Siedell suggests changes he wants to see in borough

The Haddonfield Human Relations Commission heard about ideas and changes in the new administration of Mayor Dave Siedell at a meeting on June 4.

The commission is an advisory panel to the three borough commissioners that investigates cases of bias, intolerance and discrimination in Haddonfield. Though usually held in the borough hall auditorium, the June session took place in Room 102 because of a scheduling conflict with the planning board. The commission meeting was also broadcast via Zoom.

Siedell attended the session and discussed his plans for the borough.

“I look forward to offering all the help I can to the board,” he said.

After a question about borough proclamations, the mayor explained that the three commissioners will run things differently in his term than in the past. Proclamations and action items will only happen at action meetings and not work sessions, and the latter will now take place in an upstairs room of borough hall, around a conference table, rather than in the previous auditorium location. 

” … We built a conference table set up so that we can face each other,” Siedell explained.

He also discussed the recent news that Haddonfield’s 4th of July fireworks would not happen this year. The borough will hold a large block party for residents instead, with a parade down Kings Highway that will be followed by a mini-car show, a hot-dog eating contest, bounce houses, games for people of all ages and live music.

“So that’s a town-like barbecue and that’s what we’re replacing it (fireworks) with,” Siedell noted, adding that the borough’s communications department will attempt to inform residents of fireworks in nearby towns.

Siedell raised the idea of the commission conducting an information campaign in the near future – most likely fall – on homelessness, to better educate residents on the experiences of the unhoused and dispel myths about them, including that homelessness is a crime.

“I think we can educate folks that homelessness isn’t illegal and on the services organizations in this town offer … and the reasons why people are homeless,” he observed, “or what the town actually does for people that don’t have housing.”

The commission also discussed a Pride Prep event at Library Point that was held on June 5 to prepare residents for the Haddon Township Pride parade that same day, and the need for volunteers at the borough’s upcoming Juneteenth celebration.