Pine Barrens Tribune March 23, 2024-April 5, 2024

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

WOODLAND—Outgoing New Jersey Forest Fire (NJFFS) Chief Greg McLaughlin passed the “torch literally and figuratively” to William Donnelly during a March 21 ceremony held at Coyle Field in Woodland Township, with Donnelly becoming only the agency’s 15th chief since the state forest fire service was established back on July 4, 1906.

There was a lot of irony on this particular day chosen for Donnelly’s swearing in (part of it planned, part of it not), with the state seeing its first Red Flag Warning (or fire weather warning) activation of the forest fire season as he took the oath of office at Coyle Field, which, as McLaughlin noted, was named after Col. Leonidas Coyle, who served as state firewarden from 1923 to 1937 and “was the impetus behind using aircraft for firefighters.”

“In total, since 1906, there have been 14 state firewardens,” said McLaughlin, who became the 14th state firewarden back in 2018. “Bill will be the 15th state

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

Outgoing New Jersey Forest Fire Service Chief Greg McLaughlin (right) passes the “torch literally and figuratively” to William

(left), who

15th chief since the state forest fire service’s 1906 inception.

ShopRite Partners In Caring Raises Record $1.56M to Fight Hunger with ShopRite of Medford Lauded for Raising $18K Toward Program Store’s 21st-Place Ranking Among More than 300 ShopRite Stores Earns Two Store Associates, Both Medford Residents, Spots on Cheerios Boxes and Enables $2,500 Donation to St. Mary’s Society of St. Vincent de Paul

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

MEDFORD—The ShopRite of Medford has done it again – for the 24th year, the store is the recipient of an honorary Cheerios box to display instore, signifying that the store team and its community partners have continued to serve as community “hunger fighters,” with the Medford store having raised $18,076 within the past year for Partners In Caring (PIC), the charitable arm of ShopRite cooperative Wakefern Food Corp.

The store’s 21st-place ranking among more than 300 ShopRite stores also earned it the honor of nominating two team members, Annie Dackis and Val Idell, both residents of Medford, to be featured on special edition boxes of Cheerios, in addition to being able to direct a grant to a Medford-based food pantry.

“Somebody once told me a long time ago that you can’t have passion without having compassion,” said James Cranmer, store director of ShopRite of Medford, one of 11 supermarkets operated collectively by Zallie Family Markets, with the Zallie family-owned locations having raised a total of $80,536 this past year for PIC.

“Zallie Family Markets has great passion for what we do. You can’t have that without having real compassion. And to be here, part of this organization, with what they do and bring to the community, it is great, as it is something that not every company does.”

According to Steven Hildner, director of corporate social responsibility at Wakefern Food Corp., a “record” $1.56 million was raised this past year by ShopRite stores for PIC, and the Medford store has earned a Cheerios box in each year of the program for its part in the cause.

“The ShopRite Partners In Caring program provides funds and grants to our local food bank partners, those who lead the charge in the fight against hunger,” Hildner said. “Beneficiaries range from massive food bank hubs like Feeding America and the Food Bank of South Jersey, to local food pantries, soup kitchens and everything in between. Despite having faced massive demand challenges over the last several years, local food pantries have never wavered in their mission to serve regular people, sometimes experiencing hardship for the very first time.

Pemberton Residents Caught by Surprise to Learn of $400K Shortfall for Solid Waste as Administration Proposes Utility and Rate Increases

First Attempt to Create Solid Waste Utility Leads to Tumultuous Council Meeting After Business Administrator Initially Suggests It Would Better Prepare Township to Bring Trash Collection In-house, a Possibility that Caused Utility Proposal to Die

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

PEMBERTON—It was a revelation from Pemberton Township Business Administrator Daniel Hornickel that caused a resident attending a March 6 Council session here to blurt out, “Can you say that again?!” and left others in attendance with her appearing simply flat-footed, as well as a Republican councilman.

According to Hornickel, “in 2023, there was a deficit of $400,000 in collections versus expenses” for solid waste, and because of that, the business administrator asked council to authorize on March 6 the creation of a “Solid Waste utility,” via an ordinance, so, as Democratic Council President Paul Detrick put it, “that shortfall becomes a utility fund debt and not a general township debt.”

Otherwise, the business administrator repeatedly pointed out when faced with loud objections, there is a “gaping hole” that will have to be closed in the municipality’s general fund budget for 2024 with use of taxpayer dollars, including from businesses that have their own private collections (in Pemberton, residents pay a

separate solid waste bill, and collections are not reflected in municipal taxes).

“If, right now, we are only collecting money for trash, and if everybody is paying their trash bill, how did we get a $400,000 deficit?” asked Republican Councilman Dan Dewey.

Hornickel answered that question by explaining that “over the course of time,” the township’s present contracted-waste hauler, Seaside Waste, “increased” the cost of service, but that “the revenue rate has not changed in a number of years.”

“And the amount of trash that is actually being dumped at the county landfill has changed on account of COVID,” continued Hornickel in responding to the question. “Now, people are buying more at home and disposing of more at home. So, the average, (tipping fees) preCovid, was between $800,000 and $850,000 for disposal, and it is now $1,050,000 to $1,100,000 for disposal.”

The Coronavirus pandemic and associated lockdowns commenced four years ago this week.

“Why, if this happened four years ago,

By Bill B onvie Staff Writer

PEMBERTON—Whether the owner of a tract off Magnolia Road in Pemberton Township who apparently arranged for the unauthorized dumping of soil from other locales at the property early last month will now be compelled to remove it and remediate the site remained uncertain this past week, despite the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) having declared the operation to be in violation of both the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act and Flood Hazard Area Control Act regulations.

According to a March 13 email to this newspaper from NJDEP Press Director Larry Hajna to which was attached the “Notice of Violation,” or NOV, sent to the current owner of the land involved, “the DEP is in discussions with the responsible party to remove the soil containing construction and demolition materials that was illegally disposed (of) at the property.” But while the NOV orders the owner of the site to submit a “restoration plan” within 10 days of receiving it, that notice also contains a potential escape clause of sorts that could conceivably allow the illegally dumped soil to remain

where it currently is.

Any such end run around the regulations, however, may well depend on whether or not the fill deposited there from various sites in Essex and Union counties without official authorization harbors anything deemed potentially harmful to surrounding wetlands and groundwater.

And although the NJDEP has informed the Pine Barrens Tribune that it does not, that claim turns out to have resulted from nothing more than a visual appraisal that three area environmentalists all concur has no real validity.

The NOV emailed on March 8 to the owner of record, identified as Zero Magnolia, LLC, of 4432 Mitchell St., Philadelphia, calls for a restoration plan to be implemented within 10 days of its receipt consisting of five “corrective actions” to be submitted to the Bureau of Coastal Land Use.

Those “corrective actions” include removal of all fill material in accordance with guidance provided by the NJDEP’s Solid Waste Enforcement, the providing of notification to the agency of the location to which such material will be transported, stipulating that it shall not be in any other land use regulated areas without prior permit approvals,

“stabilization and re-vegetation measures for all restoration areas,” and a schedule for commencement and completion of the work involved

But the NOV then spells out a possible alternative course of action, preceded by the word “OR,” that allows the owner “to attempt to legalize the activities identified in this Notice,” which began on the morning of Feb. 11 and wasn’t ordered halted until two days later, when a line of tri-axle dump trucks were seen depositing what was described as dozens of loads of dark soil for the purpose of widening and regrading an access road onto the property.

Should the latter course of action be pursued with the NJDEP’s Division of Land Resource Protection, a “permit review” would ultimately determine whether it should be approved, partially approved, or denied, with the stipulation that “any regulated activity that does not receive permit approval must be restored.”

When asked by a reporter for this newspaper whether that soil had been found to contain anything of a toxic nature, Larry Hajna, press director for the NJDEP, replied via email on March 13 that it was “considered non-hazardous,”

an evaluation that might well influence the outcome of any such review.

However, in response to a request the following day that this newspaper be provided with a copy of the soil analysis the agency used in arriving at that determination, Hajna revealed that “it is based on visual observation,” adding, “The NJDEP’s experience with the type of debris observed is that this is typically non-hazardous.”

That assertion, when conveyed to representatives of area environmental organizations, left them somewhat aghast, with Emile DeVito, manager of science and stewardship for the New Jersey Conservation Foundation that owns the Ong’s Hat Preserve adjacent to the property involved, saying he was “flabbergasted” by the disclosure that the NJDEP had not required testing, and declaring that he would be seeking to meet with NJDEP officials and insist that an actual soil analysis be performed.

“That is frightening, and a disservice to the public, if that’s what they do around the state of New Jersey is to just take someone’s word for it,” responded DeVito when told of the NJDEP’s statement. “As upstream and downstream land adjacent landowners, we’re going to demand that the soil there be tested. We want to know both the origins and the composition of that soil.”

DeVito further contended that in New Jersey, when such material is transported, there has to be some sort of manifest or documentation of its origin, who is transporting it, how much of it there is and its intended destination.

The problem with the soil deposited at that location, he noted, “is that there were so many different haulers involved.”

“We don’t know how long it was going on or how many different sites (of origin) there are, so how can anybody just look at it and say it doesn’t seem to be of concern?”

DeVito asked. “They don’t know what was dumped first or where it all came from. Where is the paperwork?”

On one previous occasion when hazardous material was found to have been dumped on property belonging to the foundation, he added, it wasn’t immediately apparent because “they had covered it up with clean stuff, and you actually had to dig down to get to the hazardous part.”

An aerial view of a bulldozer spreading soil on a wetlands property off Magnolia Road in Pemberton Township.

Damaged Drainage Pipes in Center of Bass River to Be Repaired Shortly, But Aren’t to Blame for Recent Flooding Woes, Says NJDOT Spokesperson Disclosure Should

By Bill B onvie Staff Writer

End Confusion Over Whether Complaints Will Get Attention

BASS RIVER—Repairs to a damaged drainage system underneath Route 9 in the heart of the Village of New Gretna in Bass River Township are expected to begin in “the next month or so” and to be completed by this coming summer or early fall, the Pine Barrens Tribune has been informed by a representative of the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT).

Getting information on whether that increasingly concerning infrastructure issue would be addressed and, if so, when and by whom has proven to be a source of considerable frustration for local officials and residents over the past few months, as indicated by comments made by some of them at the last meeting of the Bass River Board of Commissioners on March 4.

Responding to inquiries made by this newspaper following the meeting, Elizabeth Galamba, public information officer in the NJDOT Communications Office, emailed a reporter on March 15 that her agency is currently preparing to replace the two damaged, corrugated metal pipes with reinforced concrete ones that are “more durable and longer lasting.”

A video survey of the drainage pipes done on Feb.22 after the Route 9 drainage system was cleaned out by the NJDOT, she said, revealed that the two pipes located underneath Route 9 “were damaged but had not collapsed” as some had apparently feared.

evident during the board meeting when Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope reported she had been using the NJDEP as a sort of liaison in attempting to get results from the NJDOT, rather than contacting the latter agency directly, “because they’re the ones that have to (issue) the permits to do things.”

But she also noted that she had been informed “investigators were out there, checked it out, and said that everything was fine.”

The mayor’s remarks came about during a discussion of the difficulties that those living along or in the vicinity of Route 9 were encountering in getting the periodic flooding problem addressed, which was precipitated by Deputy Mayor Louis Bourguignon’s likewise alleging that the NJDOT had been saying “everything’s fine” when it obviously wasn’t.

“I was out there with the guy to clean the storm drains and he said the problem is some of the pipes are collapsed,” Bourguignon maintained.

This evoked comments from several residents about their frustration in getting through to anyone regarding the flooding. Bert Courtney, for example, wanted to know, “Who do you contact?”

“You call the state, forget it,” he contended.

The drainage system video surveys, Galamba noted, were performed along the entire length of the roadway beginning last year in keeping with a federal requirement for states to inspect drainage systems and replace damaged structures “in a proactive attempt to maintain our transportation infrastructure in a state of good repair.”

Despite complaints about adjacent homes and yards having been flooded during recent rainstorms, however, the NJDOT spokeswoman maintained that the damage to the drainage pipes had been determined not to have been the cause of that “because water is able to flow through the pipes uninterrupted.”

In her email, Galamba claimed that “additional investigations will take place to determine the cause of flooding in this area.”

The repair work to the drainage system, she added, “will be a part of the $7.7 million state-funded maintenance project that will restore stormwater facilities in various locations across Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.”

Galamba further contended that “NJDOT did not directly receive complaints about flooding by residents, businesses, or local officials,” but had rather been made aware of these concerns earlier in the week by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).

The apparent reason for that became

A neighbor of his, Josh Collins, then indicated he had gotten a similar response when he contacted the NJDOT to find out if they were going to fix the crushed pipe in front of Allen’s Clam Bar, only to be told, “No shot in hell,” as he put it.

“We’ve gotten six-and-a-half feet of water on the shoulder there, and another two feet into my driveway,” Collins complained.

That in turn prompted neighborhood resident Howard Rothchild to ask the commissioners, “How do you contact these people?”

“I want them to come out physically, and I want to show them what the problem is,” declared Rothchild, causing the mayor to respond, “I’ll call the NJDEP back, and maybe we can get them back down again. But they’re telling her (her contact person at the NJDEP) that nothing’s wrong.”

Commissioner Nicholas Capriglione then posed another question: “Can we hire our own engineer and have him look at it and if he finds something wrong pass the bill on to them?”

But Buzby-Cope replied that she doubted the township would be reimbursed for taking such an action.

Not all the news discussed at the meeting dealt with complaints and sources of annoyance, however.

One positive note was what Bourguignon called the “good news” about a “newer, kinder JIF,” referring to the Burlington County Municipal Joint Insurance Fund, which he said would now be reimbursing the township for new municipal employee safety equipment to the tune of around $8,000.

“I am real happy about that,”

HUNGER

(C

“Over the last few years, our food banks have received more praise and love than they ever have in the history of the program, and they have been around for decades.” As noted by Hildner, “an opportunity to go on the Cheerios box is a very coveted thing.” He asked ceremony attendees to “think about the tens of thousands of ShopRite associates who have come through these doors,” before noting that “only 1,600 have been on the box.”

“And it is your turn to be on one of those,” he told Dackis and Idell.

Idell has been with Zallie Family Markets for 35 years, is in her second year with the Medford store, and according to store officials, one way she contributed to this year’s PIC drive was by regularly picking up pretzels that store guests bought, with donations

going toward the program.

Idell, currently floral manager of ShopRite of Medford, also decorated the store with flowers and balloons for that event and other PIC fundraisers.

“I like helping others,” Idell, a Medford resident of five years, later told this newspaper. “I feel honored to be honored.”

Dackis, who moved to Medford in the early 90s, is a cashier who has been employed by Zallie Family Markets for the last three years. She took ownership of the pretzels sales, store officials noted, placing orders, managing sales stations, and lining up other volunteers. Cranmer praised Dackis for always having a smile on her face, noting “that cheer really spreads to other team members.”

“I feel very honored, and it was my pleasure to participate in Partners In Caring,” said Dackis in an interview with this newspaper, noting she has had a “personal experience struggling, wondering where my next meal would

come from.”

Lavinia Awosanya, chief development officer of the Food Bank of South Jersey, noted during the ceremony that the ShopRite team, that is “just incredible,” as well as its shoppers and customers, “made it possible for us to provide food to approximately 170,000 people just last year.”

“That is a lot of people,” she said. “The number is staggering. But I encourage everyone to see the faces behind the number. Mothers, fathers and people who are just like us, but struggling to make ends meet. We want them to know they can always turn to the Food Bank of South Jersey, and our pantries, located all across Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties. If anyone is in need of food, they can get food from the Food Bank of South Jersey.”

Throughout the year, ShopRite of Medford holds various events to raise awareness and funds to combat hunger –including a Stamp Out Hunger 5k in the beginning of each September, with the event coming into its 10th year, according to Renee Zallie, co-owner of Zallie Family Markets and a Medford resident.

Zallie noted that the 5k has “become a very big fundraiser” and that the funds raised through the event “have gotten higher” with each passing year. She revealed that over $51,000 was raised

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

Pictured from left to right are ShopRite of Medford Associate Annie Dackis, Medford Police Lt. Jeffery Samalonis, Medford Police Lt. James D’averso, ShopRite of Medford Store Director James Cranmer, Medford Police Captain William Dunleavy, Medford Police Chief Arthur “Art” Waterman, and ShopRite of Medford Floral Manager Val Idell.

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari ShopRite associate Val Idell is presented with one of the special edition Cheerios boxes that features two ShopRite of Medford associates, including herself, for their efforts in supporting ShopRite’s Partners In Caring program.

ontinued from Page 2)

Evesham Council Authorizes $100,000 State DCA Grant Application It Hopes Will Fund New Pickleball Courts Once Suitable Site Found ‘First Step’ in Bringing Back Venue for Sport Welcomed by Local Enthusiasts

By Bill B onvie Staff Writer

EVESHAM—A resolution authorizing the Township of Evesham to apply for a grant of approximately $100,000 from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to support the completion of a “potential pickleball court” at a yet-tobe-determined location was unanimously approved by the township council at its March 13 meeting, giving local enthusiasts of the increasingly popular sport new hope that they may once again find a venue for it in Evesham.

The municipality’s failure to replace the pickleball courts at Brush Hollow Park that were closed last year, purportedly over safety concerns, although they had also aroused the ire of neighbors who complained about the noise and lifestyle disruption they created, has been a source of somewhat sour feelings expressed at council meetings ever since.

One of the individuals who has been at the forefront of the demand for new pickleball facilities, and who had reportedly met with officials about the grant application prior to the meeting, noted that while applying for the funds was a “step” toward getting new courts and that “there is no guarantee that we’ll get that amount or any amount,” said he was nonetheless “glad we’re doing this” and thanked the council for its efforts.

Even more enthusiastic about the prospect of getting the grant was local resident Joan Sobocinski, who told the council members that she was “thrilled with your commitment and your agenda item,” and that “on behalf of everyone who is interested in our community and playing pickleball, we really thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Sobocinski also maintained that she and other pickleball enthusiasts were open to forming a volunteer committee to help promote the effort, pointing out that “pickleball is friendlier to the body than most other sports,” can be played by people of all ages and is a “family-friendly” activity, as well as one that is adaptive and available to those confined to wheelchairs.

The success of the municipally owned Indian Spring Golf Course, she added, is an “exact example” of residents “supporting something to help the community.”

A report on the golf course was later given by Acting Director of Golf Andrew Pierson, who noted that it was his “first time meeting a lot of you,” with the longtime spokesman for Indian Spring, golf pro and Director of Operations Curtis Kirkpatrick, having left at the end of January to take a job as head pro of Medford Lakes Country Club.

Pierson assured the council that both the golf course and the driving range were “operating very strongly,” contending that on that particular evening, “I don’t think you could find a parking spot at either, and we have multiple (places for) parking.”

The operation’s main focus, according to Pierson, “has been on improving drainage throughout the golf course,” as well as erosion control and “upgrading our

teeing grounds, which is the first shot for all the players.”

“I would say our goal is to be visually pleasing, but also on my end to make the course playable for everybody,” Pierson declared. “We put a big focus on improving the quality of the product at the driving range,” which he said, “we’ve had some complaints in the past about.” But the patrons, he said, “have taken notice and they are starting to definitely be happy with that and we’re looking forward to a successful season.”

Mayor Jacklyn “Jackie” Veasy responded to Pierson’s report by saying she is “hoping the golf course is as successful as it has been the last couple of years.”

In other business, the township introduced an ordinance to set up four newly designated stop-sign intersections in the Barton Run neighborhood. The proposal, according to Township Engineer Tim Staszewski, is intended to address concerns expressed by residents about the lack of such signage at “minor intersections” where it is not legally required.

“In review, we thought we could support the installation of stop signs just to make the residents more at ease to know they are supposed to stop,” he said.

The proposed ordinance was created based on an inspection of the intersections involved by Remington & Vernick Engineers, which determined they “meet the requirements for the placement of stop signs,” which are intended to “improve the general health and welfare of the township by creating safer roadways.”

Another unanimously approved measure was a resolution opposing a reduction in state school funding and urging the governor, New Jersey state legislators in Districts 7 and 8, and state budget committee chairs to preserve and maintain the level of school funding for the Evesham Township School District and Lenape Regional High School District.

The proposed reduction, according to Veasy, will result in a loss for the Lenape Regional District of over $4 million in this upcoming budget cycle, an amount “significantly more than what they had been anticipating.” The district, she added, “did reach out and ask us to help advocate on their behalf with their state legislators.”

During a public comment session, a note of caution about a proposal to convert a longstanding nature trail in Black Run Preserve that was once a road, into an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)-friendly trail was raised by Cherry Hill Township resident Mike Kaliss, who expressed concern about the remoteness of the proposed location, which has already been the subject of a presentation to the Pinelands Commission.

Kaliss pointed out that the 4,640foot crushed gravel-path now under consideration, complete with a 35foot span connecting the west side and Tomlinson Hill side of the preserve, sounds “wonderful,” but from a safety perspective, could be disastrous to anyone whose wheelchair or motorized scooter breaks

PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP BAGGED LEAF COLLECTION

Bagged leaves and pine needles must be placed at the edge of the road between Saturday and 6:00AM of the first collection date in your area. Please note that if you set your bags at the road prior to Saturday you may be subject to a local fine

Grass and trash must NOT be mixed in with leaves and pine needles. Please place your bags along the edge of the road upside down, with the tied end facing down. This will help prevent rain from leaking into the bags

Each bag shall weigh 30 lbs or less. We will not collect bags that exceed 30 lbs

Once the leaf collection crew has been through your area, they will not be authorized to return to your area for leaf collection

If you miss the collection period in your area, you may deliver your leaves and pine needles to the Public Works Yard

2024 COLLECTION DATES

LEAVES MUST BE CURBSIDE FIRST DAY OF COLLECTION IN YOUR AREA .

AREA 1 – BEGINNING APRIL 2

Pemberton Township Municipal Building west to Route 206, Fort Dix Boundary to Magnolia Road. This area includes Lake Valley Acres, Oak Pines, Rottau Village, Birmingham, Sunbury Village and Johnson Court

AREA 2 – BEGINNING APRIL 8

East side of East Lakeshore Drive to North Whitesbogs Road. This area includes east side of East Lakeshore Dr., Hanover Boulevard, North Lakeshore Dr., South Lakeshore Drive and Ridge Rd

AREA 3 – BEGINNING APRIL 15

Juliustown Road east to west side of East Lakeshore Drive. This area includes Juliustown Rd., Trenton Rd., Pemberton Blvd., Evergreen Blvd., Clubhouse Rd. to Broadway, West Lakeshore Drive, and west side of East Lakeshore Drive

AREA 4 – BEGINNING APRIL 22

Lakehurst Road (from Junction Road to Route 70) and Country Lakes.

AREA 5 – BEGINNING APRIL 29

Pemberton Township Municipal Building east to Juliustown Road. This area includes Lakehurst Road (from Juliustown Road to Junction Road), Blueberry Manor, Oak Ridge Estates, Rancocas Lane, Junction Road, Ridgeview Avenue, Mt. Misery Road, Springfield Road, Four Mile Road, and New Lisbon Area

AREA 6 – BEGINNING MAY 6

HUNGER

through last year’s function alone, with a portion having gone to PIC, in addition to the Food Bank of South Jersey and Cathedral Kitchen.

Some of the funds, she noted, were also used to purchase Thanksgiving meals to feed over 400 families.

Medford Township firefighters, police officers and councilmembers play a huge role in the planning and participation of these initiatives organized by the store team, Zallie also pointed out, crediting, for instance, not only council, but Captain William Dunleavy, of the Medford Township Police Department,

for “helping us like nobody’s business.”

The department’s command staff and officers also traditionally participate in the store’s Bag Hunger campaign, in which local dignitaries bag groceries for a day to help raise funds and awareness in the “fight against hunger.”

All four of the department’s commanding officers, including Chief Arthur “Art” Waterman, were present for the March 14 ceremony honoring the store’s efforts.

“Everybody in the store that is behind this, and outside the store that has contributed to this, you should all really be proud of yourselves to know that you are the essence of being good citizens,” Cranmer said.

Cranmer called it “just really a good feeling” to “see everyone here get together

and get behind something that is so important to the community.”

“And everybody in the store that is behind this, and outside the store that has contributed to this, you should all really be proud of yourselves to know that you are the essence of being good citizens,” Cranmer said.

Hildner, in announcing ShopRite of Medford as “the winner of the Cheerios challenge,” pointed out that the “ShopRite here in Medford earns a special extra reward for their favorite local beneficiary.”

“This year, they selected the Saint Mary of the Lakes Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Jim Quigley (the head of the society) to receive that special contribution,” declared Hildner, noting that typically the reward to be bestowed to a beneficiary is $500, but that since

PIC is approaching its 25th anniversary and the program took in a record $1.56 million this past year, St. Vincent de Paul will receive $2,500, or what amounts to the surplus beyond what is averaged each and every year.

Quigley, in noting that the “Zallies and ShopRite have always helped” the society, asserted upon being presented with a $2,500 check that the contribution couldn’t have come at a better time when “inflation has disproportionately impacted more and more people,” who are turning to the organization for help in “putting food on the table.”

Hildner noted that “our food banks and stores never backed down to the challenges and the adversities that faced them” during the recent Coronavirus pandemic and that “they represent the very best of our community and society.”

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari ShopRite associates Val Idell and Annie Dackis stand beside their portraits that will be displayed on special edition Cheerios boxes honoring their hunger fighting efforts through Partners In Caring, as well as with their

4 EASTER CELEBRATION ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH YOUR CHILDREN

Easter is the perfect time to make memories with family and organize entertaining outings with your children. Are you looking for original ideas to keep your little ones occupied? Here are some playful at-home activities or outing ideas to celebrate Easter in a fun and creative way.

1. Have a sweet treat tasting

Organize a trip to a chocolate shop or a sugar shack in your area. Or, if you prefer to stay home, taste various chocolate treats or have specialty maple products delivered to your doorstep. Let the whole family enjoy it!

2. Create a mini farm

Transform your play area into an Easter mini farm with a few simple crafts. For example, you could have your kids make farm animals, like chickens, rabbits and sheep from recycled materials. Stimulate the imagination of your young artists!

3. Visit a petting zoo

Visit a local farm or petting zoo for a delightful

day amongst animals.

Many petting zoos offer special Easter activities, like wagon rides and egg hunts. This is a fun and educational way to spend time with your family during Easter weekend.

4. Make greeting cards

Get the whole family involved in making personalized Easter cards using colored paper, stickers and other crafting materials. These cards can then be mailed or delivered to your loved ones to convey your sincerest Easter wishes.

Make this Easter memorable thanks to these delightful and accessible activities ideas for the whole family!

ORGANIZE AN EASTER EGG HUNT YOU WON’T FORGET!

Easter is fast approaching, and what better way to celebrate this joyful holiday than by planning an unforgettable Easter egg hunt for your children? Follow these tips to create magical memories your little ones won’t forget!

Themed egg hunt

Give your egg hunt a theme to make it even more exciting. Whether it’s pirates, princesses or farm animals, the experience will surely capture your children’s imagination.

Clues and riddles

Increase the intrigue by incorporating clues and riddles. Engage your children in a playful adventure where they must solve mysteries to discover the location of the hidden eggs.

Personalized eggs

Customize Easter eggs based on your children’s interests. Paint them with their favorite colors and add stickers or funny written messages to make the hunt extra unique.

Hunting zones

Establish different hunting zones in your yard or inside the house. Each space can have its own theme, riddles or clues, offering a varied and engaging experience.

Decorated baskets

Build anticipation by providing each child with a lovely basket. Decorate them according to the theme of the egg hunt for an even more immersive experience.

Treasure map

Draw a treasure map of the inside or outside of your house. Your children can follow the path and discover the fun obstacles you’ve prepared for them.

This year, get ready to experience an Easter egg hunt like no other as you watch your little adventurers marvel at the surprises in store!

CARROT CUPCAKES

DO YOU HAVE CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN?

LET THEM DECORATE THE CUPCAKES HOWEVER THEY LIKE. THEY’LL LOVE THIS

WHO DOESN’T LOVE CUPCAKES?

THIS EASTER, MAKE THIS IRRESISTIBLE RECIPE TO TREAT YOUR GUESTS.

Ingredients

Servings: 12

For the cupcakes

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup vegetable oil (e.g. canola)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup white sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 large room temperature eggs

1 ½ cups peeled and grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)

For the frosting

1 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Insert cupcake liners into a 12-count tin.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. This includes the

flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.

4. In a large bowl, combine the oil, vanilla, white sugar and brown sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each incorporation.

5. Using a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Gradually add the grated carrots and mix well.

6. Using a large ladle, divide the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin cups (each should be twothirds full).

7. Bake for 25 minutes. Check the doneness by sticking a toothpick into the center of one cupcake. It should come out dry. Let the cupcakes cool completely.

8. While the cupcakes are cooling, whisk together the mascarpone cheese, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl.

9. In another bowl, whip the heavy cream with a whisk or hand mixer until stiff peaks form.

10. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. Frost the cupcakes and decorate them with chocolates or nuts.

Easter Worship

All

Easter Worship

Lord, "Make me an instrument of your ; where there is hatred, let me sow ; where there injury, ; where there is doubt, ; where there is despair, ; where there is darkness, ; where there is sadness, ."

Love Pardon Faith Hope Light

Joy

– Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi Peace

CREATE UNIQUE EASTER DECOR WITH THESE COLORFUL IDEAS!

During Easter, family and friends come together to celebrate renewal and the beauty of life. To make this event even more memorable this year, why not add a festive flair to your interior decor? Here are some ideas that will help beautify your home for the occasion.

Spring-themed centerpiece

Craft a thematic centerpiece using nature-inspired elements. Arrange decorative branches, colorful eggs and spring flowers in a vase to add a splash of color to your dining room.

Easter wreath

Make a unique Easter wreath to decorate your front door. Use seasonal flowers, colorful ribbons and animal figurines, such as chicks or rabbits, to create a wreath that’s as original as it is welcoming.

Table accessories

Adorn your table with accessories featuring Easter symbols, such as flowers, animals, chocolates, and eggs. Consider putting out seasonal versions of your tablecloth, napkins, doilies and napkin rings. The possibilities are endless!

String lights

Hang delicate string lights around your fireplace, along the staircase railing or on your windowsill to create a warm and enchanting atmosphere.

Decorative eggs

Decorate eggs to add an Easter touch to your decor. Whether you use real chicken eggs or ones made of wood, cardboard or plastic, these festive symbols are sure to add a pop of color to your home. From artistic painting to thematic arrangements, you can let your creativity — and that of your children — run wild!

Easter tree

Set up a beautiful Easter tree in your entryway, on a table or as the centerpiece of your living room. Have fun decorating it with pastelcolored ornaments, family photos or other beautiful objects you feel represent you.

Visit your local home decor or accessory stores to find everything you need to create the Easter oasis of your dreams.

Easter Story

OLIVIA & THOMAS’S PAJAMA DAY

By Johannie Dufour and Sarah Beauregard

Translated by Jasmine Heesaker

This morning, Olivia is overjoyed. Her cousin Thomas is coming to spend Easter with her! And he’ll be sleeping over! They plan on going on an Easter egg hunt, having a picnic in the backyard, blowing giant bubbles and drawing with sidewalk chalk in the playground. It’s going to be great!

Impatiently, Oliva waits by the window for her cousin to arrive. When she finally sees the car, she hears a HUGE clap of thunder, and it starts to rain very hard. Thomas grabs his backpack, hugs his dad and runs to the front door.

Olivia hurries to open it for him, but he still gets soaking wet. His rain jacket drips onto the carpet as he removes it, trying not to get his clothes wet.

“Hi,” says Olivia with a sigh. “The day’s ruined.”

“Hello! Yeah, it’s a bummer. We can’t do anything anymore,” replies Thomas.

“Yes, it’s too bad there’s a storm,” says Olivia’s mother as she joins them. “Here, this will certainly cheer you up,” she adds, handing each of them a gift bag.

Curious, the children sit on the floor and look inside their gift bags.

“Ha ha, this is fun!” exclaims Olivia as she discovers a pair of bunny pajamas. “Oh, and very soft,” she adds, rubbing them against her cheek.

“Hey, we could have a pajama day!” exclaims Thomas, waving a pair of chick pajamas.

“Oh yes!” replies Olivia. “Thanks, Mom, for the lovely surprise!”

With smiles on their faces, they go and change. Suddenly, they’ve got lots of ideas for things to do!

First, they play an Easter board game and make up a few riddles that have them rolling with laughter.

After dinner, they do some arts and crafts and decorate Easter eggs. Then, together with Olivia’s mom, they make chick-shaped chocolates. Yummy!

In the evening, they watch a funny Easter movie while eating chocolatecovered popcorn.

“It was the best Easter in the world,”

says Olivia as they go to bed.

“Yes, it was really fun!” answers Thomas.

Happy and exhausted, the children wish each other a good night. They both dream of their beautiful day together. In the end, the storm didn’t manage to spoil it!

PIPES

(Continued from Page 5)

Bourguignon declared. “You’re going to see a lot of differences in our future dealings with JIF.”

GRANT

(Continued from Page 7)

down, possibly leaving them literally “screaming in the wilderness.” In addition, he maintained, part of the proposed trail will either need to be filled in or covered by a boardwalk, and a number of trees would have to be cut down to accommodate it at one location.

A safer, more efficient, less costly and less environmentally destructive approach, he suggested, might be to

INCREASES

didn’t we increase the trash fees every year?” Dewey asked. “We are providing a service, and if it goes up, people have to pay. I don’t understand how you could let it go to the point that we get a $400,000 deficit!”

Hornickel’s response was simply, “That is what happened.” He has been the business administrator of the township now for four years, under both a Democratic administration, and now a Republican one.

Dewey, along with Republican Councilman Joshua Ward, as well as current GOP Mayor Jack Tompkins, were swept into office during a November 2022 election, with the election of Dewey and Ward shrinking the Democrat’s majority on the council, 3-2.

During the latter years of Democrats maintaining absolute control on council, Democrat Gaye Burton served as council president. Burton ultimately lost her seat to one of the current GOP councilmen.

Ultimately, during the March 6 session, she addressed the question that had been posed by Dewey.

“I can share comments that, probably, we should have been asking for more money, but weren’t,” Burton said. “I think we were just trying to keep the taxes down.”

While Burton added she doesn’t “know for sure,” she recalled that another “part of the reason” for not raising the rates on residents to compensate for the difference was that the then-council was “hoping to do what we are doing tonight,” or creating a utility.

“I don’t know if it is going to pass, but I agree with it,” she said.

But the “elephant in the room,” as Ward put it, is why wasn’t the utility created four years ago, when the shortfall apparently became known? Hornickel called it a “good question.”

The business administrator maintained that the question of creating a utility was first “broached” with the chief financial officer who was in place when he first came to the township, but contended that individual “wasn’t motivated to work with us on it.”

Then, he maintained, an interim chief

Also helping the township stay afloat financially, the mayor reported, is its finally having completed the 12-year process of foreclosing on some 141 old property liens, some of them dating back to the 1960s, which has not only permitted many of those sites to be sold, but done

either utilize an already existing five-tosix-foot-wide road known as Bog Sand Road, or alternately, a former Municipal Utilities Authority road with great views and greater accessibility, located near a dedicated parking area and a kiosk.

In response, Community Development Director Kevin Rijs, whom Kaliss called on to rethink the plan, when asked for his report, spoke at length about the “multistep process” involved, now about halfway complete, planning by various groups and volunteers, including the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, the “significant

financial officer replaced that person, but creating a utility amounted to “more work for her to do than she had time to do it.”

“We didn’t have the opportunity to work with her,” he said. “Now, we have a CFO who has the capability and time to get this established properly. We didn’t have the benefit of having our annual financial statements done last February. They didn’t get done. So, we had no opportunity to even analyze it.”

And the Solid Waste shortfall, Hornickel awknowledged, is a “problem that has now blossomed.”

Hornickel, during the March 6 session, said there are a “couple reasons” he is proposing the creation of a Solid Waste utility.

The “first reason” he cited is that it would enable the township to “finance” the cost of purchasing trash trucks through the utility, and “not through the general fund and tax rate,” in the event “we decide to move it (trash collection) in-house.”

In discussing the “second reason,” the business administrator explained, “we want to be able to build up a surplus for a rainy-day fund, and we can’t do that right now, because everything just goes into the general fund.”

And in highlighting the final reason, Hornickel revealed that “eventually we are going to have an increase in the Solid Waste fund, and if we do not introduce an ordinance to increase the Solid Waste fees, then instead of being $400,000 in the hole for 2023, we are going to be $800,000 in the hole, which means it will have to be made up for in the tax rate, and businesses that don’t get the service will be paying for that.”

“We have to start by creating a Solid Waste utility and begin to fund it in order to build it up to eventually bring it (collection services) in-house,” Hornickel asserted.

But the prospect that the township might move towards bringing trash collection in-house, and that this ordinance could potentially set the stage for that (though Hornickel ultimately passionately and repeatedly maintained the Solid Waste utility creation ordinance would not make a decision on moving ahead with bringing collection in-house), led to a tumultuous, nearly hour-long exchange between council, residents and the business administrator.

away with the obligation to pay county and school taxes on them.

All that remains, she noted, are three new liens and two “brown sites,” contaminated locations that need to be cleaned up, such as that of a former service station and a house next door to it, where

amount of mapping” that had already taken place, and the stewardship grant the township had already gotten for the site from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. But while inviting Kaliss to attend one of the Environmental Commission meetings where the proposal would be discussed, he did not directly address the alternate suggestions he made.

Councilwoman Heather Cooper, however, did.

“Kevin, can I please ask that the areas the gentleman proposed are mapped out

At one point, Township Solicitor Andrew “Andy” Bayer acknowledged the proceedings had simply become “out of control.”

Things first took a fiery turn when Dewey, in noting that the township currently only collects the fees for trash collection and had privatized the actual collection of solid waste, asked, “What does the future look like?”

“If we get this ordinance approved, are we going to buy trash trucks and takeover trash ourselves?” Dewey further inquired.

“That would be what we are studying,” Hornickel answered. “We believe that we could ….”

Dewey shot back, “I don’t think you can!” It led to the business administrator offering a stern, “OK!”

“I am just telling you!” said Dewey in exchanging further words with Hornickel, maintaining that it would be cost prohibitive because of the “price of trucks” and the requirement that any drivers have Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs). “The outfit you have now, it (a repair) is on them! You blow an engine (if it is taken in-house), it is on you!”

Hornickel snapped back, however, “That can happen with any vehicle we have!”, adding, “We can’t be afraid of what ‘might’ happen!”

Dewey retorted, “Well, you should, because your worker’s comp cases are going to go up with these guys slinging trash, and you got to have equipment and it costs a lot of money!”

“What are you going to save?” the Republican councilman asked the business administrator. “The dumping fees are never going to go down because it is controlled by the county. It is cheap to pick up trash, it is the county that is ripping us off!”

Dewey went on to accuse the county of engaging in “extortion” and called on the business administrator to instead get together with other municipal leaders from around the county and “approach and talk to them” about the situation.

“It doesn’t hurt to ask,” Dewey declared. “Going into the trash business is not the right way to handle it!”

The exchange between Dewey and Hornickel led Resident Harry Harper to take to the mic, and he declared, in part, “I think you are jumping into this thing way too soon.”

the NJDEP has planted poplar trees that “suck the oil out of the ground” and which has been attempting to get grants for from environmental groups.

If anyone is interested in purchasing those properties, she added, they are now listed online.

for the next commission meeting, so we can take a look?” Cooper said.

Asserting that “accessibility is something we want,” Cooper noted that “the former MUA road has been talked about quite a bit in different variations,” and that perhaps the Pinelands Commission could now “take a look at what’s being suggested,” adding “and I know that Steve (Water Outreach Specialist Stephen Elliott) from the PPA attends our meetings, so he can get that back (to them) as well.”

Rijs indicated he would do so, saying, “Yes, I have the mapping.”

“It needs to be studied,” he further declared, recalling that at a preceding council meeting, it was decided by the governing body to create an Ad Hoc Committee to review the feasibility of taking trash collection in-house.

“To pass an ordinance like this is putting the cart way before the horse,” Harper declared. “Your committee hasn’t had time to figure it out.”

Ward, who appeared to be charged with spearheading the committee, acknowledged during the March 6 session that while he has made a call or two to gather potentially interested volunteers for the committee, it has not yet held a meeting.

Local farmer Pat Giberson, in concurring with Dewey, maintained “we know where our costs are at right now with the trash pickup,” given the township just signed a three-year deal with Seaside for trash hauling, but that the “tipping fees are still the thousand-pound gorilla in the room.”

“I don’t know how we think doing another utility is going to change anything,” he maintained. “Now, you are going to have more employees, CDL drivers, and be responsible for the equipment. I don’t know how many of you have crawled under a truck to work on it, but do you think our guys back in that shop there (for Public Works) are going to want to do that in the middle of the summer with juice running out, as well as maggots and rats falling out of the frame rails. I doubt it. You are going to have a revolt in the shop!”

Giberson also predicted that the hiring of more workers (Hornickel noted he is seeking six employees and intends to purchase a total of four trash trucks) is going to lead to “more union arbitration” and “we are going to be paying benefits packages.” He pointed out that “our healthcare already has gone through the roof” and the township would only be “paying more for that,” in addition to retirement benefits.

“I don’t see where it is cost effective, going into our own trash business,” Giberson declared.

Resident America Phillips, in discussing that she came to Pemberton from Mercer County, with her former town having trash hauling services in-house, concurred

TORCH

(Continued from Page 1)

firewarden.”

McLaughlin told a packed airport hangar with police officers, firefighters and forest fire service personnel from across the state that he is “proud to pass the torch” to Donnelly and is “confident in his abilities” and believes it will be a “seamless transition.”

“I think one of the things that is going to make Bill successful is he and I agree on a very basic principle that you cannot be a successful, or even a great leader, if you don’t have great people,” McLaughlin declared. “And this agency has the best people.”

Donnelly, in an interview with this newspaper that followed the swearing-in ceremony, explained that he was drawn to the state forest fire service by “hanging out with my grandpop out at the farm” with “the guys out there who were forest firewardens.”

“His buddies were forest firewardens back in the day, and they had the forest fire trucks there and stuff like that,” Donnelly said. “Smokey Bear, the whole thing – I thought it was just awesome.”

Donnelly grew up in Collings Lakes, a community near Hammonton in Atlantic County that the new chief noted is “prone to forest fires.”

According to David Achey, a division forest firewarden for the state forest fire service, “Bill, like many of us, started out as a young kid, age 18, part-time with the state forest fire service, running on fires in (section) C-9.” At the time, he was also a Collings Lakes volunteer fireman.

“In 1990, I became a full-time fire observer,” Donnelly recounted to this newspaper. “I worked the Mizpah Fire Tower in Division C, in Hamilton Township. I started at the bottom and made my way to the top.”

INCREASES

(Continued from Page 9)

that “all those workers – they will need insurance … everything.”

Phillips, who also questioned why residents weren’t notified of the shortfall when it first developed, contended it should have been expected because of

Donnelly told this newspaper of choosing to work for the NJFFS, “I couldn’t have made any better of a choice if I tried – it is the greatest job in the world.”

According to Achey, while working for the state forest fire service in the 90s, Donnelly acquired the required 30 credits to become a NJFFS control technician.

“He had the greatest job,” Achey declared. “He was a control tech assigned to the division, basically just freelancing on fires all over Division C. In that era, he had a lot of fires and got a lot of experience in a short period of time.”

Upon Donnelly finishing his degree, Achey noted, Donnelly was promoted to section firewarden, charged with C-9. He held that position from 1995 to 2011, overseeing the state forest fire service’s operations in Gloucester, Salem and Atlantic counties.

Ultimately, in 2011, Donnelly was promoted to assistant firewarden of Division C, and became “in charge of the section firewardens” there. Then, in 2014, according to Achey, Donnelly was promoted again, this time to Division C forest firewarden. Then, in 2020, Donnelly was elevated to supervising firewarden/assistant state firewarden, assigned to Division C.

After 2022, according to Achey, Donnelly “went to Trenton headquarters and ran statewide operations for the NJFFS,” where “all division wardens answered to Bill,” who served as a liaison between them and McLaughlin.

“Bill is always able to guide the ship and get us through all the issues we needed to get through,” Achey declared. “Throughout his career in the NJFFS, Bill has dedicated and exhibited leadership in protection of life, property, and natural resources for the residents of New Jersey, as well as residents of the U.S.”

John Cecil, assistant commissioner of State Parks, Forests and Historic Sites for the

inflation, before asserting it will become a situation where essentially you “rob Paul to pay Peter.”

Meanwhile, Giberson, like Harper, insisted of the plan to bring collection in-house, one is “putting the cart before the horse.”

“Bring actual numbers to the table,” Giberson declared.

Hornickel, in appearing to respond to

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), which oversees the NJFFS, recognized that Donnelly has “traveled quite a bit, protecting resources just not in New Jersey, but all over.”

The role of the chief, Cecil emphasized, is a “critical leadership position.”

“The chief is important to the NJFFS in all of the obvious ways – command, leadership, direction setting, and management of an emergency response unit,” Cecil said. “Yet, it goes far beyond that. The NJFFS serves as a principal land stewardship agency within New Jersey’s state government system. Moreover, the chief has the opportunity to direct, inspire and lead, not just all of you in the forest fire service, but all of the public and private land management owners across the state that you all interact with, touch, engage, and support – protecting their resources and property.”

The role that Donnelly is embarking on, Cecil noted, doesn’t just include public safety and fire responses, but promoting “good land stewardship and management.” That includes, he added, “safety protection of property and forest resources,” noting that “plants and animals live in these forest resources” and that trees, such as the Atlantic White Cedars that the state forest fire service works to protect, provide benefits, such as air filtration, acting as a natural carbon filter.

Cecil recounted that he and Donnelly, the day before Donnelly was to be publicly sworn in as chief of the NJFFS, visited a state forest fire service Allen and Oswego Road Fire Mitigation and Habitat Restoration Project in the Bass River State Forest, which, according to the NJDEP, aims to break the Bass River State Forest up into four geographic sections for fire management, allowing firefighters the best chance at halting a major wildfire before reaching communities and other values at risk.

The firebreak work, according to the NJDEP, has consisted of removing vegetation and other flammable materials on a strip of land bordering the road to slow and stop the progress of any forest fires. Some 1,305 acres of “highly flammable materials, known as ladder fuels” have been slated for removal through the project.

Cecil noted it is sometimes “messy work,” but it “ultimately plays a critical role” in “enhancing safety that you all need to do the jobs” of putting fires out, but that is also “making it better for the forest, the wildlife, and Atlantic White Cedar trees,” etc.

“Yes, we are out there every day to protect property, but also we are protecting the resources we need to survive and thrive,” said Cecil, noting that the chief heads an agency responsible for some 450,000 acres of land in the state, or what amounts to almost 90 percent of the state’s landmass. “We will safeguard and enhance these resources.”

The state forests and its inhabitants, Cecil maintained, are in “good hands” with Donnelly at the helm. Donnelly will report to McLaughlin, who noted he “isn’t going anywhere,” having been promoted as the NJDEP’s administrator for Forests and Natural Lands.

“I am just trying to build a new team,” Donnelly told this newspaper of his sixmonth goal after the ceremony. “I am far from the brightest bulb, I guess you could say, but I have gone my whole career surrounding myself with the best people, and allow them the opportunity to do what they do. We all shine. I have surrounded myself with really great people. I had great mentors over the years.

“Hopefully, I do the same. Hopefully, this new generation coming up learns something and we have success going forward forever.”

And his word of advice to residents, “It’s fire season – be careful … extra careful.”

the comments of Dewey, Harper, Giberson and Phillips, asserted, “We did a lot of research on this in 2021.”

“We cost(ed) it out,” he maintained. Worker’s compensation costs to the township, he contended, are “not going to somehow go through the roof,” because the plan is to procure “single-arm bandits and rear tippers,” which lead to a “diminished” risk of back and shoulder injuries as the

The business administrator also maintained that the amount the township is currently being assessed by Seaside

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

The crowd of first responders and guests who gathered in the airport hangar of Coyle Field on March 21 to witness the swearing in of the state forest fire service’s 15th chief.

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

New Jersey Forest Fire Service Chief William Donnelly, beside his wife, Erica, is sworn in by Deputy Attorney General Matthew D. Knoblauch (right) on March 21.

workers assigned to the trucks simply have to roll the collection carts to the machinery and it takes care of the rest, including tipping the carts so that the contents enter the collection mechanism.

APRIL

APRIL 1

The History of Smithville

Location: Vincentown (Southampton Twp.)

Details: Southampton Historical Society is presenting “The History of Smithville”, Monday, Apr. 1 at 7:30 p.m., at Old Town Hall, 25 Plum St., Vincentown. Burlington County Parks Historian Eric Orange will take you on a leisurely stroll through the history of Smithville. Hear the incredible love story of Hezekiah Smith and Agnes Gilkerson, set against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution. Can the wealthy industrialist from New England and a beautiful doctor forge a love that can endure politics and scandal? This program is free and open to the public. For more information, please call Kathy Rosmando at (609) 859-0524.

reflects “corporate profits,” or comes out to be 20 percent higher than it would be if trash collection was done in-house.

“We successfully run Public Works operations here,” Hornickel declared. “We train our people on how to drive big vehicles, and we train them so that they can get CDLs. We cost(ed) it out and we believe in the future, if we bring it in-house,

Events and special promotions happening locally next month!

APRIL 7

Free Koins for Kids

Location: Lindenwold

Details: The South Jersey Coin and Collectable Show will be held Sunday, Apr. 7, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Moose Lodge, 2425 White Horse Pike (Rt. 30), Lindenwold. Admission and parking is free. There will be free door prizes, food and refreshments, as well as over 30 friendly dealer tables. The show will be held on the first Sunday of each month during 2024. Dealers wanted! Security provided. For more information, call Tom at 609742-2279, or visit southjerseycoinshow.com .

Please note: The MAY SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELED. WE’LL SEE YOU JUNE 2!

To promote your event on this page contact Jayne Cabrilla at 609-801-2392 or email news@pinebarrenstribune.com

APRIL WEEKENDS

Train Rides Through the Woods of New Gretna

Location: Bass River Township

Details: The Woods of New Gretna Park and the New Jersey Shore Live Steam Organization provide train rides for all each Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The small steam locomotives, and other trains, wind their way through the beautiful park. The rides are provided by a group of dedicated volunteers who have revitalized the park and laid out the railroad track, based on the historical Tuckerton Railroad. The volunteers maintain the railroad and walking trails, and are constantly expanding them. Riding the trains is free, but donations are very much appreciated. The train rides are outdoors.

we will be able to do it more efficiently and have better control over it.”

Democratic Councilman Donovan Gardner pointed to an apparent private discussion that by bringing trash collection in-house, it could put the township in a position to “contract with other townships.”

Hornickel then appeared to reference what was cited in a recent KYW Newsradio report that “nearly a dozen towns in Gloucester and Salem counties have ditched private trash collection

Saturday, March 23rd 10am-6pm & Sunday, March 24th 10pm-4pm

Come and explore amazing handmade gifts created by several local artists!

The shop will include: Sewn goods from Farmhouse Country Creations, Bees & Blooms Florals, Shari’s Sweets, Crocheted Animals by Knotty Fox, Candles from Willow Moon, Bella Liz Soaps, and more!

companies for shared services as a way to reduce costs,” with the report noting that the “shared trash pickup services are run through the Logan Township Department of Public Works in Gloucester County.” Such a situation can “offset the cost to the town running it,” Hornickel contended, and allow the services to be “actually cheaper – much cheaper.” By taking on trash collection in just one small community, he contended, it could cover the cost of an entire trash truck or the totes.

At one point during the raucous meeting, Hornickel pointed to recent complaints about the quality of service (Seaside’s trash trucks were reportedly breaking down often) and said “we were able to do nothing about it because we had no control,” but that another benefit of bringing collection in-house is that one can “tell our employees to go out the next day” and collect what hasn’t been collected, “even if that means overtime.”

Resident Eric Houwen, however, decried

such a statement having been made by the business administrator, asserting, “there goes that (recouping) 20 percent profit.”

“You are going to create it (overtime) as a habit, and don’t shake your head because that is what is going to happen!” he told the business administrator. “Because if that is your thought pattern right out of the gate, you are!”

Houwen further declared, “You are going down the wrong aisle, and we need to stay in our lane.”

It led Hornickel to assert, “The current contractor already has overtime built in!”

“They are driving from Hammonton to Pemberton,” he added. “So, you are already paying for way more overtime than it should be! You are already paying for that, so it is even more of a savings (to bring collection in-house)!

Bayer ultimately broke up the exchange. But another would soon develop between Dewey and Hornickel.

“I can’t see possibly how you can

make money being in the trash business yourself!” Dewey asserted. “What I can’t wrap my head around is why can’t you take the trash money, put it on a ledger, know how much money you got in there, and take it from the ledger. I can’t understand how you got to be $400,000 in the red!”

The business administrator retorted, “You presume everyone pays for their trash on time.”

“They don’t!” Hornickel added. “The revenue fluctuates year-to-year. Sometimes, we have to put resident bills out to tax sale.”

It led Dewey to ask, “How many people are we talking about?”, with Hornickel responding the “difference between 2022 to 2023 is $135,000.”

“What are we doing to collect the money?” asked Dewey, to which Hornickel replied that the outstanding collections have led to “tax sales.”

Dewey, however, pressed the business administrator as to whether a zoning official has knocked on any doors, and when it was indicated to him that hasn’t occurred, Dewey snapped, “Then you should just get out of the trash business!”

“You can’t even collect money from a private owner, so how are you going to collect it if you own the trucks? There is no thought process.”

It led to laughter from the crowd, all while Hornickel made the point that having a “separate fund” would alleviate the situation.

“There would be a dedicated fund,” Hornickel continued. “Otherwise, it (the shortfall) is going to count against our general fund debt service. Just like you don’t want water debts in the general fund with taxes! Or sewer debts in the general fund with taxes. You want it to be selfliquidating. This is what they teach you in graduate school, in the Master’s program, in Public Management!”

Dewey shot back that he has a “degree” in “street,” causing Hornickel to further retort, “I am trying to tell you what the best practices are for trash collection – it is having a standalone utility!”

Detrick, in trying to bring the quarreling to conclusion for the moment, noted “the way I read the ordinance, it is simply a reorganization” of the financial structure and the township is “not committing to

going into the trash business.”

“We are reorganizing things and setting up finances a little differently,” said Detrick, to which Hornickel replied, “Correct.”

“Revenue and expenses impact the general fund budget,” the business administrator added. “The goal is to pull them out of the general fund, so you don’t impact the levy and general appropriations cap.”

Detrick, in trying to alleviate any concern, pointed out that the township just signed the three-year deal with Seaside, so it has three years to work out what might be done in the future, with Hornickel identifying the “three options” as staying the course with a private hauler, contracting with another town through a shared services agreement, or bringing collection in-house.

McCartney, however, initially proposed to table the ordinance to create the utility, contending, “I think we should honor our commitment to the committee.”

“We should give them some time to look

See

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at everything,” she added.

Detrick responded, “there are advantages to establishing Solid Waste as a separate utility, regardless of if we go into the trash collection business ourselves.”

Ward, however, concurred with McCartney, before asserting, “It is six of one, half a dozen of the other.”

“We are going to be hurting one way or the other,” he maintained, but adding he is for investigating the whole process of bringing trash collection in-house. “At least give us a year-and-a-half, or two years. I agree we are putting the cart before the horse. I also understand there is a gaping hole.”

When McCartney asked about the date the item should be tabled until, Dewey quipped, “How about until March 2030?”, prompting another outburst of laughter from the audience, and a correction from Bayer that an item can only be tabled to a point in the current calendar year.

But Ward, in appearing to counter the apparent public mocking, noted he “understands separating solid waste out of the budget would afford us to accrue money later down the road.”

“But why accrue money if we choose down the road to not purchase the equipment?” he asked.

In response to another question from Ward, Hornickel said that if money is accumulated for equipment purchases, but council decides not to go through with bringing collection in-house, it can be “used in the future to help offset taxes.”

“It sounds like council needs more education on this topic …,” Ward

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said. “I’d be for tabling it. Let’s go to administration and find out exactly what we are looking at.”

But Gardner posed the question of what “impact” there would be in delaying action.

“We are not going to provide council with the budget, until it is resolved, either up or down,” Hornickel answered. “There is no way we can do it!”

After a member of the crowd shouted that officials were being “held hostage” and the business administrator was pressed on why a budget couldn’t be presented, he expanded that it is “because I need to know how much we are going to budget for Solid Waste in the utility fund, or, directly in the budget.”

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budget of $26 million, it is too significant of a chunk of the budget.”

Hornickel stressed creating the utility has “no impact on whether collection gets brought in-house, or gets contracted with another town,” but only gets the finances for Solid Waste “out of the general fund to get it into a self-liquidating utility fund.”

Ultimately, McCartney was satisfied enough that the decision to create the utility would have no bearing on the collection decision that looms in three years, and rescinded her motion to table the ordinance. But when a motion was made to pass the ordinance, it died for a lack of motion.

As Hornickel noted, the ordinance at issue does not address the “shortfall” and that “has to be addressed through a rate increase, any which way, whether this is a standalone utility or remains part of

the general fund.”

Council, on March 20, just past this newspaper’s deadline time, was scheduled to potentially introduce another ordinance, “increasing rates” for solid waste collection. Hornickel told this newspaper that the proposed law would “increase the quarterly solid waste fees from $58.50 to $80.14.”

As for the current billing setup of solid waste collection fees, Hornickel told this newspaper, “The solid waste expenses and revenues are part of the regular municipal budget, but are billed separately from taxes.

“That’s a historical anomaly here,” he said, adding, “I would hope council would be willing to reconsider the creation of a Solid Waste utility but that is entirely up to them. We’ll manage either way.”

VIOLATION

Equally dumbfounded was Pinelands Preservation Alliance Public Advocate Jason Howell, who called the failure to test the soil “ridiculous.”

“There is no way they can tell what is in the dumped debris without doing soil testing,” Howell maintained. “As an example, lead has no visual indication, no smell, and no taste. So that soil, for all we know, can be extremely contaminated with lead, which is one of the most highly toxic heavy metals.”

The same goes for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), often referred to as “forever chemicals,” he said.

While Howell added that he would have no problem with leaving the dumped soil in place if its composition is, in fact, found to be relatively harmless composition, “without testing, there is no way of knowing that.”

Echoing that sentiment was Rancocas Conservancy President Rick Brown, who said he was “gobsmacked” when informed that the agency was basing its opinion that the soil was safe on a visual inspection.

Such a method does not account for what it may contain, which can only be determined by testing, contended Brown, who has had four decades of experience working with both the NJDEP and the Pinelands Commission, and who said he found it “extremely odd” that the former agency would characterize the fill brought down from Essex County as “typical” based simply on observation.

“I believe that the only way to know what is in it is to have it tested for the range of pollutants,” he asserted.

Brown, who is also a member of the Pemberton Township Planning Board,

didn’t just direct his criticism at the state agency, but at the “first enforcement person” on the scene as well, township Business Administrator Daniel Hornickel, whom he accused of having “very clearly violated” the standards of the Pinelands Commission that the municipality, which is located within the Pinelands Reserve, is responsible for upholding in addition to having a responsibility to ensure compliance with its own ordinances.

When asked whether the commission wished to respond to the NJDEP’s violation notice and contention that the soil involved was non-hazardous by dint of visual inspection, its communications officer, Paul Leaken, responded by conveying a letter emailed on Feb. 21 by Director of Regulatory Programs Charles M. Horner to Dominique Pereira, who Horner said the commission understood to be the owner of the parcel at issue, asking him to “advise our office accordingly” if he is not. (Pereira, in a phone interview with this newspaper for a previous story, indicated he did not actually own the property, but simply managed it, and that the plan was to use it for the cultivation of cranberries and blueberries.)

According to the letter, “any widening of the existing driveway would be inconsistent with the wetlands protection standards contained in the Pemberton Township land use ordinance and the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP)” and would constitute a violation of those standards.

It also notes that a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the NJDEP identifies the latter agency as being “primarily responsible for the investigation of this wetland violation” and that “the township land use ordinance and the CMP do not permit the

Happy Easter!

deposition of fill/soil material on a parcel that would result in the degradation of water quality.

Horner’s letter concludes with an admonition that “If any fill/soil material placed on the parcel contains contaminants that would degrade surface or groundwater, it must be removed from the parcel,” and a request to “Please advise our office in writing of the source of the fill/soil material.”

Queried as to whether a response to that request had been forthcoming, Leaken replied, “We are awaiting receipt of that information from the property owner.”

While the impression given to a number of people, that Pereira is the owner of the land involved may be a mistaken one, his role as “representative of this property and this project” (as he described it to the Pine Barrens Tribune) appears to be only the latest aspect of a multi-faceted career that, according to his Instagram page (which purportedly has some 10,500 followers) includes being a “real estate investor,” “tech entrepreneur” and “lifestyle ambassador,” who offers financial, practical and motivational advice on a wide variety of subjects in a series of podcasts and Q and A segments.

Besides being described in a LinkedIn profile as the head of a Philadelphiabased technology company, Pereira is also featured in a 2022 Facebook video as the “technology and marketing director” at KRW Lawyers, a San Antonio, Texasbased legal firm, at which the Pinelands Commission contacted him (via an office the firm apparently maintains in Austin).

When contacted for his reaction to these latest developments, Periera said he wouldn’t be commenting for now on the advice of legal counsel, except to confirm that “we are working with the

NJDEP” to try to resolve any issues and would do his best “to try to conform to all best practices.”

“We look forward to continue being part of the community,” he added.

Queried by this newspaper whether he wished to offer any comment on the violation notice and the NJDEP’s subsequent statements, Hornickel, reiterating his previous sentiments, replied, “It seems as though the property owner is trying to work with the NJDEP, and our hope is that it can be used as a farm.”

Hornickel, who infuriated DeVito by initially failing to order an immediate halt to the soil dumping, also referred to Pereira at a recent Pemberton Council meeting as “a new farmer” whose neighbors, from the business administrator’s perspective, “weren’t particularly neighborly” in having reported his violation and choosing to “basically attack his efforts to restore his farm” rather than simply “going next door and engaging the gentleman, who was very polite and accommodating, not just to me, but to the DEP representatives,” as well as to the representatives of the Burlington County Soil Conservation District and the mayor.

After having traveled the entire length of the driveway being resurfaced at five miles an hour because of the bad shape it was in, Hornickel told the council, “I can tell you what I did observe. There was no garbage in the dirt, no construction debris.” Furthermore, he contended, the goal of the township “is to get the property owner in compliance … if he has violated anybody’s rules.”

“So, I was very disappointed that instead of taking the Pemberton way, they attacked the guy, flying drones over his property and raising all these concerns,” Hornickel added.