This time of year, there is always an increase in door-to-door solicitation, and we will not tolerate those canvassing neighborhoods illegally.
The issue is two-fold. First, canvassing for business purposes requires a license from the township that must be carried when soliciting in the community. The process entails filing an application at the township clerk’s office; paying the appropriate application and permitting fees; providing proof of liability insurance and a sales tax certificate; and submitting to a police approval process, among other requirements.
According to the clerk’s office, not a single solicitation license has been issued this year, an indication that anyone doing door-to-door soliciting for business purposes in Mantua has not obtained the required solicitor’s permit and is in violation of our township code.
Second, if a resident is registered through our “do-not-knock” registry and displays the provided “no knock- no solicitors” decal at their front door, it is illegal by township code for canvassers to bother that homeowner. If you haven’t done so already, you can call the township clerk’s office at (856) 468-1500, ext. 113, to obtain information on free, no-knock registration.
As your mayor, it’s my responsibility to protect the safety, privacy and peace of mind of our residents. In recent weeks, I have received multiple reports of individuals canvassing or soliciting without proper permits and violating the “do-not-knock” law.
Let me be clear: Our community and the police department will have a zero-tolerance policy for unlicensed canvassers and any other solicitation violations moving forward.
Any solicitor who wants to knock on doors in our township must comply fully with our local ordinances, including securing the appropriate license. That process exists for a reason: to safeguard our neighborhoods and to ensure that our residents are not harassed, misled, scammed or put at risk in any other way.
We will not tolerate individuals or organizations who ignore our laws, disturb our residents or attempt to bypass rules that protect our community. The police department is on alert, and violators will be cited and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Furthermore, I have instructed the township attorney to review our current solicitation ordinance and make appropriate recommendations if necessary for more stringent regulations and higher fines and penalties for violators. Should you encounter illegal solicitation or suspicious activity, including inappropriate behavior and harassment by canvassers, please call the police non-emergency number at (856) 589-0911 and report it immediately.
At the June 9 committee meeting, we adopted our municipal budget for the 2025 fiscal year. I discussed this budget in my previous column on May 22. The local budget this year is $17.62 million and makes up 20% of your overall property tax bill. The vast majority of your property taxes – 53% – billed by the township’s tax collector go to our schools. The remaining taxes are paid at 23% to the county, 3% to the local fire district and 1% to open space.
We also approved $1.6 million for capital projects to include:
- $450.000 for roads and engineering
- $200,000 for public works vehicles and equipment
- $200,000 for a new leaf vacuum
- $550,000 for parks improvements
- $200,000 for police vehicles and tasers
- $50,000 for PC upgrades
As a highlight, we’re excited about six new pickleball courts going in this year at Chestnut Branch Park. We will re-purpose two of the basketball courts to create the state-of-the-art pickleball areas, revitalizing the entire playing area. Last year, the park became “dog friendly,” and this year, we’re also putting in rubberized flooring in the playground area. My goal is to try and incorporate something new each year to better serve our residents and their recreational wants and needs.
Stay tuned for Mayor’s Message video No. 31 with my special guest, Jennica Bileci, our township administrator. Mrs. Bileci and I will provide an overview of this year’s budget to be transparent and to provide you with a better understanding of where your municipal tax dollars are being spent. This video and all of my mayor’s messages can be found on our social- media platforms and our website, mantuatownship.com/mayors-message.
On June 17, our recreation committee hosted the first senior picnic of the year at the municipal building complex. Deputy Mayor John Legge and I attended and enjoyed another great township sanctioned event.
We had approximately 80 Mantua seniors in attendance who all enjoyed hot dogs, hamburgers and water ice for desert. Chef Jim Kiel, a recreation committee volunteer, headed up the food preparation and the rest of our recreation team served and pampered our senior friends.
I’d like to personally thank Regina DeWitt and our recreation committee team for their outstanding work, and I’d like to commend Deputy Clerk Pam LeVine, park superintendent Scott Hellerman and the police department for their efforts. We’re planning a second senior picnic in the fall at Chestnut Branch Park.
On behalf of the entire Township Committee and I, we look forward to continuing our service with honesty, integrity and trustful leadership.
