Residents press council on shelter phone system, elevator alarm and local newspaper delivery

Multiple residents used the public‑comment period at the Feb. 6 Hamilton Township Council meeting to press the administration for operational fixes to municipal services.

Lisa Williams of Reiner Lane asked whether the shelter’s phone system upgrade — requested at a prior meeting — had progressed. Administration said a township‑wide phone replacement is underway and the shelter has been placed at the top of the priority list; staff said they expected either an interim patch or the full replacement soon but could not provide a firm date. Williams also asked department heads to call their office numbers from an outside line to verify the public’s voicemail instructions, noting inaccurate court‑filing instructions caused her to be turned away when she followed voicemail prompts.

Williams raised a separate safety concern after a recent elevator incident in the municipal building, saying an alarm call “did not go outside the building.” Township staff said the elevator has been retrofitted in the historic building, has a maintenance agreement and regular inspections, and that the notification system had been set up to call an old police‑department number rather than fire dispatch; staff said they believe the configuration issue has been corrected and that it will be tested going forward.

A Trinity Avenue resident asked about delivery of the Hamilton Post in the Enchantment neighborhood; council members explained the publication is privately produced by Community News and recommended residents contact the publisher for subscription or delivery questions.

What’s next: Administration said it will follow up on mailbox/voicemail accuracy, prioritize the shelter phone upgrade, and test elevator alarm notifications to ensure they reach the intended emergency contacts.