NORTHFIELD — City Council honored the Northfield Senior League 16U girls softball team Tuesday, Nov. 26, for winning the Section 4 championship July 10.
Mayor Erland Chau thanked the girls, saying “we are very honored to recognize your achievement.”
The team members received awards and certificates from Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson.
Councilman Brian Smith, who is also a softball coach at Mainland Regional High School, said he certainly knew the hard work that goes into it and the commitment to softball.
“It makes me happy to see them here, to see that they’re having success and bringing some championships and medals and awards back to Northfield, and I certainly want to see more of it and see more girls participating,” he said.
During a City Council work session, held immediately before the council meeting, Police Chief Paul Newman requested that the police department start a police chaplain program. The position has to be created by city ordinance.
Newman said the police chaplain is an unpaid position. A chaplain can provide an officer or officer’s family with spiritual needs or counseling during a time of need.
They can also assist in training police officers in ethics, human relations or family and spiritual priorities, and can assist with notification to a family member if an accident, injury or death occurs.
A chaplain can also offer counseling and comfort to people involved with domestic violence, suicide or attempted suicide, substance abuse, elderly/senior issues, a missing person and more.
Newman said they have no police authority and do not get involved with police work.
“They’re simply involved with support for us,” he said.
Newman said he had a person in mind to serve as a police chaplain.
Long-term, he said he planned to open the program up to clergy members “or affiliate type of individuals” throughout Northfield.
This way, if an officer requested a rabbi, or a nondenominational pastor, “we would have that there at our disposal,” Newman said.
During the regular meeting, Councilwoman Susan Korngut announced a volunteer snow shoveling program, in which citizens volunteer to clear walkways for seniors and those in need when it snows, is starting for the season.
Chau also said that Northfield’s holiday tree lighting is at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, at City Hall, 1600 Shore Road.
City Council agreed the annual reorganization meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, at City Hall.
Democrats took control of City Council with the election of Paul Utts in November, giving the party four members to three Republicans, so there will be a new president elected.
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