Survey, Title Search to be Performed by Woodland Twp. on Parcel

Cited as Reported Source of Ongoing Purported Feral Cat Problem

Resident, Deputy Mayor Give Input on Beneficiaries of Cranberry Festival; Township to Upgrade Software Allowing for Online Tax Payments, Access

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

WOODLAND—An “official survey and full blown title search” has been ordered to be performed by the Woodland Township Committee on an abandoned gun club property that has been reported to be serving as the potential source of a feral cat problem in the area of Old Tuckerton and Baptists roads in Woodland.

The action was taken by the township committee following an approximately 25-minute executive session that occurred in the middle of a March 22 governing body workshop meeting, with the closed-door session convened to discuss “code enforcement properties and how to handle them financially,” according to Township Administrator and Clerk Maryalice Brown.

After the township committee returned to public session during the workshop meeting, held via telephone, Brown stated that, “We did discuss some properties that require us to do some research because of code enforcement issues.”

She then asked for a motion to “authorize” her and Township Solicitor William Burns to obtain the “official survey and full-blown title search” of “Block 53.01, Lot 36.03,” noting that the process will involve the Burlington County Surrogate’s Office.

At the time of the unanimously approved action, specific details about the property in question weren’t revealed, but Brown later told this newspaper that “the property in question is 11 Baptist Road.”

“This does have an abandoned gun club on the property and has been accused of housing feral cats, although adjoining neighbors dispute that claim,” Brown added.

This newspaper previously reported that residents Terry Sheerin and Jane Donoghue, who live in the area, complained in late January about a feral cat problem having an impact on their properties, with Sheerin maintaining that the cats were possibly coming from the gun club.

Burns responded at the time that the township has “some conflicting reports of feral cats and where they are coming from, and where they are located,” as well as that “there are some conflicting reports of how many cats (there are), and whether there is actually a feral cat problem.”

In February, officials recognized that the township animal control officer was removing feral cats from the area, all as Sheerin provided a picture to this newspaper depicting what she alleged were more than a half-dozen feral cats on her property in that shot alone, with Mayor William “Billy” DeGroff having informed Donoghue at the subsequent meeting that , “I don’t think anyone doubted there was an issue with cats.”

As for the action taken by the township committee during its March 22 workshop session, Burns told this newspaper “one of the properties is not in good condition,” but there is an issue with the “bounds of the property and who the owners are” necessitating the title search and survey.

During the township committee’s latest regular meeting held March 22 immediately following the workshop session, the governing body approved an application by the Chatsworth Cranberry Festival Committee to hold the Chatsworth Cranberry Festival on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22 of this year.

It was then asked of the township committee to “waive” a $250 fee for a permit, which caused Deputy Mayor Mark Herndon to inquire whether such a request was “based on the fact that it brings in revenue for the township.”

“While I don’t disagree with waiving the fee, I don’t agree it brings in great buckets of revenue to the township,” Herndon declared. “I am hard pressed to think of anything we get.”

Sheerin, who said she was making the request as a taxpayer, but reportedly had been given authorization by the festival committee chairperson to make the inquiry (she serves on the committee), responded that she would “rephrase” that the event “brings in additional revenue to the township – to the residents who participate as crafters.”

“That it does,” recognized Herndon, with Sheerin providing further clarification that the event is “not helping the township or township committee in general, but is helping the residents of the township.”

DeGroff proclaimed that he is “good” with the request to waive the fee, but noted that the township committee “offered” to waive it previously, but “they refused.” Sheerin responded, in part, by saying “those bygones are gone.”

The fee was waived by a 3-0 vote.

Brown, during a clerk report, noted that the White Horse Inn, which sits at the corner of County Routes 532 and 563 and Savoy Boulevard, the largest dwelling in the town proper and well over 100 years old, will be getting repainted.

She explained there is sort of an “unwritten rule” that anytime repairs to the inn exceed $2,500, the festival committee, which helps provide for the upkeep of the facility, is to submit estimates to the governing body “not asking the township committee to pay for anything, but just making us aware since the township owns the building.”

SURVEY/ Page 9

Suggestion That Cannabis Businesses Warn Customers Their Product Violates Federal Law Causes Evesham Officials to Admit That It Does Township Attorney, Police Chief Acknowledge Legal Conflict Still Exists with Controlled Substance Act, But Its Enforcement Said Not Required

By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

EVESHAM—The amending of an ordinance governing the language of signs used to identify recreational cannabis retailers at the March 29 Evesham Township Council meeting was the catalyst for another suggested change in that measure – one that would remind customers of such establishments that they are in violation of a still-existing federal law.

The proposal to include such a requirement in the sign ordinance came from Gary Warga, a resident who has been on a kind of oneman campaign at council meetings against recreational cannabis use, during a public commentary period that followed the unanimous adoption of an amended ordinance dispensing with the use of the word “dispensary” in signs put up by recreational cannabis businesses.

Warga’s recommendation, in fact, resulted in acknowledgments from both the township’s attorney and police chief that his point about state and federal laws on cannabis use being in conflict with each other was indeed correct, and that the local ordinance allowing cannabis businesses to set up shop in certain parts of the township, just like the state law enabling it, is technically overridden by the Controlled substances Act of 1970.

Tempering those affirmations, however, were statements to the affect that the federal government is not now actively enforcing that law and may be heading in the direction of revoking it.

Warga had initially voiced his support for the amended ordinance, pointing out (as has the Pine Barrens Tribune) that the word “dispensary” is one that would only apply to medical cannabis, which he indicated met with his approval, but with the caveat that he was disturbed by a report that “a majority of (recreational cannabis) customers are actually buying it to treat their own medical issues.”

“To try to self-treat any serious or chronic medical conditions,” he contended, “is a dangerous approach,” which he blamed for many people having become addicted to opioids and often dying as a result.

As he has on previous occasions, Warga then emphasized that cannabis is an addictive substance as well that “can also cause severe psychosis and violent behavior in a certain percentage of the population” before Mayor Jacklyn “Jackie” Veasy interrupted him to note that comments should be limited to the elimination of the “dispensary” reference in the amended ordinance.

In a subsequent public comment period, however, Warga got up to suggest that in addition to the revised business sign language, “it would be wise for the township to require a warning sign in all cannabis stores” that would inform customers that “the sale or purchase of cannabis is a federal crime” under that 1970 law classifying it as a controlled substance, an admonition he thought might be “somewhat similar to the warning labels that are on cigarettes,” the rationale being that “you are less at risk legally if you warn the public what the risks are that they are taking.”

“No state has any authority to override a federal law that is in conflict with it,” he asserted. “Now, this conflict exists with the current cannabis laws here in New Jersey and in Evesham Township, and we need to be fully honest and transparent with the public who may have been misled and given wrong information.”

In fact, he maintained, the township “is promoting the violation of federal laws on this issue” and thus “is now exposed to legal liability once the council voted to approve sale of over-the-counter cannabis, which he termed “a serious violation, ”adding, “We are not allowed to pick and choose which laws we like and don’t.”

Calling this situation “a clear, positive conflict between federal, state and local laws,” Warga then asked, “Do we respect the laws here or do we just choose to ignore them when we want to? Do we keep the public informed on serious legal matters or do we just pray and hope that there will not be any future legal liability issues?”

“How do you deal with this conflict – ignore it or take a proactive approach?”

By way of response to Warga’s proposal, Veasy asked Township Attorney Christopher Orlando whether he minded addressing the “cannabis comment,” prompting Orlando, a member of the law firm of Parker McCay that was installed by a 3-2 council vote at a January reorganization meeting, to confirm that “there is a conflict between state and federal law” on the legality issue.

While the attorney said he hadn’t specifically examined the ramifications of the federal law governing cannabis, it “is still illegal, as I understand it, federally,” even though its use and possession (by those 21 and older) has been approved by the voters of New Jersey and signed into law by the governor.

Orlando added that he knew the state attorney general had spoken with a number of different police departments and that the ambiguity of the drug’s legal status had “created a conflict within the law enforcement world in regard to the ability to enforce federal law and state law,” but that he would be “happy to look at the federal law issue specifically and how state law marries with that,” and report back on it at the next council meeting.

“But there is a conflict there,” he reiterated. The mayor replied, “If you could speak on it,

See CANNABIS/ Page 9

Deborah Heart and Lung Center Unveils Newly Installed $1M MRI Scanner Federal Funding Bill Appropriation Brings Highly-Specialized Diagnostics to Region

UPCOMING PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP CLEAN COMMUNITIES’ EVENTS

April 15, 2023

Country Lakes Area

Meet at Country Lakes Firehouse

For the Pine Barrens Tribune BROWNS MILLS—Less than one year after U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) were able to secure a $1 million federal appropriation for Deborah Heart and Lung Center to purchase a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, the equipment has been received, installed, calibrated and is now ready for use, according to hospital officials. This highly specialized diagnostic tool creates detailed images of the heart without using radiation.

“I was proud to advocate for community projects across our state in 2022’s federal funding bill, including delivering $1 million for a state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner for Deborah,” Menendez said.

“It is rewarding to know that this life-saving equipment is now installed at the hospital, where it is working to diagnose a variety of cardiovascular conditions and defects and will be essential in improving outcomes for patients.”

Recently, before its powerful tesla magnets were turned on, a celebratory team at Deborah officially “unveiled” the new MRI.

“This is a great day at Deborah,” said Deborah President and CEO Joseph Chirichella.

“I am thankful that Senators Menendez and Booker advocated for the residents of Burlington County and supported funding to expand access to cardiac care in the region. This technology is essential to diagnose and monitor a variety of cardiovascular conditions, especially disorders of the cardiac muscle and valves, as well as congenital heart defects.”

Chirichella explained that a Cardiac MRI is “critically valuable” in predicting the risk posed by different heart conditions, and is used to identify and tailor specific cardiac therapies, including for heart rhythm disturbances, as well as conditions related to COVID-19.

“This state-of-the-art, rapid acquisition and wide bore scanner MRI will provide excellent access for our patients without many of the limitations of earlier scanners for comfort and study quality,” he said. “This, combined with the newest generation of cutting-edge software, ensures the highest quality cardiac imaging.”

Chirichella noted that in addition to providing access to sophisticated images of the heart, the MRI scanner also provides an opportunity for local patients to have MRI imaging beyond the heart including organs, bones, joints and muscles.

“Deborah is located in a designated medically underserved area,” he added. “As one of the country’s leading cardiac centers, a cardiac MRI builds on our program of excellence. However, community access to an MRI for a variety of other medical conditions will vastly reduce the need for residents to travel long distances for this type of specialized, detailed imaging, allowing people convenient, earlier, and more precise diagnosis of their conditions. We at Deborah are delighted to have this innovative technology on our campus, and are excited to play a role in a significant expansion of providing communitybased health care.”

Readers are urged to visit www. DemandDeborah.org for more information.

“Deborah’s new MRI scanner will make cardiovascular monitoring more accessible to South Jersey families, continuing the center’s century-long tradition of delivering high-quality heart, lung, and vascular care in a medically underserved area,” Booker declared. “I will continue to fight for projects like this that keep New Jersey families healthy and safe.”

May 20, 2023

Browns Mills Area-Meet at Browns Mills Firehouse

September 16, 2023

Country Lakes Area-Meet at Country Lakes Firehouse

October 14, 2023

Browns Mills Area-Meet at Browns Mills Firehouse

November 4, 2023

Presidential Lakes Area-Meet at Presidential Lakes Firehouse

Clean-ups are from 8 am to 12 pm - Supplies are provided including a free t-shirt 609-836-5258  dmcbreen@pemberton-twp.com

Earn $$ for your non-profit organization

Take advantage of a Clean Communities’ mini-grant and earn money for your non-profit group or organization cleaning up litter and debris from targeted Pemberton Township roadways. 609-836-5258 dmcbreen@pemberton-twp.com

APRIL

Have junk laying around your home? A public area around your home that needs to be cleaned up? Confidential papers to be shredded? Bring old tires (limit 12 tires, no oversized tires), paint cans with lids, household hazardous waste, concrete, bricks, lumber, etc. to the Public Works Yard (located behind the Municipal Bldg. at 500 Pemberton Browns Mills Road, Pemberton, NJ 08068) for one day FREE disposal.

No gasoline or unidentifiable material accepted.

Note: Intact televisions, computers, waste motor oil and scrap metal may be brought to the Public Works Yard for free during normal yard hours. Pemberton Township Residents Only-No Businesses

Any questions please call 609-836-5258 or visit our website at www.pemberton-twp.com