We look forward to 2026 as a year of hope, love and optimism. We should take one last moment
to reflect on the eventful year that was 2025.
The police department saw the retirement of Chief Lou Bordi, who proudly served our community for 38 years. Chief Bordi was at the forefront of many policing initiatives, especially those involving community engagement and school safety. Under his leadership, we were the first town in the area to put a police officer in every
school all day every day.
We thank Chief Bordi for his service and we congratulate our new Police Chief, April Herrington. Last year, the department continued all of its successful programs, including the Citizens Police Academy and Junior Police Academy.
Police initiated the Blue Envelope Program, which supports drivers with autism and communicative disorders by allowing them to put all vehicle paperwork in a blue envelope to enhance interaction with police.
Under the leadership of Chief Jim Poland, the Voorhees Township Fire Department kept our families safe. Firefighters engaged with our community through Fire Prevention Day, our holiday parade, the winter festival and cookies with Santa.
Under the leadership of the new director of Public Works, Chris Taylor, our streets, parks and athletic fields were kept safe. Snow removal and trash removal were done seamlessly and efficiently. Under the leadership of Township Administrator Stephen Steglik, our town hall employees continued to provide the highest level of municipal services.
The township committee worked hard to reduce spending and control costs. Voorhees engaged in sensible shared-services programs with Eastern High School and the school district, Gibbsboro, Berlin Township and Camden County. We continued our programs of side-arm trash collection and single-stream recycling collection, allowing our manpower to be used more efficiently.
The Voorhees road program continued with the repaving of 18 township streets and five courts. With a New Jersey DOT grant of $854,000, pedestrian and bike lane improvements were made to provide better access to the Ashland Station. With another New Jersey DOT Safe Routes to School Grant of $1.246 million, new sidewalks were installed on both sides of Van Buren Road and Lucas Lane.
We continued to improve our parks and athletic fields. A new playground was installed at our soccer complex. To help keep our community safe, we continued our Safe Exchange Zone, NextDoor App, Project Medicine Drop, the anonymous crime tip line, Nixle and the Safe Cam Program.
We continued to make our local government transparent and accessible. We televise all of our township committee meetings and we regularly update our website. More than 8,500 people follow the township on Facebook, 3,000 on Instagram, 1,000 on Twitter, almost 6,000 on the township app and almost 10,000 on the Next-Door App.
The township engaged in community outreach programs that included our annual rabies clinic, Real I.D. services with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, senior tax assistance, housing and mortgage assistance programs and shredding events.
We continued our Voorhees Saves Lives Program with contributions from private donors that finance free Uber rides to residents from area restaurants from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Since the program’s inception, DUI incidents have been dramatically reduced.
We continued with our Shop Voorhees Property Tax Rewards Program, allowing a portion of your normal purchasing dollars spent on goods and services to be applied toward your property tax bill.
The arts are alive and well. In 2025, the Voorhees Art Commission sponsored many programs for residents of all ages, including the fifth annual Voorhees Got Talent Contest and Art in the Park.
Voorhees continued to embrace and celebrate its diversity. Our Cultural and Diversity Committee members continued to be “ambassadors” of celebrating our differences, with a Juneteenth celebration and another successful International Day in October.
The township continues to be a destination for new businesses. Our Voorhees Business Association (VBA) holds monthly networking lunches and happy hours. As a result of a partnership with the township committee, residents and
the VBA, 46 new businesses opened in 2025.
On Oct. 27, the township unanimously approved a redevelopment agreement with Hoboken Brownstown Company to launch a major revitalization of the former Echelon Mall area, now known as the Town Center. This sets the stage for the property’s rebirth as a vibrant, mixed-use destination with new townhomes and apartments, more than 38,000 square feet of new commercial and entertainment space and a multi-level parking garage.
Congratulations to my colleague and friend, Jackie Fetbroyt, who was reelected in November to the township committee. And thank you to the many volunteers who serve our town.
