On Monday, Aug. 17, the Cherry Hill Township Council gathered for their bi-weekly caucus meeting. The public is welcome to attend these meetings in the Cherry Hill Municipal Building, as well as on Zoom, in order to ask their most pressing questions directly to their council members, the chief of police, and Mayor David Fleisher.
The council began the meeting by addressing ordinances, and recognizing the notable steps being taken to preserve Holly Ravine Farm from development.
Mayor David Fleisher addressed the caucus regarding his plans to “honor the legacy of farming on the land,” with his ultimate goal being “to provide opportunity for residents to have access to the open space around the ravine and trails.”
“We’re on the verge of accomplishing something virtually unheard of in New Jersey,” the Mayor explained, “actually adding a working farm in a mature, suburban community.”
Additionally, the ongoing construction taking place on Route 70 is slated to officially be completed in 2027.
Cherry Hill residents who attended the meeting raised a variety of concerns with the mayor and council, including violence in schools, construction related traffic, school property taxes, and, most notably, the appearance of flock cameras. Flock cameras are automated license plate readers that track vehicle movements and log data into searchable databases.
Multiple attendees, whether in-person or virtually, were troubled by the “sudden” appearance of flock cameras in their neighborhoods as nationwide concern grows around misuse. The Cherry Hill Township chief of police was present to provide answers.
“We have been utilizing that technology since 2014 in different capacities,” Officer Ostermueller began. “As technology has unfolded, our use of that technology has also adapted. We do operate a series of cameras within the very strict guidelines set forward by the New Jersey Attorney General. We treat that data as criminal investigatory records, which means that they can’t be accessed for just any reason. We follow the retention period set forth by the Attorney General of New Jersey, and we have our full written policy on our website.”
According to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, state policy mandates official law enforcement purposes for data access, sets a 3-year data retention limit, bans data sharing for civil immigration or reproductive rights, and requires rigorous state-monitored random audits.
“As a citizen and as a mayor, we share the interest in not just public safety, but ensuring the privacy of our residents,” Mayor Fleisher weighed in. “I can tell you that the use of technology, as all members of law enforcement have made it clear to us, is very useful and important toward public safety and to solving crime. We are very sensitive to ensuring that our department, as they do in all areas, operate at the highest levels of professionalism and accountability, and comply with all rules and standards that’s set forth by the state.”
Throughout the meeting, multiple upcoming events within Cherry Hill were promoted by the council. The schedule is as follows:
- September 3rd – Alfresca Affair Food Truck Festival at Croft Farm
- September 9th – Mayor’s Wellness Walk starting at the Cherry Hill Mall
- September 11th – September 11th Remembrance Ceremony at the Cherry Hill Fire Department headquarters
- September 26th – Ballet in the Park at Croft Farm
- September 26th – State of New Jersey Property Tax Filing at the community center
- September 26th – National Public Lands Day volunteer opportunity at the Large Red Barn at Croft Farm. Registration is required through the township website at www.chnj.gov
- September 28th – Senior Festival at DoubleTree by Hilton, Grand Ballroom
The next Cherry Hill Township Council Meeting will take place on Monday, September 14th. In the meantime, the full recording of this meeting and its minutes can be viewed at any time at https://www.chnj.gov/AgendaCenter.
