Pine Barrens Tribune March 9, 2024-March 15, 2024

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

TABERNACLE—A hasty about-face and sudden, unexpected Feb. 26 decision by the Tabernacle Township Committee, with not even its full membership present nor was the vote a scheduled agenda item, to raze the town’s most prized, historic building –Tabernacle Town Hall, or as some residents put it, a 19th Century building that is “our history,” part of the town center’s “fabric,” and “rarely exists in this country,” has brought about swift indignation and condemnation that began almost immediately upon the idea being raised, and ratcheted up in the wake of the decision.

Just last year, the committee had presented a plan to the public to relocate the facility, shuttered in 2022 after being declared structurally unsafe, to a different part of 163 Carranza Road, with a plan to shore up the building in the process of the relocation, part of a greater proposal to establish a Village Greene for community events. It was reportedly being considered as a place to store See DEMOLISH/ Page 6

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

New State Law Allowing Breweries to Join Forces with Food Trucks Causes Medford Officials to Rethink Provisions of Local Ordinance Brewing Enterprises No Longer Prohibited from Hosting Food Vendors on

By Bill B onvie Staff Writer

MEDFORD—When Democratic Governor Phil Murphy signed a bill into law back in January that, among other things, reversed a five-year-old policy of the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) that had put strict limits on the kinds of activities allowed at the state’s increasingly popular craft breweries, including prohibiting the presence of food trucks, it created something of a quandary for the all-Republican council of the Township of Medford, where three such establishments are already operational and a fourth is due to open later on this year.

That much was evident at the governing body’s Feb. 20 meeting, where much of the discussion among municipal officials revolved around how a local ordinance regulating food trucks should be modified to accommodate the permissive new policies embodied in that legislation, which has suddenly given breweries the ability to “collaborate” with food trucks and other outside vendors that they didn’t have up to now.

Under the existing ordinance, food vending vehicles are permitted in the township not more than twice per month, and not on weekends, the maximum number of such vehicles allowed at any one time or event shall be established by the township

manager with each one required to serve a different variety of food, and should more vending vehicle operators seek to apply for a permit on any given day or offer the same variety of food as another on any given day, permits shall be issued “on a rotating basis.” The ordinance also specifies that any operator violating one of its terms, conditions or provisions “shall thereafter be prohibited from applying for a permit.”

Both Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watson and Solicitor Timothy Prime were in agreement that some revision of the local ordinance is called for in order to conform to the state statute’s language and intent. “But the thing we need to discuss,” Prime contended, “is, are we going to limit the trucks to just private property” and what kind of restrictions that might necessitate, if any.

“So that is what we need some guidance on before we revise the ordinance,” maintained Prime, now that the state has set the stage for both food-truck operators and members of the public to enjoy a lot more leeway within the brewery-friendly environment that Medford has cultivated in recent years.

The previous policy set by the ABC in 2019 prohibited craft breweries in the state from selling food or allowing food vendors on their premises. The new law by contrast,

Saint Patrick’s Day

May your day be touched by a bit of Irish luck!

Saint Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a great Irish tradition that is celebrated around the world. On March 17, the color green, the traditional color of Ireland, will take pride of place just about everywhere.

Parades, music, dancing, beer, and good cheer are just a few of the items on the day’s menu. People from every background enjoy stepping out to take part in the festivities. You don’t have to be Irish to join in the fun!

In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated mostly in pubs

and on the street. People sing and dance to show the whole world their pride in being Irish. This tradition is perpetuated in North America, where many Irish immigrants landed over the last couple hundred years.

The Feast of Saint Patrick was a Catholic festival that celebrated the Christianization of Ireland in the fifth century, when Saint Patrick converted the pagan Irish to Christianity. According to legend, he used the shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity: a leaf each for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Since then, the shamrock has been the national emblem of Ireland and is always worn with pride on Saint Paddy’s Day.

As surprising as it may seem, the first secular celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day was held in 1737, in Boston. Later, the first Saint Patrick’s Day parade was organized by the Irish government in Dublin, in 1931. Over the years, this occasion has become a regular celebration in Ireland and North America, with a festive atmosphere being the one real, true requirement.

By Bill B onvie Staff Writer

EVESHAM—The Evesham Township Police Department is about to add motorcycle-riding officers to its traffic enforcement capabilities for the very first time, thanks to a donation of two brandnew Harley Davidson bikes valued at $53,000 from the Police Foundation, a contribution acknowledged via a resolution approved by the township council at its Feb. 14 meeting and extolled by Police Chief Walt Miller in his monthly report.

The department has also been given a donation of office space from Virtua Hospital for use as a police substation there, valued at an estimated $12,000 a year, and a gift of about $4,000 worth of gym equipment for its physical fitness program contributed by local residents Manish Goyal and Shilpa Dave after consulting with the department’s wellness committee, according to Miller.

Four of the department’s officers who currently have motorcycle licenses will be assigned to patrol duties utilizing the new Harleys after being given enhanced training on them in August and September, the chief noted. In the meantime, he said, the new vehicles are expected to be featured in the department’s July 4th parade and will also be displayed by the Foundation at the next council meeting on March 13.

Miller also took the opportunity to talk about the department’s ability to deal with phone scams that might victimize Evesham residents after Gary Warga, a regular participant in the council’s public comment sessions, told of an attempted one he had experienced recently that he “almost fell for.” Warga then noted that when he had reported such fraudulent calls to the local police in past years, they would take down his information but treat it dismissively, and never told him they would report such attempted crimes to another agency to investigate.

“So, I do not report these scam calls to the Marlton (Evesham) Police Department anymore,” Warga declared. “They did nothing in the past but write down the details for their records.”

Whatever the case may once have been

regarding such complaints, however, Miller said he would now “encourage anyone that has fallen victim to anything to immediately report it to the police department,” even if a foreign country appears to be involved, with time being of essence in notifying the authorities.

“We have had a lot of success with online frauds, some in which people have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars,” the chief maintained, noting that in one such recent case, a woman who had been bilked out of about $300,000 had most of that money returned after the department conducted an investigation.

That probe, Miller subsequently told the Pine Barrens Tribune, actually extended abroad, Evesham detectives having identified the culprits, who were from India but traveled back and forth, and charged them in a joint effort with the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, which then turned the case over to Indian authorities for prosecution. The recovery of most of the funds involved, he said, was facilitated by the fact that they had been transferred electronically to the perpetrators’ accounts.

Even in cases where no actual theft has occurred, he said, any such attempted fraud should be reported to the department, since the data helps it to identify patterns and commonalities that may be useful in criminal investigations.

Another crime-prevention technique that Miller emphasized in his report is that of conducting any business transactions with strangers in a safe zone such as the one the department makes available in the lobby of its headquarters, which is under constant video surveillance and has officers nearby. The danger of not using such a facility was exemplified, he said, by the recent robbery of a resident who had arranged to meet a customer for a computer he was selling in the parking lot of the local Walmart.

The chief also noted that the thefts of catalytic converters, which usually occur after dark, were on the rise again, mostly in the north end of the township.

“If you see cars or people that don’t belong in the area, especially overnight, and hear

By Bill B onvie Staff Writer

EVESHAM—The news that Curtis Kirkpatrick, the golf pro at the municipally owned Indian Spring Country Club, had become the latest in a stream of highranking employees of Evesham Township to move on, was somewhat reluctantly revealed at the Feb. 14 Township Council meeting after an inquisitive member of the public wanted to know why he wasn’t on hand to provide the latest stats and answer any questions about the course.

Kirkpatrick, it turned out, had left his post as director of operations at Indian Spring at the end of January after a decade-long tenure there, during which he was given much of the credit for the increasing popularity and accompanying revenues enjoyed by the links over the past few years, to take a position as head pro of the nearby Medford Lakes Country Club, which introduced him to its members with a Facebook page welcome on Jan. 29.

Contacted at his new job March 3 by a Pine Barrens Tribune reporter, Kirkpatrick, who also currently serves on the board for the Philadelphia Section PGA as the District 1 Director and as lead professional at the PGA Hope Philadelphia Chapter, said he had enjoyed his years of affiliation with the Evesham course, but had decided to take advantage of an opportunity to move to the private sector.

Kirkpatrick’s leave-taking became known after local resident Steven Huffnagle, who has lately raised questions about the township’s accounting procedures and other matters, began querying the council during a public comment period about a resolution to rescind a contract for Adidas American apparel and footwear merchandise with the golf course pro shop, for which Township Clerk Rebecca Andrews explained the company had “failed and refused” to sign a contract, thus making the arrangement null and void after a period of time.

At that point, Huffnagle asked, “When will the golf pro attend the next meeting? I think he was here in December — Does he not attend regular meetings?”

Pine Grove Plaza

When Democratic Mayor Jacklyn “Jackie” Veasy replied, “He is not at this meeting right now,” Huffnagle inquired, “What meetings is he required to attend?”

At that point, Attorney Jill Mayer of the Parker McCay law firm, who was filling in for regular solicitor Christopher Orlando, after conferring briefly with Acting Township Manager Lavon Phillips, acknowledged that “the golf pro is no longer employed by the township.”

Huffnagle then asked, “So we’re getting a new pro at the golf club, is that what you’re saying?”

The mayor responded, “There is a job posting for it at the moment, yes.”

In regard to the golf course, Huffnagle pressed the council members on why they had found it necessary last year to pass a $1.5 million bond issue earmarked for improvements to the driving range, twothirds of which had not yet been spent, when according to a profit and loss statement for 2022, the course had realized some $900,000 more than anticipated.

Veasy’s reply was that “we didn’t know those numbers until after the bond ordinance had passed,” and that while “we knew the golf course was doing well,” different funds were involved in the financing.

At the previous council meeting, Huffnagle had also questioned the repeated use of the term “various improvements and equipment” applied to what he claimed were approximately $200,000 worth of bills submitted for work at the club’s driving range by just two firms, Remington & Vernick and Netta Architects, prior to bids for the project being rejected, to which Veasy had replied, that it had involved “a lot of work before the bids come in.”

Another question raised by Huffnagle at a point when the Feb. 14 meeting was opened to the public concerned what the township was doing to facilitate the opening of new pickleball courts since having closed the ones at Brush Hollow Park that were the subject of complaints from residents six months earlier.

“I have no update to give you other than what I told you last time—we’re working

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Multiple Firearms and Ammunition Stolen from Urban Tactical Firearms in Evesham During Overnight Burglary Involving At Least Four Suspects

EVESHAM—An Evesham Township firearms dealer was burglarized in the overnight hours of Feb. 26, with at least four individuals believed to be involved in the act and multiple firearms, along with various types of ammunition, stolen from the business.

According to a press release from Evesham Police, the burglary occurred at around 2:30 a.m. at Urban Tactical Firearms, located at 65 E. Route 70.

Upon arrival, officers found that the business had been burglarized and the suspects had already fled the scene.

“Evesham Detectives responded to process the scene and collect evidence,” the release noted. “Further investigation found

that multiple firearms, along with various types of ammunition, were stolen from within the business. Video surveillance was reviewed and showed four suspects, dressed in black, with face coverings, had forced their way through the front door to burglarize the business. They arrived and fled in a white Hyundai sedan.”

Police have released a clip from the surveillance in hopes that the public can provide tips about the identity of the suspects and their possible location. Anyone with information regarding this crime, or the identities of the suspects, is asked to contact the Evesham Police Department at 856-9831116, or its confidential tip line, 856-983-4699.

Beeler Elementary Principal Arrested on Charge She Stole $700 from School

EVESHAM—The principal of an Evesham Township school has been charged with thirddegree theft after $700 was discovered missing from the Helen L. Beeler Elementary School’s main office in late February.

Police on March 4 announced the charge against Colleen Schroeder, principal of Beeler Elementary.

Schroeder, according to officials with the Evesham Township School District, had already been on “an unrelated leave,” with Superintendent Justin Smith announcing that the principal will remain on leave until the matter is adjudicated.

Police, in a press release, reported that they were made aware of the stolen money back in late February. The Evesham Police Department’s Investigative Bureau is said to have “conducted an extensive investigation” following the report.

“This investigation led to Principal Colleen Schroeder being charged with one count of theft,” the press release noted.

Schroeder, according to police, was arrested on March 1 without incident and

ORDINANCE

(Continued from Page 2)

according to Prime, will not only permit them to sell such items as packaged crackers, chips, nuts, and other snacks as well as nonalcoholic beverages to customers, but to bring in an unlimited number of food trucks and even provide menus to patrons.

In addition, he pointed out, the breweries can host up to 25 off-site “special events” annually, including such activities as arts and craft festivals, civic occasions, and holiday and anniversary celebrations.

Watson, who initially described the matter as involving “some mix-up between our food truck ordinance which really had to do with food trucks on Main Street,” said he personally felt that as long as the operators of those trucks had the requisite food handler’s permit and their vehicles had undergone fire inspection, “I really don’t have a problem with it being on private property.”

Prime, however, said one of his concerns would be the hours and days that those mobile vendors are permitted to operate, and whether limits should be set on them.

Councilman Erik Rebstock said

released on a summons. She was due to have a first appearance hearing at Burlington County Superior Court.

Following her arrest, Smith maintained in a statement that the “district takes an accusation of theft seriously” and “fully intends to cooperate with the police department,” but reminded the public that “all are presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

The Evesham Township Board of Education, while “aware of the situation,” is not able to comment further at this time, Smith contended, with police noting they also have no further information that they are able to release beyond what was contained in the press release.

Schroeder, a resident of Hainesport, has been enrolled in the public pension system since 1999 and has earned 262 pension months, according to a NJ Public Employee database, DATAUNIVERSE, with her last reported salary at $139,024. She reported in a required 2023 financial disclosure statement that her sister also works for the local school district as a teacher.

one of his concerns would be “levels of permanence,” which prompted Watson to suggest that perhaps there should be a rule that a food truck has to be gone by 10 o’clock “in order to prevent its simply being put on cinderblocks” and becoming a sort of permanent de facto restaurant.

“It is a little different if it is leaving every night, even if it is coming back the next day,” he contended.

Prime, however, noted that the way he interpreted the new state law is that “as long as it is on premises, if you license a brewery, you have to allow them to sell food (from a permitted food truck) any time they are open.”

But he added, “You may want to provide in there that (the truck) can’t stay overnight.”

In light of the fact that no restrictions had been placed on commercial enterprises other than breweries having food trucks under the old law, Councilman Michael Czyzyk suggested that any restrictions included in a revised local ordinance apply equally to all businesses, a recommendation with which other members of the council indicated they agreed.

The matter will reportedly be taken up again at the next council meeting scheduled for March 19.

artifacts, with the first floor possibly also under consideration as a space to conduct socialization activities and accommodate small gatherings.

But in January, a newcomer committeewoman, Republican Deputy Mayor Natalie Stone, in questioning the need for the township to expend potentially significant sums of money to rehabilitate the Old Town Hall all while the governing body is already in the process of gathering together a plan to build a new municipal building/ community center down the street, had raised the prospect of demolishing the building.

She had put the question to officials (as previously highlighted by this newspaper) about the town hall’s current state in light of two-and-a-half years having since passed when a 2021 report was released by a structural engineer, who had located and identified a number of structural deficiencies with the building.

A subcommittee, following her Jan. 22 query, was formed, in part, to spend up to $5,000 to investigate the building and determine viable options for its future. The latest investigation and findings were presented on Feb. 26.

Apparently, as the township grapples with funding a new town hall, having already bonded $8 million for its construction, razing the existing town hall is the cheapest option to come out of the last month of analysis and private discussions by the subcommittee and a retained engineer.

And the committee taking on an action of any kind in regard to the existing facility, to either make it “safe and secure” or to “demolish” it, has now apparently taken on a new sense of urgency, as was indicated by Construction Official Tom Boyd, who presented on Feb. 26 the findings from the past month, including that the building has “deteriorated” further since it was vacated in February 2022.

There was even an indication that the historic town hall could now be nearing collapse onto Medford Lakes-Tabernacle Road, with, in the last month, pieces of stone reportedly found falling out of the foundation, a room now more than 4 ½ inches off-level over only a 12-foot-wide area, and a beam determined to have fallen 1 ½ inches out of alignment with where it actually should be located.

Boyd, in pointing to the two-and-a-

half years that have passed since the 2021 report and the recent discoveries, urged the committee to arrive at a quick consensus, pointing to a state law requiring action in regard to an unsafe structure.

Still, the lightning-speed decision at which the demolition option was ultimately adopted by the governing body at the Tabernacle firehouse (where it holds its meetings given the town hall is shuttered), with the other options cast aside, led to a near revolt in its immediate aftermath.

GOP Mayor Mark Hartman, despite slamming down his gavel, lost control of the meeting for a time following the vote, and struggled to regain decorum, with audience members shouting, “Disgrace!”, “Shame on you!”, “Your representation of this town could not be worse!” and “You should be voted out of office!”

Tensions appeared further inflamed by an admission from Boyd, in response to questioning from Republican Committeeman William Sprague, Jr., that the town hall’s deterioration likely had accelerated over the past two years from the HVAC system having been turned off.

Township Administrator and Clerk Maryalice Brown, at one point amid the uproar, went into an office at the firehouse with her cellphone in hand (and although it is unclear if it was related, State Troopers appeared to respond to the scene shortly after her return to the dais [three Troop cars were observed by a newspaper staffer]).

The deputy mayor’s husband, Anthony Stone, in an unprecedented moment, returned fire from his seat, retorting while seated behind local transparency advocate Fran Brooks, “They (the committee) work their asses off for you … everybody in here!”, which led Brooks to turn around in her chair, face him and shouted back while pointing her finger, “Don’t show up at a meeting and think you know something about local government, because you know nothing!”

“It is not up to the committee …,” declared Brooks of the town hall’s fate. “… It is up to the people of this town to decide what they want!”

Other residents started engaging Anthony Stone, while Boyd was observed trying to calm the deputy mayor’s husband (Anthony Stone and Fran Brooks’ husband, Stuart, ultimately conversed with each other in the back of the station).

Now, all eyes are on the Tabernacle Township Historical Society, whose president, Rick Franzen, a former township mayor, had suggested just before the vote, as well as after it, that the organization

may try to elicit the aid of the New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC) in an attempt to preserve the building.

A Case of Rapid Deterioration Over Months?

Hartman, appointed to the building subcommittee during a Jan. 22 meeting along with Stone, immediately turned the floor over to Boyd following commencement of the Feb. 26 session.

Boyd showed a packed room (most of the attendees were there for an unrelated reason, to primarily protest a state plan for the Wharton State Forest and call on the governing body to adopt a resolution opposing that plan) pictures from a recent visit he conducted at the town hall.

Since the February 2022 closure of the town hall and a December 2022 presentation that explained the reasons behind the closure, Boyd maintained it has “been a habit to go in the building once a month just to check everything out.”

“There was no obvious deterioration until about four or five months ago,” the construction official reported.

The first picture shown from Boyd’s most recent visit to the town hall was taken from what had been the township administrator’s office (since the town hall was shuttered, the municipal offices have been operating from leased construction trailers at 163 Carranza Road).

Portrayed in the picture was a 12-foot signpost, resting on a four-inch-tall brick to get it to be level.

“That is how out of level the floor is in this particular area of the building,” Boyd declared. “The approximation is four inches in 12 feet.”

In response to a question shouted out by local Raymond Ward, “Does that door still open and close?”, or the door depicted in the photograph for the former administrator’s office, Boyd responded, “The door is open at about 22-1/2 degrees, which is as far as it opens now” based on the fact that the floor has dropped.

The photograph that followed was that of the town hall’s basement wall.

“Two stones that you see on the ground were recently forced out due to pressure,” contended Boyd, noting the wall is considered rubblestone, and that as far as he can ascertain, was built in 1870.

Boyd showed two pictures of floor beams that have sustained expanded, significant cracking since having last been photographed.

“It is supposed to be sitting on a steel beam, which is that block right below that,” he said of one of the beams, noting that the aforementioned wood beam has since “dropped approximately an inch-and-ahalf” over the last two years and would have to be “raised approximately one-and-a-half inches in order for it to be level.”

The beam at issue is now “totally sitting on the stone foundation” and that while he doesn’t know why that is for certain, he can “only assume it is because of the compression of the stone.”

Boyd also showed a picture he took of the building’s exterior, pointing out that on one side there is “erosion” of the gable “to the point that we now have exterior openings in the wall system.”

A view of the exterior at the point of the former administrator’s office, according to Boyd, shows “dropping,” or that “you can see that the old aluminum siding has separated” and the “windowsill is going downwards.”

“Separation is occurring as a result of that portion of the building sinking,” he maintained.

A covered porch that is next to the former administrator’s office, he noted, “should be level,” but instead is off by three inches and there is now “no positive connection” between a post and the “actual structure itself.”

In returning to the basement and beams, Boyd showed that a “wire staple holding cable had actually pulled out of the joist as a result of the sinking, and the wires have tightened and pulled that staple out.”

Vacating the municipal offices was postponed by three months in 2021, but only so long as temporary walls were constructed in the basement. Now, according to Boyd, “you can see water infiltration there” and “how wet the walls are.” It is suspected, he explained, that Medford Lakes-Tabernacle Road was made higher when it was last constructed and the water is just running into the basement from off the road (the town hall sits just feet in from the road).

“It is draining off the road and draining right into the building,” said Boyd of his suspicions.

The foundation, he declared, “is the most seriously damaged area of the entire building,” and in showing another view of the facility from the outside, pointed to a “crack on the backside of the building that is starting to get worse.”

In addition to the structural integrity

DEMOLISH

issues having worsened over the past twoand-a-half years, Boyd pointed to missing shingles, and roofing that is rotting away. A leak, he demonstrated, is now allowing water to run from the attic into one of the office spaces, with one of the photographs showing staining that has developed in a ceiling tile.

The apparent lack of basic maintenance to preserve the building in the absence of any decision on its fate, however, including obtaining new roofing and shingles, immediately raised questions.

“That place looks like it is in really bad shape,” Ward said. “How did it get this bad over the past two to three years, and why has it been so neglected?”

Stuart Brooks, who also is a local transparency advocate, in addition to his wife, Fran, asked, “What work has been done to stabilize town hall over the last three years?”

Neither of those questions were answered by attending officials, or the township committee.

“The holes in the foundation that Mr. Boyd said need immediate action, look like the same holes shown in the 2021 assessment, and I also think that is true of the roofing,” Stuart Brooks continued. “It would be a bitter pill to learn that the property has degraded significantly since 2021, when we were told it needed work.”

Ward added that, “I keep my repairs up on my house and I consider my town hall one of my houses!”

with additional time (approximately 10 to 15 years) to complete further repairs and improvements to the building to allow it to be safely occupied for limited use. However, at the completion of this option, the building would be restricted from occupancy for any use. The improvements would not address code compliance issues of the building.”

Leisse put the total cost of Option Two at an estimated $997,500 to $1,032,000.

Meanwhile, a “Complete Renovation,” or Option Three, according to Leisse, would cost an estimated $2,424,000 to $2,590,000.

“Option Three would be a renovation of the Old Town Hall, allowing the building to be occupied for the future uses,” he said. “The renovated town hall could potentially be used as a museum to showcase historic artifacts of Tabernacle Township. This option would also allow for limited business use and other limited occupancy use as well. This option would only allow the use of the first floor for occupancy, the second floor would be utilized for HVAC equipment, etc.”

Any renovation, however, would “require the completion of Option Two to make the building structure safe,” and Option Three “would include moving the building within the same site to a new location.”

As was pointed out by Stuart Brooks, who questioned just how many options were actually considered, Leisse’s report contained a fourth option that had originally not been sought by the committee during its Jan. 22 session.

warned followers of a Historical Society Facebook group that it may require a “significant response.”

The Historical Society president and mayor emeritus, in reading a “statement” on behalf of the society, urged the township committee that “before a final decision is made on what will happen to the building, many facts and options need to be researched, explored and considered.”

“We recommend to the township committee that the best way to do this would be to form a subcommittee to fully and carefully look at all necessary items to make recommendations,” said Franzen in reading from the statement. “The subcommittee could then recommend a use for the Old Town Hall, monitoring and reporting on progress based on findings from engineers, … and this is the most important part, I think – reaching out to the citizens of Tabernacle, the civic groups within Tabernacle, and engaging them with suggestions and ideas about the future of this building.”

Franzen pointed out that the town hall has previously been used for dances, conferences, chicken barbeques and elections, as well as the meeting place for the Junior Mechanics and Patriotic Sons of America.

(Continued from Page 6) See

Four Options Presented for a ‘19th Century Space’

Following Boyd’s presentation, Hartman reviewed a report with the public that had been prepared for and presented to the subcommittee by Township Engineer Tom Leisse, of Pennoni Associates.

The report presented four possible options for the future of the existing town hall, and an estimated cost.

Option One is titled, “Demolish and Remove.”

“Option One would include the demolition and disposal of the old town hall, removal of foundation and footings, on-site debris above and below ground, backfilling the lower level with certified select material free of organics to bring it to within six inches of final surface grading with the site, all restorations, labor, equipment, supervision, and all other incidentals necessary to complete the work,” Leisse wrote. “While the work is being completed, it is anticipated that traffic control along Medford Lakes Road and Caranza Road will be utilized through detours or partial lane closures.”

Leisse noted that in October 2022, it was found that the town hall contains asbestos-containing materials, as well as other hazardous materials.

The engineer estimated that Option One, including any abatement, would cost the township $200,000 to $260,000.

The second option identified by Leisse is to make the “Building Safe, But Unusable.”

“Option Two would be to make the building safe by reconstructing the foundation, and reinforcement of the structure and roof,” the township engineer wrote. “This would provide the township

Unlike the other three, that option was not given a title, but simply explained as one that is an “alternative to repurposing the existing town hall building.” According to Leisse, it would entail constructing “a new building at the Village Greene that would be designed to be visually sympathetic to the characteristics of the current building.”

The intent of the mimicked facility, the engineer wrote, would serve as a meeting and gathering place for the “Girl Scouts/ Boy Scouts, senior groups, Historical Society, community HOAs” as well as those involved with the Pinelands or who wish to play bingo.

The final option, Leisse noted, is based on the completion of Option One, and would cost an estimated $1,793,000 to $1,910,000.

“Option Four – I don’t believe it is a good option,” Stuart Brooks declared. “The cost for demo is almost the same as renovation. Why spend the same money to demolish a 19th Century building, and build an outof-scale, modern substitute. Once you demolish the Old Town Hall, you’ll have nothing to be visually sympathetic to.”

The local transparency advocate further declared that a “single-story building is not going to be that of a visually consistent shape as that of the Old Town Hall.”

He maintained that the “inconsistency is really too great,” but similar to that of the inconsistency to add an “e” on Village Greene, as had been proposed for 163 Carranza Road, with him contending that it is a 19th Century space at issue and adding a “silent ‘e’” is a “14th Century practice.”

Old Town Hall: ‘Heart and Soul of Tabernacle’

Franzen, upon reading this newspaper’s coverage of the Jan. 22 committee session and learning of the committee’s newfound entertainment to raze the town hall,

“I would urge you, regarding Old Town Hall, not to rush into a decision tonight,” Stuart Brooks declared. “This is a rare resource and requires the fullest degree of involvement, including the fullest of information – and we need to know ‘all’ the options.”

Donald Gerber, whose family goes back generations in town, noted that in his family, it was his great grandfather who had first joined the Mechanics.

“Many of you don’t know anything about it, but that building was built by us and built to serve the community – and it did,” Gerber declared.

Gerber explained the history of how the building came to be, in first noting that the Order of Mechanics was founded on July 8, 1845. The Junior Order of Mechanics was subsequently formed on May 17, 1853, Gerber noted.

He pointed to a deed for the building, dated Sept. 9, 1851, noting it was “for an old meetinghouse.” He pointed to a second deed, dated July 21, 1861, “for the building of a school.”

“Old Town Hall has been part of the heart and soul of Tabernacle since 1874,” the former mayor and Historical Society president declared. “It has been the keystone of this town for social, governing events and functions. We must seriously consider keeping it in place and having it continue to serve the residents of Tabernacle for years to come.”

Stuart Brooks concurred with Franzen that a subcommittee should be created.

Gerber recounted that the “two-room school” was “in the existing parking lot” back then, before it was “taken by horse and buggy” and later raised up, “with floors put underneath of it,” referring to the facility as the “original building,” before declaring, “that is where that building originated.”

And then, on Dec. 15, 1936, the building, was transferred by the local Board of Education to the township and trustees of the junior order, before detailing its

(Continued from Page 4)

on it,” Veasy replied, eliciting yet another question from Huffnagle: “When you say ‘we’, is there an Evesham Township pickleball committee I’m not aware of?”

When the mayor replied, “No,” Huffnagle asked, “You mean just you and the other council members?”

Veasy indicated that was correct, adding, “and our staff.”

Huffnagle later asked whether a grant awarded to the township by the state Green Acres program for new ADAcompliant playground equipment at Evesboro Downs could have been used for pickleball courts instead, and when he was informed it was exclusively intended for the equipment, then inquired whether a grant for pickleball courts had even been sought by the township.

“No, that’s not what the money is for,” the mayor replied. “The state sets aside millions of dollars for fully inclusive playgrounds.”

On a totally different subject, Huffnagle noted that he was also not happy with the lengthy period of time it has taken him to access minutes of meetings from several years ago for “a couple of ordinances I wanted to look at” without having to go to the trouble of filing an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request.

Some 24 months’ worth of minutes, it was noted, have been temporarily removed from the township website in order to accommodate a Daniel’s Law request, referring to the state’s current requirement that home address information on officials such as judges and prosecutors, as well as law enforcement officers, not be made public, which was passed after a U.S. district judge’s home was targeted and her son murdered by an individual affected by one of her rulings.

The question was referred to Phillips, whose answer was that the process “is going to take some time” and that “Rebecca (Andrews) is doing her best” to go through the documents and remove whatever the references at issues are when she finds them. In the meantime, Huffnagle was advised that the information he seeks is “available,” but he would have to go through OPRA to obtain it.

Clarification of an ordinance that was passed on second reading requiring that groups wanting to reserve use of township parks provide proof of liability insurance and receive permission from the township manager’s office was also requested by Huffnagle, Democratic Councilwoman Heather Cooper and Veasy.

Phillips explained that the ordinance wasn’t intended for residents who “just want to go to the park to have fun for the day” on a casual basis, but rather for people who want to reserve a space for private gatherings and close that area off to others. He also noted that a homeowner’s policy could often suffice for the insurance requirement, as could something known as Tulip insurance, which provides special liability coverage for events, which a representative can sign up for online.

Another measure, a resolution to amend the organization, duties and responsibilities of the Evesham Township Green Team, was tabled at the request of Democratic Deputy Mayor Ginamarie Espinoza with Democratic council members Eddie Freeman III and Patrician Hansen agreeing to the postponement for an indefinite period of time, outnumbering Veasy and Cooper who voted to proceed with it.

Although Veasy refused to let her speak following the vote, claiming no comment was necessary, Espinoza later used her council comment period to explain that she had been provided no previous information on “any issues regarding the Environmental Commission or the green team” which has successfully helped the township receive numerous Sustainable Jersey accreditations, and therefore wanted the benefit of some time to look into the issue further and hear from both “to understand how they would like to work together moving forward.”

Cooper, for her part, said she was “disappointed” by the vote to table the resolution, maintaining that “our agenda is posted on Monday so there (was) ample time to look at that,” and that she hoped “we can still facilitate our intention to stay in compliance with Sustainable New Jersey, and looked forward to the possibility of seeing the resolution on the agenda again.

Veasy described the previous green team resolution as being “pretty much null and void in the way that it’s written, with the names of residents who are actually not part of the green team any longer” included, and that the proposed new version would simply have allowed for appointments of members so it could be easily updated as needed.

In other business, the council unanimously adopted on second reading an ordinance designating a section of Hopewell Road at Aberdeen Court, which was described as having been the scene of a number of accidents, as a “no passing zone.”

At the beginning of the meeting, Megan Stanley, a senior planner with the firm of

See GOLF/ Page 11

“original venture.”

Under the agreement, Gerber maintained, there was a clause “‘reserving to the grantors, or that would be the junior order, the right to hold not in excess of two lodge meetings per month, in the building now erected on said premises, and subject further to the express conditions of the lands, which are hereby conveyed to the township for use as a municipal building and for the other municipal purposes.’”

Gerber contended that it was on Sept. 15, 1966, when “we handed over the building” and that “since then, it has been noted as a historic site in the township, and what that means is it is to be maintained and preserved.”

“There are only four locations in the township deemed as historic properties and the town hall is one of them!” Gerber emphasized.

After detailing the junior order only stopped meeting at the facility due to the COVID pandemic lockdown decree and is involved in arranging for a local scholarship, Gerber asserted, “And this building, to us, is the heart of Tabernacle – it is part of us.”

“We grew up here, and no matter which direction you came into town, there was town hall,” continued Gerber, with the town hall at the center point of the town center, or where Medford Lakes-Tabernacle Road meets with Carranza Road.

Gerber, an elderly man who struggled to read the statement, wanted to continue with his remarks, but was cut short by Hartman, who sought strict public comment policies in the past, with the mayor pointing out that his four minutes of time to speak had expired and simply thanking him for his comments.

But the public, in recognizing the significance of what Gerber had to say, gave Gerber thunderous applause.

Franzen, meanwhile, warned the governing body “don’t forget that if you do decide to demolish, you have to have to have Pinelands Commission approval to do that, because it has been there for over 50 years.”

“And there is also a deed restriction on the building,” he said, adding that he was in contact with a commission representative who thought it would be a good idea to get the Old Town Hall “put on the New Jersey Register of Historic Sites,” which is maintained by the NJHC.

“Our Master Plan calls for keeping the historical flavor of keeping a Pinelands Village, and the town hall, as you know,

was built in 1874,” Stuart Brooks told the committee. “It is one of the few buildings of its kind in our country that is in the center of our village. It is bad enough that you are removing the municipal scene from the village, to a remote site without much visibility (144 Carranza Road is where the new municipal building is proposed to be erected). It was a bad idea that you didn’t reinforce the building, and buy Sequoia (to repurpose as a town hall). It would have cost far less than building a new complex.

“And demolition of Old Town Hall would be the third step backwards from the Master Plan, and a giant one at that.”

Either Make It Safe and Secure, or Take It Down

Sprague, in responding to the public comments, declared he is “very disappointed that we had another study of town hall.”

“Nothing is going to happen with that until two to three years down the road,” he maintained of Leisse’s report. “Two to three years from now, someone will say you have to find out what is going on. The money for that study was a waste in my opinion!”

Sprague, who had suggested the formation of a subcommittee on Jan. 22 (though with an emphasis on bringing back reports for the proposed municipal building), declared he did not propose a “subcommittee for the old building.”

“Yet you assumed to form your own subcommittee to do this… and that is just … that is not how things should be done!” said Sprague in looking towards Hartman and Stone, as well as GOP Committeeman Samuel “Sammy” Moore.

Sprague at one point referred to the future fate of town hall as “Phase III” of any municipal building project.

“I want the town to be involved, as well as our churches and civic leagues,” Sprague asserted. “As this affects the lives of the people, and the residents themselves. That is not happening.”

It is as if, Sprague maintained, his colleagues want there to be a “Phase I” of the project that is a “one and done” deal.

Township Solicitor William Burns, after consulting with Brown, interjected, contending that he “needs to correct the record,” in pointing to the Jan. 22 meeting minutes that were just adopted without objection, maintaining the document’s contents reflect the subcommittee

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work, declared, “that buying you three months (with the temporary wall) has almost turned into three years!”

“There has been no action till now!” Stone continued. “Based on Tom’s report from 2021 to 2024, I move to demolish 163 Carranza Road … and authorize the town clerk to order a safety fence to put around it because it is in danger of collapsing, and that is just from the past few weeks.”

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(Continued from Page 8)

established in January was to “discuss the use of the old municipal building” and given $5,000 in spending authority to obtain an engineer to assist in its study.

“A motion was made to address the issues with Old Town Hall, pursuant to the minutes just approved,” said Burns, to which Sprague retorted, “I must be old and senile, because that is not the conversation we had.”

(While Sprague had initially proposed the subcommittee on Jan. 22 to report back on the construction progress of the new town hall, further committee discussion, mainly at the behest of Stone, led to the Old Town Hall being incorporated into its responsibilities and the spending authority granted.)

Sprague, upon Burns announcing the $5,000 in spending having been approved, called it “just a waste of money.”

But Deputy Mayor Stone countered, in response, “I think it was money well spent!”

“Since our subcommittee meeting, we spoke to Tom (Boyd), and it is deteriorating even further,” Stone said. “Now rocks are falling out. You already can see from the outside, inside.”

Stone, in pointing to the past of “no substantial moves” to secure the building or fix it up, other than some temporary

Moore, prior to that motion, however, had asked Boyd for a “timeline” of how much longer the committee can wait before taking any kind of an action with the “building degrading.”

“I don’t think it can wait years from the sounds of it, to form subcommittees,” Moore added.

Boyd, in appearing to anticipate the question, read a portion of the Uniform Construction Code, or from N.J.A.C. 5:232.32, which states, in part, “‘All buildings or structures that shall become unsafe, or unsanitary, or that contain deficient or blocked exit way facilities, or which constitute a fire hazard or are otherwise dangerous to human life or the public welfare, or that by reason of illegal or improper use or occupancy shall be deemed unsafe buildings or structures, shall be taken down and removed or made safe and secure.’”

“We either make it safe and secure, or take it down,” Boyd declared. “That is a choice this committee has to make. It has been over two years since this has been known. The building is going to continue to deteriorate.”

He explained that one of the reasons the structural integrity of the building “became an issue, quite frankly,” was there had been a deadly Miami building condo collapse that killed 90 people in Florida, which prompted officials to study its own buildings.

“We don’t have the luxury of sitting here,” said Boyd in also pointing to the Pine Barrens Tribune ’s recent coverage

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LEGAL NOTICES

Workshop Meeting Rescheduled

Township of Tabernacle County of Burlington, State of NJ

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Tabernacle

Township Committee has rescheduled their workshop meeting from March 11th to April 8th at 6:30 pm. The meeting will be held at the Tabernacle Fire House, 76 Hawkins Rd, Tabernacle, NJ.

The agenda will include normal township business.

This is an open public meeting in accordance with N.J.S.A. 10:4-6. Anyone from the public wishing to speak will be permitted to during public participation. The agenda will be posted on the township webpage.

Maryalice Brown, RMC Township Clerk

Pub. Date March 9, 2024

Ptr Fee: $3.75

of the partial collapse of the Green Bank Inn in neighboring Washington Township, which occurred years after it was condemned and identified as a public nuisance. “I understand people’s feelings and I empathize with that.

“But I also understand that if this building were to collapse, the fingers would be pointing as to why I didn’t do something. I am obligated by law, the one I just read to you, that this building has to be demolished, or has to be made safe for repair. How you folks want to go about that is up to you guys. But we cannot continue to sit on it!”

When Sprague went to ask a question of Boyd, following Stone’s motion, the committeewoman shot back, “I just moved to do something!”

Stone’s motion led to immediate jeers from the audience, and Burns clarified there is a “motion, which has to be in the form of a resolution, to demolish the current structure and to authorize the professionals to accommodate same and immediately secure the premises.”

There was commotion, including shouting, with one person declaring, “Do what the people want!”

“I get it,” Moore said. “Town hall is very sentimental to me, myself. My father used to have dances there, so it is a very difficult decision. To make it usable, but safe, is over $1 million, all when we are trying to build a new town hall. And we have an unsafe structure that can potentially fall down in Medford Lakes Road. It is a very difficult decision.”

But Moore’s statement only led to more shouting, with Fran Brooks yelling, “You left it like that!” As Hartman banged his gavel, Fran Brooks continued, “Shame on you, you didn’t do a darn thing about the building – pathetic!”

Deputy Mayor Stone retorted, “Neither did the past two committees, so it is not

anything new.”

“A building does not get like this in three years,” she further maintained.

Sprague, in ultimately getting a chance to query Boyd, first asked in which direction could the building fall. The construction official answered that the “rocks falling in” and foundation is “collapsing on the Medford Lakes side.”

When Sprague surmised that it is “probably hydraulic pressure” causing the situation, Boyd called it his “best guess.” Sprague inquired whether a “very inexpensive” French drain could alleviate some of the issues described by Boyd in his presentation, but the code enforcement official maintained the whole foundation likely would require repair.

Sprague, in pointing to the previous plan to relocate the building, caused the construction official to mostly agree that if the building is relocated, most of the foundation issues would go away, as the initial proposal calls for the building to be lifted onto a concrete slab, with a four-foot crawl space, which is believed to be enough to “probably get it to be structurally safe.”

Leisse, while present at the Feb. 26 meeting, never spoke about the proposal or its details, and left it to Boyd to explain the deterioration and necessity of taking an action.

“I think quick decisions should not be done and we have to discuss this further,” said Sprague, with Committeeman Noble McNaughton, the most experienced governing body member (40 years in town government), notably absent from the session, and who, in January, clashed with Stone over the mere mention of razing town hall.

Sprague noted he had been in touch with McNaughton, the latter whose viewpoints have recently mostly aligned with Sprague’s views.

But Boyd persisted, “respectfully twoand-a-half years ago we said we ‘need more discussion.’”

When Sprague responded he agreed six months to make a choice is too long of a time, but is only asking for a little more time, or until what had been a scheduled March workshop meeting, Boyd responded that “as a licensed construction official in the State of New Jersey, I just read you the law, and truly believe twoand-a-half years has been a long time.”

But more yelling and screaming from the public ensued, including, “Disgrace!” and “Maladministration!”

Sprague got Boyd to be “OK” with delaying a decision until the scheduled workshop, but Boyd declared, “It just needs to be made!”

“I can’t stress the urgency of a need to do something,” Boyd declared. “I need to get this safe. A 4-inch drop in 12 feet is a lot, that is a significant drop. An inchand-a-half drop on a steel beam is a lot.”

But before any decision was made on whether to make a decision on Feb. 26, Sprague asked Boyd point blank if he felt the prior decision to turn the heat off in the town hall hurt or helped the situation. The construction official acknowledged “that did not help it at all” and that he “probably would say,” based on his experience, it “contributed.” See DEMOLISH

DEMOLISH

(Continued from Page 9)

Ward shouted from his seat, “You got notices of neglect of town hall and you did nothing!”

Hartman then proceeded to further entertain Stone’s motion, and it was a 3-1 vote, with Sprague casting the lone opposing vote to demolish town hall.

Decorum was lost, immediately, with the Republican mayor left begging attendees to allow the meeting to continue.

But not before Fran Brooks yelled, “You voted to demolish a building that rarely exists in this country!”, with others shouting, “Shame on you!

“Shame on you is right!” Fran Brooks declared. “You should be removed from office! It is not just sentimental, this is our history! … Your representation of this town could not be worse, you should be voted out of office!”

Following the decision, Franzen posted in the Historical Society Facebook group, “Amid the backdrop of raucous audience members, strong verbal disagreements within those assembled, three police cars and general chaos, three members of the township committee voted to demolish the town hall. An unexpected, but obviously preplanned motion was made by the deputy mayor and supported by the mayor and Sam Moore. Of course, they waited until the majority of the crowd left. Bill Sprague put

(Continued

sawing at night, call us immediately,” he urged.

GOLF

(Continued from Page 8)

Heyer, Gruel and Associates, gave an

up a valiant defense, but was outvoted 3-1.”

When one person, in response to that post, asked, “Can you get the Historical Commission involved?”, Franzen answered, “That is one avenue we are looking at.”

“The historical building was donated by Junior Mechanics to Tabernacle Township to be used for town hall,” wrote Charles Horner, another person who responded to the post. “Many local family ancestors were members of the organization and still are. The Junior Mechanics had done so many good things in the past for Tabernacle and many other towns. Also, all across the USA!

“I hope the township officials realize the historical value this building has. Maybe it could be re-examined by a certificate building safety officer to look at repairing it to become a Tabernacle Township historical museum. It would be nice to save history! And be proud of Tabernacle’s history, not destroy it. I hope it can be saved!”

Carol Ray Riener, an administrator of the Historical Society Facebook group, asked a question of the residents: “Since when is a unilateral decision to demolish historic buildings OK in Tabernacle?”

“All we asked for is some time to explore our options for outside funding,” she revealed. “We didn't ask for a single dollar from the town. Why the rush?”

Mary Ann Silvers, vice president and treasurer of the Historical Society, repeated what English novelist and essayist George Orwell once said, “‘The most effective way

On a more positive note, Miller said he was happy to announce that the department now has two social workers on its staff to help residents with issues such as homelessness, addiction and mental health

overview of a 67-page final community energy plan that she said would “open the doors to a lot of things,” with the biggest one being obtaining funding and support.

“The BPU (Board of Public Utilities)

to destroy people is to obliterate their own understanding of their history.’”

“That quote maybe a little over the top for this subject of demolishing the Old Town Hall, but maybe not,” she declared. “The Old Town Hall building has symbolized the center of the heart of our town and our history. We all know that it was built in 1874 to serve as a lodge for the Junior Order of the United American Mechanics. It had served the lodge members and the community for generations. In 1966, it was turned over to the township for its use. I am shocked and disappointed at the events that happened at the February township committee meeting.

“Voting on the options for the Old Town Hall was NOT on the agenda as such. It might have been hidden in politico speech. I am very disappointed in the committee that pushed their agenda on the public without an Ad Hoc Committee looking into what other means of financial support could be gotten to SAVE OLD TOWN HALL!!”

Nancy McGinnis, a former Republican Tabernacle committeewoman, wrote, “UNBELIEVABLE!! SHAME ON THEM!”

in all caps, while her husband, Jack, who also served on the governing body, asserted, “Go back to three committee members.”

“A committee of three is always two elections away from being changed,” he pointed out.

The decision even brought about a rebuke from the township’s GOP chairman, Mark LeMire, in sharing Franzen’s reaction following the Feb. 26 session.

problems that are not part of traditional police work. The new employees are funded by Volunteers of America, which also has provided the department with a vehicle and equipment, which all-told would probably

currently has a round of implementation grants, and the big requirement is to have one of these plans adopted,” Stanley said. “So, this plan will allow your grant writers to look at what the priorities are in the

“We have few if any other structures in town with any historical significance,” he wrote. “Our town center may not be much, but it has been the one rallying point since the 1800s. Bulldozing the building because we lack funding is shortsighted and will adversely affect this town for generations. Either renovate or stabilize and put it to the voters.

“Although no definitive numbers for the cost of the new replacement building on an inconspicuous lot 600 feet off the road have ever been made public, we apparently can’t afford to save this building. The three committee members that voted for this destruction owe the public more information and a say in how their tax dollars are spent. The next meeting is March 11 at 6:30 at the firehouse (since we have no other public meeting space). Make your feelings known.”

But that meeting was rescheduled following the outcry (although it is unclear the reason that it has been rescheduled), to April. There is a regular March committee session currently scheduled for March 25.

Former Medford Township Manager Kathy Burger, a resident of Tabernacle, also notably weighed in, noting, “The township will still have to secure Pinelands Approval” before it can proceed with the demolition. As of press time on March 7, construction fencing had yet to be placed around the town hall.

cost from $200,000 to $250,000 annually.

“We are very grateful that we were selected for that program and are one of the few police departments in New Jersey to have social workers in our facility,” he added.

township and really just kind of create this road map to make you competitive for these grants,” with the one that’s available right now potentially providing the municipality with up to $250,000 for sustainable energy initiatives.