Pine Barrens Tribune September 11, 2021-September 17, 2021

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Vol. 5 – No. 49 ♦

The News Leader of the Pines

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September 11 - September 17, 2021

LRHSD to Retain Birnbohm as Schools Superintendent Thru School Year 2025-26

THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT

Top Administrator of Nine Years to Get Average Salary of $254,671 Via Renegotiated Contract; President Calls It ‘Budget Neutral’

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

Photo By Shutterstock

A Handful of Residents Urge Council’s Intervention in Stopping Outdoor Tennis Court Project from Moving Ahead at Tennis Club Over Concerns About Noise, Land Clearing and Lighting; Owner Responds by Saying Courts Were Constantly Requested and Law Has Been Followed

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

MEDFORD—A handful of residents from a Medford Township neighborhood have requested Medford Township Council’s “intervention” in a project previously approved in 2018 by the municipal Planning Board, as well as by the Pinelands Commission, that would

allow a tennis club to expand by adding three outdoor tennis courts to its operation to complement its existing indoor tennis facility.

One of the residents requesting the intervention, Matthew Bell, of Nelson Drive, whose residence is adjacent to Arrowhead Tennis Club at 6 Nelson Drive, contended that the project “will impact

Remembering 9/11 • Page 3

myself, as well as numerous residents in the Nelson Drive and Birchwood Lakes communities (the latter which sits behind the club),” with Jeff Sallade, who also owns a residence on Nelson Drive, noting that some of the concerns involve land clearing, noise from the sport being played outdoors, and outdoor lighting at nighttime.

See TENNIS/ Page 10

SHAMONG—Dr. Carol Birnbohm, upon marking her 29th anniversary with the Lenape Regional High School District (LRHSD), and beginning her 9th year as its superintendent, according to her LinkedIn profile, has reportedly reached an agreement with the LRHSD Board of Education to remain at the district’s helm through the 2025-26 school year.

The “successful negotiation” of an “extension of the employment contract with Dr. Carol Birnbohm, which will retain her as superintendent of the LRHSD through the 2025-26 school year” was announced by Board President Barry J. Fitzgerald during the public body’s Aug. 25 meeting.

A public hearing on the superintendent’s “renegotiated contract” drew no public comments, with Fitzgerald telling the audience of staff and parents that a formal vote on it will occur during the board’s scheduled Sept. 22 meeting.

“In her almost 29 years with the LRHSD, Dr. Birnbohm has time and again proved to be an invaluable asset and leader for our student community,” declared Fitzgerald, a representative of Evesham Township. “Her leadership and other qualities have been repeatedly recognized, from her LRHSD teaching and coaching days in being named the New Jersey Lacrosse Coach of the Year See BIRNBOHM/ Page 13

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week • Page 5 INDEX Business Directory... 12

Marketplace.................14

Fun for Fall Guide..... S1

Remembering 9/11..... 3

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

Truck Driver Week...... 5

Worship Guide...........11

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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Saturday, September 11, 2021

Resident, Councilman Fight to Maintain Identity of Their Street That Also Happens to Be Sinking from Faulty Storm-Sewer Pipe

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By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

PEMBERTON BOROUGH—Dav is Street in Pemberton Borough – not to be confused with Davis Court, also in the municipality, the similarity of which two residents of the former, including a council member, contends is leading to confusion when it comes to identification, the addressing of mail and emergency response – is apparently sinking in spots, reportedly due to faulty storm sewer piping underneath the pavement.

Davis Street, with four houses on it, was paved about four to five years ago, according to Mayor Harold Griffin in an interview with this newspaper that immediately followed an Aug. 16 Pemberton Borough Council meeting, held virtually due to another uptick in COVID-19 cases, which featured a fiery argument over the naming of the two streets.

At the time of the paving, he said, the borough replaced a portion of the pipe underneath Davis Street that “we (borough officials) were led to believe was the part that gave us trouble.”

“Apparently, it wasn’t,” said Griffin, noting the sinking of the street was first brought to the attention of the borough about a year-and-a-half ago.

The deepest of at least three sinkholes, according to Borough Administrator Donna Mull and the mayor, is in front of Councilman Steven Fenster’s home at 12 Davis Street, which Fenster, during the council meeting, pointed out was “big enough that a child could get hurt in it.”

“It is literally in front of my driveway the one sinkhole, and at least two others are closer to Elizabeth Street,” said Fenster, noting that there was a cone beside the one in front of his home.

Previously, this newspaper reported that Borough Engineer William Wentzien, of Abbington Engineering, said during a June council meeting that he is watching all the sinkholes and giving them identifiers.

“I will assume the day will come where we have to say, ‘We have to do something,’” said Wentzien of the Davis Street situation at the time. “But we are definitely watching because there are a few of them now.”

Wentzien did not appear at council’s July or August regular meetings, however.

Instead, two other eng ineers from Abbington, Anthony Maltese and Ryan P u ma, attended those sessions, and when Fenster asked on Aug. 16 if their recommendation was to continue to monitor them, Maltese replied, “Well, your best solution right now would be to remove and replace the entire length of the 162 layer foot pipe, but it is not in the budget to do so right now.”

“You can monitor it over the next one to three months, and if the weather holds up, I don’t think you will see much difference with the sinkhole,” Maltese maintained. “The true test may come over the wintertime.

But it (the deepest one) really needs to be patched. That is the cheapest solution right now.”

Council voted 4-0 to authorize the borough’s Public Works Department to “cut a square in the road, fill it with stone fill, and pour hot patch over it and see how that goes,” according to Mull.

“That is a temporary fix,” Maltese said. “I don’t know how bad the pipe is underneath.

In time we will know what is going to transpire. That (temporary patching), however, is the easiest solution for right now.”

The Pine Barrens Tribune conducted a site visit on Aug. 30. The width of the sinkhole in front of Fenster’s home, at that time, was about the size of a golf ball, but appeared to extend deep below the surface. It is located roughly in the center of the street, but closest to where the street dead ends. A couple of bees were also observed to be flying in and out of the sinkhole. A lone orange cone warned motorists of it.

According to Fenster, Abbington has informed council that ultimately two-thirds of the street may to be replaced where the piping had not been replaced previously.

“It is just really disappointing we didn’t replace the entire storm sewer (prior to the paving),” said Fenster during the council meeting.

Diane Fanucci, who is Fenster’s neighbor, shortly following the discussion about the condition of Davis Street, during public comment, shared a “story about another issue that occurred.”

According to Fanucci, after purchasing new homeowners’ insurance, a bill for it was mistakenly addressed to Davis Court, instead of her home on Davis Street, after a representative had assumed she lived on Davis Court given that “c” in “court” comes before “s” in “street” when researching her address.

“Thank God, I paid it via credit card over the phone,” she maintained. “I avoided getting it cancelled. This is another example of why we need to enforce this ordinance.”

Fanucci claimed to have found an ordinance in which private streets have to be numbered in a different fashion from public streets, with Davis Street reportedly being the former, but having the same addressing as a public street. (The two streets have residences with addresses that are in the single digits and teens).

“It doesn’t cost money to change it (the See STREET/ Page 9

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Saturday, September 11, 2021

9/11 - 20 YEARS

♦ Page 3

Timeline of Tragedy September 11, 2001 8:46 a.m.

Five highjackers crash American Airlines Flight 11 into the World Trade Center North Tower, killing all 76 passengers and 11 crew members, and killing and trapping hundreds more inside the building.

9:03 a.m.

Five highjackers crash United Airlines Flight 175 into the World Trade Center South Tower, killing all 51 passengers and nine crew members,

and killing and trapping hundreds more inside the building.

9:37 a.m.

Five highjackers crash American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon, killing all 53 passengers and six crew members, and killing 125 more people on the ground.

9:59 a.m.

The World Trade Center South Tower collapses, killing more than 800 people in the building

and surrounding area.

10:03 a.m.

Four highjackers crash United Airlines Flight 93 in a field in Pennsylvania after crew and passengers storm the cockpit, killing all 33 passengers and seven crew members.

9/11 Day was created in 2002 as a nonprofit organization with the support of the 9/11 community and a mission to “rekindle the extraordinary spirit of togetherness and compassion that arose in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy, and to inspire Americans and others to do good deeds that help to create a better and more peaceful world.”

10:28 a.m.

The World Trade Center North Tower collapses, killing more than 1600 people in the building and surrounding area.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed on September 11, 2001.

It was the single largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on American soil.

On the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, the organization hopes to inspire people in the U.S. and around the world to perform 100 million good deeds “in remembrance and tribute.” To learn more or join the effort, visit 911day.org.

Source: 9/11 Museum & Memorial

On the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001, we pause to remember the tragic events that claimed thousands of lives, changed countless more and altered the course of history. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members still grieving for loved ones lost too soon. We will never forget those who perished, and the courage shown by those who risked their lives to help save others. Today we honor their memories and sacrifice. God bless America.

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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Small-Town Politics on Full Display as Tabernacle Committee Narrowly Creates Secretarial, Assistant Administrator Posts

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

TABERNACLE—The creation of an assistant municipal administrator post for Tabernacle Township, as well as a secretarial position for the municipality’s Construction Office, Fire Marshal’s Office, and Fire Company, has narrowly been approved by the Tabernacle Township Committee on Aug. 23, with Committeeman Joseph Barton and Committeewoman Nancy McGinnis casting the dissenting votes on the fivemember body.

With there being a somewhat predictable outcome on the two separate ordinances that created the respective positions, based on how a preceding governing body meeting transpired with 3-2 votes for their introductions, both Barton and McGinnis appeared to move to disqualify Committeeman Robert Sunbury from voting on one of the ordinances at this latest session, though their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.

As Solicitor William Burns pointed out during the township committee’s Aug. 23 session, if Sunbury was disqualified, given that the ordinances had the support of Mayor Kim Brown and Deputy Mayor Samuel Moore, but not that of Barton and McGinnis, they would have “failed.”

Barton, during the preceding July 26 committee meeting, contended officials are “talking about changing the structure of the township into the future” and “changing the game” because establishing the positions “are going to add costs to taxpayers,” and called for the creation of a subcommittee to examine the current “workload” of township personnel, review the need for the proposed

positions and their salaries, and serve as a “checks and balance” on the administrator in his recommending the creation of the two posts.

McGinnis, at the time, remarked “she needs more time to think about this (the ordinances)” and that she was seeing them for the first time and felt the process was being “rushed.”

But Brow n , Mo or e a nd Su nbu r y ultimately had sided last month with Township Administrator Doug Cramer, who pointed out that the township has now twice advertised for a township clerk, both in February and May, to replace La Shawn Barber, who retired earlier this year, but “did not come up with a satisfactory candidate to fill the position,” and that the workload has increased in three township departments necessitating an addition of a secretary on the rolls, in addition to a deputy township clerk.

Sunbury, in siding with Cramer, had maintained at the time that he doesn’t see a subcommittee changing “the factors that are making our environment difficult to hire,” while Brown contended that “just because you create a position, doesn’t mean you necessarily have to fill it.”

Su nbu r y is also the emergency management coordinator for the township.

During the Aug. 23 session, McGinnis asked, “Will Bob Sunbury be reporting to the assistant municipal administrator?” and “Will the assistant administrator be his boss?”

Burns replied that it “depends on the job description” and the “table of organization,” but noted that “in a state of an emergency, See POSTS/ Page 7

Saturday, September 11, 2021

Area Cranberry Grower and His Pine Island Team Credited, Praised for Repairing Dam to Chatsworth Lake and Restoring Body of Water

A magnificent view of the newly restored Chatsworth Lake.

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

WOODLAND—Chatsworth Lake has been restored by local cranberry grower Bill Haines and his crew at Pine Island Cranberry Company, Inc. (PICC) after they repaired a dam for the body of water last month that was found damaged in late March.

The actions of those associated with the cranberry operation, which essentially saved the lake, have received high praise from members of the community and the town fathers.

The lake, which otherwise has been one of the most pristine blue-water lakes in the Pinelands, long contributing to Chatsworth’s identity due to its striking beauty one sees upon entering or leaving the downtown section of Woodland Township, had been ordered lowered immediately on March 30 by the New Jersey Department

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)’s Bureau of Dam Safety out of concern that the damaged dam might fail, leading to potential downstream flooding and property damage.

While the dam reportedly held up until the lake was “lowered to a safe level,” and no flooding was reported, the unsightly scenes of a mostly dried-up lake combined with concerns over its ecosystem and it being virtually empty during the wildfire season in a municipality without fire hydrants, compounded by limited, and at times misleading communication about what took place, as well as complex bureaucracy over the necessary repairs that came with no sure guarantee of when it would be restored, had all led to concerns and controversy in the community from April until the repairs were made in mid-August.

At one point during the dilemma, Mayor See LAKE/ Page 6

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Saturday, September 11, 2021

TRUCK DRIVER APPRECIATION

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National Truck Driver Appreciation Week September 12 to 18, 2021

How to Safely Celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation Week This year, National Truck Driver Appreciation Week takes place from September 12 to 18. During this annual event, Americans are encouraged to show their gratitude for the contributions truckers make to communities across the country.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, these essential workers bravely transported and delivered needed supplies. Here are a few ways to show your appreciation for truck drivers.

MAKE A SIGN Since the beginning of the pandemic, signs with “I heart truck drivers” written on them have popped up along countless American highways. Foster this trend by creating your own sign to show your appreciation for local and national truck drivers.

Place it in your car, hang it off your balcony or simply take a picture of it and post it on your social media accounts.

SHARE YOUR THANKS ONLINE Many truck drivers use social media to stay connected to their friends and family members.

Show them some love by reaching out to them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other online platforms. You can raise awareness about National Truck Driver Appreciation Week with the hashtags #NTDAW, #thankatrucker, #thankadriver and #honkforhighwayheroes.

DEDICATE A SONG Call your local radio station and give a shout-out to truck drivers everywhere. Ask them to play a song that expresses your gratitude or a trucker anthem like “Roll on 18 Wheeler” by Alabama, “Truckin’” by Grateful Dead or “Asphalt Cowboy” by Jason Aldean.

In addition, you can show your thanks to America’s truckers by providing key services. If you’re in the position to do so, keep your restrooms open for our highway heroes or offer them a free meal.

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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Donnie Russell, Pic-A-Lilli’s ‘King of Wings’, Recalled for Love of Feeding People, Fun-Loving Personality

By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

SHAMONG—Donald V. (“Donnie”) Russell, known as the “King of Wings” for the chicken wing and sauce recipe he popularized as co-owner of a trio of eateries – Pic-A-Lilli Inn in the Atsion section of Shamong Township and Donnie Russell’s Pic III in Medford Township, as well as the Pic-A-Lilli Pub in Atlantic City – was remembered at a memorial service on Sept.

8 as a restaurateur with a “profound love of feeding people.”

Russell, who died at age 67 on Aug. 30 at his home in the Indian Mills section of the township, surrounded by his family, after a long illness, was described to the Pine Barrens Tribune by his niece, Bonnie Lynn Schneider, as the type of person who “was just a ton of fun.”

“He always took care of everybody and cooked for everybody at the restaurant,” Schneider recalled. “He loved to cook, he loved to fish, and to have a good time. They called him the ‘Big Cheese.’”

Schneider said her uncle, who was part of the fifth generation to operate the family’s restaurant business, had worked at the PicA-Lilli “since he was a kid,” and had spent a number of years living above it. His specialty dishes, including his wings and crabcakes that are favorites of the restaurants’ clientele, will continue to be served by his daughter Jessica, who “knows the recipes,” Schneider added.

Russell was born in Hammonton in 1953, one of six children of the late Pickett B. Russell and Florence (Hall) Russell and was a member of the second graduating

Russell class of Shawnee Regional High School in 1973, according to an obituary posted at the website of the Marinella Funeral Home in Hammonton. Besides loving to cook and fish, his passions included classic cars and motorcycles, the obituary noted.

He is survived by his wife Barbara, who manages the family’s Medford restaurant, a son, Donald Jr., a daughter Jessica Gillen, a stepson Anthony Comunale, and stepdaughter Kasi DeStefano, and a brother, Wallace.

Donations can be made in his memory to the A n i ma l Wel fare As so c iation 509 Centen n ial Blvd., Voorhe es, NJ 08043.

‘Lewd’ Interruption of Assembly Video Presentation Gets Student at Pinelands Regional High Suspended

By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

LITTLE EGG HARBOR—A student at Pinelands Regional High School was reportedly given a lengthy suspension after disrupting a video presentation during a 10th-grade assembly on Sept. 8 by accessing the equipment involved and inserting what Board of Education President August Daleo has confirmed was a “lewd video.”

“They cut if off very quickly, and the technology department then found out who did it,” Daleo told the Pine Barrens Tribune in a phone call the following morning after an inquiry from this newspaper was referred to him by Superintendent Dr. Melissa

McCooley.

He d e s c r ib e d t h e i n c id e nt a s a n “unfortunate prank” on the part of the perpetrator.

The presentation involved, Daleo noted, was a “reach-out sort of thing” that he believed dealt with suicide awareness.

“One of these kids didn’t realize the decision he made was a poor one,” he added.

A n e mai l s ent to parent s lab ele d “Assembly Incident,” and then posted on social media, claimed that “a student accessed the Apple TV and projected a lewd and inappropriate video.” The post went on to say that the student had been suspended and “law enforcement has been notified.”

LAKE

(Continued from Page 4) William “Billy” DeGroff acknowledged that the lake, in its lowered state, had looked “horrible” and that some “local gossip columns” had referred to it as a “big controversy” involving the Woodland Township Committee, but maintained “we have nothing to do with the lake,” rather it is the responsibility of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF) and NJDEP, which share ownership of it, to which he contended he had shared his sentiments over its appearance and the associated fire risk.

Tow nship Clerk Mar yalice Brow n, however, was subsequently notified on Aug. 12 by Michele Byers, executive director of the NJCF, that Haines was completing repairs that day.

“Hopefully, we will get rain and the reservoir will refill and recover soon!” wrote Byers to Brown on Aug. 12.

That didn’t take long given the enormously wet weeks that have followed the repairs, with tropical systems Henri and Ida among the weather systems that have impacted the area, dropping copious amounts of rain.

“Mr. Haines and his staff did complete it and the lake is filled back up again,” maintained Brown during an Aug. 25 Woodland committee meeting.

DeGroff added that he would like to “thank Mr. Haines and all his staff for the job they did on the lake.”

A letter, he said, was also written to the cranberry grower thanking him for his efforts on “behalf of the committee as well as residents of Woodland.”

According to a March 30 letter from John H. Moyle, P.E., director of the NJDEP’s Division of Dam Safety and Flood Engineering, addressed to both Byers and Robin Madden, deputy director of the NJDEP’s Division of Parks and Forestry, correspondence that was also copied to Woodland Township’s clerk, emergency management coordinator and engineer, along with Burlington County officials, the lake’s dam had not only suffered damage, but “experienced a significant loss of embankment material above the spillway conduits.”

Additionally, this newspaper observed in an April site visit, an enormous washout near the lake’s dam and sluice gates, which had the appearance of a sinkhole (one local referred to it as the “Chatsworth Grand Washout”), at least seven feet deep.

Some of the wood that comprises the sluice gates had also appeared to be loose at the time, shaking from not only a gusty wind, but the force of water coming through a flow box. Areas of severe erosion had taken place along an unimproved access road/ makeshift boat ramp leading to the lake.

Saturday, September 11, 2021 Byers, in a May 17 email sent to Brown, as previously reported by this newspaper, explained that the “horizontal underground ‘trunk’ in one of the wooden water control structures had deteriorated and started leaking, leading to a large hole eroding in the dike. She noted that the Bureau of Dam Safety had not only required of the Division of Parks and Forestry to hire an engineer to assess the dike and make recommendations for repair, but the NJCF, given its coownership.

The NJCF executive director had also told Brown that her organization is “not sure how long it will take to plan for and undertake a repair” because the bureau has “not yet told us what they will require for the repair or permitting,” but that they “anticipate learning more from them in the near future.”

“He (Haines) has indicated that if and when Dam Safety allows it, he would be willing to have his crew make the necessary repairs,” Byers wrote. “If Dam Safety allows us/Bill to make the repairs, it could happen much more quickly. However, if they determine that a more engineered structure is required, it may be some time before the repairs can be made.”

Byers, in describing to this newspaper on Aug. 17 the repairs that had since been made

by Haines (after reportedly receiving the go-ahead from the NJDEP), said that “they basically replaced the existing structures consistent with how they build their gates today using time tested methods that have kept the dike in this spot for generations.”

“Bill did the repairs as part of his ongoing maintenance and management of the water control structures for his cranberry operation,” she said.

The water level of the lake had been lowered in April to the point that some were seen walking on its mud surface. One man posted a picture of discarded bottles he found at the site, unearthed by the lack of water, with one appearing, as one person described, “unique.”

In addressing some lingering concerns in the community about the impact the lowering had on the lake’s ecosystem, Byers maintained that the “lowered water levels were similar to conditions when past repairs were done” and were done “within the operating levels of the dike when water was lowered for AG purposes.”

“So, we expect the impact on aquatic life won’t be greater than these past events,” Byers contended. “Once the water levels go back to their normal levels, the aquatic life in the reservoir will recover on its own.”

Byers, when asked by this newspaper if the lake will remain accessible to the public, replied that the “public will be able to continue to use Chatsworth Lake as they have in the past.”

This newspaper observed on Aug. 20 dirt mounds blocking the access road, however, See LAKE/ Page 7

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Saturday, September 11, 2021

POSTS

(Continued from Page 4) the municipal emergency management coordinator doesn’t take orders from anyone,” though the solicitor acknowledged that it is his “understanding” that the administrator is responsible for overseeing the emergency management office’s day-today operations (during non-emergencies).

McGinnis pointed out that under the job description for an assistant municipal administrator, that person is to fill-in for the administrator in his or her absence.

“Would it be a conflict of interest for him to vote on (creating) this position?” she asked.

Burns replied “no” because the township committee was only voting to create the position, not filling it with an actual, specific individual.

“But we would have to look at any further conflict, because if the position is going to be filled, it may be a conflict there. But this (ordinance) doesn’t identify anyone that might favor one person for any reason.”

When a roll-call vote was being conducted on the ordinance during the Zoom meeting, however, Sunbury’s name was called by Acting Clerk Elaine Kennedy, but he did not respond.

Brown noted that he had disappeared from the list of Zoom meeting attendees. Initially, it was unbeknownst to the governing body the reason for his disappearance.

“Just got a message from Bob – he lost connection,” Brown said. “He is trying to reconnect.”

Burns then suggested that the governing body motion to table the vote on the ordinance “for this session only” to give Sunbury “an opportunity to log on.”

“Then, if he clearly does not log on, then it would fail,” Burns noted given the vote tally to create the assistant municipal administrator post stood at 2-2 without Sunbury.

As the township committee was deciding whether to entertain such a motion, Barton asked, “How do we know he had the benefit of hearing the whole discussion?,” to which Burns replied, “We would ask him.”

“Roberts Rules didn’t deal with this because we did not have connectivity issues (when it was established),” Burns quipped. “But he was on here, so he was here at quorum call, so he should be given an opportunity to vote.”

The committee was in the process of motioning to postpone the vote on the ordinance to later in the session when

LAKE

(Continued from Page 6) to the lake, which had been recently graded as part of the repairs, with the sinkhole and other areas of erosion filled in with dirt and leveled as well.

Byers, in addressing the dirt mounds and what they meant for future public access, said “we have always allowed public access to this site for non-vehicular recreation, including fishing and launching a small boat” but “we have never permitted the public to access this area with vehicles.”

“As you probably noted during your visit, it (the access road/boat ramp) is right on

Sunbury reappeared, contending that he had lost internet connectivity on his computer and switched to using his cellphone.

“Can we ask Mr. Sunbury how much he heard of the discussion?” Barton asked, to which Sunbury replied that he heard “pretty much all of the discussion.” “‘Just about’ … can you clarify what you heard and didn’t hear?” Barton asked Sunbury.

Sunbury then retorted it was a “funny question” because Barton was asking about “what I did not hear.”

In addition to McGinnis’ questioning of whether Sunbury had any conflict of interest in voting on the measure, part of the discussion on the ordinance featured Barton asking Cramer if the assistant municipal administrator would be a “temporary, part-time, or permanent position,” or a “transitional” one.

“Where are we going with this?” Barton asked.

Cramer replied that the ordinance “gives you the flexibility you may want or should have” to fill the clerk’s position with a permanent hire, and that by adding administrator responsibilities, it “makes it more enticing to have someone come to Tabernacle.”

“It (by having a dual-position) justifies more salary than the clerk position (as a standalone one),” Cramer maintained. “The workload is not tremendously different. In all honesty, the previous clerk acted in my absence when I was away.”

Cramer noted that while he would “likely” be “recommending” at a “future meeting” that the governing body give the go-ahead to advertise for a dual position, it could choose to keep the positions separate, or not fill the assistant municipal administrator position, though the clerk’s position is essential to fill.

“I am just trying to give the committee flexibility to fill the positions that are vacated,” Cramer maintained.

Barton asked Cramer if the assistant municipal administrator would be able to do the duties of clerk, to which he replied that if an assistant municipal administrator is hired (as a dual position with clerk responsibilities as well), he envisions that person having the necessary certifications to be a clerk.

Cramer added that he “does not envision” the assistant municipal administrator post being a standalone position.

After Barton maintained that he was unaware of another town in Burlington County that had an assistant municipal administrator, Cramer pointed to Florence, causing the Tabernacle committeeman to See POSTS/ Page 15 the inside of a very dangerous curve with very poor sight lines,” Byers pointed out.

“Additionally, vehicular use in this area would also cause erosion of the dike. The dirt mounds are a short-term barrier to vehicular use and will eventually be replaced by a gate that will allow access to our staff and the Haines crew that will help operate the dike and water control structure.”

The gate, she maintained, will help to allow “for continued public access for fishing and launching of small boats.”

DeGroff, in thanking Haines and his crew for making the repairs, declared that “the problem is now resolved.”

“I believe it looks as good as it ever has,” DeGroff declared.

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A sinkhole on Davis Street.

STREET

(Continued from Page 2) addressing of Davis Court), according to the county,” Fanucci contended.

Griffin, however, responded that he has offered to “change Davis Street to a different name if that would be alright with you.”

That remark led to a heated argument between Fanucci and Griffin.

“We have been doing this for five years, and every time I say it is not alright with us,” Fanucci retorted. “We are homeowners! We have been here longer! Our street was the first street! It is incumbent upon them to change theirs!”

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The mayor then replied, “There comes the difficulty; “We have gone over this many times;” and “I have offered a solution that will work for everyone, change the name of Davis Street!”

“What is the difference between that and my solution?” Fanucci asked. “It is just changing the name of the other street. There is no difference!”

The tensest exchange between the two came when Griffin asserted “There is a lot of difference!”, and repeatedly asked Fanucci, “How many of you are there on Davis Street – three?”, as if to suggest there were a limited number of homeowners there compared to other areas of the borough.

Fanucci corrected the mayor that there

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were actually four homes on Davis Street.

“Regardless, there is a statute here where this can be fixed!” Fanucci shouted into the telephone. “But not on our backs, mayor!

We are the homeowners; we are paying the majority of taxes here! We are the permanent residents! I don’t know why your government is not backing the permanent residents! I want to move on from this! Ridiculous!”

After Griffin maintained that he had provided answers to Fanucci’s question many times in the past, and asked Fanucci, “Can you and I differ in our opinions?”, she quipped, “We differ on a lot of things, mayor! You live in 1952 and I am in 2021!”

Mull then brought a swift end to the argument, advising both Fanucci and Griffin that “this isn’t the place where we argue.”

But Fenster, just prior to adjournment of the meeting, raised the issue again, contending that “as a resident of Davis Street, I do completely side with Diane’s comments.” He claimed that back in 2018 (prior to serving on council), he had provided a copy of the ordinance Fanucci referenced to council for its review.

“We have had ambulances come to this street (that were meant for Davis Court), and checks (meant for Davis Street homeowners) sent to the other street,” Fenster pointed out.

“The statute clearly states a private street, like Davis Court, is not numbered correctly.

Privately-owned roads should not have their own numbering. They should be numbered per public street and then given one number.

Let’s say it was 500 W. Hanover Street, the property should be number 500 W. Hanover Street, Number 10.”

Fenster added that it “seems to me” that the “correct answer is to follow statute and do that properly, rather than worry about changing all our deeds.” Mull, in response, maintained that the borough administration would “take a look” at the statute.

♦ Page 9

Gr iffin, in the inter view w ith th is newspaper, when asked what he would want Davis Street to be named, replied, “Let them give it a name!”

“Call it Diane Street!” the mayor declared.

“Call it Fenster Avenue! Call it whatever they want!”

The mayor, when asked about the purported confusion, pointed out that he has never heard from the two other residents of Davis Street, and then suggested that this newspaper reach out to John Davis, Jr., to see if he has had those same experiences.

John Davis, Jr., when reached by this newspaper on Aug. 30, contended that “Davis Court has been Davis Court, forever.” He maintained that his late father had bought it in the early 1960s “from a guy in Wrightstown,” who also shared the last name of Davis (but purportedly is unrelated to his family), and that it was already named Davis Court at the time of that transaction.

The court, currently, consists of 12 units, according to John Davis, Jr., who said he has not heard of any confusion between Davis Street and Davis Court.

“I think it is one person making all the noise,” John Davis, Jr. asserted. “I don’t want to really get into it, but they asked me a while back, and it has been Davis Court ever since I’ve known it, and they want me to change it. I don’t want to change it! I probably have more people on Davis Court than Davis Street.”

He emphasized that he has never had one person living on Davis Court inform him that their mail is getting mixed-up with that of those who live on Davis Street.

“Sir, those gentleman in Pemberton Borough, the mailmen – they are good people and I don’t think they would make those mistakes,” John Davis, Jr. declared.

“If they see a name on the envelope, they see ‘Fanucci,’ they are going to know it is for Fanucci and deliver it.”

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

Sign for Arrowhead Tennis Court.

TENNIS

(Continued from Page 1) But Township Solicitor Timothy Prime, in response, maintained that there “are no vehicles to revisit the approvals” as the “time to file an appeal for the project has passed” and the state’s “land use law does not apply to the Planning Board approval, nor does our ordinance allow an appeal directly to the governing body.”

Both Bell and Sallade, who said that they were “formally” coming before council with “a little bit of urgency” after learning that the project was about to proceed after a lull of some sort, concluded their Aug. 18 comments by informing the governing body that they were on the precipice of litigation to “try to get this stopped” if there is no intervention.

Venku Mandalap, who later told this newspaper in an interview that he purchased the club in 2007, called the concerns raised at the council meeting “hearsay” and maintained the project answers a “constant request” by the community for outdoor tennis courts, and the ones that he is putting in are “small” with “no lighting.”

He added that the project is not only “fulfilling a need” in the community, but also provides for secondary benefits, including fencing of the new courts, which will essentially “block access” to a dirt road that partially runs through his property “causing a number of issues,” including “serving as a hangout spot for bad kids” doing drugs and drinking alcohol. The project, he said, will

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also result in him “completely revegetating the place,” thereby enhancing the property values of those around him.

Bell, during the Aug. 18 council meeting, contended that the “project has been ongoing over 10 years,” but had “been dormant for quite some time.”

“Ultimately, if it proceeds as designed, it is going to have a pretty significant impact on quality of life, property values, etc. due to light, noise and a lot of tree removal, which provides the buffer between that facility, in the commercial district, and the residential district (of Nelson Drive), as well as the backside of upper Birchwood.”

Bell, who claimed that the project “dates back” to 2011, said that there were problems with the “initial application” that “forced them to revisit the project,” including “unauthorized land clearing, disturbance of ground, and paving done without permits.”

The Pinelands Commission, he said, ultimately “intervened” because of the issues, and in 2018, another application was submitted with “revised engineering drawings,” though it did not contain “revised data or calculations.”

“It had been dormant (since then),” maintained Bell, who pointed out that he is a federal engineer for Joint Base McGuire-DixLakehurst (JBMDL). “So, any application that is dormant that long, becomes null and void, according to township ordinances and references to state administrative code.”

Bell said that the concerns had been relayed to “township management staff” but “some answers (in response) weren’t to my satisfaction,” including a response from

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Zoning Official and Zoning Board Secretary Beth Portocalis who reportedly explained that the “‘reason for continuing the preconstruction process” was that “under the Permit Extension Act imposed by Governor Murphy during COVID, the applicant is still within the approved timeframe to start the project.’”

The aforementioned Act, Bell maintained, “was signed well after the permit approval should have expired.” The resident also claimed that one has to apply to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) for such an extension, and public records showed no application was submitted by the club.

“This project was never applied for, and I don’t think it qualified for one (an extension) anyway,” Bell said. “It means this has to start over.”

The resident added that the applicant, if he is forced to start over, should not be allowed to submit “10-year-old standards,” especially given that the NJDEP just enacted stricter stormwater management standards on new construction in the state. He added that “endangered species” were “also identified in the area and not addressed.”

An initial response from Deputy Mayor Erik Rebstock, informing Bell that his time to speak was up because he had surpassed the allowable five-minutes to make public comments, caused the resident to declare that he wanted to end “on a positive note,” but that given his time was up, “We are on the precipice of litigation, frankly, because the only option left is injunctive relief through Superior Court quite honestly.”

Rebstock, who was leading the in-person proceedings as Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watson was attending the meeting remotely, uttered “Hmph!” in immediate response to the threat of litigation, before telling Bell that he “did not believe” any of the current members of council were on the planning board at the time the project was approved (a similar response by Medford officials had been provided just a couple weeks earlier when troubled residents of the Heritage retirement community in Medford asked how the zoning for their community allowed for only one egress and ingress after a fallen tree blocked the only entrance for hours, trapping them).

“So, I will pass this on,” said Rebstock, looking to the township administrative staff for a response to the concerns.

Prime, who sat at a table to the side of the dais, asserted that, “I think there were a number of misstatements of facts by Mr. Bell.” Prime added that while he is not the solicitor for the planning board, he does represent the township management staff and Portocalis.

“My understanding is the approval is still valid, and the applicant is vested in those approvals (by starting construction),” Prime contended. “They (the approvals) have not expired and the project is operating under a valid planning board approval.”

The township solicitor acknowledged that the club did get “reapproved” to proceed with the project.

“As far as litigation, that is up to you obviously,” Prime told Bell. “The project itself is beyond appeal. The appeal period has expired. I believe Mr. Bell wrote to us three years ago or so requesting the governing body to hear an appeal of that approval, but that part of the statute of the land use law (allowing for appeals to the governing body) does not apply to planning board approval, nor does our ordinance allow an appeal directly to the governing body.”

Township Engineer Christopher J. Noll, who sat at another table to the side of the dais, maintained to council that Bell had voiced “similar statements” three years ago, before refuting most of what Bell had stated. Noll does not regularly attend council meetings.

“Pinelands made some calculations for endangered species and approved it (the application),” Noll maintained. “The bond was posted two months ago, and we had a pre-construction meeting. Nothing has been done since that time on-site, other than tree clearing. I don’t have an issue with any of it (the project).”

Noll added that Bell has not provided him with anything to show that anything in the application is incorrect, and that a neighbor of his actually “cleared wetlands and a wetlands buffer over much more of an area than Mr. Venku (Mandalap),” which he observed recently upon inspecting the tennis club parcel.

Prime pointed out that the municipality has required of Mandalap to post a performance bond for the project, and “if there are construction items not in accordance with the approval” and they are not corrected by the applicant, the municipality can “take action against the bond for the protection of the township and residents.”

“As far as I know, everything else is in order,” Prime declared.

Sa l lade, however, c ont ende d that his neighbor had showed the plans and application to those at his place of work, “independent from all this,” and they “pointed out things raising a lot of questions of how this was approved.” As a small business owner in Medford who previously applied for construction permits and approvals over the course of the last decade, Sallade asserted he “feels like he was held to a pretty high standard with the township” and the tennis club should be as well.

“Obviously, we are neighbors of that property and we don’t want the noise of outdoor tennis courts and we don’t want the lights shining in our backyard, so we are not just going to sit back and just kind of let this happen!” Sallade declared. “We feel like there have been things that have been done that have violated township codes over the years, specifically the clearing of trees that have not been revegetated.”

See TENNIS/ Page 11

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Sallade noted that the Nelson Drive residents were coming to council “wondering, ‘Hey what is our recourse?’, because if the project is allowed to proceed, they will “not be happy about that.”

“So, if it has to come to a point where we have to hire a lawyer to try to get this stopped, we have spoken about doing that,” Sallade said. “The project has not started yet, but it seems like they are about to get started on the project. That is why we have a little bit of urgency in coming to the meeting tonight.

What is our recourse right now? We wanted to formally bring it in front of council so you guys are aware of it, so if there is any way some of this could be revisited before this project proceeds, that would be ideal.”

That is when Prime responded that there “are no vehicles to revisit the approvals.”

“The state land use law has very strict time limits regarding how long the approvals are valid, but also contains a time limit in which challenges must be made to the approvals because that then allows the developer vested rights that have legal consequences to them. That is really the only answer I can give you; land use law provisions protect the developer given the fact approvals are beyond appeal at this point.”

A back-and-forth exchange then unfolded between the Nelson Drive residents and township officials about whether lighting was proposed for the outdoor tennis courts. Noll initially contended none were proposed, but then officials said that lighting was permitted through the approvals until 9 p.m.

Marcie Dumas, another resident of Nelson Drive, contended that there was already light shining from the tennis club into a bedroom where Sallade’s “young son sleeps,” and that the matter involves “quality of life” of the neighborhood. Children, she said, often go to bed as early as 7 p.m.

“I am an educator,” Dumas said. “I know how important sleep and rest is for children, and I am very concerned about disruption to the residents.”

Dumas added that she has “walked the area” and “can see how much clearing has occurred near Mr. Bell’s property.”

“It is a lovely neighborhood with many children in that neighborhood, and they should have a voice too,” she declared.

Prime responded that he understands the residents of Nelson Drive don’t want the outdoor tennis courts, but that the planning board is the body that has jurisdiction to approve such projects and, therefore, “it is outside our (council’s) jurisdiction at this point in time.”

“A project can only move forward if it has valid approvals,” Prime noted. “Once it starts, the construction project becomes vested, and they have to finish the project.”

Sallade, however, maintained that there were “numerous times” the tennis club has “cleared out vegetation” and he was “pretty sure no permission was sought” and the area was subsequently supposed to be revegetated.

Noll replied that the area cleared is where the tennis courts are going.

Mandalap, in the interview with this newspaper, said that the project to put “three tennis courts in the backyard” of the tennis club, roughly 30 foot by 50 foot, went through the Pinelands Commission approval process, as well as the municipal approval process.

“Everything has been done by law,” he declared. “We got our permits, gave our bond and started construction for the outdoor tennis courts.”

Contrary to what Bell told council, the tennis club has completed Phase I of the project and “we are in Phase II,” according to Mandalap. He pointed out that the revegetation of two parking spaces in the front of the tennis club, part of the demands

♦ Page 11

of the Pinelands Commission, “happened before COVID even started.”

The outdoor tennis courts, he maintained, will have “no lighting” and are “only operable in the summer.” The project also involves the planting of “native Pinelands evergreen trees across the whole area.”

“We are completely revegetating the place, putting in a fence, which only improves the value of the property in the neighborhood and helps the community a lot,” Mandalap said. “We plan to completely vegetate the area and complete the plan. We have run it In-Person Services by the engineers, the township, and a lot of stuff has been done there.” being held after Mandalap maintained getting to this point Labor Day at “was not an easy task,” and in response to the 18 Mill St. 8:15 am | 9:30 am | charges that vegetation was removed without 11:00 am | Vincentown, NJ 08088 authorization, pointed out that he “can’t Facebook Live follow us on even touch a tree there without Pinelands Worship: Sundays 10 a.m. facebook.com/MedfordUMC approval.” He added that the plan is out there 609-859-2299 for everyone to see and “everything is there” for the public to read.

Opposition to the project, he told this newspaper, stems from two situations, the first, 2 Hartford Road | Medford NJ 08055 medfordumc.org | 609/654-8111 he said, involving “some kind of argument, info@medfordumc.org sometime in the past” involving the backyard neighbor of the tennis club property, the one I Am That I Am he said is “most troubled” over the project, and an employee of the tennis club.

Ministries, Inc. The other being the pending closure of All Are Welcome! a dirt road that runs in “the back of the Sunday Worship Se ervice “To Know Jesus Christ and building” by the fencing that will surround at 11:30 a.m. to Make Him Known” Pastors Florence and the perimeter of the new tennis courts. He Russell Webber r said the dirt road is often used by locals to 50 Burrs Mill Roadd, walk and bike to a nearby 7-11 convenience Southampton, NJ 08088 store and “some people are annoyed that they 609 - 847- 4848 will have to go to the main road now.”

Pastor Todd Anderson www.iamthatiamministriesinnc.com www. MessiahLBC.church “By redeveloping this, that road gets Church (609) 893-1700 blocked,” Mandalap pointed out to this Bible Sttudy 530 Virginia Drive newspaper. “Some part of the road is my m.

7 p.m Presidential Lakes, NJ 08015 property, and when I fence it, it will block Wednessday Worship Service - 10 a.m. the access.”

But Mandalap maintained the police have been called to that road numerous times over the years as people conduct illegal dumping there, as well as use it for drugs. Last year, he said, there was even an instance where an illegal bonfire was started there and reported to police.

“This road is causing a lot of issues,” he said. “It is shallow land, and if you go there, you’ll see the drugs and see the alcohol bottles. It is a hangout spot for bad kids. We have complained to police, and in fact, at one point, people were even stealing stuff.”

Overall, he said, the concerns residents have raised about the project is “all hearsay,” “nonsense” and “they are just making up things and fighting it with made up things,” the result of a “lack of understanding and animosity” by “one person” who, he said, is “driving everybody nuts.”

Mandalap, in pleading his case to this EXCLUSIVE LIMITED TIME OFFER! newspaper, pointed out that while his business is a for-profit one and “he doesn’t declare it to be a non-profit,” it is “more about giving to the community” than anything else, OFF OFF and he continues “to give employment to the SENIORS & YOUR ENTIRE people” of the area, noting the tennis club * MILITARY! PURCHASE employs “a lot of people.” He added that WE INSTALL several of the area high schools, particularly YEAR-ROUND! Shawnee High School in Medford, as well as TO THE FIRST 50 CALLERS ONLY! area special education programs, also use his facility and are served by the tennis club.

The tennis club, he added, also serves “a lot of adult members and senior citizens who NATIO E FINANCING THAT FITS YOUR BUDGET!1 don’t have a place to play tennis.” On average, 1 he noted, at any given time there will be 28 Promo Code: 285 TT ER GUA 1 Subject to credit approval. Call for details. players in the indoor facility, and expects there will be about 12 players outside at any given time in the summer.

“They tell me their local courts are not CALL US TODAY FOR well-maintained and so they go here, and this A FREE ESTIMATE (having outdoor tennis courts) is a constant request from the community so they can play Mon-Thurs: 8am-11pm, Fri-Sat: 8am-5pm, Sun: 2pm-8pm EST year-round,” said Mandalap, hopeful good will come from this and many unaware of his For those who qualify. One coupon per household. No obligation estimate valid for 1 year. *Offer valid at time of estimate only 2The leading consumer business will come join the tennis club. “We reporting agency conducted a 16 month outdoor test of gutter guards in 2010 and recognized LeafFilter as the “#1 rated professionally installed gutter guard system in America.” Manufactured in Plainwell, Michigan and processed at LMT Mercer Group in Ohio. See Representative for full warranty details. have a large, older population and some want CSLB# 1035795 DOPL #10783658-5501 License# 7656 License# 50145 License# 41354 License# 99338 License# 128344 License# 218294 WA UBI# 603 233 977 License# 2102212986 License# 2106212946 License# 2705132153A License# LEAFFNW822JZ License# WV056912 License# WC-29998-H17 Nasto play outdoors. Most people prefer to play sau HIC License# H01067000 Registration# 176447 Registration# HIC.0649905 Registration# C127229 Registration# C127230 Registration# 366920918 in the summer, outside in the fresh air and Registration# PC6475 Registration# IR731804 Registration# 13VH09953900 Registration# PA069383 Suffolk HIC License# 52229-H License# 2705169445 License# 262000022 License# 262000403 License# 0086990 Registration# H-19114 everything like that.”

D

(Continued from Page 10)

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Lenape Regional High School District Superintendent Dr. Carol Birnbohm.

BIRNBOHM (Continued from Page 1)

in 1998, to her more recent multiple awards for Superintendent of the Year on the county and regional levels.

“In light of her unparalleled commitment to and leadership of the LRHSD, it is the board’s steadfast belief that it is in the best interests of the district to extend Dr. Birnbohm’s contract at this time. Doing so will ensure the stability and continuity of administrative direction, which has helped the LRHSD navigate many challenges and will continue to allow us to successfully move forward in the best possible position.”

Under the renegotiated contract, Birnbohm, for the new school year, is scheduled to receive $244,686 in compensation, according to Allyson Roberts, a district spokesperson, and thereafter, in school year 2022-23, she is scheduled to receive $249,580, in school year 2023-24, $254,571; in school year 202425, $259,663; and in school year 2025-26, $264,856; totaling $1,273,356 over the fiveyear period, or equating to an average annual salary of $254,671.

Fitzgerald pointed out that the required salary caps imposed in 2011 on New Jersey

superintendents had since been eliminated in 2019.

“This allowed for immediate contract negotiations at that time, including increased superintendent salaries and the elimination of merit bonus compensation,” the board president maintained. “However, unlike many other chief school administrators in the state, Dr. Birnbohm did not seek any immediate change to her employment contract until this contract renegotiation with the board in 2021.”

Fitzgerald contended that since the lifting of the cap, the compensation packages for “many other superintendents” throughout the state “significantly increased,” but the “compensation for Dr. Birnbohm in this renegotiated contract is completely budget neutral.”

“In other words, the salary provided to Dr. Birnbohm is entirely consistent with the overall compensation structure of her previously existing contract,” Fitzgerald maintained. “It (the contract) also has less than comparable compensation provided to superintendents of other districts of similar size, demographics, geography and what have you.”

The Pine Barrens Tribune previously reported when Birnbohm was last awarded a five-year contract in 2017, that her annual base salary when she became the district’s superintendent in 2012 was $177,500.

Birnbohm, through the contract adopted in 2017, received an annual base salary of $196,584 in the 2017-18 school year, and for each subsequent year of the contract, she was to receive a 2 percent salary increase.

The contract signed in 2017 was said at the time to be good through June 30, 2022.

That 2017 contract had also stipulated that the superintendent could receive merit bonuses each contract year if she met three quantitative merit criteria (3.33 percent of her annual salary for each) and two qualitative criteria (2.5 percent of her annual salary for each.)

“As was pointed out by Board President Barry Fitzgerald at the meeting last week, Dr. Birnbohm’s renegotiated contract is completely budget neutral – meaning it does not represent an increase over the total overall budgeted compensation from her previous contract,” said Roberts in a statement provided to this newspaper.

“Consistent with the new compensation laws governing superintendent contracts that have been in place since 2019, this contract eliminates merit bonus payments and simply incorporates that same total budgeted amount into salary.

“In other words, unlike the higher contracts of many superintendents, which have been renegotiated since 2019, the salary amount in the new contract does not exceed the previously set salary and merit bonus compensation structure from the last contract. In addition, the annual, overall contract increase percentage also remains at 2 percent, unlike other recent superintendent contracts in the state which have also had higher annual increase percentages.”

Both Fitzgerald and Roberts pointed out that the superintendent’s renegotiated contract was “reviewed and determined to be appropriate” by the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) through the executive county superintendent, and the public hearing on it was advertised.

Birnbohm, a graduate of the district’s Cherokee High School, began her LRHSD career in September 1992 as a math teacher at her alma matter.

After spending about eight years at Cherokee as a teacher, she was elevated to

an assistant principal post there in July 2001.

Three years later, she was elevated again, this time to serve as the district’s director of Programs and Planning.

Birnbohm then spent five years as the district’s assistant superintendent, from July 2007 to June 2012.

She became the superintendent of the district in July 2012 when Emily Capella retired from that post, where she now oversees approximately 6,840 students in grades 9–12 in four high schools (Lenape, Seneca and Shawnee being the others), as well as those enrolled in the Sequoia Alternative Program. The district comprises Evesham Township, Medford Township, Medford Lakes Borough, Shamong Township, Southampton Tow nsh ip, Tab er nacle Township and Woodland Township.

A resident of Southampton, Birnbohm holds a doctorate in Education Leadership from Wilmington University, and a master’s deg ree in Education Adm inistration from Rowan University. She received her bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Education from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), where she served as co-captain of a two-time NCAA Division III national championship lacrosse team.

“In my time as board president, I have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Birnbohm on a much more regular basis,” Fitzgerald said. “Through my interactions with her, I have developed a deep appreciation for her tireless dedication to the LRHSD, it s st ude nt s , st a f f, a nd c om mu n it y stakeholders. With that experience, I have also been fortunate to see firsthand how Dr. Birnbohm’s commitment and leadership have benefitted the LRHSD in so many ways, including many of which the general public would not even be aware. The board is very pleased to be able to continue with the educationally and fiscally sound leadership of Dr. Birnbohm and we look forward to working together with her in the future to maintain the standards of excellence for which the LRHSD has been well-known for many years.”

Birnbohm’s response to Fitzgerald’s remarks was, “You said a lot.”

Page 14 ♦

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POSTS

(Continued from Page 7) point out “they don’t have it anymore.”

“Yeah, because the assistant moved on to another town,” Cramer acknowledged.

“They had it (the position) for years, it worked out very well. I am not saying that is where we need to go. But this ordinance gives you the option if you want to go that way.”

Barton, who served as township mayor prior to Brown taking the helm, and is not seeking re-election this year, queried Cramer if a dual position would result in the person filling it having two separate salaries.

Cramer, also the municipality’s Director of Public Works, replied that he envisions the municipality “listing it at a combination salary” or “the same as you do mine,” but then Barton pointed out the “top-end of the salary is $195,000,” causing the township administrator to quip that he would go get his clerk’s degree and move into the assistant municipal administrator/clerk position if that kind of salary for it was offered, and does not envision offering the top-end.

“Why don’t we just advertise for a clerk at a higher salary rather than create a dual position which has an astronomical salary attached to it at the top end?” asked Barton in reiterating he was strongly opposed to the creation of the assistant municipal administrator post.

Sunbury, however, when he had returned to the Zoom session, broke the tie, causing the ordinance to pass by a 3-2 vote.

Resident Stuart Brooks, in commenting about the ordinance author izing the creation of the secretarial position for the municipality’s Construction Office, Fire Marshal’s Office, and Fire Company, asked why the need for a secretary for the fire

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company was not raised in a subcommittee report that the governing body had relied upon in recently deciding to dissolve the all-volunteer Tabernacle Fire Company #1 in favor of the Tabernacle Fire Company, or township fire department, with the chief and deputy chief of the newly-formed department getting compensated under the new structure.

During the July 26 Tabernacle committee meeting, Cramer had revealed that “by forming the fire department,” the township no longer has “an administrative staff there” so “the chief has picked up some of that (work) as we expected, but we also need a secretary or an assistant to provide them with assistance, along with the fire marshal’s office, which has worked into a larger position than what it has been in previous years.”

Cramer also noted at the time that when the “township went to a (fire) department,” it picked up, as a whole, the administrative responsibilities that a volunteer previously did.

Sunbury, in response to Brooks’ Aug. 23 query and remark that “it is utterly shocking now to learn secretarial services were either not considered or not recommended to the committee as a whole” prior to the creation of the fire department, replied that the need for secretarial services by the municipality “was a fairly obvious thing and known from the beginning.”

He added that the Tabernacle governing body had no choice but to arrive at the decision that it did in dissolving the old fire company, aware that it would necessitate the need for assistance from the township, because the “old fire company put public safety and wel fare at r isk” and the committee’s “highest priority is making sure the public safety of the community is first and foremost.”

Sunbury added that by the Tabernacle

committee passing the ordinance, it was just “trying to clean up and formalize this” and “just putting the house in order.”

But the ordinance creating the secretarial position did not receive the support of Barton nor McGinnis.

“All the prior organizations had no paid costs as far as staff,” Barton pointed out in opposing the measure. “We indicated we were going to a volunteer fire company under the guide of Tabernacle, and came up with a paid chief and paid deputy chief. Now we are adding a third (paid position). For this particular organization, prior to all this, the volunteers provided this service.

“It is a slippery-slope and sliding into a fully paid fire company.”

A third ordinance, connected to the two that had just passed, set the salary ranges for the two newly-created positions, as well as apparently revised the ranges for existing positions. It passed by a 4-1 vote, with Barton casting the lone dissenting vote, with him explaining the reason for his vote was because the measure contained a range for the assistant municipal administrator post, which he is strongly against.

In addition to setting the salary range for the assistant municipal administrator post at $15,000 to $85,000 and the secretarial position at $17,000 to $55,000, resident Fran Brooks, Stuart’s wife, who is a township transparency advocate, contended that the ordinance would result in a “whopping 582 percent increase” in the salary range for the deputy municipal clerk post, a “whopping 70 percent increase” for the chief financial officer post and a “79 percent increase” for the municipal emergency management coordinator.

“If that isn’t pension packing and eye popping, I don’t what it is,” Fran Brooks declared. “I know we will hear you don’t fund the salaries to this extent (because they are ranges) and you have to be competitive.

G

But those are pretty bogus comments.

“T he bottom l i ne is for so - cal le d ‘Republicans,’ you sure aren’t showing small government philosophy here. To put salary ranges so high is totally unfair to the public – the taxpayers in particular.”

Cramer, in reply, noted that the ordinance “doesn’t set the individual salaries,” but rather a separate resolution does, and emphasized that the ordinance was only setting a range to give the Tabernacle governing body flexibility.

“It is not pension padding,” maintained Cramer who said that the office staff gets 35 hours a week, while the Public Works staff gets 40 hours a week, with most employees working more than the allotted time to get the job done. “It doesn’t set individual salaries.”

Chief Financial Officer Rodney Haines noted that this year’s budget allows for up to a 3 percent increase in the salaries of municipal employees.

The remarks from Fran Brooks (who Cramer noted used to serve on the township committee), however, apparently struck a chord with Brown, who acknowledged them at the end of the meeting in her report.

“As far as Mrs. Brooks and taxes and salaries, the township committee members – everybody on this committee – pays property taxes too!” Brown asserted. “So, it is not like we are just writing blank checks here because every single one of us pays taxes to the township! It is not like we are exempt!

“Nobody on the committee has received an increase in salary because we know we are doing a public service. We are doing what is in the best interests of the community.

Everybody on this committee does look out for the residents of Tabernacle, and although we may be on different sides of topics, we are doing the best we can possibly can for the residents of this township.”

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