Coffee at Teddy's with the Mayor and the Chief

[Susan Goetz]

Have a question or a comment for our Police Chief, Rickey Varga or one for me, as your Mayor? While you can certainly reach out to either of us at any time, why not stop by tomorrow morning at Teddy's for a cup of coffee and let us know what your concerns are. We will both be there for our next morning session from 7AM to 9AM . We have been holding these open sessions monthly all year and have been pleased with the response and the discussions. No appointment is necessary, just come by and grab a seat at our table. Coffee is on us! Hope to see you tomorrow - Susan Goetz and Rickey Varga

[Susan Goetz]

Thanks again to George and the gang at Teddy's for giving us the table and a constant flow of hot coffee and to all of you who stopped by to chat with either the Chief or myself yesterday. We had some lively conversation focused yesterday on several public safety issues as well as discussion about the library and development in the industrial zone. We were thrilled that the entire two hour period was filled with resident's discussions. In fact, that was one of the comments made, that this venue allowed for conversation about various issues in a more informal manner than a presentation at a meeting. We will be scheduling our next meeting for a bit earlier in December to catch you before the holiday craziness begins. If you haven't yet, please sign up for Nixle notices (www.nixle.com) This allows you to get notices on your cell and/or computer of emergency notices as well as informational notices about things like road closings and special meetings (such as our Coffee at Teddys )

[anon; 54#2-q4q0]

I wonder if the Safety Issues could be available to us on this forum as many of us have Safety Concerns and just can't make the trip to Teddy's.If any new measures will be taken to address our concerns please let us know. Thank You

[Susan Goetz]

Certainly. Glad you asked. There was discussion concerning the issue of burglaries in one of our neighborhoods. A resident joined us to thank the police for their efforts and to acknowledge the fact that just because we dont see a policeman doesn't mean there isn't one there. The Chief indicated that progress is being made in the identification of the suspects believed to be responsible but he was, understandably, unable to go into any details as he could not jeopardize the investigation. What he did offer, and this offer is to all residents, is that if asked, an officer will come to your home and conduct a brief inspection and let you know about any aspect of your own homes security that could be improved in an effort to thwart future burglaries and home invasions. He also asked that residents take appropriate precautions by locking doors and windows, including garage doors. This seems obvious but is often not the case.

A discussion was had concerning the police use of flashing lights, speed and sirens, particularly in the downtown area when responding to a call. A resident was concerned that the lack of sirens while pulling out or traveling at a higher speed or the failure to come to a compete stop at an intersection can be putting our residents, particularly our children at risk. The Chief explained that our officers all undergo continuous training on matters related to responding to calls. Chief Varga indicated that dependent on the type of call it is, different protocol exists within the force for use of lights and sirens. The resident was still concerned that additional care should be taken to make walkers and other drivers aware of their presence when responding.

We also discussed issues related to security at the warehouse facilities and the police's role in that regard.

We also briefly discussed the Township's strategy for dealing with Ebola. As OEM Director for Cranbury, Chief Varga has been working with the State and the County in the development of the protocol that we will follow here in Cranbury if we are faced with a possible Ebola situation. Tonight we are having a session at the Board of Health meeting (Town Hall 7PM) to discuss this protocol. A county representative will be there to lead this discussion. I will followup later this evening with a summary of the presentation for those of you unable to attend.

This touches on the issues raised related to safety. Don't hesitate to reach out to either Chief Varga or myself if you have further questions or would like clarification of any of the items I presented here.

[anon-1p8q]

Mayor Goetz,

I want to thank you for taking the time to do these meetings. I have never attended, but think that anything we can do to broaden the reach and communication between government and the residents is beneficial.

I hope you continue this next year.

Patricia

[Susan Goetz]

Patricia- Thank you so much for your kind words. Let me say that the time at Teddy's was just as valuable and enjoyable for Chief Varga and myself as we hope it was for those who were able to sit and share a conversation and a coffee with us. It has not always been supportive of our decisions and actions. There were often complaints or concerns brought to our attention. Many times, those who sat with us were just seeking information. The great thing about it though was, even if people were frustrated or angry about something, it has always been friendly.

The Township Committee will be selecting our new Mayor at our reorganization meeting in January but I have spoken to the gentlemen that I sit with and I am confident that these gatherings will continue in some form going forward.The Chief has also indicated to me his intent to continue. The input we have received from those who were able to attend has been extremely valuable for both of our jobs, the time was enjoyable - and the coffee and the hospitality from George and the staff was great!

We will be holding one more Coffee with the Mayor and Chief in early December, before the holiday craziness begins. Maybe we will see you there. - Susan