Local News - Mullica plans to revisit 2009 changes

In only it's second regular meeting of the year Tuesday night, the Township Committee - which Democrats now control 4-1 - announced it would revisit three ordinances passed last year.....Continue Reading

The ordinances include one that raised the fee for the township's public defender from $100 to $200. The Township Committee instituted the increase last spring, saying it was needed to cover a $1,700 salary boost the township gave its public defender a few weeks earlier.

But Deputy Mayor Bernard Graebener explained that he felt this increase was only hurting the poorest members of the community and felt the fee should be lowered back to $100. The committee elected instead to investigate the possibility of inserting language into the ordinance that would give the municipal court judge the authority to set the amount for the public defender anywhere from zero to $200.

"It lets the judge know that the committee would like the fee to be considered based on financial circumstances of individuals," Graebener said Wednesday night. "The judge already had that ability, but our law is pretty straight forward that our fee is $200."

The committee also announced it plans to revisit a decision the township made late last year to erect a "No Parking" sign on a 30-foot-wide road in the Sweetwater section of township after several residents complained that one of their neighbors regularly parked on the roadway, making it difficult for cars and emergency vehicles to pass.

"If the situation was unsafe for that street, it makes sense it would also be unsafe for other streets of that same width," said Mayor Michael St. Amour, who said the committee would likely look at drafting an ordinance that would regulate on-street parking in a way that would guarantee emergency vehicles could easily navigate every road in town - not just one street in Sweetwater.

The ordinance that drew the most public opinion last year involved amendments made to the township's Parades and Public Assemblies ordinance. The changes mandated that people or groups wanting to hold a "special event" on township property must apply for a permit 30 days before their gathering and provide proof of liability insurance 10 days prior to the event. Any request for a permit can be denied "at the discretion of the township," which also has the authority to revoke any permit.

The Republicans on the committee at the time - who were backed by the township's chief financial officer and former solicitors - argued that the ordinance was needed to protect the township from being held liable for accidents at public gatherings.

But Democrats argued that the ordinance was unenforceable and unconstitutional. The committee voted to revisit the ordinance for possible changes, but specifics on what those changes might be were not announced.

Former Mayor Janet Forman raised issues with the committee's decision to investigate making changes to each of the three ordinances.

"We did this to protect our taxpayers," she said, adding that other municipalities are using Mullica's Parades and Public Assembly ordinance as the model for their own. "I think it should be left the way it is."

Contact Robert Spahr:  609-272-7283  RSpahr@pressofac.com