CASES OF WILDLIFE MORTALITY
By D ouglas D. M elegari
Staff Writer
PEMBERTON—Pemberton Township has been the site of two reportedly separate environmental health issues that has led to the death of wildlife within
the past couple of weeks – a confirmed case of Avian Influenza in a wild Canada goose that was found dead earlier in February in the municipality, and an apparent fish kill at Pemberton Lake.
The case of Avian Influenza was
announced by Burlington County officials.
But a confirmation of there also being a separate fish kill in the township only came after a concerned resident, Karen LeBeau, reportedly posted a picture in a local social
from Property Allegedly with Debris, Suspicious Activity Officials Say Violations Pending, Point to Scheduled Sentencing, While Police Commanding Officer Vows to Make Matter Top Priority
By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer
SHAMONG—One man declared, “It is to a point now where my wife and I are talking about moving.”
A neighbor of that man declared that a realtor and lawyer recently came over to his house and had remarked, “How do you explain that?”, or what is next door.
Another neighbor asserted, “I live the same nightmare.”
These are resident descriptions heard during a Feb. 4 Shamong Township Committee meeting of what they contend is a property of horrors on Woodgate Drive, one that they claim has become out of control again after a calming of things for a time following an initial round of complaints that led to purported violations being issued, as well as a reported arrest.
“The property is just not getting cleaned up,” maintained David Dallara, who was the one who said he and his wife
Photo By Karen LeBeau
The scene of an apparent fish kill at Pemberton Lake.
2025 Pine Barrens Media, LLC.
By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer
TABERNACLE—An old tire dump on Goose Pond Road in Tabernacle Township has been the source of a recent complaint about nuisance activity, according to Deputy Mayor Noble McNaughton, but New Jersey State Police are now involved and issuing warnings to observed trespassers.
The property at issue is the “old Foster Property,” the deputy mayor said, which comprises about 60 acres.
“There has been a real problem with motorcycles and four-wheelers congregating there,” McNaughton maintained.
The deputy mayor said he placed a call to the New Jersey State Police, and since that time, “they have been patrolling back there.”
“Three different times people, I think, were there,” McNaughton said. “During one of the times, there was a bonfire.”
According to McNaughton, the state police “took all the names” of the people they observed on the property.
“If they are caught back there again, they’ll be arrested for trespassing and possibly forfeit their vehicles,” McNaughton said.
But the deputy mayor expressed his belief that the state police were a “little more lenient than I thought they should be.”
McNaughton noted he is not sure who still owns the property, but asked that the municipality send the owner of record a letter asking them “to post it” for no trespassing.
He maintained that the state police would “make sure” the area is “patrolled regularly.”
New Gretna Volunteer Fire Company
Switches
Insurance on Chief’s Truck to Company Offering Greater Flexibility New Coverage Will Allow Specially Equipped Vehicle to Be Parked at Chief’s Home,
B y B ill B onvie
Staff Writer
BASS RIVER—A major issue that the New Gretna Volunteer Fire Company has had in recent weeks with the government of Bass River Township appeared to have been resolved this past week with an announcement that the unit has switched the insurance on Chief Patrick Monaghan’s specially equipped truck to a company whose rules are less strict in regard to its use than those of the Joint Insurance Fund (JIF), which will continue to provide coverage on other firefighting and municipal property.
The change in insurers will allow Monaghan to park the truck at his home and use it on errands “within the response area” so that it can be immediately available to him should an emergency arise, Monaghan told the Pine Barrens Tribune in a March 4 phone conversation.
“As of right now, we are working hand-in-hand with the township and are moving along in the process of setting up guidelines for the use of that truck,” he maintained, adding that in the meantime, he was attempting to use “common sense as to what I should and shouldn’t be doing with it.”
Asked whether anyone who had indicated at a meeting of the firefighters last month that they might want to help finance such a transition would be contributing to the effort, the chief replied that the financially strapped volunteer unit really hadn’t asked any of those individuals yet, but “if they want to come down and discuss it with us, we would be glad to talk to them.”
“Otherwise, we will just proceed as planned,” Monaghan added.
The chief’s truck contains special communications equipment and gear, including a command post, that enables him to expedite and better coordinate the company’s response to an emergency situation. While Monaghan’s predecessor,
Tom Wetmore, had been permitted to bring it home and drive it around town by the previous administration of longtime Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope, the new mayor, William “Rick” Adams, a local contractor who was elected last spring, after reviewing municipal rules and regulations, decided that the practice would put the township in noncompliance with JIF policy and could result in damage or liability not being covered.
Adams, when contacted by this newspaper, and asked if he had any comment, replied, “As far as I know, they are trying to meet the fire department’s qualifications,” as well as trying to comply with the township’s rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
But he added, “I have not heard from them since our last meeting.” That was when a lengthy discussion took place of both the use of the chief’s truck and the amount of money allocated to the fire company by the township, which was less than it had requested for its needs.
By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer arranged demolition last year, Tabernacle Township officials say they want to hear from the public about “what people want
Photo Provided
Tabernacle Fire Company’s brand-new Pierce Manufacturing Enforcer™ 2000-gallon pumper.
J. Weber, DMD
Pemboro Decides Against Seeking Grant Funding for Canoe House in Hopes of Finding Willing Buyer Who Will Rehabilitate Structure Borough Will Instead Seek Monies to Repair Hanover, Elizabeth Sidewalks
By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer
PEMBERTON
BOROUGH—Officials
in Pemberton Borough have now decided against using potential grant funds to restore an old canoe house by the Hanover Street Bridge, and instead have agreed to apply for funding to rehabilitate sidewalks on Hanover and Elizabeth streets.
There was a question last month as to whether the canoe house is historic, but now, according to Mayor Bonnie Haines during a Feb. 18 Pemberton Borough Council meeting, it is actually not on the Historical Register. There remained some uncertainty as to whether the structure even falls within the borough’s Historic District.
Frog Canoe and Kayak Rentals currently occupies the building, Fanucci previously pointed out in noting that the business owner had wanted to buy the building.
Fanucci, during the Feb. 18 council session, maintained the business owner “did come up to me about four days ago asking again about purchasing the frog property.”
“I said you need to go to the municipal building,” said Fanucci of her reply. “I don’t know if he ever got there or not. … But I just want to let everyone know that he is still very interested in purchasing the property. And if it is not historic, we really don’t need to worry about that aspect of it anymore.”
By selling the property, Fanucci
maintained, “it would get us a tax ratable” and “we wouldn’t have to maintain it ourselves.”
“He is very amenable to maintaining it himself,” Fanucci contended. “He has got great ideas. He even wanted to do a frog float, like we used to have with our duck float.”
Haines previously noted “it is municipal property,” and so if the municipality wants to dispose of it, “it has to be auctioned.”
“You are aware that the property has to be auctioned because it is municipal property,” Haines reinforced this month to Fanucci. “We just cannot sell it to him.”
It led Fanucci to ask, “But he could be at the auction, correct?”, to which the mayor replied, “Absolutely.”
Borough Administrator and Clerk Kathy Smick, when asked if the canoe house business owner had approached the borough recently about an interest in buying the structure, replied, “nobody told her that.”
But Haines reiterated that if he is interested, the individual can come and talk with Smick, who will review the auction process with him.
However, council’s apparent lack of interest in moving forward with repairs to the canoe house, which last month was described by Haines as getting ready to fall into the Rancocas Creek, led Haines
‘Parental Responsibility Ordinance’ Considered in Medford Lakes; $201K Bond Introduced for New DPW Trailer and Sewer Repairs Complaint Received About 50-Gallon Drum Reportedly Floating in Lake, But Officials Say It Couldn’t Be Found, Suspect a Possible Floating Dock
By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer
MEDFORD LAKES—Stricter curfew requirements, as well as requirements for parents of children, are on tap for Medford Lakes Borough.
According to Feb. 12 remarks by Medford Lakes Borough Solicitor Doug Heinold, Police Chief John McGinnis, Jr., has put in requests for “some additional authority relative to issues associated with parental responsibility and curfew.”
Heinold said he is working on a corresponding ordinance, and that the chief is “preparing a presentation relative to the issues.”
McGinnis later told this newspaper of the anticipated presentation, “I will be reviewing some key points explaining the need for a Parental Responsibility Ordinance in Medford Lakes, which includes a recommendation to lower the current borough curfew for juveniles.”
“I have spoken to numerous residents over the past year regarding their frustrations with juvenile justice reforms and how it has negatively affected their lives,” the chief added. “The reforms have made it more difficult for my officers to do their jobs and I believe a Parental Responsibility Ordinance will assist Medford Lakes Police with resolving juvenile matters.”
McGinnis told this newspaper “the
plan is to discuss this at the next meeting, on March 12.”
Council, on Feb. 12, also authorized the purchase of a new Alcotest System (a breathalyzer) for the Medford Lakes Police Department for $22,822.
“We have one now,” said Borough Manager Dr. Robert Burton. “But it is old, and it has gotten to the point where when they came out to maintenance it, they noticed that there were certain things that could no longer be updated.”
The borough was planning to replace the system next year, according to Burton, but “we need to buy it and pull the trigger now” because “this one can't be updated anymore.”
“Otherwise, we would have to be going to Medford or Evesham,” said both Burton and Mayor William Fields, with the mayor pointing out that without the new system, the borough would have to “transport prisoners” to other locations.
During a second council meeting on Feb. 26, council introduced a bond ordinance that would float the estimated $75,000 purchase of a construction trailer for the Department of Public Works (which Burton previously detailed the municipality was looking to replace given the age and deterioration of the existing one).
By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer
and the Ladies Auxiliary, with Mull asserting that if the Ladies Auxiliary is not a separate entity, “Then we should know” how much money they have on hand.
A Facebook page for the Ladies Auxiliary identifies it as a “non-profit organization,” and a website lists “executive members” and “members.” A listed mailing and email address for the Ladies Auxiliary, as well as a phone number, is one associated with the fire company.
WOODLAND—The Woodland Township Committee has reaffirmed a September 2024 position to order an audit of the Woodland Volunteer Fire and EMS Company, but because of a “pretty good meeting” the governing body recently had with the entity, it will now only order a review of its 2024 books, and not for 2022 and 2023 as previously decided.
committee session, it was pointed out Holman, Frenia, Allison P.C. is “already our auditor,” but Township Solicitor William Burns still suggested a “separate agreement” be drafted.
The governing body settled, during its Feb. 26 workshop session, on giving the task to Holman, Frenia, Allison P.C., which is a certified public accounting firm, with formal action to be taken in March.
“They seem to be cooperative with us,” said Mayor William “Billy” DeGroff, on Feb. 26, of the fire company. “We are not going to rush them into it. But we do want to advise them on that – that we just want it done.”
The fire company always appeared to be on good terms with the township committee, but last year things appeared to hit a rough patch after a battalion chief with the agency had decided to challenge Deputy Mayor Mark Herndon in a primary election.
The battalion chief was unsuccessful in his bid to unseat the deputy mayor, but tensions appeared to linger for some time afterwards between the fire company and township until a December closed session in which the two sides held discussions.
Last September, when Committeewoman Donna Mull raised the prospect of an audit, she stated, “In reviewing the township records, it has come to my attention that the township has neglected to perform an annual audit of the Woodland Volunteer Fire and Emergency Medical Services, as stated in the agreement.” It was then revealed the last audit had been performed in 2013.
What followed was a 3-0 vote calling for an audit in years 2022 and 2023, authorizing the township to “contract with a dually-qualified professional of our choosing, not to exceed $10,000 in this year’s budget.”
During the latest Feb. 26 Woodland
Township Administrator and Clerk Maryalice Brown said she would have it on the committee’s March agenda for action. Mull said it would be a good thing for the committee to know the estimated cost of the audit when it prepares its budget for this year.
This newspaper reached out to the email for the Ladies Auxiliary, but did not receive a returned message as of press time. There was no answer at the phone number on March 5.
At a previous township committee meeting, concern was raised with the condition of concrete steps for an
entranceway to the Woodland Township Municipal Building.
Township Engineer Tom Leisse, on Feb. 26, provided the governing body with a preliminary repair cost of $37,000 from a contractor that reportedly came out to do an estimate on behalf of a Co-op.
Some committee members subsequently expressed sticker shock at the price, but Leisse maintained “it is a starting point for us to go out and get competitive quotes for it.”
Upon a confirmation there are only four steps involved, DeGroff declared, “That is a lot of money!”
Leisse pointed out “they are going to give us a price for resurfacing the parking Woodland Committee to Still Seek Audit from Fire Company, But Now Only for 2024; Questions Ladies Auxiliary’s Finances Township Gets $37K Quote to Repair Steps, Changes
“We are more than willing to sit down with them and meet again,” said DeGroff of the fire company, with it pointed out by Brown that there was an agreement to meet quarterly that arose from the December talks.
Herndon, in pointing to “all of the things” the Woodland Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary “puts on” to raise money for the fire company, declared, “I wonder where that money goes.”
DeGroff called it a “good question,” but township officials had few answers for their Feb. 26 workshop session.
“Where does that go?” Herndon asked. “What do they spend it on?”
It led Mull to question whether the township “would be responsible” for the Ladies Auxiliary’s finances as well.
“If they have their own EIN number and they are their own 501(c)(3), then we don’t have to worry about it,” Burns responded. “If they don’t have their own EIN number … that is our problem.”
If the former is true, then according to Burns, the township would just see how much the Ladies Auxiliary donated to the fire company, not how much the Ladies Auxiliary has on hand.
“So, we wouldn’t know if they raised $100,000 and gave the firehouse $25,000,” the solicitor said.
Brown said she would ask questions of leadership of both the fire company and Ladies Auxiliary to find out more information to share with the committee.
“I think we should at least know what is going on with them a little bit,” declared DeGroff, who surmised there could be an agreement between the fire company
NIGHTMARE
(Continued from Page 1)
are thinking about moving.
Dallara described what he characterized as “debris” on the property of concern. He claimed “all of the debris holds water” and “water breeds mosquitoes,” describing that last summer the “mosquitoes were so bad we didn’t even sit outside.”
Additionally, he charged that an “abandoned” truck with “flat tires,” “busted out windows” and a “hood not even mounted on it” has been sitting in the road, just outside of the property, “for over a year now,” and that snowplows recently have had to plow piles of snow around it.
“It now closes the two-lane road off to one lane,” Dallara maintained.
According to Dallara, the owner put a “white board underneath it to show it wasn’t leaking oil,” when allegedly confronted about a possible leak, but that it “backfired” and “it is leaking oil.”
“It is an eyesore,” Dallara declared. “You know, everybody who comes over my house, they are like, what is going on with your neighbors?”
Shamong Mayor Michael Di Croce responded that the “zoning officer has been out there” and the “property has been cited.” But the “lady who owns the home” had failed to appear in court, according to the mayor, prompting a judge to enter a “failure to appear” order.
Meanwhile, according to Di Croce, a man living there “from what I understand, has been arrested” and was due in court for a “sentencing hearing.”
“The court system is slow sometimes,” Di Croce maintained. “So, it is not as if we are not doing anything, or not as if the Troopers are not doing anything.”
Township Administrator and Clerk Susan Onorato recognized that since the individual who was arrested was “rehomed there,” in waiting for the sentencing, the township has “very recently noticed a lot more debris.”
“And last week, at the end of last week, a new violation went out on the debris, which we had previously gotten cleaned up,” she said.
Di Croce also alleged that “people are coming and going quickly” from the property, and that a number of the vehicles have been observed “stopping” in the area.
“We don’t want what is going on seemingly at that property in Shamong,” Di Croce declared. “And it is so unfortunate
that you people, who are the neighbors, have to suffer through this. Now, it has calmed down or it did calm down (from when there were complaints of numerous off-road vehicles originating from the property). But I understand there is more activity that is going on now.”
Dallara recounted purported “fires” at the property, charging, “the other night there was a 10-foot fire, flames.”
Two neighbors, he said, texted him, “I think your backyard is on fire.”
State police, according to Dallara, were called to the scene, but “I don’t know what happened.” However, “an hour later,” or around 10:30 p.m., he maintained, “they were out there splitting wood,” all while allegedly using vehicle headlights to provide lighting. He recalled the purported sound of “thump, thump, every time” having been audible.
Dallara also alleged that “they got a pit bull that wanders” the area, prompting his wife to now “carry mace” when she goes to get the mail.
“I have heard about that as well,” said Di Croce of the pit bull allegations. “I know that some of your neighbors have children, and they don’t let them out now.”
Another observation Dallara said he has had is there have been “10 or 15 quads, motorcycles covered with tarps, broken down, not operable” on the parcel.
“That is the only thing I am worried about, a junkyard popping up next to my house,” Dallara declared. “And my value just plummeting.”
Di Croce assured the residents “our zoning officer is on it,” and also encouraged them to write to the Superior Court judge due to sentence the man, explaining, from their perspective, “what is going on.”
(Di Croce claimed the man, “with prior felonies,” was facing a weapon’s charge over possession of a gun he was not supposed to have and also that he “had an altercation with a police officer.”)
As far as the property owner who faces a municipal court hearing, “Until somebody is given their day at trial, there is not a lot we can do regarding that, but new violations have been issued,” Di Croce said.
“And I can tell you, our judge, Judge Peter Lange, is not going to put up with this nonsense,” the mayor further declared.
Di Croce said he was hoping the situation “would have been resolved by now,” but that the property owner has since retained a public defender, warning it is a possibility the matter may now go to trial.
However, he emphasized, “the ball is still rolling on this.”
Attending the meeting was new local New Jersey State Police Red Lion Barracks Station Commander Ed Long, who since taking the helm about two months ago, has notably upped enforcement throughout the area following a multitude of complaints about lax enforcement.
Long said it was the “first I have heard of it,” or the issues at the property, but said he quickly came to understand that night that it has been an “ongoing problem.” He then vowed, “We will do what we can on our end.”
“In terms of any kinds of criminal activity that I have been made aware of, I can assure you I will have our people start to look at it,” Long declared.
As far as violations of any local ordinances, Long said he “would have to make sure” there is an understanding of what they stipulate because he “has to follow the law” before being able to enforce any provisions.
“I would call a tow truck right now,” said Long in response to the report of an abandoned vehicle on the street. “I could care less if I ticked the guy off. But I also have to follow the law.”
Shamong officials confirmed for Long there is currently not a no parking prohibition on the street in question, leading him to assert, chances are he will not be able to do much about it, “but again it is on my to do list.”
Di Croce noted he has been out to the property in question a “number of times” now.
“And I wish I could wave a magic wand and be done with it,” Di Croce told the residents. “But I’d ask you for some more patience and to continue to call the Troopers if you see something.”
Both Tim and Heather McGarvey, who have previously been outspoken about the happenings at the property, alleged retaliation from the owner of the property in question, claiming the woman reported their 10-foot by 20-foot backyard shed as being out of compliance with the local zoning requirements, and that they subsequently were told by the local zoning officer that they needed to move their shed.
The McGarveys described difficulty in moving the shed in cold weather, and in response, Di Croce said, “I would request that he would give you the reasonable time necessary” to move it, adding, “I understand there have been two or three extensions already.”
Heather McGarvey, who had described living a nightmare, asserted, “I have a nine-year-old son that has to go out to the bus while the people who live there let their pit bull loose.” Onorato confirmed for Heather McGarvey that the township does have a leash law.
It led the resident to respond to the assurances from local officials that violations have been issued, “Nothing has come of any of the violations!”
“Not one piece of anything has been moved!” she said. “Not one!”
She also claimed that “on two occasions” there were “people passed out and running vehicles in the street” and the “state police let them go both times.”
Resident Chris Thomas, who said the situation next door to him had shocked both his lawyer and real estate agent, noted he immediately “thought about my tax bill” and “assessed value.”
He indicated he was getting “ready to escape some of the nightmare,” but then his professionals asked, “How do you explain something to a prospective buyer, at an assessed value and a marketable value that you can’t get?”
Thomas, a second-generation resident who expressed a desire for his daughter to settle in Shamong and become a thirdgeneration resident, called the situation “unacceptable.”
“I am tired,” he declared. “I am frustrated. I got a huge heart. I have reached out to my neighbor and many different neighbors. That heart is starting to harden. I need your help. My neighbors need your help. I have no intention of leaving the town that I was raised in. So, I need the town to rally behind me.”
He added that he is relying on his elected officials for help, and in appealing to them, declared, “Please don’t forget about us” and “I need the town’s help, now.”
“Well, I will be willing to join you in a meeting if you would like to meet with the lady,” Di Croce responded. “Right now, she is probably hostile because, you know, there are criminal charges, as I understand it, or there are zoning charges that are pending. And she is probably not very receptive. And there are maybe some other issues out there that are going on that we don't know about, whether it is … well let’s leave it at that.”
As far as the arrested man, Di Croce added it was his understanding that he will be serving up to “18 months in jail on
See NIGHTMARE/ Page 10
WILDLIFE
(Continued from Page 1)
media group of dozens of dead fish that had washed ashore at Pemberton Lake.
“We were made aware today of a fish kill at Pemberton Lake by a resident,” wrote the Pemberton Township Environmental Commission on Facebook. “We contacted DEP and spoke to an officer from Fish and Wildlife. He said they have been aware of this for the past few weeks, and they have had biologists out to take samples and study the lake.”
According to the township Environmental Commission, “there is no evidence of disease.”
“Fish and Wildlife suspects this was caused by low dissolved oxygen in the water, which is common when the water ices over,” the commission wrote. “An unfortunate, but common occurrence with shallow lakes in winter.”
According to the Environmental Commission, “Fish and Wildlife will continue to monitor the lake.”
Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), which oversees the Division of Fish and Wildlife, told this newspaper on March 6 that “NJDEP Fish and Wildlife received multiple reports of a fish kill at Pemberton Lake during the week of Feb. 28. Staff observed a fish kill consisting of white perch and gizzard shad. The fish kill is believed to be the result of low dissolved oxygen levels. Low oxygen levels can occur during the winter in shallow bodies of water with large amounts of aquatic plants and algae. Snow and/or ice can block sunlight, causing aquatic plants and algae to die and reduce dissolved oxygen levels.”
Meanwhile, the Burlington County Health Department announced the county’s first bird to test positive for H5N1 Avian Influenza, also known as Bird Flu, on Feb. 20 and encouraged residents to take precautions by avoiding contact with any sick or dead birds they encounter.
According to the county, the positive test is from a “wild Canada goose that was found dead with other wild geese” earlier this month in Pemberton, and the bird was tested by the NJDEP as “part of its avian influenza monitoring.” The Burlington County Health Department, according to a county spokesman, was notified of the presumed positive test on the evening of Feb. 19.
The positive test marks the first
confirmed case of “highly pathogenic Avian Influenza” in Burlington County since the nationwide outbreak of the disease started in 2022.
Clusters of sick and deceased wild birds have also been discovered in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Monmouth, Salem and Warren counties in New Jersey.
Health officials stressed through a press release that the respiratory disease is still “primarily an animal health issue” and the “risk to humans is still low.”
Humans with close or prolonged contact with infected animals can become infected, but the virus is not known to be transmitted from human to human at this time, county officials stressed.
“Our Health Department was expecting H5N1’s eventual arrival and we had already started making preparations,” said Burlington County Health Department Director Dr. Holly Funkhouser Cucuzzella through the release. “The risk to public health in Burlington County is still low but we want residents to be informed and vigilant. Residents should avoid all contact with dead or sick birds and those keeping poultry flocks should take special precautions. We are also asking residents to report deaths of wild or domestic birds, especially large groups of them.”
Burlington County Commissioner Tyler Burrell, liaison to the County Health Department, said through the release that the county would work closely with state and local partners to mitigate any risks for local residents and animals.
“Burlington County is committed to protecting public health and we are grateful to have such experienced and knowledgeable health and emergency management teams to lead our response to this avian influenza,” Burrell said. “Burlington County residents can help us by staying informed and taking precautions to keep people, pets and backyard poultry away from wild birds or areas where wild birds have been known to frequent.”
The Burlington County Health Department has created a special H5N1 Avian Influenza webpage with the latest information and guidance about the outbreak. You can visit it by going to: https://www.co.burlington.nj.us/2115/ H5N1-Bird-Flu .
Information is also being distributed to municipalities to share and will be posted in all county parks to increase awareness, county officials said.
See WILDLIFE/ Page 12
ENGINE
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to see down there,” according to Richard Franzen, a former mayor, president of the Tabernacle Township Historical Society and member of the Town Hall Subcommittee created by the Tabernacle Township Committee.
“There were like 100, 150 people involved in this for the last year or so,” said Franzen during a Feb. 24 Tabernacle Township Committee meeting. “And we would like to hear what they say about how Town Hall could be used, and what could go on down there.”
Local transparency advocate and resident Stuart Brooks, also a member of the subcommittee, declared, “if it is worth saying once, it is worth saying twice,” before asserting, “We don’t want to make any final recommendations before we hear what the public has in mind for what they want down at the Town Hall site.”
A large part of the committee’s upcoming workshop meeting scheduled for March 10 at 6:30 p.m. will be “devoted to public discussion on your recommendations for possible use of our old Town Hall,” according to the township. The meeting will be held at the Tabernacle Firehouse, 76 Hawkin(s) Road, and Mayor Joe Barton is strongly encouraging the public to attend in seeking as much public input as possible.
While there will be opportunity for public comment at the workshop session, if you would prefer not to speak publicly, you can provide your thoughts in writing to Barton at jbarton@ townshipoftabernacle-nj.gov .
Brooks said the public’s input will be added to the “pot” of ideas for consideration.
“That will be the basis for our recommendation,” Brooks declared.
The township committee previously removed Pennoni Engineering as its municipal engineer, with the firm having previously given an initial opinion, which it has since reversed, that the Town Hall was in imminent danger of collapse and needed to be razed, which led to immense controversy last year.
With the switch to Environmental Resolutions, Inc. (ERI), for engineering services having occurred back in January, Fran Brooks, also a local transparency advocate and the wife of Stuart, questioned why there was a $3,464 invoice appearing on the committee’s Feb. 24 bill’s list for
payment to Pennoni.
“There are still straggling bills coming in from 2024,” replied new Township Administrator and Clerk Kathy Burger.
When Brooks asked if the bills from Pennoni are being “evaluated,” Burger responded, “Yes.”
Meanwhile, Tabernacle Township Fire Department officials announced that the fire company is in receipt of its new fire truck - a Pierce Manufacturing Enforcer™ 2000-gallon pumper.
“It almost responded to its first call over the weekend,” said one fire company official, Cyler Vena. “We pulled it in, though, because it doesn't have radios just yet. Over the next week or so, we are going to put the final pieces of equipment on it – just pretty much radios.”
More than 10 firefighters, the fire official said, completed an initial training on the new fire truck, with driver training scheduled “just to make sure the guys are used to it.”
Vena then approached the governing body about selling one of its older fire trucks, a Rosenbauer model, “so that we can reduce the fleet.”
John Gajderowicz, deputy chief of operations for the fire company, provided the township committee with a “pros and cons list” for selling the truck, declaring, “We understand it is a difficult decision.”
The ISO (Insurance Services Office), or “our fire insurance,” he said, “requires basically three class A bumpers or three 1,000-gallon trucks,” Gajderowicz maintained, but “the new truck that we bought is basically two trucks in one.”
“So, the new engine that just came in is classified as basically two trucks in ISO’s terms, and we don’t have to keep a brandnew truck,” Gajderowicz explained. “We can keep a HME (Hendrickson Mobile Equipment) truck, which will suffice as long as it passes its pump testing and all of its other required testing, and has 1,000 gallons of water.”
He pointed out the newer truck is a “little bit more computerized,” whereas the older one is “just a manual.”
The Rosenbauer engine, according to Gajderowicz, “is too big of a truck” to place in the fire station at the intersection of Route 206 and Hawkin(s) Road, and therefore, “we have no place to store it.”
He also detailed differences between the height of the ladders on the old and new engines, impressing upon the governing body that the new engine’s ladder is safer.
“It was designed basically for a rescue
engine,” said Gajderowicz of the older Rosenbauer engine. “We are not a rescue company here. We are a fire department.”
The Tabernacle Rescue Squad (TRS) handles rescue operations, Gajderowicz noted, pointing out “we do support” the rescue entity, but “we do fire.”
Deputy Mayor Noble McNaughton, who was chairing the Feb. 24 proceedings in the absence of Barton, responded, that he would like the newly-established Public Safety Subcommittee to “come up with a recommendation, working with you, of which way to go.”
Gajderowicz responded by maintaining the Rosenbauer engine is “also holding up the new engine getting in service.”
“The reason is because we have equipment on both trucks that we need to swap around and put on the new truck,” contended Gajderowicz, noting he was cautious about stripping the older truck of equipment “if it is not getting sold.”
He also said there are “some maintenance issues” that the fire company would otherwise have to handle, including required pump testing.
“We have a lot of testing coming up, and I can’t get them to test it until they both (the HME and Rosenbauer engines) get their pump issues fixed,” Gajderowicz said. “And this is kind of holding it up.”
McNaughton told Gajderowicz, “Let the committee come up with a recommendation, and hopefully on March 10, we can make a decision of which way to go,” to which Gajderowicz declared, “Our recommendation is obviously to sell the Rosenbauer.”
McNaughton responded that, “I tend to agree with that,” but the prospect of a sale was later met with some initial questioning from both Stuart and Fran Brooks.
“I think we have a bond on that engine,” said Fran Brooks, recalling the fire truck was bought in 2016. “How much do we owe on that bond? What is the value of the engine at this point? What are our liabilities if we sell it? Are we going to be able to cover all those costs?”
McNaughton responded, “it’ll all be looked into” by the Public Safety Subcommittee before a recommendation is rendered, and then he asked Burger if the “proceeds can be used to pay off that bond,” to which she replied, “Yes.”
Stuart Brooks, who followed his wife, asserted, “I also have a concern about the sale of the Rosenbauer, and it is not whether it should be sold or shouldn’t be sold,” but rather “it is just that, as the chief pointed
out, it is a new truck, and when that was purchased, when it was recommended by the fire company, it was recommended as being exactly what we needed.”
McNaughton committed to having the Public Safety Subcommittee scrutinize any fire company recommendations, with Stuart Brooks pointing out of this latest recommendation, despite his concern about the past ones, “that is not to say that our fire department isn’t spot-on and doesn’t have it under control.”
One other action the township committee took was to support the League of Municipalities in its push to lobby the Legislature to pass legislation to allow municipalities to publish legal notices on their government websites instead of in newspapers.
The resolution supporting this cause arose from the recent closure of several paid circulation daily newspapers in the state, as well as the shift of several remaining titles to a paid digital format.
The law has been that municipalities must place legal notices in at least two newspapers of general paid circulation (meaning it being available for purchase), though the Legislature, in light of a number of municipalities now lacking an eligible newspaper, has provided for a grace period in which towns can use a paid online newspaper until it decides the issue. Free newspapers, such as the Pine Barrens Tribune, are still excluded.
Tabernacle, therefore, primarily utilizes the Burlington County Times and Courier Post , both Gannettowned publications, for publishing its legal notices to meet the statutory requirements, even though the Burlington County Times is down to just a little more than 2,000 printed copies in circulation county-wide, as of last report, and the Courier Post, a Camden County focused publication, is down to just a little over 3,000 printed copies in circulation as of last report. These dallies no longer routinely cover municipal government in area towns.
Very occasionally, Tabernacle has used the Pine Barrens Tribune, the de facto paper of record for the township providing regular coverage of its affairs, to gain additional exposure of its legal ads.
In January, Tabernacle paid $313.34 to Gannett for legal advertising, while in February it paid Gannett another $146.49, for a total of $459.83 so far this year.
Four Great Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Your Kids
Looking for something fun to do with your kids for St. Patrick’s Day? Get into the spirit of the occasion with these four fun activities.
1. Adopt a g reen diet.
1. a green diet. Put green food dye in the pancake batter in the morning. For dinner, mix avocado in with your mac and cheese. And for dessert? Consider lime Jell-O or chocolate mint ice cream.
2. Explore Irish traditions.
2. Explore Irish traditions. Listen to traditional Irish music, write your own limericks and read up on Irish folklore and legends, including those about leprechauns, banshees and giants. Get crafty by making a St. Brigid’s Cross, sate your appetite with a hearty bowl of Irish Stew or discover Irish dancing by taking a class or watching a performance.
3. Attend a parade.
Attend a parade. Gear up in green clothing then head to your local dollar store to buy St. Patrick’s Day themed accessories. Be sure to bring hot cocoa in a thermos to sip while you watch the floats go by.
has it that if caught by a human, these trickster-like fairies must hand over their treasure. See if you can catch your own leprechaun by building a trap the night before St. Patrick’s Day.
The easiest way to make a leprechaun trap is to decorate an empty box and place it upside down. Use a stick to prop up one end and leave a few shiny coins as bait. Leprechauns can’t resist the lure of gold and, in their excitement, may knock down the stick and get caught in your family’s trap. If they’re quick, they might get away. But leprechauns are known to leave treats for crafty kids who make impressive traps.
You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day with your family — you just have to be willing to have a little fun.
4. Make a leprechaun trap.
4. Make a leprechaun trap. Leprechauns are said to hide pots of gold at the end of rainbows. Legend
Verdant Grocery
Jell-O
Key lime pie
Leafy greens (watercress, arugula,
Lettuce
Limes
Lime aide
Matcha
Pears
Peas
Peppers (bell, jalapeno, Hungarian, etc.)
Pesto
Pistachio nuts
Sprouts
Zucchini
FUNDING
(Continued from Page 3)
to ask on Feb. 18, “What would you like to consider for this grant application, or would you not like to consider this grant application?”
“I am all for sidewalks – plain white ones (as opposed to brick sidewalks),” replied Fanucci, to which Councilman Steven Fenster asserted, “I would agree.”
The grant opportunity at issue was described last month as one from the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program, and according to Haines, eligible projects include any construction of on-road and off-road trail facilities for pedestrians, bicycles, and other nonmotorized transportation; converting abandoned railroad corridors for trails; constructing scenic turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas; preserving historic structures or rehabbing historic transportation facilities; as well as a whole host of environmental mitigation and stormwater management activities.
“I think we have to go for the grant because we don’t have enough money on our own to do all these potential things that I think most people agree need to be done,” declared Fenster on Feb. 18. Fenster indicated that sidewalks are “definitely” a concern (because some are reportedly heaving) and when Haines asked where they need to be addressed, the councilman told her “anywhere,” but that the ones on “Hanover and Elizabeth are the worst.”
Hanover and Elizabeth streets, however, are county thoroughfares, and
when Haines asked if the municipality can still undertake the work, Borough Solicitor David Serlin maintained he “did not think” the county “would object to us doing it.”
Haines pointed out that there is a “huge need for tree removal before we redo sidewalks,” with Borough Engineer James “Jim” Mullan declaring, “That would be part of the solution.”
“Because if you didn’t do it, you would end up with the same problem,” Mullan further declared.
After Haines voiced concern that “I am just not sure that the grant would cover the cost of that,” or the tree removal, and any tree removal “may very well cost more than the sidewalk,” Mullan pointed out that a recent improvement project in town saw tree removal at a “reasonable” cost.
“It is the concrete work that is really expensive,” Mullan maintained. “Both to the curb and sidewalk.”
Councilwoman Melissa Tettemer asked, “If we take all the trees down, are we putting any back up?”
Haines quipped, “Well, not those kind!”, to which Tettemer responded, “I think it would be nice if we did put some back up that are non-invasive.”
But Tettemer said she did not know how much any non-invasive species would cost, to which Haines declared, “It does not have to all be done at once.”
“That is something that could be done over time, to replace the ones that we take out,” Haines asserted.
Tettemer told her colleagues that, “I am all for sidewalks,” to which Haines
See FUNDING/ Page 11
NIGHTMARE
(Continued from Page 6)
a five-year sentence.”
“My nine-year-old son tells me he doesn’t want to live here anymore,” Heather McGarvey contended. “He is nine years old! He shouldn’t be afraid to go to sleep at night. This is well beyond what is normal and what is acceptable. And he is right. We can't sell our houses. Nobody is going to come to buy in that neighborhood. So, I mean, is the township going to lower all our taxes? I mean, when is there going to be something done?”
Onorato responded, “We have been going through the court system.”
“As the mayor alluded to, this has been much more time consuming than anybody
anticipated,” added Onorato of the court process, noting that the alleged failure to appear by the property owner was an unanticipated development. “So, it has been a very frustrating time for us. We sympathize with you. You shouldn't have to wait this long, either.”
Long assured the residents that this will now be a “number one priority” for him, adding, “I got a million different things running through my mind, but I have experts back at the station and detectives who will answer them for me.”
Long then gave out his direct email address for residents to contact him.
Onorato, when asked on March 3 if there were any further updates on the matter, replied, “No, summonses have been issued and sentences rendered are pending municipal court scheduled for April 2, 2025.”
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Fun By The Numbers
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Here’s How It Works:
Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
on 10. Acquired Brain Injury Behavior Science 11. Unclean
13. One who does not drink 17. Wild ox of the Malay Archipelago 24. __ student, learns healing 25. Bacterial skin infection
26. Expresses surprise 27. What one says on a wedding day
28. Crony
29. Where you entered the world (abbr.)
35. Unit of length
36. Side that is sheltered from the wind
37. More (Spanish)
38. Autonomic nervous system
40. Violent troublemakers, originally in Paris
41. Statements that something is untrue
42. Greek alphabet letter
43. Suspends from above
44. Popular types of cigars
45. Girls
47. U.S. philosopher & logician
48. Nocturnal hoofed animal
49. Relaxing spaces
52. From a distance
53. Form of Persian
54. Amounts of time
55. Trigonometric function
'PET SITTER'
FUNDING
(Continued from Page 10)
declared, “As long as they are not brick sidewalks.” Fanucci noted “not all of the sidewalks need to be replaced.”
Cost estimates will be gathered, according to Haines, as well as trees identified for removal.
Council, early on in the meeting, was asked by a resident if brining the roads ahead of any winter weather was a possibility. The resident was told “no,” and that only salting the borough roads was a possibility because “we get salt for free.”
An ordinance adjusting salaries was also introduced, with Haines revealing it will not only adjust the salaries, but add a new position of “Water and Sewer foreman.” That person would not be compensated more than $10,000 per year under the current proposal.
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) was also retained to provide the borough assistance with preparing a Master Plan Reexamination Report. As a requirement, the borough has to establish a Steering Committee to work with the department’s
Local Planning Services (LPS).
“The Steering Committee will be Kathy (Smick), myself, Steve Phillips (code enforcement officer), our engineer (Mullan) and planner,” revealed Haines, who is responsible for appointing its members.
A $159,421 contract for improvements to Egbert and Reeves streets, being funded through a New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) grant, was awarded to the lowest of five bidders, Think Pavers Hardscaping.
During the public comment period (public comment periods are held at the very beginning of council meeting’s since January 2024, as opposed to at the end of the meetings, the latter which had long been the way it was done), Haines heard yet again an appeal to change it back to the way it was so that the public can comment at the sessions’ end on the business they hear.
“You wanted to give your idea a chance, and people are just not happy with it,” resident Cathleen Geysen told the mayor.
Geysen called herself the “queen of sticky notes,” but maintained “I would have to keep the sticky notes on me for a month, because that is when the next meeting” is when residents can comment for the first time on what they watched
unfold at the previous meeting.
“Although you were trying to make the meetings go in a timely manner, and I think, to me, change is good, you know, there is always a positive,” Geysen said. “But I feel that change is really not a positive.”
Geysen told Haines, who instituted the change upon her first month in office as mayor, “I really want you to consider it, because, you have to look at us as people who put you in these positions” and “we care.”
“We care enough to come to these meetings,” Geysen added.
Haines told Geysen “I will” consider moving the public comment portion of the meeting back to the end of the sessions, but the mayor did not take immediate action to do so. The mayor also disputed having promised to review her decision again at the beginning of this year.
Yet again, however, Fanucci called on Haines, on behalf of “my constituents,” to act, declaring, “please move the public portion of the meeting, for the public, to the end of the meeting.”
Geysen, however, did “complement” the borough for a job well done in decorating the borough for the holidays, causing Haines to quip, “We like to adjourn the meeting directly after that
(getting a complement) happens!”
Council also passed a resolution, being encouraged by the League of Municipalities, supporting the publishing of legal notices on governmental websites, versus in newspapers. It comes as many municipalities in the state are not as fortunate as Pemberton Borough to still have a true local newspaper.
But despite the Pine Barrens Tribune providing routine coverage of the borough’s affairs, the municipality places its legal notices in the Burlington County Times and Courier Post , two Gannett-owned publications, to meet an archaic statutory requirement that they appear in two paid circulation newspapers (or now, through a grace period, in paid online newspapers, until lawmakers decide what to do).
Over the years, members of council have questioned why they cannot use the Pine Barrens Tribune , available for free, to meet the statutory requirements, recognizing no other newspaper besides the Tribune covers its meetings regularly. But council has stopped short of adding the Tribune as a third newspaper to give its notices local exposure.
In 2024, the borough, according to public records, paid Gannett $2,246, and so far, this year, it paid Gannett $418.
REPAIRS
(Continued from Page 3)
It is also intended that the bond will cover what is being described as $126,200 worth of “emergency repairs” and related supplies for the borough’s Sewer Utility. Burton said the emergency repairs address “some piping issues,” which he discussed previously, and that “we decided to have some other stuff done to avoid emergencies in the future.”
The total appropriation of the bond would be $201,200, with a $3,750 downpayment, making the amount of the bond and notes $197,450. A second reading and public hearing is scheduled
AUDIT
(Continued from Page 4)
lot, roofing, siding,” but tried to assure the governing body, “it doesn’t cost us anything to get the quotes.”
“I know they are not the roofers, but if they are going to charge us this for concrete steps, I can’t imagine what the roof is going to be!” the mayor quipped. Mull vowed, “we’ll definitely go out and get quotes,” to which Brown expressed confidence the roofing job will exceed the bid threshold.
During the Feb. 26 regular committee session, the governing body retained Christine Sierfeld as the municipality’s Qualified Purchasing Agent (QPA) at a $4,000 salary. By retaining a QPA, it will allow the township to have a bid threshold of $44,000 instead of $17,500.
Brown, however, maintained the roofing project is “not something we can do (with a) QPA,” though Leisse pointed out a Co-op is an option, in addition to going out to bid.
Leisse, in his report, said his office is of the understanding the township received a $169,760 grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) for road improvements, including to undertake a third phase of repaving streets in the Lebanon Lakes neighborhood.
“We recommend the third phase include Maple Drive, Locust Trail as well as the remaining section of Sooy Place Road (the latter is elsewhere in the township),” he said.
Apparently, there is a change in the Public Works Department, after Fred Arnwine, longtime road supervisor of the township, met with the governing body last month in a closed session.
WILDLIFE
(Continued from Page 7)
Among the recommended precautions residents should take:
Avoid contact with wild birds, including waterfowl such as ducks and geese; observe them at a distance; Avoid unprotected contact with wild or domestic birds that appear sick or have died; report cases of dead or sick wild birds to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection at 1-877-WARNDEP (877-927-6337); NOTE: Wild birds will no longer be tested, but
for March 12. Council also approved on Feb. 26 retaining Environmental Resolutions, Inc. (ERI), as a special project engineer to perform a “visual/regular Inspection of the Mishe Mokwa Dam. It is to satisfy an inspection requirement of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)’s Dam Safety Bureau. The cost will be about $2,000, officials said.
Meanwhile, it was discussed that the Burlington County Health Department is in receipt of a complaint about a purported “50-gallon drum floating in Upper Aetna Lake.” However, according to Deputy Clerk Dayna L. Kuzniar, it appears the Health Department “couldn’t find it,” with Burton adding the agency suspects what
Approved during the Feb. 26 meeting were two resolutions, one approving “a separation agreement and general release,” followed by another OK’ing Vincent Arnwine as “road supervisor/ maintenance man #1” for Woodland, all of which came with a workshop discussion of Public Works salaries.
Public records show Vincent Arnwine is a relative.
Brown emphasized of the separated employee, “I have received his keys” and “everything was very friendly” and “all good.”
The committee, during its regular session on Feb. 26, adopted an ordinance to require escrow fees to be paid to the township for review and certification of any stormwater management plans submitted for new housing construction.
And after previously tabling an initial version and much discussion, the governing body introduced a new cannabis ordinance aimed at “permitting cannabis establishments, distributors and delivery services in Woodland Township.” A second reading and public hearing is scheduled for a later date.
It comes as a cannabis retail outlet is wanting to open where Joe Bell’s Bar used to be on Route 72. The prospective proprietor of the establishment approached the township committee recently with revisions he would like to see in the ordinance, but officials dismissed them as “spot zoning,” or changes that would solely benefit him, which is illegal.
“They are not going to like my changes,” declared Burns, and in response to committee member questions as to whether the proprietor was provided an advance copy of the latest introduced ordinance, Brown answered, “No, he
dead birds should still be reported for monitoring purposes.
• Cases of dead or sick domestic birds or livestock should be reported to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health at 609-671-6400 or by emailing state.veterinarian@ag.nj.gov .
• Only eat or drink milk or dairy products made from pasteurized milk.
• Cook poultry, eggs and beef to appropriate internal temperatures before eating.
• Poultry farmers and residents with backyard chicken flocks should take special precautions to ensure backyard birds are kept either indoors or in areas
might have been observed was simply a piece of a floating dock. He assured the council that what was observed is “not something that is poisonous.”
Former borough councilman Joseph Aromando III, meanwhile, on Feb. 26, questioned the attendance record of Councilman Thomas Cranston, who has missed a number of meetings in his tenure.
Aromando alleged that council had recently changed its meetings to Wednesday nights, from Thursday nights, in an effort to simply accommodate Cranston’s schedule.
“You know, you inconvenience people who are used to a Thursday night meeting, which was historically (when) the meetings for this town (were held) and changed it back to accommodate this
doesn’t know the revisions,” with Mull declaring, “He shouldn’t, because this is just an introduction.”
“And we don’t want to set a precedent where we are doing an ordinance just for one business,” Brown added.
The latest rendition would only allow cannabis enterprises, according to Brown, in the township’s HB zone, or on the highway, which in Woodland’s case is Route 72.
“I like the fact that he is up there, out of town, away from the school,” said DeGroff, to which Brown pointed out, “So it can only be on the highway, five miles from any school or church, and only one of each type of license.”
After last month it was reported that legal action had commenced against the owner of a dilapidated structure at 115 Maple Avenue in Lebanon Lakes, with the property also reportedly out of compliance with abandoned vehicles, and that following that, some trucks were removed from the parcel, Brown announced on Feb. 26 she spoke to a prospective “new buyer” of the property.
“He is aware of the concerns about the potential unsafe structure,” she said of the prospective new buyer. “He asked that we hold off for a month or two, give him a chance to get it together, and he plans on cleaning up the yard, gutting the house, rehabbing it, and then selling it.”
Brown said she discussed the matter with the committee and “we are going to give the new buyer a chance, and see if he makes good on his word, rather than putting the township through the expensive demolition.”
One other action the township committee took was to support the League of Municipalities in its push to lobby the Legislature to pass legislation to allow municipalities to publish legal
that are fully enclosed and away from wild birds and their waste, county officials added, asserting that such owners should wash and sanitize their hands before and after handling birds.
• Owners should also know the signs of avian flu and report any suspected infection immediately to the Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health, county officials maintained.
• Special precautions should be taken to dispose of dead birds. Guidance is available at https://www.co.burlington. nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/21099/ Safe-Disposal-of-Dead-Birds .
guy,” Aromando charged. “And then he thanks you by not showing up tonight.”
Burton denied the recent change in the meeting schedule had anything to do with Cranston’s availability.
Aromando, however, pressed officials as to whether Cranston has an “excused absence” from the Feb. 26 session.
“He is an accountant with a private practice, and this is his heavy time of the year,” replied Borough Solicitor Doug Heinold, contending Cranston is working 80-hour weeks right now in his private job.
Aromando asserted of Cranston, “He needs to give something up, then.”
The borough solicitor, however, maintained Cranston is “very involved in the budget process” for the borough.
notices on their government websites instead of in newspapers. (It comes as many municipalities in the state now lack an eligible newspaper to meet notice requirements.)
Brown, during the workshop meeting, noted that the township had changed its newspapers to place notices in to include the Courier Post , in addition to the Burlington County Times, both Gannettowned publications. It discontinued using the Central Record
The Central Record never served Woodland and has been what is known as a ghost newspaper for the last several years, while the Courier Post is a Camden County-focused publication.
State law has required a municipality to place its legal notices in at least two paid newspapers (meaning available for purchase) of majority circulation in the town (which the township arguably doesn’t have), though the Legislature has granted a grace period for towns to use paid online newspaper editions while it decides the issue.
Therefore, municipalities cannot meet the statutory advertising requirement by placing notices in newspapers offered free of charge, such as in the Pine Barrens Tribune. This is all while the independent and locally-owned Pine Barrens Tribune serves as the de facto paper of record for Woodland, regularly covering its affairs. Towns, however, can add a free newspaper as a third one to ensure local exposure of their notices, but would not get credit for it.
The governing body on Feb. 26 paid three separate bills to Gannett, for $271.35, $248.34 and $36.74, respectively. That is in addition to a $66.13 payment to Gannett in January. The total paid to Gannett by the township between the last two months: $622.56.
• Pet owners are encouraged to keep dogs and cats from running loose outdoors and away from areas with high concentrations of geese or geese waste; owners should also avoid feeding pets raw meat or poultry or unpasteurized milk.
• Pet owners who notice signs of illness in their pet bird, cat, dog or any other domesticated animal should immediately contact their family veterinarian to safely examine your pet and test for bird flu if needed. Additional guidance is available on the New Jersey H5N1 page at https://www. nj.gov/H5N1/ .
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