In a continuing effort to inform residents on what is happening in the Township, I will write a regular update for the community. The briefings include issues being handled by my office, elected officials, and Township department heads. 

NJ Supreme Court rules against sex-offender residency restrictions 
It pains me to report that on May 8 the Supreme Court of New Jersey rejected the residency restrictions we previously instituted within our borders to remove sex offenders from places where children congregate. The majority ruled that Megan’s Law preempts our local rules. It has long been my position, however, that Megan’s Law does not grant our most vulnerable citizens adequate protection from paroled sexual predators. As I’ve said before, allowing convicted sex offenders to live near children is like handing vodka to an alcoholic- and studies on recidivism back that up. 

The restrictions we adopted as a Township- until they were overturned by the legal system’s Appellate division- were put in place for one reason: to improve and protect public safety. We’ll continue to look at every legal channel at our disposal on this issue, because I still believe that that rationale stands. We’re also prepared to recommit our effort of lobbying and advocating to the state Legislature and the Governor’s Office on behalf of strengthening Megan’s Law. I’ll continue to keep you posted on this issue, as I know it’s of the utmost importance to this community. 

CHPD to hold ‘Community Meeting’ to open dialogue with residents 
On the evening of Tuesday, May 12, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Cherry Hill Public Library, our Community Policing Unit will host a special town-wide community meeting with residents that will address public safety concerns and allow for an open dialogue between attendees and police officers regarding ways to resolve them. More importantly, it marks the beginning of an even more collaborative relationship between our law-enforcement officials and community members, with more meetings planned for the future. 

This type of public outreach initiative is furthering our goal of fostering a municipality acclaimed for its public safety. As many of you may know, Cherry Hill has been deemed one of the “Best Places To Live” in America by CNN and Money Magazine, and it was largely based on our safety rating. We’re determined to retain our rank as one of the most secure places to live in the country, and that involves open communication between residents and police officers. For more information about Community Policing initiatives or future public meetings, please call Community Policing at (856) 488-7813, visit www.CherryHillPolice.com, or check the Township Calendar at www.CherryHill-NJ.com. 

PSE&G conserving energy and investing in Cherry Hill 
PSE&G has targeted Cherry Hill for a pilot project that will remove all 4,300 Mercury Vapor street-lighting fixtures that line our streets, and replace them with more energy-efficient, electrode-free Induction cobra head fixtures. The pilot measure- which has only been offered to nine other municipalities in the state- is expected to be authorized by Council at Monday’s regular meeting (7:30 p.m. on May 11 in Town Hall). Induction lighting offers a significantly longer lifespan than Mercury Vapor models, higher efficiency, and more lumens per watt, and results in fewer outages while requiring less maintenance. Installation of these modern ‘green’ fixtures would save the Township money in street-light utility costs and reduce the mercury level in our overhead lighting by more than half. For questions about this proposed project, call my office at (856) 488-7878 or email me at MayorPlatt@CHTownship.com. 

Rec Dept. featuring Boat Safety Program and certification 
The Township Recreation Department is once again able to offer the popular Boat Safety Program in its summer lineup. This beginner boating class meets the New Jersey requirements to operate any power boat, including jet skis. The course will cover the basic principals and terminology as well as boat handling and basic navigation and ends with a final exam. Federal and state boating laws are thoroughly covered along with general recommendations for safe boating and trailer operations. 

All students who successfully complete the examination are issued a temporary New Jersey certification. The course tuition includes the text book, CD and the application for the New Jersey Boating Safety Certification, and is being held in the Carman Tilelli Community Center Saturday, May 16, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $50 ($75 Non-Resident). Additional classes and activities for residents of all ages can be found in our combined Summer Rec Brochure and Township Newsletter, which you all should have received through the mail by now. Contact the Recreation Department at (856) 488-7868 or email Recreation@CHTownship.com to register, or view the full Rec guide at www.CherryHill-NJ.com/pd fs/RecSummer09.pdf. 

Follow Township news and announcements on Twitter 
By now, most people have heard of Twitter, a Web site that allows for short, live updates from its millions of members. Cherry Hill has now joined this cultural phenomenon in an effort to keep up with technology and provide constituents with up-to-the-minute access to news, events and announcements. To become a follower of the Township, visit Twitter through a link on the Cherry Hill Web site: www.CherryHill-NJ.com, and click on the ‘Twitter’ icon. Or, go to www.Twitter.com directly, and search ‘CherryHillTwp.’ In order to read and/or receive updates, you must join Twitter. For more information on our communication initiatives, call my office at (856) 488-7878. 


For up-to-the-minute updates on any subject, call my office at 856.488.7878 or visit our municipal homepage. 

Sincerely, 

Bernie Platt 
Mayor