Pine Barrens Tribune October 17, 2020-October 23, 2020

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October 17, 2020 – October 23, 2020

STILL STANDING

Redevelopment Initiatives, Permitted Use Expansions and Rezoning Put in Gear in Southampton to Foster Ratables, Improvements By Andy Milone Staff Writer

Photo By Andrew King

David Carns, a local tree service co-owner, who started the My Land. My Trees. movement.

Controversial Tree Ordinance is Adopted by Council, 5-0, with Some Opponents Exploring Possible Legal Challenge; Tree Service Co-Owner Also Considering Primary Contest

See REZONING/ Page 13

Large, Outspoken Crowd Gathers for Proceedings Posing Challenges Due to Pandemic Capacity Limits

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

MEDFOR D —A cont roversial t ree ordinance, which has been revised some nine times since it was first presented to Medford Township Council by the Medford Township Environmental Affairs Advisory Committee some two years ago, has survived any potential cut by the governing body, which unanimously adopted it on Oct. 6 after a nearly two-and-half hour session that featured a large, outspoken crowd (with a mixture of opinions) that gathered despite the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. The size of the crowd posed challenges for officials, who were limited to allowing council chambers to fill to a maximum of 25

percent of its capacity by an executive order signed in August by Democratic Governor Phil Murphy in response to the pandemic. Police Chief Richard J. Meder, who initially emerged from his office to unlock the doors to council chambers at the township’s Public Safety Building, quickly became tasked with crowd control, and for those unable to get inside council chambers to hear the proceedings, the municipality’s top cop tried to become a crowd pleaser of sorts, quietly asking an official up on the dais 23 minutes into the session to grab her laptop so that the overflow crowd could listen to the livestream of the meeting. Eventually, the livestream was set up, though it was on a slight delay, and many reportedly still

SOUTHAMPTON—A number of changes and preliminary investigations related to zoning and potential future real-estate development in Southampton Township have either been considered or put into motion during the past few Southampton Township Committee meetings, and more action is expected during the governing body’s upcoming meetings. Among the items being considered for possible adoption are three ordinances, one of which would result in township-owned land on Buddtown Road, east of the Southampton

had difficulty following the meeting due to conversation in the building’s lobby. Meder, who often conducted headcounts throughout the proceedings, opened the door to council chambers numerous times to let citizens wishing to speak on the ordinance inside, all while those who had just spoken on the issue departed (even sometimes asked to leave council chambers so others could come inside). The police chief, who heard apparent disapproval from the overflow crowd over the circumstances, was seen numerous times conferring with both Township Manager Kathy Burger and Township See STANDING/ Page 11

Triple Shooting in Sunbury, Vehicles Shot at in Oak Pines Probed by Pemberton Police By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

PEMBERTON—A t r iple shooting in the Sunbury Village section of Pemberton Township, and another shooting in the Oak Pines section of the township, which occurred just hours and miles apart, are both under investigation by Pemberton Township Police as they work to determine if there is a nexus between the two incidents. The Sunbury shooting incident that occurred around 1:38 a.m. on Oct. 10 involved individuals being fired upon in front of a residence in 100 block of Kinsley Road, while the Oak Pines See SHOOTING/ Page 8

INDEX Business Directory... 16

Job Board.....................18

Marketplace.............. 19

Games..........................18

Local News................. 2

Worship Guide.......... 15

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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Farm Stands Legalized in Parts of Medford

Saturday, October 17, 2020

Zoning Application Fee Increased by $25; Contract Awarded to Improve Lovers Lane By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

A Few Feathers Short Farm Stand in Medford Township.

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

M EDFOR D — Fa r m st a nd s a re now permitted in parts of Medford Township, so long as proposed municipal regulations pertaining to them are followed by their owners. Medford Township Council legalized such operations by a 5-0 vote on Oct. 6, though several farm stands have been open for business in the municipality for decades. According to previous remarks made by Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watson in May of last year, farm stands in the municipality were “not permitted in our ordinances” (except for farm stands that are on a qualified farm). Despite a legal precedent being essentially established in the municipality by officials seemingly tolerating farm stands in town for decades, formal action of some sort deciding their fate was requested of council in May of last year by Zoning Officer Beth Portocalis. She told the governing body that she was

Photo From Facebook/By A Few Feathers Short

receiving complaints about farm stands in the township and was looking to council for some direction in how to handle them. Portocalis, earlier this year, again asked for council to arrive at a decision after she received “another complaint regarding a stand within the township.” That complaint entailed A Few Feathers Short, off Taunton Road, whose owner, Christine Hye, recently told council that she was “getting smacked with a lot of red tape” from officials. Hye, who also sells baked goods at her farm stand, received a lot of community support in her bid to continue operating. Watson later declared “if it is produce grown in New Jersey, and you want to sell it in your yard, we are OK with that,” and that he doesn’t mind farm stand proprietors “selling some” baked goods. “The zoning officer is asking council to See FARM/ Page 10

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WASHINGTON—The cost of submitting an application to obtain a zoning permit in Washington Township has increased by $25. The Washington Township Committee, during its Oct. 6 meeting, voted unanimously to increase the fee from $50 to $75, according to Deputy Township Clerk Karen Bacon. An ordinance authorizing the fee increase passed without objection from the public. The committee, also during the meeting, unanimously awarded a $125,700 contract to Arawak Paving Company, of Hammonton, for road improvements to Lovers Lane. The municipality will be utilizing a $161,494 grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) to pay for the road work. “So, it is costing us nothing, basically,” said Committeeman C. Leigh Gadd Jr., with Chief Financial Officer Kristin Manning noting that the project’s preliminary engineering costs are the responsibility of the township. The governing body decided to hold off in issuing a parade permit to Meteor Motorcycle Club for an event (83rd Sandy Lane Enduro) scheduled on Nov. 29 due to concerns over COVID-19 and a fluid situation involving Democratic Governor Phil Murphy’s pandemicrelated outdoor gathering limitations. Mayor Daniel James requested more information from the organization about how it would abide by the governor’s executive orders. Gadd proclaimed during the meeting that the township intends to still hold its annual holiday senior luncheon on Dec. 10, and is currently exploring its options for a location, after being informed that the longtime venue, Fred and Ethel's Lantern Light Restaurant and Tavern,

is not accommodating banquets this year “due to the unknown.” “There should not be a problem in us finding a venue to do it,” said Gadd, noting that he was aware of a few eateries hosting banquets. “However, I will report back on our progress at next month’s meeting.” Last year (prior to the pandemic), 44 seniors attended the municipality’s senior luncheon, according to Bacon. Gadd also provided an update on the status of repairs to the Washington Township Senior Center, which has been closed for over a year now due to being in a state of disrepair. He said “it is now in the hands of the insurance company” after two bids for work to rectify at least some of the issues were apparently forwarded to them for review. He called the wait for the repairs “a painfully long process,” but added “hopefully, we are near the end of that.” Additionally, Gadd declared that he is also working with Road Foreman Larry Priest to address complaints regarding Godfrey Bridge Road. “Larry and Frank (a road department employee) went down and cleared the edges of the road where it has been covered with sand and mud, etc.,” Gadd said. He added that action will be taken to address vehicles “going off the high edge of the road,” using material that will “taper” off the grade of the road, so that “when people are trying to pass side-by-side it alleviates any problems.” Officials, Gadd said, also plan to address a “tree of concern” on Bulltown Road. “It is a really big oak tree, that, when it does come down, it is going to rip the electric lines See CONTRACT/ Page 17

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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$7.5 Million Apartment Renovation Project to Give Pemberton Increased PILOT Monies Development Corporation Also to Provide Annual $25,000 Community Contributions That Officials Plan to Give to School District

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By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

PEMBERTON—A major rehabilitation project is planned for an apartment community located in the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township, and according to municipal officials, it is expected to financially benefit the entire township, as well as possibly the Pemberton Township School District. Silver Street Development Corporation is planning to soon invest a projected $7.5 million into its Browns Woods Apartment Community, said the firm’s Vice President of Development Seth Parker during an Oct. 7 Pemberton Township Council meeting, and in doing so, has reached a new long-term tax abatement agreement with Pemberton Township. The development corporation, under the new agreement approved 4-0 by council (Councilwoman Norma Trueblood was absent), will increase its Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) compensation to the municipality from $158,000 this year to over $450,000 by year 2030, according to Township Solicitor Andrew “Andy” Bayer. Additionally, the agreement calls for Silver Street to contribute $25,000 annually as an “annual Community Benefit Contribution,” noted Busi ness Ad m i n ist rator Da n iel Hornickel. “We are looking at a 1 percent increase in the PILOT over a 10-year period,” said Business Administrator Daniel Hornickel. “Plus, with the $25,000 as an annual Community Benefit Contribution, the mayor and I would have some flexibility in helping out with projects that the school system might want to get done.” Councilwoman Elisabeth McCartney, also

a teacher in the school district, sought details during the meeting about the school projects that the township administration is considering using the contributions to possibly support. Mayor David Patriarca, in response, contended that “we do believe the school district can use our assistance” due to revenue shortfalls. He explained that school districts receive tax monies from developments without PILOT agreements, but do not receive tax monies from apartment communities falling under PILOT agreements, such as in this case. Given the PILOT agreement for Browns Wood s, t he mayor said t he tow nsh ip administration has tried to best determine “how we can assist in bringing in revenue from these pilots” and “carve out a piece of revenue” for the school district. “Knowing they are struggling with their budgets, we want to give them a piece of the pie, basically, without compromising our challenges,” said Patriarca, noting that the municipality gets to keep 95 percent of the PILOT compensation, but is mindful of its $1.4 million in uncollected tax reserves. Hornickel explained that Silver Street became the owner of Browns Woods around 2001, and soon thereafter, rehabilitated the apartments with a loan from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). “As a condition from getting a loan from HUD, they had to enter into a PILOT agreement for the property with the township to give them the ability of financing the rehab, and acquisition,” Hornickel said. Hornickel, after explaining the history of the See PROJECT/ Page 10

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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Contract Awarded to Construct Floating Dock in Bass River for Use by Watercraft Owners Entire Cost Covered by Park Development Grant

Saturday, October 17, 2020

At-Home COVID-19 Testing Kits Are Available for BurlCo Residents and Front-Line Workers

Photo By Andy Milone

A rendering of the new floating dock to be installed at the end of Amasa Landing Road East.

By Andy Milone Staff Writer

BASS RIVER—Construction of a new A DA-accessible float i ng dock , where recreational watercrafts such as kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddle boards and small sail and power boats can temporarily be moored and easily launched onto the Mullica River, is soon scheduled to get underway at the end of Amasa Landing Road East. All three members of the Bass River Township Board of Commissioners, at an Oct. 5 meeting, unanimously awarded a $52,256 contract for the project, which is being funded by a Burlington County Park Development Grant, to marine construction contractor EZ Dock South, Inc., out of Ocean View, Cape May County. Since the contractor is a New Jersey-approved state vendor, it was noted that the contract could be accepted without having to go through a formal competitive bidding process. The dock at what is dubbed “Amasa Landing Park” in the grant application is expected to be assembled before the end of the year and to take a day or two to complete. An exact date has not been determined. A gangway will provide entry to visitors from the blacktop where the road ends and allow the public access at all different tide levels to the “L” shaped dock, which will extend 30 feet out and another 57.5 feet parallel to shore. The dock will be installed on a patch of grass between a cable block ramp used for boat launching, and a concrete platform on the same side as a small parking lot and a privately owned riverfront home. According to Township Clerk Amanda Somes, the new dock will feature railings, dock bumpers, benches, boat cleats, umbrella mounts, and a kayak launch area. “It’s got cleats for tying off your boat,” said Somes during the Oct. 5 meeting. “If you are launching your boat, you will tie off with v2.pdf 1 9/21/2020 6:12:40 PM the cleats Downsize and youad can access your boat a lot

easier than just trying to jump on board and maneuver your truck at the same time you are maneuvering your boat. I know that was an issue with a lot of people.” Being able to award the contract for the project without going out to bid will result in “a big, big savings,” in time and soft costs, she noted. Examples of soft costs, which would not have been covered by the grant, are advertising for bids, and having its engineer prepare bid specs. The original cost estimate for the project in the grant application was $78,500, an amount for which the township will now be reimbursed in full by an award made through the restored 2019 Burlington County Municipal Park Development Program, which recently distributed a total of $5.2 million in grants to 38 of the 40 municipalities in the county for projects ranging from park development or improvement to open space acquisition and farmland preservation. The township will “most likely” use any leftover grant funds on the landing spot “to pretty it up,” or possibly for stones for the parking lot, or additional trash cans, according to Somes. Either way, “we will spend it all,” she said. The township has approximately two years to use all the funds awarded, and Somes said any related projects will be completed “way before” 2022. The floating dock and accessible ramp are part of the latest phase of improvements to the township-owned landing site, which is less than a half mile from the Garden State Parkway and has provided access to fishing and boating on the Mullica River for decades. “Bass River Township has shown a strong pattern of investment and commitment to its park system,” the township wrote in its grant application, which was prepared by Dante Guzzi Engineering Associates, out of Medford. See DOCK/ Page 10

Photo By Andy Milone

Burlington County Department of Health Director Herb Conaway showcases an at-home saliva-based testing kit.

By Andy Milone Staff Writer

MEDFORD—At-home COVID-19 testing kits have become available for residents living in Burlington County, and front-line workers employed in the county, as people return to work and school, spend more time indoors during the cooler weather months, and live through the anticipated flu season. There will be no additional out-of-pocket costs to obtain the kits for those who provide proof of public or private health insurance, per federal law, and an individual who does not have health insurance can still obtain a kit. Test results are expected to be generated within 72 hours of the saliva specimen arriving through the mail to the lab. T h is of fer i ng of home test i ng k its comes as part of the latest expansion of the county’s COVID-19 program, which has tested thousands, and was launched back on March 26 when a fixed testing site first became available (until this summer) at the Burlington County Emergency Services Complex in Westampton. The county announced on Oct. 14 that 247 people were tested during the first week of the home testing program. “We know that testing is helpful,” said Burlington County Department of Health Director Herb Conaway at a press conference on Oct. 5. “The sooner we can get it to people, and the more rapidly we can turn those tests around, we can get on top of those little outbreaks that we see occurring more and more as people begin to return to normalcy, which they must do. “We’ve got to get kids back in school. We’ve got to get people to work. And we understand that those interactions are going to lead to people getting COVID.”

Conaway noted these tests, provided by the Burlington County Board of Commissioners in partnership with Vault Medical Services of New Jersey and Rutgers Clinical Genomics Laboratory, should be beneficial as well to those who cannot drive or leave their homes. As part of the county’s latest announcement, a new county fixed clinic testing site was opened at Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC) in Mount Laurel, where Conaway made the official announcement, alongside Burlington County Commissioner Dan O’Connell, and RCBC President Michael Cioce. The site was chosen as a way to provide better access to those traveling on or near the major highways, such as Interstate 295 and Route 38. The same saliva-based testing, rather than the nasal swab tests of the past, will take place at RCBC every Tuesday and Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for most of the rest of this year. As for the home-based testing program, the county initially purchased 400 at-home tests at a cost of $131 per test. This does not factor in other costs, such as those related to the online portal used for registration. This home testing program was made possible through $3 million in funding provided by the state from a portion of its federal aid from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Another $565,000 was offered to the county for use as reimbursement of other expenses related to the health crisis. Burlington County did not receive CARES Act money directly due its population being slightly below the federal law’s 500,000 population cutoff for direct funding. “Certainly, we thank the administration in Trenton who listened to the 12 counties who See TESTING/ Page 8

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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Murphy Announces Creation of New Relief Fund to Cover Smaller Communities’ Pandemic Costs, with $8 Million Plus Slated for Burlington County

♦ Page 5

Repair Shop Business Owner Says ‘We’re Still Here’ After Reading About Medford’s Rehabilitation Plan

Money to Come Out of State’s Share of CARE Act Proceeds, Which GOP Legislators Say Has Been Held for Far Too Long By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

EVESHAM—Near the end of March when the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, was overwhelmingly passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald J. Trump, it resulted in billions of dollars in federal aid being directly dispensed to counties and cities with populations of 500,000 or more to cover their pandemic-related costs. But that financial lifeline, unfortunately, was only extended to nine of New Jersey’s 21 counties, the rest of which—including Burlington County, which last year had a reported 495,349 residents—were left to fend for themselves, as were the largely rural and suburban municipalities that comprise them, such as those located either inside or on the western edge of the Pine Barrens. That’s not to say, however that additional CARES Act funds weren’t given to individual st ates. New Jer sey, i n fact, received another nearly $2.4 billion to cover its g e n e r a l C OV I D -19 c o s t s . Now, t h e administration of Democratic Governor Phil Murphy is making some $60 million of that money available to those communities that were left in the lurch last spring, with a total of $5,628,140 to be divided between Burlington County’s 40 municipal governments, while the county itself will be the direct recipient of another $2,559,212, according to figures provided by the state Department of

Community Affairs (DCA). The creation of this new Local Government Emergency Fund was announced by Murphy at an Oct. 9 press conference conducted outside the Evesham Township Sports Complex, which was also addressed by Congressmen Andy Kim (D-3rd District) and Donald Norcross (D-1st District), along with two other Democratic politicians, Burlington County Deputy County Commission Director Tom Pullion and Evesham Township Mayor Jaclyn Veasy. In a statement issued several days later, three Republican legislators charged that the state has acted way too slowly in sharing the money from which the emergency funding came. The formula used to determine how much each entity is entitled to was based on its population, its rate of infection and the resulting “fiscal toll” it experienced, the governor noted, adding that those three elements were considered to be “the most relevant and most important” in determining how the aid money would be distributed. “The new federal government emergency fund that we have created today is about ensuring that all of our communities are treated with equal respect,” said Murphy of the aid package, which is being administered by the DCA under Democratic Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who serves as its commissioner. “Over the past several months, many municipalities have taken on millions in unanticipated and See RELIEF/ Page 7

One Dead After Fiery Late-Night Route 70 Crash PEMBERTON—The Pemberton Township Police Department, with assistance from the New Jersey State Police, are investigating a fatal crash that occur red during the late evening of Oct. 11 on Route 70, near mile marker 26, in Pemberton Township. Of ficers, upon a r r ival at t he crash scene, fou nd t wo veh icles t hat we re involved, according to Pemberton Police Spokesman Lt. Jay Watters. A subseque nt pol ice i nvest igat ion , Watters said, determined that a vehicle being driven by a 45-year-old man from the Brow n s M il ls se ct ion of Pembe r ton , traveling westbound on the state highway, was struck from behind by the deceased victim’s vehicle. The impact of the initial collision forced the 45-year- old man’s vehicle off the

westbound side of the roadway, where it impacted trees, while the other vehicle crossed over onto the eastbound side of the roadway and struck a tree on that side of the road. The latter vehicle caught fire after the impact, according to Watters, and its driver, also a male, was found dead inside after the fire was extinguished. The 45-year-old man who drove the other vehicle was taken by ambulance to Virtua Hospital in Mount Holly. He sustained minor injuries. “ T h e Pe m b e r t o n Tow n s h i p Pol ic e Department is working to verify the identity of the deceased driver prior to further information being released,” Watters said. “Route 70 was shut down for several hours overnight while the investigation was conducted.”

Three Teenagers Injured in Route 72 Crash After Toyota Hits Pole, Trees and Overturns WOODLAND—Three teenagers, including one from Southampton Township, were injured in a Route 72 crash last week when the vehicle they were inside of struck a utility pole and several trees, before overturning. The accident, according to New Jersey State Police Spokesman Trooper Alejandro Goez, was reported to authorities at 5:58 p.m. on Oct 8 at the state highway’s mile post 8.5 in Woodland Township. “A Toyota Camry traveling eastbound went off the road, to the left, and struck a utility

pole and several trees, and then overturned,” Goez said. “The driver and two passengers were entrapped and were extricated by the fire department.” The driver, 17-year-old female from Atlantic City, sustained moderate injuries. A front seat passenger, Gemini Doebler, 19, of Southampton Township, sustained serious injuries. Also sustaining serious injuries was a rear seat passenger, a 15-year-old male from Egg Harbor Township. “The accident remains under investigation,” Goez told this newspaper.

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Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

Mulligan Car Care Center, on the left, is still open for business, while an Amera gas station is currently closed with its future unknown.

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

MEDFORD—In a story published by this newspaper last week regarding Medford Township’s plan to rehabilitate the area of Taunton Boulevard and Tuckerton roads, this newspaper noted Township Planner Scott Taylor’s remarks that an “Amera service station” is now closed at the intersection of Taunton and Tuckerton Roads. Kevin Mulligan, owner of Mulligan Car Care Center, in response, contacted this newspaper to point out that while the “gas station is closed,” and he does not have anything to do with the operation of the gas pumps, his vehicle service center is open for business and ready to serve the residents of the Pines. “We’re still here,” he said. “The repair garage is open. The gas operation is separate. We have been here through COVID and I can assure you we are not closed.” The auto repair shop business owner told this newspaper that the owner of the property where his business and the former gas station is located at is “actively seeking an operator.” “On April 6, I got a call from the operator that due to COVID and volume dropping so low, ‘We need to be closed for two to three weeks,’” he said. “That was the last communication I received. The gas side is closed temporarily, or maybe permanently, who knows.” Mulligan, in the phone call to this newspaper, slammed Taylor’s remarks, and conclusion in

a recent redevelopment study of the area, that the former Amera station site has potential environmental contamination due to an underground storage tank. “Not only is this place closed, but it glows,” said Mulligan of what residents could infer from Taylor’s remarks. “30 years ago, there was a gas leak satisfactorily remediated according to Pinelands and federal standards. People are left to think they are drinking gasoline. That’s not the case!” Mulligan told this newspaper he agreed with the premise that something needed to be done about the pattern of vacancies at the intersection, but that the “property owner responsible for the majority of the vacancies should be first in line.” Taylor, in a July 22 presentation on the redevelopment study, never mentioned the active operation of Mulligan Car Care Center, which Mulligan said opened on Oct. 28, 2008, or 12 years ago. “We’ve always been at that site,” Mulligan said. The auto repair business owner further advised this newspaper that he was never told of the redevelopment study of the intersection, but noted he only leases the land. However, he seemed to indicate he was still disappointed that nobody from the township contacted him to include him in the discussions, or let them know that they were ongoing. “I guess I haven’t lived here long enough,” Mulligan said.

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RELIEF

(Continued from Page 5) increased costs. These have included public safety and health-related expenses; COVID-19related overtime, such as that for residential and health-related garbage collection and services; the purchase of remote working technology equipment as well as signage and information technology related to COVID-19 response and recovery, and retrofitting public spaces to facilitate their reopening.” The new fund, he said, will “assure that these costs are covered without the entire weight being placed on the shoulders of local taxpayers through higher property taxes.” Mur phy also maintained that “strong safeguards” will be in place “to make sure these funds are put to their proper use” and the DCA will use a variety of metrics to make sure they are distributed fairly and reach the most affected communities across the state. “But for hundreds of communities across our state in the 12 counties that did not qualify for direct assistance, we know these funds will be a welcome lifeline to them and to their taxpayers,” the governor declared. According to a press release subsequently sent out by Burlington County, that money will be distributed as follows among Pine Barrens area municipalities: Bass River Township, $18,459; Evesham Township, $526 , 331; Me d fo r d Tow n sh ip, $252 , 568; Medford Lakes Borough, $39,528; Pemberton Borough, $26,311; Pemberton Township, $410,918; Shamong Township, $51,859; Southampton Township, $111,214; Tabernacle Township, $64,604; Washington To w n s h i p , $ 7, 2 76 , a n d Wo o d l a n d Township, $33,852. “Funds awarded may not be used for government revenue replacement, including the provision of assistance to meet tax obligations,”

LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM noted another press release sent out by the governor’s office, which also specified that eligible expenditures “must be incurred during the covered period between March 1, 2020 and Dec. 30, 2020. Up to $10 million in additional funding will be allocated from the Coronavirus Relief Fund by the New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS) to help the state’s County Boards of Social Services cover the cost of pandemic-related items such as technology to adapt to remote work along with supplies and materials to meet COVID-19 health and safety standards, the latter release noted. In announcing the new relief fund, Murphy also made a point of the fact that “we’re still in the struggle” with COVID-19 and “anybody who tells you otherwise is not paying attention to the facts.” “We’re not out of the woods yet,” Murphy declared. During the presentation, the governor also repeatedly credited Kim, who is engaged in a tough re-election campaign against former Hill International CEO David Richter, a Republican, for being a driving force in facilitating the delivery of financial aid to the state during the ongoing pandemic. “Throughout this process Andy Kim and his office have been tremendous partners in making sure that the needs of New Jerseyans have been kept front and center in the ongoing discussions in the capital,” asserted Murphy, noting that the freshman congressman is New Jersey’s only representative on the special select committee on the Coronavirus crisis. “I don’t care if you’re a Democrat, Republican unaffiliated and neither does he. He has been unrelenting in getting this money.” The governor maintained that Kim “has never been more than a quick phone call away” and referred to both Kim and Norcross as “warriors” in the fight to “bring us back our fair share” as the House works on the next round of COVID-19 relief.

The selection of Evesham for a press conference on a matter involving 12 counties, in fact, was likely made with the fact that it is Kim’s hometown—something that the congressman used to emphasize the significance of the new community relief program. Noting that he had grown up just down the road in Kings Grant, “where his parents still live” and where “no one ever asked me if my family were Democrats or Republicans,” he urged that the fund not just be thought of “in terms of just dollar signs,” but “in terms of the lives that are going to be affected and the people who are going to benefit from this—people like my mom and dad,” who he said he has been worried about because both have pre-existing conditions. “What we need here is every resource that we have available through this crisis” he said. “We know that already New Jersey doesn’t get our fair share back from the federal government, that we only get back about 81 cents for a dollar that we put into the federal treasury.” Pullion pointed out that among all the responsibilities of government, “job number one is to try to protect our residents’ health and safety” and that back in March, Burlington County had become one of the first in the state to initiate free COVID-19 testing for residents, medical staff and first responders -- a program that had just been expanded to include home testing for any resident, student or worker employed in the county. He also noted that the county has distributed close to two million pieces of PPE to first responders and long-term care providers, and is now offering zero-interest loans to struggling small businesses, and that the Murphy administration has “already promised us over $3.5 million of the state’s federal CARES Act money to finance our expanded testing program and reimburse us for other COVID-19-related expenses.” “This is how governments are supposed to work together for the betterment of the

♦ Page 7

residents they serve,” declared Pullion. “We can’t thank Governor Murphy enough for this help.” In the opinion of three Republican state legislators from the area, however, the administration has been remiss in not delivering such aid more expeditiously to those who most need it. In an Oct. 14 press release, Senator Christopher Connors, Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, and Assemblywoman DiAnne Gove, representing the 9th Legislative District, which covers a portion of Burlington County, called for an expedited release of federal CARES Act funding to businesses and residents most impacted by COVID-19. In light of a recent report by the state auditor, which had shown that New Jersey had spent barely 10 percent of the $2.4 billion in federal relief funds it received six months ago, the trio maintained, the governor had announced plans to release small amounts of funding to help local governments, restaurants, and small businesses that have been begging for aid since March. “For months, Trenton has sat on billions of dollars in federal funding sent by Washington as a lifeline to New Jersey residents and businesses,” they stated, contending that “those emergency relief funds weren’t meant to collect dust in the state’s coffers. Inexcusably, this funding has been too slow in getting to the people who need it most, including those who are essential in jumpstarting the state’s economy.” State government, they contended, “should have distributed this money months ago to give more businesses a fighting chance.” “I nstead , a n nou ncements about the dedication of these taxpayer funds are being made at campaign-style events just three weeks from Election Day,” the 9th District legislators maintained. “Businesses were counting on an infusion of assistance, not a trickle, that for many is too little and too late.”

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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Saturday, October 17, 2020

TESTING

(Continued from Page 4)

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

Pemberton Township Acting Police Chief David King discusses community policing during an Oct. 7 Pemberton Township Council meeting.

SHOOTING (Continued from Page 1)

shooting that occurred at about 7:03 p.m. on Oct. 9 involved vehicles being fired upon in the area of the 100 block of Oak Pines Boulevard, according to Criminal Investigations Division Commander Lt. Jay Watters, also a spokesman for Pemberton Police. “We are looking into whether the two are connected,” Watters told this newspaper. The police department, he said, is working to identify suspects, but as of press time, had not yet identified anyone responsible for the shootings. According to Watters, when officers arrived in the area of Oak Pines Boulevard, they “discovered a scene in the roadway with numerous shell casings,” and a vehicle was found on Lakeview Terrace, which had “driven up on a lawn” of a residence. “The operator of that vehicle indicated that he was driving on Oak Pines Boulevard when he heard gunshots,” Watters said. “He drove around the corner, onto the lawn and exited the vehicle to take cover. That vehicle was not struck by the gunfire.” While officers were investigating the Oak Pines shooting, a second vehicle, Watters said, returned to the scene, which had been “struck numerous times with rounds.” No injuries were sustained in the Oak Pines shooting, the lieutenant added. “Through our investigation, it appears as though the two vehicles had departed a residence in the area and were fired upon as they were exiting the development,” Watters said. Officers, according to Watters, arriving at the Sunbury shooting scene, discovered three people in front of a residence who had sustained gunshot wounds. A 52-year-old man was found with gunshot wounds to his arms, a 27-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound to his back and a 23-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound to his foot, according to the lieutenant. The 52-year-old man and the 23-year-old man were taken by ambulance to Cooper University Hospital in Camden for treatment. The 27-year-old man was flown by helicopter to Cooper for treatment. Watters said that all three victims were later reported to be in stable condition. “Through an investigation, it was determined that an unknown vehicle pulled up in front of the residence where all three victims were standing, and then a passenger from inside of the vehicle fired a gun numerous times at the

victims and the residence they were standing in front of,” Watters said. “No suspects have been identified at this time. We are working to determine if there is a nexus to the shooting that happened earlier in the evening in a different part of town.” The shootings in the Oak Pines and Sunbury neighborhoods came just a few weeks after apprehensions were made in a July shooting that played out on a roadway near the border of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and Pemberton Township. Several other shootings occurred in both June and July in the township, several of which were reported to have occurred in Sunbury. Police have not yet announced any arrests in the other shootings, but had made a series of arrests for hand gun offenses in mid and late July, which had seemed to quell the gun violence up until the early October shootings. Business Administrator Daniel Hornickel, in response to a question posed about the police investigations into the summertime shootings, previously said during an Aug. 5 Pemberton Council meeting, “they identified a couple of individuals basically playing a game of chase in a couple of vehicles.” Acting Police Chief David King attended an Oct. 7 Pemberton Council meeting (the first in-person session held in months due closures necessitated by municipal building renovations and COVID-19) to provide an update on policing in the community, and was on hand to answer questions from the council and public at the request of Mayor David Patriarca, however not a single member of the general public attended that meeting. King said that his department has five recruit officers in the Camden County Police Academy right now, and if they all graduate, the size of the police force will increase to 44 officers, but Hornickel noted retirements are expected around Dec. 1. Hornickel added that “we are actively interviewing” to bring on additional officers, and the police department hopes to send at least four more individuals to the academy to receive law enforcement training. A Class II officer has also recently been hired by the department, the business administrator added. King, in response to a question from Council President Gaye Burton asking if officers “walk the beat like they used to,” replied the department is “doing a lot of foot patrols right now, believe it or not.” He also discussed how officers addressed a “quality of life issue” recently near a Wawa in the Browns Mills section of the municipality. The chief noted that he been among the officers “out on foot” to address people “who go up there and loiter about for narcotics and things like that.”

said we need more funding and we need more help,” said Conaway, who also serves as a Democratic assemblyman of the 7th Legislative District. Residents can enroll and determine if they are eligible for the home testing at: www. homecovidtest.org. A child 6 years of age or under is not eligible. “Passaic County started testing some time ago, and we relied on them for information about how we should run our own program,” Conaway said. “We’ve added some wrinkles to it, and we are pushing this age of testing down here in our county, because we think it is important, particularly as people return to school, to get tested.” Conaway pointed out that this testing kit is available not just for residents, but many essential workers in industries such as transportation or education. “If your job requires you to be in close contact with people who are not members of your family, and you work here in Burlington County, you can avail yourself of testing here in this county,” he said. After eligibility is verified, the individual will be emailed a code number and link to

Vault’s website where a request can be made to have a kit delivered. The testing kit will be mailed out the next day with instructions inside on how to schedule a Zoom tele-health meeting with a certified healthcare worker who will virtually oversee and walk a person through the steps on how to properly collect “quite a bit of saliva” for “a very accurate analysis.” A person should not eat, drink, smoke, vape or chew gum at least 30 minutes before taking a saliva test. As part of his announcement, Conaway urged people to get their flu shots as well. The new fixed testing site at RCBC will make room outside the county health department, which was where a fixed clinic for COVID-19 testing was previously set up during the months of August and September, for walk-up flu vaccine clinics. “Just a couple years ago, we had people entering the hospital with flu,” he said. “Because of capacity issues in the hospital, people were lined up in the hallways, they were being cared for in rooms that were not designed for patient care because of the overload of the hospital delivery system caused by the flu pandemic. “If we get one of these flu pandemics, this season, on top of what is expected to be resurgent Coronavirus disease, we could really be in for a very rough go of it. I urge people to avail themselves of effective, safe influenza vaccines.”

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♦ Page 9

Page 10 ♦ LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

FARM

(Continued from Page 2) discuss the matter and decide what they would like to see permitted or not permitted within the township,” read a statement from Medford Township that accompanied the second reading of the farm stand ordinance. According to the adopted ordinance, a farm stand is defined as a retail farm market that is no greater than 500 square feet, in which its goods consist of not less than 100 percent of products from the “farm management unit,” operated from temporary buildings or structures. A farm management unit is defined as a parcel, or parcels of land, either contiguous or noncontiguous, owned or rented by the operator of a farm stand, or in which the operator of the farm stand otherwise has an interest, together with agricultural or horticultural buildings, structures and facilities, producing agricultural or horticultural products, and operated as a single enterprise within the state. According to the new law, no person is permitted to operate a farm stand without receiving an annual, special $50 zoning permit from the municipality. Applications submitted to obtain such a permit must include items such as the contact information of the applicant; exact location of the farm management unit; the street address along with the block and lot number upon which a farm stand is proposed; proof that the operator of any farm stand owns or rents the farm management unit, or a description of the operator’s interest; a description of the buildings and structures existing and proposed on the property in which a farm stand is slated for, including the size, type, and construction; a description of vehicle parking spaces and facilities available for public use, including number of and size; and the description of the manner in which vehicles will have access to and from any adjacent public road or street. Any signage proposed to be associated with

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM any farm stand (a maximum of two signs are allowed) must also be noted in any application, and “cannot exceed four square feet in area, per sign.” “The signs shall be temporary in nature, and may be used to advertise products for sale at the farm stand,” the ordinance states. Upon receipt of any application, the township’s police department, manager, fire inspector, and/or construction code official is to inspect the proposed site for any farm stand. Farm stands, according to the new law, may only be located along state highways, arterial roads or major collector roads and can only operate from 8 a.m. to dusk. “I don’t know that there are a whole lot of people out buying tomatoes at 8 a.m.,” quipped Watson at a recent council meeting. Any farm stand must maintain a front yard setback of 15 feet, a side yard setback of 30 feet, and a rear yard setback of 30 feet. Farm stands greater than 10 feet in height are not permitted. “Farm stands shall be accompanied by a paved, gravel and/or grassed area for customer parking that can accommodate not less than three vehicles, and the parking area shall be located in such a location as to facilitate the safe flow of traffic,” the ordinance states. “There shall be adequate and safe access, ingress and egress from any adjacent public road or street, including provisions for an adequate turn around area to prevent vehicles from backing out on to any public street.” The farm stand ordinance emphasizes that any goods sold through such operations must be “agricultural or horticultural products,” and that “100 percent of all goods sold at a farm stand shall consist of products from the farm management unit.” “A year ago, there was a complaint about a farm stand that was looked into,” said Watson on Oct. 6. “Council decided that we thought farm stands was a good thing for our town, but they were not permitted. So, this is actually permitting something that was not permitted.”

Sharing Our Community’s Strength & Stories As the consequences of COVID-19 affect our community and our world, the importance of our connection to reliable information, resources and one another is more evident than ever. As your local newspaper, we are committed to keeping you connected through local news, outbreak updates, stimulating features and community engagement as we make our way through these troubled times toward a brighter future together.

Saturday, October 17, 2020

Photo By Andy Milone

The site at the end of Amasa Landing Road East where a new floating dock will be constructed.

DOCK

(Continued from Page 4) “The Amasa Landing Park was recently upgraded with a new cable block boat ramp for launching watercraft from trailers as well as a new bulkhead, parking improvements and the installation of site amenities such as benches and trash receptacles.” T hose upg rades were covered wit h funds awarded in past years from the same grant program. The floating dock installation is part of Phase III of the park improvement project, according to the grant application, but

PROJECT (Continued from Page 3)

initial PILOT agreement, contended that Silver Street “would like to again rehab and invest in the apartment complex.” “They would like to borrow more money from HUD to change owners and also to invest into the property,” he said. “The initial PILOT ran from 2003 to 2032. They approached us asking if we would be willing to renegotiate the PILOT in recognition of their new investment of new monies into rehabbing the complex.” The rehabilitation project will include furnishing the apartments with new kitchens, baths, roofs and security systems, the business administrator said. Sidewalks in the apartment community will also be improved. “They really want to put money into the project to sustain it for the next several decades,” Hornickel said. Council President Gaye Burton noted that Silver Street was planning to “spend a nice bit of money,” and said that is “great,” but expressed her uneasiness (after voting in the affirmative) that the projected $7.5 million project could result in an increase in rent for those residing in the apartments. Parker replied that “40 percent of the units” are under federal contract, or considered Section 8 housing. He said that while “Section 8 rents would increase proportionate to the

Somes said there are no current plans for future work at the site. As part of this most recent application submitted in 2019, the township requested the maximum possible amount of $250,000 for the building of the dock, as well as another project at its other park on North Maple Avenue, across from the municipal building. However, it did not receive funding for that latter proposal, which included an ADA-accessible restroom facility, a well to provide water to serve the facility and a septic system to treat the wastewater generated. According to Somes, the township plans to try once again to obtain grant money for the latter project. work that we do,” and any increase would be justified under a market study and reviewed by the NJHFMA, those living in Section 8 housing “would not pay any more than they do now” because per the federal contract, the tenants “pay 30 percent of their income.” While Parker said the remaining 60 percent of the units “are not covered by the Section 8 contract,” Bayer noted that any rent increase is “restricted by the affordable housing covenant” and “aren’t market rate rents anyway.” “They are tax credit units, and those are controlled by the average median income in the township and region,” said Parker, as Bayer noted that property owners can’t raise rents to an unreasonable limit in such circumstances. “Typically, it is set at 60 percent of the average median income.” Parker added that those living outside of Section 8 housing in the apar tment community “would be given ample time to be noticed of any rent increase they would be subject to,” and any rent increase “would be over a period of time.” Bayer noted that if the rehabilitation project and new long-term tax abatement agreement did not move forward, the PILOT compensation to the municipality would not have the potential to rise “above the $158,000 we are getting now” under the existing agreement. “This is a substantial increase overtime to the township, plus, in addition to the investment and rehabilitation of the property,” the township solicitor said. “So, it is a win-win.”

Saturday, October 17, 2020

LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES ♦

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM

STANDING (Continued from Page 1)

Solicitor Timothy Prime about how to best accommodate those wanting to participate in the proceedings. Burger, immediately before the meeting was called to order, ordered Zoning Officer Beth Portocalis, who has been given the authority through the tree ordinance to enforce it and is at the center of some of the opposition’s concerns, “to stay outside,” due to the capacity issues. Portocalis, also the township’s liaison to the environmental committee, would eventually return, but never took a seat at the dais. Also agitating some attendees was that the Public Safety Building parking lot was milled for repaving, with the police force’s vehicle fleet parked in the visitor lot, allowing for limited legal parking. There were open parking spaces in a parking lot for “authorized personnel only,” where the police force’s vehicle fleet is normally parked, but attendees were unclear if they could legally park there. Eventually, according to eyewitness reports, even those spaces became filled, with some having to park at a medical building nearby, and others reportedly driving away. Following the conclusion of the session, a vocal critic of the tree ordinance, Jason Kleinman, established a Facebook group titled, “MY LAND. MY TREES.: Defeating the Medford Township Tree Ordinance,” and vowed to “prepare our opposition request, which will set up a review by Burlington County Superior Court.” He indicated the potential legal challenge may not just be limited to the substance of the measure. Kleinman, in the Facebook group that, as of press time, had 113 members, asked for the names of those “unable to find legal parking,” the names of “anybody who left the meeting early due to being unable to enter the room due to social distancing requirements and felt

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

The visitor parking lot of the Medford Township Public Safety Building, occupied primarily by Medford Township Police Department vehicles. unsafe,” and any “pictures showing how many people were in the hallway huddled around the laptop, or of the visitor parking lot filled with police vehicles.” “We’ll need all of the local support we can to defeat the overzealous council,” he wrote. During the Oct. 6 meeting, several public commenters, including Kleinman, pleaded with council to hold off on a vote, citing the pandemic, contending that many more people wanted to participate in the ordinance’s public hearing, but couldn’t because they were “in quarantine.” “I think it is unconscionable to have a vote on this with the current pandemic,” Kleinman told council. “I know of at least 10 to 15 people who wanted to be here to make their voices heard, but absolutely cannot be here because they have restrictions, they have to quarantine and they can’t put themselves in this situation.” The township did not establish a means for those to telephone or virtually participate in

the public hearing. “Is this meeting even legal, tonight?” asked resident David Carns, a local tree service coowner who maintains a 30-acre family farm in the township, and is the architect of the ‘My Land. My Trees.’ movement. “With the COVID, there are people who can’t come to this meeting! “They are old (high-risk group), and told by their doctors they cannot come to this meeting. They are Medford Township residents. They want to get involved. But they can’t.” Prime responded that “there are a lot of reasons people can’t come to meetings,” but that “they can write emails; they can send letters in.” “It is legal, and I have indicated that to the chair,” the township solicitor contended. But Carns later pointed out to this newspaper that in addition to concerns over those in quarantine being unable to participate, of those who did attend, but were part of the

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overflow crowd, “people could not hear” the proceedings, even after the laptop was set up in the lobby of the building. Under the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), under no circumstances can the public be excluded from a public meeting, unless it is a declared closed session regarding sensitive material, pending litigation or personnel matters. During an Aug. 5 council meeting, Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watson had announced that due to the governor’s executive order setting indoor gathering limitations, meetings would be held virtually, as officials were concerned public participation would be impacted. “We just don’t know how many people would be coming,” said Watson at the time. However, that plan was never followed through, and all the council meetings following that announcement have been held in person. Carns, in the days leading up to the Oct. 6 meeting, had told this newspaper that he was already concerned officials were attempting to squash opposition to the measure by purportedly “swiftly” removing yellow “My Land. My Trees” signs he and other opponents to the law had placed throughout town. The township, in a Facebook posting written within 12 hours of the first signs appearing, contended that the ones removed had violated its sign ordinance, and that by causing them to be removed, it was not violating any persons’ First Amendment rights. “The township council respects residents’ rights for free expression, and as such, Medford Sign Ordinance 2013-1 permits the posting of such signs on private property, with the property owner’s consent,” the township wrote Oct. 1 on its Facebook page. “The signs that do not comply with the aforementioned sign ordinance are being removed by township staff. “Specifically, the ordinance states under Section I: General Provisions (1) ‘No sign other than street, traffic or similar official signs See STANDING/ Page 12

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Saturday, October 17, 2020

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shall be erected within or project over the right-of-way of any public street, sidewalk, or public promenade (property), except as permitted by the governing body, or as expressly permitted herein.” Councilman Bradley Denn, who led a council subcommittee that worked with the environmental committee to craft the ordinance, and previously urged his colleagues to act swiftly given his concern that news reports would cause residents to clear-cut trees, opened the Oct. 6 public hearing on the tree ordinance by calling it a “carefully crafted” and “good” ordinance. He contended that “many different entities” were involved in crafting the ordinance. “The primary goal of this ordinance is to prevent clear-cutting of properties that has been happening in this township while we have been on council,” Denn said. “These clear-cutting events are made known to the township manager and council through complaints from fellow neighbors and citizens. Given that Medford is a Tree City USA community for over 40 years, it is our goal to prevent future clear-cutting of the properties.” Clear-cutting, Denn contended, “causes problems” with storm water management, wetlands and Pinelands Commission rules. Denn asserted that some property owners who have clear-cut their properties are “now in legal trouble” with the state and Pinelands Commission. “The ordinance is a good ordinance,” Denn said. “It balances the rights of the property owner, while preventing clear-cutting. … Our goal is to have an easier set of rules that are easy to understand so that real estate agents can let new homebuyers know they can’t clear-cut their properties.” The ordinance defines a “tree” as any living woody perennial deciduous plant with a caliper of at least 6 inches, measured 6 inches above the ground, or any living woody perennial evergreen plant, or thinner deciduous plant (e.g., dogwoods, birches, American Hornbeams, etc.), at least 15 feet in height above ground level. Up to three trees may be removed every 12 months for any reason from an existing lot within the Township of Medford, which contains a residential dwelling, but no more than 10 trees may be removed, for any reason, from an existing lot which contains a residential dwelling within any five-year period, the ordinance states. Any owner of a residential lot who wishes to remove more than the allotted number of trees would have to file a “Tree Removal/ Replacement Plan” with the township’s zoning officer, and receive a “Tree Removal Permit.” The permit would cost the requestor $25 under the proposal. A “map, legal survey or site plan” showing a variety of items must be submitted

Photo By Brian Carns

An overflow crowd standing in the lobby the Medford Township Public Safety Building, unable to get a seat in Medford Council Chambers. with any permit application. There is, however, an emergency exception in the ordinance that allows a homeowner to remove an unlimited number of trees that are dead, diseased or an immediate hazard—so long as there is photographic evidence, or certification from a certified arborist, that can be provided, upon request, to the zoning officer. Denn also pointed to an exception apparently added to the ordinance just prior to the Oct. 6 council meeting, stating that the annual three tree limit “does not apply to any permanent activity on one’s property such as adding a swimming pool, fence, new construction, adding an addition to one’s home, patio, a deck, a tennis court, basketball court, or whatever.” He also pointed to another stipulation that had been apparently added to the law, and summarized it by stating, “if you are improving your property through the Planning Board or Zoning Board, and need to remove trees for that project, that three tree limit doesn’t apply.” “Again, the goal is to prevent clear-cutting,” Denn contended. “It is not to prevent a homeowner from taking care of their property’s trees—from a personal, visual or safety issue perspective.” Opponents of the tree ordinance, however, expressed that the exceptions do not go far enough, elements of the law are subject to interpretation and that they believe the township should not be regulating what they can or cannot do on their land with regards to trees. They pointed to the permitting process required to remove more than the allotted number of trees, expressing concerns that it is a burdensome and costly process. “It is completely unfair to have some arbitrary limit on the number of trees that can be removed,” Kleinman said. “And this number of “3” or “10,” that might work with a quarteracre lot in a subdivision, but Medford is not all the same. I live on a 2.5-acre lot and more than half of that is woods.” Kleinman told council he is friends with a

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park ranger and that individual told him the “number one thing they do to keep the forest healthy” is that “they thin them out.” “I have hundreds or thousands of trees in my yard—I can’t count them all,” Kleinman said. “… His recommendation was I thin them out. I can go back there right now and cut down 10 trees and you wouldn’t even be able to tell. There are trees everywhere. This arbitrary number—whether you have a .25-acre lot, 10acre lot, or 20-acre lot—it makes no friggin’ sense. “I understand you are trying to prevent clearcutting, but if that is the intention of this, define clear-cutting and say you can’t do it. Don’t tell people you can’t remove more than three trees, because my three trees are not the same as somebody else’s.” Kleinman contended that he needs to remove more than three trees before they crush something. “I should not have to get a permit for that,” he said. “It is my property; I pay the taxes on it; I pay the insurance on it; so, don’t tell me how I can use my property as I see fit.” Carns in a previous newspaper report, and Kleinman during the Oct. 6 meeting, pointed out that the emergency exception in the ordinance does not take into account that perfectly healthy trees, or trees appearing to be healthy, are often the first to fail during storms. “Pine trees look fine until they don’t,” Kleinman said. “I don’t know how long you have lived here, but I had a pine tree fall and put a hole in my pool. I had another pine tree fall across my front lawn. I had another one almost smash my car. These are not trees that you can walk up to and say, ‘There looks like there is something wrong with it.’ It was fine and then it wasn’t, and with windstorms and snowstorms, these trees have a shallow root system and they just fall over. “This whole three-tree limit thing—I got news for you—I have a giant pine tree on the side of my house right now, it doesn’t look bad,

it doesn’t look as if there is anything wrong with it, but I am having it taken down because, you know what, if it falls, it is going to crush my house, or my neighbor’s house … it is 90 feet tall and four feet wide … unless council is going to pay my increase in homeowners’ insurance.” Kleinman contended that when his pool was struck by a pine tree, his insurance company had to pay a $9,500 claim due to the damage it created. Denn replied to Kleinman that “we basically wrote section 2 a. just for your situation” (the emergency exception). “Any trees that pose an imminent hazard, or danger to persons, property, or present an emergency, may be removed immediately,” Denn contended. “They don’t count toward the three. That could be 20 trees surrounding your house, sir.” Kleinman, in a rebuttal to the councilman, said he doesn’t know if the pine trees could be considered an “imminent” hazard. “If your wife can’t sleep at night, and is nervous, and your arborist, licensed timber operator (LTO) or tree service person says they are a danger, then this allows you take them down,” Denn said. “It doesn’t count toward the three, OK? “We are trying to do one ordinance to get this done for ‘everybody.’ We are trying to have all the ‘outs’ there. You can take these trees down. Now, if you want to clear 100 trees out of your acreage because you have a 1,000, then you have to pay a $25 fee and come up with a plan that makes logical sense.” Carns, who listened to Denn’s various interpretations of the law offered throughout the Oct. 6 proceedings, contended that the “ordinance does seem a little loose,” and “like other ordinances, it is up to interpretation.” “Brad, you are a good guy and I heard you speak earlier,” Carns said. “I am like, ‘Wow. If you were the zoning officer, I would be like, vote it in.’ Because you would probably be fair and equal. But, even with the zoning officer now, she is not going to be here forever. You guys have to understand, you are saying, ‘Well this is loose. And 20 trees this …’ But that is not how the zoning officer is going to be. You guys can’t guarantee that.” Carns pointed to how Prime, at a previous council meeting, said he ‘hopes’ the zoning officer is fair in applying the law. “You ‘hope,’” Carns said. “But I can tell you, zoning is not always fair from my experience.” The Carns, who maintain a 30-acre family farm in town, previously told this newspaper that Portocallis, “shutdown” their firewood stand several years ago, and would not leave them alone until they disassembled it. Firewood stands in Medford Township are prohibited, according to past remarks by Watson, though the Carns have questioned how such a ban could ever have been applied to qualified (Q) farms. (Once the tree ordinance takes effect, firewood stands would be legalized on See STANDING/ Page 14

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Page 13

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The Southampton Township “corridor,” consisting of Routes 206, 38 and 530.

REZONING (Continued from Page 1)

Township Municipal Building, being rezoned, while the other two would revise the municipal code to the benefit of those either wishing to open a restaurant in certain business zones, or build three-car garages on residential properties. Already adopted at a Sept. 15 committee meeting is a resolution that authorized the Southampton Township Planning Board to conduct a preliminary investigation to determine whether or not a corridor consisting of the Routes 206, 38 and 530, between the townships of Lumberton and Pemberton, should be designated as an “area in need of redevelopment.” It was only two months earlier, on July 21, that the governing body designated two sections of the municipality as “areas in need of redevelopment” -- three lots near Red Lion Circle, as well as the environmentally constrained former Burlington Environmental Management Services (BEMS) Landfill, near the LeisureTowne retirement community. The municipal attempt at rezoning the township-owned parcels off Buddtown Road, the site of the municipality’s Department of Public Works garage and soccer fields, follows the Pinelands Commission in 2016 approving construction of a new 6,000-sq. ft. building for public works at 16 Buddtown Road, pending the removal of soccer fields next to it. During the municipality’s application process for the public works building, the commission had determined that the soccer complex was developed without completion of an application to the state governing body overseeing development in the Pinelands. Southampton had proposed to remove the soccer fields by the end of 2017 to resolve the issue, and so that it could proceed with construction of the building. However, while the building has since been constructed, recreational equipment remains on the soccer fields with no sign that the fields have been vacated. The municipal lots off Buddtown Road have long been part of the township’s Agricultural Production (AP) zone, which is regulated by the commission, but the committee is proposing to rezone the parcels as part of its Municipal Complex (MC) zone. The rezoning of the DPW and soccer fields was suggested by Committeeman Ronald Heston, who told this newspaper that it is a way to make it “easier for the Pinelands Commission to give its blessing” to certain projects. “It is our land,” contended Heston during a recent committee meeting. “We should be able to zone it anyway we want.” The committee had initially proposed rezoning some township land to purportedly make certain corrections and changes deemed necessary by the Pinelands Commission. Township Planner Ed Fox, in response to

Heston’s suggestion, said it would be acceptable to rezone the DPW parcel and soccer fields, because “the commission isn’t concerned about that (section).” The com mit tee, in 2018, author ized construction of Phase I of a new multimillion-dollar recreational facility on the Good Farm, near the intersection of Red Lion and Church roads, which falls just outside of the commission’s footprint. As part of the committee’s justification for the controversial project, it pointed to the directive to vacate the Buddtown Road soccer fields. Phase I, now essentially complete, has seen construction of one multi-purpose field, among other amenities that, as previously reported by this newspaper, cost a total of $1.2 million. “I can tell you that all or close to all of the construction costs for the Red Lion Recreational Park were paid with county (recreational grant) funds,” Southampton Mayor Michael Mikulski told this newspaper on Oct. 14. “Township funds only paid for professional fees (such as engineering), as required by the county program.” The latest overall concept plan for the Good Farm has called for the construction of four multipurpose fields, five ball fields, bocce courts, a sledding hill, a skating pond, a comfort station with a concession area, several picnic pavilions, an amphitheater, a boardwalk, two field sheds and an irrigation pump house on the farm. “We continue to work with Southampton Township to phase out the recreation use at the municipal complex,” said Pinelands Commission Spokesperson Paul Leakan. “The township will (continue to) build a new recreation complex. As the new complex comes online and the new fields are opening, the fields at the municipal complex will be phased out.” Permitted uses within the MC Zone include municipal buildings and public institutional uses, schools and educational facilities, and public recreation facilities, which purportedly still need to comply with standards in the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP). “I am happy that the committee decided to look into what can and cannot be done to fulfill the needs of Southampton Township,” said Heston in an interview with this newspaper on Sept. 29. One of those specific needs is for the possible addition of a dog park that residents “not wanting to cross Route 206” have requested, Heston noted. Rezoning the township land would “make it easier” for that to happen, he added. The second proposed ordinance would redefine sit-down restaurants, and add such restaurants as a “permitted use” in the municipality’s Highway Commercial (HC) District and Town Center (TC) District. Even though restaurants have long existed in these zoning districts, such operations have only been See REZONING/ Page 15

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Saturday, October 17, 2020

STANDING (Continued from Page 12)

properties that are 5-acres or more and farmland assessed.) “We were forced out of the firewood business,” contended Carns during the Oct. 6 council meeting. “Our lives were turned upside down. We were going to get fined. There are still other farm stands that are going, and they are selling firewood. But, yet, we were told we have to shut down, we were threatened. We received scary letters. “… My experience with zoning is it doesn’t seem like it is always fair and I worry about that moving forward. She (the zoning officer) is not an arborist. Could we get into a situation where we are debating trees on a property? Is that possible?” Watson replied that “I guess it could be,” but that Carns has a “recourse” available to him by going to the zoning board, “if it ever got to that point.” “We would certainly hope our zoning officer is fair,” Watson said. “We tried to write the ordinance to be that way. So, I guess it is possible she could come out and disagree with you.” Prime added that “all we can do” is “hope like any other ordinance” that it is “enforced fairly.” The township solicitor said that if Carns finds out that it is not being enforced fairly, “there are remedies.” Carns contended that he “came to the mayor” when “we got shutdown with our firewood stand.” “I said, ‘Help us out here,” Carns recounted. “You did nothing. There was no help or anything. I came to the mayor, we sent emails, and what you sent back is that, ‘Everybody gets treated the same.’ We don’t see that from our perspective on that (northern) side of Route 70.” Carns pointed to the farm stand ordinance (see separate story) passed earlier in the Oct. 6 council meeting, and contended he didn’t understand how someone could come into council and get the governing body to immediately change the municipal law so that they could sell cookies and cake, but he was unable to get the same swift action so he could sell firewood on his 30-acre tree farm. “I was told, ‘Shut it down or get a use variance,’” Carns asserted. “‘Use variance’ is a very interesting term, I knew nothing about a ‘use variance’ before that experience. ‘Oh, get a use variance’ the zoning officer says. It sounds simple, but guess what! It is a nightmare! You guys do not give out use variances! They are very hard to come by! And the engineers line their pockets, and everybody makes a ton of money on it, and a poor 30-acre tree farm—a farm in this town, this is a farming community what this used to be here—had to be forced to shut down. Do you know who was buying the wood? Medford residents! That is what zoning did to our farm in Medford. You guys should be all ashamed that this happened!

Photo By Andrew King

Bruce Ebbeson, recording secretary and member of the environmental committee, who told attendees of the Oct. 6 council meeting, the tree ordinance “is a lot more watered down than what was originally proposed.” (Carns later told this newspaper he was billed thousands of dollars for items such as a 13-page engineering report, surveys, etc. as the firewood issue snowballed into other alleged violations the zoning officer purportedly pursued. “It is a sad day that this happened in this town,” Carns continued. “That is why I am up here, because when you talk about ‘fair,’ I can tell you from my experience nothing was fair. Even if this tree ordinance goes through, I can at least say I opposed this, not because I think land clearing should go on, but because I think it is going to be (enforced) unfairly. The rich people up at Highbridge are probably going to get their 50 trees removed, and the people who are on the other side of town will probably get stuck because it comes down to money in this town.” Watson replied that Carns “time was up.” There were a number of individuals at the meeting, however, who urged council to move ahead with the ordinance, many of whom either sit on the environmental committee, or are current or past homeowners’ association (HOA) officials. “We moved here because of the woods, because of the trees,” said Clark Burke, who moved to Medford about four years ago and has served for 20 years on a HOA. “We moved here from Audubon (an urban borough located in Camden County), where our property would be lucky to have five trees. I strongly support this new ordinance. If anything, it doesn’t go far enough. If it was up to me, residents would have to get a permit to cut down a single tree and every single tree cut down would have to be replaced.” Burke said what council has presented “is better than what we have now, which is nothing,” pointing to past remarks by Watson, who said no tree ordinance currently exists in Medford. He contended that at least 8 residents “cut down dozens and dozens of trees” during his HOA service, and some have “just clear-cut everything.”

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“I will never understand why someone moves to Medford, a largely wooded town, a designated Tree City, and then immediately clear-cuts all the trees on their property,” Burke said. “There are plenty of towns in South Jersey – Haddonfield, Moorestown, Cherry Hill, or whatever – that are not wooded. Move there if you want to cut down all your trees.” Burke also challenged the premise that anyone should be able to do what they want on their property, contending that if he decided to raise pigs on his property, “you would scream long and loudly – all of you!” Bruce Ebbeson, recording secretary and member of the environmental committee, told attendees of the Oct. 6 council meeting, the tree ordinance “is a lot more watered down that what was originally proposed,” which solicited laughter from the governing body, and seemed to counter Denn’s earlier argument about the intent of the law. “We tried to make it as user-friendly as possible to the people,” Ebbeson said. “I kind of resent the fact that the whole discussion of this is about clear-cutting. It is, but that is not all.” Ebbeson contended that some people want to cut their trees down to put in a lawn, but that the “southside of Medford is not conducive for lawns,” and residents would be applying fertilizer, which is harmful to the environment. He pointed to past discussions about “alternatives to lawns” and “putting in native plants.” “You don’t need to have a nice lawn to have a nice yard,” he said, also mentioning that a “rain garden” could be used in place of lawn. Ebbeson said “his bigger picture” is climate change. “The United Nations has committees that recommended we plant trees,” Ebbeson said. “We need to plant 3 trillion trees to even get a head start on climate change. This (was) even said before all the trees in Australia and on the West Coast started burning.” Ebbeson put a question to council: “How can

we allow people to cut healthy trees down?” “To just cut trees down to get sunlight in the yard is just, to me, non-sensical in these times,” Ebbeson said. Apolonia “Pola” Galie, chairwoman of the environmental committee, noted that another reason for the ordinance was to strengthen the township’s “resiliency,” which the township is urged to do through its participation in the Sustainable Jersey Municipal Certification Program (which some 81 percent of New Jersey’s towns are currently participants in). She said flood mitigation, for example, is one of many things that officials need to consider. “This is definitely a starting point that gives people the ability to manage,” she said. “Nothing in this ordinance says people can’t think about what they are doing and do the right thing. They can make a plan, keep themselves safe, they can look at the Pinelands Commission’s recommendations and keep their homes safe. There is nothing that says they can’t do that; they just can’t go willy-nilly and take trees down whatsoever. “I think there is reasonable accommodation here. It effects our water. It effects our quality of life. It effects the things we are doing as we prepare for the future, and everybody knows we are already running out of alphabets for storms (hurricanes) and it is only Oct. 6.” Harry Adler, who also owns a local tree service and owns property that is in both Southampton and Medford townships, pointed to Ebbeson’s remarks which indicated that “he didn’t get everything he wanted,” and told council that “what he is afraid of” is that the tree ordinance “isn’t going to end at three trees.” “A couple years from now it is going to be two trees, then one tree, and then you won’t be able to cut down any tree without talking to the zoning officer,” Adler said. “Once you get your foot in the door with something like this …” Adler noted that one should not be able to cut down every tree in their yard, but contended that you should be able to do what you want with your land, and there should be a “happy medium” some place. “Now everybody is going to have big brother out here telling people what you can and cannot do with your land,” Adler said. “I grew up out here and have been here for over 50 years. I got quite a bit of ground in our communities. I don’t want somebody telling me what I can and cannot do with my land. I feel like I am a good steward of the land. I take care of the ground. I try to make it look as beautiful as possible. And I think I have done a very good job of it.” Adler, who said he joi ned a forest management program, contended the local forests have “outg row n and outlived” themselves, in part, because there have been less major forest fires due to the establishment of housing developments. He added that the township does not have good soil conditions, and that a lot of trees and housing developments are located on existing wetlands. See STANDING/ Page 15

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permitted through use variances. Another draft ordinance would allow threecar garages in residential districts (currently, only two-car garages are allowed). Any garages will not be allowed to exceed 1260 square feet (though there currently is no limit on the size of garages) and may be either attached, detached, or a property may have one of each, provided the impervious coverage maximum is not exceeded. The number of individual garage doors that may be on any single lot is three, unless there is both an attached and detached garage, in which case the maximum is six. The committee hopes such proposed measures will reduce the need for individuals to seek use variances, noting that they are often requested for those wishing to open restaurants in the HC and TC districts, or to build threecar garages. All three of the proposed ordinances were introduced at an Aug. 18 committee meeting, and are said to be pending a commission review as “draft ordinances.” “Once adopted, we will then send them the adopted ordinances for formal review,” said the mayor, anticipating that the measures would be voted on during a November committee meeting. As for the other decisions relating to zoning and future redevelopment, Deputy Mayor Bill Raftery received support from three of four colleagues at the Sept. 15 committee meeting to have the planning board conduct the preliminary investigation of the Southampton portion of the Routes 206, 38 and 530 area for a possible redevelopment designation. Committeeman James F. Young Sr. abstained. Raftery contended that the township needs to learn how “we can best develop and spur activity there to create additional rateables, which is frankly, what we need,” The planning board had suggested that the committee authorize such a preliminary investigation based on its re-examination of the township master plan, which is the municipality’s guiding document for land use and zoning. “Development is coming to that area, from

STANDING (Continued from Page 14)

“As a property owner who lived here for 50 years, I don’t want somebody coming here from Audubon and telling me what I can and cannot do with my property,” Adler said. Deborah Evans, also a member of the env i ron ment al com m it tee, of fered “a different perspective” as a homeowner, who cla i me d she w it ne s se d he r neig hb or remove 40 trees from their yard, after telling one of the town’s public bodies that they would be removing under ten trees for a building project. “I see this as an opportunity to give me rights as a homeowner from a different perspective,” she said contending that she has the right “to keep her environment the way I intended it to be.” Resident Nancy Don nelly applauded Medford Council “because I don’t think you should be able to move to this town and take every single tree down,” but said that “she does not think it (the ordinance) is specific enough.” “When you say, ‘Oh it doesn’t matter— it doesn’t matter,’ some people are power happy and it will matter unless things are specific,” she said. “I think the bill needs to be more specific, and one more thing, I know people who would like to have come, but because of COVID, and their medical reasons, they can’t come. I don’t think it is fair

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM both fronts now, from the east and west,” Raftery said. “Lumberton is basically built out on Route 38 up to our boundary, and now Pemberton is starting on the east side.” If the committee decides to declare the area in need of redevelopment, based on the results of the investigation, it could then undertake redevelopment projects, issue bonds and acquire property, among other general powers allowed under state statute. Raftery pointed out how South Pemberton Road, also known as County Route 530, is currently being widened by the county. The road improvement project, appearing to near its final phase, will add additional traffic lanes, turning lanes and signalization. The area to be studied is described in a reexamination report of the municipal master plan as being within a “regionally-significant transportation corridor” and having the potential to “represent an important commercial node for the township.” The re-examination of the master plan also led the planning board to make another recommendation that was put into motion by Raftery at the Sept. 15 meeting. “Several” frontage areas along Routes 206, 70, 38, and 530 are said to be inappropriately zoned Agricultural Residential (AR) or Rural Residential (RR) in the non-Pinelands area of the township, Raftery noted, and are recommended “to be rezoned to Highway Commercial (HC) to spur additional economic activity.” “I believe this is just an oversight and all this does is attempt to correct that,” Raftery said. As a result, the township solicitor was asked to draft a possible ordinance reflecting this change. The committee, on July 21, designated three lots around Red Lion Circle, as an area in need of redevelopment. Parcels included in the Red Lion Circle Study Area, include 1840 Route 70, 1852 Route 70 and 1753 Route 206, all neighboring properties owned by Psiloriti Realty LLC, near and around the Red Lion Circle. 1753 Route 206 is the physical address for the Red Lion Diner, which is open for business, and Mikulski, when asked about the address, said there is area surrounding the diner that is not being used and studied for redevelopment. The land, he

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See REZONING/ Page 18 to push legislation that is very, very important.” Several public speakers at the Oct. 6 meeting also questioned whether the tree ordinance’s definition of “caliper” was correct, and urged council to provide yet another exception in the ordinance for “firebreaks,” pointing to New Jersey Forest Fire Service recommendations that a defensible space should be maintained around structures to protect against wildfires. Watson, upon closing the public hearing, said “we may disagree, but we do listen” and that he took “copious notes.” “I still think this is a pretty good ordinance,” the mayor contended. “At least a good start at it. We can learn as we go, and if things have to be tweaked, we’ll tweak them.” Councilman Frank Czekay asked Prime if there was a problem with the definition of “caliper,” contending that if council is wrong, it could be considered a “major defect.” The township solicitor responded that he “wasn’t terribly worried” about it. “This all came from the Environmental Advisory Board,” Prime said. “… I don’t know where that definition came from. I assume it came from another ordinance.” Prime, as Czekay continued to question the accuracy of the definition, added “I don’t know where the environmental folks got the definition,” and that “I would have to get more information on it.” Burger noted that there is an arborist who sits on the environmental committee. The township arborist was notably absent from council chambers, and has not made a council appearance since the controversy began.

“He helped draft the ordinance from my understanding,” Watson said. Prime contended that he didn’t hear anything else said by the public that troubled him about the ordinance. “I can tweak the ordinance based on every comment here and at the next meeting there are just going to be more comments,” Prime said. “My feelings on these things is if you feel it is important to have something on the books, you do that, and then if we have problems, or issues the township administration advises me of, we will have to revisit it. Or if you don’t want to go through that process, table it, hold it and don’t pass it. I don’t know what your other options are. I understand both sides. It is strictly a policy decision.” Denn, before council voted, offered his interpterion of the law, stating that creating a fuel break is permitted as it (mitigating a fire hazard) falls under the definition of an imminent hazard. Denn asked Prime if making a specific exception for a fuel break would require another reading and public hearing, and Prime indicated that it would. That statement has since raised questions among the opposition to the law about how the other changes since the ordinance was first introduced did not require a reintroduction. “If you don’t believe the ordinance is going to be enforced evenly, you shouldn’t pass it,” Prime said. The law passed unanimously, and is scheduled to take effect Oct. 28, with Denn contending “it is hard to legislate perfection on anything.”

“The one thing this will do is put people on notice you can’t clear-cut,” Denn added. Carns, in an Oct. 14 interview with this newspaper, when asked for his reaction to the law passing, said it was “a sad day in Medford,” but that he “wasn’t surprised because they do what they want.” He told this newspaper he has been working with Kleinman on the next steps. Carns also told this newspaper that he is considering running for open council seats in a GOP primary, and that numerous people have contacted him in recent days expressing “disgust” at what has happened, and particularly with what the township did to his farm. “Change needs to come to this town,” Carns contended. “I am considering running for office. I believe it is time. This administration has to go. Read the comments online where people are disgusted at this administration. They have outsourced trash pickup, brush is now picked up only once a year, people are calling me to chip a brush pile that the township will no longer do and zoning sends out threatening letters. People are tired of it. Taxes are going up and we get less.” At the start of the Oct. 6 meeting, Watson had contended that council hasn’t raised municipal taxes for eight consecutive years, citing a social media rumor that taxes had been raised to fund the ongoing construction of a new municipal building. “Your taxes might have gone up, but it was from the schools or the county,” Watson said. “Medford Township has not raised your taxes in eight years and we will not raise your taxes to pay for the new municipal building.”

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this newspaper that on September 17, the Washington Township Public Works Department reported that the street sign, “Lance Run Road,” was missing at the intersection of County Route 542 and Lance Run Road. “A report was taken for the missing sign,” he said. “(There are) no summons or arrests at this time.” Deputy Mayor Paul Seybold reported during the Oct. 6 council meeting that a street sign post was recently replaced on Firehouse Lane after a motor vehicle accident “in front of my house.” James, during his meeting remarks, said there is no reason “we can’t have” Halloween, after receiving the OK from Mur phy’s office. “ We a r a m a s k a n d p r a c t i c e s a f e distancing,” he said. “Don’t be a knucklehead this Halloween. … So, Halloween is a ‘go.’” James also noted he is work i ng on “updating” a number of ordinances. D u r i ng public com ment, the mayor c o nve r s e d w it h a r e sid e nt a b out a n (unspecified) zoning issue, and stated that he feels when a proper t y ow ner “gets caught” without having a zoning permit, he would like to see the township’s laws written in such a way where that person has to pay a “hefty fine.” “I would like to see it: when you beg for forgiveness, it costs you a lot of money,” James said.

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REZONING (Continued from Page 15)

said, is not subdivided at this time. “The designation of the area will allow a redeveloper to develop the otherwise constrained land for commercial uses, improving the value of the lands and providing much needed commercial development to the township,” states the committee resolution approving this designation. The July 21 committee meeting also included a resolution designating the five lots making up the environmentally constrained landfill, just south east of the LeisureTowne retirement community, as an area in need of redevelopment in order for a future solar far m project to move for ward. It was approved by four of the five committee members, with Young being the lone exception, because of a disagreement related to the legality of the steps taken to sell the tax liens against the land. “The designation of the area will allow a redeveloper to step in and foreclose on the liens, infusing the township with significant revenue and further allow the developer to work with and through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to construct, operate and maintain a solar farm on the property through environmentally sensitive means, providing continued tax revenue to the township for years to come,” the landfill redevelopment resolution states. Young, who served as mayor of Southampton for 25 years through January, and Raftery clashed last year after the latter led an effort to have the municipality’s nitrate dilution ordinance revised to “exclude properties in commercial and/or business and industrial zones.” Ultimately, the Southampton Township Committee passed a motion, 4-1, directing its attorney to draft an ordinance that would exclude such properties from the existing law,

also commonly referred to as the High-Quality Groundwater Act, though no such draft law has appeared on a committee meeting agenda. Raftery, at the time, said that the law is one of several that is “handicapping” the development of commercial properties in Southampton. He contended that exempting commercial real estate from the nitrate requirements would provide for “an opportunity” for the town “to raise revenue.” Young immediately voiced his objections to changing the ordinance, telling Raftery that the Southampton Township Environmental Commission put a lot of work into the ordinance that “protects the township from the overdevelopment of residential areas.” “There are different places where you can put commercial buildings in our township,” Young said. “But the idea is our township is beautiful the way it is. I think if you asked anybody, they would agree. What do you want to overpopulate it for?” The Southampton Township Committee closed 2017 by reducing the number of commissioners on the Southampton Township Environmental Commission from seven to five; with two alternates. Administrator and Clerk Kathleen D. Hoffman, at the time, told this newspaper that “we have had a problem getting a quorum together to meet and review requirements such as a section of the township’s master plan and things like that.” The environmental commission has not met since that time, nor has a legal notice been published advertising a meeting schedule for the public body. State law requires public bodies to adopt a meeting schedule seven days following an annual reorganization meeting, or no later than Jan. 10 of such year if a reorganization meeting is not held. “It is is still an established commission,” said Mikulski on Oct. 14. “The committee appointed a person to the commission at the beginning of 2020.” Reporter Douglas D. Melegari contributed to this story.

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CLUES ACROSS

1. Cold War player 5. Flat-bottomed sailboat 10. Jamaican tangelo 14. Debauched man 15. Less covered 16. Require to live 17. Patrick and Aykroyd are two 18. Mixes 19. Insurance claim expenses 20. Tries to persuade 22. Equal (prefix) 23. Czech name for Prague 24. London soccer team 27. Greek letter 30. Small Eurasian deer 31. Swiss river 32. Miller beer 35. Less appealing 37. 8th month (abbr.) 38. __ Alto, California city 39. Grandmothers 40. American time 41. NW Chinese people 42. “Westworld” actress __ Rachel Wood 43. Northeastern US university 44. Poplar trees (Spanish) 45. Hip hop legend Kool Moe __ 46. Not or

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CIRCULATION

The Pine Barrens Tribune is published every Saturday. This newspaper is protected under the Federal Copyright Act. Reproduction of any part is not permitted by mechanical or electronic means without the expressed written permission of the Publisher. The Publisher reserves the right to revise or reject any advertisement. No liability shall be attached to the Publisher for interruption of publication or limitation of size and/or number of pages due to shortage of material, failure of transportation, flood, fire, severe weather, winter weather, riots, strikes, acts of God, a public health emergency or other causes beyond his or her control. It is our policy to promptly correct errors. If you believe that you see a mistake, please call (609) 801-2392.

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Saturday, October 17, 2020

INTRODUCING CAPITAL HEALTH OB/GYN − BROWNS MILLS Capital Health OB/GYN – Browns Mills is a comprehensive women’s health practice. After serving women in the Lower Bucks County, PA region for almost 30 years, our team is bringing its trusted obstetric and gynecologic care to women in Browns Mills, NJ. Our experienced and board certified providers include DRS. ROBERT BERK, NEIL BLUEBOND, AMY HARVEY O’KEEFFE, MARK KUHN, and ANNE WALKER. Our team provides women

with comprehensive prenatal and obstetrical services, as well as annual women’s health exams, in office hysteroscopy, open and minimally invasive/laparoscopic surgery, cancer screenings, and minor surgical services. Capital Health OB/GYN – Browns Mills joins Capital Health Medical Group’s extensive network of more than 400 physicians and other advanced care providers who offer primary, specialty and surgical care.

TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, CALL 609.896.1400 CAPITAL HEALTH OB/GYN − BROWNS MILLS 6 Earlin Avenue, Suite 290, Browns Mills, NJ 08015 capitalhealthobgyn.org/brownsmills MOST INSURANCES ARE ACCEPTED, INCLUDING TRICARE

NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

MEDICAL GROUP