council meetings." The township first approached the school district in the fall about broadcasting its Council meetings on the local channel, but discussions were postponed until after the November election because the district said it did not want to broadcast political content on the channel. In December the board ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=823 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=823 Cherry Hill School District Superintendent David Campbell said he was pleased with the results of the state Department of Education\'s 2007 School Report Cards. New Jersey School Report Cards are released yearly by the Department of Education and showcase school and district specific information regarding Adequate Yearly Progress scores, highly qualified teachers, attendance and dropout data, and assessment data. Campbell said he and several employees in the district, including Public Information Officer Susan Bastnagel, waded through the state assessment data upon its release and were pleased with how the district students and faculty performed. The assessment data provided by the state is a ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=817 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=817 A study by Swiss-based KPMG, LLP, a global provider of financial advisory services, has revealed a need in the Cherry Hill School District for additional staff and new technology in the district\'s human resources and financial departments. The findings were revealed last week at a special Board of Education meeting at the Malberg Administration Building. Superintendent Dr. David Campbell first discussed the need for a financial report during the spring of 2006 when he interviewed for the vacant superintendent position. At that time, it was clear that Assistant Superintendent Tom Redmond and Budget Coordinator Conni Spiegle would retire within the year, which intensified the need for a transitional financial study, he said. ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=811 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=811 The Cherry Hill Board of Education ratified a two-year agreement with the Cherry Hill Education Association for its teachers\' contracts at a meeting on Feb. 5. The CHEA, which represents the district\'s 1,115 teachers, secretaries and support personnel, also ratified the agreement on Jan. 31 after more than half a year of negotiations. The new contract provides for average salary increases of 4.5 percent each year. Health-care benefits are unchanged, and non-tenured teachers will continue to share premium costs for their family members for their first three years of employment. The terms of the new contract are retroactive to July 1, 2007, when the old contracts expired, and will continue through June 30 ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=805 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=805       The First Annual Manuary Awards at Camden Catholic High School was a stubble-studded event that may have been the most entertaining awards show this year.      As a competition between high school seniors to grow the manliest beard in a month, the show judged which of 25 young men could be the best at...doing nothing. Rule No. 1 of Manuary: no shaving at all from Jan. 8 to Jan. 31.       But this award show was a strange twist on the writer\'s strike drama playing out in Hollywood.       The show was going on because of the beards, not in spite of them, although they were still grown to support a cause in this case raising money for a 2 year old with leukemia. Senior Tom Burke said he and fellow Manuary contestant Jim Schuenemann came up with the idea after Burke wanted to think of a ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=799 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=799 One day this past December, Bob Viden presented a Powerpoint slideshow to James H. Johnson Elementary School students of his expeditions to Africa. A few months earlier, he had made a similar presentation at Rosa International Middle School, explaining the program he started called Footsteps, which soon became a success there. Shortly before he came to Rosa, Viden received a letter from another school, this one in South Africa. The letter thanked him for his help through the Footsteps project, which donates used shoes to needy areas around the world. Winter in South Africa is the same time as summer here, but it gets just as cold in some areas there as it does in South Jersey. At the school Viden donated to, when students are absent ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=787 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=787 The Cherry Hill Council unanimously introduced an amended budget for the 2008 fiscal year that will see a 1.4-cent raise in the local purpose tax per every $100 of assessed property value. Since the budget was amended, it was sent to the state for further approval. According to township public information officer Dan Keashen, the final adoption of the township budget could take place as early as Jan. 28 at the council\'s next meeting if the amended budget is approved by the state. The tentative budget totals about $56.1 million, Mayor Bernie Platt said in a written statement. The budget was amended to cut about $400,000 as a means to reduce expenses in the township. ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=782 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=782 Township residents wishing to run in the 2008 Board of Education elections have until Monday, Feb. 25, at 4 p.m. to register for one of three open seats on the Cherry Hill Board of Education. The 2008 Cherry Hill Board of Education elections will take place in the township on April 15. Any registered voter who has lived in the township for more than one year may run for one of the three, three-year seats that will be open on the board of education. Current board members Susan Badaracco and Nancy O\'Dowd will see their three-year seats expire in 2008. Board of Education President Anne Einhorn will also see her three-year seat expire. None of the three ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=777 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=777 Teachers and administrators alike let out a long-awaited sigh of relief last Thursday, as committees representing the Cherry Hill Township Board of Education and the Cherry Hill Education Association reached a tentative agreement on new contracts for teachers and support personnel in the district, according to a district press release. Teachers and support personnel had been working in the school district without contracts since June 30 of 2007, after their previous three-year contracts had expired. The CHEA represented more than 900 teachers and 300 support personnel employees in the district during the contract disputes. Despite working without contracts since June 30, teacher and support personnel employees never threatened to go on ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=772 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=772 In a few months, young athletes of the township will be lacing up their cleats for a chance to play on several upgraded recreational fields that will be open all year round. The township is eyeing a March. 1 date to unveil the new next-generation turf being installed on three playing fields at two sport complexes in Cherry Hill. Two fields at the Garden State Rotary Complex and the upper field at the Chapel Avenue complex are having FieldTurf an artificial turf product used as the playing surface for many professional sports teams in the country installed to replace the poor grass playing surface young athletes of the township have had to play on for many previous years. The total cost of the project is $4.5 million for the township, which was bonded through the ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=767 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=767 The Cherry Hill Public Library\'s Teen Department and students at Cherry Hill High School East have come together and adopted three soldiers who are currently overseas defending the country to give them a taste of home this holiday season. The teens adopted the soldiers through troopcarepackage.com, an organization founded in 2005 by Pennsylvania native Angel Ramsey. The organization connects soldiers with sponsors who create care packages for the men and women fighting overseas who need extra supplies and touches of home to help brighten their spirits during this time of year. Ramsey has helped connect more than 3,600 troops with sponsors since the organization conception in 2005. Cherry Hill Public Library Teen Librarian Michelle Yeager asked for donations of needed items ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=762 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=762       Several strong comments by the president of the Cherry Hill Special Education Alliance about the negative attitude\" of the Cherry Hill School District\'s special education efforts prompted officials from the district to publicly defend their special education program.      The comments came a day after a Nov. 27 board of education meeting where the president and several Cherry Hill parents of special needs students called for the resignation of district special education director Israela Franklin.       The parents mainly decried an incident that occurred earlier this year at the A. Russell Knight Elementary School in which a special education student was placed in a padded safe room\" with a district employee to calm the student when he got upset http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=757 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=757       Teachers and support personnel in the school district started the school year without contracts and find themselves, almost three months later, in the same position.       The Cherry Hill Education Alliance which represents more than 900 teachers and 300 support personnel employees in the district and the Cherry Hill Board of Education are currently in the third phase of contract negotiations, seeking to establish a new three-year deal for district employees.       District employees have been working without contracts since their previous three-year deal expired on June 30.       Employee salaries and health benefits are the two main points of disagreement between the two sides, CHEA President Martin Sharofskys http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=752 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=752 District Director of Security Michael Nuzzo presented the district\'s 2006-2007 annual report on Violence Statistics and School Security Measures at a recent meeting of the Cherry Hill Board of Education. In the detailed presentation, Nuzzo reported that incidents of violence had decreased in the school district for the 2006-2007 school year. Only 103 incidents of violence were reported, down from 116 just a year before, representing an 11 percent decrease. This follows a trait of decreasing incidents in the district, as the numbers have been dropping since the 1996-1997 school year. The ratio of incidents to student enrollment has declined since we ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=747 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=747 New Jersey\'s leaders were busy the weekend before Election Day. In most of the state, our leaders spent the time arguing, bashing each other, bragging about their own accomplishments and airing attack advertisements. Meanwhile, at the Westin Hotel in Princeton, another group of leaders met to listen to each other, help each other, commend one another and work together. This refuge was the National Young Leaders State Conference, where nearly 170 eighth- and ninth-grade students from around the state met to hone their leadership skills and learn about themselves. Five students from Beck Middle School attended: Lily Campbell, Leah Terez, Rachel Beningo, Christine Goins and James Midkiff. The ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=742 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=742      Democrats won statewide in Tuesday\'s general election, and Cherry Hill was a microcosm of New Jersey\'s Democratic preference.     Cherry Hill residents re-elected Democrat Mayor Bernie Platt and councilmembers N. John Amato, Dennis Garbowski and Sara Lipsett on Tuesday, beating out all Republican challengers.     In the mayoral race, Platt received 53.5 percent of the 14,232 votes cast, with Phillip Guerrieri receiving 6,599, or 46.37 perecent. Amato received the most votes in the council race with 7,614, followed by Lipsett with 7,457, then Garbowski with 7,250.     Nancy Ryan, Joseph Achacoso and Christopher Hammerquist came in fourth, fifth and sixth for town council, with 6,598, 6,277 and 6,016 votes, respectively.     Residents in the 6th Legislative District also ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=737 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=737 Cherry Hill Citizens for a Safer Route 70 unveiled a plan Monday night it feels is markedly safer then the $200 million plan Mayor Bernie Platt\'s citizen task force presented this past summer. Cherry Hill residents and township Council members have been discussing for the past several months what to do with the busy roadway that snakes its way through the township. Susanne Bromke, chair of the 24-member committee that researched and devised the plan, showcased the plan to members of Council and about 50 residents who came out for the meeting last week. We want to make this road safer for everyone, especially our children, who walk to school or cross the road to visit friends, and for senior ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=732 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=732 The school funding issue is a recurring nightmare for taxpayers and politicians alike. As more money comes out of town coffers to cover education, many fed-up residents are fighting back by voting down school budgets. Local mayors have had enough and hope that together, they can create a unified position on school funding reform. Seventeen mayors attended a conference in Trenton recently, sponsored by the New Jersey League of Municipalities, to begin a dialogue intended to lead to change. I think it is imperative to be involved in discussions with the state government as Gov. Corzine prepares to propose a much-needed new school funding formula,\" Cherry Hill Mayor Bernie Platt said. There ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=727 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=727 James F. Cooper Elementary School celebrated its new ranking as a top school in the country last week, as an official from the U.S. Department of Education presented the school community with the coveted No Child Left Behind 2007 Blue Ribbon School Award. The school is one of six New Jersey schools and 287 in the country named one of the best under the NCLB guidelines, according to Valarie Smith, regional representative of U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. Smith returned from her post in Washington, D.C., to the Cherry Hill Public School District she once served as a member of the Board of Education and Parent Teacher Association to announce the honor to students, administrators past and present, faculty and parents ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=722 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=722 Mischief Night could come and go this year without leaving behind many remnants of toilet paper, soap and eggs in the many neighboring towns equipped with a juvenile curfew. But while police in towns such as Evesham and Haddonfield ensure kids are off the streets by 8:30 or 10 p.m., officers of the Cherry Hill Police Department will have to seek other methods. Lt. Bill Kushina of the CHPD said the township\'s limited curfew prohibits juveniles from being in parks and on school property after dark, and he doesn\'t recall the township considering a stricter ordinance. The lieutenant acknowledged an ordinance that includes public areas would likely prove a useful tool for the department, but also questioned the value of regulating juveniles in Cherry Hill. ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=717 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=717 Election Day falls on Nov. 6 this year, and a spate of candidates and questions will be spread across the local and general ballots. In Cherry Hill, Mayor Bernie Platt is seeking another four-year term. Platt is challenged by Republican Phil Guerrieri, an engineer working for the Pennsylvania-based firm Integrated Mechanical Service Inc. Guerrieri, a longtime resident, has no formal background in politics but is active in the community via his role as president of the Erlton South Civic Association. Guerrieri noted that, if elected, he would seek to re-establish discourse with the community, in order to utilize the wealth of talent and knowledge that our residents have to ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=712 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=712 Goodbye, cheese fries. So long, soda. Students across the country saw their favorite fried foods and sugary snacks in the cafeteria for the last time when they started their summer vacation. This month, U.S. public schools ushered in a new era of smaller, leaner meal portions and fresh, low-fat snack options as part of mandatory nutrition regulations handed down by the U.S Department of Agriculture. Food that features low nutritional value or high sugar content, such as candy, water ice or caramel popcorn, is flat-out banned by the law, and food service directors and vendors must work together to create a host of healthier options for students\' breakfast, lunch and after-school ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=707 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=707       The district\'s teachers and their support personnel began a new school year last week without a contract, as a settlement has yet to be reached in what has turned out to be a lengthy negotiation process.      The Cherry Hill Education Association and the district\'s Board of Education are preparing to embark on the third phase of contract negotiations, which seek to establish a new three-year contract for teachers and support-staff members. The last three-year contract reached with a mediator in 2004 ended in June. However, face-to-face sessions between the two groups and several meetings with a state-appointed mediator have not yielded any progress this year, officials said.       The next step, district officials said, is called fact-finding,\"w http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=702 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=702 A state-sponsored project to permanently close all of Route 70\'s median openings and add more left-turn and stacking lanes along the roadway\'s 8.3-mile stretch through town is getting mixed reviews from residents. The more vocal critics of the state Department of Transportation\'s late-summer construction project namely, those living in the Erlton section showed up en masse at a Council meeting on Aug. 14 to voice concern over the project and anger at the township administration, which many feel left them out of the decision-making process. Dozens of residents took to the podium, some addressing their grievances, others angrily accusing Mayor Bernie Platt of ignoring the will of his constituents. Many of those constituents fear the ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=697 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=697 After months of legal review, the Township Council unanimously passed a pay-to-play\" ordinance at a special meeting held last Friday afternoon. The law was based on a strong model of campaign-contribution reform legislation provided to a group of local residents by the Metuchen-based Center for Civic Responsibility. The Aug. 3 vote came after months of campaigning by the Cherry Hill Pay-to-Play Reform Committee, which gathered more than 3,500 signatures from registered voters throughout the community who supported the adoption of the ordinance in the township. The new law restricts contributions to township candidates and political parties from professionals looking to do business with Cherry Hill to $300 per year, as well as a $500 ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=692 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=692 The Camden County Department of Public Works commenced construction on its first light-retiming project in the region last week along Route 561. Between adjusting the traffic signals at each of the six intersections that punctuate the roadway and upgrades to its miles of curb, by fall when the project is set to be compete motorists and pedestrians should have a much easier time navigating one of Cherry Hill\'s main arteries, according to county and township officials. Crews will work on the project from about 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each weekday for the next two months, with several minor single lane shutdowns around the proximity of each traffic light expected, officials said. The scope of the endeavor will stretch from Uxbridge Drive to Walt Whitman ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=687 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=687 According to the federal government, alcohol is the drug of choice for America\'s youth. By age 15, approximately 50 percent of boys and girls have sampled alcohol; by the time they turn 21, 90 percent have done so, according to recent national surveys. Government-commissioned studies also indicate that nearly one-third of the country\'s youth begin drinking before age 13, with the peak years of alcohol initiation typically occurring during seventh and eighth grades. The findings are sobering, and the consequences can be devastating academic failure, traumatic brain injuries, sexual assault and even death. A landmark report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year revealed that, in addition to the ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=682 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=682 For the second year in a row, Cherry Hill has been designated the home of six of the 25 fastest-growing companies in South Jersey, as reported by the Philadelphia Business Journal and Rowan University\'s College of Business. Local officials noted that, once again, township-owned businesses are providing more than 20 percent of the companies that are enjoying significant success in the regional business community. Mayor Bernie Platt said he is proud to provide fertile soil for the business community to thrive in the township. This is truly a testament to Cherry Hill being a business-friendly community,\" he said after reviewing the list. We are proud to host all of these businesses in the ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=677 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=677 The students proudly clutching bottles of liquor or chugging beers in the photos were clearly underage. Shot after shot depicted the inebriated teens making provocative or lewd gestures toward the camera while showcasing their hordes of alcoholic beverages at various house parties. These pictures were probably not meant for their parents\' eyes. But in Haddonfield, during a two-month-long series of public meetings on underage drinking, parents did see the pictures. And so did hundreds of other residents, including school and church officials, police officers and local business owners. The pictures were copied from Haddonfield Memorial High School students\' Facebook sites and dropped off anonymously to Haddonfield Mayor Tish Colombi. While she was shocked\" by the crude collection of photos ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=672 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=672       A two-bill package aimed at boosting municipal control over sexually oriented businesses was passed nearly unanimously by the state Assembly last week. Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt of Cherry Hill sponsored the legislation, along with assemblymen Louis Greenwald (D-Camden) and John McKeon (D-Essex).      Lampitt (D-Camden) and Greenwald crafted the bills in the wake of a Union County businessman\'s plans to convert a vacant building along Route 70 into a store selling adult novelties and videos. The small, aging structure abuts two residential neighborhoods, and many community members expressed their outrage and alarm at the venture to township officials last year. Cherry Hill is currently involved in a lawsuit with the business owner, Jim Restaino, who owns a Romantic Video & Boutiquei http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=667 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=667 Many parents of special-needs students in Cherry Hill\'s public school district have recently expressed their dismay at the elimination of about 25 educational aides for the 2007-08 school year, contending they were not informed of the staffing change until a few weeks ago. Some fear it will negatively affect their child\'s Individual Education Plan. District officials say the decision to do away with some full-time, one-on-one teaching aides in favor of assisting each special-needs student for the part of the day when they need help the most was reached by a committee of administrators, teachers and Child Study Team members, who convened throughout the school year to examine the district\'s current inclusion program (classrooms comprised of regular- and special-needs ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=661 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=661 School\'s out for the summer in two weeks, meaning the start of a season of family-friendly entertainment planned to fill lazy days and warm nights with some wholesome fun until the end of August. The Independence Day Celebration, one of the most popular township events, draws thousands of people to the Jonas Morris Football Stadium at Cherry Hill High School West. This year\'s event starts at 8 p.m., July 4. Residents might want to dry off from the pool, fill up on pasta salad, burgers and other barbecue dishes before heading to the stadium to grab a spot on Michael J. Santarpio Field. Cover band Masquerade hits the stage at 8 p.m. to entertain the crowd until the first fireworks light up the ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=656 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=656       Cherry Hill Public Schools Superintendent David Campbell opened discussion about moving polling places from schools to protect students\' safety, a topic experts say pops up on Boards of Education agendas across the country more frequently after school-related tragedies.      Campbell addressed the issue at the May 8 board meeting after receiving feedback from parents who dislike the idea of offering public access to the schools during school board and any other election, according to the Public Information Officer Susan Bastnagel.      CHPS already planned an in-service day for Election Day in November, but polling places open at 2 p.m. during regular school days for others. The Superintendent\'s Advisory Committee will begin exploring options andd http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=646 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=646 It began in 2004 with a foundation stone laid into the earth by the internationally celebrated Muslim leader Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, and on Sunday, the groundbreaking for Cherry Hill\'s first mosque was held at 7 Perina Blvd. The structure, which will be erected within the next year, will join the township\'s landscape of religious diversity, including synagogues, churches and Hindu and Buddhist temples. The worldwide Muslim organization Anjuman-e-Fakhri is about 60 strong in South Jersey, said the organization\'s secretary and project manager for the mosque Quresh Dahodwala, who has lived in Cherry Hill for more than 30 years. Once the mosque is built, that number will multiply,\" he told The Sun. Presently, the area\'s Muslim ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=641 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=641 The Cherry Hill Public Schools Board of Education bid farewell to three veteran members last week, and welcomed three new ones Lisa Conn, Steve Robbins and Ken Hartman. The trio ran together and were sworn in at the board\'s annual reorganization meeting on April 24. Also at the meeting, Anne Einhorn took John Galie\'s vacated seat as president, and Bob Russo took over Einhorn\'s position as vice president. Conn said the three contenders were tapped to run together by an ad hoc organization of district parents who deemed themselves the Committee for All Children we didn\'t even know one another before we began running for the board,\" she noted. But ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=636 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=636       A six-lane highway is at the center of the conceptual redesign of Cherry Hill\'s most prominent thoroughfare, and most Route 70 Task Force members have mixed feelings on whether two extra highway lanes would improve the state roadway or ruin the township. But last week, residents of Erlton South made it very clear where they stood on the issue: Not though our neighborhood!      Gathered together by task-force member and Erlton South Civic Association President Phil Guerrieri above the Erlton firehouse, more than 100 of the neighborhood\'s residents roundly criticized a recent proposal the task force was considering that would expand Route 70\'s capacity in the Erlton, Barclay Farm and Wexford Leas areas to three lanes going east and west coupled with left-hand turning lanes. The designw http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=631 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=631 People will be checking out more than just books and DVDs this weekend at the Cherry Hill Public Library they\'ll be checking out live animals, a local authors panel discussion and a slide-show on classic films, among a host of other offerings at the library\'s second annual Check It Out\" weekend of arts and leisure activities. In addition, those enjoying the festivities on Sunday can take in the long-sought-after dedication of a bronze sculpture that has graced the entrance to the facility since it opened in December 2004. Crafted by renowned sculptor J. Seward Johnson, and on loan from the Sculpture Foundation, Sunday Morning\" has been a favorite snapshot spot for library patrons of all ages. The weekend kicks off at 10 a.m. on Saturday with an interactive sing-a-long for ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=626 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=626       Cherry Hill West High School\'s boys swim team enjoyed a double celebration its season, first beating their fierce rival East in the sectionals, and then going all the way to win the Boys Public A State Championships against Westfield. For first-time coach Jessica Naumann and her hardworking team, both victories were sweet.      Winning the state championship was the highlight of the season,\" Naumann said, but beating East was just about as close in terms of excitement and the swimmers feeling great about themselves.\"       Last year, West\'s team came close, getting to the state finals but losing there. It graduated several swimmers, including two very strong competitors, so the team had a lot of work to do to remain strong. Naumann credits someo http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=621 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=621 Susan Avory thought she knew her daughter. A self-described snoop\" who always asked her 14 year old where she had been and what she was doing, the Marlton resident was caught completely off guard when signs began to emerge that her child might have a drug problem. I saw the signs. I thought it was just experimentation,\" Avory told The Sun. When my daughter was on the drugs, I thought she was off the drugs, because that\'s the only time she was under control.\" Susan Avory isn\'t the interview subject\'s real name. The Sun changed the name to protect the privacy of the family. Discipline problems at school soon expanded into petty theft, days and nights spent away from home and a series of ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=616 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=616 The Cherry Hill Public Schools Board of Education voted Feb. 27 to keep the International Baccalaureate Programme in seven elementary schools and all three middle schools, while phasing it out at Cherry Hill High School West. The highly anticipated vote expressed overall support of Superintendent David Campbell\'s recommendations, but included two amendments allowing Cooper Elementary School to continue offering IB and preventing another staff vote next year. According to Public Information Officer Susan Bastnagel, Board member Cindy Trubin suggested future boards should not be bound by the current board\'s recommendations regarding the vote. The other amendment made an exception for Cooper to the rule that 70 percent of certificated ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=611 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=611 Cherry Hill Public Schools administrators answered the Board of Education\'s recent request and added $3 million back to its proposed 2007-2008 budget, sparking exploratory questions from board members at the Feb. 20 budget work session. Superintendent David Campbell met with administrators at all levels after the board requested he put $2.99 million back into the budget he presented Feb. 7, including $500,000 for facility improvements. District leaders still must await numbers from the state before making any definite decisions, but the administrators added 53.5 positions back from the original proposal, according to Business Administrator Tom Redman. The original budget proposal called for cutting 79.3 ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=606 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=606 Cherry Hill school district officials opened up their annual budget discussion last week, outlining a tentative proposal that would eliminate dozens of jobs, with Spanish language teachers taking the brunt of the cuts. But by the end of the meeting, board members apparently dismayed at the extensive losses the district would suffer under the fledgling financial proposition agreed they\'d like to see an extra $3 million in the plan, bringing it just under the state\'s spending cap. The first-draft budget called for a spending total of $159,665,108 about a $138,000 decrease from the district\'s current operating figures. But it would trigger an increase in the property tax rate to 13.3 cents per $100 of assessed value. The increase would cost the average homeowner with a ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=601 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=601 The Cherry Hill Board of Education meets again this week to discuss Superintendent David Campbell\'s recommendations regarding the future of the school district\'s International Baccalaureate Programme and comments from the public at the Jan. 30 meeting. Ann Martin, senior consultant for Praxis Consultant Group, facilitated last week\'s meeting by asking the more than 175 people in attendance to work together in answering three questions about the aspects they support, dislike and would change about the recommendations Campbell announced Jan. 23. IB courses focus on critical thinking, cultural awareness and the process of learning by invoking questions, rather than on multiple-choice tests and lessons presented in textbooks. The program ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=596 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=596       The Cherry Hill Police Department claimed yet another award for its service to the community last week, when Captain Robert Schofield received the Camden County Freedom Medal for more than 27 years dedicated to strengthening the police force. The Camden County Board of Freeholders awards the Freedom Medal annually to members of the community whose unselfish contributions embody the dream and action of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., according to a township spokesman.      Freeholders passed along 91 nominations with accompanying 300-word essays to a committee of six citizens, who then picked 41 winners based on their spirit of volunteerism and other factors, Camden County spokesman Ron Tomasello said. Many nominees do an unbelievable job in whatever earned them the nomination, but thec http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=591 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=591 Council approved a $54 million municipal budget, and two leaders of the township\'s governing body switched roles at a reorganization meeting held recently. The 2007 budget will trigger a tax increase of about $100 per average household those assessed at $140,000 township officials said, noting that reflects a 7.4-cent increase over the last fiscal year\'s figures. Following Council\'s passage of the budget, the average municipal property tax bill in the township will be $878 for a fiscal year that began July 1, 2006, and ends June 30, officials said. The unavoidable\" upsurge can be attributed to uncontrollable costs,\" such as increases in the prices of fuel and energy, state-mandated pension increases, a hike in the cost of ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=586 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=586       In late December, The Sun reflected on the previous year, outlining the events that shaped Cherry Hill over the past 12 months. Last week, Mayor Bernie Platt painted a more intimate portrait of township-wide highlights in 2006 and provided a peek at what officials will be focusing their efforts on in 2007.      One item that the mayor was particularly proud of last year was Money Magazine naming Cherry Hill one of the 50 best places to live in the country, and Philadelphia Magazine deeming the township one of the best places to live regionally.      These publications reaffirmed a fact which the majority of residents already know you couldn\'t pick a better place than Cherry Hill,\" Platt said, noting that the township\'s low crime rate and highlyr http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=581 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=581 Council unanimously passed an ordinance last week that adjusted an industrial zone within the township, allowing it to accommodate sexually oriented businesses despite an outpouring of protests from numerous members of the public prior to the vote. The newly forged overlay zone allows adult businesses to set up shop in four sections specifically, between Interstate 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike near the Melita Coffee facility and the Ryder Truck rental site; along both sides of Astoria Boulevard behind Commerce Bank; on the west side of Olney Avenue in the industrial park; and along both sides of Old Cuthbert Road between Route 70 and Chapel Avenue. Industrial zones such as the one targeted by the ordinance generally only house real ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=576 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=576 Birchwood Park Drive a residential artery through the township\'s Lakeview neighborhood has been a popular cut-through from Route 70 to Greentree Road for years, much to the chagrin of those who live in Lakeview, who complain that drivers passing though travel at higher speeds than posted and create unsafe conditions for pedestrians. According to officials, this cut-through, along with many others, are cited in the Cherry Hill Master Plan as major issues the township needs to address. In recent years, the township commissioned Shropshire Associates, LLC, to put together a plan for Birchwood Park Drive, identified as a particularly grievous example of the problem. A first draft of its proposal is available on the township\'s Web ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=571 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=571       The township\'s 2007 budget was formally introduced as a resolution at a meeting last week. No specific timeline for the final public hearing and vote was given, as Council members said they were continuing to try to find ways to whittle down the currently proposed tax increase.      Next year\'s proposed budget was first introduced to the public on Sept. 11, and little has changed since, according to Keashen.      The $53.7 million plan reflects a 2 percent increase over the total budget for last year, requiring an 8-cent increase in the tax rate. The hike would cause the municipal property taxes of an average Cherry Hill home assessed at $140,000 to increase by $115. But the numbers could very well be lower by the time the budget is ready to bev http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=566 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=566 Is ensuring the long-term fiscal health and capital needs of the Cherry Hill Fire Department worth an extra $35 a year to the average township homeowner? Voters will decide on Dec. 7, when the CHFD holds a special election for $15.6 million in bond issues to fund its 30-year Capital Facility and Fleet Plan. For nearly 24 months, the township\'s Board of Fire Commissioners has been working on a long-term planning exercise with a strategic consulting group within Public Financial Management Inc., a financial adviser to government entities. The result of the collaboration was a proposal for a $13 million bond issue for building improvements and $2.6 million for a fleet of new fire and EMS vehicles. The CHFD has been busy hosting a series ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=561 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=561       With the exterior restoration of the centuries-old Kay-Evans House at Croft Farm nearly complete, the township has secured funding and is readying to go out to bid on the next phase of the project a rehabilitation of the facility\'s interior and various outbuildings. Council took the first step in the process at its Nov. 13 meeting, passing a resolution regarding pre-qualification regulations for contractors bidding to work on the project, which will include making the downstairs portion of the house handicap-accessible.       In addition, the interior restoration will include structural stabilization, basement renovations in the main farmhouse, overall site improvements and the rehabilitation of the outbuildings, which include a carriage house, an icehouse and a smokehouse, townshipo http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=556 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=556 Media spotlights have recently been lighting up Cherry Hill first with Money magazine and CNNMoney.com ranking it the 47th Best Place To Live,\" and then Philadelphia magazine deemed it the 11th best place to live in the Delaware Valley, making it the only South Jersey town in its top 12. Both lists took into account things such as housing costs, education, crime statistics and quality of life factors when determining the township\'s tier in the ranking process, and, clearly, Cherry Hill has a lot to offer residents and area businesses. But what do the rankings really mean for the municipality? Are there tangible benefits that the township will see as a result of the publicity? Well, it depends on whom you ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=550 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=550       Incumbent Dennis Garbowski held onto his Council seat Tuesday, preserving the Democrats\' hold on the township. Republican challenger Joseph Achacoso lost by a margin of 12,907-8,680, according to unofficial election results.      As of press time, no absentee or provisional ballots were counted in the tally totals, officials said.      Garbowski took over the unexpired term of Pamela Lampitt in February after she left her seat for the state Legislature. He\'ll finish out the last year of her term, and indicated to The Sun in a previous interview that he would then run for his own three-year term in next year\'s Council election. http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=545 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=545 Last week, Route 70 was once again the focus of a township Council meeting but not in regard to the controversial closure of the road\'s cut-throughs or the contentious battle over the opening of an adult video store along the corridor, which have been hot topics in the recent past. Instead, the future of the township\'s beleaguered main artery was the subject of a resolution, and Mayor Bernie Platt told residents in attendance that he would soon be putting together a task force to examine Route 70 from a global perspective. The unanimously approved resolution authorized the township Planning Board to conduct a preliminary investigation into whether a certain stretch of Route 70 is in need of redevelopment. The zone targeted is about ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=540 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=540 Rosa International Middle School students came to school with their favorite books in hand last Wednesday, ready to share with classmates the reasons particular stories hold a special place in their hearts. Sarah Fogleboch brought Goosebumps and Butterflies,\" a collection of short, funny poems she memorized and repeated to her siblings before bed. Evan Smith ran back to his locker to retrieve a forgotten copy of I Just Forgot,\" a book in Mercer Mayer\'s Little Critter series, starring a critter who gets lost in a mall. Jeremy Zelig told the class about his current read, Splinter Cell\" by Tom Clancy, an action-packed\" novel he plans to pass on to dad when he finishes it. It was all part of Cozy Up and Read,\" held on the third day ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=535 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=535 Raising cash for the sort of extras that turn good schools into great ones is never easy even in Haddonfield. This past spring, organizers of Tatem Elementary School\'s annual PTA fair sought ways to cut expenses. Savvy parents saw a promising avenue a new Wegmans supermarket opening in neighboring Cherry Hill on the same week as the fair. There was a lot of buzz about Wegmans moving in,\" Tom Malecki, co-chair of the Tatem Fair committee, recalled. And then we started to look at when they were going to open, and (the fair) was literally a week after they moved in.\" We looked at (the company) Web site and saw their corporate giving policies. We saw that we met Wegmans\' criteria,\" he ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=530 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=530 For Robert DePersia, the proposal seems like a no-brainer. The Cherry Hill School District needs financial help. Sports programs need better facilities. So DePersia, along with Craig Giunta, president of Cherry Hill Midget Football, hit upon the idea of raising money to build a stadium at Cherry Hill High School East. The high school, one of the few in the state without its own stadium, has always used the facilities at cross-town rival Cherry Hill West. It\'s not a good situation for East, and it\'s not a good situation for West, because they can\'t make it their home field either,\" DePersia said, sitting in his Haddonfield law office surrounded by memorabilia from his years as a player ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=525 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=525 Driving down Bergen Street in Brooklawn, anyone familiar with recent media coverage of this tiny Camden County borough might expect to see a huge ShopRite\" sign dominating the campus of its lone educational institution, the Alice Costello Public School. Yes, that school the one that sold the naming rights to its gym and library, making headlines in The New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and some 200 other newspapers around the country. The school that Inquirer columnist Tom Ferrick predicted will one day be an historic landmark because it carries the distinction of being the first in America to sell the permanent naming rights to a building. The ShopRite sign is there, of course about 10 ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=520 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=520 Hundreds of Cherry Hill residents squared off against the state Department of Transportation at a contentious town hall meeting last week. It was held to present the DOT\'s proposal for the future of median openings along Route 70 or, rather, the lack of a future for the currently barricaded gaps in the roadway\'s wide, grassy divider. The plan presented would further limit U-turns and left-hand turns on the 2.5-mile stretch of state highway between Haddonfield Road and Interstate 295. Six cut-throughs that had been in use until June of this year would be permanently closed, and the opening by the firehouse in the township\'s Erlton section would be accessible to emergency vehicles only. The $1 million plan also calls for turning ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=515 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=515 The public was introduced to Council\'s 2007 fiscal year budget at a meeting held last week. The proposed $53.7 million plan reflects a 2 percent increase over last year\'s budget. It would require an additional 8.2-cent tax rate increase, resulting in the property taxes of an average Cherry Hill home assessed at $140,000 taking a $115 hike. The $1.3 million increase may be further reduced, however, if the municipality receives the $450,000 it has applied for in extraordinary aid, township officials said, adding that if the aid comes through within the next few months, the tax rate would drop a penny to 7.2 cents, and the average homeowner would pay about $15 less than the currently proposed tax ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=510 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=510 As the stifling summer heat continues to cool, so too does the climate of the housing market in South Jersey. After a few record-setting, overheated years of activity, local real estate agents are adjusting to a much more temperate environment. Many Realtors say it\'s slowly shifting from a buyer\'s market into a seller\'s, but they\'re quick to add that the change is a sign the market is leveling out and returning to normal after three to four years of above-average bustle. Last year at this time, a house may have been on the market for seven days and we\'d already have multiple offerings on it,\" said Keller Williams Realty broker associate Larry Steinberg. This year, a house may sit on the market 60 to 90 days without getting a ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=505 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=505 The township Council approved a controversial resolution to sell Marlkress Road and two other municipal properties to the county last week amid bitter opposition from numerous residents in attendance. The $2 million deal will generate needed funds for the budget, township officials said. The purchase is also designed to facilitate emergency evacuation planning, helping to ensure the safe passage of area and Philadelphia residents should the need to flee arise due to a natural or man-made disaster, according to county officials. However, those living on or near Marlkress Road and the other two sites included in the proposal open space near the National Guard Armory at 7 Park Blvd. and a New Jersey Turnpike workstation behind the Cherry ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=500 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=500 Students attending orientations, getting to know their peers and learning the issues affecting their schools won\'t be alone in these back-to-school experiences. David Campbell, the Cherry Hill School District\'s new superintendent, begins his first school year along with the students heading back to the classroom Sept. 7. But unlike many students stepping through the front doors with little more than anticipation and a fresh notebook, Campbell came to Cherry Hill with a plan. Thirty-eight years of experience in education make the superintendent comfortable wit his move to the township, he said, but every state and community is different, and he plans to focus on getting to know Cherry Hill\'s unique culture. I came here not with a ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=495 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=495 The overall crime index decreased 8 percent in Cherry Hill between 2004 and 2005, a steeper decline than reported at the county and state levels, according to the state\'s Uniform Crime Report released by the attorney general\'s office earlier this month. The Uniform Crime Report, a collection of data submitted by municipalities and separated by type of offense, allows public access to statistics that enable a better understanding of crime and enforcement patterns throughout the state. Cherry Hill\'s rate proved even more promising than the statewide data released in the same document, which, despite an overall crime rate drop of 3 percent showed no change in violent crime and an increase in murder and firearm incidents. Statistics showed a decline both in violent and non-violent ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=490 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=490 An ordinance that would transfer ownership of Marlkress Road and two other township properties to the county for disaster-preparedness purposes was tabled after residents sounded off on the move at a public meeting last week. The county\'s freeholder board passed a resolution to buy the short roadway, which runs between Route 70 and Kresson Road, at a meeting held last month. The $2 million deal also includes the armory site, at Seven Park Drive, and a New Jersey Turnpike workstation behind the Cherry Hill municipal building. While the township says it mailed a notice out to residents Aug. 1 concerning the impending sale, many who live on or around Marlkress Road showed up at last Monday\'s meeting to vent their indignation over not ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=485 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=485 To some residents\' chagrin and others\' relief, only a third of the nine cut-throughs closed along Route 70 for a two-month traffic study were reopened last week. The other six are to remain closed indefinitely, officials said, despite repeated reassurances from Mayor Bernie Platt\'s office that the median breaks would be reopened at the conclusion of the state\'s study, which began June 5. Reopening are he cut-throughs near Future Fitness and the Wachovia Bank in the Barclay Farm area and the cut-through at Whitman Avenue in the township\'s Erlton section. The New Jersey Department of Transportation, which conducted the study at the behest of Platt, reopened the cut-throughs after reviewing the Cherry Hill Police Department\'s ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=480 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=480 Mayor Bernie Platt announced an additional $1.8 million slash to Cherry Hill\'s preliminary tax budget at the July 24 Council meeting, attributing the cuts to additional state aid from the newly conceived state budget and unexpected revenue gained by the Garden State Park project. The cut places this year\'s levy 2.6 percent above that of last year, which is currently 1.9 percent less than the Consumer Price Index rate of inflation as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor in June, officials said. The average taxpayer owning a home assessed at $140,000 will see a $16 increase over last year\'s annual municipal tax, from $815 to $831 per year. Still, municipal tax makes up a very small portion of the total property tax bill, the mayor ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=475 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=475 Money Magazine has released its annual survey of the best places to live in America - and Cherry Hill is on the list. The township bested some tough competition to rank 47th in the nation based on a range of criteria, from family income to crime rates. This year\'s list includes larger towns and cities with a population of at least 50,000 but not more than 300,000. Coming in at No. 1 was Fort Collins, Colo. Cherry Hill was one of five New Jersey municipalities to make the top 100 list. Texas had the most ranked cities, with 10. The rankings appear in the August issue, which hits newsstands this week. The magazine sought \"livable locales that combine the best of city and suburban life\" - in other words, safety and economic ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=470 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=470 When a sweeping ban on smoking in indoor public places took effect in New Jersey on April 15, the state's restaurant and hospitality industry held its collective breath, waiting to see if banishing smokers would light the way to bigger profits or cause them to get burned as disgruntled patrons crossed the river to Pennsylvania. As the air clears nearly two months into the new ban, the effect on business appears to be neutral to positive, if reports from local restaurant owners and managers are any guide. "It hasn't really affected business," said Frank Faragasso, general manager of P.J. Whelihans Pub in Cherry Hill. Faragasso said that neither restaurant nor bar patronage has been down in recent weeks. "I don't think it impacted us in a negative way. People who don't want to smoke aren't breathing in anyone else's smoke."Amy ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=460 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=460 As the housing market continues to cool after years of furious activity, local real estate agents are adjusting to a more sedate environment suddenly bereft of bidding wars and speculation "" yet most agree reports of a healthy market's demise are greatly exaggerated. In Cherry Hill, as in many other South Jersey communities, rising inventory is key evidence of a slowdown, as is the length of time homes are spending on the market, according to Glenn Petsch of Coldwell Banker Realtors. "At the peak, we had multiple bids within a few days of listing a home," he said. "Now we need to be looking at longer terms" "" 30 to 60 days or more.That means more options for buyers, who no longer need to be as concerned about moving quickly on a purchase or entering into bidding wars over desirable properties. While an actual downturn is ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=459 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=459 Parents, teachers and students of the Cherry Hill School District flooded the Joyce Kilmer Elementary School gym May 23, waiting their turns to persuade members of the board to support the district's $515,000 International Baccalaureate program.Two elementary school students held a "Please Don't Sting Us! Keep IB-PYP" sign, and the Thomas Paine Elementary School faculty walked into the gym wearing blue Paine T-shirts with "IB" printed on the back.The board committed to a yearlong evaluation of the IB program during the budget process, and last week's meeting allowed Interim Superintendent Tim Brennan to present recommendations, and the community to express its feelings before the board. Brennan said it's time to move forward by restructuring the district's curriculum to incorporate Advanced Placement and IB courses, eliminating confusion ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=458 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=458 In a move to break into the lucrative local cable TV market, Verizon has proposed infrastructure improvements in Cherry Hill aimed at providing a full range of telecommunications services over its own fiber-optic lines. The company plans to wire 200 towns throughout the state in anticipation of negotiating franchises for its FiOS TV video service. The company already provides phone and Internet services.Verizon has been busy for several months laying fiber-optic cables in Haddonfield in Camden County and Evesham and Medford in Burlington County. Earlier this month, the company secured an agreement with Voorhees to install cables in that municipality. Also this month, nearby Haddonfield became the first municipality in Camden County to hold a hearing on Verizon's proposal to roll out its cable service in direct competition with ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=36 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=36 Less than a month after cutting the list down to eight, the school district whittled it down even further, naming two finalists in the search to replace Morton Sherman as the new superintendent of Cherry Hill Public Schools.The two candidates "" Raymond Bandlow, current superintendent of Hillside Public Schools, and David C. Campbell, current superintendent of the Upper Moreland Township (Pa.) School District "" met with representatives of various stakeholder groups in Cherry Hill last week, according to school officials.Students, parents, teachers, community members, administrators and staff participated in the interviews last Monday and Wednesday, and the candidates were able to take tours of the district, visiting both high schools and two of the elementary schools, according to Susan Bastnagle, public information officer for the district http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=35 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=35 The school district recently backed away from its original stance on the creation of the first suburban charter school in the region, allowing the creation of the school to move forward. Based upon the legalities of the appeal and future costs to the taxpayers, Tim Brennan, interim superintendent of Cherry Hill Public Schools, said the process would be counter-productive for the district.Harriet Beckerman, principal of the TLC Charter, said the new organization is thrilled to have an open road in front of it. "All of the parents and supporters of TLC Charter School are very happy that Cherry Hill Public Schools withdrew their appeal to the New Jersey commissioner of education. Now we can focus our full attention on getting the school up and running," Beckerman said. "All of us involved in TLC Charter School look forward to working with ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=34 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=34 As the school district moves forward after the passage of the budget and board elections, the focus now will turn back to hiring a permanent superintendent. Throughout the election season, several school board candidates said finding a permanent replacement for the superintendent was their No. 1 priority. And now, the process is moving forward, with interviews of potential candidates beginning not long ago.From an applicant pool of 27 individuals, the board met with eight candidates in initial interviews at the beginning of April. The results of those initial interviews have remained guarded and no information has been released on them, including the names of any candidates.Susan Bastnagle, public information officer for the school district, said the school board wants to bring the process to the public but has not figured out a ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=33 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=33 Imagine no morning rush hour, being able to walk to dinner from your home or go shopping, all while being able to cut down on pollution and traffic congestion. These are just a few benefits from the construction of transit-oriented developments, according to officials familiar with the project. From Alaska to Cherry Hill, the buzz of this form of Smart Growth is increasing at an astounding pace. The Delaware River Port Authority has undertaken an aggressive plan to implement these developments into several of its PATCO high Speedline stations, and Woodcrest is on the list.Commuters in many regions of the country are increasingly frustrated with congestion and arduous commutes. According to the Brookings Institution Center on Urban Metropolitan Policy, the disillusionment with auto-dependent suburbs is on the rise, and housing prices in ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=32 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=32 The marathon has come to an end, and township residents voted to approve the main budget and second question for the Cherry Hill Public Schools. The new budget will have an instant effect on the current homeowner with the approval of the new $155.77 million main budget and the $4 million additional second question. The new budget and second question will raise property taxes for the average assessed home of $140,000 an additional $166 for the 2006-07 school year. The main budget was overwhelmingly supported by the public with 6,249 yes votes against 4,865 votes no votes, and the second question got even greater support with 6,436 yes votes against 4,756 no votes. Residents also opted for a change on the school board, as two new members, Robert Russo and Mark Trentacoste, will take seats along with incumbent Sharon Giaccio. The defeated ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=31 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=31 Coming down the home stretch of the school board elections, eight candidates and a contentious budget are getting close to the finish line. Now, residents will need to decide who will represent them and what kind of tax increase they can handle on Tuesday, April 18. Polls will be open from 2 to 9 p.m. The incumbent candidates returning for another three-year term, on the nine-member board, are Jim Johnson, Sharon Giaccio and Bill Carter. The five challenging candidates are Mark Trentacoste, Bob Russo, Lisa Farkas, Jeff Kirk and Tom DePaul. The three incumbents and five challengers are the most candidates the board has seen in the last 10 years. The eight candidates, vying for the unpaid position, want the opportunity to represent the 11,709 students and the 19 schools in the district. Residents also will have the opportunity to vote on the ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=30 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=30 The majority of the Cherry Hill School Board agreed on a final budget that will ask taxpayers to pass a $155.76 million main budget and a $4.03 million second question. The combination of the two items would raise the new 2006-07 budget to $159.8 million and cost the average taxpayer an extra $228.20 per year in school taxes, if passed. The final budget passed the board by a vote of 7-2 as board members Susan Badaracco and Nancy O'Dowd voted against the document. The second question passed by unanimous vote. If just the main budget passes, the average tax increase will be approximately $164. Several changes were made to the budget since the original presentation, and Interim Superintendent Tim Brennan outlined where new money was found and what would be brought back into the budget. He said "wiggle" room was afforded because of competitive bidding on ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=29 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=29 Sometimes, voices are heard. After parental outcry, Interim Superintendent Tim Brennan and the Board of Education rescinded a proposal to make changes to the school district's special education inclusion program. Parents stood in long lines to get up to the microphone and address the Board of Education last Tuesday. When they got there, they lambasted the idea of moving kids out of the Woodcrest and Cooper special education elementary programs. The original administrative recommendation for special education in the 2006-07 preliminary budget was to cut two special education teachers and six educational assistants from both Woodcrest and Cooper Elementary Schools and move special education students to their home districts. Woodcrest and Cooper Elementary are the schools that host special education inclusion programs. Students from across the district areb http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=28 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=28 "Springdale Farms will be saved," said Councilwoman Joyce Kurzweil. In a turn around from a position taken recently by the township, council will support building a fence around the farm to stop deer predation of crops. At a town hall meeting last week, Mayor Bernie Platt said the township wanted to adopt a limited hunting season to "cull the herd." He also was adamant the township would not erect a fence at the farm because of "legal liabilities" that would be faced by the township. Since the meeting, a council subcommittee to save Springdale Farms "" made up of Vice President Frank Falcone, Kurzweil and Councilwoman Shelly Adler "" met with the Jarvis-Ebert family. Kurzweil said the subcommittee acted on recommendations from several experts from the state Division of Fish and Wildlife and the Rutgers Cooperative. The recommendations were part of a ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=27 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=27 The mayor held his first town hall meeting recently regarding the site adjacent to a 42-acre plot of land in the process of being preserved by open space, but the topic of the night was skewed to the health of Springdale Farms. Residents wanted answers from Mayor Bernie Platt about the continuing deer situation at the farm. Last week, several residents pressed Platt about the fate of the 53-year-old Springdale Farms. In front of a crowd of approximately 70 residents, Platt said the township will not consider a fence around the property, and hunting is on the table. The mayor held his address to the Browning Lane residents after preserving more than 50 acres of property in February. Resident Carolyn Simmons asked Platt if the township was going to spend $8.5 million for the preservation of open space, why it "couldn't spend $100,000 on a fence" for ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=26 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=26 The school board passed the district's preliminary budget by an 8-1 vote last week and sent it off to the Camden County Superintendent's Office. The school board voted to pass the initial document with a caveat it can make changes before the final budget vote in late March. A budget debate went until midnight at Beck Middle School last Tuesday night. The only board member to vote against the budget was Susan Badaracco. The deadline to receive all preliminary budgets in Camden County is this week. From its inception two weeks ago, the budget has increased to 4 percent from the current year to $155.76 million for 2006-07. According to the school district, the average home in Cherry Hill is assessed at $140,000 and pays $3,802 for public education for the 2005-06 budget year. The 2006-07 preliminary base budget will increase the average tax bill by ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=25 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=25 The school district is facing another uphill budget battle that could see up to 50 teachers eliminated if the public doesn't support additional budget questions at the polls. The tentative budget drawn up by the administration and supported by the school board has incorporated the essential and necessary pieces to continue to operate, but severe cuts will be left up to the voters of the district, officials said. The district introduced the preliminary budget to the public last week. Residents defeated the 2005-06 budget, and $2 million was cut from the $149 million document by town council. This year, under the leadership of Tim Brennan, interim superintendent, the school district will try to build community consensus for the passage of the budget and two additional questions on the April 18 ballot. The average assessed home of $140,000 could see ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=24 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=24 The Cherry Hill council preserved approximately 10 new acres of open space with the purchase of two properties on Briar Lane. The land is located next to the Cherry Valley Park and will now be an extension of that park, used for open space and passive recreation. The Cherry Valley Civic Association was the main group that spearheaded the township's preservation of the property. The township bonded for $1.7 million to finance the acquisition of the two properties through the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust. The NJEIT provides low-cost financing for the construction of environmental infrastructure projects that enhance and protect ground and surface water resources, ensure the safety of drinking water supplies and make possible responsible and sustainable economic development. The township secured the money on the bond at a .06 percent ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=23 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=23 Residents from Browning Lane have been anxiously waiting for developer K. Hovnanian Homes to make its presentation to the township Planning Board. The company made a formal application to the Planning Board last year to develop a 42-acre wooded lot behind Rosa International Middle School. Several members of the surrounding community have been opposed to the plan and are awaiting the next move by the developer and the township. K. Hovnanian had planned to present its formal plans for a conceptual development to the board in November 2005, but it has delayed the proceedings three separate times. The developer is now set to present its plans to the board. A presentation to the Planning Board was scheduled to take place yesterday. Doug Fenichel, spokesman for K. Hovnanian Homes, said nothing else has changed in the plans that the developer will ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=22 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=22 The state Department of Education recently released its annual school report cards for every school district throughout the state. According to the report, the Cherry Hill School District students excelled on state tests and were one of the best performers throughout the tri-county region of Camden, Gloucester and Burlington. According to a breakdown of the Report Card, Cherry Hill schools led the way in the region with several individual schools. Interim Superintendent Tim Brennan said the high performance on state standardized tests "" the HSPA, GEPA, and the NJASK "" is a tribute to the students and teachers in the district. "In my 22-year career as a superintendent, I have rarely seen such enjoyment by kids in their schools," Brennan said. "They are truly enjoying themselves and are really partaking in an enriching experience, and I think ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=21 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=21 No new taxes. The mantra that has been chanted by scores of township residents has been answered by Mayor Bernie Platt and the town council. The 2006 township budget includes no raise in municipal taxes. At the township council meeting last Monday, council voted unanimously to adopt the new budget and send it to the state for confirmation. All members were ecstatic to pass the more than $52 million budget and "hold the fiscal line on expenses." Platt said the township will enter into a new era of fiscal responsibility. "With all of the fiscal unrest at the statehouse, I want to thank all of the brave council people that helped the township maintain a high level of services while not incurring any extra costs," Platt said. "This is truly a government body that lives within its means." Platt outlined several cost-saving measures in the 2006 budgeti http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=20 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=20 The rite of passage for the school board is at hand as officials are working on the 2006-07 budget. Interim Superintendent Tim Brennan said the budget process is going to be a "challenge" for the district and the school board this year. School budgets have not garnered a lot of support in Cherry Hill over the last year. After a contentious budget election, residents voted down the 2005-06 budget. Town council and the mayor then identified $2.5 million in cuts from the document and the school board adopted the new budget. The district does not want a repeat of last year. "We are looking at a formidable challenge this year," Brennan said. "With just rollover costs, we're looking at a $14 million increase in the budget and that is without any additional programs or anything extra from last year "" that's just our current operating expenses." ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=19 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=19 Carman Tilelli showed up for work everyday no matter what. No matter what the weather or how sick he was, Tilleli was at the municipal building ready to work on a daily basis and was the most dependable employee the maintenance department ever had, workers said. Tilleli worked for Cherry Hill Township for the last 28 years and retired on the last day of 2005. The 51-year-old Cherry Hill resident has Down syndrome, which has never slowed him down in his pursuit "to help people." He started working for the township in 1978 as an employee of the department of recreation. Since then, Tilleli moved on to the maintenance department and became a beloved member of the township municipal staff. On Dec. 22, the township recognized Tilleli's efforts of more than a quarter century by naming the township community center in his honor. Rosalie Tilleli, Carman's ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=18 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=18 Only one fire district in the state has the top Insurance Services Organization rating, according to ISO. The Cherry Hill Fire District is trying to become number two and one of only 42 in the nation. ISO is a term that is used frequently in the lexicon of fire administration throughout the country but is an acronym that does not hold much value among lay people in the township. The term and ranking system is based on the quality and rating of available fire protection in a community and is used in 45,000 fire districts across the country. According to ISO vice president of risk decision services Mike Waters, the ISO system is related to insurance premiums that are paid by home and business owners throughout the township. The better the rating and district, the less a homeowner's insurance policy will potentially cost, and the safer the township is ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=17 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=17 Two public servants will be leaving their posts after several years of service to the township. Council President David Fleisher and Vice President Joyce Alexander Walker reflected on their tenure as public servants and told The Sun about what will lie ahead in the future. At an early morning council meeting last week, both elected officials were on hand to complete their service to the community. In an abbreviated council meeting that was scheduled to pay the remainder of the township's 2005 bills, the representatives made their final remarks as township council members. Walker has always been attracted to public service. She volunteered for local campaigns in high school and spent a lot of time at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs when she went off to college. She graduated with a bachelor's ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=16 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=16 Standardized test scores throughout the township have gone up significantly. School district director of curriculum T.J. Locke outlined the large gains students from elementary to high school have made in the state standardized tests last week. Cherry Hill High School East and West both had their highest marks ever, passing the High School Proficiency Assessment in both language arts and mathematics. Locke said the high test scores across the district were a result of the extra time and resources focused on handling individual students. "We're pushing the kids to strive for tougher classes and accept academic challenges. We believe that every kid should be in algebra and geometry classes and striving for a better education," Locke said. "When you expect more from a student, you get more. "We also provide the proper support for these kids with ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=15 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=15 The Jarvis family has taken a proactive step and provided a business proposal for a new fence around Springdale Farms. The farm is preparing to order seeds in the coming weeks and wants a solution to the destruction of its crops by whitetail deer. At the township caucus meeting last Monday night, farmer Tom Jarvis provided a plan for the township to fence its open space. Springdale Farms has been having problems with a herd of deer that is estimated to be around 1,000. The deer have destroyed 100 percent of several different crops throughout the farm and specifically 40 percent of the sweet corn crop harvest. Jarvis and the Rutgers Cooperative solicited bids by fencing companies and presented a $94,000 plan that would encompass all public land throughout Springdale Farms. "This is a plan that we're hoping the council takes under serious ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=14 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=14 The New Year is fast approaching, and several municipalities are coming down to the last meeting of 2005. In Cherry Hill, elected officials told The Sun their holiday wish list for next year. After a swearing-in-ceremony in January, council will get back to work and start tackling these issues. After an exciting 2005 campaign season, incumbent council members Frank Falcone and Shelly Adler will be sworn in for another four years in January. For 2006, they are both looking forward to seeing the completion of several projects throughout the township. The highest-ranking project on that list is the redeveloped Garden State Park. Falcone and Adler want to continue to see persistence toward the completion of several phases of the township's new main street. "We want to see more growth at GSP and continue to see the wonderful construction that is ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=13 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=13 Whitetail deer are endangering the rolling fields of Springdale Farms. The herd of approximately 1,000 deer has destroyed 100 percent of several acres of crops grown at the farm. The farm has pleaded with the township for help in controlling the animals that are now living in municipal woods behind the expansive property. Mary Ebert, the original owner of Springdale Farms, always loved to watch "Gone with the Wind." She believed, like Scarlett O'Hara, the only thing that would remain is the land that you own. The current owners, Tom and Mary Ann Jarvis, also believe in their mother's dream, and they're hoping the township will help them sustain their farm for at least another generation by limiting the population of deer. Tom Jarvis said Ebert always denounced developers who offered to buy the family's farm. "She used to always say that there ... http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=12 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=12 A presentation by national developer K. Hovnanian, scheduled for Nov. 21, at the municipal building in front of the planning board, was postponed until Jan. 3. The developer was supposed to show its plans to the board and the public on future development and plans for the 40-acre estate located next to Rosa International Middle School on Browning Lane. Hovnanian purchased the property from the long-time owner, the Buffs, and are planning on building a 40 home site on the property. The area is heavily wooded and the land runs adjacent to state route 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike. The plan is receiving opposition from the Magic Forest Civic Association. They have organized against the development of the land and are fighting to have the township save the parcel for open space. The new presentation is currently scheduled for Jan. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in townh http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=7 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/cherryhillsun/news.php?nid=7 Cherry Hill Councilman Frank Falcone has served on the township council for the last three years. After Election Day e