Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. and Commissioner Jonathan Young have issued a statement regarding the decision not to place a regional justice complex at the state Ancora Facility in Winslow Township. The commissioners acknowledged the formal request from Mayor Marie Lawrence and local officials to avoid using the state facility for this purpose.
“In trying to find the best fit for a regional justice complex we are respecting Mayor Marie Lawrence and the local elected body’s formal request that it not go at the state facility located in the southern end of Winslow Township. We are paying deference to the integrity of the municipality and its local elected officials in their decision. Moving forward, we will work to find a new location where a majority of the local governing body agrees that this facility and additional development would be a benefit to their town. That said, we do believe in the concept of a new regional justice complex that focuses on the needs of the occupants, so regionally and as a community, we can cut down on recidivism and center our attention on rehabilitative practices that make our society safer,” they stated.
The commissioners also highlighted potential economic benefits associated with building such a facility elsewhere. “In addition, this new regional justice complex will bring more than $1 billion in new construction; including a retail component, an office component for law firms and other professional service providers, attract hundreds of new employees strengthening the local economy, and provide a host community monetary benefit agreement. It will be an economic boon for any town or borough who has an interest in long term growth and economic expansion. Based on that, the board will do an analysis of new sites in the future that may be a better fit for local elected officials.”
Camden County is managed by a seven-member Board of Commissioners who oversee legislative and executive functions across 37 municipalities in southern New Jersey. The county provides services related to public safety, health support, parks, recreation, infrastructure improvements, education initiatives, workforce development programs, libraries, nutrition centers, transportation services, and economic development efforts aimed at supporting over 500,000 residents (https://www.camdencounty.com/). These activities are part of Camden County’s ongoing mission to enhance quality of life through community partnerships and targeted programs (https://www.camdencounty.com/).
