Pine Barrens Tribune August 17-August 24, 2019 by Pine Barrens Tribune

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RENDERINGS REVEAL

Teenager Detonates Homemade Explosive In Medford Backyard Police Chief Declines to Reveal Juvenile’s Motive and Intent

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

MEDFORD —A 17-year-old teenager is facing various weapons offenses after detonating a homemade explosive in the rear yard of his father’s home in Medford Township. The explosive was believed to have been detonated, according to Medford Township Police Chief Richard J. Meder in a press release, sometime around 1:39 p.m. on Aug. 6. That is See EXPLOSIVE/ Page 25

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Architect Reveals Floor Plans and Artistic Renderings for Future Combination Library-Municipal Building By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

MEDFORD—A plan to construct a twofloor, over 20,000-square-foot Medford Township combination library-municipal building at 51 Union St. has been unveiled to the public. “It has been a long discussion and here we are at the finish line,” said Brooks W. Garrison, an architect with Garrison Architects, who unveiled the proposed combination building’s floor plans and artistic renderings during an

Aug. 7 Medford Council meeting. The library is slated to be constructed on the first floor of the proposed building, and most of the amenities slated for the proposed building’s first floor are associated with the library. The first floor of the building, according to Garrison, is expected to consist of a “great, new space” that allows for “quiet studying, along with work group and work activities.” As seen in floor plans released a few days later on Medford Township’s website and

discussed by Garrison on Aug. 7, the first floor includes a 2,379-square-foot “Main Library,” a 1,385-square-foot “Children’s Library,” a 514-square-foot technology center, a 136-square-foot “Friends Room,” a 136-square-foot study, a 222-square-foot “Teen Room,” a 192-square-foot book holding area, a 574-square-foot library staff suite, a 221-square-foot breakroom and a 623-squarefoot lobby and café. See REVEAL/ Page 26

Motorcyclist Killed In Route 70 Crash By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

SOUTHAMPTON—A motorcyclist was killed in a violent-evening collision that occurred on Aug. 11 at the intersection of Route 70 and Burrs Mill Road in Southampton Township. According to New Jersey State Police, David Warner, 56, of Southampton, was driving a Harley Davidson motorcycle in the westbound lane of Route 70 when the two-wheeled vehicle collided, at around 8:28 p.m., with a Chrysler PT Cruiser that was turning onto Burrs Mill Road. “The motorcycle overturned and Warner was ejected into the eastbound lane of Route 70, where he was struck by a Cadillac Escalade,” said Alejandro Goez, a spokesman for the New Jersey See CRASH / Page 25

INDEX Community........................ 12 Job Board.......................... 20 Opinion.............................. 11 Health................................ 15 Leo the Lion Challenge..... 24 Here's My Card.................. 18 Local News.......................... 4

Senior Column................... 12

Hobbyist............................ 17 Marketplace....................... 23 Worship Guide................... 13

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LOCAL NEWS

Feasibility Study to Determine Practicality of Sending Bass River Elementary Students to Little Egg Schools

P.O. Box 2402 Vincentown, New Jersey 08088 Phone: 609-801-2392 Fax: 609-801-2395

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Separate Study to Determine Whether It Would Be Feasible for Little Egg Harbor and Pinelands Regional School Districts to Consolidate, Forming ‘One School District, One Board’

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

ADMINISTRATION Publisher.dmelegari@pinebarrenstribune.com NEWS News Tips....... news@pinebarrenstribune.com Editors........... letters@pinebarrenstribune.com ADVERTISING Place An Ad.... sales@pinebarrenstribune.com CIRCULATION The Pine Barrens Tribune is published every Saturday. This newspaper is protected under the Federal Copyright Act. Reproduction of any part is not permitted by mechanical or electronic means without the expressed written permission of the Publisher. The Publisher reserves the right to revise or reject any advertisement. No liability shall be attached to the Publisher for interruption of publication or limitation of size and/or number of pages due to shortage of material, failure of transportation, flood, fire, severe weather, winter weather, riots, strikes, acts of God, or other causes beyond his or her control. It is our policy to promptly correct errors. If you believe that you see a mistake, please call (609) 801-2392. © 2019 Pine Barrens Tribune

BASS RIVER—Bass River Elementary School, the subject of an ongoing feasibility study due to its growing debt and declining enrollment coinciding with a loss in state aid, will continue to operate for the 2019-2020 school year, according to Superintendent and Principal Siobhan Grayson. As this newspaper previously reported, the financial difficulties have forced the kindergarten through sixth grade district to begin a conversation about consolidation with another district. However, the superintendent said no decision will be made about possible consolidation with another district until at least February or March when the results of the feasibility study are expected to be received by the Bass River Township Board of Education. “We have budget in place for this school year,” Grayson said. “We do have a feasibility study in place also, made public at all board meetings.” The Bass River school has entered into shared service agreements with the neighboring Little Egg Harbor School District, and Grayson told this newspaper last week that the feasibility

study is “with the Little Egg Harbor Township School District,” meaning that officials are investigating if it would be feasible to send Bass River elementary students to one of two elementary schools run by the Little Egg Harbor district. Stockton University’s Education Unit is conducting the feasibility study, according to the superintendent. “The feasibility study will take place during this school year,” said Grayson, noting that the same type of study was performed in neighboring Washington Township, which resulted in the closure of the Green Bank School and students being sent to the Mullica Township School District. “We are doing a feasibility study, which will help our board and community make informed decisions and it is anticipated that we will get the information around the same time we get our budget, which is in February or March.” Grayson contended it is just “way too early to tell” whether or not Bass River Elementary School will need to close beginning with the 2020-2021 school year. “We are just beginning the process of the feasibility study and can anticipate a

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recommendation through the fact-finding process,” she said, noting that the Bass River district, which oversees just one school, Bass River Elementary, is in the process of applying for emergency state aid. “We are applying for emergency state aid that has been offered,” she said. “Certainly, we won’t know the determination of that for a few months.” Earlier this year, Grayson told the Bass River Board of Commissioners that recent cuts in annual state aid to the Bass River district amounted to an approximate $30,000 loss, and losses in aid are expected to continue over the next few years, with the Bass River district ultimately facing an estimated $200,000 reduction in funding. In addition, the Bass River elementary student population is currently down to 104, as compared to 126 in 2012, 36 of whom fall in the special education category, although the aid for such students, she pointed out, is a flat percentage, rather than being dependent on their actual number. At the time of Grayson’s remarks to the

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Saturday, August 17, 2019

$325,000 Settlement Agreement Reached with Roofing Contractor At Center of Construction Debacle

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

LITTLE EGG HARBOR—The Pinelands Regional Board of Education has reached a $325,000 settlement agreement with Mike Kobithen Roofing and Insulation. The firm was one of three companies at the center of a construction debacle in the fall of 2017 and winter of 2018 at Pinelands Regional Senior High School. The company was accused of performing roof work on the high school while students or faculty were inside the building, and purportedly engaged in a number of other missteps. Parents learned through intensive online research and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests that the rooftop construction in September and October 2017 was unauthorized. According to the project’s bid specifications and contract, the rooftop construction was mandated to be completed by Aug. 18, 2017 (in some parts of the document it says Sept. 5, 2017), so as to not interfere with the start of school on Sept. 7, 2017. “All roof work shall be conducted within the contract time limits, but in no case while students or faculty are in the building,” the document says. As the Pine Barrens Tribune previously reported, the work that was apparently unauthorized caused dust and ceiling tiles to fall in classrooms and unfamiliar odors, which

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coincided with unexplained respiratory issues and rashes. The high school was eventually closed from Oct. 3 to 6 in 2017, after numerous individuals questioned the air quality inside the high school at a Pinelands Regional Board of Education meeting on Oct. 2, 2017. Classes resumed in the senior high school on Oct. 9, 2017 after precautionary air quality and asbestos testing did not detect any harmful compounds in the building’s air. However, some parents alleged that illnesses were still occurring and debris was still falling, and pleaded for the building to be shut. A few days after the senior high school was reopened, it was closed indefinitely after a screw from the school’s ceiling fell on a student’s head. Dr. Cheryl Stevenson, who was acting superintendent of the Pinelands Regional School District at the time the screw incident happened, said that vibration from the ongoing rooftop work was believed to have caused the screw to fall. Dr. Maryann Banks, upon return from an overseas trip in her then-capacity as interim superintendent of Pinelands Regional, told this newspaper that when the roofers removed a level of the roofing earlier in the summer of 2017, the heads of numerous screws throughout the building were cut off, which loosened them. In addition to the project’s bid specifications and contract, parents also discovered the

Bass River to Sell 130 Acres to State By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

BASS RIVER—The Bass River Township Board of Commissioners has authorized the sale of 13 foreclosed lots, totaling 129.536 acres, to the State of New Jersey. The lots, according to Bass River Township Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope, have been up for public auction for nearly seven years, and did not draw any interest since the majority of them are “doughnut holes” in the forest, with the state already owning the land all around them. “Basically, the state owns around them,” she said. “A lot of it is filling in their holes and this would make the pieces they own a whole lot bigger and that is the reason for the state wanting them.” Buzby-Cope contended that the land being sold is “nothing people can do anything with,” unless

Staff Writer

WOODLAND—A detached garage in the rear of a Woodland Township residence has been deemed unsafe for occupancy after catching ablaze shortly after a vehicle inside of it, on a lift, caught fire last Sunday. The Aug. 11 blaze, in the 4200 block of County Route 563, was first reported to authorities around 1:25 p.m., according to Woodland Township Fire Chief Shawn Viscardi. Firefighters arrived on scene shortly thereafter. “Woodland’s crew entered the garage and started fire suppression,” Viscardi said. “The crew did an excellent job and made a quick knock down of the main fire, which was a fully involved vehicle, five to six feet in the air, on a car lift with some ground fires surrounding it.

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A second engine, 4312, arrived from Tabernacle Township and assisted Woodland crews with ventilation and overhaul.” The fire chief said that the township’s fire official, along with the state fire marshal, found the cause of the blaze to be accidental in nature. “The was no danger to any other structure or residences, as the fire was contained to the original fire building and contents,” Viscardi said. “The structure was listed as unsafe for occupancy by the township’s building department.” Viscardi added that no residents or firefighters were injured in the incident. Tabernacle Fire Company #1 provided a water tender, Tabernacle Rescue Squad set up a rehab and Hampton Lakes EMS provided an ambulance in case one was needed, according to the fire chief. “All crews did a great job!” Viscardi said.

they want to go hunting, as most of the parcels are difficult to access, wetlands or preserved land. “Some of these are in no man’s land,” she said. “A lot of hunters said the properties are too hard to get too. We can sell them, get money for them and that is what we are choosing to do.” Buzby-Cope contended that there were 141 properties in town, with liens, when she first came to the board. Township Solicitor JoAnne I. O’Connor said the liens were so old, she could not find the owners. Buzby-Cope said the municipal auditor recommended that the township get rid of the liens because they were having a “cha ching, cha ching” effect due to accumulating financial interest. “We couldn’t come up with all the money at once (to foreclose on the properties), so we had

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Flames Spread to Detached Garage After Vehicle on Lift Catches Ablaze By Douglas D. Melegari

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Scenes from Medford, Medford Lakes, Marlton and Evesham during National Night Out on Aug. 6.

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Chimney and Fireplace Issues Force Closure of Senior Center

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A keep out sign warns senior citizens to stay away from the Washington Township Senior Center.

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

WASHINGTON—Officials in Washington Township are weighing their options so that they can continue to provide senior citizens residing in the municipality with a place to hold recreational activities and programs after the almost 25-year home of the Washington Township Senior Center had to be closed recently due to a “major structural issue.” The building, apparently at one time a residence and office for a state ranger and referred to by locals as “The Ranger Station,” and leased to the township by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), was discovered to be in disrepair this past winter after a pipe froze inside the building and flooded it, according to Mayor Dudley Lewis. “When we got into it to do repairs, we found substantial structural problems,” he said. “The chimney, in some respect, has to be replaced or repaired for the building’s furnace to work. The chimney’s foundation tipped, which caused the fireplace to lean out, and then the chimney to break.” Township Solicitor Tom Coleman, at an Aug. 6 Washington Township Committee meeting, said that while the municipality has “a duty to maintain what is there,” he “doesn’t necessarily think the chimney fix should be made on the township’s dime.” He contended the condition of the building was not caused by the municipality. “On July 8, I sent the state a letter, seeing what their intention was with respect to improvements that need to be made on the property, as it relates to specific items and aspects of the house that I think are out of our control,” Coleman said. “I have not heard back from the state.” However, the solicitor said that Township Clerk Kathleen D. Hoffman has received follow-up communications from the state with regards to their intent. Hoffman, when asked by the lawyer to elaborate on those communications, said that she spoke to “Joe,” an assistant supervisor of the local New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry office (a NJDEP agency), and he advised her that

they don’t have any money to make repairs to the chimney. The township committee, according to Coleman and Hoffman, could opt out of the lease early, or renew the lease. “The operative date that you need to consider is February 2020,” Coleman said. “That is when we need to let them know whether we are going to continue for an additional 15 years with that property.” Committeeman C. Leigh Gadd Jr., in consultation with Hoffman, recommended that municipal officials obtain bid estimates or an engineer estimate on what the repairs could cost the town, should the governing body go ahead and authorize the municipality to attempt to make the repairs to the state building. “I think we need that information to make an informed decision, since we have until February,” he said. Deputy Mayor Paul Seybold said he agreed that the officials should obtain bid estimates, but the township committee should also look at “letting that house go.” “I think we should deal with facilities we have here within town hall, either open it up a couple nights a month, or every two weeks to seniors, etc.” he said. “Maybe we should put a bocce ball court and possibly some playground equipment behind town hall.” Lewis replied that he “agreed also,” and that he would like to see an estimate for the cost of repairs prepared for the township committee’s September meeting. “I would like to see what it would cost, not necessarily to replace the fireplace and chimney, but to tear that down and put something up to take care of the heating system’s needs,” Lewis said. The mayor added that having a functional heating system is paramount, and that the “fireplace had never been used” and that he wouldn’t recommend it be used. “The fireplace and chimney are all one structure,” Lewis said. “They are pulling away from the building. The chimney has cracked and split. The furnace needs a flue or some See SENIOR/ Page 27

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A two-car, head-on collision in Medford Township, on Aug. 14, involving a flatbed delivery truck and Dodge Challenger.

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

SOUTHAMPTON—Five motor vehicle crashes, in addition to a deadly one that killed a Southampton Township man (see separate story on front page), have made for an active month, so far, for police and other first responders in Medford, Southampton and Woodland townships. First responders were called to Route 72, in the area of milepost 1.5 in Woodland, at around 12:11 p.m. on Aug. 7, after a Honda rolled over, according to New Jersey State Police Spokesman Sgt. Lawrence Peele. “The driver suffered a medical emergency, lost control of the Honda, crossed the eastbound lanes of the highway and overturned,” Peele said. “The driver, and two passengers, suffered nonlife-threatening injuries.” All parties, he said, were transported to the Capital Health Emergency Room at Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Pemberton Township. The identities of the victims were not released by authorities. On Aug. 8, at around 4:43 p.m., first responders were called to the intersection of Church and Eayrestown roads in Southampton for another crash involving an overturned vehicle. Peele told this newspaper that a motorist was purportedly operating a Mazda CX-5 eastbound on Church Road, while another motorist was operating a Chevrolet Tahoe westbound on Church Road, when the driver of the Tahoe attempted a left turn onto Eayrestown Road.

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“(The driver) of the Tahoe was struck by the Mazda, causing the Tahoe to overturn,” he said. “Both drivers sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to Virtua Hospital in Mount Holly for treatment.” Authorities did not release the identities of the victims involved in the second crash. The third incident, a two-car motor vehicle collision, occurred on Aug. 12, around 6:15 p.m., at the intersection of Sooy Place Road and Route 70 in Southampton. Lt. Theodore Schafer, another spokesman for state police, said the crash involved a Sedan driven by Joseph Charyk, 51, of Tabernacle, and a work truck operated by Eric Lugo, 44, of Williamstown. He added that Charyk sustained minor injuries in the crash, but refused medical treatment on scene. “The roadway (Route 70) was closed for a short while from 6:15 p.m. to 6:40 p.m.,” Schafer said. The cause of the third crash remains under investigation. Authorities, on the next day, were again called to Route 70 for a crash, this time near mile marker 25 in Woodland. “It was a one-vehicle-motor vehicle collision,” said Schafer of the Aug. 13 crash. “The vehicle went into a pole. There was no lane blockage and no injuries.” Woodland Fire Chief Shawn Viscardi said that the vehicle took out a light pole in the FourMile Circle. “The aluminum pole was on the car,” the fire See CLOSURES/ Page 27

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Solstice Submits Application to Add 39 Parking Spaces to Pemberton Township Facility By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

BIRMINGHAM—Solstice Counseling and Wellness Center, an outpatient drug and alcohol treatment facility that opened in July 2017, in the Birmingham section of Pemberton Township, has made application to the Pemberton Township Planning Board for a minor site plan approval to add 39 parking spaces to its facility. Solstice, located at 300 Birmingham Road, has also asked the planning board to grant it variances so that it can exceed front yard setback requirements due to an existing condition, have parking within 50 feet of the street line and 20 feet of the lot line, omit a portion of required buffer due to site constraints and withgo having to install a required loading area that isn’t reportedly needed. Another variance was also requested to allow the business to reduce the number of requested parking spaces in the application from a required 57 to 39, part of a convoluted circumstance in which the zoning law for the area the business has been established requires it to have more parking spaces than it currently has, yet there is controversy over the business seeking to add more parking spaces. The application has been met with immediate resistance by Birmingham residents, some of whom have obtained Attorney David C. Frank to represent them during ongoing planning board hearings over the matter. Pemberton Township declared a portion of Birmingham a General Commercial/Light Industrial (GCLI) zone several years ago, despite it being mostly comprised of single-familydetached residential structures. The change in zoning designation permits retail sales of goods and services, restaurants, bars, taverns, nightclubs, department stores, garden centers engaged in the retail sale of living plant material, banks—including drivein facilities—offices and office buildings, theaters, bowling alleys, racquet clubs, swim clubs, skating rinks, pitch-and-putt golf courses and similar entertainment uses (except pinball or video arcades), automobile sales through franchised new car dealers, car washes, service stations, wholesale distribution facilities, along with light industrial uses such as manufacturing, child-care centers, health clubs, fitness centers, funeral homes and taxicab operations, in a large part of Birmingham. Locals, however, such as resident Mike Kent, contend the existing residences were not taken into consideration and that the neighborhood has been placed at an “inherent disadvantage” by the change in Pemberton Township zoning. Solstice, as previously reported by this newspaper, has been the source of many complaints by Birmingham residents. The residents claim that the business has turned their once "Hamlet-like neighborhood” into a "hangout” with drug use, suicide attempts, trespassing, excess litter, aggressive driving, speeding and illegal parking. The alleged incidents are fueling the opposition to the application. Residents previously attended a Pemberton Council meeting in the fall of 2018 to voice concerns over parking issues along Indian Trail and Birmingham Road from Solstice’s operation. The roads, which rarely had cars parked alongside them according to residents, suddenly had dozens of vehicles parked there on a daily basis. The parking problems, along with complaints, eventually forced Pemberton Council to establish a no-parking zone along the two roads. The parking ban has since been enforced and the street-side parking situation has improved. However, while Michael Mandale, chief executive officer of Solstice, testified during an Aug. 1 planning board meeting that he has

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also since altered schedules so that parking does not overflow onto local streets, he contended that vehicles are now packed into the facility’s parking lot, and requires the additional parking spaces to alleviate the situation. “We jam the parking lot, and double park,” he said. “it is not a good situation.” Mandale contended that when he first opened, Police Chief David Jantas told him that his employees and clients could “use on street parking.” “P reviously, there were no pa rk ing restrictions,” Mandale said. “Then we were served with a violation notice in Oct. 2018.” The actions of township officials, and vagueness in the municipal code book, have apparently made the situation even more intricate. Mandale said he was issued a zoning permit on July 13, 2017. He added that he applied for a certificate of occupancy in August of that year and received one on April 27, 2018. “Construction Official Daniel Wassenar conducted the final inspection,” Mandale said. “He advised me that I needed to install a handicap placard out front, and I did that while he waited. He then thanked me for bringing a drug rehab to town and said that the ‘town was in great need of this.’” But as officials explained during the Aug. 1 planning board meeting, a site plan application might have been required before the permit and certificate of occupancy was issued, though they aren’t completely sure. The officials have been combing through dictionaries, definitions contained in the laws of other towns and a Planners Handbook/Bible to define “office” and “office buildings” so that they can determine whether or not a drug and alcohol treatment facility, that offers counseling within an office space, meets either one of those definitions. Pemberton, the officials said, does not define an “office” and “office buildings” in its code book. “The question is; is it a change of use,” said Pemberton Township Planning Board Engineer Chris Rehmann in a later interview with this newspaper. “If it is a change of use from an office to a clinic, the answer, according to the planning board solicitor would be, ‘Yes, a site plan was required.’” Given the circumstances, officials at one point during the latest planning board meeting even questioned if Mandale was appearing before the correct board and whether or not they could hear his testimony without him first going before the Pemberton Township Zoning Board. The planning board, on Aug. 1, heard a lot of testimony to the effect of whether Solstice was running a clinic versus an office and the hearing will continue in September. Mandale contended that Solstice’s second facility, in Woodbury, is classified as an “office” use, and that its former facility in Lumberton was also classified as an “office” use. “There was no delineation between an office and treatment facility,” he said. “It is a counseling office, with holistic services. Counselors work in offices.” Frank, when the planning board’s testimony 10:30 p.m. cutoff had been reached, was just beginning to claim that the site’s use had been changed. “In Solstice’s cover letter and initial testimony, both (Mandale and Madden) said this is a ‘mental health treatment facility,’” Frank said. “I think we need to learn more about that. If this is in fact a mental health treatment facility, it is not properly before this board at all. It needs to be at the zoning board for adjustment.” Until a final use determination is made by the planning board, the testimony regarding the specifics of the parking proposal and need for variances might be moot. See APPLICATION/ Page 14

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Squad 85 and Bass River Officials Work Out Tentative Plan Relying on Simultaneous Dispatch System Board Holds Off on Bringing Back Volunteer Squad Citing Need to Resolve ‘Some Minute Things’

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

BASS RIVER—Optimism is growing that a deal between Great Bay Regional EMS Squad 85, the New Gretna Volunteer Fire Company and Bass River Board of Commissioners is on the horizon, which would allow Squad 85 to be the primary ambulance service provider in town again after being let go in June in favor of a paid ambulance service, Quality Medical Transport. Bass River Township Mayor Deborah BuzbyCope confirmed during the Bass River Board of Commissioner’s Aug. 5 meeting that all of the parties sat down and had a “good meeting” on July 24. As this newspaper reported last month, one of the reasons the commissioners cited for dropping Squad 85 was that its captain, Jay Zimmerman, had purportedly declined to meet in February due to a honeymoon and was a no-show for a March meeting. Additional attempts to establish a meeting before the June 12 commissioners’ decision were unsuccessful, according to Deputy Mayor Nicholas Capriglione. During the July 24 “good meeting,” Squad 85’s response times were discussed at length, according to Buzby-Cope. Capriglione, during a July 1 board meeting, told residents that there have been incidents where Great Bay is “toned out” to an emergency call and does not respond to the initial tone. He described that a second tone has then had to be sent out five minutes later, and it was the board’s opinion that it wastes four minutes, which is

important when it involves a medical emergency. “The tentative plan is to do dual, or simultaneous dispatch,” said Zimmerman on Aug. 5 of a possible solution to alleviate the concern of the commissioners. “It would alleviate a lot of problems.” New Gretna Volunteer Fire Company Chief Tom “Tommy” Wetmore said on Aug. 5 that the all-volunteer fire company has the same process currently in place for fire calls. He said during the daytime, West Tuckerton Fire Company is simultaneously dispatched to township fire calls. Buzby-Cope, in further justifying the July 1 commission’s decision, pointed to statistics she said the township received from Burlington and Ocean Counties through an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request. She claimed the statistics show that Great Bay responded to only 59 percent of Bass River’s EMS calls from January through the first half of June 2019. Wetmore said on Aug. 5 that under the tentative plan, if Squad 85 doesn’t have a duty crew assigned for certain six-hour period, the allvolunteer entity has agreed to let central dispatch know they don’t have a duty crew. “They would dispatch Squad 85 and Quality at the same time,” Wetmore said. “If Squad 85 has a crew, they can call off Quality and handle the call. So, it will cut out the delay.” Zimmerman said that with dual dispatch, if “Quality signs on” to an emergency prior to Squad 85, the closest ambulance to the See PLAN/ Page 14

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Return from

Deployment

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Photos By Andrew King

TSgt Tyler Jones returned home to Picadilly Circle, in Marlton, from deployment in Iraq on Aug. 14. Operation Yellow Ribbon gave him a rock star celebration. Jones has 17 years of service with the U.S. Air Force (USAF). He met his wife, Shelley, while they were both stationed at Scott Air Force Base as she was USAF as well. Jones works in Air Traffic Control for the USAF. He has been deployed or stationed across the world many times including Japan and other areas in the Middle East.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

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OPINION

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

We Need Candidates Who Understand Environmental Challenges Facing State

I was happy to see that the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters endorsed Democratic 8th Legislative District Assembly candidates Gina LaPlaca and Mark Natale. Climate change is one of the biggest threats to our environment and way of life. The Amazon Rain Forest is disappearing, along with the ice shelf in Greenland. Alaska is issuing excessive heat warnings to its residents, and we have experienced the hottest June on record. Indeed, many communities in the 8th District could literally be under water in thirty years, because of continued inaction. Climate change, and addressing the environmental crisis now, is not and should not be political. We will all be—and are being affected now by it. After the recent approval of permits granted to New Jersey Natural Gas, to move forward with the installation of a “Southern Reliability Pipeline” through Burlington County, it is

even more important to support LaPlaca and Natale, candidates who have been described as “environmental leaders.” We need people in state government who understand the magnitude of our environmental challenges here in New Jersey, especially in light of the pipeline approval in South Jersey. New Jersey’s League of Conservation Voters is a nonpartisan group that supports environmental advocates. LaPlaca and Natale, who both live and work in the 8th District, care about the preservation of our natural resources, and maintaining sustainability and a clean environment. LaPlaca’s parents were environmental scientists; who better to lead us in the fight to protect our environment? South Jersey’s very existence depends on supporting and electing environmental advocates. I am looking forward to supporting LaPlaca and Natale in November, and hope you’ll join me! Lisa Cenneno Mount Holly, New Jerseye

How to Send Items to the Editor: letters@pinebarrenstribune.com, put “Letter” in the subject line. Letters submitted to the Pine Barrens Tribune must include the name, address and phone number of the writer. Letters may be edited for length, clarity and taste. Because of space limitations, letters should be 150 words or less. Due to the volume of letters received, we cannot guarantee every one will be printed.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Pipeline Will Destroy Area’s Identity

I am in the Boy Scouts of America and am writing to the newspaper to receive a Communications Merit Badge from the organization. I recently found out about the Pinelands

pipeline matter. I think it is awful because it would be destroying a major part of what gives our area its identity. Harry Moore Vincentown, New Jersey

How to Send Items to the Editor: letters@pinebarrenstribune.com, please type “Letter” in the subject line.

SOCIAL MEDIA

SOUND OFF Please comment on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Twitter: @PineBarrensNews with the hashtag #SoundOff or Facebook: www.facebook.com/pinebarrenstribune.

(Re: Good Farm Project Cost Rises Again Due to No Electricity, Severe Erosion All While Fire Officials Plead for Funding to Purchase Needed Equipment) The generator to run the sprinkler system should really be addressed. The township owns one that was used in the past to run the entire Memorial Field when electric breakers burnt up. It was used without a problem for over two months. I am pretty sure there was an outlet installed on the outside of the township building two to three years ago to power the then-emergency management office when there was a power outage. A cord was even made to plug into the currently owned generator when it was parked behind the building. The generator was also serviced by the township mechanic last year. So, if anyone says the township doesn’t own one, they are wrong for sure. Maybe in the future a little research by the current administration would save the taxpayers a lot of money. ~Chuck Oatman

Established 2016 Douglas D. Melegari Publisher, CEO Jayne Cabrilla - Copy Editor

GUEST COMMENTARY

Extend Veterans Tax Exemption to Surviving Spouses CONNORS, GOVE AND RUMPF

We will be introducing legislation to make surviving spouses eligible for the annual veterans’ exemption under the New Jersey gross income tax. Our legislation will reflect the recent increase in the veterans’ income tax exemption from $3,000 to $6,000 that spouses would be eligible to receive. As members of our delegation serve

on the state Senate and state Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs committees, we fully understand that veterans’ families are deserving of benefits on the account that they too sacrificed for our nation. Any tax relief that can be offered to our veterans and their families is helpful, including surviving spouses who may be struggling financially. If Trenton can find money to pay the legal fees of illegal aliens facing deportation, then it can certainly find the money to provide needed tax relief to veterans’ surviving spouses. Regarding a separate veterans’ benefit program, our delegation has introduced companion legislation (S-898/A-697) that would change current law to require the

♦ Page 11

payment of $750 in annual compensation, payable to a surviving spouse of a blind or severely disabled veteran. Under S-898/A-697, payments would begin from April 9, 1985 for veterans who died before that date and from the date of the veteran’s death, regardless of when the surviving spouse files the application for this benefit, for veterans who died on or after that date. Senator Christopher Connors, Assemblyman Brian Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne Gove represent New Jersey’s 9th Legislative District, which includes Bass River, Tabernacle and Washington Townships in Burlington Count y and part of Southern Ocean County.

(Re: Good Farm Project Cost Rises Again Due to No Electricity, Severe Erosion All While Fire Officials Plead for Funding to Purchase Needed Equipment) Let’s not forget about the mosquitoes that are breeding there. ~Dale Richardson

(Re: Community Reacts to Pair of Shootings in Sunbury Village) It is a sad situation, but I like how she speaks up for the cops. Too many get a bad rap, and some for good reason…but it is nice to see something like this. ~Delanie Wright

(Re: Request to Alter Nitrate Dilution Requirements Leads to Dispute) View the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) “fact sheet” on nitrates. I believe there is more credible science used in reading tea leaves than what the NJDEP used to create this propaganda. Every organic thing releases nitrates when it decomposes. That means it is not just from man, but from everywhere. Rainwater is a source, that is why rain makes your grass greener than your sprinklers. It is an absolute impossibility to accurately model how much a home’s septic system will produce. Dilution is the only reasonable way, other than a public sewer system, to lower levels. So, if the agency required extra flushing, it would probably have a better result. The water from your well is more than likely from an aquifer made up of by rainwater that fell outside the Pinelands. As the rain soaks through the soil, it hits a clay layer, and then water travels along this layer going deeper under the surface and naturally being filtered by sand. The filtering removes many impurities, but not nitrates. That is diluted by the millions of gallons of water in an aquifer. If you are concerned, have your well tested every few years. There are reverse osmosis filtering systems that will remove nitrates. For your information, boiling water only increases levels as water evaporates. Southampton is lucky it has a large area outside of the Pinelands Commission’s jurisdiction. Nitrate dilution is a scam that the commission has used for decades to restrict limited commercial development in appropriate areas, while continuing to allow residential development. ~Jack McGinnis

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Saturday, August 17, 2019

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COMMUNITY PEMBERTON TWP. SENIOR CITIZEN COLUMN

the seniors had their choice of wine with the meal. The visit to the winery was especially enjoyable as Tomasello has a new chef, who is talented and takes a lot of care in preparing the cuisine. After finishing up at Tomasello Winery, the seniors visited Resorts Casino in Atlantic City. After an enjoyable afternoon at Resorts, the group returned to Browns Mills to claim packages of purchased wine. About 48 hours before the trip, the seniors were entertained by students of Little Lambs Preschool’s summer camp. Seven teachers and 21 students walked from the Browns Mills United Methodist Church, which runs the program, to the Pemberton Township Senior Center to entertain the seniors. They sang a medley of songs with actions included. Many of the seniors sang along as many of the songs were familiar them. Craft classes, led by Carol Smith, also began at the senior center last Friday. The classes are limited to 10 participants. The first project seniors were tasked with was decorating a baseball cap. Smith provided various colored caps and numerous décor items. Each cap was unique and personalized. Some had a lot of “bling” and others were more oriented to favorite sports teams. Another class is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 13. There is a $2 fee to join each class and those interested in participating can visit the senior center, located across from the U.S. Post Office in Browns Mills, to sign up.

For the Pine Barrens Tribune

PEMBERTON—About 50 seniors from Pemberton Township visited the elegant tasting room and gift shop of nearby Tomasello Winery in Hammonton on Aug. 8. Tomasello is located on the White Horse Pike, about a mile from the intersection of Routes 206 and 30. Their facility was recently renovated into an attractive banquet destination, suitable for a wedding, anniversary or other celebration. The Tomasello family has cultivated alongside their 70 acres of premium varietals since 1933. Their vineyard was founded over 80 years ago by Jack and Charlie Tomasello’s grandfather. Jack and Charlie Tomasello are third generation New Jersey winegrowers. Their attractive tasting room was stocked with the many varieties of wine available from the vineyard. After the seniors tasted various varieties of wine that were available to sample, they were able to purchase bottles of it to bring home. Trip participants were provided with a 10 percent off discount on all purchases, and already some of the wines were on sale. The group eventually moved from the tasting room to an elegant banquet room. It was there that they were served a meal that included chicken Marsala, or almandine encrusted fish, and a crisp and garden salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Of course,

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APPLICATION (Continued from Page 9)

Rehmann, in the later interview with this newspaper, said planning boards, when faced with such challenges, might end up looking at the intensity of use. 300 Birmingham Road used to serve as an “adjunct office” for Lanxess Sybron Chemicals, which still maintains a larger facility across the street. “When you are talking about a clinical use where you have not only patients, but professionals, you may have changed the intensity of the use,” Rehmann said. Further adding to the complexity of the situation is that the township solicitor, acting on behalf of Pemberton Township Council in the wake of resident complaints, apparently tried to appeal one of the zoning officer’s decisions with regards to Solstice. “On Feb. 19, I was contacted by your township solicitor and advised he was appealing the decision of your zoning officer,” said Matt Madden, an attorney representing Solstice at the Aug. 1 planning board meeting. “Whether that was the zoning officer’s decision to deem this a permitted use in 2017, or the zoning officer’s

PLAN

(Continued from Page 9) emergency scene would respond. “We are not going to jeopardize patient care over money,” he said. Buzby-Cope said solving the timing-factor concern “was huge” for the commissioners, but there are “some minute things” the parties are still working on before the governing body will terminate its contract with Quality. “The chief and captain tried to come up

Saturday, August 17, 2019

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM assignment of this application to the planning board is not too clear. But, nonetheless, I was contacted by your township solicitor saying that they were appealing the decision. It is somewhat unprecedented in the almost 20 years I have been doing this to have a township appeal its own zoning officer’s decision.” Madden said he was later informed the appeal was dropped and that Solstice’s application for a minor site plan approval could proceed before the planning board. Also clouding the situation are allegations that Mandale “did not fully describe the use of the facility” on his application to the zoning official. “No improvements will be made to the building, except general painting and cleaning,” said Planning Board Member Alfred Korndoerfer Jr. as he read from it. “This looks to go beyond general cleanup.” Korndoerfer was advised to “be careful” with his comments, as it was revealed there is an apparent legal dispute over the truthfulness of the contents contained in the application, part of a “pending matter before a judge.” Upon hearing about the ongoing legal dispute, Planning Board Vice Chairman David Cooper asked, “Why are we here then?” Mandale, through Madden’s questioning of him on the witness stand, pointed out that he

put a lot of time, effort and money into fixing up the facility at 300 Birmingham Road after consulting with township construction officials and receiving the OK to occupy the building. Frank contended that Mandale was aware, when he fixed up the facility, that there were only seven parking spaces established. “There is an idea in the law called, ‘SelfCreated Hardship,’” said Frank as he turned around and looked at Mandale. “That is when someone does something that puts them in a box, in this case he was aware there were too few parking spots. You put yourself in a box, and now you are stuck there and are requesting that the board should give extraordinary relief.” Making the issue more unprecedented was Mandale’s Aug. 1 testimony that he increased his facility’s parking spaces from 7 to 22 shortly after opening without making application to the township. Frank contended that doing so invalidates all engineering calculations because there is no way of telling whether the expansion was in accordance with township regulations given the lack of permitting. Planning Board member David Patriarca, also the mayor of Pemberton Township recused himself from the hearing since the applicant raised concern to him that he provided “advice

and opinions” on the matter to residents and comments to the media, although he said he believed it was the right thing to do to address residents and reporters. Donovan Gardner, a Pemberton Township Council member also serving on the planning board, recused himself from the hearing as well, citing the apparent concern of the applicant that he was “prejudiced” in the matter because of comments he made about it during a prior council meeting. “This went off the rails as soon as nobody came in to change this use,” said Mark Herrman, another planning board engineer. “It is a little more than just a parking lot.” The matter has the potential to go off the rails even more in September as one of the engineers representing Solstice, Edward Fox III, testified that the building’s setbacks violate a 50-foot setback requirement no matter what one does at this point. He also explained that he could provide more parking for the facility in the plans to meet the township’s 57 spaces requirement, but that it would require the paving of wetlands, and the paving over of a road, to do so. “It is a strange situation,” he said. “It is exceptional. There are disparities, and unique and extraordinary circumstances.”

with a game plan,” she said. “As it still stands, Quality is continuing until we can come up with a plan that works for everybody.” Capriglione again noted on Aug. 1 that the board is “not locked in with Quality” due to a 30-day withdrawal stipulation. “This wasn’t meant to be cast in stone,” he said. “I had asked if can we can get out of this. I didn’t want to sign anything that bound us for six months to a year. We knew we wanted to actually stay with Squad 85, but coverage for residents was of premier concern and we had had to do something to get Squad 85 to come to the table.”

The commissioners were criticized by the public after this newspaper reported that they dropped Squad 85. The switch in EMT responders has had financial implications for Bass River residents who require emergency service. Whereas up until July 1, the township had been paying the volunteer squad $12,000 a year to provide service to whomever might need it, Quality Medical Transport does third-party billing, meaning it directly bills the patient’s insurance company. Residents, when advised last month of the concerns the commissioners had, including the missed meeting, didn’t necessarily disagree

with the premise that temporary action was necessary, but questioned why the issue had never been raised publicly and why the decision was made at a special meeting in which none of them were at attendance. Many of the residents called for a quick resolution to the issue, concerned with the cost they could potentially incur for emergency service. “Great Bay will be the primary again, at least that is what we are trying to get back to,” Wetmore said. “Right now, they are not, they are a backup because Quality is taking our calls right now.”

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Some Generics Not Up to Snuff I have always been a proponent for generic medications because they are more affordable and supposedly contain the same biologically active ingredient as brand name drugs. But the generic industry is starting to worry me. Lately, it has been raking in over $104 billion a year from generic drug sales in the United States alone, but about 90 percent of the drugs are manufactured overseas. We should feel completely safe about the medications we take, right? The generic version of a drug is supposed to have only slightly different things in it, for example, the flavor, the colorant or the inactive filler. But the active ingredient is supposedly the same. The problem is that U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t have the time, or the manpower, to fly all over the world to the facilities where the generics are being manufactured and inspect all these places prior to our country importing the medications, which are then sold to you without further inspection at the distribution or pharmacy level. What exactly are we importing? This causes me to pause. The world is so different now than what it was when I graduated as a pharmacist in 1989. Everyone is cutting corners; things aren’t made like they used to be. Perhaps this is also more reason to visit holistic practitioners who do not order prescriptions right off the bat. Here are some scary facts: 1. The FDA visited an overseas facility of a pharmaceutical company and found that it was hiding negative results from testing, but because we had a shortage of a particular drug, the U.S. still continued to import it. 2. Another FDA investigator went to another overseas facility and had suspicions that a

Suzy Cohen AMERICA’S PHARMACIST

company was faking and manipulating their generic drug data to make it match the brand name’s data. A warning letter was issued by the FDA, but importation continued. 3. One pharma company abroad diluted the main ingredient in a generic drug with something else, but made it just potent enough to pass lab tests. 4. Contamination is a problem. Case in point, one company was guilty of using dirty and corroded sterilizing equipment. while making generic insulin and another drug commonly sold in the U.S. to treat arrhythmias! Despite all this, I still feel that there are more of good generic companies than there are bad ones. If the generic maker’s facility is based in the U.S., then I wouldn’t worry because the FDA is routinely inspecting them. If you’ve been taking a generic medication and feel well on it, you should continue it. There is absolutely no reason to panic or even question your pharmacy. They do a good job and when there is a recall, and usually are very diligent about quickly pulling drugs off the market. Your generic medication may change from time-to-time. There may be times where you open your pill bottle and the pills inside of it look completely different. This is because the pharmacy is using a different generic. You will be told, or the pharmacy will apply a sticker to the bottle that says, “This is the same medication you have been getting. Color, size or shape may appear different.”

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THE HOBBYIST

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Siri Likes Some People Better I have a lways been a proponent for gener ic medications because they a re more affordable and supposedly contain the same biologically active ingredient as Lori Clinch brand name drugs. COLUMNIST But the generic industry is starting to worry me. Lately, it has been raking in over $104 billion a year from generic drug sales in the United States alone, but about warning letter was issued by the FDA, but 90 percent of the drugs are manufactured importation continued. overseas. 3. One pharma company abroad diluted We should feel completely safe about the the main ingredient in a generic drug with medications we take, right? something else, but made it just potent The generic version of a drug is supposed enough to pass lab tests. to have only slightly different things in it, 4. Contamination is a problem. Case in for example, the flavor, the colorant or the point, one company was guilty of using inactive filler. But the active ingredient is dirty and corroded sterilizing equipment. supposedly the same. while making generic insulin and another The problem is that U.S. Food and Drug drug commonly sold in the U.S. to treat Administration (FDA) doesn’t have the arrhythmias! time, or the manpower, to fly all over the Despite all this, I still feel that there are world to the facilities where the generics more of good generic companies than there are being manufactured and inspect all are bad ones. If the generic maker’s facility these places prior to our country importing is based in the U.S., then I wouldn’t worry the medications, which are then sold to because the FDA is routinely inspecting you wit hout f u r t her inspection at t he them. If you’ve been ta k ing a gener ic distribution or pharmacy level. medication and feel well on it, you should What exactly are we importing? continue it. There is absolutely no reason This causes me to pause. to panic or even question your pharmacy. The world is so different now than what They do a good job and when there is a it was when I graduated as a pharmacist in recall, and usually are very diligent about 1989. Everyone is cutting corners; things quickly pulling drugs off the market. aren’t made like they used to be. Perhaps Your generic medication may change this is also more reason to visit holistic from time-to-time. There may be times practitioners who do not order prescriptions where you open your pill bottle and the right off the bat. pills inside of it look completely different. Here are some scary facts: This is because the pharmacy is using a 1. The FDA visited an overseas facility different generic. You will be told, or the of a pharmaceutical company and found pharmacy will apply a sticker to the bottle that it was hiding negative results from that says, “This is the same medication you testing, but because we had a shortage of have been getting. Color, size or shape may a particular drug, the U.S. still continued to import it. appear different.” 2 . A not her F DA i nvest igator went to a not her over sea s faci l it y a nd ha d Lori Clinch was born and raised in North Platte, suspicions that a company was faking and Nebraska, a hotbed of material for writers whose passion manipulating their generic drug data to it is to make people laugh. She is the mother of four sons make it match the brand name’s data. A and the author of the book “Are We There Yet?” © 2019 LORI CLINCH

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Saturday, August 17, 2019

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RIVER

(Continued from Page 5)

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to do this in increments when had the money,” the mayor said. This is the second round of foreclosed properties that the township has disposed of. The municipality started the land auction with the 141 foreclosed properties and some additional ones came into its possession after “people walked away” from their land, according to O’Connor. The state is acquiring the 13 lots through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres Program. “The total acreage is 129,536 and the state is paying us a $1,000 acre,” Buzby-Cope said. “So, they will be paying us $129,536.” The properties will come off the township’s tax rolls as the state is exempt from paying municipal property taxes. Instead, the township receives contributions for the land through the state’s Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program. However, Gov. Chris Christie in 2010 made drastic cuts to the program and reduced the amount paid to municipalities by one-third. He also required that payments to towns with preserved open space be based off pre-2010 preserved open space acreage. Bass River has been hit particularly hard by the program cuts and views the program’s current contributions as disproportionate to the number of preserved open-space parcels it has in town, which has increased since 2010. Buzby-Cope has said the municipality has now spent nearly the last ten years trying to get the money back. Buzby-Cope contended that the municipality has been paying county and schools on the foreclosed parcels, and agreed with one resident’s premise that the township “has been losing money on them.” The mayor viewed the sale of the properties, particularly getting some money from the state through the sale, as better than nothing. “The town is responsible for 100 percent of those taxes and that burden will now be gone,”

she said of the properties authorized for sale. “We do reap the benefits of getting paid and then we are taking it off where we don’t have to pay the taxes on them also.” Next month, the Bass River Board of Commissioners will hold another public hearing as it intends to sell an additional 31 foreclosed lots, totaling 139.50 acres, to the state for $139,500. Resident William Aaronson, however, said that the number of land sales in the municipality to the state was getting to the point of, ‘Why don’t they just takeover.’” “When the township starts selling their assets, we all know the township is distressed,” he contended. Bass River, in addition to the loss of state aid, has few ratables. Buzby-Cope, as she has for the last several board meetings, discussed her push to get the Pinelands Commission to remove a portion of the Route 9 corridor as part of the Pinelands so that it can “enable building” and alleviate the distress. There are a number of restrictions put on development within the Pinelands boundary. “They are choking us,” she said. “They have to do something. They know they have to do something. I went to a Pinelands meeting, and they said to me ‘Boy you are causing a lot of trouble, you want to secede from Pinelands.’ I said, ‘Yes we do, you are choking us. We can’t do anything.’” The mayor said she was advised any change to the Pinelands boundary has to be done “legislatively through congress” and it is “a lot harder” than one would envision. Buzby-Cope said she is now exploring possible changes to municipal zoning laws as that could be “an easier process” and “create more building in the area.” Meanwhile, she claimed the Pinelands Commission has agreed to work with the town more on proposed development and asked her to give it a list of any property owner struggling to establish a business. “They told me, ‘We will get on it,’” she said. “Anyone who has an issue with the Pinelands Commission, we need to know about it.”

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Saturday, August 17, 2019

EXPLOSIVE (Continued from Page 1)

when the police chief said his agency received a report of a gunshot being heard in the area of Skeet Road and began investigating its source. “An on-scene investigation revealed that a 17-year-old had detonated a homemade explosive, in a dirt pile, in the rear yard of his father’s home,” said Meder in a press release. “Additional devices were also found in the yard, which required the assistance of the New Jersey State Police Bomb Unit.” Meder noted in the press release that an investigation into the incident is ongoing. The police chief, when reached by phone on Aug. 12, declined to reveal where exactly the incident took place, and what the investigation had determined regarding the teenager’s possible motive and intent. Skeet Road was reportedly closed between Hawkin and Chairville roads for several hours.

STUDENTS (Continued from Page 4)

commissioners, she said Bass River school officials were focused on finishing out the 20182019 school year “above water.” But officials fell short of their goal. Grayson told this newspaper last week that while rumors about the Bass River district closing in September are “inaccurate,” one in particular that the Bass River district is somewhere between $800,000 and $900,000 in debt, is “accurate.” “Our district is experiencing financial distress due to state aid cuts, like many districts throughout New Jersey,” she said. “We have taken aggressive action in our budget this year, but will continue to lose aid. We are approaching difficult times, to say the least, but not approaching the point where we need to close the district.” The “aggressive action” the Bass River Board of Education has taken for the upcoming school year includes a reduction of force. Three of some 30 instructional staff members have been laid off by the Bass River district. Three instructional aides have also been let go, reflecting a “decrease in non-discretionary spending,” according to Grayson. The Pine Barrens Tribune has also learned of a second feasibility study evaluating whether it would be feasible to merge the Little Egg Harbor Township School District with the Pinelands Regional School District, creating a kindergarten through twelfth grade district. “It would mean a K-12 District would be

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM When asked if the explosive resulted in property damage, Meder pointed to the press release, which does not contain any mention of damage or injuries resulting from the incident. “At this point we are not releasing anything further,” he said. “Keep in mind, we are dealing with a juvenile.” Meder later contacted this newspaper to offer that the teenager was charged with possession of a destructive device, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, three counts of unlawful possession of a weapon and causing or risking widespread injury or damage. “The juvenile is currently being detained at a juvenile detention center in Pemberton Township,” he said. When asked about what the teenager may have intended to target with the explosives, Meder again replied that the matter was still under investigation. “Any additional information may be shared in the future,” he said. “Feel free to check back.”

formed,” she said. “One school district, one board (instead of the Little Egg Harbor and Pinelands Regional school districts being separate entities).” If Bass River Elementary chooses to close its doors and send students to the Little Egg Harbor District, and the second potential consolidation happens, Bass River students would probably be sent to the new Pinelands Regional K-12 district. “The county is requiring a feasibility study for Bass River,” said Superintendent Dr. Melissa McCooley, shared superintendent of the both the Little Egg Harbor School District and Pinelands Regional School District. “I suggested expanding it to see what it would look like if Little Egg Harbor combined with Pinelands, while we were doing it (the study) at Bass River anyway.” McCooley contended that the Little Egg Harbor School District has already lost $250,000 in state aid since a new state aid funding formula went into effect this past school year, while Pinelands Regional has lost $150,000 in state financial assistance. Bass River students in grades 7 through 12 attend classes in the Pinelands Regional School District, located in Little Egg Harbor. During this past school year, Pinelands Regional students in 7th grade had their classes held in the Little Egg Harbor School District due to construction at Pinelands Regional Senior High School. Besides the superintendent position, the Little Egg Harbor and Pinelands Regional districts also share a business administrator. The business administrator, and his assistant, provides services to the Bass River district under a shared service agreement.

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CRASH

(Continued from Page 1) State Police. “Warner sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.” In a Facebook eulogy authored by Dipaolo’s Red Lion Inn in Southampton, the restaurant wrote that the hearts of the establishment’s ownership and employees are heavy as they learned of the untimely passing of Warner. “Dave was a great man, a loyal customer, a part of the Red Lion Inn family for years, and the beloved father of one of our waitresses, Megan,” the restaurant wrote. “We want to extend our heartfelt condolences to his entire family during this difficult time. You are all in our thoughts and prayers. We are here for you Megan.” The Vincent Fire Company, also in a social media post, wrote that Warner was a past foreman and chief officer of the Southampton-based fire company.

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Goez sa id t hat the driver of the PT Cruiser, Harold Herzig, 61, of Southampton, sustained a minor injury in the crash, while the driver of the Cadillac, Michael Di Bia nca , 43, of Wil m i ng ton, DE , Photo Submitted was uninjured in the David Warner, 56, collision. of Southampton Route 70 was closed (pictured) was killed in both directions, last Sunday in a between Burrs Mill Route 70 crash. Road and Big Hill Road, for several hours after the collision. Traffic headed westbound on Route 70 was detoured onto Burrs Mill Road until about 10 p.m. Goez said the accident remains under investigation.

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REVEAL

(Continued from Page 1) “There are two rooms we would envision to be group study rooms,” Garrison said. “We do a lot of kindergarten through 12th grade work, along with college work at Rowan, and these rooms are very popular. They can get in there with a laptop, and it (the room) would have a big screen on one side, so that everybody can work together on the same screen, sharing the information, wirelessly, from the laptop.” The children’s library, according to the plans, will include a reading area and theater, along with serpentine furniture. This part of the proposed building has been situated, according to Garrison, “in the back” so that it would be difficult for children to go unsupervised or wander away from adults. “When you walk in the supermarket, the milk is always in the back corner,” Garrison said. “You have to walk by everything else. The same concept applies here—we want the kids to be supervised, visually. So, we put them all the way in the back so that if there is something going on, they have to come all the way out front to get lost; and they are going to walk by a lot of people to do that.” The plan also calls for the children’s library to be “in the back” to reduce the potential for loud noise in the proposed building as youth can tend to sometimes get loud at times during library activities. “It also keeps the noise in back, and we have static areas to kind of divide that from the acquired reading areas,” Garrison said. The engineer added that proposed circled light fixtures, dimmable LED light fixtures, accent colors, and effects to lower the ceiling; combined with the serpentine furniture; are expected to bring some “some fun and charm” to the children’s library. Also proposed for the downstairs part of the future combination building is a 735-square-foot multipurpose room, which can seat 102 people. “It is a fairly large space,” Garrison said. “It also can be divided in half. So, you can have two separate functions going on with an acoustic, divided wall, or one function in the whole of the space. We thought this area could be used for things such as community meetings, kids’ camps and summer programs, or used by the library for crafts and that sort of thing. We have in this room lots of storage as well.” The second floor of the building, accessible by an elevator and staircases, will consist of the township’s governmental offices, except for a few public safety entities that will apparently remain in the buildings they currently occupy. “On the second floor, if one were to come up either off the main elevator or grand stairs, they would be greeted with two sides,” Garrison said. “You have the managerial side, with offices for the township manager, township clerk, registrar (on one side),” Garrison said. “…Then to the left of the main entrance is the construction, zoning and planning review offices, (along with offices) for finance, the tax accessor and tax collector.” The upstairs of the building, according to the architect, also includes a 490-square-foot conference room, a 232-square-foot copy room, a 508-square-foot high-density storage space and 1,209 square-feet of “unused, undesignated” space. “The construction area has a laydown area for plans and discussions with large documents,” Garrison said. “The flexible, unfinished space is for future growth. In that space, is where your technology/IT closet and rack system would be.” The building was designed, with security in mind, according to Garrison. “The main design in this function is to really limit the number of doors,” he said. “We only

Photo By Garrison Architects

An artistic rendering of the future Medford Township combination library-municipal building. have four doorways—a mechanical room door, exit door, (one for) the main entrance and (one for) the employee entrance. From a security standpoint, you have limited points of entry.” As far as the public’s ability to access township officials, Garrison noted that the public, after taking the proposed elevator or main stairs, would come to a proposed “lockable card access door during normal hours.” He said each office space, behind the door, would be accessible to the public “via a window in the center aisle.” He added that the public would have “access into the space as necessary.” A side staircase in the building is for an employee-only entrance, he contended. As previously reported by this newspaper, Township Manager Kathy Burger said in a May 2018 interview that the township earlier that year purchased the two-plus acre property that the combination building is to be built on for $605,000 (including settlement fees). The property includes the historic Tomlinson House or Jonathan Haines House, built in 1760, the first home in what is now called Medford Village. During a May 8, 2018 council meeting, when a resident raised concern that the historic house’s fate could be jeopardized by construction of a new town hall, Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watson replied that the house will not be torn down. In response to another resident from Union Street who was concerned about the building being constructed in a residential neighborhood, thencouncilman Chris Buoni promised to put in an asset that will not be disruptive to the neighborhood and adopt its style. “We want it to look like another residence,” he said. In apparently keeping with that promise, Garrison, on Aug. 7, said that his firm “used the vernacular aesthetic of the existing Haines House for the proposed building” and that the exterior will have a “dual chimney” to indicate the main entrance and front door of town hall. “It is an important architectural feature,” he said. “We thought that it would be appropriate right in the dead-center. Of course, the main entrance is covered with a large portico porch. At that main entrance, there is a pair of doors that goes into a secured vestibule into the rest of the building.” The proposed building, outlined to be dressed with brick veneer and to have a quoinage element to it, according to the architect, will also have a low, sloping roof that slopes from the front of the building to the back of it, and the roof will come with a “30-year warranty” that includes labor to repair any issues.

“We wanted to maintain the architectural vernacular of the shingled roof-look, like is appropriate in the neighborhood,” Garrison said. “However, this is really just a façade. The roof actually has a one-way slope, it slopes 2.5 feet from the front of the building to the back of the building. It allows us to put the mechanical units up there and hide them, essentially.” He added that the future town hall, with falsetinted windows outlined for the attic area, will also have cast stone features, “basically the look of limestone,” over the windows. The other windows planned for the building will have a lighter gray tint. Garrison contended that future facility’s lobby, which will have bronze that gives off a “natural, dull kind of beautiful appeal” and a “nice chandelier hanging down” from the ceiling, is expected to portray a “sense of place,” with a traditional Terrazzo floor that will include a water jet cut township seal. “It will look spectacular in the Terrazzo floor,” he said. “It will last forever and give you that sense of place.” Burger and Township Deputy Clerk Dawn Bielec did not return, by press time, multiple phone calls and emails asking if officials had an estimated project cost, or plans for the municipality’s current municipal building and the Pinelands Branch Library in Medford. During the better part of the last two years, the existing library has been listed on Medford Township Council’s agenda as a discussion item to take place during executive session. Minutes released from those sessions have often redacted the discussion. The officials also did not respond to a question posed to them about why the township needed a new municipal building and library, though handicap accessibility at the current municipal building had been mentioned as a concern during previous council meetings. The Pinelands Branch Library has long been at the center of contentious contract negotiations between the township and county, even as far back as 2013, according to another newspaper report, before this newspaper was established in 2016. The structure is owned by Medford Township and leased to the Burlington County Library System (BCLS). The municipality wanted to split from BCLS for many reasons. Burger, in the wake of apparently many questions being posed to township officials by the press, along with social media rumors, sent an email to local reporters on the afternoon of Aug. 14 announcing that council was going to hold another presentation during a special Aug. 20 meeting. “Despite the numerous public discussions on

this subject, there have been several inquiries by the media and several social media posts with questions and incorrect facts regarding the project,” she wrote. “Due to these circumstances, council will provide a synopsis of the project and allow for a public comment question and answer segment under the special presentation portion of the August 20, 2019 council agenda.” Council unanimously passed a bond ordinance on May 21 appropriating $6,582,500 and authorizing the issuance of $6,253,375 in general improvement bonds or notes. The difference is due to a required 5 percent down payment the governing body had to take out of the 2019 municipal budget. During a May 7 introduction of the ordinance, Watson briefly mentioned that the bond ordinance funds construction of the new municipal building and library, along with expenditures for one police vehicle, mobile and portable radios, mobile computer terminal replacements, stalker radar replacements, a speed trailer, computer and equipment for a municipal firehouse, emergency two-way radios, an ambulance, renovations to a firehouse, replacement of fuel pumps, a key fob, a camera system for park building bathrooms, a 2019 road program, a roll-off truck, a roadside mower, a fencing for various parks, Freedom Park memorial upgrades and pickleball courts. The May 7 introduction of the bond ordinance was part of a council meeting video not posted to the township’s website “due to technical issues.” According to a note on the council meeting videos page of the township website, the only other meeting video missing from the page is from July 5, 2016. During the Aug. 7 council meeting, Garrison told the governing body that his firm was hoping to complete “the contract documents” at the end of this month and go out to bid on Aug. 30. He said the bids would be due on Oct. 10. Hopefully, by Oct. 15, when you have your board meeting, we can award and move forward,” he said. “We think it is going to take a month to get paperwork squared away, and we will be starting the footing and foundations in November/December. It is probably going to push it (the competition date) back to March of 2021 for a ribbon cutting and completion.” One resident in council chambers publicly told Garrison that she was “delighted with the layout.” Garrison, before leaving council chambers, thanked the officials for the “exciting opportunity to work on this exciting job.” “Thank you very much,” said Councilwoman Lauren Kochan. “This is very exciting to see.”

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SETTLEMENT (Continued from Page 5)

existence of a bombshell Sept. 10, 2017 letter from James Eberts, president of Epic Environmental, a firm that had been hired by the district to oversee the construction, part of a $53 million bond referendum authorizing improvements to both the senior high school, and Pinelands Regional Junior High School. Eberts, in the letter, told Brennan that his company was contacted on Sept. 8, 2017 after debris was seen falling to the ground in senior high school classrooms 176, 177, 178 and 179 (in the D-wing). Eberts informed Brennan that asbestos roofing was removed in August from the senior high school’s metal decking, as well as from above classrooms 176, 177, 178 and 179. As standard protocol, anytime asbestos roofing is removed from a building, the affected areas are supposed to be cleaned to prevent asbestos contamination of the air and surroundings. Eb er t s told Bren na n t hat du r i ng a construction management firm’s investigation into the cause of the falling debris, it was discovered that the cleaning of the metal deck was incomplete prior to the installation of the new roof. “Bulk samples were collected and confirmed that the debris on the roof contained asbestos,” he said. “At this time, it is assumed that the cleaning of the entire roof in the areas containing asbestos was incomplete, and small amounts of asbestos roofing remain in the flues.” Eberts said Epic on Sept. 9, 2017 collected two bulk samples of the debris from the four classrooms and six air samples in the areas below the asbestos roofing. He said asbestos was not found inside the building despite the discovery of asbestos debris on the senior high school exterior. “The bulk samples were non-asbestos and no asbestos was detected in any of the air samples collected,” Eberts said. “Based on this evidence, there is no evidence that either the asbestos removal activities or the newlydiscovered issue have impacted the air quality in the school, and that airborne asbestos

SENIOR

(Continued from Page 7) exhaust system, but we don’t necessarily need a fireplace or chimney.” When asked if any other parts of the building required structural repairs, Lewis replied “its covered under insurance” and that the “real significant structural issue” needs to be addressed before anything else is done. Lewis, in a later interview, said the building was “completely rebuilt” when the township moved into it about 25 years ago. Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the NJDEP, said the pa rk ser vice was “prepa r ing information” to give him for a rebuttal in this newspaper. However, he did not provide a response as of press time. Also of concern to the township committee are recent frequent “false alarms” purportedly occurring at two state-run facilities in town, the New Jersey Division of Fish and Game’s offices at the former Green Bank School and a “juvenile correctional facility” off Route 563 (which the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office calls Pinelands Community Home). “Both of our fire companies have concerns with constant false alarms, both at the Fish and Game building here next door (to the municipal building) and at the corrections facility in Jenkins,” Seybold said. “We are just curious if there is any type of recourse we have with this people?” Washington Township does have an ordinance giving residences and businesses

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM contamination is not present in the school. “However, there is asbestos containing debris remaining on the roof deck and it must be removed. In its present state, there is the potential for roofing debris to continue to enter the school, especially for classrooms with a perforated deck. Construction activities will continue to deteriorate the debris and will cause safety hazards and air-quality issues. Based on previous data, asbestos contamination inside the building is not expected during this process.” Eberts had recommended the district cease all rooftop activities due to the asbestos containing debris “It is recommended that rooftop activities cease immediately until a permanent remedy for this situation is determined,” he said. “Debris is not expected to enter the areas in question if no rooftop activities are occurring. Therefore, classrooms in this section of the school may remain occupied when there is no rooftop work occurring directly overhead.” However, the recommendation was not followed. Epic’s services were mysteriously discontinued by the board shortly after the Sept. 10, 2017 letter was penned. Additionally, pictures taken in early October 2017 showed the roofers carelessly removing debris from the senior high school roof after they began to re-roof the building, due to the lack of cleaning that had taken place. The debris, as seen in the photographs, was dumped into an open top container truck and related dust spread through the air. Pieces of the debris also fell onto the ground. The apparent haphazard removal took place near a playground at the senior high school. The playground was being used at the time for a child-care program that the district operates. The playground tested positive for asbestos on Oct. 18, 2017 after the images surfaced. As demand for accountability grew in January 2018, then-project manager Chuck Romanoli, of New Road Construction, claimed the Tremco roof product used on the senior high school was defective. Romanoli said the contractor offered to put another roof coating on the high school, at their own expense, to make sure the district is satisfied. In the wake of the debacle, several top officials eventually resigned from their positions, though none of the officials

a certain number of free passes before a bill is sent in the mail to cover the costs of emergency responders responding to the false alarms. Coleman pointed to the Fish and Game building next to town hall and said he thinks it is subject to the same codes and regulations that other entities in the township are subject to. “The state doesn’t come into a town and have carte blanche (a French phrase which used to mean a free hand to do as you wish),” he said. Seybold contended that during the week preceding the August township committee meeting, there were three false alarms at the Fish and Game building and two at the juvenile correctional facility. “These are occurring at 3 o’clock in the morning and it is getting to be a real nuisance,” Seybold said. Hajna again said that the park service was “preparing information” to give him for a rebuttal in this newspaper about the Fish and Game building issue as well. However, he did not provide a response as of press time, and attempts to reach him Wednesday were unsuccessful. Lisa Coryell, a public information officer with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, which oversees the Juvenile Justice Commission (JCC), said that a division spokesperson for the JCC indicated that since Jan. 1, the Pinelands Community Home’s alarm was triggered 11 times. “An initial review of these incidents

attributed their resignation directly to the scandal. T hen-P i nela nd s Reg iona l Busi ne ss Administrator Stephen J. Brennan was asked by parents if the district was pursuing damages against the roofing company for the work not being completed on time and all of the problems that had occurred. “We are going to seek everything we can and we have been in consultation with our attorneys on that,” said Brennan at the time. “One of the hardest things to do in public contracts is to remove a contractor in our situation.” Eventually, the board pledged to have an independent investigation conducted. It sent a letter to the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE), including the county superintendent, requesting an investigation into the debacle. Additionally, since 2017 and up until the settlement agreement was reached, the board, in response to parents who have asked about where things stand against the roofing contractor, had replied it could not discuss the matter because it was considered “subject to litigation,” “attorney-client privilege” communications and “active negotiations.” Board Solicitor Amy L. Houck, also responding to calls for accountability in January 2018, said that Mike Kobithen Roofing and Insulation’s performance bond firm had been put on notice that there are issues with the project. Kobithen was awarded a $5 million contract and Houck, at the time, said the firm did not receive all of its money yet. Romanoli, who resigned from the project on Feb. 14, 2018, also said at the time that about “three quarters of a million dollars was being held on the work.” The settlement agreement between the Pinelands Regional Board of Education and Mike Kobithen Roofing and Insulation was reached during an Aug. 5 special Pinelands Regional Board of Education meeting, according to current Superintendent Dr. Melissa McCooley. The Pinelands Regional Board of Education had been live streaming its meetings to the public. But the special meeting was not livestreamed. McCooley, when asked on Aug. 12 if the settlement agreement was reached because

indicates there were eight emergency responses to these alarms,” the spokesperson said. “We are in the process of doing a full review of the records kept by the companies that monitor alarm activity for this facility. This review will provide us with information on the incidents that triggered each of the alarms and the protocols used to determine when to summon emergency responders. Once we have completed this review, we will reach out to the township officials to discuss their concerns and our plan to address them. We expect to have this review completed by Sept. 3.” Concern was also raised during the latest township committee meeting about a lot off County Route 542 that has been a salvage yard and was the site of a real fire several years ago. Lower Bank Salvage and Recycling, LLC, which entered into a lease agreement with the Estate of Russel and Patricia Groff in September of 2015, has apparently vacated the premises. “It is my belief the Groff property has been sold,” Gadd said. “There is currently an office trailer on the lot, near the scale house. I would like to look into that and see what is going on. There is a vehicle currently parked along the road advertising a roofing company—Best Buy Roofing.” Lewis said he had recently spoken with Patricia Groff and that while he did not know if the lot had been officially sold, she told him that she was awaiting signed paperwork.

Pine Barrens Tribune

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of the district withholding payment from Kobithen Roofing and Insulation due to the issues, as previously indicated, replied that the district “didn’t withhold anything.” “Basically, Kobithen Roofing and Insulation thought they were owed a little bit more money,” she said. “We met with our attorneys, came up with a settlement we thought that was fair and that is the settlement you are seeing. I wouldn’t say anybody was right or wrong.” She contended all of the money provided through the settlement “was for work they did on the roof and has been completed.” “They thought they were owed more, we thought they were owed less,” she said. “Everyone left the table satisfied.” McCooley, during the same Aug. 12 interview with this newspaper, said that the “only thing that was withheld was what was owed for the Tremco warranty,” adding that she believed the dollar amount was between $125,000 and $175,000. “That was taken off the top,” she said. “Tremco gave us a bill for work was done and we agreed they were owed the money and they were paid.” According to McCooley, the roofing material that was flawed was the Tremco material. She said reports that it was bubbling were correct, but that any defects in the material have “since been rectified.” “The roof work is complete,” she contended. In light of McCooley’s Aug. 12 comments indicating that the settlement was unrelated to the district withholding money due to the issues, this newspaper asked the superintendent on Aug. 13 if the district is still attempting to seek damages against Kobithen Roofing and Insulation, separate from the settlement, as Brennan previously stated. “As far as any other type of litigation, we have no plans to do so right now, and the board hasn’t discussed it,” she said. “We are just trying to get through construction right now.” McCooley, on Aug. 12, when asked if the NJDOE had ever responded to the district’s request for an investigation, or initiated one, turned to past board comments that the district never heard back on their request. “As our attorney has explained numerous times, we put in numerous requests and it is out of our hands at this point,” she said.

CLOSURES (Continued from Page 8)

chief said. The operator of vehicle was identified by Schafer as Preston Johnson, 20, of Manchester, who was operating a white Mazda. Authorities, on Aug. 14, again were called to a crash on Route 70, but this one, unlike the others, happened in the morning. According to Medford Township Police Chief Richard J. Meder, authorities arrived on scene to find a two-car head-on collision had occurred involving a flatbed delivery truck and Dodge Challenger. “The operator of the Dodge Challenger (Carlos Vergne, 22, of Clementon) was found to be entrapped within the vehicle and was subsequently extricated by the Medford Township Fire Department,” he said. Vergne was transported to Cooper Hospital, in Camden, for treatment of his injuries, which Meder said included multiple leg and arm fractures. The operator of the delivery truck, John Woods, 65, of Silver Spring, Maryland, was evaluated for minor injuries on scene, however, refused medical treatment, according to the police chief. “State Highway 70 was closed, in both directions, between Eayrestown Road and County Route 541 for several hours during the incident,” he said. “The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Medford Police Traffic Unit.”

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Pine Barrens Tribune

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Todd Schafer, Lineman

Todd uses his energy to deliver yours. As a former first responder, Todd knows what it means to put others first. Now, he uses his skills to help deliver a safer, brighter future to you. firstenergycorp.com