BurlCo Commissioners Select Felicia Hopson to Lead
The Burlington County Commissioners selected Commissioner Felicia Hopson to lead the board once again and welcomed new Commissioner Tyler J. Burrell during the board’s Organization Meeting for 2025.
Held Tuesday evening in the Historic Olde Courthouse in Mount Holly, the meeting featured the swearing-in of Hopson, who is beginning her third term on the board, and Burrell, who at age 28 is believed to be among the youngest residents to serve as a County Commissioner since modern record keeping began.
At the meeting, Commissioner Hopson was elected board director for 2025, and Commissioner Allison Eckel was selected to serve as deputy director.
During her director’s message, Hopson said the board remains focused on issues of affordability, health, public safety, land preservation and assisting vulnerable populations.
“We will continue to keep our county affordable while still delivering the critical services our residents value,” Hopson said. “We need to keep helping our businesses to grow and thrive, while still looking out for our vulnerable populations. We must make hard decisions for Burlington County’s present and its future.”
Hopson, who resides in Willingboro, first took office in 2019 as only the second Black woman in Burlington County’s history to serve as a County Commissioner. She was also the board’s director in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
In addition to her Director duties, Hopson will remain board liaison to the Department of Human Services, the Burlington County Bridge Commission and the Department of Economic Development.
Commissioner Eckel will serve as Deputy Director for the first time. She will remain liaison to the Department of Resource Conservation, Public Safety and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. She will also serve as the board liaison to Rowan College at Burlington County, Burlington County Institute of Technology and the Burlington County Special Services School District.
Welcoming Commissioner Burrell
Commissioner Burrell, a lifelong Delran resident, was elected in November to the seat previously held by Commissioner Dan O’Connell, who opted not to seek re-election at the end of his second-term full term.
Burrell’s previous public service includes eight years on the Delran Council, including four as the Council’s president. He also served as a member of the Delran Recreational Advisory Council for 15 years and as a member of Burlington County’s unified school board for the Burlington County Institute of Technology and Special Services School District for just over 3 ½ years, including 2 ½ years as the school board’s president.
Burrell is a graduate of Delran High School and obtained undergrad degrees in business administration and business management from Rowan College at Burlington County and Rowan University. He obtained a Certificate in Politics from the Fels Institute of Government at University of Pennsylvania in 2020 and a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School in 2021.
He currently works as an Associate Attorney and Chief Operating Officer in the Marlton office of McOmber, McOmber and Luber, focusing on employment law.
“Our Board is excited to welcome Tyler. He may be among the youngest to serve as a County Commissioner, but he brings a wealth of experiences from his service in Delran and with our County School Board, along with a fresh perspective we believe will be an asset,” said Hopson.
“Burlington County has been the underlying fabric of my life for 28 years. I am excited to serve and give back to the County that has given me so much,” said Burrell. “I’m also excited my generation – the new generation of leaders – have a seat at the table. I’m honored to join this team and look forward to continuing the tradition of responsible government that supports Burlington County’s affordability and high quality of life.”
Burrell will serve as the Commissioner liaison to the Department of Health, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and to Elections offices. Commissioner Tom Pullion will remain liaison to the Department of Public Works and Engineering, the Department of Solid Waste and Recycling, and the Burlington County Library System. Commissioner Balvir Singh will remain liaison to the Department of Corrections, Burlington County Courts and the Medical Examiner’s Office.
Plans for 2025
Among the board’s plans for 2025, Hopson said the County expects to complete extensive interior renovations to the Burlington County Health Department building in Westampton to modernize the facility and make it more appealing and comfortable for residents and medical staff.
The County also expects to launch its first-ever mobile Health Unit to bring health services like vaccinations, HIV and blood screenings into communities on a regular basis.
Both the Health Department renovations and mobile unit are being funded with State grants.
Hopson said the County plans to continue to aggressively target open space and farmland for preservation, which Hopson described as critically important for the future of the agriculture industry and for protecting the county’s landscape and quality of life.
“These things are important, and they make a difference in the lives of every Burlington County resident,” Hopson said. “Burlington County is a community to be proud of and we will continue to do our part to make sure it remains so.”
Leave a Reply