Weekly Township Briefing for August 14, 2009

Cherry Hill launches Pedestrian Decoy crosswalk safety program
On Thursday, Aug. 13, I joined Pam Fischer, director of the state’s Division of Highway Traffic Safety, Police Chief Charlie Jones, and dozens of other officers and several chiefs from nearby communities to promote the new Pedestrian Decoy program, which the Township is implementing through a state grant. The initiative is designed to encourage drivers to follow the law and yield to pedestrians at crosswalks.

Beginning after the press conference held at Cherry Hill High School West yesterday morning (view photos), undercover officers demonstrated the program, in which they pose as pedestrians using crosswalks and gauge drivers ability to yield. During these patrols, warnings or summonses are issued at the officer’s discretion to motorists whose actions put pedestrians at risk. Those on foot will also be advised of their end of the law, should they put themselves in danger in attempting to cross traffic. It is our belief that knowledge of potential enforcement of the pedestrian right-of-way law will make Cherry Hill safer for drivers and pedestrians alike. If you have questions about the program, call my office at (856) 488-7878.

Senior Freeze and Homestead Rebate deadlines extended
It was announced this week that the deadline for filing 2008 “Senior Freeze” (Property Tax Reimbursement Program) and Homestead Rebate applications has been extended until Nov. 2, 2009. Last month, the Division of Taxation was said to have mailed checks to eligible senior and disabled residents who applied for property tax relief benefits under the Senior Freeze and Homestead Rebate programs. The state reports that checks for senior and disabled residents who file their applications after the original deadline will be processed and issued as quickly as possible, with Homestead Rebate checks for non-senior and nondisabled homeowners scheduled to be issued in October.

Information about the Homestead Rebate Program is available by calling the Homestead Rebate Hotline (888) 238-1233 for homeowners or (888) 213-8623 for tenants from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Homeowners and tenants can find out the status of their Homestead Rebate check by calling (877) 658 2972, or online at www.state nj.us/treasury/taxation/homestead/hrintro.shtml. Rebate check information for homeowners who are under 65 and not disabled will not be available either online or by phone until October.

Homeowners who still have not filed their Homestead Rebate applications can do so by phone (877) 658 2972) or online at www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxatio n/. The automated telephone filing system and Internet filing application are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

RecycleBank awards local businesses partnered with the program
On Wednesday, Aug. 12, Township officials joined RecycleBank founder and CEO Ron Gonen, among others, to present awards to nearly 40 local businesses that have partnered with Cherry Hill’s RecycleBank program to offer incentives to residents for recycling. Since implementing the program town-wide more than a year ago, our recycling rate has risen significantly, with the average household putting out for collection an average of 22 pounds of recyclable material a week – up from the previous average of 11 pounds. That adds up to tax-dollar savings on incinerator tipping fees and is in-line with our Green Action Plan and sustainability goals.

In addition to the diligence of residents who put out materials for collection each week, the success of RecycleBank’s Reward-point-based program would not be possible without the support of area businesses. Wednesday’s special award ceremony saluted their commitment to this community and to making our recycling program one of the best in the state.

New Jersey deemed second-best in the nation for solar installations
This week, Gov. Jon Corzine announced that the number of solar installations in New Jersey now totals more than 4,000 state-wide. This milestone is particularly remarkable considering the fact that seven years ago the state had only six solar installations. We’ll soon add to that number here at Town Hall, as we continue to prepare for the addition of a solar array to our own roof as part of the Township’s Green Action Plan. In the wake of our recent energy audit, we are more prepared here than ever before to conserve energy, saving taxpayers money on municipal utility costs in combination with shrinking our carbon footprint. As always, I’ll continue to keep you posted on our solar project and the many other green initiatives we have in the works.

Township police roll out online bike registration program
Recovering stolen bicycles is one of the most difficult and frustrating tasks for our police department – often officers receive little more than a description of color and height. In an effort to improve the recovery rate of stolen bikes, we have put together a simple yet innovative registration program that we believe will make a big difference.

A digital bike registration form is now set up through the Township Web site, where bike owners or parents of bike owners can enter their information along with a unique serial number – much like a car’s vehicle identification number – located under the pedal crank. Spending a few minutes online registering a bike can save the police department hours of effort, and the database can be accessed from police cruisers so recovered bicycles that have been registered can be instantly found within the system and returned to the owner. Currently, the Townships holds found-bikes for 60 days before donating them to a local charity. I urge all of you to visit www.CherryHillPolice.com to register their household’s bikes today.


For up-to-the-minute updates on any subject, call my office at 856.488.7878 or visit our municipal Web site: www.CherryHill-NJ.com .

Sincerely,

Bernie Platt
Mayor