Pine Barrens Tribune Nov. 19, 2022-Nov. 25,2022

By Douglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

SHAMONG—An email sent by an apparent hacker acting as an agent of a financial institution in what is now being characterized as a “cyber attack” involving Shamong Township, in which that person provided deceitful “instructions” to resolve an unpaid township debt for a “2021 bond anticipation note,” reportedly resulted in the municipality’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) wiring $619,322.69 in municipal funds to a fraudulent account instead of

the intended financial institution.

Since the Aug. 10 wire transfer, according to Township Administrator Susan Onorato, Citibank (whose exact role in this matter has yet to be clarified by township officials) was able to “claw back” or “put a hold” on $372,000 of the funds, with a claim presented to both the Burlington County Joint Insurance Fund (JIF) and Municipal Excess Liability (MEL) Joint Insurance Fund (the MEL provides excess coverage to the Burlington County JIF) for the rest, as well as some $30,000 in “soft costs” related

to the actions since reportedly required of the municipality to aid in the investigative and recovery process.

According to Onorato, who revealed details of the crime at recent Shamong Township Committee meetings, the municipality, as of Nov. 1, has now “gotten back” $372,000 of the sent funds, with the Burlington County JIF paying the municipality the first $49,000 towards its claim for the rest. The remaining

Purchase Order Issued, Contract Signed for New Fire Truck for Indian Mills

By Douglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

SHAMONG—A purchase order has been “issued,” and “everything has been signed,” allowing the Indian Mills Volunteer Fire Company to proceed with procuring a new fire truck, Shamong Township Administrator Susan Onorato announced during a Nov. 1 Shamong Township Committee meeting.

The ‘signed, sealed and delivered’ purchase order brought an end to a long, arduous process undertaken by the fire company to secure financial assistance for a new fire truck, as one of two such fire engines approaches the end of its useful life.

Initially the fire company had sought funding from FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program, but when it became apparent that applications from much more populated communities were favored by the federal government, the entity turned to local Democratic Rep. Andy Kim for assistance in the summer of 2021, hoping that he could break through the bureaucracy.

But still, despite a letter of support from the congressman and efforts by an aide to the congressman, Indian Mills came up short in the process, left to ultimately come up with an alternative as its back was up against the wall in some respects due to rising prices, with another price increase of 6.5 percent anticipated after Oct. 27 if a signed purchase order was not in place.

Fire Chief John Smith and Fire Company President Charles Burgin, as the entity

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari and graphics from Freepik.com

How to navigate busy airports this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year, as millions of Americans take to the sky to visit loved ones. Crowds, however, can make airports a stressful place. Here are some tips on how to remain calm and collected before your flight.

PACK AND DRESS SMART

Do your part to make the security line move quickly by packing your bags as lightly as possible. Make sure electronic devices are easy to access, wear shoes that slip on and off without laces and avoid wearing a belt with a metal buckle.

SHIP YOUR GIFTS

You may want to arrive at your in-laws with presents in hand, but traveling with gifts will make your luggage heavier. The airline may even end up charging you

fees for overweight bags. Instead, consider shipping your gifts ahead of time.

DON’T ARGUE

With so many passengers and planes in the air, it’s not unusual for things to go wrong. Flights may get canceled, or you could be denied boarding due to an oversold flight.

The best advice is to avoid getting angry at customer service representatives. Airline employees will be more inclined to help you if you can stay calm and show empathy. Also, be aware of your rights as a passenger under federal law. This way you’ll know what you’re entitled to if you’re denied boarding.

Finally, to ensure your flight is as pleasant as possible, be sure to stay hydrated, wear comfortable clothes and use a lumbar pillow to support your lower back.

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3 tips for celebrating Thanksgiving without family

A guide to getting ready for Thanksgiving

Are you hosting a Thanksgiving get-together? Holiday entertaining can be chaotic, so planning and organizing ahead of time are a must. Here’s a look at things you can get out of the way to ensure your Thanksgiving celebration is enjoyable.

SHOP FOR GROCERIES

Stock up on beverages and canned foods. Hardy veggies such as carrots, potatoes and parsnips will also keep without issue.

GET TAKE-HOME CONTAINERS READY

After the meal, you’ll likely want to send leftovers home with your guests. Prepare containers ahead of time so dishing out extras is quick and easy.

CLEAN YOUR HOUSE AND FRIDGE

Thoroughly clean your house. Remember to vacuum, dust and organize your kitchen. Additionally, clean your fridge to make room for all the food. Toss anything that’s expired.

PREPARE KIDS CRAFTS AND GAMES

Help keep the children at your event occupied by setting up a craft station. Supply them with paper, crayons and markers so they can make handprint turkeys or draw and color placemats for the dinner table. You may also want to leave out some board games or organize a backyard scavenger hunt.

ORGANIZE YOUR DISHES AND COOKWARE

The week of Thanksgiving, find and organize all your dishes and cookware. Locate your gravy boat, carving knife and roasting pan. If these items were in storage for a while, you’ll probably need to wash them.

Finally, if you bought a frozen turkey, you’ll need to let it defrost. Allow for at least 24 hours of thaw time in the fridge for every four pounds of poultry. You can also make pies and clean and chop veggies a day or two before the holiday.

Thanksgiving is traditionally a time to connect with loved ones, and it can be a challenge if you find yourself miles apart for the occasion. Fortunately, spending the holiday without your family doesn’t have to involve eating a frozen dinner in front of the television. Here are three ways you can enjoy the celebration.

1. GET TOGETHER ONLINE

The pandemic likely taught you a thing or two about connecting with loved ones digitally. If your family is out of town, consider organizing a call on a video conferencing app. You can virtually dine together or simply share what you’re grateful for.

2. VOLUNTEER TO HELP OTHERS

Thanksgiving is a busy time of year for charitable groups and food banks,

and many of them need help. You can volunteer to serve meals at a soup kitchen or deliver food to the sick and elderly. Volunteering is an excellent way to meet people, and you’ll likely be welcome company for someone who’s unable to leave their home during the holiday.

3. ATTEND A COMMUNITY EVENT

Check for Thanksgiving events taking place in your region. You may want to attend a parade, enjoy a football game or share a meal with members of a local church. Being around people and a celebratory atmosphere will likely lift your spirit.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, remember to express your gratitude. If you take a moment to reflect, you’ll likely find you have many blessings to count.

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

PEMBERTON—A $20,000 lawsuit has been brought against Pemberton Township by Verizon New Jersey, Inc. over a copper cable that had been allegedly struck by Public Works crews during a 2019 excavation project at Reflections Park, citing “negligence” on the part of the municipality, including that it “failed to properly use the One-Call system to avoid striking Verizon’s facilities.”

But Pemberton Business Administrator Daniel Hornickel, in revealing the existence of the suit filed on behalf of Verizon by the utility’s attorney, Andrew L. Salvatore, back in May 2021, emphatically maintained during a Nov. 9 Pemberton Township Council meeting that “we did nothing wrong,” later providing documentation to this newspaper showing that the municipality’s Public Works Director filed a ticket with the “New Jersey One Call System” for the park project and later received an “all clear” for Verizon’s utilities.

Still, according to Hornickel, the Burlington County Joint Insurance Fund (JIF) recommended the township settle the suit, believing it would likely cost the municipality more money to defend against it, perhaps around $30,000.

As a result, the governing body passed a resolution at the Nov. 9 council meeting agreeing to settle the suit for $10,000, with Verizon now having to decide whether to sign on the dotted line, a process Hornickel later told this newspaper could take about three to four weeks to complete.

Hornickel’s denial of responsibility came in response to mayor-elect Jack Tompkins’ query about what the settlement listed on an agenda entailed.

“We had installed a fence over at Reflections Park,” Hornickel declared. “And before we installed the fence, we called One Call for a mark out. That phone call in turn calls all the utility companies. And Verizon indicated they had no assets at that location.”

After receiving the “all clear,” according to Hornickel, “we went and excavated.” And that is when “we hit Verizon’s copper wire.” “Verizon sued us for the damages,” Hornickel added. “The JIF attorney says it is going to cost us $30,000 to go to trial and we ‘could’ win, or we could pay $10,000 and cut our losses and go. I am not happy with it.”

Verizon, in a copy of the suit obtained by this newspaper, maintained, however, that “at all relevant times” Verizon owned copper cable at 31 S. Lakeshore Drive, near Lakehurst Road.

It was on June 24, 2019, the suit contends, that Pemberton was said to have “intended” to excavate at 31 S. Lakeshore Drive, with the municipality having called New Jersey One Call on May 22, 2019, to “advise of its intent to excavate to install a fence.”

Verizon alleges the ticket, however, had “expired” with the excavating taking place on June 24, 2019, or “23 business days from the date of notification.” That is when, the suit charges, the municipality struck a “900 pair copper cable.”

“As a result of the incident, Verizon was required to repair its damaged cable,” it is noted in the suit. “Verizon sustained damages in the amount of $20,168.99 as a result of the incident.”

The suit goes on to add that Pemberton was placed “on notice” about the claim on Sept. 3, 2019, and “had a duty to reasonably exercise care to ensure it did not cause harm

to Verizon’s facilities.”

The utility company, through the suit, then identifies 10 different areas in which it says Pemberton engaged in “negligence,” including that the township failed to supervise and train their employees with respect to the proper use of the New Jersey One Call system, properly use the One-Call system to avoid striking Verizon’s facilities, exercise due care and to take the reasonable steps necessary to avoid damage to or otherwise interfere with Verizon’s property, locate Verizon’s facilities with hand-dug test holes before commencing mechanized digging in violation of state statute, protect and preserve any marks placed in the area to identify Verizon’s underground facilities in the area, use mechanized equipment to dig within 2 feet of a mark without first hand digging to locate facilities, notify Verizon of the damage, properly supervise or direct contractors or employees and others within direct control working at the location to avoid damage or destruction of Verizon equipment at the premises, and heed visible indicators of underground facilities to avoid damage to Verizon’s underground facilities.

Hornickel, however, provided this newspaper with a ticket filed with One Call by Pemberton Township Public Works Director Tom McNaughton on June 3, 2019, at 3:45 p.m. An emailed copy of the ticket sent to McNaughton confirms the time stamp.

McNaughton, on that ticket, reported that work was to commence at 31 S. Lakeshore Drive “from curb to entire property” at a “6foot depth” by June 17, 2019, but according to the ticket, it was good through Aug. 6, 2019.

The Pemberton business administrator provided this newspaper with a “positive response” notification the municipality received on June 4, 2019, following submission of the ticket by McNaughton, from atlanticinfra trac, a utility infrastructure contractor, stating “Utility: Verizon; Status: Clear, No Conflict; Safe To Dig: 2019-06-04.”

Then, on June 6, 2019, the municipality received an email from One Call Concepts, a firm that is described as providing fully outsourced, end-to-end management of One Call notification centers across the United States for over 30 years, stating, “As of 6/06/19, 14:08 EDT, participating facility owners have responded to Ticket Check as follows,” and then in listing Verizon, states, “status - clear/no conflict.”

“It is my understanding that One Call

Longstanding Dispute Over ‘Lance Run Road’ Ends with Settlement

Giving Washington Township ‘Easement’ for ‘Public Right-of-Way’

Local Family with a Residence on Road Also Provided ‘Access Easement’ While Family That Brought Lawsuit to Maintain Full ‘Ownership’ of Land

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

WASHINGTON—A longstanding, public dispute between the Capella and Heffley families of Washington Township over what is referred to as “Lance Run Road” has ended with a settlement agreement between all the parties. The township was also a party to the litigation.

The Capellas had previously asserted that Lance Run Road was not a public road but rather part of their “private property,” ultimately filing suit against the township over a 2017 decision to formally recognize it as a “township road,” as well as naming the Heffleys as defendants. The Heffleys in turn, countersued, “asserting legal rights to cross over a portion of the Capella property.”

The settlement agreement, approved Sept. 6 through a Washington Township Committee resolution, with a followup ordinance approved last month by the governing body to implement the municipality’s obligations under the agreement, resulted in Frank and Susan Capella granting an “easement” to Washington Township for purposes of a “public right-of-way,” allowing the public’s use of the road.

The Capellas, however, will retain full “ownership” of their “property” in its “entirety,” according to a copy of the settlement agreement obtained by this newspaper. The Heffleys, through the settlement, were granted an “access easement,” allowing them to cross the property belonging to the Capellas.

“This will close a rather unfortunate chapter for the township, which cost the township taxpayers unnecessary amounts of litigation dollars,” declared Township Solicitor Tom Coleman. “I am glad it is resolved. I don’t think we adequately protected the township and residents along Lance Run Road, but I am happy it is finished. We got the best possible results for the municipality, and unfortunately, we are in the same position that we were previously.”

Deputy Township Clerk Karen Bacon confirmed to this newspaper on Nov. 8 that the municipality, in litigating the matter, had spent $2,010 in 2021 and another $9,478.63 so far this year, as of October.

As the Pine Barrens Tribune previously reported, the Lance Run Road that the township formally recognized back in 2017, claiming it was a “township road,” runs in a south-to-north orientation, starting at County Route 542, eventually transitioning into Green Bank-Bulltown Road.

But Frank Capella previously argued that the real Lance Run Road is actually a dirt clearance that begins right at the transition point, running west to east from Green Bank-Bulltown Road/Lance Run Road to County Route 563.

But the clearance, which is unnamed by the township and is now reportedly filled in with vegetation, has been reported to be closed for years, and local officials have stated they do not know when it was closed or who authorized its closure.

Medford Woman Pleads Guilty to Felony Charge

Inciting

By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

MEDFORD—A Medford Township woman who was charged with violating three different federal statutes during the Jan. 6, 2021, rampage at the U.S. Capitol has entered a guilty plea to a felony charge of interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder and aiding and abetting such activity.

The defendant in the case, Stephanie Hazelton, 50, will be sentenced on Feb. 1, 2023, according to an Oct. 14 press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. She faces a statutory maximum of five years in prison as well as potential financial penalties, with a federal district court judge to determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Hazelton is described in court documents as having illegally entered the Capitol grounds and joined in multiple confrontations with law enforcement officers, all the while inciting the mob assembled there for the purpose of stopping the Congressional certification of Electoral College votes in the 2020 election with such statements as “Let’s go! Move forward! They cannot stop us all,” “We’re storming the Capitol right now,” “This is the battle. This is it. This is the battle,” and “They

for

cannot stop hundreds of thousands of us!”

She is then said to have approached the Lower West Terrace, “which was packed with rioters pushing forward against law enforcement officers who were attempting to prevent the mob from moving through a tunnel and into the Capitol building.”

According to the documents, she moved to the front of the mob, which was pushing against the officers, yelling, among other things, “We need more men! We need more men! Keep going!”

In the 21 months since, more than 880 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the Capitol, including more than 270 who have been charged during the course of an ongoing investigation with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

According to the terms of a plea agreement that was emailed to her current attorney, Nicholas D. Smith of New York City, Hazelton will also allow law enforcement agents to review any of her social media accounts “for statements and postings in and around January 6, 2021,” and will submit to an interview regarding the events in and around that date prior to sentencing.

Smith returned a call made to his office by the Pine Barrens Tribune, but declined to comment on the case.

Over Priorities

By Bill B onvie Staff Writer

SOUTHAMPTON—Earlier this year, when residents of LeisureTowne ousted three members of its Board of Trustees, including the president, Lawrence O’Rourke, high hopes were expressed that greater harmony would finally prevail in the governing of this retirement enclave nestled amid the pines and lakes of rural Southampton Township. But such optimism, it now appears, may have been a bit premature.

At the end of October, news filtered out of the self-governing community of more than 3,000 residents and 2,250 homes that its recently elected president, “handyman” Ken Sullivan, had resigned after barely six months in office. When contacted by the Pine Barrens Tribune, Sullivan confirmed the report, saying that dissension on the board spurred by a falling out with two former allies had totally thwarted any forward

momentum he had hoped to achieve in making LeisureTowne “a better place to live.”

His resignation has resulted in the board’s vice president, Deborah Massey, assuming the role of acting president pending a new election, which she told this newspaper had not yet been scheduled. Massey also declined to comment on the matter further, due to “a confidentiality clause that prohibits me from talking from about board business.”

While also mentioning that confidentiality clause, Sullivan attributed the discord to the desire of the former treasurer, Karen French, who was part of the team with which he had successfully run for the board, and the former board secretary, Lucille Perna, who ran as an independent, to focus on finding things they believed had been mishandled by the previous board, rather than on the aspects of life in the community

Role in

Mob That Breached U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021

Stephanie Hazelton Could Face Prison Term of Up to Five Years

Seeming Harmony of Last Spring’s LeisureTowne Election Disintegrates into Dissonance and Divisions

‘Handyman’ Resigns as President After Conflict with Secretary, Treasurer, Both of Whom Are Demoted by Board, Which They Claim Violated Bylaws

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari The entrance to Lance Run Road.

“What a lot of it had to do with was two particular individuals on the board that from day one didn’t really want to cooperate” he contended, but “wanted to go back to 2019, and pull every bill, every contract, anything that had to do with spending any money, to see if there were some shaky deals going on. They felt money was spent unnecessarily; that the funds were maybe mishandled in some way.”

The pair, he alleged, was intent on finding something amiss “so they could be the heroes,” despite an accounting firm’s reportedly having failed to discover any irregularities in its annual audits.

“It’s what I would call a witch hunt,” he said, adding that French and Perna had continued in that pursuit for four months, often engaging in arguments with other board members at closed sessions and workshop meetings at which “we asked them what had you found, and basically they came up with nothing.”

The kicker, he said, was a public meeting held Oct. 25 at which the acrimony that had been building spilled out into the open, with the board making a motion to strip French and Perna of their positions and demote them to regular members (formalizing an action it had taken a month earlier). That, he alleged, resulted in both of them making speeches about “everything they were doing and not allowed to do, only they didn’t give all the facts.”

The unpleasantries, he maintained, were exacerbated by a number of residents who showed up to accuse the other board members of “mistreating these people and not letting them do their job.”

“And we can’t say anything back— we just have to sit there and take it,” Sullivan added.

That episode, Sullivan said, was what finally convinced him that “being on the board was no longer going to serve the purpose that I was on the board for” and to “hand in a letter of resignation the next day.”

Perna, when contacted by this newspaper, responded by emailing a copy of the speech she gave at the open meeting, in which she maintained that she and French “were removed from our positions for doing what the people of LeisureTowne voted us in to do, to see where your money was being spent and questioning some of that spending.”

“We worked long evening hours going over all the invoices,” she asserted.

Perna added that she and French were demoted for “finding discrepancies and questioning invoices.”

While describing her fellow board members as “basically, really good people” who “have done some good things for LeisureTowne,” Perna also told the residents in that speech that “by breaking several bylaws,” those members “are serving their own agendas and not yours.”

“Yet the board expects you to follow the bylaws, and there are repercussions if you don’t,” she maintained.

Noting that she had served on three boards and was secretary on two of them for almost 20 years, she also maintained that the community’s residents hadn’t trusted their old board and questioned whether they trusted the new one “because of what they are doing.”

She then proceeded to cite specific examples of alleged bylaw violations, such as: • her having been prohibited from taking minutes, despite an article requiring the minutes of all meetings to be recorded (something she claimed to have done on her own);

• the board’s having taken her and French to task for finding mistakes in invoices and questioning them, and the

association’s lawyer instructing them “not to micromanage the invoices and accept what our manager sends us”;

• the board taking binding votes, rather than polling board members, at executive sessions;

• the board having failed to put on its agenda a proposal she had made as secretary that she claimed would have saved $100,000 a year in the hiring of nighttime security guards, as well as refusing to allow a resident “with extensive lake/environmental experience” to provide input at meetings;

• and she and French having been provided with a “fake agenda” for the Sept. 22 meeting at which they were stripped of their positions without being given a cause or advance notice when they believed they were doing “due diligence” in conformity with the bylaws.

Perna concluded her remarks by contending that she had “never experienced anything like this board” after having served on three, claiming, for example, that it had denied her request to be a secondary liaison on the Security and Pool committees and that she had been “yelled at, bullied, and cursed at” during weekly meetings, an experience she described as “physically and emotionally draining.”

French, in a separate statement emailed to this newspaper early on the morning of Nov. 17, concurred that she and Perna “were not given any notification of any wrongdoing on our parts as board members,” and claimed the board attorney had expressed the view “as per the official minutes that we did not do anything wrong.”

She further maintained that according to the bylaws, “the treasurer shall have the responsibility for overseeing the association’s funds and securities” and “shall ensure that full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements are kept in the books belonging to the association and that all monies, checks, and other valuable effects are deposited in the name and to the credit of the association in such depositories as may from time to time be designated by the board of trustees.”

Despite that, she alleged, Sullivan had made statements to the effect that he would not allow her as treasurer “to report what was going on with our finances” to either the residents or to other board members (something she claimed he was not permitted to do) and that “he wanted the bills to be paid without question.”

“It is the job of the treasurer as per our bylaws to be accountable to the residents for the finances,” she declared, adding that every resident of the community is permitted to see the association’s financial information.

“Lucy and I found mistakes in our finances,” she contended. “And it is our fiduciary responsibility to have them cleared up by the management agent that works for the board.”

But Sullivan, she said, was “under the assumption” and has stated that the board works for the management agent, which is “not at all accurate,” as “the managing agent’s contract states that she works alongside the treasurer.”

French also claimed that “at the open board meeting, a previous Board and Finance Committee member had stated that she found financial discrepancies and flaws in the financial report that the managing agent sent her and had reported the matter to the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for investigation.”

She added that during the election campaign, Sullivan had stated with five witnesses present “that he had absolutely no experience on any board or (in holding) any office and would win a seat because he knew

Great Gift Experiences for Foodies

Experiential gifts shift the emphasis from tangible items to building memories through experiences. Various studies have indicated that the memories gained through experiences may surpass the exhilaration and happiness of receiving a material item. What’s more, experiential gifts may be something that people can share together — expanding the possibilities of gift-giving even further.

There are many different experiences to accommodate people’s specific interests. People who enjoy spending time in the kitchen will undoubtedly be excited by these food-related experiential gifts.

Culinary Classes

What better way to enjoy a passion for cooking than by learning more about techniques and terminology? Culinary classes can be the perfect avenue through which to gain more experience and instruction from professionals. While it’s possible to enroll in a culinary school if the goal is to change careers, many different private classes are ideal for hobbyists, such as cake decorating lessons

to classes catering to children and teens.

Attend A Show

Food as entertainment was first made popular by legendary television personality Julia Child.

Child paved the way for many others, including professionally trained chefs and those like Rachael Ray, who honed her self-taught skills through experience. Network food shows often tape in metropolitan areas like New York and Los Angeles. Research

how to purchase tickets and give the experience of being an audience member.

Food and Beverage Hop

To promote local businesses, many cities and towns with strong hospitality markets organize seasonal restaurant tasting tours. For a predetermined price, participants gain entry to various establishments offering samples of their offerings. Gift-givers can purchase entry to these events, gifting a few people at the same time. Then the group can sip and nibble the day away.

Personal Chef for a Day

Treat someone to a professionally prepared meal in his or her own home. Private caterers and personal chefs will sometimes offer their services and walk guests through the making of a meal — preparing it right before their eyes in one person’s home. It’s a great way to learn technique and gather with a few other lucky people to enjoy a delicious meal at home with little effort.

Food-based experiential gifts can treat any foodie to special memories that last a lifetime.

How To Navigate Potential Supply Shortages This Holiday Season

The COVID-19 pandemic might not be over, but for much of the world, its darkest days are well in the rearview mirror. Despite that progress, a few lingering nonmedical issues remain, including supply shortages.

Consumers across the globe have been forced to contend with supply shortages since the early days of the pandemic, and that same issue could cause problems this holiday season. Holiday shoppers can consider these tips as they try to navigate their way through another holiday season that could be affected by global supply chain issues.

Shop Local

By mid-spring 2022, the National Retail Federation indicated that congestion at ports on the west coast of the United States had lessened significantly. But the NRF noted that the same could not be said for ports on the east coast. Many big box retailers rely on imports to fill their shelves, and that could make it hard for such sellers to deliver items in

time for the holiday season. Shopping local and buying items directly off the shelf can ensure no one is given an IOU this holiday season.

Give Gift Cards

If shipping estimates make it unlikely that gifts will arrive on time for the holiday season, pivot to gift cards. Put the amount of money you would have spent on the item on the card instead. For example, if an e-reader costs $150, give a $150 gift card in its place.

Ship Directly to Recipients

It might not offer the same heartwarming charm as handing a loved one a gift in person, but shipping gifts directly to their recipients increases the likelihood that the person will receive the gift by Chanukah or Christmas morning. Many online retailers now offer wrapping at additional cost, and shoppers can splurge and have directly shipped gifts wrapped to add a more traditional feel to gift-giving.

Give Homemade Gifts

Homemade gifts, whether it’s baked goods or crafts, don’t need to be shipped, so there’s no way such items will spend the holiday season sitting on a ship in a congested port. If you choose to make crafts, decide early what you want create so you can secure all of the necessary supplies

in plenty of time to deliver the items during Chanukah or on Christmas morning.

Supply shortages could make for a tricky holiday season again this year. Planning ahead for such shortages can ensure gifts make it into the hands of loved ones without delay.

Unique Ways to Give Experiential Gifts

Giving an experience to a loved one this holiday season is a great and unique way to show that person how much they’re loved. The popularity of experiential gifts is undeniable, with one recent report from the market research firm Mintel indicating that roughly 50 percent of individuals surveyed prefer such gifts to tangible items.

One problem holiday gift givers may need to confront when giving experiential gifts concerns their presentation. A tangible item can be boxed and wrapped, but how can gift givers put a bow and ribbon on an experience? The solution to that may require a little creativity on the part of gift givers. The category a gift fits into can provide some inspiration when looking for ways to present experiential gifts.

Travel Gifts

When gifting the experience of travel this holiday season, gift givers can wrap airline tickets or itineraries in a map of the locale where recipients will be going. When contributing to a general travel fund or gifting airline miles, consider placing a note inside an atlas or attaching it to a desktop globe.

Sports Gifts

Let the sport dictate how a gift is presented when giving tickets to a game. For example, if a loved one is getting tickets to a baseball game, place the tickets inside a new baseball mitt. The gift of golf lessons can be presented alongside a new putter.

Dance Lessons

The gift of dance lessons encourages people to have fun and

get a little exercise along the way. This gift can be presented to recipients in any number of ways, including inside ballet shoes or even accompanied by food. After all, who wouldn’t get a kick out of finding out they’ve been given salsa lessons after finding a jar of salsa in their stocking?

Escape Room

Admission to an escape room is a very popular experiential gift. Gift givers can get recipients in the spirit of the gift by creating a scavenger hunt where the prize to find is a printout explaining the gift and all its pertinent details, such as the date and time of the event.

Foodie Gifts

For foodies who can’t wait to visit the newest dining hotspot in town, place a gift certificate inside an oven mitt or wrap it around a bottle of wine. When giving cooking lessons, wrap an explanation of the gift inside a new apron or place it inside a new saucepot the recipient can use when it comes time to put their newfound culinary skills to work.

Perfect for the adventurer in your life!

Gifts for People Who Love the Great Outdoors

Certain people feel right at home in the great outdoors.

With the sun on their faces and the wind in their hair, rock scramblers and kayaking buffs simply can’t get enough of being outside in the elements.

Outdoor enthusiasts need reliable gear to make their experiences that much more enjoyable. Brandon Gaille Small Business & Marketing Advice reports that $230.6 billion was spent worldwide on sportswear and outdoor apparel in 2021. However, there’s always room to improve on adventures large and small, and holiday shoppers can keep these items in mind as they look for items for their favorite nature lover this season.

Plasma Lighter

A plasma lighter can start fires in conditions that aren’t conducive to other fire-starting measures. Plasma lighters are water- and wind-resistant and work in nearly all weather conditions. Saberlight even makes a rechargeable option with USB charging cable.

Lantern

Outside magazine recently named the BioLite AlpenGlow 250 as its new favorite road trip item. It can be used in a variety of settings, including inside a tent or at a hunting cabin, and produces customizable illumination.

Backpack Cooler

Yeti is known as a leader in coolers, and the Yeti Hopper Backflip Soft Cooler makes carrying food and beverages even more convenient.

This product is a backpack and a cooler, so it’s a hands-free and portable option when out in nature.

Hiking Socks

Keeping feet cool and comfortable is essential on hiking trips.

Injinji socks are made from CoolMax fibers that help provide a blister-free wilderness experience designed to minimize friction.

Waterproof Backpack

Whether a loved one spends time in or near the water or just wants to safeguard his or her belongings in

inclement weather, a waterproof backpack is the ideal outdoor gift. It’s easy to clean and keeps items inside dry. IDRYBAG Waterproof Backpack is one to consider.

Lightweight Sleeping Bag

Maybe someone’s sleeping gear needs an overhaul? Enlightened Equipment offers an 850-fill, zerodegree sleeping bag that is warm, but only weighs 1.5 pounds. That helps free up space and lessens hikers’ loads when carrying gear on the trail.

Power Bank/Solar Charger

Many people can’t live without their devices, even when out in the great outdoors. Since you can’t plug a phone into a tree, a portable solar charger and power bank is key.

The BioLite SolarPanel 5+ comes with its own built-in battery, so a person can capture the sun’s rays during the day and save some power reserves for charging after sunset.

These are just a few of the innovative items that can appeal to outdoor enthusiasts on your holiday shopping list.

Great Gifts for School-Aged Children

Successful shopping for adults on a holiday list often involves identifying a loved one’s favorite hobby and then finding something that makes that hobby even more enjoyable.

For example, a new e-reader can be just what the family bookworm needs to make reading even more immersive.

School-aged children may not be so simple to shop for, as their interests are always evolving and they tend to outgrow toys as quickly as their growing bodies outgrow their clothes.

No two kids are the same, but these gift ideas can appeal to schoolaged youngsters at a time in their lives when their curiosity is always piqued.

STEM Gifts

Parents know that the term “STEM” is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. These academic disciplines have gained heightened importance over the last couple of decades, and many toy manufacturers now make products that reinforce STEM lessons kids learn in the classroom in a fun way.

STEM-based toys are available for kids of all ages, including children who are still in diapers.

Nature-Based Gifts

Many parents do everything they can to reduce the amount of time their kids spend looking at screens, which is a tall order in the digital era. But various manufacturers produce toys designed to help kids be more physically active in the great outdoors.

From age-appropriate binoculars that encourage kids to explore natural settings to birdhouses and fairy gardens

kids can build and paint in their favorite colors, shoppers can choose from a host of nature-based gifts that encourage kids to get away from their screens and enjoy the great outdoors.

Board Games

Board games remain a wonderful way for kids to learn and have fun doing it.

Board games are made for kids of all ages, and they’re not just fun, but also beneficial to early childhood development.

For example, clinical psychologist Beatrice Tauber Prior, Psy.D. noted to the children’s book publisher and distributor Scholastic that board games requiring strategy help the frontal lobes of the brain develop. Those lobes are responsible for planning, organizing and decisionmaking.

Board games also provide opportunities for families to spend quality time together free from distractions.

Cookbooks

Cookbooks are another great gift for school-aged youngsters, who can learn a lot from pitching in at dinnertime.

Children who cook with their parents can learn valuable lessons about nutrition and measuring ingredients can reinforce lessons learned in the classroom.

Shoppers can choose from any number of cookbooks designed for kids, and even children as young as two can pitch in when baking cookies or preparing family meals.

Shopping for school-aged children during the holiday season can be made easier with some suggestions that can reinforce classroom lessons while keeping the focus on fun.

Gift Ideas for the Family Do-It-Yourselfer

Home improvement projects enable homeowners to transform their homes into their ideal living spaces. According to iProperty Management, most homeowners in the United States spent between $5,000 and $10,000 improving their homes in 2018. And it doesn’t stop there, as home improvement sales are projected to reach $465 billion in 2022.

Various renovation projects are best left to the professionals. However, many homeowners are eager to get their own hands dirty with various projects, large and small. Having the right tools and gear on hand can make projects go all the more smoothly. Holiday shoppers can consider these ideas as they seek to ensure DIYers have all they need to get the job done.

Painting Time-Savers

Painting requires some basic essentials, from paint trays to rollers to brushes. Projects can be made more efficient with innovative products that help save time and reduce mess. One such item is a paint brush cover, which snaps over wet paintbrushes between coats so they won’t dry out or require rinsing. Brushes that cut in easily and others with flexible handles for getting in tight places also make painting projects that much easier.

Cordless Drill

A mechanical drill makes easy work of assembly projects and general renovations that require screws as fasteners. A cordless rechargeable drill will be easy to maneuver when handling projects away from outlets.

Going cord-free also reduces the risk of trips and falls on errant cords.

Lawn Care Services

Home improvements extend to the exterior. In addition to mowers, trimmers and garden shears, DIYers may benefit from subscription products that improve on property care. These formulations are customized to the specific needs of homeowners’ lawn or landscaping greenery and are shipped right to their door.

Rotary Tool Kit

This is one of the most versatile tools homeowners can have on hand. A rotary tool can engrave, grind, sharpen, polish, cut, carve, and more depending on the accessory attachment.

Multi-Use Ladder

A ladder is a necessity for various projects inside and outside the home. One that can transform into an A-frame, scaffold system, staircase ladder and other configurations helps ensure maximum safe reach for the job at hand.

Composter

Whether you use an indoor

kitchen composter or one designed for outdoor use, being able to generate one’s own compost is great for avid gardeners. Compost, often called “black gold,” is made from kitchen scraps, leaves and other items that break down into a rich fertilizer.

Tool Box/Tool Organizer

Tool storage is a market all its own. It runs the gamut from rolling metal storage containers to plastic or metal boxes to canvas bags to plastic molded curated kits. Tool organizer kits also come at various price points, so it’s easy for shoppers to choose one that fits their budgets.

Organizing Units

Organizing units are available in prefabricated kits that are easily assembled when needed, as well as custom-made products that are installed by a professional. They may be an option for a handy person looking to organize tools and other items for home repairs.

Do-it-yourselfers can be even more handy with tools geared toward their interests and repair needs.

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What to do About Returns After Shopping Early

The adage “the early bird gets the worm” certainly applies to holiday shopping. By shopping early, holiday shoppers can avoid long lines, shipping delays and crowded parking lots.

Shopping early also increases the chances shoppers will find what they want, making for a happier holiday season for their loved ones.

If holiday shopping early increases the chances of finding the perfect gift, it also can make returns a little more difficult. That’s an even bigger consideration for shoppers who get an especially significant head-start on buying gifts for their loved ones, as many stores have airtight and time-sensitive return policies.

Despite that, holiday shoppers who like to shop early can employ various strategies that could make it easier for loved ones to return gifts.

Shop at Retailers Who Offer Extended Return Policies

Many retailers recognize the popularity of shopping early for the holidays and tweak their standard return policies during this time of year.

Prior to purchasing any gifts, shoppers can shop around for retailers who offer extended holiday returns.

Pandemic-related supply shortages and shipping issues may compel more retailers to offer such policies as a greater number of people shop early to ensure they get what they want and that their purchases arrive on time. But it’s

still wise for shoppers to confirm if an extended return policy is in place prior to purchasing anything.

Ask Recipients to Avoid Opening Packages if They Might Return Items

The excitement of receiving a great gift may compel recipients, especially children, to immediately open the box. But early shoppers can request that packages remain intact until recipients confirm that they want to keep the gift.

Some retailers may offer full returns or store credits on unopened items even if the return window has closed.

Urge Recipients to Return Items During Off-Peak Hours

If recipients want to return an item in person, urge them to do so at a time when the story isn’t likely to be busy. Staff might be wore willing to work with people returning gifts at times when they aren’t overwhelmed by lots of people returning items at once.

Keep Tags and Receipts

Recipients are more likely to get full refunds or store credit if tags are still attached and gift givers have saved their receipts. This applies even to items that were purchased months before they’re being returned.

In an era dominated by supply shortages and shipping issues, it makes sense to shop early for holiday gifts. And some savvy strategies can make it easier for recipients to return gifts purchased well before the holiday season.

reimbursements, she noted, will come from the MEL.

As for the insurance claim, according to both Onorato and Shamong Deputy Mayor Michael Di Croce, “at this point we are only looking at a $1,000 deductible,” or in other words, the township will have only lost $1,000 in municipal funds through what happened.

While the Burlington County JIF is a “a taxpayer-funded entity,” meaning that the reimbursements will be paid via taxpayer dollars with “all the members of the JIF sharing the costs associated with a claim against a member town,” this newspaper has learned of plans to “subrogate” (an insurance term for recovering damages from a responsible party) against the party or parties responsible, thereby “negating the loss.”

The return of $372,000, according to Onorato, will now allow the municipality to pay down “our debt,” which the insurance company reportedly helped the municipality cover in the interim. The township, she added, has also asked its insurance carrier to “be responsible for the interest incurred during this time.”

“This is an ongoing investigation,” said Onorato in noting that the JIFs are spearheading the investigation, with the New Jersey State Police also involved.

According to a timeline of events provided by both Onorato and Di Croce at the recent township committee meetings, on Aug. 10, Christina Chambers, the municipality’s chief financial officer, received a request of some sort, asking that the municipality “pay off our 2021 bond anticipation note.”

She reportedly proceeded to follow “wire transfer instructions” included in an email from an email address for one of two “known contacts” at a financial institution the municipality utilized for the bond that were included in what is now apparent was a “bad email,” it was explained, and “the funds were sent out.”

However, reportedly unbeknownst to the CFO at the time, the individual who had been assigned that email address was no longer working at the financial institution, and the email account, which was apparently never shut off, had somehow been “hacked” by a “hacker somewhere.”

“Our system was not hacked at all,” Di Croce maintained. “Their system was hacked.”

Neither of Shamong’s two top officials, however, identified the name of that financial institution, and when asked about it this week, Onorato declined to reveal the name, citing the ongoing investigation.

But Sgt. Phil Curry, a spokesman for the state police, however, told this newspaper on Nov. 15 that Shamong employees said they received an email from what appeared to be their contact with the company that holds

the township’s debts, which he identified as Clearbrook Global, based in New York City, with instructions on where to wire the funds to satisfy the debt.

“Their contact provided wire transfer information to which the township sent the money,” Curry explained. “It was later found out that the email was hacked and the Clearbrook contact had not personally sent any wire info.”

Chambers, according to meeting remarks from Onorato, “prior to sending” the funds, did email “another member at the company” reportedly charged with processing the funds to confirm the transaction, “presuming everything went as expected at the end of the day.”

“And when we sent them notice, they didn’t get back to us to say this is a bad address, or bad actor,” Di Croce maintained.

It is unclear, however, why Chambers did not wait for a confirmation before wiring any funds.

“As there is an ongoing investigation taking place, I cannot provide you all the detail you are requesting at this time,” said Onorato when queried about the CFO’s actions.

However, the township administrator maintained, “it has been determined that the breach was not caused by any of the actions taken by Shamong Township personnel.”

Chambers, as of Nov. 14, is still listed on the municipal website as being employed by Shamong as its CFO, a position she has held since 2014, with Onorato confirming on the next day she was still in the position.

But on Aug. 12, at midday, noted Onorato during one of the recent governing body meetings, “our CFO was notified that the funds were not received” by the intended firm.

“So, our CFO and I gathered all the facts and the emails,” said the township administrator of what happened later that day. “Then we started contacting our bank and our insurance company. We were instructed by the bank that our CFO needed to go in and sign some forms to cancel the wire and begin the process of retrieving the funds.”

They also filed a report with the state police, she said, along with informing all the committee members, the township solicitor and the bank involved.

Following “tons of communication backand-forth,” according to Onorato, $372,000 of the wired money was clawed back on Aug. 18.

“So, not all of it,” she declared. “But the lion’s share of it. At this point in time, we confirmed with our insurance company that this is an ongoing investigation they are spearheading. They are pursuing all culpable parties in this process.”

Curry told this newspaper on Nov. 15 that the state police’s investigation thus far had revealed that the “contact at Clearbrook had their email hacked and confirmed that the email the township received was not authentic.”

“This incident is currently under investigation, and there is no information on suspects or where the money has been wired to at this time,” he added.

The township administrator, however, assured the public at a recent governing body meeting that “this will be covered through our current policy with the JIF with a deductible of $1,000.”

Onorato again cited the ongoing, active investigation in declining to comment further on this matter during the recent governing body meetings.

An Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request later answered by Onorato revealed that the initial bond issue entailed $900,000 in funding towards the municipality’s 2016 Road Program. A bond ordinance permitting the debt to be taken out, adopted June 14, 2016, indicated that the period of useful life is 15 years.”

A second bond ordinance was apparently authorized in 2018 for the municipality’s cemetery project.

The governing body then authorized a mechanism combining the bond anticipation notes into a “single and combined issue of bonds” in the principal amount of $616,250, following a 2020 down payment.

But currently unclear is how much was actually due this summer toward the 2021 bond anticipation note, as well as the true payment timeline for that bond.

“The easiest way for me to explain this is, every year we make a principal and interest payment, which pays off that year’s bond anticipation note (BAN),” initially replied the township administrator when asked to clarify the actual amount that was due. “The township then ‘re-finances’ the new balance (after the principal payment is applied) of the note by going out to bid for a new BAN.”

Onorato, when pressed about specifics, responded “as there is an ongoing, active investigation,” she was “not at liberty to discuss this further or provide any additional information.”

But she did cross out some of the “inaccurate” information contained in the queries, which involved references to the item sent to the township requesting payment for debt as having been a “counterfeit.”

But the bottom line, according to Di Croce during a recent township committee meeting, is a hacker “sent us the bill” and “we ended up paying it.”

Di Croce, when asked in the context of a later conversation with the Pine Barrens Tribune about the township’s relationship with Citibank, indicated that he was not privy to the bank’s role.

Shamong Township Committeeman Chris Zehnder, in calling the matter a “stressful situation,” noted that the sum of money sent to the hacker is “a lot of money for us,” pointing out that the township just bonded again, this time for a fire truck (see separate story), with that note alone amounting to $777,379.

Shamong’s total annual budget is only around $3.3 million, with the municipality having limited ratables, while also observing a decline in state aid over the last several years.

Onorato described that all of the involved parties were “really challenged” in responding to the nature of this particular “cyber attack” to the point that even the Burlington County JIF had to hold a “special claims meeting to review the whole process,” but maintained through the process, municipal officials “tried to get every penny out of it we could.”

Those efforts, she added, extended to what she described as “soft costs,” including a request made of the township to hire a company “to prove our systems were not compromised, which they weren’t.”

The township administrator also noted that she has since “made a recommendation” for a “second party authentication” system of some sort when funding is requested, similar to what is used by the state.

Onorato notably came to the defense of Chambers, contending that “quite frankly, she sent an email, and did her due diligence to reach out to another member of the firm.”

“Obviously, he (the second representative at the financial institution) didn’t review what we submitted to him or who we were wiring it to,” the township administrator maintained.

“Thankfully, our insurance was in place and we did our due diligence.”

Di Croce asserted the “bad news is someone got hacked, and the bad actor got the money,” but that the “good news is we should not be damaged through this incident,” and “at this point, it is a $1,000 deductible.”

But 28 municipalities comprise the Burlington County JIF, “pooling resources,” according to the agency’s website, to provide various forms of insurance coverage to its member towns.

Paul A. Forlenza, executive director of the Burlington County JIF, was sent multiple questions for this story, but initially responded, “on the advice of counsel, the matter you refer to is under investigation and I am not at liberty to discuss or disclose any of the details of this matter until such time as it has been resolved or concluded.”

However, the executive director did still note to this newspaper that the Burlington County JIF is in fact “a taxpayer-funded entity,” and that in this matter an investigation is being completed to determine the party or parties responsible for this loss and the potential to subrogate against them, “thereby negating the loss.”

“Yes, all the members of the JIF share the costs associated with a claim against a member town,” he added.

Forlenza, in a subsequent conversation with this newspaper, also said it was his “understanding” that the amount paid to the scammer in fact represented “the principal and interest due at that time.”

The Burlington County JIF further identifies itself on its website as a governmental agency subject to the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), and during one of its recent public meetings, according to minutes obtained

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TRUCK

celebrated its 80th anniversary in March, submitted a request to the Shamong Township Committee for financial assistance, convinced the agency had exhausted all other possible funding options, and knowing the entity could not take on the entire cost by itself.

Initially, the township committee had asked the fire company to explore the possibility of purchasing a used fire truck instead of a new one, with the allRepublican governing body known for its fiscal conservatism amid limited municipal funding resources and having only a $3.3 million annual budget wrangling with the idea of having to possibly bond for one.

Township Committeeman Brian Woods, however, ultimately recognized there was “not a big difference moneywise” if the fire company went with a used fire truck.

The Shamong Township Committee, during its Oct. 4 meeting, ended up approving a $777,379 bond ordinance for acquisition of a new Pierce custom pumper fire truck, with Indian Mills agreeing to make the

LAWSUIT

mark-out tickets expire 30 days after issued,” said Hornickel as he provided the documentation to this newspaper. “In the instant matter, we excavated within the 30-day window when we struck Verizon’s undisclosed infrastructure. I don’t recall how VZ was notified.

“The fact is that the One-Call markout ticket reading ‘clear’ exonerates the township of responsibility. It wasn’t as if the copper wires were sticking out of the ground with township personnel ignoring the obvious. Rather, the wires were buried. We did what we were supposed to and exercised all reasonable care. The fact that it will cost more in costs and attorney’s fees to defend the case through the conclusion of a trial is why the JIF recommended settling.”

Salvatore, in a Nov. 15 interview with this newspaper, pointed out that while tickets will “often give 45 days” for a project to be completed, if the project doesn’t start within

$100,000 down payment, ultimately agreeing to increase its contribution toward the new apparatus from $50,000.

“I know sometimes it is not easy when people bring sticker-shock items in front of (the township committee), in a town that doesn’t have a lot of money,” declared Shamong Mayor Tim Gimbel as the governing body moved to approve the bond ordinance. “It makes it hard. But look, we know what is right – the value you bring to the town. We are always here to support you guys. So, we appreciate what you guys do.”

Township Committeeman Chris Zehnder added that Indian Mills representatives “demonstrated a need” and that the decision was reached after “extensive conversations” and evaluating what “financing can be secured in this moment.”

Deputy Mayor Michael Di Croce, in noting that the Indian Mills fire truck to be replaced only has some 15,000 miles on it, asked if it was feasible to explore the possibility of having state legislation passed to “bump up the mileage threshold” before a fire truck has to be replaced (with Woods also the top aide for the local 8th District delegation, which can propose bills in the state Assembly and Senate).

three-to-10 business days after notification,” the ticket expires.

“That is what the law says,” he emphasized, contending that if work starts on that schedule, “the ticket is good for 45 business days.”

According to the website for New Jersey One Call, state law requires anyone digging to call 811 (or file a ticket online) at least three full business days (excluding weekends and holidays) prior to beginning work, with a state statute posted to the website (albeit not front and center, but rather a link within a link with the provision contained on page 8 of a 36-page document) noting that such calls shall not be made “more than 10 business days prior to beginning the excavation or demolition, except if the excavation or demolition is necessary because of an emergency.”

“Notice provided … for an excavation or demolition that is commenced within 10 business days after the notice, shall remain valid for 45 business days from the notification, provided that the excavator maintains any mark out that is made by an underground facilities operator,” the

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But Smith, in noting the fire truck to be replaced is currently 22 years old, replied it wouldn’t do much good because the fire company is subject to the standards of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), which says the “limit is 25 years, no matter the mileage.”

He added that the NFPA also “recommends” replacing a fire truck when it is 20 years old.

“And it is going to take a year-and-a-half to two years,” said Onorato of when the new fire truck is anticipated to be delivered, given current supply chain issues, with Smith noting he has been told it will take anywhere from 27 to 29 months.

According to both Smith and Indian Mills firefighter John Lyons, who is also Shamong’s emergency management coordinator, submitting the purchase order by Oct. 27 “grandfathered” and “locked in” the quoted price for the new fire truck. Otherwise, he said, the vendor warned of a 6.5 percent cost increase for the fire truck.

Smith said the cost of the engine alone was due to increase by around $16,000 at the beginning of November, a figure he called “mind-boggling.”

“It is a shock to us all with the prices being

state statute outlines. “Any excavation or demolition continuing after the 45 business days shall require a new notification that meets the requirements.

“If the excavation or demolition is not commenced within 10 business days after notice is provided to the One-Call center … 1.) The notice shall no longer be valid; 2.) The excavator shall not perform any excavation or demolition on the site until the excavator or responsible contractor submits a new notification to the One-Call center, and 3.) The new notification shall comply with (the) above in all respects; that is, the excavator shall notify the One-Call center at least three business days before, but no more than 10 business days before, beginning the excavation or demolition.”

Pemberton, based on the copy of the ticket provided to this newspaper, appears to have commenced work 16 business days after the ticket was filed (15 days if one includes Juneteenth, which was not an official federal holiday at the time).

But the ticket McNaughton received does not make mention of the provision that such tickets can expire before the date presented

crazy and going up daily,” said Smith in thanking the township committee for all its support. “We appreciate all your support, particularly on this issue.”

Woods pointed out, in deciding to approve the bond ordinance, that Shamong has recently seen “a record amount of structure fires” and was also the site earlier this year of one of the “largest state forest fires” in recent history.

While the state is “not helping us out too much on the fire truck,” he said, “we need our guys, need our fire truck, and need to protect our people of this town.”

Gimble reiterated “we appreciate what you guys do,” recognizing Indian Mills is a “volunteer organization that has been doing this for a long time,” and in light of the expected price increases, Di Croce declared of the expenditure that the community is “getting quite a bargain” by having decided to go through with the purchase of new fire truck at the present time.

The township, Smith noted, is eligible to receive $48,000 for the existing fire truck so long as it is turned in by Oct. 1, 2023, with Indian Mills looking at either getting a “loaner” or converting its “tender/tanker” into a “second out truck” during any gap until the new fire truck arrives.

on it if work does not commence.

Salvatore, when asked by this newspaper why the “all clear” was given at 31 S. Lakeshore Drive when Verizon acknowledges in the suit its utilities existed there “at all relevant times,” replied that it would be “getting into complex legal issues that I don’t want to get into,” but pointed out “other entities are involved as well.”

As for Verizon’s claim that the township did not notify the utility of the damage, Salvatore maintained “Pemberton’s adjuster said they didn’t even do the damage,” but that he ended up finding information to the contrary in the “township records” in which “they did acknowledge it.”

“Verizon was notified through customers reporting a service outage,” he contended in referring to how the utility first found out about the damage. “We weren’t notified by Pemberton.”

A spokesperson for Verizon, who handles communications for its legal department, did not return this newspaper’s messages seeking comment on this story as of press time.

That resulted in concerns being expressed to the township committee by the Heffleys – who supported claims that the townshiprecognized Lance Run Road has always been a township road – that if the Capellas tried to close it off, they wouldn’t be able to leave or access their property, with others also reportedly living on the road.

As the township formally recognized what it believed to be Lance Run Road, local officials insisted they would not allow it to be closed. But multiple reports since arose that led to concerns, including that some sort of confrontation occurred between some members of the families at a local church service, that the road was “disked” to the point vehicles couldn’t traverse it, the road was blocked at one point by an excavator, and name signage for it was being repeatedly “stolen.”

The lawsuit was apparently filed shortly after public statements by local officials that the New Jersey State Police were investigating complaints pertaining to the disappearance of the signage, though no connection to the dispute that had been ongoing between the two families was ever reported to be established.

Frank Capella, however, in maintaining he felt as though “they are trying to take my land,” at a Nov. 1, 2016, Washington committee meeting, remarked that in 1987, “I went out there one dark night and I took the sign down” and that he was “in possession of that sign.”

“I stole it because it was the township’s sign, but it was on my property and I have been told that if it is on your property, you can commandeer it,” said Frank Capella at the time, while alleging that the municipality was trying to commandeer his land and that “a man’s land is his land.”

Capella’s attorney, Fredrick J. DeClement, in October 2021, notified Washington Township of a complaint for “quiet title action and exhibits,” in a case titled, “Francisco and Susan Capella v. Washington Township, Burlington County, Ed and Kathy Heffley et. al.”

In the court filing, DeClement claimed the plaintiffs had a title search performed by Omega Settlement Solutions, LLC, of Hammonton, which in a report dated July 8, 2021, noted its findings that “a search of the county records was conducted and no mention of ‘Lance Run Road’ was found,

nor were there any easements, rights-of-way or rights of ingress or egress.’”

The plaintiffs further alleged in the filing that “an insufficient amount of time has passed” to “determine the identity of any other persons or business entities which may have an interest or claim of right to said property,” and given the unique circumstances of the matter, refers to any such individuals in the filing as “John Doe.”

DeClement further contended in the filing that he “repeatedly requested” from “the defendants” documents and other sources to support their claim Lance Run Road is a public road, but that “to date, the defendants have not provided such information.” A land survey solicited by the Capellas in August 2018 from Bernard Surveying, LLC, is attached as an exhibit to the filing and is noted as such.

The Capellas, in the filing, demanded a judgement against the township declaring that the “unimproved dirt road on the plaintiff’s’ subject property be declared plaintiff’s ‘private property’ and not a ‘township road.’”

The Capellas also sought a second judgment that the township-recognized Lance Run Road be declared part of their “private property” and that the Heffleys therefore be “denied ingress and egress across the plaintiff’s property to get to the Heffley property,” which is identified as 5 Lance Run Road.

The settlement, which was reportedly arrived at during a March 11 meeting between all the parties that occurred both at the municipal building and on Lance Run Road, states that the “Grantor,” or Frank and Susan Capella, “grant and dedicate” to the “Grantee,” or Washington Township, as well as its successors and assigns, “a perpetual right-of-way easement across a portion of grantor’s land in the Township of Washington.”

It is further stated that the Grantor “grants and conveys to the Grantee this right-ofway easement and all rights and obligations associated with such public rights-of-way, including the right of the public to travel across the easement area.” Additionally, “the Grantee shall exercise full control over the easement area as a municipal roadway and shall be responsible for all costs and maintenance of the easement area.”

However, in agreeing to provide an easement to the township, the Grantor “covenants and warrants that the Grantor is the owner in fee simple of land on which the right-of-way easement is located,” with “such land being designated” on the township’s tax maps.

The significance of the Capellas formally granting an easement to the township is five-fold.

First, because the family is granting an easement, it is a concession of sorts that the land the township previously considered a “township road” is the Capella’s private property.

Second, the Capellas will “own the block and lot in fee simple without the need for a subdivision and this easement will not reduce the acreage of the Capellas’ property,” meaning that not only the value of their property will likely remain about the same, but that they will retain building rights (certain size lots are needed to be able to build on them in the Pinelands).

Further hammering home the latter point is a provision in the settlement stating, “if the Capellas need to apply for any land use approvals in the future,” the “acreage and frontage shall not be reduced by the area of this right-of-way easement.”

But perhaps most importantly, both the Heffleys and township “agree to indemnify and hold-harmless the Capellas for any claims or damages, including but not limited to civil, criminal and otherwise, by third parties resulting from said third party use or travel.”

Both the Heffleys and the township, through the settlement, “agree to name the Capellas as an additional insured on their homeowner’s policy or general respective insurance policy.”

It is specified in the settlement that “the township specifically agrees and recognizes that the legal instrument being conveyed under this settlement is an easement and not a dedication in fee.”

The “full and actual amount to be paid” for the easement is $1, according to the settlement, with the easement’s “rights and privileges” considered “exclusive,” though “the Grantor shall have the same rights as the public in general to use the easement area as a public right-of-way.”

The “right-of-way easement,” it is further noted, may only be terminated by “written agreement” signed by “all owners of record and other successors to the respective interests of the Grantor and Grantee.” The easement, it is noted, will “normalize” the “existing location” of Lance Run Road –demarked by “asphalt millings,” and give the township “full control over this area as a municipal roadway,” with the municipality responsible for “all costs and maintenance.”

“The Capellas may not maintain or interfere with the township’s maintenance of the right-of-way easement area,” it is

emphasized in the settlement.

And the Heffleys, it is further noted, have been given an “access easement” that has been “conveyed by the Capellas” to “allow access to the Heffleys across the Capellas’ property as noted on the survey.”

Another stipulation of the settlement notes “to ensure that the road surface of both the Heffley easements and the rightof-way easements does not drift or expand beyond its present location, the Capellas will be permitted to install, at their cost, a fence along the edge of the right-of-way easement and along the edge of the Heffley easement, in accord with zoning code standards.” Any fencing, however, must occur at the expense of the Capellas and “cannot block or hinder” access to the easements.

“It is unfortunate,” said Coleman of the matter resulting in costly litigation for the municipality. “I know we didn’t request litigation. I think we were very fortunate in guiding the township to avoid this, but this homeowner specifically wanted to litigate this matter. It is time (to end this). I think we handled the matter as frugally as we possibly could.”

Susan Capella, when reached for comment on Nov. 15, challenged Coleman’s remarks, maintaining the situation “could have been settled, but they preferred not to settle it,” pointing out that she and her husband asked several times “from 2016 to 2022” for the municipality to provide “proof” that what the municipality recognized as a “township road” was not part of the land she and her husband own, but that the town could never provide such proof, leaving them no other “recourse” but to take the matter to court.

As far as the solicitor’s comment that the suit “cost the township taxpayers unnecessary amounts of litigation dollars,” which Susan Capella noted she listened to in-person at the meeting, the resident declared, “not only did we have to pay for our attorney, but we are also taxpayers, so we paid double.”

She also maintained she wanted readers to know that she and her husband were left to pay a “large sum of money” to retain what is now recognized as their property.

“When they couldn’t prove it was a ‘township road,’ and the evidence was clear that the property belonged to us, and in order to resolve this matter with the Heffleys, the township agreed to a right-ofway to allow them to go up and down the road,” Susan Capella said. “… It has been settled and the township agrees the property belongs to the Capellas and we have given them a right-of-way to access that road.”

CRANBERRIES FOR SALE

Fresh cranberries sold at Edie’s Beauty Salon (524 Lakehurst Road). Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Call for availability. 609-744-5522.

FALL CLEANUPS

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

FURNITURE REPAIR

Adam’s Furniture Restoration, LLC. Fully insured. Furniture repair, kitchen cabinet refinishing, touch-ups, and in-home services. Call 1-856-979-6210. Visit www.facebook. com/adamsfurnres .

HAULING

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

LAWYERS

Erwin Apell Attorney, Browns Mills. All legal matters - free hotline 24/7. Visa, Mastercard. Call 609-220-3059 or email Erwinapell@gmail.com .

“Tier 2” certified and 13 or 46 percent of the members are “Tier 3” certified.

LOOKING FOR WORK

Looking for work – driving position. Fulltime. Retired. Computer illiterate, however. Clean driving record. Have driver’s license. Punctual. Any hours. Good reference sheet. Call or text 609-500-9221.

by this newspaper, Forlenza, in discussing a “theft by deception,” noted that while “a portion of that amount has been recovered,” there is “still a significant financial loss.”

He then asked member towns “when dealing with a large sum of money” to “please be cognizant and confirm not only the banking instructions in writing, but be sure to confirm the instructions verbally as well.”

Township Solicitor Doug Heinold, however, in remarks he gave on the issue during a recent township committee meeting, contended that, “When you look at the facts of what unfolded here – what was ultimately backed up by the report that was done, they support that the township is doing everything right and correctly, and the issue was not created in the township.”

In fact, he further maintained, the township employees deserve a lot of “credit” for the efforts they undertook since the cyber attack became known.

Heinold, when reached for comment on this story, cited his attendance at this week’s League of Municipalities Conference as the reason he was unable to discuss the matter further.

The same meeting minutes containing Forlenza’s remarks about the theft detailed an update given on the MEL’s Cyber Risk Management Plan.

It was reported that as of Sept. 20, some 19 or 68 percent of the members are “Tier 1” certified, 15 or 54 percent of the members are

Forlenza then reportedly stated that the “MEL Cyber JIF” is “getting off the ground” on Jan. 1, 2023, with “ongoing discussions” taking place about “the types and limits of coverage that will be provided.”

But, he pointed out, “currently 19 of the 28 Burlington County JIF members are not in compliance with all the tiers,” emphasizing “that means there are nine members who are in jeopardy of not having overage come January 1, and that is significant.”

“If you have coverage, you will have limited coverage with a very high deductible,” he warned of those not in compliance. “If you are compliant in at least one of the Tiers, you will be grandfathered in for the coverage that adheres to that tier and the deductible that goes with those tiers through 2023. However, you then need to come into compliance with the tiers going forward. The market will only provide coverage for those towns that have cyber programs in place, and it is constantly changing.”

Onorato, during the recent Shamong governing body meetings, said the reimbursement was made possible through the township’s “cyber (coverage),” with Forlenza later confirming to this newspaper that Shamong is approved in all three Tiers of the Cyber Risk Management Plan.

Which Burlington County JIF member towns are currently not in compliance was unclear as of press time.

Reporter Bill Bonvie contributed to this story.

DIVISIONS

people,” and noted that he had resigned right after the former board member claimed to have found flaws in the finances, since “he was ultimately responsible” for them as president.

“He wants a scapegoat to blame,” French charged.

French also attached to her email a copy of the pledge that Sullivan had made while campaigning for the board presidency “to review all finances, including contracts and

purchases,” and be held accountable to the residents. Now, she said, he is accusing her of wrongdoing “for reviewing the finances, contracts and purchases” as treasurer.

Furthermore, in response to what she claimed were Sullivan’s “extreme false accusations,” French asserted that she and her attorney “are prepared to file a claim for liable, slander and defamation of character.”

In the meantime, Sullivan said he plans to continue doing what he had done for over a dozen years prior to running for president—repairing things in the homes of LeisureTowne residents, which is how he came to be known to them as “the handyman.”

Achieve More with a Healthy Pelvic Floor

Wednesday, November 30, 2022 | 6 p.m.

Location: Zoom Meeting

Are you experiencing pain in your pelvic area during sex, personal care, or urination/bowel movements? It’s time to advocate for yourself!

Join KATHIE OLSON, clinical coordinator for Capital Health’s Center for Incontinence and Pelvic Health, to learn strategies for living your life without pelvic pain. Kathie will be joined by Capital Health Physical Therapists Natalia Ochalski and Felicia Taveira, who will discuss the benefits of pelvic floor physical therapy. All genders are welcome!

The Shoulder: Diagnosis and Treatment

Thursday, December 1, 2022 | 6 p.m.

Location: Zoom Meeting

Many people experience shoulder pain, but it can be caused by a wide range of conditions.

DR. JOSHUA HORNSTEIN, a board certified sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon and fellowship trained sports medicine physician at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, will lead a discussion on the anatomy of the shoulder, common problems and injuries, and the latest treatment options.