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The News Leader of the Pines

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October 14 - October 20, 2023

Evesham Couple Facing New Charges of Theft Following Investigation of Dead, Starved Dogs

DISMAYING DISCOVERY

Another Woman Arrested for Burglarizing Crime Scene

By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

EVESHAM—An Evesham Township couple who were arrested more than a month ago for animal cruelty offenses after “multiple” dead or malnourished dogs were found in their home, with other deceased canines found buried in their back yard, are now facing additional charges of “theft by deception” related to one of them having collected thousands of dollars while misrepresenting herself as an employee of an animal rescue.

In a somewhat bizarre twist to the case, another woman who had appealed to Democratic Governor Phil Murphy to have the pair prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law has now herself been charged with

Pesticide Strip Designed to ‘Slowly Diffuse Deep-Penetrating Vapor in Enclosed Spaces’ Found in Local Convenience Store’s Doughnut Cabinet, and While Items Inside Cabinet Were Reportedly ‘Voluntarily Discarded’ and Officials Contend Issue Has Been ‘Corrected,’ Questions Remain Unanswered About Public’s Exposure to Chemical Prior to Discovery

By Douglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

MEDFORD LAKES—A resident’s

discovery of an apparent vapor-producing pesticide strip inside of a doughnut/bakery cabinet at a 7-Eleven convenience store in

Medford Lakes Borough in July led to a Burlington County Health Department See DISCOVERY/ Page 5

See THEFT/ Page 12

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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Tabernacle Fire Department Makes Urgent Plea to Committee for New Tender, Contending 24-Year-Old Truck is Experiencing Major Rust and Electrical Issues Commandants Say ‘This Part’ of 10-Year Plan ‘Wasn’t Supposed to Happen This Soon’ as Governing Body, Facing Bond for New Town Hall, May Now Need to Float Second

By Douglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

TA BER NACLE — I n a n e v i d e nt ly u n a nt i c ip at e d d evelop m e nt for t h e Tabernacle Township Committee, the Tabernacle Fire Department’s 24-year-old pumper truck, billed as a critical need for the community, is reportedly accelerating towards becoming “obsolete” and needs to be replaced as soon as possible, with the governing body now preparing to introduce a bond ordinance later this month for as much as $700,000 to procure a new tender.

An Oct. 2 directive from the governing body to have bond counsel begin preparing for the township to take out a note for a pumper truck purchase comes on the heels of the governing body, in 2022, having already bonded $950,000 for a new fire truck.

And this development also comes at a time, when looming large over the governing body, is a decision that will need to be made very shortly on whether or not to take out a potentially massive bond to fund planned construction of a new town hall and Public Works facility on a 19-acre tract at 144 Carranza Road. It is a parcel the committee intends to purchase once due diligence on it is completed.

The township has been operating out of three temporary construction trailers combined into one, placed next to the existing town hall, the latter which has been shuttered due to structural integrity issues. The township entered into a threeyear contract with Satellite Shelters, Inc., on Oct. 25, 2021, for $161,240, and it will come due for renewal around this time next year.

I n a n a n nou nc e m e nt fol low i ng a committee executive session, the governing body has also directed township bond counsel to prepare a separate bond ordinance for the municipal building project.

Both bond ordinances will be introduced, according to Township Administrator and Clerk Maryalice Brown, during a committee meeting scheduled for Oct. 30.

As was described by three Tabernacle Fire commandants – Chief Keith Zane, Deputy Chief John Gajderowicz and Captain John Horn – to the committee on Oct. 2, a 2000 Kenworth New Lexington pumper truck, known locally as Tender 4316, which “helps us get water from the firehouse to the scene” of a call and carries 3,500 gallons of water, is now presenting “a lot of serious safety concerns.”

Just some of the “major safety issues,”

one of the commandants described, include a “major rust issues, major electrical issues, air leaks and pump failure.”

“The rust is so bad, the frames are splitting,” the commandant added. “…

The frame, where it meets the suspension, is bulging out. It is up and down the frame.

Due to the amount of weight (held by the truck), it is a safety hazard.”

The pump, he further contended, has failed a portion of every required inspection since 2020. And “years and years” of pump leaks, he maintained, have resulted in the rust.

“We did a pump refurbishment, but for some reason, every time we put money into it, it creates a new problem with the truck,” the fire commandant maintained. “There are many different parts to the pump, and it is failing at various stages.”

Additionally, when the tender has been dispatched to recent calls, according to the commandant, “the lights are shutting off on us” and “all the lights in the truck shut off.”

In one instance, he described, crews had to “pull over and then the lights came back on.”

The commandant, who added that at one point safety devices on the truck were “buzzing every 15 seconds” and crews were struggling to get them to turn off, attributed the electrical failure to “major grounding issues” because “everything is rusted out.”

The air issues with the vehicle, it was further maintained, prompted the fire department to spend $10,000 “for a whole new air system for the truck by itself,” as “without the air hooked into it, the truck is completely empty of air within three hours.”

The air system that came with the truck, it was added, has “hundreds, if not thousands of air leaks” because it is “dry rotted.”

It was told to the governing body that the fire department has taken the tender to seven different companies to see if refurbishing it would be a possibility, and three told the commandants an outright no, and some others responded that they could only do “various portions” of the truck because it is “so involved.” Therefore, it is a “logistical nightmare,” one of the fire officers maintained, “to try to get all these companies lined up” to complete every element of the truck that needs refurbishment.

The overall recommendation, one of the commandants declared, is to “look at a new truck.”

“Safety is number one for our volunteers, when See FIRE/ Page 13

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Major Southampton Commercial Real Estate Broker Contends He’s Been in Touch with a ‘Number of People’ Who Would Like to ‘Establish Diner’ on Red Lion Circle Remarks of Man Who Owns Property at Circle Follows Closure of Landmark Diner There; Mayor Responds to Social Media Posts That Committee ‘Had Nothing to Do’ with Closure

By Douglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

SOUTHAMPTON—A major commercial real estate broker in Southampton Township is contending that since the abrupt Sept. 9 closure of the landmark Red Lion Diner in the municipality, he has been “in communication with a number of people who would like to establish a diner on the Red Lion Circle.”

The real estate broker, Michael F. Miller, of Tri-State Business Service, also suggested to the Southampton Township Committee during its Sept. 19 meeting, the first one since the closure of the Red Lion Diner sent shockwaves throughout the region, that Southampton’s Highway Commercial and Light Industrial zones “should be revisited to address the meaningful parts of what the township needs are” at the moment.

Miller noted during the session that he is the current owner of 2-4 Eayrestown Road, listed online as a 1.25-acre parcel “that is on the Red Lion Circle,” only that property is “directly across” from the one where the Red Lion Diner has been for over 50 years.

According to land.com, 2-4 Eayrestown Road is currently listed “for sale” at $999,000. An accompanying description points out that it is at the “intersection of two major state highways,” Routes 70 and 206, and claims to have over “35,000 vehicle exposure daily.” It is added in the listing that the parcel will support a 6,000 square-foot building, in addition to a well and septic system, and has access to natural gas service.

“At this particular point – and some people may look at this as good news also – I am in communication with a number of people who would like to establish a diner on the Red Lion Circle, at my location, 2-4 Eayrestown Road, which is right there, directly across from the location of the closed Red Lion Diner,” Miller declared. “Hopefully, in working with the Zoning Board, Planning Board and committee it won’t be too long before we have someone who will commit to placing a somewhat smaller diner operation that will again satisfy the needs of all those 1,100 comments or something like that, that popped up on Facebook, and all the people that transit the area.”

Miller contended that “as a businessperson in town,” he “thinks it would be very welcomed to have a diner on that location.”

Since the diner’s closure, nearby local eateries, including the Red Lion Inn, Vincentown Diner and Evergreen Dairy Bar, although also longtime Southampton institutions, have reportedly sought to fill what void has been created by the diner’s closure, hoping to earn the business of past Red Lion Diner patrons.

Miller, who contended to have “probably sold 80 percent of the property on Routes 206 and 70 that is commercial, in the 44 years of being a real estate broker in this town,” and also was “instrumental in getting the Dollar General” on Route 206 in Southampton that recently opened its doors, maintained that “one of the things that I see that has impacted the township are zoning issues.”

“A few more commercial organizations wanted to come into town,” he contended.

“But the zoning is very, very narrow in scope.”

Miller, who further contended given his background that he “understands the zoning pretty well” and “understands the needs of the town very well,” added that he also “understands the need for ratables in town” and has had previous “conversations” to that effect www.pinebarrenstribune.com

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Saturday, October 14, 2023

with Southampton Mayor Michael Mikulski.

“The zoning in town, particularly the Highway Commercial and Light Industrial – that should be revisited to address the meaningful parts of what the township needs are (at the moment),” Miller declared.

The parcel Miller claimed is now drawing interest from developers for a new diner (within just 10 days of the Red Lion Diner having closed its doors), according to the real estate listing, falls outside of the Pinelands Commission’s jurisdiction, can accommodate retail, insurance, medical, commercial, and office uses, and specifies “additional uses” to include a “convenience store, gas, fast food, automotive parts or sales, used car sales, a dollar store, and medical clinic.”

Miller, in asking for “the cooperation of the committee, where they can be an asset in getting that accomplished,” or a new diner, only solicited a response of “thank-you, appreciate it,” from Mikulski.

Southampton, up until the last several years, has had some of the most stringent zoning and environmental restrictions in the area, for its commercial zone outside the Pinelands, as well as what some viewed as antiquated land use laws on the books, discouraging development.

The Southampton committee has made it a point to re-examine its land use code, and has made some changes, including to permit drive-thru uses and relax a nitrate threshold.

But when word hit the street that the township Planning Board approved an application for the Dollar General, as well as was considering changing its nitrate ordinance, it led to waves of vocal opposition against further developing the township, with several locals maintaining they chose to live in Southampton to be away from the hustle and bustle that one typically finds closer to the Delaware River or Jersey Shore.

Even when the Dollar General finally opened in late summer, there were still some locals who took issue with the store having been brought to town (though it appeared there was far more support for the store than when it was first proposed). The opposition is something Miller appeared to recognize during the Sept.

19 Southampton committee meeting, noting there are those “who welcome it,” or the Dollar General, and “those who don’t.”

Miller, during the latest governing body session, also said in “understanding how the project with the Red Lion Diner was brought about with a redevelopment designation,” it “should be something to be considered for a number of other places within the town.”

T he Southa mpton c om m itt e e had declared the Red Lion Diner area in need of redevelopment by 2020, and then approved a redevelopment plan for the tract in 2021.

According to previous interviews with the then-owner of the Red Lion Diner, Paul Tsiknakis, the plan was to enable him the opportunity to build a new diner on a new pad site very near the site of the existing diner (not on the parcel Miller discussed on Sept. 19, which is separate), with other pads planned for other potential uses. He and his family made an arrangement during the pandemic with the developer, but in the wake of inflation, it became too costly to build a new restaurant, Tsiknakis said, and so he decided to sell the property to the developer instead last month.

In the immediate wake of the diner’s closure, some chastised Southampton for even beginning

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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‘It Won’t Happen Again’ Is Commitment Reportedly Given to Local Officials After June Emergency Parkway Closure Purportedly Wasn’t Communicated

Saturday, October 14, 2023

Chaos Ensues at Pemberton Council Meeting as Council Chambers Exceeds Capacity, Police Show Up Asking for ‘Volunteers’ to Go in Hallway Over Objections of Public

Both Bass River and Washington Mayors Had Described Traffic Jams, Manpower Issues; Report Surfaces Flood-Alert System for Tidal Waters Requires Repairs After Malfunction

Mayor Fought to Proceed with Some Business, But Council Ultimately Voted to Adjourn with Large Turnout Driven by Opposition to Cannabis Operation, ‘Nine More Warehouses’

By Douglas D. M elegari

By Douglas D. M elegari

Staff Writer

WASHINGTON—A meeting has now reportedly taken place between officials from Bass River Township, Washington Township, the New Jersey State Police O f fi c e of E m e r g e n c y M a n a g e m e nt ( NJOEM), New Jer s ey St at e Pol ic e Tuckerton Station, New Jersey State Police Garden State Parkway Troop, New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS), among others, to discuss a summertime “debacle,” or the June 2 emergency closure of the Garden State Parkway in response to thick, low-level wildfire smoke, an early morning decision which reportedly had not been communicated to local officials or the NJFFS. It had caused motorists to seek out alternate routes of their own, snarling traffic on otherwise country roads in both Bass River and Washington.

Details of the recent meeting between state and local entities emerged during an Oct. 3 Washington Township Committee session, with the account of some of the discussions provided by Wash ington Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Ebb Ellen Alexander.

It was Washington Mayor Daniel James, in the immediate days after a 30-mile stretch of the parkway was closed in both Burlington and Ocean Counties, who publicly called on the New Jersey State Police to develop a traffic plan in case the parkway has to be closed again in the event of an emergency.

He h a d pr ev iou sly d e s c r ib e d t he “phenomenal” amounts of traffic observed on the rural and otherwise sparsely traveled Washington Township roads on June 2. The traffic was said by the Washington Township mayor to have taken to the roads there that are simply not designed to handle such volume, with him also having described a lack of detour signage in place during the closure, as well as traffic control.

Neighboring Bass River Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope also previously described that the decision to close the parkway was not communicated to local officials, state police and the NJFFS, something she said she later informed Democratic Governor Phil Murphy of in a phone call he reportedly placed to the town, checking to see if there were any needs during a wildfire that developed there – one that generated the smoke that had ultimately forced the parkway closure. She described the “snafu” and “debacle” as having at one point “maxed out” the town’s manpower, as well as that of the Tuckerton station.

Buzby-Cope revealed she later received an apology from someone who works for t he New Jer s ey D e pa r t me nt of Transportation (NJDOT).

A lexander, i n re counti ng that she “attended a meeting in Bass River about the non-notification of the detour when the parkway was closed, and the traffic that was detoured through Bass River and Washington townships,” maintained it was See CLOSURE/ Page 6

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PEMBERTON—An Oct. 4 Pemberton Township Council meeting reportedly descended into chaos after a crowd that showed up to attend the session far exceeded council chambers’ permitted 85-seat capacity.

A member of the public attending the session, Alex Costa, later phoned the Pine Barrens Tribune to report to the newspaper that at one point, Pemberton Township Police officers showed up and that “they even tried to have the police come in and ask people to leave into the hallway” – (in what could potentially have ran afoul of the Open Public Meetings Act [OPMA], which gives the public the right

to attend and participate in a meeting of a public body, though an official disputes that there was any violation, telling this newspaper it could legally proceed with the proceedings while some are in the hallway).

Costa provided this newspaper with videos and photographs of the overfilled room, including one that showed a police officer appearing to engage with at least some members of the crowd.

“We d ne s d ay n ig ht ’s me et i ng s aw an unusually large turnout,” Business Administrator Daniel Hornickel later told this newspaper when asked about the incident.

See MEETING/ Page 6

Search Parties Try to Locate Endangered Missing Woman from Woodland Township Who Suffers from Dementia WOODLAND—An extensive search is underway, as of press time, for Denise Smith, 51, of Woodland, who New Jersey State Police said left her home around 1:15 a.m. on Oct. 9 and has not yet returned home.

New Jersey State Police consider Smith, described as a white female, 5 foot, 5 inches tall, 125 pounds, with brown/gray hair and brown eyes, a “missing endangered female” who suffers from dementia.

Family members have also posted in area social media groups that Smith can experience “aggressive seizures” and is believed to have left her home without

needed medication, and therefore, “we are all very heartbroken and worried.”

S e ve r a l d ay s of s e a r c h e s by l aw enforcement, as well as private parties, have reportedly not yet located Smith, as of the early afternoon hours of Oct. 12.

According to family members, Smith, sometimes answers to her maiden name, Denise Johnson.

If anyone has information about Smith’s whereabouts, you are asked to contact the State Police’s Red Lion Station at 609-8592282, or the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit at 609-882-2000, ext. 2554.

Saturday, October 14, 2023

Halloween Countdown

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♦ Page 5

Misha’s Halloween Costume

BY SARAH BEAUREGARD AND JOHANNIE DUFOUR

It’s October 31st in the village of Feline Cove. Three kittens are getting ready for the Halloween party at the Haunted House. They’re very excited about the costume contest. The prize for winning the 100th edition is a big trampoline.

“Look at my vampire costume!” says Sasha, all proud.

For the next few minutes, everyone helps the kitten make his costume.

They find a brown t-shirt and shorts, which Charlotte cuts into points. Then, they cut up an old wig to make the hair and eyebrows. Finally, they use bottle tops to make the bolts and a black makeup pencil to draw on a large scar.

“Ooh! I’m scared,” laughs Aisha. “How do you like my mummy costume?”

That’s it! Misha has been transformed into an adorable Frankenstein!

“Very nice!” exclaims Misha. “But I don’t know what to dress up as!”

Later, the three friends go to the party. They eat sweets, dance the chacha-cha and play games for hours.

The kitten rummages through his closet and drawers but comes up empty-handed. Misha runs to the kitchen to ask his mother, Charlotte, for help. She’s decorating a cake in the shape of a pumpkin.

Then comes the time for the costume contest. The kittens all have cute costumes. Among the most impressive are a treasure hunter, a Red Riding Hood, a camel and a Mad Hatter.

As Misha sits beside her, he spills a bottle of green food dye and stains his white fur!

After the parade, the judges declare the overall winner. It’s Misha in his green Frankenstein costume.

“Oh no! I’m sorry, Mom.” “It’s all right. I know you didn’t mean to do it,” says his mother as she wipes up the mess.

Walking into the kitchen, Aisha opens her eyes wide in surprise.

“You’re all green! You could dress up as Frankenstein!” she exclaims.

DISCOVERY (Continued from Page 1)

investigation that located one there, and subsequently, 58 baked goods were “voluntarily discarded.”

The health department investigation, however, occurred two days after the i n it ia l c ompla i nt wa s fi le d , w it h it having been submitted a day after the resident’s discovery and on Fourth of July weekend, public records show, and it is unclear how many baked goods were sold from the cabinet prior to the health department contact commencing, or if anyone had become ill in consuming any food product from it (with most of the public presumably unaware of the strip’s existence until reading this story or having attended a September Borough

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Council meeting).

The complaint was made on July 3, and investigated on July 5, but its existence appears to have only been made public for the first time at a Sept. 13 Medford Lakes Borough council meeting, in which local officials brought it to the attention of the governing body, noting they were doing so because technically the council is also the borough’s Board of Health. Not much was said publicly about the nature of the complaint, with an agenda listing “pesticide used in donut cabinet.”

On July 3, a resident wrote to the Burlington County Health Department that “my kids and I frequent this 7-Eleven often to get Slurpees” and “yesterday, we were there, and I noticed they had a Hot Shot No Pest Strip inside of the donut cabinet.”

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were wrapped, which makes this situation even worse.”

The health department investigator, in arriving at the store around 9 a.m. on July 5, reported in an investigative summary that he “immediately observed the Hot Shot product in the bakery cabinet.”

After making the obser vation, the investigator reported that he attempted to query the staff member on duty about it, but that the person “speaks limited English.” A phone call with the store manager reportedly ensued, according to the summary, and the “Hot Shot product was immediately removed from the bakery cabinet.”

In recognizing that “no information was available on-site to describe the intended use or restrictions of the product,” the insp e ctor “searched the i nter net for information on the product.”

The inspector reports that he found

instructions to “do not use in the food/ feed areas of food/feed processing or food/feed manufacturing or food/feed service establishments.”

The online instructions, the inspector further noted, detail specific areas where the product can be used in “non-food/ feed areas” of such establishments, “such as garbage rooms, lavatories, floor drains (to sewers), entries and vestibules, areas of office buildings occupied for less than four hours per day, locker rooms, machine rooms, boiler rooms, utility equipment, garages, mop closets and product storage (after canning or bottling).”

The inspector concluded that the “product information clearly show(s) that this item is not meant to be used around food or within enclosed spaces.”

“All exposed products within the bakery See DISCOVERY/ Page 10

Page 6 ♦

LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

CLOSURE

(Continued from Page 4) a “very well attended meeting,” listing all the aforementioned agencies that had sent representation.

“They said it won’t happen again,” Alexander reported.

Alexander said those in attendance at the meeting were told the decision to close the parkway was made “at the highest level” in the state and it then “trickled down.” She contended there was acknowledgement that they “took some heat for it,” and therefore, “it won’t happen again.”

“The people that needed to meet, met,” Alexander declared. “And numbers were exchanged.”

James, who apparently was not in attendance at the meeting, asked Alexander if it was said whether the entities would “put some kind of traffic control in place for some

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM kind of an emergency.”

“They said it won’t happen again,” Alexander repeated. “It went all the way to the governor. They took some heat on this.”

The Pine Barrens Tribune had reported on another emergency response incident preceding the parkway shutdown, one from a coastal flood that occurred on Oct. 29, 2021.

Despite weather predictions that called for moderate to major coastal flooding along the bayfronts and coastal areas of New Jersey that day, Washington officials contended that both the New Jersey State Police and Burlington County were “not prepared” for the flooding that transpired, resulting in a “completely unacceptable” and “bad situation” that jeopardized public safety in parts of the municipality, prone to coastal flooding given its proximity to tidal waters.

Since that situation, Burlington County’s response has been, in part, to install a “state-

Saturday, October 14, 2023

of-the-art” flood-alert system on several of its roadways in Washington, in areas known to be flooded by tidal waters.

The alert system, as previously described to this newspaper, uses a flood gauge installed near the body of water, and when the water levels start to rise close to flood level, a sensor activates flashing amber lights attached to nearby “Road May Flood” signs to alert approaching motorists on the road of the possible flood danger.

Washington Committeeman C. Lehigh Gadd Jr., also the township’s public safety director, in response to Alexander’s Oct. 3 report back to the committee on the recent meeting between the various entities, inquired about whether apparent malfunctions some of the alert systems have recently been experiencing were also discussed.

Alexander responded that one of the attendees at the meeting was John A. Janis, Jr., supervisor of the county’s Division of Roads & Bridges, and he purportedly

advised there is a “technical problem” with the unit installed by the Lower Bank Bridge, in which it “has to be completely replaced,” with the deputy emergency management coordinator adding, “this one has to get back online again – the one down in Crowley’s Landing.”

Dav id Lev i nsk y, a spokesman for Burlington County, when asked about the status of the repairs, told this newspaper on Oct. 11 that “flood warning signs were installed on River Road in Lower Bank this summer, and on Route 542 last year, to add an additional layer of safety to flood-prone areas of both roads” and “both systems are down for maintenance and the county is working with vendors to make the necessary repairs as quickly as possible.”

Gadd, during the Oct. 2 committee session, reported his observation that one of the “Road May Flood” beacons in town is “blinking at low tide.”

Reporter Bill Bonvie contributed to this story.

MEETING

(Continued from Page 4) “The police were called solely to assist with crowd control. We asked the police to inquire whether people would be willing to step into the hall to reduce the capacity of the room.”

He maintained, however, “as far as I am aware, the meeting was properly advertised and called to order.”

After roll call was taken, officials proceeded with a Fire Prevention Week presentation.

Then, once that wrapped up, Democratic Council President Donovan Gardner attempted to have a presentation commence for a prospective cannabis firm in town, labeled on the agenda, “Far & Dotter, Class 5 Retail Cannabis License.”

As the presenters began to speak, however, Republican Mayor Jack Tompkins interjected, asking, “Can I interrupt you for just a second?”

“It kind of is an important issue,” the mayor added.

As someone took note that a council session has “never been stopped in the middle like that before,” there was several minutes of people merely conversing amongst themselves.

Hornickel later maintained to this newspaper that “additional people arrived” after the proclamation ceremony.

At one point, in this newspaper’s review of the Oct. 4 meeting audio, it is apparent that someone suggested adjourning the session, with Tompkins heard declaring, “Not tonight we can’t!”

“We do have bills we got to pay, or we have to seriously consider our operations!”

Tompkins further asserted.

Gardner, moments later, told the crowd, “We are waiting for the business administrator (Daniel Hornickel) to get back.”

In one of the photographs provided to this

Photo By Alex Costa

Business Administrator Daniel Hornickel (back turned to the audience) converses with Council President Donovan Gardner and Township Solicitor Andrew “Andy” Bayer. newspaper by Costa, Hornickel could be seen having left his seat, with his back turned to the audience, facing towards the council dais.

(He maintains to this newspaper that at “no time did I address council collectively; my communication was directed toward the council president and township solicitor.”)

“OK, so what is about to happen, apparently some members are here for the presentation on cannabis, so we are going to postpone that one for another date,” declared Gardner a few moments later.

He told the audience that the cannabis presentation will be scheduled “for a special meeting” and that “we are just going to hear that alone.”

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raised the prospect of holding the cannabis presentation in the township’s courtroom at a later date, which has a somewhat larger seating capacity.

“Why don’t we go into executive session,” Bayer further suggested. “That will allow people to leave (who are here) for the presentation.”

Gardner added that “since that is not going to happen tonight,” or the cannabis presentation, “if you happen to leave, the numbers in the room will hopefully be reduced below 85” by the time the governing body returns from behind closed doors.

It was when council “went into closed session” when “the police were seeking volunteers to step out of the meeting room.”

The governing body ultimately came back

to council chambers, and quickly rammed through the bill’s list. It was at that point Gardner recognized “we are still over capacity” and “so, we are going to need some residents to stand in the hallway.”

However, some members of the public shouted back, “No!” and things like, “We don’t want to go in the hallway,” and, “We can’t hear out there!”

Others appeared to grumble that they thought it might be council’s attempt to prevent the public from saying what they came to tell their elected officials. Democratic Councilwoman Elisabeth McCartney pleaded for Gardner or Bayer to, “Explain the reason See MEETING/ Page 8

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

MEETING

(Continued from Page 6) why! Explain the reason why – fire code!”

“Legally, we can’t have overcapacity in the room, as the fire chief explained (the chief was in attendance due to the earlier proclamation),” Bayer said. “So, we would have to, unless, as the council president noted, we got to capacity, make arrangements for a larger room. That would be a basis to adjourn the meeting – to have it in a larger venue.”

McCartney, as the meeting continued to descend further into chaos, asked, “Are we going to reschedule?”

“Or what are we doing?” she asserted.

Tompkins, in proclaiming the situation “is a first,” tried to gain the attention of council, maintaining “we do have a bond ordinance” on

Photo By Alex Costa

A Pemberton Township patrolman engages with the crowd at an Oct. 4 Pemberton Council meeting, with reports that attendees were asked to leave council chambers for the hallway.

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM the agenda to fund repairs to the Browns Mills Improvement Association (BMIA) building, with the item “delayed once or twice” already. He pled with the council to vote on it before adjourning, declaring, “the BMIA needs a new floor!”

M c C a r t n e y, h ow e v e r, c o nt i n u e d to interject, maintaining “we are still over(capacity),” while members of the crowd shouted, “We can’t hear you!”

“Maybe if some in the crowd were quieter, we would hear!” the mayor shot back, before pressing officials if there was a chance to at least vote on the bond “so at least we have a safe building with the BMIA.” McCartney again interjected, proclaiming, “If we are going to follow fire code, we can’t be selective – we either do it or we don’t!”

“We are going to try to find a larger venue to accommodate all the residents, so everyone can be heard, because we are not here trying to silence your voice,” Gardner told the crowd. “We want you to be heard.

(We are) in danger with the capacity here, and it is the only reason why we want to stop this meeting – it is because of the amount of people in this room right now.”

The m icrophones at the dais were apparently turned off while there was a deliberation about how to handle the business on the Oct. 4 agenda in the future, and when.

Upon the microphones being apparently turned back on, Gardner said the “agenda items for Oct. 18 have been pushed to Oct. 25, and this agenda is pushed to Oct. 18, minus the presentation.”

“W h ile council could have legally proceeded with the agenda items with the overcapacity crowd (with people moving to the hallway outside of council chambers), the council chose not to do so to ensure maximum public participation,” Hornickel later maintained to this newspaper.

Recently, residents have become bitterly opposed to applications for new warehouses, housing developments and cannabis operations

Saturday, October 14, 2023

The overcapacity crowd at an Oct. 4 Pemberton Council meeting. in Pemberton, and with each passing meeting, more and more vocal citizenry have been showing up to voice their opposition.

In fact, this is the second time in recent weeks that a Pemberton meeting descended into chaos because of overcapacity. A pair of warehouse applications scheduled for a Sept. 25 Pemberton Planning Board meeting drew so many people, the applications had to be adjourned. And that session was held in the larger courtroom that council is considering for their future meetings.

Further evidence of the reasons why so many showed up for the Oct. 4 council session was demonstrated when council convened its executive session behind closed doors, as captured on eyewitness video.

Resident Perry Doyle Jr., one of the individuals who has led the opposition movement against the warehousing, took to the podium in council chambers, and in pointing to the size of the crowd, declared,

Photo By Alex Costa

“this needs to happen more often!”

“I don’t know if any of you know, but the orange shirts (people wearing T-shirts that say, “No Warehouses on the front and “Birmingham is Not for Sale” on the back, who again appeared Oct. 4) fought a cannabis grow farm on the west side of the town … and got it shut down by this show of force,” he declared to some in the room who showed up to oppose the cannabis retailer planned for the Browns Mills section of the municipality. “For those of you who don’t know, there are nine more warehouses coming to Pemberton Township.”

One man shouted, “We don’t want it!” while Doyle made a plea that, “We need your help, just like you need our help!”, before adding, “They (the elected officials) work for us!”

Costa, in providing the video and photographs to this newspaper, declared, “I think this was a very historic moment for the town with what transpired last night.”

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A doughnut/bakery cabinet inside the Medford Lakes 7-Eleven store.

DISCOVERY (Continued from Page 5)

cabinet were voluntarily discarded,” the inspector wrote. “Fifty- eight baker y products were placed in a trash bag and discarded in the trash dumpster outside.”

The inspector added that he further explained to the manager that “pesticides c a n not b e appl ie d at a ret a i l food establishment without proper licensing from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)” and that “this product clearly was not used as intended.”

The manager was also told that the “bakery cabinet must be cleaned and sanitized before restocking with new food products,” but that “no further action (is) required at this time.”

In using a hyperlink, or web link, the investigator included in his report that allows access to Hot Shot’s product summary for the pesticide strip that he observed, it states the “Hot Shot® No-Pest® Strip2 utilizes controlled release technology to slowly diffuse a deep-penetrating vapor in enclosed spaces for up to 4 months.”

“The clean, odorless vapor is evenly distr ibuted th roug hout the enclosed treatment area, killing visible and hidden insects on contact and preventing new insect infestations while you’re away,” the product description continues.

The “clean, odorless, deep-penetrating vapor,” it is further described, “kills flying and crawling insects as listed.”

In the “important info” section, it is noted that “this product contains the

Photo Providedi

toxic inert ingredient Bis (2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) at 19.8 percent.” Other active ingredients include “Dichlorvos (2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate).”

A “safety data sheet” for the product lists a number of “health hazards” for the product, including Acute Oral Toxicity – Category 4, Acute Inhalation Toxicity – Category 4, Skin Irritation – Category 2, Eye Irritation – Category 2B, Skin Sensitization – Category 1 and Carcinogenicity – Category 2.

A mong t h e “s ig n a l word h a z a rd statements,” or the product warnings, is that it is “harmful if swallowed, harmful if inhaled, causes skin irritation, causes eye irritation, may cause an allergic skin reaction, and suspected of causing cancer.”

Users of the product are warned to “avoid breathing vapors” and “use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area,” and that “contaminated work clothing must not be allowed out of the workplace.” If swallowed, “immediately call a poison center or doctor” and “rinse mouth.”

Listed under the “most i mpor tant symptoms/effects” of exposure in the product safety sheet, is that the product is “a Cholinesterase Inhibitor,” which can “aggravate” pre-existing skin or respiratory disorders, as well as pre-existing conditions in which lower cholinesterase levels increase vulnerability to cholinesterase depression.

The product, according to the product safety sheet, contains “Organophosphate Insecticide” and while “any significant exposure” is “highly unlikely,” all “based upon the formulation of the pest strip” in See DISCOVERY/ Page 13

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES ♦ Page 11

Page 12 ♦

LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

THEFT

(Continued from Page 1) removing certain evidentiary items from the home of the suspects without their permission.

The couple, identified as Rebec ca Halbach, 35, and Brandon Leconey, 32, of 680 E. Main Street, were re-arrested on Oct. 4, according to a press release from the office of Evesham Township Police Chief Walt Miller, and again lodged in Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly, although they were reported to no longer be there on Oct. 10 by the Department of Corrections.

The latest charges against Halbach include second-degree theft by deception and thirddegree computer crimes. Leconey has been charged with second-degree conspiracy to commit computer crimes and third-degree conspiracy to commit theft by deception.

Previously, the two were charged with third-degree animal cruelty as well as hav i ng endangered the wel fare of a child, a second-degree offense, after a nine-year-old boy was discovered living at the residence where conditions were deemed so unhealthy as to cause officers to don hazmat suits before entering. The child was subsequently placed with the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency.

At the time of those initial arrests, police said they were also conducting an investigation of the financial aspects of the situation, which apparently culminated in the latest accusation that Halbach had “received over $7,000 in compensation” for falsely posing as an employee of a local animal rescue “where she was presumably facilitating adoptions and care of animals,” but “failed to provide proper adoption and/ or care” for them.

The press release further noted that “future charges are anticipated related to these crimes.”

Also taken into custody and charged in connection with the case was Kelli Bowen, 54, of West Berlin, an individual who “had no affiliation with the couple whatsoever,” Lt. Daniel Burdette, public information officer for the Evesham Police, told the Pine Barrens Tribune in a phone interview.

Bowen is alleged to have entered the suspects’ residence without their permission and removed items belonging to them, with “evidence of the burglary and theft” being recovered when a search warrant of her home was executed. She was then arrested without incident and charged with thirddegree burglary, fourth-degree trespassing, and theft, a disorderly persons offense, and released on a summons pending a first appearance in Superior Court.

“The evidence we seized as a result of a search warrant directly relates to the reason she entered (the couple’s premises),” Burdette said.

Although Burdette declined to discuss Bowen’s possible motivation for doing so, a letter posted on Facebook dated Sept. 28 that she allegedly sent to Gov. Murphy’s official website under an account belonging

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM to “Kelli Bean,” but signed “Kelli Bowen,” might possibly offer a clue to it.

“The residents of the State of New Jersey demand individual justice for the recently discovered starvation deaths of 200-plus innocent rescue dogs in Marlton, N.J. All of those innocent dogs suffered needlessly and painfully lost their lives under the false care of Rebecca Halbach and Brandon Leconey,” the letter contends.

In addition to asking that “individual counts of animal cruelty” be brought against the couple “in order to emphasize the importance of recognizing each dog as an individual victim in this case,” Bowen said she wanted the owner of a local animal rescue that Halbach purportedly claimed to represent charged as well “for her involvement, knowledge, and ignorance” of the couple’s “horrific actions.” (She has so far not been.) Contending that “recent circumstances have revealed horrifying instances of abuse and neglect inflicted upon these defenseless creatures,” Bowen also maintained that “It is our duty to ensure that those responsible for such heinous acts are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Governor Murphy, YOU must send a clear message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated in the State of New Jersey,” says the letter’s concluding paragraph.

T he c ond it ion s at Ha lb a ch’s a nd Leconey’s home were first brought to the attention of local authorities on Aug. 28 by a representative of a Macclesfield, North Carolina, animal rescue nonprofit, Tender Mercies, who had been sent to Evesham to check on some “momma dogs” it had transported to the local organization after running out of space to accommodate them.

While the president of Tender Mercies, Janice Thompson, told this newspaper she had no direct fostering relationship with Halbach, whose services were reportedly used by the local rescue, she had become concerned enough by responses she had gotten to inquiries about the dogs to send an emissary to New Jersey.

That individual was reportedly given back two of the dogs, although in an emaciated state, and was not allowed to enter the couple’s home where they had supposedly been fostered, which resulted in his becoming suspicious enough to summon a member of the Evesham police force. An investigation by the department followed, culminating in the couple’s arrest and the removal of the child from the premises.

In a press conference that followed, Chief Miller observed that he had “been doing this for 27 years,” and “seen other cases involving animal abuse and cruelty,” but had “never seen anything like this.”

Miller also noted at the time that his department would be investigating the financial aspects of the case and that any other agencies providing funds to the couple to care for dogs would be a “critical component of the investigation.”

It was estimated at the time by the department that as many as 100 dogs may have died in the home, many of which were buried in a pit in the backyard.

Corrections and Amplifications A recent article about a Tabernacle Committee meeting incorrectly stated that Raymond Ward, who wishes to identify as “one of the people as seen in the New Jersey State Constitution,” gave Tabernacle Deputy Mayor Mark Hartman a copy of the The Maxims of Law by Charles A. Weisman. While Ward displayed this book at one point during a recent committee session, he has clarified that he provided Hartman with a copy of the New Jersey State Constitution, and not The Maxims of Law. A recent article titled, “Pemboro Councilwoman Suggests ‘Outright Ban on That Type of Foul,’ or Roosters, Pointing to Purported Issues She, Local Bed and Breakfast, and Neighbors Have Had,’” misspelled what should have been “Fowl.”

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DISCOVERY

(Continued from Page 10) which “the individuals contact” is designed to be “limited,” IV Atropine sulfate is the “antidote of choice against parasympathetic nervous stimulation.”

A mong t h e “g e n e r a l hyg i e n e considerations” is to “keep away from food and drink.”

On the product’s profile page, under precautionary statements, there is a warning that the product “may be fatal if swallowed” and “do not get in mouth; harmful if inhaled” and that it “causes moderate eye irritation.”

“Avoid breathing vapors,” it adds.

Symptoms of exposure include weakness, headache, tightness in chest, blurred vision, non-reactive pinpoint pupils, salivation, sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.

W hat is not addressed in the investigator’s report is how long the pesticide strip, or for that matter any others, may have been present in the bakery cabinet before its discovery.

FIRE

(Continued from Page 2) they hop on a truck,” he declared. “We don’t want to go out and worry the lights won’t turn on.”

Of the seven companies the tender was taken to for purported evaluations, some were firematic, and others were nonfirematic, the governing body was told, but the consensus was pretty much the same.

However, Hainesport Towing, which is a non-firematic firm, according to one of the commandants, advised the tender “should not go beyond 24 months” in service.

Adding further complexities to the situation, it was added, is that the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) “dictates how they should be repaired” and who is certified to make such repairs, and because of that, “we are not going to be able to go straight down the street to the local guy.” Taking it to a local shop, as might used to be done, one of the commandants said, presents “liabilities” and “I don’t want the liability, and I am sure you guys appreciate that you don’t want the liability, either.”

“It carries 3,500 gallons of water, and that is what we need in our town,” one of the fire commandants said. “Tabernacle is

An inquiry emailed to 7-Eleven’s media relations department was not responded to as of press time, and no direct phone number could be located. A general customer service department representative tried to connect this newspaper to the media relations department, but was disconnected, and calls to a direct line she provided simply resulted in a busy signal.

Calls placed to the Medford Lakes store on Oct. 11 went unanswered as of press time, with a message stating, in part, that a voice mailbox had not been set up yet.

Burlington County Spokesman David Levinsky was asked by this newspaper if given the health department’s findings, whether the department feels there might have been any risk to members of the public who consumed any of the food from the cabinet while the strip was inside, and what kind of notice is required to the public when food may have been consumed in such situations prior to it being discarded. “ T h e B u r l i ng t o n C ou nt y He a lt h Department investigated a complaint concerning the convenience store,” he responded. “The issue was remediated, and the store owner was educated to prevent a reoccurrence. There were no reports of

49 square miles and has no positive water source. (This truck) provides a key way to get a water source to the scene … it is our main source of water.”

In 2020, the Tabernacle Fire Department assumed administrative responsibility for the township’s fire services from the Tabernacle Volunteer Fire Company #1, a point that was made by one of the fire commandants.

Still, Committeeman William Sprague, Jr., pressed the fire officials about why the need is just surfacing at the committee-level now, particularly given the truck is 24 years old, and an acknowledgement it has had air leaks and pump issues well before the Oct. 2 session.

One of the commandants answered, “we spent the last three years starting a preventative maintenance program” and the department was “trying to fix small problems.” He added “evidently, the water problems (from the leaks) have caused this” and “this is not something that just happened since the township became fully responsible” for the fire apparatus.

“How long have you guys known this truck has had to be replaced?” Sprague asked.

The information being provided to the committee on Oct. 2, one of the fire officers answered, was compiled over a timeframe of a “little less than six months.”

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It is unclear, however, how any members of the public would have known to trace back any sy mptoms they m ight have experienced to eating food from the cabinet, without having known the pesticide strip was inside of it. This newspaper could not immediately locate any form of public notification about the incident on local or county government channels.

Levinsky, when asked in a follow-up query about whether the health department was able to determine how long the pesticide strip was in the cabinet, or if there were

any others there, replied, “I don’t have any information related to that, so I don’t know if that was determined.”

“I do know the complaint was investigated right away,” he contended.

As far as local officials were concerned in Medford Lakes at the September council meeting, the issue has “been corrected” since the complaint. The health department investigator, according to the investigative summary, advised the store manager that “if there is an issue with pests at this location, a licensed pest control technician must be contacted for services.”

“Si x mont h s ago, some one c ou ld have come to us and said this is what is happening,” Sprague shot back.

He received a response from the fire officials that they wanted to have a thorough evaluation of the tender completed by the various firematic and non-firematic

companies to see “what do they think” and have them “put a life” span on it, and that it took time to collect that data with “multiple companies coming in.”

“I think what should have happened – and

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(Continued from Page 13) there is not anyone in this room that I do not want to protect – is the fire company should have been in to see Maryalice, telling her that we know this is going to be a problem,” declared Sprague, as opposed to the fire company coming to the governing body six months after first detecting “frame rusting,” etc. and “saying you need all this money tonight.”

After Sprague appeared to somewhat reprimand the fire com mandants for not advising the committee of the issue six months ago when it first sent the fire truck out for evaluation, Mayor Samuel “Sammy” Moore interjected, maintaining they “wanted to get all the information for us” and they “knew they had a problem, but wanted to dissect it.”

Moore acknowledged that he and Brown also met with the fire officers about a month ago, and they were told at that time of the issues, and it was his recommendation for the fire department to come talk to the “whole committee.”

“We are not going to act tonight,” Moore

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declared. “We are not going to say tonight that we want a $700,000 fire truck. So, we can prepare for the future.”

The “high-end” cost estimated by one of the fire commandants for a new tender is $650,000, a figure he said accounts for the potential of “two more price increases until Jan. 2024.” Depending on the manufacturer, it was added, it could take up to 36 months for the tender to be delivered from the time an order is placed, though it was noted that if it is a critical need, manufacturers have a way to account for that in their systems to prioritize such needs.

When pressed on whether the truck will definitely fail in 24 months, one of the commandants answered, the truck will be “obsolete,” and without a new tender, “we are going to have to put a lot of money into it to keep it” and the repairs would only be a “band aid.”

If the truck does fail, one of the fire commandants declared, the township would have to “rely on mutual aid” and it is “going to delay getting water to homes.”

“You need water when the guys are on the ends of those hose lines,” Moore asserted.

“There is no if, ands or buts about it.”

Chief Financial Officer Rodney Haines inquired whether the $650,000 estimate includes all of the required equipment. He was told “that is for the truck” and that the fire department intends to still “use the equipment that is not physically part of the truck.”

“Is the money available to do this?” asked Sprague, to which he received a response from Moore that “downpayment money is available.”

“We would have to borrow the money and pay it back later,” added Haines, who suggested bonding for $700,000 because there will be additional costs on top of the $650,000 worst-case scenario, including attorney fees and bonding.

One unknown that currently exists, Haines indicated, is whether the fire company will ultimately go out to bid for a new tender, or will end up buying one through a cooperative purchasing agreement, either through state contract or at the national level. If it is at the national level, he said, then there will be additional requirements at the local level.

Moore asked if the governing body would be OK with Brown working with the fire company on its options for a fire truck.

Sprague, however, replied that Brown

doesn’t have the expertise in that area to make recommendations, with Moore rebutting, “there is still a process to go through” and “she is our administrator.”

“I agree, they (the fire commandants) are our professionals, and we don’t want to be picking the truck for them,” Moore said.

“But Maryalice talks for the committee.”

Fo l l ow i n g a n e x e c u t i v e s e s s i o n , Moore reopened the public portion of the governing body meeting contending there was a “good discussion” had behind closed doors. Brown then revealed that “the committee discussed the two bond issues we have on the table, one for a fire truck and another for the municipal building.”

“Bond counsel has been authorized to move forward with two separate ordinances for the Oct. 30 meeting,” she added.

“We had a 10-year plan presented several meetings ago on how we wanted to go forward with the department,” said one of the fire commandants as he began making his plea for a new tender. “We said it was a living document, and this is one of the things that has changed. This part was not supposed to happen this soon.”

Mikulski, on Sept. 19, acknowledged having received what seemed like “7,500” screenshots of social media postings/comments.

“First and foremost, the township committee had nothing to do with the closure of the Red Lion Diner,” he responded. “If we had our way,

it would have remained a diner for the next 50 years. If you remember back to the spring, when the project first came up, I told you it was my understanding the owner of the Red Lion Diner was going to rebuild a smaller diner on the same footprint. That is what I was told

face-to-face. Whether or not that is still true, I don’t know, as I have not spoken to him since.

“We were as surprised by the closure of the Red Lion Diner as you were. But we don’t own it, didn’t sell it, and have nothing else to say about that.”

Page 16 ♦

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