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Vol. 3 – No. 16 ♦
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s a m t s g i r h C lorin Co st #2 tonesored Bniyted n o C Sp U h
Medford Township Declines to Pay Insurance Costs for Dog Park
By Douglas D. Melegari
Staff Writer
urc ford Med odist Ch Meth
A memorial Battlefield Cross installed in Pennsauken, identical to the one purchased for Medford.
Photo By Mike Panarella
PREPARING TO HONOR THE FALLEN Medford Officials Praise New Renderings for Proposed War Monuments Staff Writer
MEDFORD —New drawings for Korean War and World War II monument additions to the Freedom Park War Memorial, submitted by the Burlington County War Memorial Committee, are drawing praise from Medford Council. “I think they have done a good job,” said Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watson during a Dec. 4 council meeting. “I like the new designs.” The latest renditions of the future monuments propose that the structures consist of black stone and have small, grayscale patriotic portraits engraved into them; along with engraved quotes
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by former U.S. Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. A Memorial Battlefield Cross, a symbol of a fallen U.S. soldier that includes a pair of boots, an M-16 rifle and a soldier’s helmet, is slated to be installed in close proximity to the future monuments. “I think (these drawings and the plan) are much more consistent,” said Councilman Chris Buoni. “I like the battlefield cross, it is cool.” The previous renditions, which drew criticism from council over the last eight weeks, purportedly called for the future monuments to feature bright and multi-colored stone with large,
patriotic portraits engraved—in stark contrast to the township-built Vietnam War monument that is already part of the memorial, and somewhat different from the post-Vietnam and World War I monuments erected at the site by the committee. The existing Vietnam War monument is made of black stone and only has Vietnam veterans’ names engraved, while the post-Vietnam monument has small, colored patriotic portraits engraved and the World War I monument has small, grayscale patriotic portraits engraved. The latter two monuments are See HONOR/ Page 13
MEDFORD—A request for Medford Township to fund a $7,000 general liability insurance policy for the Medford Freedom Barks Committee, a non-profit organization that maintains a dog park within township-owned Freedom Park, was informally declined by Medford Council last week with hope that another alternative can be pursued. “It is a lot of money and we just don’t do that for any of our other organizations,” said Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watson during a council meeting on Dec. 4. “The Medford Business Association (MBA) clearly has its own liability insurance for running events in Medford, as an example.” Township Manager Kathy Burger explained that the all-volunteer dog park committee has become concerned that each of its members will become personally liable in the event that a dog park patron, or one of the committee members, is injured on the property. Township officials indicated that the dog park committee’s members felt they would be held personally liable for damages even though the dog park is part of municipal property that the township carries liability insurance on. “They feel that if someone gets hurt out there, they are going to sue the township and Freedom Barks,” said Burger of why the committee, established in 2008, is now pursuing its own general liability coverage. She added that some of the organization’s members have actually left the group because of concerns over lack of coverage. Councilman Frank Czekay said “he was confused” as to how the dog park committee assumes any liability because all of the dog park’s equipment is property of the township. Burger replied that she does not see how the committee would be held liable in the event of an injury, and added that she has been unsuccessful in convincing the group that it is not at risk. However, Watson said the dog park committee’s concern that both it and the township will get sued is “probably true.” “If they stopped being an independent, nonprofit organization and became a part of the township’s Neighborhood Services Advisory Committee (NSAC), then they would be under our umbrella, as a way of getting around a $7,000 a-year policy,” said Deputy Mayor Bradley Denn. “That ($7,000 policy) is just crazy.” Denn added that the Medford Township Neighborhood Services Advisory Committee, Zoning Board and Planning Board do not need to carry separate general liability insurance policies for members, as the township entities fall under the municipality’s umbrella. “It might be a way around this and be worth us giving it some thought,” Denn said. Burger said she would need to talk to the See COSTS/ Page 12
INDEX Business Directory............14 Health................................10 Local News..........................4 Community..........................9 Hobbyist............................11 Marketplace.......................16 Christmas Countdown...... S6 Home for the Holidays...... S1 Opinion................................8 Coloring Contest............... S7 Jobs...................................17 Worship Directory................9
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