Pine Barrens Tribune May 4, 2024-May 10, 2024

Staff Writer

By D ouglas D. M elegari

Three Women Also Establish Committee to ‘Recall’ Tompkins from Office

PEMBERTON—There is a growing chorus of calls for Republican Pemberton Township Mayor Jack Tompkins to resign from office, ones that have followed the official release of a report on April 26 that has outlined a number of alleged instances of sexual harassment and retaliation by the mayor (see separate story.) The findings of the investigation have left Democratic Governor Phil Murphy “deeply disturbed,” Natalie Hamilton, a spokesperson for the governor, told the Pine Barrens Tribune on May 1, and after reading the 18-page, singlespaced report, local 8th District Democratic Assemblywoman Andrea Katz declared on April 26, in part, “I read the report of Mayor Tompkins’ extensive abuses and I’m absolutely horrified.”

Photo By Andrew King

Investigation Report Released Detailing

Pemberton Township Mayor’s Alleged Numerous Sexual Innuendos Uttered to Municipal Employees Report Also Describes Mayor Having Allegedly Been ‘Sexually Attracted’ to Employee, to Point of Doing ‘Special Favors,’ Then Retaliating

When Learning of an Affair,

and

Purported ‘Creepy’ Behavior That’s Making Youth Employees ‘Uncomfortable‘

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

PEMBERTON—The Pemberton Township Municipal Building has a room with a couch in it, and Republican Pemberton Township Mayor Jack Tompkins referred to it as the “date rape room” because of it, and has admitted to making the comment, according to a redacted report released late on April 26 summarizing the findings of the Pemberton Township Councilordered investigation of the mayor and administration, specifically looking into claims of sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliatory conduct by the mayor.

It is one of more than a dozen such findings in the 18-page, single-spaced report that led council on April 16 to unanimously, and in a bipartisan fashion, call for Tompkin’s resignation and to refer the matter to the Police Department and/or county prosecutor. And it is just one of several new alleged interactions between the mayor and township employees that were previously unreported by this newspaper.

The investigators also learned that Tompkins purportedly did “special favors” for a certain employee he was allegedly “sexually attracted” to, though the mayor has denied to the investigators that he was attracted to the employee. Those leading the probe also found that Tompkins “attempted to influence employees’ testimony to the investigators.”

‘Credible Reports’ of GenderBased Discrimination, Harassment

Attorneys Marc M. Yenicag and Justin P. Kolbenschlag, special investigators with the law firm Pashman Stein Walder Hayden, retained for the purposes of conducting the investigation, wrote, in part, “Our investigation revealed a troubling pattern of credible reports of gender-based discrimination and harassment by the mayor against female employees.”

“On one occasion, the mayor approached a female [redacted] (Employee No. 1) from behind and poked the back of her head

See REPORT/ Page 3

Mother’s Day Cards: Try Poetry

How can you wish your mom a “Happy Mother’s Day” without relying on a pre-made card from the bookstore or pharmacy? Write her an original poem! Here are a few tips to help you hone your writing skills.

Use Figures of Speech

Figures of speech, such as comparison, create powerful imagery. Here are a couple of examples:

• Mom, you’re as strong as the ocean

• You shine like a thousand shooting stars

Try Rhyming

Rhyming poems, especially cross-rhyming ones, are very popular. Here’s an example:

Mom, your strength is an ocean’s tide, Guiding me and putting my fears aside, With love and grace, you’ve been my guide, Now relax and let joy abide

Speak from the Heart

Draw on your memories and emotions. Don’t worry about what other people think. If you write sincerely, your mother will feel it. Don’t

know where to start? Jot down all the words that come to mind when you think of your mother. Then, look for words that rhyme with those and use them to build your own poem.

Most greeting card retailers offer beautiful blank cards. Find one that reminds you of your mother and write your poem in it.

Mother’s Day Gifts: Let Her Personality Guide You

Is your mom an ecologist, artist, sportswoman or traveler? Does she prefer kitchen gadgets to beauty products? You must consider your mom’s personality and favorite hobbies to get her a present she’ll love. Here are a few gift ideas for the type of mom you want to spoil.

The Ecologist

If your mother is concerned about her carbon footprint and wants to reduce her environmental impact, buy her local or waste-free products. A soy wax candle, a selection of handmade soaps or a house plant are great options. You could

also give her the gift unwrapped or use reusable packaging.

The Artist

Many moms have a creative side. Whether your mom’s a beginner or an experienced illustrator, gift her a box of pastels to nurture her artistic spirit. Want to surprise her? Sign her up for an introductory pottery class.

The Foodie

Does your mother like the finer things in life? Choose something that will indulge her guilty pleasures. If she loves tasty bites, get her a charcuterie board gift box. You could also opt for an oyster set, a specialty knife or an assortment of fancy cooking oils.

The Sportswoman

Moms that work out will never say no to new equipment! The possibilities are endless, from a smartwatch and yoga mat to the latest running shoes. If you don’t know her shoe size, give her a gift card to her favorite sports shop.

The Globetrotter

If your mom has tickets for her next overseas getaway, gift her a new foldable

travel bag. Several models come with straps so she can attach the bag to her suitcase. All her belongings will be within easy reach! A power bank isn’t only handy in emergencies; it’ll ensure your mom doesn’t miss out on photo ops.

Choosing the right gift for Mother’s Day can seem daunting. However, remember that you know your mom best. The first words that come to mind when you think of her are usually excellent clues. Finally, don’t forget to tell your mom you love her!

Mother's Day Mother's Day

HAPPY

Celebrate Your Mom... and Other Mothers!

Mother’s Day is the perfect occasion to show appreciation for your mom by spending quality time with her and the people she loves. However, it’s also an excellent time to recognize the dedication and importance of many other mothers in your life.

Use Your Mobile Phone

Before joining your family for Mother’s Day brunch, take a few minutes to go through your phone contacts and send a short, personalized message to the extraordinary moms in your network. A simple text message can brighten the day of a colleague who recently became a new mother or a friend who moved abroad.

Don’t Forget The Grandmothers

Your mother’s mother and your father’s mother are also mothers. If your grandmothers tend to step aside to make room for mothers with young children, remind them that you’re thinking of them, too. Give your granny flowers, a recent photo of you to put on the fridge, a card or even a poem praising her legendary apple pie.

This year, take the time to remind ALL the mothers in your life that they positively influence their children’s lives and yours, too.

(Continued from Page 2)

with his finger in a spot where her scalp was exposed and stated, ‘I just put my finger in the hole,’” said the investigators of what they have learned. “The mayor admitted to touching [redacted]’s head with his finger and later apologized for doing so, but denied that he made the comment about touching the female’s ‘hole.’”

On “another occasion,” the investigators found, the mayor and “Employee No. 1” were in the parking lot of the municipal building when the mayor approached a woman walking back to her car with her minor son, who had apparently just participated in a youth camp, and in seeking feedback on the program, the “minor child stated that his favorite part of the program was playing with the batons” and “in response, the mayor” pointed to the employee and allegedly stated ‘she tried to use whips and chains on me yesterday, but I wasn’t into it.’”

It is noted in the report that despite the investigators’ findings, the mayor denied such a conversation.

The investigators concluded in the report that Tompkins on “repeated occasions” commented on Employee No. 1’s “appearance and outfits in a sexual manner.”

“Specifically, on June 21, 2023, the mayor told the female [redacted] that the dress she was wearing really looked good on her,” the investigators wrote. “On another occasion, the mayor asked the female employee how she was doing, to which the employee responded, ‘Fine.’ The mayor responded: ‘Oh, we all know you’re fine!” with an emphasis on the word ‘fine’ such that it suggested the comment was a reference to her physical appearance.”

The mayor also denied making those comments, and instead, according to the investigators, “claimed, without providing any detail, that he was aware of a complaint by another employee that Employee No. 1’s attire was ‘too revealing.’”

“Despite the mayor’s denial, several other eyewitnesses independently corroborated the mayor’s ‘we all know you’re fine’ comment to Employee No. 1,” the investigators wrote. “Additionally, multiple employees reported that, based on their observations of the mayor’s interactions with Employee No. 1, it was obvious that the mayor was sexually attracted to Employee No. 1, further corroborating the allegations.”

On yet “another occasion” involving the same employee, when the two discussed fishing, Employee No. 1 had mentioned that she “‘did not enjoy fishing because she does not like to touch the fish,’” to which the mayor is alleged to have asked, “‘Or does [fishing] remind you of the smell down there?,’” all while also allegedly “gesturing toward the female’s genitals.”

“During our interview, the mayor recalled having a conversation with Employee No. 1 about his former job allowing him to go fishing, but denied making the comment about ‘the smell down there,’” the investigators wrote.

The Pine Barrens Tribune previously reported that 37 employees were interviewed during the course of the investigation, and according to the investigators, “several employees”

reported to them that Tompkins “did special favors” for Employee No. 1, including giving that employee “special permission” to conduct an activity, one that is redacted in the report.

“The mayor admitted that he approved the [redacted] and noted that he personally attempted to [redacted] in the employee’s office, but that he had to assign someone from the Department of Public Works to finish the installation,” the investigators wrote. “The mayor also admitted to buying [redacted] Employee No. 1 [redacted] on Amazon with his own money.”

Additionally, during a bi-monthly department head meeting, Employee No. 1, the investigators concluded, asked rhetorically where she should sit, to which the mayor responded, ‘I know where you can sit,’ and that although the mayor denies making any such comment, it “was corroborated by other eyewitnesses.”

Tompkins, who according to prior accounts is a married man, is alleged by investigators to have become “enraged” upon learning that Employee No. 1 “was dating another township employee,” so much so that he “expressed a desire to fire both employees.”

At least one of the interviewed employees described Tompkins as being “‘beyond upset’” to learn such news and “motivated by jealousy.”

“The mayor admitted that, upon learning that Employee No. 1 was dating another township employee, he asked the Township Business Administrator (Daniel Hornickel) for ‘his options’ in addressing the dating relationship, but denied that he threatened to fire both employees or that he was sexually attracted to Employee No. 1,” the investigators wrote.

In fact, according to the investigator’s findings, the mayor, despite his denials, would invoke his existing marriage in his interactions with Employee No. 1, with there being purportedly “repeated occasions” in which that employee would go to him to ask questions and receive an alleged response of, “‘I told you; I am married.’”

Alleged Gender-Based Conduct Toward Other Female Employees

When another “female employee” told of a preplanned out-of-state trip and that she intended to get her colleagues “little gifts or other presents to bring back from her trip,” she asked Tompkins what he might want her to bring back for him, and according to the investigators, the mayor is alleged to have replied, “‘you can’t bring me what I want,’” then purportedly explained that he wanted “‘a blonde with big boobs.”’

Then, after the Department of Public Works got a new TV installed in one of their buildings, the mayor made a comment to several workers that “they better not use the TV to watch ‘Monkeyon-Monkey Porn.’”

Tompkins, the investigators wrote, denied making the gift remarks, but did admit to making the porn comment, but in doing so, “claimed that he was referring to the Discovery Channel or some other similar channel, rather than making a racially and/or sexually charged comment.”

The mayor, investigators wrote, had also “wrapped his arms around the neck

of another female employee from behind” at one point, but they could not determine “whether the mayor physically grabbed the employee or just feigned grabbing her around the neck in a joking manner.”

But whatever happened, the mayor told investigators he had “later apologized to the female employee for his actions.”

The Pine Barrens Tribune previously reported on an allegation that Tompkins accused another female employee of inappropriately touching a Pemberton citizen in the genitals during a conversation at a township event, and that this person is a staffer working for the Recreation Department that came to Recreation Director Nichole Pittman’s defense when Tompkins moved to have the director demoted.

The investigators say they found that the allegation the mayor leveraged against the employee “was not true.”

Tompkins, according to the report, was also asked by investigators to address an allegation by Pittman, via a lawsuit filed, that he had allegedly told her, “‘you don’t know what I’m wearing under my clothes’” in response to a question as to why he was not wearing red, white and blue attire on July 4, but that “on advice of counsel, the mayor declined to respond to questions regarding the Director of Recreation’s allegations during our interview due to ongoing litigation.”

The investigators also learned of what had been previously reported to this newspaper by high-level officials, that the mayor allegedly told two employees to “‘get a room’” when he witnessed them talking to each other, with one employee maintaining that the “mayor boasted about discussing his genitals in another department’s office,” and while the first was a finding by investigators, the latter charge could not be corroborated.

Alleged ‘Inappropriate Conduct’ Toward Minor Female Employees

Causing the most alarm in the township since council’s April 16 meeting, in which the body censured the mayor and called on him to resign, was the determination by investigators that Tompkins allegedly had “inappropriate and flirtatious interactions with minor females employed by the township.”

“Several employees,” according to the investigators, “reported that the mayor routinely walked around [redacted] “attempting to flirt with the female [redacted] seasonal employees, many of whom were/are minors.”

The investigators further wrote that “multiple eyewitnesses” described Tompkins’ alleged interactions with the seasonal employees at issue as “‘creepy,’” with the several of the minor employees themselves telling them that the mayor had made them “feel uncomfortable” to the point that several conferred with each other and decided to “‘stay away’” from the official, and if he appeared around them, to ensure that none of them were “alone.”

The report delves into a claim contained in Pittman’s lawsuit, previously reported by this newspaper, alleging that Tompkins had asked a minor to go alone with him to check on something, with the report identifying that the interaction at issue involved a 16-year-old female seasonal

employee, with the mayor asking her “to go for a ride with him in his car to Presidential Lakes” to a “largely unused section of township property.”

“It is unclear why the mayor was going to Presidential Lakes and why he invited the minor female to accompany him,” the investigators concluded, as the “minor female declined the mayor’s invitation,” but she still “described the interaction as ‘weird.’”

Because the allegation at issue is in the pending litigation filed by Pittman, “the mayor would neither deny nor confirm this interaction on advice of counsel,” the investigators noted.

But the report goes on to reveal another purported incident involving a minor and Tompkins, this one allegedly when a minor female seasonal employee had “gone for a swim in the lake.”

“At the time, the mayor was in a shed cooling off from the summer heat,” the investigators described. “The minor female was reported to have entered the shed after swimming and said, “‘I am soaked from swimming,’” to which the mayor responded, ‘Oh, so that is what you’re covered in?’”

The alleged incident, according to the investigators, was relayed to them by a male seasonal employee, who emphasized to them that he believed that the “mayor’s comment was sexual in nature” and that Tompkins “‘tended to gravitate around the younger female seasonal employees.’”

When the investigators interviewed the minor female at issue with her parent present, however, according to the investigators, she “did not recall hearing this specific comment, but reported that the mayor was generally known by the female seasonal employees as being “’creepy.’”

Another minor female seasonal employee, according to the report, who described some of Tompkins’ comments to the female seasonal employees as “‘out of pocket’” and contended that the “mayor would talk mostly with the female seasonal employees as opposed to the males, and that he made comments to the females that made them uncomfortable,” reportedly recounted to investigators an incident during the Fourth of July Fireworks in which the “mayor awkwardly introduced her to his ‘Army friends.’”

“She also recalled hearing the mayor making fun of another female minor’s physical appearance in a teasing/ flirtatious manner,” the investigators wrote, putting in a footnote that, “the investigators will not reveal the exact nature of the comment in an effort to protect the former minor’s identity.”

Yet another female seasonal employee told investigators that the “mayor would regularly go out of his way to talk to her anytime he visited, and she was at work,” despite being a minor at the time, and that he would “always call her by a nickname, such as ‘sweetie,’” or a “nickname he gave her based on her physical appearance.” The interactions Tompkins is alleged to have had with the then-minor became so common that “other seasonal employees commented on the frequency of the mayor’s interactions with her.”

“She described the mayor’s comments and demeanor towards her as ‘flirty,’” the investigators wrote. “She reported that

Tabernacle

Officials Contend They Are Confronted with Another Problem at Municipal Complex: Failure of Septic System Prompting Health Violation

Officials Admit Septic Field Had Been Failing for Long Time and Vehicles Are on It, with Report of Complete Failure Surfacing Month After Committeeman Suggested Temporary Construction Trailers Could Be Permanent

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

TABERNACLE—As a legal battle proceeds over the fate of Tabernacle Town Hall and an injunction preventing its demolition remains in effect, as of press time, Tabernacle Township officials contend they are now confronted with another problem at the Municipal Building Complex: the septic system has now reportedly “failed.”

The situation has reportedly sent municipal officials scrambling for another option for its employees who work out of the Public Works Department facility that is also on the lot, as well as temporary construction trailers that serve as a makeshift municipal building after Town Hall was shuttered in early 2022 due to it being a purportedly unsafe structure.

“The septic system has had on-andoff again problems for years from what I have been told, and it has finally failed,” declared Township Administrator and Clerk Maryalice Brown during an April 22 Tabernacle committee meeting. “There is sewage on the ground, overflowing.”

Brown contended that the septic tank was pumped out three weeks prior to the meeting, but since then, the water level inside “has already filled to the top, above where the field line is located.”

It was explained by the township administrator that Construction Official Tom Boyd “had to issue an Unsanitary Condition and UCC (Uniform Construction Code) Notice” because of the septic system’s state, which in turn obligated the situation to be reported to the Burlington County Department of Health (BOH).

“They came out and issued the violation notice you see here,” Brown said. “We tried to work quickly to get options.”

Brown, who provides administrator and clerk services to Tabernacle Township through a shared services agreement with Woodland Township, her primary employer, conveyed those options in a memorandum to the township committee, including, as she put it:

• “The county has said we can use a

Option to Replace Town Hall

‘holding tank,’ but only for six months. Mr. Boyd does not recommend this option. We would need to purchase a pump and have frequent pump outs;

• “I have gotten two quotes for temporary bathroom facilities, a.k.a. ‘gangway trailers.’ Mr. Bob is approximately $18,000/year, DiMeglio is $67,000/year. The BOH said they don’t issue permits for them and they don't have to be approved;

• “And another option – Woodland Township has available office space that they would be willing to rent to Tabernacle. It is not ideal; however, it would work. We could keep the offices located in Tabernacle for files, computer network, etc. We could keep the drop boxes in Tabernacle for residents to drop payments, applications, correspondence, etc. Employees could still use the Tabernacle offices; however, they would have a home base with bathroom facilities in Woodland. At Woodland, there would be desks for every employee. Currently Woodland has two pay windows. Offices could be rearranged so that Tabernacle has one pay window, Woodland has the other. Additionally, Woodland has a large meeting room and would accommodate our township meetings more efficiently than the firehouse. One other benefit if the offices were in Woodland, is that I would be with staff every day, instead of the two days/week. Staff could easily commute, as it is not that much difference in distance. I’m not suggesting a permanent move; but rather just until the septic can be repaired.”

The committee decided in a 3-1 vote, with Deputy Mayor Natalie Stone absent from the session, to award a contract to Mr. Bob, also known as Bob Drayton Septic Service and Portable Toilets, with Committeeman William Sprague, Jr. casting the lone opposing vote over his belief that the temporary toilet system

Bed and Breakfast and Short-Term Rental Regulations Proposed in Washington Twp. Two Years After Outright Ban Led to Outcry One Proposal Would Require Bed and Breakfast Operators to Be Present During Premises Use as Bed and Breakfast, and State Hotel Tax Registration

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

WASHINGTON—A measure that would establish regulations for “bed and breakfasts” in Washington Township has been introduced by the Washington Township Committee, two years after an outright ban was loudly opposed by township residents and operators alike.

The measure, which was introduced in March with a public hearing tentatively scheduled for May 7, would permit bed and breakfasts under certain circumstances, including that the residence must be a singlefamily use residence, owned by the operator of the inn, and the “owner of the premises must be present and occupy the premises during the premises use as a bed-and-breakfast inn.”

That latter proposed stipulation in particular, however, could conceivably pose a hardship for Brendan McBride, the operator of an Airbnb in town, given that McBride is an out of area resident, now residing in Philadelphia, according to a current listing he has on the Airbnb website for a “Pinelands Riverfront Home” along the Mullica River in Washington Township.

McBride did not return messages seeking comment on this story.

Additionally, most people seek Airbnb’s for getaway privacy and to have a couple days to a week to themselves or with family only.

Often, Airbnb owners monitor their premises simply remotely, through use of outdoor security cameras, doorbell cameras and noise decibel monitors, according to a piece by the National Association of Realtors.

Not only would an Airbnb operator have to satisfy the aforementioned proposed local regulations, but they would also have to obtain a license from the municipality, which would have to be renewed annually for $100, in addition to an operator being mandated to register with the State of New Jersey to “collect a hotel tax” and provide proof of “bed and breakfast liability insurance” coverage before being able to obtain one.

The Airbnb McBride advertises, a “restored two-story 1930s cottage,” can accommodate four guests, and has two bedrooms, two beds, and two baths.

The Washington proposal states that “no more than five rooms shall be used

as guest rooms,” and also would prohibit “cooking facilities” in any guest rooms.

The latest proposal was introduced unanimously by the governing body without any comment, but the measure states “the township’s experience, as well as common experiences, dictates the conclusion that ShortTerm Rental(s) frequently result in public nuisance, noise complaints, sanitation issues, overcrowding and illegal parking within the residential neighborhoods of the township, and essentially convert residential dwelling units into uses equating to or similar to illegal de-facto hotels, motels, boarding houses and other commercial enterprises, in violation of the township’s Zoning and other codes and ordinances, as well as state statutes.”

The committee introduced a second ordinance in March, with a public hearing also tentatively scheduled for May 7, that addresses “short-term rentals” in general, and the intent of the proposed measure, according to the draft obtained by this newspaper, is to not only curtail the purported issues outlined in the bed and breakfast ordinance, but also that the “township wishes to deter the cyber-social phenomenon of any owner renting his/her residential dwelling unit(s) on various websites, as well as the listing of short-term rental(s) by website businesses, of any dwelling unit(s), that constitute an illegal business operating in violation of the township’s Zoning Ordinance and resulting in public nuisances,” with it also written that the township “wishes to prevent potential overcrowding.”

“Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the township ordinances, it shall be unlawful for an owner, landlord, managing agent, lessor, sub-lessor, any other person(s) or entity(ies) with possessory or use right(s) in a Dwelling Unit, their principals, partner or shareholders, or their agents, employees, representatives and other person(s) and entity(ies) acting in concert or combination thereof, to receive or obtain actual or anticipated consideration for soliciting, advertising, offering and/or permitting, allowing, or failing to discontinue the use or occupancy of any Dwelling Unit, or portion thereof, ... for a period of 30 days or less,” is what the proposed law currently states, in part.

/ Page 11

(Continued from Page 1)

“I’m proud to lend my voice to the bipartisan Pemberton Council that formally asked for Mayor Tompkins’ resignation after the report of his abuses was issued,” she further declared in a press release.

But, as of press time, according to Township Clerk Amy P. Cosnoski, she has not received a resignation from Tompkins.

And the resistance, so far, by Tompkins to resign from office has now led a group of residents to file a “Notice of Intention” to “recall” Tompkins from office, with a “Committee to Recall” established on May 1.

“He needs to resign, and since he won’t resign, I am forming the recall committee, and hopefully people will come out and sign the petitions, so he is made to resign,”

Vicky Adams, chairwoman of the recall committee, told the Pine Barrens Tribune late on May 1, having received word just before 6 p.m. that Cosnoski certified that the notice is in compliance.

The committee comprising a total of three women will now need to gather the signatures of some 4,500 township voters to successfully mount a recall of Tompkins.

But whether Tompkins will heed the calls now from the governor, as well as the local assemblywoman, to resign before things progress to any recall election, remains to be seen.

If Tompkins does resign, Council President Paul Detrick, a Democrat, will become township mayor. But, as previously reported by this newspaper, GOP Councilmen Dan Dewey and Joshua Ward, had already joined with their Democratic counterparts on the council in calling for Tompkins to resign, and for there to be a recall.

Tompkins, after missing three consecutive council sessions, was present for a session on May 1, wearing a Pemberton Township “mayor” polo shirt.

“The governor was deeply disturbed by the investigation’s findings showing a pattern of sexual harassment and threats of retaliation by the mayor,” Hamilton said. “He believes the mayor should resign.” Katz, in putting out a press release, titled, “Assemblywoman Katz Demands the Resignation of Pemberton Mayor Jack Tompkins,” pointed out that “Tompkins has been accused of sexual harassment, retaliatory behavior, and flirting with minors under his supervision.”

She pointed out Tompkins has been accused of such behavior “by three dozen employees.”

“We should be holding elected officials to a higher standard and these reported violations are far beyond the pale – no matter the measure,” Katz asserted. “Pemberton deserves better, and it is time for the mayor to step aside immediately. Every day that Mayor Tompkins remains in office is another day that undermines local government for the residents of Pemberton.”

Tompkins, given his presence at the May 1 council session, heard some of the calls for his resignation and action to be taken against him over the matter, in person, for the first time.

That includes from resident Alex Costa, who has taken on more and more of a youth activism role in the community since his initial advocating for internet for all, an initiative he once worked with Tompkins to bring about. “It is with great concern and urgency

that I stand before you today to denounce Mayor Jack K. Tompkins for his alleged actions that have come to light,” he said. “The accusations against him are not only disturbing, but also potentially criminal under New Jersey law. It is hard to fathom that this could happen here in Pemberton Township. What is listed in the report is damning and damaging to our town.

“No township employee should have to put up with the kinds of abuses that were listed out in the report. From threats of being fired over relationships to unwanted touching, to making very vulgar comments, endangering the young females who work for the town in the summer to employees afraid to even speak out for fear of being fired – a dangerous precedent has been set and we must break it, or we will continue down the dark, gloomy path we are heading.”

He added that “every aspect of what is within the report is concerning in my view,” and then launched into reading specific state statutes (some half-dozen of them) that he believed Tompkins has possibly violated, adding “it is imperative that the council refer this matter to the state Attorney General without delay,” further declaring, “justice must be served and those in positions of power must be held accountable for their actions.”

“I call upon Mayor Tompkins to resign immediately and urge the Pemberton Township Republican Party and Pemberton Township Democratic Party leaders to issue statements condemning his actions and demanding his resignation,” Costa declared.

Tompkins simply stared on toward the council as Costa spoke out, only once looking back at Business Administrator Daniel Hornickel.

Adams also publicly demanded Tompkins’ resignation during the May 1 council proceedings, all while Tompkins again looked on in silence, at times simply rocking his chair back and forth.

“Personally, I think he needs to be a man, and resign!” Adams declared. “I don’t know of anybody – anybody – who thinks it is OK to act the way that he has acted in a public or private situation.”

Adams became emotional as she described being, “personally, on the retaliatory end of his behavior” and a “victim of his outbursts” as a township worker, noting that she was struggling to get through her remarks given his presence in the room, describing her fear that she could be let go by the mayor “tomorrow.”

“But I can just imagine the women who came forward with the sexual things that were done to them,” she said. “How do they come in here? I see one has come in here every day. When I come to this building, I ask, ‘Is his car here?’, ‘Did I miss him?’”

She declared what Tompkins had allegedly had done to her “traumatized me so much,” but declined to provide much additional detail.

In excoriating Tompkins for previous statements attributing his use of curse words in the workplace to having been in the military, Adams asserted, “My dad served in the U.S. Navy, my husband served in the U.S. Army, and I know many men who served, and none of them cursed like this.”

The military, she added, rather “teaches you to respect other people,” as well as to be “accountable for your actions.”

“I don’t see that happening here,”

RESIGN

(Continued from Page 5)

maintained Adams, claiming to be “standing here with a threat over my head,” but that she still has an obligation to speak out. “We have to stand up for what is right, otherwise our kids are going to act like this.”

“Are there repercussions for his conduct?” Adams asked. “Can we strip him of his pay?”

She also asked if the council can prevent Tompkins from entering the municipal building.

Democratic Councilman Donovan Gardner assured Adams that “you are not going to lose your job tomorrow,” because of the record that has been established, suggesting it would be apparently obvious that Tompkins would have retaliated against her for her having spoken out. He also noted that if the mayor attempts to take any action, she could “appeal it.”

Gardner added he too served in the military and “never saw anyone talk like that,” and only could recall former mayor David Patriarca having cursed – in a private conversation – that was threeand-a-half years into his (Gardner’s) term.

Both Adams and Gardner both agreed that Tompkins use of foul language “is not the military way.”

Former Democratic Councilwoman Gaye Burton, who seeking a seat again on the body in an upcoming election, and who came very close to winning a local state Senate seat last year, did look right at Tompkins at times, initially asserting she is “truly disgusted with what is written in that report.”

“I am also disgusted that in the report it talks about the ball being dropped with the minor,” and in mentioning Hornickel by name, asked, “What are they doing to correct this from happening again?” and “What are going to be the repercussions from what they didn’t do?”

Hornickel, in a very limited response, asserted, “I just want to dispute the ‘ball was dropped.’”

Burton, persisted, however, asking, “Has the council thought about this any further, because it is disgusting.”

She also noted that council had passed a resolution in August 2023 asking Tompkins to work better with Recreation Director Nichole Pittman, who is now suing the mayor for alleged harassment that followed, with Burton noting, “Instead of doing that, he has acted 10 times worse.”

David Tucker, president of the Pemberton Township Government Workers Union (GWU), said that “now that the facts have been gathered,” he wanted to know the “timeframe” that the “concerns,” as outlined in the report, “will be answered” with “some type of action from the governing body and administration.”

“Do you have any plans to announce any plans for remediation?” he asked.

Detrick answered, “we have been advised that we don’t have the power to take further steps” in “our form of government,” beyond censuring the mayor, calling for his resignation and referring the matter to the Police Department and/ or county prosecutor.

The council president, when pressed further by Tucker about what will be done to protect the employees as the mayor continues to maintain his grip on power,

asserted, “We are open to your ideas,” before adding, “We are told we cannot do more – or what we would like to do.”

“This is ridiculous!” Burton ultimately declared. “This is disgusting! Like Ms. Adams said, women are walking around here, and they don’t want to be here – they don’t feel safe! They don’t feel their jobs are safe! So, is there anything else you plan to do? Like Ms. Adams said, strip him of his money! He doesn’t deserve it, harassing people and intimidating people!”

At that point, Detrick responded there

“are some resolutions on the agenda we are considering tonight.” One of them, as explained by Gardner, is intended to reduce the mayor’s compensation from $13,000 to $4,000, or what it had originally been, before council increased the mayor’s compensation last year.

But Ward – who emphatically claimed to have had voted against the compensation increase at the time – excoriated his colleagues for having granted that increase in compensation to the mayor at that time, all while knowing allegations were hanging over the mayor and that “minor deficiencies” had been found involving administration previously (it was not immediately clear what deficiencies Ward was referencing).

In maintaining he is not dismissing the “grotesque” findings of the report or “devaluing” the report in any way, however, Ward claimed to have found a provision in the law that required one to show “good cause” for lowering compensation of an elected official, with the ordinance “lacking a reason of good cause.” Ward added that he believed only a few things, such as a judicial ruling could qualify as a good cause.

He noted that the cases against the mayor, relating to the allegations, “have not seen their day in court.”

When Gardner pushed back that he simply abstained in that vote, Ward raised his voice, pointing to the minutes, alleging that they showed Gardner had actually voted for the increase. Gardner, however, maintained he had “abstained” and the minutes were incorrect, and asked Ward to stop yelling at him, and ultimately stopped responding as Ward persisted.

(Ward appeared to be citing the minutes of a Dec. 20 meeting, which reflect that council had voted 4-1 to pass a salary range ordinance, which adjusted the salary ranges, including for the mayor’s post (setting the stage for what was to come by increasing the maximum of the range for the mayor’s compensation to $13,000, from $9,000), but an actual resolution setting the new “rates of compensation for nonrepresented township employees,” which had the effect of giving Tompkins a raise or setting a specific compensation for him, was passed by council on Jan. 3, in a 4-0 vote, with Gardner abstaining, and the rest of the council, including Ward, voting for it. Providing for further complexity, on Dec. 20, before voting in the affirmative for the salary range ordinance, Gardner had expressed concerns in giving Tompkins a raise, and on Jan. 3, Ward had expressed concerns with the resolution, but following a closed session, had voted in the affirmative.)

Once things cooled a bit, Democratic Councilwoman Elisabeth McCartney contended of her past compensation vote that “things were a lot more gray” at the time concerning allegations against

See RESIGN/ Page 8

SEPTIC

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should be the most basic possible and not the “Taj Mahal” like a planned new municipal building.

Meanwhile, Brown said that since the April 17 notice from the BOH, she has “started talking to the engineer” to have him “look at the system to see if it can be repaired, rehabbed or rehabilitated.”

“At this point, from what I have been told, the administrative office has a pipe length, that once full, is going to start flowing into the offices,” said Brown of the current overflow. “We did have to have it pumped again, and I anticipate the BOH coming out to do another inspection. I believe the pumping took place on Friday, so it is somewhat empty at this point.”

Committeeman Noble McNaughton noted that one has to “realize this time of the year, with the amount of rain” the area has recently seen, there is already a “seasonally high-water table” that is running “extremely high.”

“I have a pond at my farm that I never remember being this high,” McNaughton said. “I know there have been some problems off and on, but the main problem is the high-water table – as soon as it is pumped out, it (the water) goes back in.”

McNaughton inquired as to why the township can’t just “seal off the tank” and “pump it out periodically.”

“The BOH will not let us do that,” Boyd contended. “We have to get an engineer in.”

Several in an audience of over 100 people in the room cast doubt on that notion, however, scrutinizing Boyd’s statements in the wake of him contending that Town Hall is in imminent danger of collapsing onto County Route 532, only for the road closure to be reversed on April 22 (as previously reported by this newspaper) following a court-ordered injunction for at least 30 days prohibiting the demolition of the facility until an independent structural engineer can evaluate the structure, with Mayor Mark Hartman contending that the risk posed in keeping the road closed outweighs the benefits.

McNaughton, in response to Boyd maintaining that the BOH won’t allow for the municipality to seal off the tank without an engineer first coming in to do an evaluation, declared, “I’d like to see that in writing,” to which Boyd pointed to item No. 3 in the BOH violation, “under abatement.”

Boyd, however, recognized a thought of McNaughton was accurate – that if an engineer brought in confirms that the problem would be solved by sealing off the tank, “then you are in compliance with the BOH.”

McNaughton, like Brown, recognized, “I know the field has been bad for a long time.” It is unclear why officials neglected repairing it, however, with some pointing to similar circumstances in the handling of the structural integrity of Town Hall. And stunning attendees was this

See SEPTIC/ Page 11

MAY

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MAY 6

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

Sally Stretch Keen Memorial Library –Then & Now

Location: Southampton Township

Details: Southampton Historical Society is presenting a program, “Sally Stretch Keen Memorial Library – Then and Now”, Monday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m., at Old Town Hall, 25 Plum St., Vincentown. Library Director Maile Irion, along with LeAnn Ditzman, will tell the history of the library and its connection to the wealthy Drexel family from Philadelphia. In 2023, the library celebrated its 100th anniversary of the original building. The NJ Trust for Historic Preservation has recognized the significance of the history, architecture, and mission of the library with a matching grant for capital improvements. All are welcome to come and hear this informative program, given by two long-time Vincentown residents who truly care about serving the community through the Sally Stretch Keen Library and its programs for both children and adults. This program is free and open to the public. For more information, call Kathy Rosmando at 609-859-0524.

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RESIGN

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Tompkins, and while the matter was under investigation, “we didn’t know if the concerns were valid.”

proven innocent,” given the nature of the one allegation against him involving a minor, and “the other thing is he likes to do Santa Claus and I think it should be in there that he cannot do Santa Claus … until this thing is over with.”

“Those I think are two important things,” Dewey further declared.

Dewey, in responding to the action item before the council for the May 1 session, expressed the salary of Tompkins “is the least of our worries right now,” contending the township vehicle should instead be taken away from the mayor “until he is

(Continued from Page 3)

the mayor’s interactions with her made her uncomfortable, and she would try to ignore him by staring out at the water. She explained that, due to the frequency and nature of the mayor’s interactions with her, a male [redacted] seasonal employee found it necessary to stand next to her when the mayor arrived.” The report reveals that the individual in which the mayor is alleged to have had frequent interactions with is a “female lifeguard,” and again encountered Tompkins at the township’s 2023 Tree Lighting Ceremony, in which Tompkins is alleged to have stated to her, while taking a photo with several of the seasonal employees, that, “‘I can’t touch you or take photos because of allegations.”’

Township Solicitor Andrew “Andy” Bayer responded, however, that it is the mayor who has authority under Pemberton’s form of government over “use of the vehicles,” etc. He surmised, though, that council could pull funding

It was a comment that the seasonal employee at issue thought was “‘weird’” and “immediately reported it to the Director of Recreation.”

Allegedly ‘Boasting’ About Use of the ’F-Wordʼ in the Workplace

Tompkins made no bones about using profanity during a July 2023 Water Carnival incident involving he and Pittman, when previously asked about the encounter by this newspaper, and had previously acknowledged cursing in the workplace, but had since contended he has since learned to curtail it.

But the investigators report that Tompkins, the 38th person to be interviewed in their investigation, when questioned about his use of “profanity in the workplace,” as “multiple employees” had relayed to them, did not only

from administration, which in turn could pressure the mayor to put funding towards more critical assets.

The civil trials, Bayer noted, could take 18 months to “two or three years” to litigate, adding, “there is not going to be a quick resolution to the civil cases unless the insurance attorneys settle.”

The resolution to reduce Tompkins’ salary back down to $4,000 passed 3-2, along party lines, with Dewey and Ward casting opposing votes.

The chief of staff for the 8th District GOP delegation of Senator Latham Tiver

not deny it, but, “in fact, during our interview of him, the mayor boasted about his frequent use of the ‘F-word’ in the workplace.”

The mayor, the investigators say, was also questioned about allegations that he has called various employees “‘old,’” and that, in response, the “mayor admits to calling at least one employee ‘old.”

The mayor also faced questions about “repeatedly” making fun of various employees for being “‘fat,’” an account also described by high-level officials to this newspaper, and despite “several employees” having “corroborated hearing the mayor refer to certain employees as ‘fat boy’ and ‘fatso,’ the mayor denies making these comments.”

Overall, according to the investigators, “several employees have described the mayor as ignorant, vulgar, reactive, crude, and/or immature.” And the mayor, according to the report, is also alleged to have called a

and Assemblyman Michael Torrissi, when asked if the local Republican legislators also plan to call on Tompkins to resign, responded with the following statement: “As far as the Mayor Jack Tompkins report: there are many very concerning aspects of it that should not be tolerated, but Senator Tiver and Assemblyman Torrissi believe that like everyone else in this nation, he deserves his day in court. We respect the will of the town and its people to make the best decision possible on how to handle the situation in the meantime.”

“police command staff employee” both a “‘bit**’” and “’cockroach.’”

The investigators also say they learned that “the mayor, on occasion, prefaces comments with, ‘I am in front of HR so I can’t say these things,’ and then goes ahead and says them anyway,” and that such comments serve as “evidence that the mayor is aware of the inappropriate nature of his comments” and they are designed to simply “inappropriately discredit the township’s complaint policy.” On one occasion, according to investigator’s findings, the mayor is alleged to have gone as far as “gripping” an employee’s shoulder and stating “‘don’t go suing me for harassment in the workplace.’”

“There was a common theme throughout the employee interviews: a very real fear of retaliation by the mayor against employees

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REPORT

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who speak out against him or participate in this investigation,” the investigators wrote.

“This fear of retaliation appears to stem mostly from what can only be described as a very public ongoing feud between the mayor and the Director of Recreation, and the mayor’s perceived retaliatory actions against that director or anyone perceived to support her. The mayor’s overall demeanor and threats/jokes about terminating employees on a whim also contribute to the fear of retaliation.”

The report goes on to list specific instances of alleged retaliation, many of which were previously identified in Pine Barrens Tribune reporting on the allegations that Tompkins faces.

In regard to the Pittman matter, after Tompkins’ “attempted termination of the director’s employment was reversed” by council, according to the investigators, the “mayor remained hostile toward the director and has threatened to cut her budget to make her position expendable since he was unable to terminate her employment.”

“It is beyond dispute that employees of the township are genuinely afraid of retaliation for speaking out against the mayor,” the investigators declared.

“Indeed, the fear of retaliation by the mayor among township employees runs so deep that many employees were hesitant to meet with the investigators in person out of fear that the mayor would find out that they were being interviewed and punish them. Many employees opted to appear for interview via videoconference, sometimes from their car in the parking lot of the municipal building. The investigators also believe that many other employees with relevant knowledge declined to be interviewed out of fear of retaliation.”

It is how council, as attested to in its resolution censuring the mayor and calling for his resignation, arrived at the conclusion

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that “the mayor’s retaliatory conduct and threats of retaliation” have resulted in a “chilling effect” for township employees.

The report goes on to describe that the “mayor has also attempted to influence employees’ testimony to the investigators,” citing the example of “at least one employee who recently received an increase in compensation” in which that person “reported to the investigators that the mayor, in referencing this investigation, before [redacted] was interviewed, stated: ‘Did you hear about the investigation? They’re investigating me. You didn’t hear about the investigation? I would hate to give someone a raise and then they fu** me.’”

It has also been reported, the investigators noted, that after the mayor was interviewed by the attorneys, “he confronted several employees about their testimony to the investigators,” and in response, the township council president “appropriately issued a letter to the mayor imploring him to cease all communication with any employees regarding this investigation.”

The final pages of the report detail the limitations of Hornickel and Human Resources in being able to investigate Tompkins, because in Pemberton’s form of government, that is who the employees report to, but that when a complaint involving the 16-year old minor was brought to Hornickel, as cited in Pittman’s lawsuit, it was relayed to the police department, who in turn relayed it to the Prosecutor’s Office, but in turn had reportedly declined to investigate it further because it was viewed at the time as a “township employment matter.”

Ultimately, the youth’s mother declined to pursue a formal complaint for fear of retaliation, the investigators reported.

However, in response to all of the findings and allegations detailed in the report, the investigators concluded, the “township council should promptly take any and all actions available to it pursuant to New Jersey law to protect its employees and thwart the mayor’s ongoing, intentional and/or reckless refusal to comply with the township’s anti-

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harassment, anti-discrimination, and antiretaliation workplace policies.”

“Such actions may include, but are not limited to, termination, suspension, mandatory sensitivity training, mandatory leadership training, and banning the mayor from interacting with seasonal employees,” the investigators continued.

“Above all, it is of the utmost importance that each complaint — including those outlined herein — against the mayor be fully, formally, and separately investigated, and properly addressed, in order to restore confidence in the township’s commitment to providing a safe and comfortable work environment for its workforce.”

BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY

REGULATIONS

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“Nothing

SEPTIC

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vehicles are parked on top” of the septic field, causing Committeeman Samuel “Sammy” Moore to theorize something that typically occurs when one drives over delicate septic fields, asserting, “It is probably part of the problem.”

Pennoni Associates, of which Township Engineer Tom Leisse is associated with, was awarded a contract to evaluate the system to get it into compliance, by a 4-0 vote.

Since questions were raised many years ago about Town Hall, and the facility was originally studied, as well as the former schoolhouse, questions have been raised about tying into the nearby Tabernacle Township Schools septic system. Some have questioned where talks with the district ultimately ended up, with some on the current committee having alleged that the school district ultimately was not interested.

“There is a real easy solution to this,” declared former mayor Joseph Barton, who is now running for township committee, challenging Hartman and Moore, who are facing blowback for their votes to demolish

Town Hall. “You don’t have to go down to Woodland to have her (Brown) negotiate a contract with herself, or Woodland Township and move all your people down there!

“(Former) Sequoia High School (Alternative Program) is connected to the septic system at the middle school. When we built the Rescue Squad building, the school came to us and wanted us to connect the Rescue Squad building to that sewer system. Sequoia doesn’t have all those students anymore, the non-profit that is in there probably has half the people in there than when high school students were there. So, in conclusion, there is probably room to put a septic line from your facility right to the corner of Carranza and Tabernacle roads and connect to the school’s septic system and solve this problem real quick!”

Barton received a round of applause from the audience, and later, the governing body decided to have Moore and McNaughton be on a “subcommittee” intended for “septic and talking to the school.”

This development over the septic system came just one month after McNaughton had suggested keeping township employees in the construction trailers permanently, contending renting the trailers out for 30 years would still not equate to the potential $8 million cost to build a new Town Hall a couple blocks down the road from where the current one stands,

a plan that has become very controversial. It also comes as some members of the community have had a somewhat different take, believing, based on provided estimates, that rehabilitating Town Hall would still not cost anywhere close to $8 million, and should be undertaken instead of building a new municipal complex. McNaughton, however, at the time of suggesting permanent trailer use, contended that he agreed with the premise of Boyd that Town Hall can’t be feasibly restored to become a municipal building again due to various requirements, such as adding a fire sprinkler system and making for ADA compliance (even though McNaughton is not for demolishing Town Hall).

But Barton, on April 22, appeared to dispute that notion as well, contending that when he was previously on the governing body, a plan had been devised to relocate Public Works to the former township dump, and if the committee does that, “you would have enough impervious coverage to create whatever stormwater management you need,” put in a “separate well” to operate the required fire sprinkler system, and “you can build a new foundation, move the building over, bring it up to code and use the building as a town hall and you won’t have to build a new, $8 million Taj Mahal!” Barton again received applause from the audience.