Township council appointed two people to fill vacancies on the Zoning Board of Adjustment and declared the alternate member position vacant at its Oct. 14 meeting.
Kevin Cockfield was named a regular member to fill an unexpired term that ends on Dec. 31, 2026. Neelima Straiges was also appointed a regular member; she will fill an unexpired term that ends on Dec. 31, 2027.
Council approved an ordinance on first reading that would prohibit parking at all times on specific streets in the township. An amendment to the revised general ordinance would prohibit parking on Europa Boulevard, at the Marlkress Road entrance, and Jefferson Avenue, at the entrance across from an Erlton South resident’s home.
The proposed measure comes after requests from residents who hope the change will improve safety and traffic flow in areas where road widths and ingress-egress commissions don’t support concurrent vehicle passage.
Now that the amendment has been formally introduced to the council, it will be considered for final adoption after public comment at the next council meeting.
A consent agenda for the October meeting featured a resolution to authorize the cancellation of property taxes for those approved for a full tax exemption, namely totally disabled veterans or their widows. Another agenda measure will increase the township’s temporary budget for fiscal year 2026 to allow for funding the township payroll and other essential operating expenses until a full budget is adopted.
Residents expressed concerns during the meeting’s public comment on a range of issues. Resident Rick Short expressed disappointment that the township’s first statement on the ceasefire in Gaza did not acknowledge the efforts of President Donald Trump. He thanked Mayor Dave Fleisher for rectifying that in his meeting statement.
Short also expressed concern about consultants in the school district voicing their own political agendas to township students.
“This town’s either going to be a town of truth or a town of lies,” he said. “So in my speech, it’s kind of the same thing. No one can come to a public mic and praise the radical, crazy consultants we have.”
Resident Andy McLean made his opposition to Short’s views known, though he did not specifically mention anyone.
“There is a cancer in Cherry Hill,” McLean maintained. “Online trolls have for years been spreading increasingly malicious and blatantly false information about our community, our schools and this council. The cancer is hate being promoted as a reasoned response to what they characterize as hate in our schools and in our community.”
The meeting ended with each council member acknowledging recent events related to township diversity and the ceasefire in Gaza.
The next meeting will be held on Monday in person and via Zoom.
