Politics & Government

Budget Battle in Advance of West Deptford Committee Meeting

On the docket are measures that would clear the way to name a successor for retiring police chief Craig Mangano, a nearly $6,500 refund in water overbillings and, of course, discussion on the 2013 budget.

The agenda for the July 11 meeting of the West Deptford township committee includes a number of proposed resolutions that will affect everything from adding temporary seasonal work to adding a new police chief.

It also leaves room for public comment on the proposed 2013 budget, which has seen various forms since it first appeared on the agenda for the township meeting on May 2.

At that time, Republican Committeeman Sam Cianfarini had proposed the idea of spending as much as $400,000 of the town's surplus to lower the 9¢ budget that was eventually introduced May 16.

As the process dragged on, Cianfarini eventually pushed to lower the proposed budget to a zero-dollar increase.

That plan was tabled for discussion until an emergency meeting that was convened July 2, at which committee Republicans voted to amend the proposed 2013 budget by spending $3.6 million in surplus to achieve the flat tax.

The entire process has become politicized in the time since, with representatives from both political parties blasting one another in respective letters to the editor at Patch and elsewhere.

Also on the agenda is a proposed resolution to alter the promotional process for West Deptford police lieutenants, ostensibly as the department moves to name a successor in anticipation of the retirement of Chief Craig Mangano in August.

The agenda also leaves room for the naming of a new fire official and proposes naming True Blue, Inc. the official provider of temporary seasonal work for the township.

You can preview the agenda and 2013 budget that was passed in May 2013 by clicking the .PDFs above.


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