Wednesday, May 22, 2013
The 2013 municipal budget will show $1.4 million in increased debt service, says Mayor James Maley, but those figures are attributable to the sale of borough-owned properties.
The next regular meeting of the Collingswood borough commissioners is slated for June 3, but the 2013 municipal budget won't be presented until a June 19 special meeting, Mayor James Maley announced at the commissioners reorganization meeting Tuesday. Collingswood households can expect about a $56 average increase in what is anticipated to be a $16.1 million budget, Maley said, due in large part to rising healthcare costs, which he'd identified in his personal blog on the borough website. The borough is switching its healthcare provider to the New Jersey state employees' public health plan, which should bring "substantial savings next year," Maley said. Until then, however, the commissioners approved a special, 30-day extension of those …
James Maley will serve another four years as the mayor of Collingswood. Joan Leonard and Michael Hall will also oversee the same responsibilities they did previously.
Anyone going into the reorgnization meeting of the Collingswood borough commissioners expecting drastic changes to the leadership structure of "Team Collingswood," which swept the field in the municipal elections a week ago, would have been disappointed. Commissioners James Maley, Joan Leonard and Michael Hall retained their respective assignments—as Commissioner of Public Affairs and Public Safety; Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public Property; and Commissioner of Revenue and Finance—with Maley staying on for another four-year term as borough mayor. After the meeting, Maley declined to comment as to whether he felt any changes should have been expected; Hall was more plain-spoken. "Jim’s a great mayor," Hall said. "He’s done …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Proclamations, purchases, collective energy buying, tax appeals, even George Norcross—it's all here.
Missed Monday's May meeting of the Collingswood borough commissioners? Here's a brief recap of five things that happened. 1. Proclamations Swimmer Andy Schuehler, who had been previously honored by the Collingswood Board of Education for his top finish in the 100-yard breaststroke at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, also received a proclamation from the borough for his achievements. Likewise, borough leadership got a sample of the state-winning performance from the Odyssey of the Mind Pet Project team, and formally commended their efforts to bring "the highest spirit of teamwork and innovation" to the borough. Odyssey of the Mind is still raising funds to send the team to the world championships in Michigan at the end of May. At a cost of …
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Here's a quick link to all the top news from the campaign season, including a chat transcript from the Tuesday night candidate forum.
The Collingswood commissioner candidates tackled that question at the April 30 debate. Read their answers and give us your take.
“Would you ever be in favor of merging Collingswood with another municipality if it meant lowering taxes significantly?” That question met with some incredulousness from Collingswood’s commissioner candidates when it was posed to them at the April 30 debate. But is it in Collingswood’s future? The question came during a discussion about saving money through shared services. Collingswood has several shared services agreements for work such as fire service, trash collection, energy services and code inspectors. Borough officials spearheaded a seven-town shared service pact to explore more avenues and create additional agreements. Eventually, there could be a limit to the money saved on shared services. So, would candidates be prepared to …
Ahead of the May 14 election, a two-hour debate revealed the different ideas Collingswood's commissioner candidates have for running the borough.
The Collingswood candidate debate largely came down to one question: Have the current commissioners set the borough on the right course, earning them new terms to continue that work, or does Collingswood need “new blood” among its elected officials to correct past actions? The April 30 debate—which featured some minor sniping among opponents—showcased the division among the candidates on a slew of issues, from taxes and revenues to supporting Collingswood business growth and even backyard chickens and liquor sales. Candidates’ answers gave voters a glimpse into the next four years. Will Collingswood stay on its current path, as represented by incumbent slate of James Maley, Joan Leonard and Mike Hall? They promoted their accomplishments …
39.914992
-75.086313
Scottish Rite Auditorium
315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood, NJ
/articles/taxes-chickens-divide-collingswood-commissioner-candidates
1885099
/locations/9333538
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Plus: big dates to remember in town and no, Collingswood will not be joining the Camden County Police Metro Division.
Didn't go to the borough commissioners meeting on Monday? In addition to a proclamation honoring oustanding volunteer Michelle Miller and a preview of potential tax increases, here's a recap of what you missed. 1. Paved parking lots. As part of its seven-town shared services agreement, crews from Bellmawr will re-pave the Collingswood Community Center parking lot by the end of April—just in time for the opening of the Farmers Market. Visitors and residents are encouraged to park in the LumberYard garage during the process. 2. Repaved county roads. Mayor James Maley acknowledged that Collings Ave. and Browning Road are “in rough shape” after the winter, and that pothole repair on both is a priority for the borough. As county roads, however…
The detail slipped out at a packed Borough Commissioners meeting Monday night.
At a busy Commissioners meeting that included the swearing-in of three full-time emergency services personnel and a proclamation honoring the most outstanding volunteer in the borough, the biggest news of the evening slipped out innocuously: taxes in the borough might be going up for 2013. In announcing that the full budget presentation will be delayed for another month, Mayor James Maley mentioned casually that borough taxpayers "may see a slight increase in taxes" for the next calendar year. Pressed for further details from the crowd, the mayor ballparked the figure at about $50 per household, blaming factors like the worldwide economic recession and a decrease in state aid. "If it ends up the way it is right now, it’ll be $50," Maley …
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Who's running in Collingswood? Where do I vote? When is the election? We've got you covered.
It's election season again in Collingswood. Although the borough just chose its new Board of Education members at the normal polls in November 2012, the four-year terms on borough commissioners expire this spring. With that in mind, here's your fast, fun primer on the upcoming referendum. Collingswood is one of those New Jersey communities in which municipal government is organized into a non-partisan, three-member commission under the Walsh Act. Each of the commissioners has specific responsibilities that are determined after the election at an internal re-organization meeting. They are: The vote will take place Tuesday, May 14. Election hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at your normal borough polling place. Not sure where to vote? Click here to…
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Hall said that his primary concern is with maintaining the level of services residents have come to expect, especially in terms of emergency, police and fire.
Mike Hall has lived in Collingswood since he was 6 months old. A graduate of Collingswood High School ('73), he worked his way up through the ranks of the borough fire department, spending eight years of his 30-year career there as Chief. Hall also has five children and five grandchildren. When Mike Hall says there's no place else that has the same hometown feel as Collingswood, he knows it. Hall has spent his whole life in the borough, and speaks fondly of its charms. "It’s just where I grew up, so it’s kind of like all I’ve known," he said. "But it’s always been a great town. You always felt safe playing in the neighborhood." Hall's professional career in the borough has centered on emergency services, and he said that those issues are …
Collingswoodnative
9:27 am on Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Public works needs new trucks no question in MY mind about that. A new $42K "command vehicle" for the fire company... not so sure that's needed. more ›