Pine Barrens Tribune August 5-August 11, 2023

By D ouglas D. M elegari

Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver

See DIRECTOR/ Page 4

Remembered

as Pioneer, ‘True Advocate for Citizens’ After Passing Away Suddenly

By D ouglas D. M elegari

Staff Writer

TRENTON—“I would not have wanted to be born anything else than an African American woman,” previously declared Democratic Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who died suddenly at the age of 71 on Aug. 1, due to an undisclosed medical condition. “I think it gives me perspective,” she added in a 2020 video for Black History Month. “It gives me a deeper understanding of all cultures and ethnicities. I can relate to the social struggles that all people have had as a black woman.”

See OLIVER/ Page 7

Dispute Between Neighbors over Alleged Land Clearing in Pinelands Wetlands Buffer Ends with Settlement That Involves Medford Township Municipality Was

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

MEDFORD—An apparent dispute “over many years” between two neighbors

See SETTLEMENT/ Page 6

Employees, Scouts, Seniors, and Lifeguards Come Together to Tell How Nichole Pittman Has Changed Lives for the Better and Improved Services

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

Nichole Pittman, while awaiting council’s decision, introduces her two sons to R. Armen McOmber, a prominent civil trial attorney from Monmouth County, who has a history of successfully handling high-profile employment rights and discrimination cases.

Woodland’s Code Enforcement Official Might Be Dropped as Town Employee, But Proposal Would Allow Him to Still Serve Municipality Through Tabernacle, Where He Just Took on More Responsibilities as Community’s Electrical Inspector Woodland Mayor Pressed by Resident, Who After Claiming Calls Go Unreturned, Demands to Know Why Zoning Official Isn’t Required to Attend Monthly Sessions

WOODLAND—It is a topic that has long been a sore spot for several years now with some Woodland Township residents – the municipality’s arrangement for a code enforcement officer.

Some of those vocal residents have taken to meetings to question how Code Enforcement Officer Tom Boyd can be a part-time employee in Woodland, while also reportedly working full-time for Tabernacle Township.

Now, there is a prospect that Boyd will no longer be an employee of Woodland, but will still provide services to the municipality through a shared service agreement with Tabernacle Township. The Pine Barrens Tribune has learned that Boyd has also expanded his role in Tabernacle as of Aug. 1.

The prospective shared service agreement was approved by the Woodland committee on July 26, though, it still awaits further action, including by Tabernacle. While listed on a July 31 Tabernacle executive session meeting agenda for discussion, no action was taken by the Tabernacle governing body on the agreement following the closed session.

According to the released version of the prospective agreement, Woodland has agreed pay Tabernacle $37,000 annually for the arrangement, which also calls for Boyd to provide the township with building subcode, plumbing subcode, fire subcode, and electrical subcode services, in addition to filling Woodland’s electrical, fire and plumbing inspector post.

Tabernacle, per a 2022 salary resolution for that municipality, has been compensating Boyd about $707.40 every two weeks (or $18,392 yearly) to serve as the Tabernacle code enforcement officer. Boyd, who also serves as Tabernacle’s construction official, building inspector, fire subcode official and plumbing inspector, is compensated another $2,565.26 every two weeks for filling those

posts, or what amounts to $66,696.76 a year. His total annual Tabernacle salary is around $85,628.76.

Woodland, per a 2022 salary resolution for that municipality, has been compensating Boyd, on an annual basis, $20,566.21 for serving as township construction official, $1,353.04 for being the municipal building subcode official, $1,353.04 for being the township fire subcode official, $1,353.04 for serving as the township electric subcode official, $1,353.04 for serving as the township plumbing subcode official, $1,082.43 for being the township zoning official and $5,412.16 for serving as the township fire official, or what amounted to about $32,472.96 annually.

There is no word yet on whether the full $37,000 that Woodland is anticipated to pay Tabernacle will all go toward Boyd’s salary. Tabernacle has not yet adopted an updated salary resolution.

The prospective agreement – which is somewhat unique in that it is arranged/is to be administered by Maryalice Brown and William Burns, who not only serve as township administrator/clerk and solicitor for Woodland, respectively, but also Tabernacle – notes that “the compensation amount shall be increased annually in an amount equal to any percentage increase in salary provided as a raise and given to the Township of Woodland employees.”

Payments, the prospective agreement states, “shall be made in advance, in quarterly installments, beginning Aug. 1, 2023,” and “Woodland shall be responsible to reimburse Tabernacle for any and all increases in income withholding taxes and pension contributions incurred by Tabernacle as a result of the increased compensation paid to Tabernacle employees as a result of this agreement.”

It is added that “Woodland shall not be responsible for any other additional costs or compensation,” but that “Woodland shall pay the estimated income withholding taxes and pension contributions as part of the

B y D ouglas D. M elegari

Staff Writer

Photo By Andrew King

Code Enforcement Officer Tom Boyd, who has performed work for both Woodland and Tabernacle townships.

State to Evaluate Intersection of Route 70 and Sooy Place Road for Possible Traffic Signal, Upgrades After ‘Very Serious Accidents’ Township Adopts $8.8M Budget Calling for 1.9 Cent Tax Levy Increase

By D ouglas D. M elegari

Staff Writer

SOUTHAMPTON—A “couple of very serious accidents” of late, at the intersection of Sooy Place Road, Big Hill Road and Route 70, in Southampton Township, are reportedly prompting officials to look at the juncture for potential improvements.

Southampton Mayor Michael Mikulski revealed during a July 18 Southampton Township Committee session that a resident “has been in touch” with him about a “couple of very serious accidents” that have occurred at the intersection of late, and the state is “sending out a traffic engineer to look at the intersection to determine whether it is an appropriate place for either a traffic light or some other type of traffic control device.”

Currently, there is no traffic signal on Route 70 between LeisureTowne in Southampton and Lebanon Lakes in Woodland Township. All the intersections on that stretch of road are controlled by stop signs, with the exception of the Four Mile Circle, where Routes 70 and 72 come together with a few county roads, which is controlled by a mixture of stop and yield signs.

Southampton Township Administrator Kathleen D. Hoffman contended that if the state comes back with the recommendation that a traffic signal of some sort is needed at the intersection of Sooy Place Road and Route 70, “there is going to be a cost associated with that to the township,” maintaining that it would be because the municipality would have to pay for any engineering work and/or the installation of a light.

She noted that the township’s primary engineering firm, Alaimo Group Engineering, “had someone out there a while ago” and “made suggestions on cutting things back.”

“Some spots are tough to see for sure,” said Mikulski of the intersection.

In one crash earlier this summer at the intersection, a vehicle reportedly ended up in the woods and caught fire, and being that it was dry at the time, a brush fire occurred.

Hoffman noted it has “also been talked about adding a turn lane” at the intersection for motorists wishing to make a left turn off Route 70 onto Sooy Place Road. The current design of the intersection has motorists making a left turn from the lane of travel, which increases the chances of motorists being hit from behind while trying to make such a turn.

Also during the July 18 Southampton committee session, the governing body

passed the 2023 municipal budget, which calls for a 1.9 cent increase in the tax levy.

According to Southampton Committeeman Ronald Heston, budget liaison to the Southampton committee, “the amount of money we have to raise is $8,886,497 for the budget, of which $4,232,562.90 must be raised locally.”

The Pine Barrens Tribune previously published an extensive story on the municipal budget details, but Heston recapped during the July 18 meeting that the township is seeing significant increases in healthcare costs (rising by about $122,000), as well as in pension costs (rising by almost $52,000), in combination with rising fuel costs. At the same time, the township’s number of ratables has decreased since 2019 due to residents taking advantage of a Blue Acres Program (a state buy-out program for homes that are in flood-prone areas), as well as tax exemptions for 100 percent disabled veterans.

Southampton has also had to boost its reserve for uncollected taxes by $13,000 “even though we collect 98 percent of all taxes assessed in the township,” according to Heston.

“That is some of the reasons why we had to ask for a 1.9 cent tax levy increase in this year’s budget, which are to cover these extraordinary expenses,” Heston declared. “We all have our home budgets, which are faced with the exact same thing, only on a different scale. We minimized the tax levy increase to just under two cents.”

The “good news,” Heston asserted, is that “we have a cap limit set by the state as to how much we can raise property taxes to be able to cover the budget, and that amount is $5,724,305, or the “maximum we could increase the tax burden by,” but “instead the township committee, with the help of the administration, feels we can fund the 2023 budget using the local property portion of $4,230,000, which is a savings to the residents of approximately $1,493,000 that we could tax you by, but we are not, because we are running a very conservative municipality.”

Southampton Township Auditor Dave McNally, of Holt McNally & Associates, agreed the township has adopted a “conservative budget,” but noted it is “still paying down debt aggressively in this budget, as well as is putting money away for future capital gains, more than it has in the past.”

“Those are two positives,” he declared.

Shamong Limits Number of Coin-Drop Fundraisers at Intersection to Twelve Per Year and Also Sets Age Limit, Limit for Organizations

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

SHAMONG—Following concerns having been expressed that a widely-traveled intersection in Shamong Township was becoming a “nickel toll” or “quarter toll” of sorts due to a number of organizations holding coin-drop fundraisers there, the Shamong Township Committee has now acted to limit the number of events that can be held at the intersection each year, as well as have implemented an age limit for collectors and set restrictions on the number of such events organizations can hold there annually.

According to Township Solicitor Doug Heinold, an ordinance governing “charitable contributions at specified intersections” in the township, which passed during a July 11 committee session, “limits entities from holding no more than two events per year” at the intersection of Oakshade and Indian Mills roads and specifies that “no more than 12 events will occur at that intersection, per year.”

“Hopefully, this strikes the right balance, so that we have an ability for people to make these requests and hold these events, while also not overburdening residents who are using that intersection on a regular basis,” Heinold declared.

The ordinance also notes that the fourway stop intersection of Oakshade and Indian Mills roads is “designated as the approved intersection for the solicitation of charitable contributions” out of all the intersections that exist within the municipality.

Heinold explained that the township is still allowing for there to be fundraisers at this particular intersection, to some degree, because it is “designated as a four-way stop” intersection and “because of the fact there is good visibility there,” in addition to the fact that the “roads are aligned at 90-degree angles as opposed to other spots in town.”

Committeeman Chris Zehnder, in referring to the aforementioned limits, called them “practical.”

Heinold noted that “one other requirement” that has been placed on any coin-drop fundraising at the intersection is that “those participating in the coin drop must be over 18 years of age.”

As previously reported by this newspaper, the Indian Mills Pirette’s Softball Team, back in May, had turned in a request to hold a coin-drop fundraiser at the intersection, but it was tabled.

“The softball team agreed youth should not be at the intersection collecting coins,” Heinold said. “I think that (age restriction) addresses the concerns of the committee.”

Zehnder maintained it is “great” that the township is “limiting this to individuals 18 years or older” because “we all love children, and sometimes they do crazy things and don’t understand the consequences.” He described that by having children in the road collecting coins at the intersection, it can pose a “scary situation” and that in the past he has “seen kids goofing around on that road” and that one “doesn’t know what they are going to do.”

Overall, he said, the law “strikes a nice balance,” noting “all we see in the news is that pedestrian accidents are way up.”

Proposal to ‘Set Forth More Substantial Process’ for Obtaining Approvals to Demo Log Cabins in Medford Lakes Introduced, But Who Has Final Say is Question That Remains Unresolved Matter, Requires Additional Review

By D ouglas D. M elegari

Staff Writer

MEDFORD LAKES—A proposed ordinance that would “set forth a more substantial process” for property owners to obtain approvals to demolish existing log cabins in Medford Lakes Borough’s Historic District has now been formally introduced by Medford Lakes Borough Council, with there currently being two separate versions of the measure that differ in establishing who has the authority to grant any approvals.

According to the latest remarks on the draft measure by Borough Solicitor Doug Heinold, the borough’s existing demolition ordinance is “very short” and “doesn’t provide a lot of guidance as to the standards” that should be applied by the borough Planning Board when deciding any approval. The borough’s demolition ordinance, he declared, “could be a lot stronger.”

“This is acting on a request from the board, and the governing body has agreed that they wanted to see something that would set forth a more substantial process and really make it clear as to what is to be considered in the case of a demolition and the standards to be applied,” said Heinold during borough council’s July 12 session. “This has been researched, and also been brought to the Planner’s office of Alaimo Associates. They did a review of what has happened historically in terms of prior planning in Medford Lakes.”

The solicitor maintained the findings showed Medford Lakes “has a lot of good planning already in place,” including a prepared “list of recognized historic structures,” in addition to an existing Historic Preservation Commission.

DIRECTOR

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unanimously adding a resolution to the agenda, and then passing it 5-0 in a bipartisan fashion, “disapproving of the mayor’s decision to remove Nichole Pittman as the director of Recreation and Senior Services.”

A “determined” crowd of all age groups, blocs, and ethnicities, one that just wasn’t standing room-only, but extended well beyond the doors of the council chambers, erupted into applause and cheers as the vote concluded, all while Pittman’s initial reaction, upon hearing the verdict, embraced a senior citizen who came out to support her in her endeavor to keep her job.

Council’s decision, given that GOP Mayor Jack Tompkins’ 2022 Republican running mates Dan Dewey and Josh Ward joined together with the Democratic majority to oppose the mayor’s action to “remove Ms. Pittman from the position of the director of Recreation and Senior Services,” played out as had been exactly intended, according to a high-level Republican source: “to put him (the mayor) in his place.”

Tompkins, who simply looked on as the decision was handed down, but appeared to be increasingly tense, when later approached by this reporter for his reaction, said, “no comment … no comment.” He said nothing on the record during the proceedings.

As previously reported by this newspaper, the mayor’s action against Pittman, which came in the form of a July 13 letter to the director, was purportedly initiated in the wake of an ugly dispute that played out between the two at the township’s July 8 Water Carnival, one in which the mayor has been described by sources as having

“It is just a matter of amending the precise provisions,” Heinold maintained.

However, a “question that has come up” is which body will get to “make the ultimate determination” in granting an approval for a demolition: Should it be either the planning board or commission?

The ordinance, as currently drafted, “provides for a methodology where the Historic Preservation Commission makes the decision, and in the event that it denies a permit for a demolition, the applicant has the right to appeal it to the planning board.”

Another option circulated, Heinold revealed, is that the Historic Preservation Commission would simply give an advisory opinion on a demolition application, and that “everything gets sent to the planning board for a final determination.”

Either way, Heinold maintained, “is legally fine.”

“I think the thinking on the first methodology is that the Historic Preservation Commission is likely to be stricter than the board just because of the makeup of the board, and also because they are focused on historic preservation,” Heinold said. “So, by their voting to allow a demolition, I am not so sure it needs to go to the board. But if you wanted everything to ultimately go to the board, the second version is the way to go.”

It was said that both versions of the proposed ordinance would be taken to the commission and planning board to obtain their feedback on it.

“I think we should have the opportunity to review this more thoroughly and get our thoughts back to you,” responded Dr. Gary Miller, mayor of Medford Lakes, of borough council.

dropped the F-bomb during the course of, and resulted in the mayor later telling this reporter “there may have been a word used” and pointing to “freedom of speech” and the U.S. Constitution.

Resident Justine Miller, among those representing the local Girl Scout Troop, put it this way to officials: “How could someone, going above and beyond their job description, who has never been written up or spoken to, suddenly get terminated?”

(Tompkins, last week, indicated that a demotion was the potential action being taken, rather than an all-out termination.)

Miller was among nearly a half-dozen people, from all walks of life, who spoke favorably of Pittman as witnesses to her character during a more than half-hour long public comment period, prior to council convening a closed-door session to discuss the director’s position.

Miller contended that the “treatment of Nichole” was both “utterly despicable and unfair.”

“For 17 years, this woman has led the way for positive change for Pemberton Township,” she declared. “She has been the backbone to the awesome events and programs offered in this community. I have been here for 16 years, and over that time, I have attended countless community events arranged by Nichole. These events never disappoint. She has done her job – and done her job very well. Without her, I fear we would not have successful events any longer.”

Miller described that during the Coronavirus pandemic, when several normal gathering places for the Scouts were closed, Pittman was the “first person” to respond to a call for help, arranging for the Scouts to be able to meet at a firehouse in

See DIRECTOR/ Page 5

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the Country Lakes section of the township.

“Without her, we would not have been able to serve the young girls of this town,” Miller asserted. “The Girl Scouts and leaders of our community are here to stand with her today. We can only return the favor to offer her support for all the years she has supported us. She is an asset to the community.”

The first person to offer praise of Pittman and attest to her character was Paula Kosko, Pemberton’s first recreation director from 2002 to 2007. Both during that time and afterwards, Pittman, it was described, rose through the ranks of the department.

“For the 10 years Nichole and I worked together, she learned the details and responsibilities of the position of the director by being an integral part of the team,” Kosko said. “She is capable. She is a hard worker. She loves the Pemberton community and the people she works for. I assure you it is her privilege to serve the residents of Pemberton Township every single day. In the 10 years I worked with Nichole, there was not a single disciplinary action or performance concern when she was there. Her work ethic was on point. She is an asset to this township and has worked very hard through the department as the clerk, coordinator and now director.”

Sources previously told the Pine Barrens Tribune newspaper that the dispute at the carnival between Pittman and Tompkins unfolded after a thunderstorm had prompted Tompkins to order vendors setting up for the event to shelter indoors, and that the mayor would not allow anyone to shelter in their vehicles.

Upon the storm clearing, Tompkins, according to the sources, began directing vendors where to set up. But Pittman intervened, having already worked out those details, the sources said, contending Pittman is “very organized.” The dispute was, in part, over Pittman “not backing down to his desires” and unfolded simply because the “mayor didn’t like that she was not listening to him,” sources reported.

“As past director, I can attest the position comes with a great deal of responsibility, coordination, relationship building and stress,” Kosko told council, as Tompkins, sitting alongside Business Administrator Daniel Hornickel, looked on. “There are many challenges that come with running large scale events that the public does not know about or sees. It is extremely stressful with many, many moving parts. There needs to be a well-versed, well-followed order of decision making and chain of command, especially for the purpose of managing unexpected weather events. There must be collaborative decision making.”

Praise was also extended on Pittman by current Recreation Department employees, including Program Assistant Jen Deeds, who in pointing out that Pittman began serving in the director post a year-and-a-half ago, said, “just for that year and a half, all that she has initiated for our community has been outstanding.”

“I implore you to keep her with what she has been able to accomplish and what she can do for our future,” Deeds declared.

“This department and community need her as its director. The Rec Department is something that our community needs, but with Nicole as director.”

Pittman, seated in the back of council chambers amid her family and supporters, often appeared to be holding back tears as the accolades piled on, but especially when a quartet of young lifeguards described how she has changed their lives for the better.

One, named Evelyn, called it a “privilege” to not only work under Pittman’s leadership over the last two years, but even during the course of junior lifeguarding.

“Nichole is inspiring to me as a young girl,” she said. “I truly do look at her as a role model, wanting to help out our community as much as she has done. As someone who actually has a job in the Recreation Department, I have even more admiration for her. She is the ‘foundation of Pemberton.’ She puts more work into this community than anyone I know. I can wholeheartedly say she treats us like her own kids. It is her nurturing and caring nature that has made this lifeguard team turn into family. Our loyalty for Nichole in the Recreation Department is unwavering. Many of us

choose this (job) because of her, knowing that under her guidance, we can make a difference and save lives.”

Pittman, she added, “genuinely cares about her job and community, which is why she consistently goes above and beyond her duties

to make sure Pemberton Township thrives.” A second lifeguard, Mackenzie Scott, who is stationed at Mirror Lake Beach and is also a waterfront leader for the department, maintained “Nichole welcomed me with open

See DIRECTOR/ Page 11

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

Over 100 people listen intently as both youth and senior citizens describe why council should vote to overturn the Pemberton Township mayor’s decision to remove Nichole Pittman as director of Recreation.

SETTLEMENT

in Medford Township entailing purported land clearing that led to a 2018 lawsuit filed in Superior Court (the third of three complaints – the initial one having been filed back in 2015), with Medford Township also having been named a third-party defendant in the filing because of a charge that the municipality “was responsible for the wrongdoings” by one of the parties in the matter, has recently been settled.

Medford Township Council acted on June 20 to settle the lawsuit, an action that came with no public discussion by officials.

This newspaper first learned of the suits in reading through the settlement resolution that accompanied a June 20 council meeting agenda, and then subsequently requested and eventually obtained corresponding court paperwork from Township Solicitor Timothy Prime in the days that followed the meeting.

According to the public records obtained by this newspaper, Gregg and Eileen Parker are listed as plaintiffs in the 2018 suit, while Sander and Elizabeth Friedman are named as defendants in the action. Sander and Elizabeth Friedman, however, are also listed as third party plaintiffs in the suit, while Medford Township, Water’s Edge Environmental, LLC, and Michael Lucey are designated third-party defendants in the matter. That firm and its owner had been retained by the primary plaintiffs during the dispute and then issued two reports to the Pinelands Commission, which were ultimately disputed, court records indicate.

“Parker v. Friedman v. Medford Township was essentially a neighborhood dispute over many years,” Prime told this newspaper. “The Parkers sued the Freidmans alleging that the Friedmans had improperly cleared trees within the Pinelands Commission buffer on the property, causing damage to the Parkers’ property.

“The Freidman’s then sued the township, alleging that if there is any damage from improper clearing, it was done by the township as part of the township’s … maintenance of the township’s sanitary sewer manholes, which was not true.”

In providing the court filings (after two assistants in the township clerk’s office had initially claimed to this newspaper there were no such responsive records), Prime contended, “I really don’t believe there is any significant story here.”

The suit centers around what occurred in the aftermath of a July 12, 2004, flash flood, according to the documentation.

It is described in the suit that the flooding had damaged a number of trees in the area of the Rancocas Creek in Medford, “causing their roots to give way and the trees to fall,” and that “many of the fallen trees were washed into the Rancocas Creek and then downstream, gathering at an opening of a bridge of the creek in the vicinity of the plaintiffs’ and defendants’ properties.”

It is further maintained that the trees “further damaged the bridge, causing water levels on both sides of the bridge to rise even higher, causing additional trees to fall and be washed away.”

The suit contends that is when emergency crews accessed the defendants’ property to “remove downed trees from the area near the Rancocas Creek” and that “in the process, some areas, including areas on the defendants’ property, were cleared to accommodate the heavy equipment needed to accomplish the tasks.”

Later, according to the suit, the defendants’ reportedly granted Medford an easement so that the township “could raise its stormwater collection system manholes to render them safe from 1,000 yearflooding,” and ultimately, the township returned to the defendants’ property to

“raise the elevation of its manholes” so that they “would be above the highwater mark from the flooding.”

While the defendants’ had claimed in a filing that “the easement did not authorize the removal of trees or the clearing of any area within the Pinelands setbacks or wetlands buffers” and suggested the prior clearing work was done in response to an emergency declaration to allow for heavy equipment access to remediate the tree issues, the plaintiffs’ claimed the work violated the Environmental Rights Act, and that the Pinelands Protection Act and Medford Township ordinances were not enforced.

Back in 2015, according to the documentation, the Parkers had asserted that the defendants had “unlawfully cleared and removed debris” from a 100 foot buffer behind their home and took issue with “Medford officials not taking formal action against the defendants.” However, an initial complaint was dismissed.

Ultimately, there was a purported dispute over whether debris had been removed from the buffer area and who has the right to remove debris from the buffer. The defendants ended up answering a summons brought in municipal court, according to a court filing, but that was reportedly ultimately dismissed.

The matter was then reportedly brought to the Pinelands Commission.

That is when the defendants reportedly indicated to the commission “that any tree removal and alteration of the flora and fauna in the buffers was either the result of natural forces associated with the flood or the actions of Medford Township or the first responders, removing debris from the areas near the bridge or hardening the stormwater collection system.”

But the commission reportedly took the position “that the landowner was strictly liable for the actions of third parties.”

When the matter went before the Office of Administrative Law, the commission proposed a settlement, according to the court documents. It was ultimately agreed that if a restoration plan was submitted to the commission, a Notice of Violation from the commission, issued to the defendants, would be dropped. It is reported that the defendants ultimately accepted the settlement.

The Parkers, however, purportedly challenged the settlement in a second Superior Court complaint, all while a restoration plan was reportedly submitted to the commission in August 2016, and approved shortly thereafter.

The Friedmans were reported to have completed the restoration work in 2017, and the commission purportedly certified the work on July 27, 2017.

However, shortly thereafter, the Parkers are said to have hired a consultant, Michael Lucey, of Waters Edge Environmental, LLC, who ultimately filed a report with the commission, “asserting the certification of the restoration work to the commission on July 27, 2017, was false.”

The parties went back-and-forth over its findings, and it is said in one of the court filings that Lucey again filed a report with the Pinelands Commission “asserting that the defendants had still not complied with the restoration plan.” The defendants’ filing called Lucey’s report “false.”

Ultimately, “additional work was completed on the restoration plan throughout the spring and fall of 2018,” according to the filing, “causing the Pinelands to conclude that the plan had been complied with,” and, “as it had agreed to in the settlement with the defendants, the Notice of Violation had been resolved” from the Pinelands Commission’s standpoint.

Apparently, the Parkers disagreed with the position of the plan having been completed, and filed the third Superior Court complaint, on Nov. 30, 2018. The defendants

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Oliver was the first black woman to serve as speaker of the state General Assembly, and just the second black woman in the nation’s history to lead a house of a state legislature.

She was also the second-ever lieutenant governor of New Jersey, serving in the post since 2018 when her running mate, Democratic Governor Phil Murphy, was elected. Her election to the post meant that she was the first black woman to hold statewide elected office.

“It has taken, from our Independence in 1776, until this moment, for New Jersey to have a woman of color, serving in statewide elected office,” she said during a victory speech, while becoming emotional.

Oliver, born in Newark back in 1952, and who became a longtime resident of East Orange, where she has since resided for more than 40 years, was known to be very proud of her African American heritage.

“At the end of the day, I know I represent, as Langston Hughes wrote in a poem, ‘I do represent the hopes and the dreams of the slaves,” Oliver had declared. “And so, when older black adults, who may have lived through Jim Crow or segregation or never got the opportunity to get the education they wanted – when they see me, it is sort of fulfilling for them. Like yes, it is me, but they feel like they are a piece of me. And I find that extremely, emotionally humbling.”

U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), in calling Oliver “a trailblazer and dedicated public servant” and pointing out that she “made history as the first Black woman to serve as Assembly speaker and the first to win a statewide election in New Jersey,” declared, it is “because of her, young women all across our state know it is possible to reach new heights while also serving others.”

“My heart is heavy, and my condolences and prayers are with Lt. Governor Oliver’s family, friends, and the people of New Jersey as we grieve this immeasurable loss,” the senator from New Jersey added.

After having served as both a member of the East Orange Board of Education and the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders (now County Commissioners), Oliver, in 2003, was elected to serve the 34th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly. Then, in 2010, she was chosen as speaker of the Assembly.

At that time, according to her official state biography, Oliver became just the second African American woman in the nation’s history to lead a state legislative house.

In 2018, upon taking the oath of office for lieutenant governor, Oliver also began simultaneously serving as commissioner of the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA). It was there, according to the governor’s office, where she led efforts to “strengthen and expand initiatives for fair and affordable

housing, community revitalization, homelessness prevention, and local government services that support New Jersey’s 564 municipalities.”

Oliver was re-elected alongside Murphy to a second term as the state’s lieutenant governor in 2021.

“Lt. Governor Oliver’s legacy of service and devotion to the people of New Jersey will never be forgotten,” Booker said. “She spent 27 years in public office, where she fought tirelessly for social justice, affordable housing, and economic opportunity for New Jerseyans, and especially for communities too often left out and left without a voice. I was fortunate enough to have benefited from Sheila’s leadership and advocacy throughout my career as mayor of Newark, where she was born and raised, and again as U.S. Senator. I will miss her and her inspiring leadership and yet her legacy will live on for countless generations to come.”

Oliver’s last known public appearance in the Pine Barrens Tribune’s coverage area was back in February when she joined with Murphy in a visit to the Marlton headquarters of Lightup Your World to introduce a leadremediation and abatement program.

“Mayor Jackie Veasy and the members of Evesham Township Council offer their sincerest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver,” Evesham Township wrote in a statement.

“Her passing marks the loss of a true advocate for the citizens of New Jersey and a pioneer who continued to break new ground throughout her long and storied career in public service. Lt. Governor Oliver was the first African American woman to hold statewide office in New Jersey, and she has created a legacy for many to follow. Mayor Veasy and council ask that all residents join them in keeping Lt. Governor Oliver’s loved ones in your thoughts and prayers at this time.”

Oliver’s visit to Evesham was one of the rare occasions where the state’s two top Democratic leaders were joined by members of the local 8th District Republican delegation.

“We are profoundly sad to hear of the passing of Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver,” the delegation wrote in a statement. “The lieutenant governor blazed a trail in Trenton for women and minorities through her tireless work ethic. Days like this, it is very important to put partisan politics aside and respect the life of a fighter for the people of New Jersey.”

Prior to that Evesham visit, Murphy and Oliver joined with Third Congressional District Rep. Andy Kim in April 2022, visiting Moorestown to announce a $335 million Affordable Housing Protection Fund.

“We are devastated by the loss of Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver and hold her family close in our hearts,” the congressman said in a statement. “We were so lucky to have her as a voice and tireless leader for our New Jersey communities. She will forever be remembered for her inspiring service for New Jersey.”

Murphy was expected to arrive back in the state on Aug. 3, cutting short a vacation in Italy. The governor’s office advised the press that Murphy would be visiting with the Oliver family, privately, on Thursday after signing an order to lower flags across the state at half-staff in her honor.

“When I selected her to be my running mate in 2017, Lt. Governor Oliver was already a trailblazer in every sense of the word,” said Murphy in a statement announcing her death. “She had already made history as the first black woman to serve as speaker of the General Assembly, and just the second black woman in the nation’s history to lead a house of a state legislature. I knew then that her decades of public service made her the ideal partner for me to lead the State of New Jersey. It was the best decision I ever made.

“In the five and a half years that we served together in office, in addition to her responsibilities as lieutenant governor, Sheila led the Department of Community

Affairs, handling some of the most challenging issues facing our state, including the revitalization of our cities, affordable housing obligations, and homelessness prevention. As someone who was born and raised in Newark, and who has called East Orange home for more than 40 years, Sheila did not view these issues in the abstract because she lived with them every day of her life. She brought a unique and invaluable perspective to our public policy discourse and served as an inspiration to millions of women and girls everywhere, especially young women of color.

“Beyond all of that, she was an incredibly genuine and kind person whose friendship and partnership will be irreplaceable. We ask that you all keep the Oliver family and all those who knew and loved her in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

Oliver ended the 2020 Black History Month video by declaring, “I am, without question, a New Jersey girl.”

Photo By the Governor’s Office Democratic Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, during her last known public appearance in our coverage area, back in February, joined by Democratic Governor Phil Murphy, at the Marlton headquarters of Lightup Your World, to announce a statewide lead initiative.

Police-Community Partnership

Scenes from the Evesham, Medford and Pemberton township’s 2023 National Night Out events held on Aug. 1. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. National Night Out is designed to enhance the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community.

Photos By Andrew King

SETTLEMENT

(Continued from Page 6)

subsequently filed a counterclaim.

Amid the feuding, there was also a charge that one of the parties had “previously discharged their chlorinated pool water into the Rancocas Creek” and that a “pool deck violated the Pinelands setbacks.”

The township’s settlement resolution summarizes the litigation by stating it “involves disputes between the Parkers and the Friedmans as it relates to alleged impermissible activities each party claims the other causes to occur on their respective properties” and “in response to certain claims brought forth by the Parkers against the Friedmans, the Friedmans, in turn, brought forth claims against the township alleging that the township was responsible for the wrongdoings alleged by the Parkers.”

It then notes that “court-mandated mediation” between the parties occurred on May 16 of this year and “as a result of such mediation, the parties were able to negotiate

PROPOSAL

quarterly payment.”

There is also this stipulation in the prospective agreement: “the compensation due hereunder is expressly conditioned upon the general level of construction activities and demand for related inspections in Woodland not exceeding levels experienced in Woodland during the two year-period preceding the term of this agreement.”

The prospective agreement specifies “Tabernacle is hereby designated primary employer” and “officials and inspectors and staff are employees of Tabernacle.”

What hasn’t yet been addressed is what will become of Woodland’s shared service agreement with Pemberton Borough for Boyd’s fire and plumbing subcode services, for which, according to the 2022 Woodland salary resolution, he earns an extra $10,000 annually.

The appearance of the prospective agreement on the Woodland July 26 committee agenda led to renewed Woodland resident complaints and questions about code enforcement issues in town, and Boyd’s responsiveness to resident queries, as well as time and attendance recordkeeping processes for the posts.

“I understand that the State of New Jersey is happy with that,” said Resident Terry Sheerin of the prospective shared services agreement. “But every time I requested that individual’s records and activity reports, I get, ‘There are no responsive records.’ … He is either not doing something, or not logging it in or not doing what he is supposed to do.”

Sheerin, on a couple of occasions on July 26, suggested that Boyd be paid “per diem” instead of the township “fully sharing services.”

“When he comes down here and works, let him log in and (that way) you know where he is and what he is doing,” Sheerin declared. “Because, if you look at the town right now, we have some issues, up on Route 72, and with the Hedger House, and Woodshed. There are some things going on that I think the code enforcement officer could have nipped in the bud had he been here. But the fact that I keep getting ‘no responsive records’ and ‘no existing records’ – that is troublesome. Either he is not keeping records, nobody is making sure he is keeping records, or he is just not doing it.”

Brown, when time and attendance recordkeeping for Boyd was raised back in 2019, contended there is no requirement that Boyd maintain a log.

a mutually agreeable settlement of all claims subject of the litigation, including, but not limited to, the dismissal of all claims against the township with prejudice.”

It is further contended in the settlement resolution that “the Parkers and Friedmans further agreed to release the township from and against any and all past, present and future actions, claims, demands, causes of action (including all causes of action in tort), losses, damages, fees, penalties, fines, interest, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) of any and every kind of character, whether known, unknown, fixed, contingent, accrued, unaccrued, matured or unmatured, arising from, relating to, or connected in any way with the litigation.”

“Our office defended the township and provided proof in depositions and interrogatories that established, in our opinion, that the township had no liability in this matter, but the matter never went to trial,” Prime told this newspaper. “Eventually, the parties settled among themselves. The township did not admit any liability or pay any money or damages as a result of litigation.”

According to the prospective shared services agreement, while “Tabernacle shall maintain an office,” all “inspection records and business dealings pertaining to Woodland shall be maintained and conducted in Woodland.”

The construction official, it continues, “shall maintain hours of at least one hour per week at an office to be provided by Woodland,” with the “dates and times to be determined from time-to-time by the parties.”

As for “hours of service” to be provided by Boyd in Woodland, the agreement stipulates “services of the officials and inspectors and staff shall be provided during hours outside the regular business hours conducted within Tabernacle, except for the scheduling of inspections, which will be scheduled on an as needed basis.”

“Why isn’t the code enforcer required to be at meetings – Tom Boyd – to answer questions residents have for him?” asked Woodland resident Lisa Sabatini, who has, since the fall, called for code enforcement actions to be taken in the Lebanon Lakes section of Woodland, where she lives, and last month quipped that there are issues just not limited to there, but that exist throughout the entire town.

Woodland Mayor William “Billy” DeGroff replied that when Boyd “is in his office” Sabatini “can speak to him at that time,” causing Sabatini to retort, “you just disregarded my question!”

Initially, DeGroff responded that he “didn’t know of any meeting” Boyd attended previously, and then he expressed concern that it could “turn into a real wild” session should he make an appearance before the public.

“He may give an answer you may not agree with, and we are not going to be going back and forth,” DeGroff said. “If you have a question with Mr. Boyd, contact his office.”

That led Sabatini to quip, “he will never respond,” causing DeGroff to assert, “Tell us – I’d like to know if he doesn’t respond … I am serious.”

Sabatini put her query another way to the mayor: “If you guys are required to be here, why is he not required to be here?”

“Taxpayers have questions for him, directly, that you guys are not able to answer,” she declared.

DeGroff reiterated that one should “call his office,” which prompted Sabatini to press the mayor some more, asking, “You, as the mayor of the township, are not demanding he be here?”

The answer given by DeGroff was “no,” he is not going to present such a demand

/ Page 11

to Boyd, and that he is also not “going to argue back-and-forth” with Sabatini.

“My advice is to contact his office if you have a question,” DeGroff said. “If he doesn’t respond, let Maryalice, or myself, know.”

Sabatini, however, retorted that “you don’t respond either, sorry,” and it is “why I had to show up here.”

Boyd, effective Aug. 1, added another position under his belt. The Tabernacle committee, on July 31, following a closed session, accepted the resignation of Electrical Inspector Ed Micelli, and then voted to make Boyd Tabernacle’s “subcode official and township electrical inspector at $9,369 annually.” Burns pointed out during that session that Micelli also received $9,369 a year while in the post.

Previously, during a June 14 Woodland committee meeting, Brown announced “letters have gone out to all properties in Lebanon Lakes advising them of complaints we received … and that in 30 days code enforcement will be going through the neighborhood and issuing violations if their property is not up to the ordinance.”

“In regard to the Lebanon Lakes July 14 inspections, I didn’t see anything,” Sabatini declared. “Nobody else saw anything. Was this just to shake somebody up, scare them and hope it would be done?”

Sabatini received no answer.

As previously reported by this newspaper, Sabatini has also inquired multiple times about 115 Maple Drive, or what Brown previously recognized as an abandoned duplex. Officials ultimately sent out notices of violation, and then, in March, as Sabatini continued to inquire about the parcel, the Woodland committee met behind closed doors, according to executive session meeting minutes, and asked township staff to “send out a final violation letter” with it reportedly decided “if there is no response, take the owner to Superior Court and obtain a court order to demo.”

Brown, during the June 14 Woodland committee meeting, said that Township Solicitor William Burns “will be filing the paperwork for Superior Court.” When Sabatini asked what that means, Brown replied, “we are taking him to court to order him to demolish the property.”

On July 26, Brown, in giving an update since the last meeting, reported, “115 – we are working on getting that filed in court,” with Burns maintaining the complaint is scheduled to be filed in August, or possibly as late as September.

Burns added that in addition to his work to address the “unsafe structure,” he is “still moving forward with respect to two other land use issues” and “trying to find resolutions to those as well.”

DIRECTOR

(Continued from Page 5)

arms since day one” and “genuinely cares about her job and community, which is why she consistently goes above and beyond her duties to make sure Pemberton Township thrives.” Pittman appeared to become most emotional, however, as she listened to what a young lady by the name of Illissa Forman, another lifeguard, had to say about her impact.

“Nichole has changed me for the better,” the lifeguard said. “Since knowing her, I’ve gained more confidence, self-awareness and I am now sure of myself. During my first year of lifeguarding, I was shy and self-conscious. Nichole told me I needed to work on making calls and being louder. She encouraged me to be sure of myself in the coming season. I have applied it (these skills) at work, outside of the gates of Mirror Lake. She has given me a voice.”

The fourth lifeguard, who has worked for the township in that capacity for four years now, Robert Midura, described Pittman as

a “major asset” and that “losing her would be detrimental to this community.”

“She is one of the most kind, caring, dedicated and compassionate individuals who puts 110 percent into the job,” he declared. “Since Nichole has taken over, there has been drastic improvements. She cares about feedback not only from employees, but the community members. The seasonal staff are more prepared to respond to an emergency.”

He then asserted, “Nichole Pittman has brought back what I remember Pemberton to be: a proud and loving community.”

Also attesting to Pittman bringing about drastic improvements, only on the other side of the spectrum, were Vicky Adams (readers may recognize her as an outspoken grandmother turned Pemberton Board of Education member) and Ebba Liguori (whom readers may recall at one time wrote columns about Pemberton senior citizen activities and trips, as well as the township’s Senior Center activities, prior to COVID).

Adams, in her day job, works for the township Senior Services, and her duties include serving as a bus driver.

“I started in 2018 under the former director, and during that time, I never felt appreciated, ideas were swept under the rug, and there was always conflict and nothing would happen,” she said. “When Nichole took over the position, my job became so much fun. The first thing she said is, ‘I am going to listen to you. We are going to help each other out like a team.’ I feel like part of that team now, whereas before, I always

See DIRECTOR/ Page 12

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

A crowd that came to support Nichole Pittman, head of the Pemberton Township Recreation Department and municipal Senior Services, extended well beyond council chambers on July 31.

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

Pemberton Township Senior Services Director Nichole Pittman thanks and greets supporters.

felt like an outsider.”

One of the ideas that Adams said was previously cast aside until Pittman became the head of Senior Services was offering bus trips for seniors to places like Historic Smithville and the Columbus Farmer’s Market. Now, she said, “we’ve been to Smithville and go to Columbus once a month.”

“We go to different things,” she said. “We went to the Sheriff’s Senior Expo. And these people so appreciate it.”

Liguori, a resident of Pemberton since 1975, declared of Pittman, “she works with the youth very well, but in addition she works with seniors exceedingly well.”

“It is important to have somebody who has both of these talents,” she contended. “Because the seniors are like little kids in a way (which provided for a light moment in an otherwise situation) and Nichole knows how to work with them. She comes into the center and makes everyone feel warm and welcomed. There were some people who didn’t come that often, but now that Nichole is there, she really has encouraged participation.”

A big advantage of having Pittman in charge, Liguori emphasized, is “people feel

“I really feel Nichole is a gift to the Senior Center and a gift to young people,” Liguori added. “The young people in this town deserve to have someone like Nichole in charge of the programs. Kids need extra help sometimes and Nichole is there to see it get accomplished. I recommend her very, very highly, for her to be continuing in her positions as both director of

Some of the most pointed words of the evening, which were directed at Tompkins,

came from the youth that work for the Recreation Department.

And their remarks appeared to reveal a possible undercurrent to what has unfolded, related to the township administration having put out a press release a couple weeks ago threatening to shut down Mirror Lake Beach due to purported unruly juvenile behavior.

The lifeguard named Evelyn, in mentioning the Mirror Lake situation, described that “Nichole, (Recreation Leader) Kenny (Willitts) and Jen (Deeds) were the only ones that ensured our safety from the start,” adding “it is sad the township didn’t do anything about us lifeguards being catcalled, followed home and much more.”

“Nichole is the one who stood up for us,” she declared. “She stood up, took the initiative, and got the township involved. Furthermore, it deeply troubles me that the mayor made this decision to fire Nichole. Nichole has been an advocate for us, and our lifeguarding team, in the face of a challenging situation.”

The lifeguard, in emphasizing her point, quipped “it should mean something that a 17-year-old girl is telling you there is no chance Pemberton will be the same without her.”

Apparently, Tompkins had handed out “challenge coins” to some of the youth a few weeks back, with Forman bringing hers and laying it on the podium.

“If it wasn’t for Nichole, we would not have stood up at that meeting and spoken about the things that were happening to me and my fellow employees,” she said. “I can assure you many of us lifeguards who were working, were followed home, threatened, and even sexualized. And her advocacy is the reason why kids don’t harass us anymore, and she is the reason we are fully open and staffed.”

She called the action the mayor took against Pittman “immensely unfair,” before repeating that “Nichole encouraged me to use

my voice” and that she will now “advocate for her until the very end” by using it.

Scott was blunter, however, who declared, “this is directed at our mayor,” before excoriating him for taking an action against Pittman.

“A few weeks ago, at our meeting, when you proposed to shut down Mirror Lake Beach

and to move us to other locations to essentially run away from our misbehaving juveniles, I told you it was the stupidest idea anyone can think of,” she asserted. “Respectfully, I think you have managed to top that. Firing Nichole is just not your stupidest idea yet, it

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

Pemberton Township Republican Mayor Jack Tompkins’ reaction to learning that Pemberton Township Council, in a bi-partisan and unanimous decision, overturned his action to remove Nichole Pittman from her director position.

LEGAL NOTICES

PUBLIC AUCTIONS

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Household appliances. Televisions, furniture, etc. for disposal or transport. Garage and yard cleanups along with lawn cutting and gutter cleaning. Free estimates. Call or Text Bob at 1-609-880-3789.

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Experienced certified home health aide. Companion and caregiver. References available. Call or text Cindy 609-227-9873.

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Summer cleanups, lawn cutting, and gutter cleaning. Shrub pruning and some tree work, along with hauling. Free estimates=reasonable rates. Call or Text Bob at 1-609-880-3789.

READER ADVISORY

* Reader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the above classifieds with an asterisk. Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it is illegal to request any money before delivering its service. All funds are based in U.S. dollars. Toll free numbers may or may not reach Canada.

TABERNACLE TOWNSHIP

NOTICE OF SALE OF VARIOUS REAL ESTATE PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT BY PUBLIC AUCTION

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:12-13, the Township of Tabernacle (“Township”) is the record owner of properties and equipment listed below. The Township has determined that the properties and equipment are not needed for public use and has authorized the sale of the Properties and equipment at public auction.

The public auction will be conducted by GovDeals, an online public auction site for the sale of governmental, educational and related entities surplus assets to the public.

Interested parties must register with GovDeals and may submit bids at https://www.govdeals.com/tabernaclenjre

Bids may be submitted, and the on-line auction will commence on Monday, August 21, 2023 and will continue until Thursday, October 12, 2023 per the online listing. The Township reserves the right to adjourn or cancel the sale.

PROPERTIES:

6. The sale of the Property shall be subject to other terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations contained in the Agreement of Sale, a copy of which is on the GovDeals auction site, and in the Tabernacle Township Clerks office.

7. The successful Bidder will be required to execute the Agreement of Sale and pay the required Ten Percent (10%) deposit to Tabernacle Township within forty-eight hours and prior to the date that Purchaser’s bid is accepted by Resolution adopted by the Tabernacle Township Committee. The $5,000 or $1000 bid fee will be applied on account of the required 10% deposit for the successful bidder. The successful bidder shall properly execute the Contract in the signature spaces at the end. Failure to execute the contract properly shall not affect the obligation of the successful bidder or the validity of the sale.

8. As set forth in the Agreement of Sale, the closing of title to the Property must take place within thirty (30) days from the date of the adoption of the Resolution by the Township Committee accepting the bid of the successful Bidder. In the event that the successful bidder shall fail to make settlement prior to thirty (30) days from the date that the bid is accepted, the deposit shall be forfeited as liquidated damages.

There will be two “open houses” when interested parties may inspect 81 Hawkin Road:

Friday, September 22, 2023, from 1 to 4 pm

Thursday, October 12, 2023, from 1 to 4 pm

ALL PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT ARE SOLD “AS IS”.

9. The Property is being sold in as “AS IS” “WHERE IS” conditions. Likewise, no representations are made as to the topographic condition of the Properties. The Properties are being sold subject to existing encumbrances, liens, easements, zoning ordinances, other restrictions of record, such facts as an accurate survey would reveal and any present or future assessments for the construction of improvements benefiting the Properties. The successful bidder is responsible for conducting any and all inspections and testing of the Properties at its own cost and expense, including but not limited to a survey. No representation is made by the Township as to the utility, usability, or environmental condition of the Properties, except as otherwise set forth herein.

10. As set forth in the Agreement of Sale, the governing body makes no warranties or representations of any kind or any manner concerning the title or condition of the property and building. No title contingencies or conditions are permitted. Title will be conveyed by Quitclaim Deed, to be recorded by the Township after closing. See the Agreement of Sale for all additional terms and conditions of sale.

11. The successful bidder shall also be responsible for an administrative fee in the amount of ONE PERCENT (1%) of the winning bid, which will be added to the winning bid. The Township will provide a settlement statement with the total amount due from the successful bidder prior to closing.

BID FEE: a bid fee of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) is required in order to place a bid on 81 Hawkin Rd in this auction. A bid fee of One Thousand Dollar ($1,000) is required in order to place a bid on remaining properties and equipment in this auction The bid fee will be fully refunded if the Bidder does not win the auction. The bid fee shall be applied to the 10% deposit required by the successful Bidder at the time that the agreement of sale is signed.

AUCTION SOLD FEE: In addition to the purchase price to the Township, the successful bidder shall pay the GovDeals auction sold fee of FIVE PER CENT (5%) of the purchase price.

ADMINISTRATIVE FEE: In addition to the purchase price, the successful bidder shall pay a ONE PERCENT (1%) administrative fee to the Township for preparation of the deed, closing statement and recording fees.

TERMS OF SALE: The sale will be in accordance with the following terms and conditions and all bids must comply with the following requirements:

1. The Property will be sold subject to Federal State and Municipal Laws and Regulations, including applicable ordinances, easements, conditions, restrictions and rightsof-way of record and such facts as an accurate survey may disclose.

2. The minimum bid is listed for each property. No bid less than the minimum will be accepted by the Township. The highest bid in excess of the minimum bid price may be accepted by the Township.

3. Any party intending to bid shall be required to register at https://www.govdeals.com/tabernaclenjre and pay the Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) bid deposit for 81 Hawkin or the One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) for remaining property and equipment.

4. Anyone registering on behalf of a corporation or limited liability company must either submit a copy of a resolution of the corporation / company or a letter on corporate stationery, signed by an officer of the corporation, authorizing the bidder to bid on the property on the corporation’s behalf at the time of registration. A person bidding on behalf of a partnership or using a trade name must submit a copy of the certificate of trade name and a letter of authorization from the other partners at the time of registration.

5. The Township Committee does hereby reserve the right to reject any and all bids received, or to withdraw this offer to sell

12. The Township does not guarantee the construction of any road, water or sewer line, curb, gutter, sidewalk, drainage facility or other improvement on, at or near the property that is sold.

13. By submitting a bid, bidder certifies that bidder has not, directly or indirectly, entered into any agreement, discussions, or participated in any collusion or otherwise taken any action in restraint of free, competitive bidding for the above property.

14. By submitting a bid, Bidder certifies that Bidder has read and understood all of the conditions herein and agrees to same. Bidder further certifies that Bidder has had the opportunity to review all of the terms and conditions of the Agreement of, with an attorney of Bidders choosing, if desired, and agrees to same.

EXHIBITS:

This notice, along with copies of the Agreement of Sale, is on file with the Tabernacle Township Clerk, 163 Carranza Rd, Tabernacle, NJ 08088 and may be reviewed during regular business hours, and on the GovDeals auction site.

It is suggested and recommended that potential bidders perform title searches and/or last owner and lien searches on the property prior to the date of their bid submission in order that the potential bidder may be adequately apprised of any encumbrances or restrictions of record affecting the use and enjoyment of the Properties. It is further suggested and recommended that potential bidders exercise due diligence with respect to every statement of facts, including open permits, local fines, penalties, taxes, assessments, etc., which may not be of record, but which may nonetheless affect the use and enjoyment of the Properties. The Township of Tabernacle shall not be responsible for the costs associated with such searches in the event that the Township is unable to convey title and/or if a bid is rejected.

The Township has compiled this Notice to benefit prospective Bidders. To the best of the Township’s knowledge, the information contained in this Notice is accurate. The Township and any of its officials, officers, employees, assigns, designees, agents or contractors shall not assume any liability for inaccuracies and respectfully instructs all interested parties to independently verify this information. Maryalice Brown, RMC

Clerk/Administrator

DIRECTOR

(Continued from Page 12)

is a disservice to our community!”

The youth, however, were not alone in condemning Tompkins. The older adults in the room had some pointed words for the mayor as well, taking him to task for his reportedly having used an untoward word in an exchange with Pittman, in addition to his later defense given to the Pine Barrens Tribune, pointing to his military background, and contending he has the right to “freedom of speech,” has a “constitutional right” and that “while some people may hold it against me,” or his choice of using a word, “I don’t see it in the Constitution where certain words, you are not allowed to say it.”

Resident Patrick Moran, who said he and his family came to know Pittman as “the face of the township” with her having been the first to welcome them to the community, called “how she was talked to,” based on the reports and hearsay, “disgusting.”

“I manage 300 employees and I can’t talk to my employees like that,” he said. “I can’t imagine talking like that in the middle of an event. This is one of the best departments I have ever been involved in, and it is a disgrace if you fire her … it is absolutely disgusting. … It is insulting to the families involved in everything.”

Satisfied that all that needed to be stated about Pittman was said, the final public commentor of the evening, William Lange, declared, “What I want to address is the purported language that was used.”

“Whether it is free speech or not, that sort of language should not be used when you are addressing an employee,” Lange asserted. “I feel that person, who supposedly used that language, owes Nichole an apology, and also, every man, woman, and child of this town. He did not set any type of good example. And maybe council should censor him, if they have that ability, for using that type of language in a public forum.”

Lange received loud applause from the crowd. Tompkins did not publicly address the crowd at any point during the meeting. At the start of the council session, Bayer asserted, “I am advising council, the mayor and business administrator – we should not be discussing this matter publicly. Certainly, the public has the right to express their opinions, but council should not respond to any comments, and there should be no back and forth, given we are here for a personnel matter.”

Initially, when the council convened its closed session in a conference room next door to council chambers, it met alone for about 20 minutes with Bayer.

Then, the door opened, and Bayer summoned Pittman and her lawyer, R. Armen McOmber, a civil trial attorney

from Monmouth County, who has a history of successfully handling high-profile employment rights and discrimination cases, to the conference room.

After Pittman and McOmber exited the conference room nearly a half-hour later, Tompkins and Hornickel were summoned by Bayer to speak privately with council (the members of the administration were initially excluded from the executive session).

Traditionally, when governing bodies convene closed sessions, particularly of length, the public leaves, with perhaps the exception of a few people. But notably, this time around, most of the public stayed, conversing in various parts of council chambers and in the hallway. One woman told this newspaper those who gathered were “determined” to support Pittman and wanted to see that she stays in her position.

Upon returning to the dais, Democratic Council President Donovan Gardner made a motion “adding” a resolution to the agenda, “disapproving of the mayor’s decision to remove Nichole Pittman as the director of Recreation and Senior Services.” After the item was added to the agenda in a bi-partisan fashion, the vote occurred, with it also being bi-partisan and unanimous, and it noted in the resolution “removal of a department head becomes legally effective in 20 days unless the council adopts a resolution by a two-thirds vote,” meaning Pittman stays at her post.

The crowd erupted with loud applause and cheers, while Pittman immediately embraced a senior citizen supporter sitting to her left. One particular clause in the resolution that Gardner appeared to emphasize in reading it aloud, states, “the parties are strongly encouraged to work together in the future in a professional and courteous manner.”

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari Pemberton Township Recreation Director Nichole Pittman appears to hold back tears as a lifeguard describes that the director helped give her a voice that has carried her to this moment.