Pine Barrens Tribune February 24, 2024-March 2, 2024

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

PEMBERTON—A high-level Pemberton Township official, requesting anonymity for this story, has confirmed to the Pine Barrens Tribune on Feb. 15 that an investigation recently authorized by Pemberton Township Council “regarding the township administration and departments’ employment practices,” specifically looking into claims of “inappropriate behavior” and “sexual harassment” by Republican Pemberton Township Mayor Jack K. Tompkins, is now well underway.

The official described to this newspaper that all department heads have been told they will have to sit down with a lawyer from the law firm of Pashman Stein, retained by council for purposes of conducting the investigation, but that as of Feb. 15, not every department head has been interviewed, with the investigation very much an active one.

See CONDUCT/ Page 4

Photo By Andrew King Pemberton Township Mayor Jack K. Tompkins,

Pinelands Regional Board Meeting Evolves from Confrontation to Contrition in Wake of Acrimonious Exchange That Led to Students Getting Lewd Email Mellowing of Session’s Tone Follows Admonishments from 3 Adolescents, Reminding Members Their Focus Should Be on Those Served by District, Not Personal Agendas

By Bill B onvie Staff Writer

LITTLE EGG HARBOR—Although

the latest Pinelands Regional Board of Education meeting on Feb. 12 may have started where the previous one left off, on a note of lingering shock and outrage over its profane aftermath, which somehow got emailed to the entire junior and senior high school population, its ending was one marked by considerable contrition, apologies, and collective soul-searching on the part of the same school board.

What seemed to have brought about this marked mellowing in the meeting’s tone were separate attempts by a trio of Pinelands coeds, including the board’s official student representative, to lecture its adult members on the childishness of what had occurred at the previous session, along with their obligations to serve as role models and to focus on the needs of students, rather than using their positions to engage in private disputes.

But before that happened, there was no shortage of reminders of the acrimony and inappropriate invective that had resulted in the embarrassing email debacle, beginning with a report by two information technology (IT) professionals of an investigation that their firm, Pitt Bull Secure Technologies, inc., had conducted on behalf of the district to determine whether sabotage might have been involved.

Their conclusion, following a series of slides detailing every aspect of their probe, was that the electronic evidence “does not suggest that there was a malicious compromise on the account” belonging to newly-elected Board Member Stephanie Johnson, which was alleged to be the source of the emails in which she is reportedly quoted as having used lewd language following a heated exchange with Board President Jeffrey Bonicky.

Following that report, Pinelands Superintendent Dr. Melissa McCooley, whose acerbic relationship with Johnson prior to the latter’s having successfully run for the Pinelands Regional board last fall included an attempt by Johnson and her husband, Christopher, to petition for the superintendent’s removal and McCooley managing to have her services as a paraprofessional terminated in the Little Egg Harbor School District, vented her own indignation at what had transpired.

Noting that she did “have something to say,” McCooley complained that over the past few years, she had been subject to a harassment campaign that included “remove McCooley signs being placed around the town, a billboard with the same message on Route 9, petitions that held no merit, slanderous social media posts and an array of emails to the staff and board members with the sole purpose of harassment.”

“As upsetting as this was to my family, friends, board members and many staff members, I have thick skin and it does

not bother me in the very least,” she maintained, noting that “if someone wishes to spend so much of his or her time, energy and money attacking me,” that is their choice.

However, she contended, “a line was crossed” when “an email containing inappropriate and vulgar language by one individual in both audio and text format was intentionally, maliciously and purposely forwarded to all users in the Pinelands school district” — a “hateful and irresponsible act” that “involved all students in grades 7 through 12,” as a result of which “the students were in shock and the parents were livid.”

Further adding to the “disheartening and stressful” nature of this entire situation, she asserted, were suggestions that “the administration was responsible for orchestrating this disgusting event.”

(Johnson, when it came her turn to speak, denied having deliberately sent out the email involved, contending that its distribution “should never have happened” and “was not intentional as the administration has led our community to believe,” but “was a complete user error,” although one for which she accepted responsibility.)

McCooley closed that statement by thanking parents, students, staff, and board members for their “unwavering support” – a show of which soon materialized from a cheering section of sorts in the first two categories, led by John Zimmerman, of Little Egg Harbor, whose wife, Shannon, is a current member of the board.

Surrounded by a group of youngsters of various ages and other adults, Zimmerman first came forth to introduce himself and announce that “my son’s going to read a little something I wrote,” which he described as being “directed to kindergarten through 12th grade, and the adults of course, I hope they enjoy it as well.” But, he was initially told that the board agenda was not yet ready to accommodate his remarks, which would have to wait a bit.

When his turn finally came, Zimmerman further qualified his introduction by noting, “This is not a debate, this is not an argument, this is just I’m looking to say something and leave you with a thought to go home with tonight.” He then gave the floor over to his young son, Henry, a junior high student in the district, who was immediately flanked on either side by two men who gave the appearance of being plainclothes security guards but, according to a district official whom the Pine Barrens Tribune subsequently queried, weren’t there in any official capacity, Henry Zimmerman proceeded to read the statement, consisting of a brief autobiography of his father, a 48-year local resident who began kindergarten at Tuckerton Elementary and graduated from Pinelands in 1994 before embarking

Street Name Change Proposed in Tabernacle After Hunters Lane is Reportedly Getting Confused with One in Nearby Southampton

Tabernacle Official Reports Mix-Up is Due to Towns Sharing Same Zip Code and That It’s Resulting in Life-Threatening Implications for Several Residents

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

TABERNACLE—A handful of residents residing on Hunters Lane in Tabernacle Township are pursuing a street name change, according to Township Administrator and Clerk Maryalice Brown, claiming to the municipality that their street is getting mixed up with one that has an identical name in Southampton Township, a situation that is purportedly having life-threatening implications.

The mix-ups, Brown explained, are the result of Tabernacle and Southampton townships sharing the “same zip code,” or 08088 (Vincentown is the postal city associated with both Southampton and Tabernacle).

“It has caused numerous problems with EMS response going to the wrong one,” revealed Brown during a Jan. 22 Tabernacle Township Committee meeting. “There have been a lot of problems with mail delivery going to the wrong one.”

Brown described there having been a “critical” incident because of the confusion, in which medical supplies for an individual living on Hunters Lane in Tabernacle, which is off of Pricketts Mill Road, were “misdelivered.”

“Then they had to get re-delivered to the right address,” she said.

Brown contended there has also been “a few instances” in which someone was having a “large party” on the Hunters Lane in Southampton, which is off of Chairville Road and part of the Ridings of Southampton, but a few partygoers, instead, “walked into the wrong number (home) in Tabernacle.”

“And in one of the instances, a young child was home alone when this total stranger walked into the house,” Brown reported.

Because of the frequent EMS mixups, according to Brown, a heart-attack victim was driven to the hospital by their spouse, instead of that individual dialing 911 and having their husband taken by ambulance, with the spouse “afraid there would be confusion.”

“The hospital told her that doing that almost cost her husband his life,” Brown said.

The township administrator, in asking the Tabernacle committee to undertake a name change of the Hunters Lane in Tabernacle to offset any confusion, requested “discussion on what the name should be.”

Committeeman Noble McNaughton responded that the governing body should first be presented with a “list of every road in the township now,” with Committeeman Samuel “Sammy” Moore noting that with two new developments added in town recently (Seneca Reserve and Monarch Woods), he isn’t aware of all the street names in town.

Pending that list being provided to the governing body, however, McNaughton expressed that the new name should still have “Hunter” in it, suggesting perhaps “Hunter Woods Lane.”

So far, according to Brown, three of five residences on the Hunters Lane in Tabernacle have expressed support of a street name change, with the administrator reporting that she has reached out to the remaining two residences.

An ordinance would have to be passed to institute any name change.

Vacant and Historic Green Bank Inn Partially Collapses, with Inspector Called to Scene by Washington Twp.’s Mayor, Who Is Awaiting Report

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

WASHINGTON—The historic Green Bank Inn, which closed in 2012 shortly after its owner passed away, has now partially collapsed, according to Washington Township Mayor C. Leigh Gadd, Jr.

Gadd made the pronouncement during a Feb. 6 Washington Township Committee session in reporting that he “requested” the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to “do an inspection on the former Green Bank Inn.”

Deputy Township Clerk Karen Bacon confirmed during the committee session that the state inspector has already performed the requested inspection, with Gadd telling this newspaper in a Feb. 13 email that the municipality is still awaiting the results.

“Apparently, it is in worse condition than it appears,” said Gadd during the Feb. 6 governing body meeting. “There are holes in the wall, and in the back, there is a partially collapsed ceiling and roof. So, they were supposed to do an inspection today to determine the condition of the structure, with respect to the unsafe structure.”

The Pine Barrens Tribune reported in 2018

that the then-governing body designated the building a “public health and safety hazard.”

At that time, the status change was approved because of the building falling into disrepair. A township official, when the status change was made, described that the owner of record is deceased, and a bank last identified as being in possession of the property was unresponsive, with a letter purportedly having been returned as undeliverable.

The township then took action to board up the building, following purported vandalism to it, with a township attorney at the time contending that the municipality has a responsibility to protect its citizens, or it would become liable.

In 2018, the building was also said to have been the subject of several healthcode violations.

The inn was reportedly erected in the 1920s, and was once known for its live music, having been extremely popular with area bikers when it was open.

The “local landmark for many years” in the 1300 block of County Route 542 has been highlighted by the “Forgotten Bars and Liquor Stores of New Jersey” Facebook page.

CONDUCT

(Continued from Page 1)

Township Solicitor Andrew “Andy” Bayer is affiliated with the firm of Pashman Stein, with a second official, also requesting anonymity for this story, describing the investigator’s affiliation.

The second official provided this newspaper with a memorandum that was issued by Council President Paul Detrick to all non-department head employees, announcing that council had authorized the investigation on Dec. 20 “regarding the work environment, employment practices, policies, and the manner in which such policies are implemented by the township departments and administration.” Attached was a council resolution authorizing the investigation.

Tompkins, according to the council resolution authorizing the investigation, is the subject of a lawsuit filed in December 2023 by Pemberton Township Recreation Director Nichole Pittman (who he unsuccessfully attempted to have removed from her position back in August 2023 in the wake of a public spat during a July water carnival).

The suit, the resolution notes, alleges that Tompkins “engaged in sexual harassment discrimination, and retaliatory conduct in violation of the Law Against Discrimination,” with the suit further asserting, “at least three other female employees, from three separate departments within the township, have complained about Mayor Tompkins’ inappropriate behavior.”

Additionally, the resolution refers to a complaint “from an employee on behalf of her minor daughter,” with the suit, obtained by this newspaper through an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request, publishing purported correspondence Pittman sent to Business Administrator Daniel Hornickel and the township Human Resources Department, containing a claim that the mayor made “sexual advances” towards the minor, who was working for the Recreation Department last summer, and also asked that they “take a ride” to a “private beach” to be “alone.”

Pittman alleges in the suit that her communication expressing concern about the purported incident had resulted in no follow-up investigation, and that the parent of the child declined to pursue the matter out of “fear of retaliation.”

“Any employee who has information within the scope of the investigation is encouraged and invited to meet with the investigator to provide honest and complete information as if they were under oath in court,” Detrick wrote to township workers.

The interviews, according to the letter, were to occur from Feb. 14 to Feb. 16, with the letter identifying Pashman Stein’s Attorney Marc Yenicag as the investigator. Those wanting to contact Yenicag to participate in the investigation have been asked to call him at 201-639-2017.

Pashman Stein’s website describes Yenicag as a member of the law firm’s “Litigation and Criminal Defense practices,” and contends that he focuses his practice on “complex commercial litigation and whitecollar criminal defense.” He has experience handling all phases of commercial litigation, as well as securities and insurance fraud matters, his biography states.

The council resolution, however, makes

no mention of a second lawsuit recently filed by an individual who was a senior code enforcement officer for the township, Belinda Fontanez, who alleges in the suit, which names “Township of Pemberton” as the defendant, also obtained by this newspaper through an OPRA request following a news tip, that a trainee in the office approached her in early March 2023 “regarding inappropriate sexual harassment she was subjected to by Mayor Jack K. Tompkins.”

That suit goes on to describe that the trainee came to her to report that “Mayor Tompkins inappropriately touched her without consent in a manner she considered to be harassing.”

Fontanez alleges that in June 2023, shortly after confronting Tompkins with the allegations in an attempt to intervene to get the alleged conduct to stop, as well as also reporting the allegations to an individual upon her being installed as her supervisor, Community Development Director Rosemary Flaherty, she was demoted. The employee then reports she was ultimately let go in September 2023. She alleges that her demotion and firing was the result of retaliation, describing that for some time before her demotion, Flaherty had ceased all communications with her in-person and heavily scrutinized her work almost immediately after refusing to back down with the concern she raised about Tompkins.

The high-ranking official, who came forward to the Pine Barrens Tribune on Feb. 15, described that the atmosphere in the township front offices is now like a “morgue” and that it has “never been this bad.”

That high-ranking official described that the situation is also not just because of the two aforementioned suits and allegations contained within them, but because of a new purported sexual harassment claim having been made in a filing described as either a “letter of intent” or “claim” that the administration is said to have received last week, alleging that Tompkins reportedly made an unsavory remark about another female employee.

The second official, who originally approached this newspaper much earlier than the high-ranking official about some of the mayor’s purported behavior, has also now provided this newspaper with a similar account of what is contained in the purported new complaint, though that individual describes having been unaware of the “new incident” until the filing was made.

Late on Feb. 20, at deadline time, the Pemberton Township Clerk’s Office “denied” this newspaper’s access to view the purported “letter of intent” or “claim,” but by doing so, confirmed existence of the public record, adding access to the record was being denied because it was ordered to be kept “confidential” pursuant to a “court order.”

When this newspaper requested a copy of the court order, the Clerk’s Office responded back that the provision cited under the law to deny this newspaper’s access to the public record was “mistakenly quoted,” and then proceeded to deny it on the new basis that it is “information generated by or on behalf of public employers, or public employees in connection with: any sexual harassment complaint filed with a public employer.”

The high-ranking official, in pointing to now multiple complaints, described – as did the second official for this story – that

“multiple people inside the building” are purportedly being targeted by the mayor’s alleged sexual harassment, pointing out that the complaints all involve women.

All of this is in addition to a set of photographs purportedly circulating in town hall, from the mayor’s purported trip to Bangkok in January, in which, in one of them, he is depicted touching the breast of another person (reportedly presenting as a woman, but actually a man) while in the company of his wife (according to the highranking official, Tompkins and his wife are posing with a number of “transvestites” in the photograph and he has since told workers, when questioned about it, that it is a “normal” practice in Bangkok).

On Feb. 20, Tompkins, in response to numerous questions this newspaper sent him for this story, ultimately confirmed the authenticity of the photo, but contended it deserved “context and clarification” (which this article gets into later in this story), but explains, in part, that the person that he touched “appeared at first to be a woman, but turned out to be a man” and continued that “he (the person he is touching) took my hand and put it over his fake breast.” He further maintained “many women” were present with him during his three-week Thailand trip, including at the time of the photo, and none of them were offended by his actions.

Both the official who came forward to this newspaper on Feb. 15, and two others, when questioned about the authenticity of the photographs, described that they had been initially posted to the mayor’s private Facebook page, and that is how they began circulating. On Feb. 18, this newspaper made contact with a second high-ranking official, who also asked that he not be identified for this story, who provided an identical account regarding the photographs.

The one official who approached this newspaper before the high-level officials were interviewed for this story, provided purported screenshots from Tompkins’ Facebook page, ones that not only includes the depiction of Tompkins touching another person’s breast who appears dressed as a woman, but another depicting Tompkins standing in front of graffiti during the overseas trip, pointing to the words, “Fu** Off,” and purportedly writing, in an accompanying caption, “After the news story and backlash last summer, I saw this tonight and it just had special meaning to me. LOL.”

Tompkins appears to be referring to this newspaper’s initial story on the Pittman spat.

In providing the photographs to this newspaper, the official contended it was disturbing and unsettling, particularly given that they began circulating and were allegedly taken after the council investigation had commenced.

“Hornickel has to ‘take him to the train station,’” the high-ranking official who approached this newspaper on Feb. 15 declared, referring to Yellowstone’s Train Station series. “… He can’t shut his mouth. … He’s like a bull in a China shop. He’s like a dog on a bone – he has no clue when he is going all out.”

Allegations of ‘Egregious and Terrifying Conduct’

Page 7 of Pittman’s lawsuit contains the bombshell allegation that “concerns”

about Tompkins’ alleged sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior towards her “were not an outlier.”

“In fact, at least three other female employees, from three separate departments, have reported Defendant Tompkins’ misogynistic behavior to Defendant Pemberton,” it is charged in the suit, specifically naming Pemberton Township, Tompkins and Hornickel as defendants. “Those complaints have gone unaddressed.”

Then, Pittman, through the suit, details “one complaint” that was reported “directly” to her by an “employee, on behalf of her minor daughter, who was also an employee of Defendant Pemberton’s concession stand.”

“The mother reported that Defendant Tompkins made inappropriate sexual advances to her minor daughter and asked her to take a ride with him to a private beach to be alone,” alleges Pittman in the suit.

Below that claim is a screenshot of correspondence Pittman reportedly wrote, dated July 19, 2023, (with an OPRA request revealing it was sent to both Daniel Hornickel and an administrative assistant for the administration [who reportedly oversees human resources for the municipality]).

“On Friday, July 14, it was brought to my attention that our seasonal employee (redacted) had an encounter with Mayor Thompkins (sic) on Thursday, July 13,” Pittman wrote. “Mayor Tompkins apparently stated inappropriate comments during his visit to the concession stand. Mayor Tompkins also asked (redacted) if she would like to take a ride with him to Presidential Lakes Beach – that he needed to check on something there. She stated, ‘absolutely not.’

“This is (redacted)’s second season with us. After speaking with her parent, they do not wish to pursue this any further due to being fearful of retaliation from the mayor since her parent is also an employee of the township. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me.”

Pittman, in the filing, maintains she reported “Defendant Tompkins’ egregious and terrifying conduct to Defendant Pemberton’s Human Resources Department and (to) Defendant Hornickel.”

The recreation director maintains in the suit that while she expected both human resources and Hornickel to “immediately investigate and remediate the very serious complaint,” to her “disappointment, no action was taken.”

“To Plaintiff’s disappointment, no action was taken,” the filing continues. “This permitted Defendant Tompkins’ conduct to go unchecked, leaving other female employees (minor and adult) susceptible to his salacious conduct.”

The Pine Barrens Tribune , via email, asked Jonathan Glass, recently appointed municipal police chief by Tompkins, whether at any time since July, if Pemberton Township Police were notified of the purported incident involving the minor, and whether the matter has, or had, been investigated by the department and/or referred to the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office, given the nature of who is alleged to have been involved, and if not, to explain the situation.

The chief was also asked if no action was taken, given the purported incident

Seneca Reserve Residents Ask Performance Bond for Development Be Bifurcated,

Claiming Developer, Township Won’t Plow Its Roads

Bond for Community Held Due to Reported Catch Basin Issues Under Review; Township Solicitor Says It’s ‘Past Practice’ for Tabernacle to Not Touch Roads in a Development

Unless Any Bond is Released, Fearing Claims of Damage

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

TABERNACLE—A developers’ purported decision to absolve itself of any responsibility to plow or maintain the roads in a new development in Tabernacle Township has left its residents between a rock and a hard place, with the township also currently refusing to release a performance bond for the project due to concerns with a catch basin, and officials maintaining that without releasing the bond, they can’t touch the roads in the development.

According to Seneca Reserve HOA President Mike Broadbent, upon the developer, Rockwell Custom Homes, forming the HOA, the firm has “said they are no longer maintaining any of the roads in Seneca Reserve.”

Last year, Broadbent spoke out alleging that Rockwell left the HOA with a “severely deficient reserve account,” with Broadbent claiming at the time that there was a shortfall of $57,000.

“What gives Rockwell the right to tell the township, and the residents of Seneca Reserve, that they are no longer going to be responsible?” asked Broadbent during a Jan. 22 Tabernacle Township Committee meeting.

Broadbent explained that it was his understanding that Rockwell made the decision to no longer maintain the roads in the development “under a section of the governing documents” for the community, and more specifically, citing a purported stipulation that “interior roads constructed in the community are to be offered for dedication to the township.”

“If, however, upon completion of the roads, the township fails or refuses for any reason, to accept thereof, the declaration reserves the right to convey such roads for dedication to the association, and such designation may be by deed,” said Broadbent in continuing to cite the stipulation that came to his attention.

But Broadbent sought answers from the township committee, asking, “Have the roads been offered to the township, and have you accepted, failed or refused?”

He also asked of the township committee, “Where is the declaration and plans to put this responsibility on the HOA?”

“Nothing has been provided to us,” he charged. “Rockwell should be held accountable, and the township should hold it accountable.”

During the January snowstorms, Broadbent recounted the township having only “partially salted the roads” in Seneca Reserve.

“Residents of Seneca reserve pay for services in taxes,” he said. “Why is the township asking the residents to pay for this service out of our own pockets?”

The HOA president disputed any notion that the roads in the development are “private,” noting, “the township provides trash collection, branch

collection, and recycling, school busing and emergency services.”

“The roads are frequently visited by township vehicles,” he observed, calling the responsibility of them an issue “between Rockwell and the township.”

“You hold power with them because you hold their bond,” Broadbent maintained. “In the meantime, I ask that you figure out the issue with snowplowing ….”

Rae Voss, of the development, described that residents were left to “clear the snow on their own” and alleged that “Rockwell refused to remove the snow, and refused to take action,” which she maintained she had in writing.

“Residents are stuck in the middle, with Rockwell and the township pointing fingers at each other,” she declared. “The HOA doesn’t own the roads, Rockwell does. We have just become pawns in the process.”

She continued that, “We know you are not required by law to come in, help and act, and that the roads are not dedicated for public use at this time, but Rockwell sits with their hands tied behind their backs and you choose to do nothing!”

Voss continued that “you routinely operate municipal service vehicles into our community and have set a precedent to do so over the last four-and-a-half years, and you made a conscious choice not to clear our roads!”

“We just ask for safe roads!” she concluded.

Committeeman Noble McNaughton, upon hearing the concerns, turned to an engineer that was assigned to the project, asking, “Have the roads been completed to our satisfaction?”, “Have they been built to plan?”, and “Are they operating appropriately?”

“Yes,” answered the project engineer in replying to all three questions.

McNaughton then turned to Township Solicitor William Burns and asked, “Can we just release a portion of the bond, and accept the roads, and maintain the bond on the rest of everything else?”, with Burns responding that it is the “same question I posed on a conference call with both the township engineer, project engineer and myself.”

“The short answer is it is not recommended by either the project engineer or township engineer,” Burns said. “And based on that recommendation, while the technical answer to that question is ‘yes,’ there would have to be a bifurcation of the two, as the current performance bond that deals with a tot lot, also deals with the drainage basins, and because now that there is further concern by the HOA that not only are they not aesthetically pleasing, but they are not functioning as to code, … carving them (the roads) out and reducing the bond, based on the recommendations of the township

on a successful management career, and eventually, a request that listeners “please try to relax, listen and understand the following facts regarding the current condition of our Pinelands Regional School District programs.

“All the great things that are built start with a great leader,” the youngster continued. “Our great leader is Dr. Melissa McCooley. She has built a very powerful team.”

The statement then went on to praise “the majority of our board of education” as “strong, intelligent and hardworking” with their hearts “in the right place,” and to thank the community “for putting them in those chairs.”

However, Zimmerman’s son continued, “at the moment we have one board member that is hindering our progress towards greatness” and “I ask the board of education, the community, and everyone that can help us remove Stephanie Johnson from her seat on the board.”

“I will be sending out a petition for signatures and I am hoping to get enough support to make this happen,” concluded the younger Zimmerman on his father’s behalf. “Thank you.”

The Zimmerman statement, however, was quickly followed by one of support for Johnson by Little Egg Harbor resident Kelly Maher, who said she had “observed a concerning pattern in this administration and board: if one does not align with their plans and directives, they will stop at nothing to eliminate (that individual).”

Maher went on to cite an episode that occurred in April of 2021, during McCooley’s tenure, when the late Thomas D. “Tommy” Williams, Jr., a retired police officer and member of the Pinelands Regional board for more than two decades and its onetime president, “was accused of suspicious activity on the board email account,” with a subsequent police investigation finding “no evidence of criminal wrongdoing.”

Maher also alleged that the resignation of Patricia Chambers from the board in June of 2021 was a result of “unresolved issues related to harassment and intimidation that created an unstable atmosphere” and mentioned the accusations also made against now-retired shop teacher Howard Berry of having made unauthorized use of school property that were investigated with no criminal charges resulting.

Noting that Johnson had no previous blemish on her employment record, Maher maintained that she is “being intimidated to the present day,” adding, “It is important we recognize and address these tactics, which undermine trust.”

“We can’t allow fearmongering to rule our school systems from elected officials who are hired to serve students,” she declared.

It was at about this point that the first reaction to the ongoing discord was registered by a member of the Pinelands student body, Johanna Smith, who, in her official role as student board of education representative, had been a witness to the acrimony of the previous meeting.

“I am disheartened to say what I am about to say,” began Smith, going on to voice her frustration at “the events that have been taking place at these meetings and the attitudes, the arguments, and the harsh comments” expressed at them.

“I think we have lost the focus of this board, which should be the students,” she declared. “I know as a student, we as a district take pride in instructing students to not only be respectful, but to act responsibly. So, I say this with passion: we as students expect the same from the board. I expect us to reclaim the main priority of this board—that being the students, their education and of course the community.”

Despite that admonishment from an adolescent, however, the adults in the room weren’t quite done venting their displeasure toward each other.

Little Egg Harbor resident Laura Erber, who got up to speak immediately afterward, called the student representative’s remarks “very well said,” adding, “and you’re right, that is what we should be focusing on instead of behaviors like at the last board meeting, which she claimed she had found very disheartening as well.”

“What a bad example for this nice young woman who volunteers her time to learn about how elected officials should behave at public meetings,” emphasized Erber, who then took McCooley to task for having fallen short, in her view, of adhering to the “district’s mission statement.”

“Tonight, I remind the superintendent that board members are community members, too, and it is perfectly lawful for one to come and ask questions at this meeting about a public agenda item,” Erber contended.

It was her personal opinion, she said, that “if Dr. McCooley would spend as much time trying to elevate the standards

in this district as she does trying to denigrate community members, this might be a successful school district by all measures.”

Then, quoting from that mission statement and addressing McCooley “as a public-school employee and servant in this community,” Erber asked her, “If you only get along with the people that agree with you, how can you foster a lifelong learning and a positive culture here?”

“Lastly, I will remind this board of education that Dr. McCooley is your one direct employee and she is fully accountable to you,” she asserted. “I implore this board to further your goals on your website and model them for the student body.”

An even stronger denunciation of the administration followed from Stephanie Johnson’s husband, Christopher, who indignantly alleged that his wife has been the victim of stalking, harassment, and intimidation.

“Shame on the board members for putting so much focus on my wife instead of the kids of this school district,” he declared. “She was elected to ask questions and hold people accountable. If that riles you up so much, then maybe you need to look into the mirror and ask yourself why. Maybe if seeing a red line through your name (something that Bonicky accused Stephanie Johnson of having put on a campaign flier at the previous meeting) disgusts you so much, then maybe don’t run for an elected position. Maybe if you feel the need to assault another board member two days after her father passed away to take advantage of her emotions, maybe you are unfit to hold the position that you sit in.”

Christopher Johnson at one point proclaimed, “I’m proud of my wife, she is a strong female, she asks questions.”

He added that she had “given tens of thousands of dollars to our youth sports programs over the past three years,” as well as serving as a regular volunteer in the PTA, at youth sporting events, food banks, and environmental cleanups.

“She is a good person, she deserves to sit in that seat, so shame on you all for attacking her,” he added.

The angry atmosphere of the session, however, began to dispel somewhat after another student, Skylar Ballin, of Eagleswood Township, a senior student government representative and president of the National Honor Society, weighed in with her perspective on the situation,

which she introduced by saying she hoped “to be respected and listened to in a mature manner not as a child.”

Noting that she had also been invited to attend the last school board meeting, where she was a completely neutral observer with no biases toward any of the participants or knowledge of any previous issues between them, Ballin maintained that what she had observed was “unprofessional and disrespectful behavior from the get-go,” with the problems involved not to be placed on any one specific board member.

Ballin then charged that when several members of the community came up to speak as was their right, the reactions were “some of the most contemptuous and jeering comments I have heard from an adult in many years.” She then said that she was “attempting to refrain from naming specific board members, but I think it is obvious whom I’m speaking about.”

“You, as a high-ranking board member, of all people, should know how to act in a professional setting,” Ballin declared. “Once a comment is made by the public, you acknowledge it and continue. You do not taunt and berate them even if you do not agree. Yes, those who got up and spoke should of course have acted like the mature adults you should have been raised to become, but as the board you are responsible for setting the example.”

Addressing the email breach, Ballin also told the board members that they might not realize “how quickly things spread when you provide it to a platform such as the internet.”

“I can assure you a copy of that meeting was downloaded and shared across media, and those who have no connection to Pinelands have heard that recording,” Ballin said. “Is that the image you want to give our school?”

Were a student to leak private information in a similar manner that could seriously hurt someone, she further pointed out, “that student would most likely be suspended or seriously penalized” due to having committed a harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB) violation.

In concluding her remarks, Ballin said she was “extremely disappointed in the actions of several board members,” emphasizing that the behavior she had witnessed firsthand “was unacceptable and unexpected,” and urging those responsible to “reconsider your actions and re-evaluate yourselves.”

Concurring with the point of view

offered by Ballin and Smith was Little Egg Harbor resident Yvonne Gandolfo, the mother of a Pinelands senior, who allowed that “when my 17-year-old can have an adult conversation and say they’re acting like children, that’s pretty powerful, which is basically what those two said.”

Gandolfo added that she now planned to attend more meetings and speak out as an advocate for the students, “so I hope we can all start acting like adults and remember we’re here for the children — well, you’re here for the children.”

Even more emphatic in that regard was Melanie Sanko Biscardi, of Tuckerton, a former president of the Ocean County School Boards Association and daughter of a longtime local teacher, who said she had recently moved back to the area from Manchester where she had served as vice president of the board of education, which she claimed would have asked her to leave “if I ever behaved like that.”

After being admonished by Bonicky for addressing the attendees instead of the board, Biscardi replied, “Well, I guess when I was a board member, I did the same thing,” adding, “If you have a problem with that, I’m so sorry.” She then advised him and the other members that, “Your job as a board of education is to conduct yourself appropriately and set examples as role models.”

“It was unacceptable when I saw a president call out a new board member and for a new board member to go back at a president,” she continued. “In my personal opinion, I think you need to discuss those things behind closed doors, you need to be a united front. … You should all be beyond embarrassed.”

Further pointing out that the job of school board members “should be planning, setting policy and evaluating results” and should not involve “anyone’s personal agenda,” Biscardi said she was curious whether the new board members have gone through the “Governance One training” required by the New Jersey School Boards Association within 90 days of taking office.

“It is mandatory; it needs to happen,” she told them.

The president of the Ocean County School Board Association, Rich Casey, she then told the Pinelands board members, “wanted me to inform you that you all

should attend their meetings,” which she described as offering “a lot of good training for free.

“Take the training,” she advised them. “It benefits you as a person and as a board member. Leave your egos at the door. You are here for the children and for the staff. Let’s set the priorities.”

Echoing the sentiment that the board’s purpose is “to make the school district the best it can be for students” was yet another member of the student body, Pinelands High School junior Haley Barchetto, who said she found it “very disappointing and very disheartening when the views of not just board members, but community members are clouded with personal vendettas” that were now “getting in the way” of educating those students.

“To comment on the email that was sent to everyone, including my 13-yearold little sister and numerous other middle schoolers, I’m honestly still appalled,” Barchetto declared. “The prime reason that we go to school was disrupted by the very people that are supposed to uphold these principles.

“I just want to urge the board to look within themselves and reconsider your reasons for being on the board.”

At the conclusion of the public comment period, when the time came for the board members to weigh in with their own thoughts, what they had to say seemed to reflect those they had just heard — especially from those student observers.

“We hear your message,” said Tuckerton representative David Hewitt. “We know the events of our last board meeting were very unfortunate on many different fronts. I don’t think we can pinpoint exactly just one particular person (who was responsible), but we as a board need to behave in a way that sets an upright example for our community, for our students.”

Hewitt said the board was now faced with a choice.

“We can have our board meetings devolve into chaos and into malicious back-and-forth exchanges, or as a board, an administration, and a community, we can take the high road and learn to work civilly with each other,” civility being one of the things that is missing in American society.

“It is evident everywhere we look—the fact that somehow, we’ve lost the ability to disagree with each other and work together to find solutions without personal attacks, without carrying out vendettas, and we

really have to think before we speak. It’s what we teach our kids, right?”

Hewitt said he also looked forward to a discussion of “how we can make sure our board meetings are accessible through livestream and other means,” because it was important for the board to be “transparent about what is going on, and to get as many people from our community involved in the dialogue.”

Little Egg Harbor delegate Betti Anne McVey prefaced her remarks with a personal apology “to students and the staff who witnessed the closure of our last meeting, and certainly, the children who received that email and the vulgar content,” noting that she herself had to apologize and explain to her three grandchildren, ages 12, 14 and 15, who attend Pinelands Regional District schools that this “was not something the normally happens at a Pinelands Board of Education meeting,” and that she “would do everything I could possibly do to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

McVey said she also has used the episode as an opportunity to teach them to understand that “there is no provocation that should ever elicit that kind of behavior, and if you do lose your temper you need to own it and to do everything you possibly can to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Also offering an apology for “how the board acted” was Little Egg Harbor representative August Daleo, now in his fifth term.

“We’ll take most of what was said to heart,” said Daleo, pointing out that emotions can run high in situations like that. “But it is never acceptable to start screaming and get to where it went, so I apologize for any part I may have played in it.”

Daleo further emphasized how important he considers being a school board member, “one of the most important things I’ve done as far as giving back to my community.” And while he claimed to have seen “boards act worse than that” in his tenure, “I would never want to see that again and, hopefully, we’re all better for it.”

Eagleswood Township representative Lisa Betty also said she believed “we’re here for the children, no matter what our personal issues may be.

“The bottom line is how we can make sure that our kids get the support they need,” she said. “That is our job, that is all there is, and everything else is just so

much background noise.”

Johnson, in addition to claiming that the email, the contents of which she said had been recorded by Assistant Superintendent Gina Frasca and her secretary during “an interaction between me and the board president” in which she admitted to having used profanity, was not sent to students intentionally, and apologized to both those who received it and the teaching staff whose day was disrupted.

But she did not apologize for the use of the language at issue “at the time it was used and who it was directed towards.”

“I stand firm in my actions of standing up for myself after being verbally attacked by fellow board members,” she asserted. “I will always stand up for what is right, and that is why I believe I was elected in the first place. I refuse to sit by when someone attempts to discredit my character or calls me a liar. I will always stand my ground. I refuse to be intimidated nor will I allow them to obstruct me from performing my sworn duties. I will always be accountable for my actions, always do what is right, and have raised my children to do the same.

“I hope to put this behind us and hope we can all grow from this unfortunate incident,” Johnson said in finishing her statement.

“On a positive note,” she concluded, “I just wanted to say thank you to the baseball parents, and I hope we can get more of the student money to those athletics instead of having to fundraise,” eliciting a “thank you, Mrs. Johnson” from Bonicky, with whom she had been arguing when the recording that ended up in the email, which was the cause of all the consternation, was made.

Shannon Zimmerman, whose husband, in the statement read by her son, had indicated he was about to launch a campaign to have Johnson removed from the board, said she just wanted “to echo what a great administration we have here, the students and the staff, and that there should be no personal vendettas or agendas if you are on this board.

“So, I’m looking forward to continuing our great work together in 2024,” she said.

Johanna Smith, the student representative on the board, brought the meeting to a close by agreeing with all the opinions that had been expressed.

“I think tonight was filled with conversations that were necessary to have from public and board,” she maintained, adding that it is important “to have these conversations, as uncomfortable as they may seem.”

CONDUCT (Continued from Page 4)

is memorialized in an email and now part of a public suit, if it is something that the department would probe moving forward, or refer to the county prosecutor for an independent review.

Glass never answered that inquiry, but the following day, it brought about a response from Hornickel, who is also the township’s police director.

“I am aware that you submitted requests under (the) OPRA for various documents pertaining to the captioned lawsuit,” Hornickel wrote. “It is my anticipation that after your requests are reviewed by outside counsel, they will likely be denied on the basis permitted under OPRA and/or existing caselaw. I am also aware that you have requested some information from the Police Dept., in addition to your OPRA requests. As you can appreciate, the township will not comment on matters in litigation.”

The high-level official interviewed Feb. 15 by this newspaper reported that it is his understanding a police complaint was never made, and that if there was one, it would have to be given by this newspaper through an OPRA request.

The second high-level official interviewed for this story concurred that no police complaint or investigation occurred.

Initially, the township “denied” the request for public records in totality, and in response to the request for any police reports related to the July incident, claimed that it was “inter-agency or intra-agency advisory, consultative or deliberative material.”

But when this newspaper pushed back on that claim, the township awknowledged, “Please be advised that no police report exists which is responsive to your request.”

The township also ultimately turned over emails that it initially refused to provide to this newspaper, but fully redacted their contents, maintaining, “Body of emails have been redacted as they pertain to inter-agency communication involving information generated and gathered in connection with a harassment/grievance filed by or against an individual.”

However, this newspaper successfully compelled officials to provide the email addresses of the senders and recipients of those emails without redactions. Those redactions reveal that Hornickel, within an hour of receiving Pittman’s last reply on July 19 to an exchange that arose from the correspondence about the purported incident involving the minor, took her message and forwarded it to Jason Gant, who is a lieutenant that leads the Police Department’s Bureau of Internal Affairs.

This newspaper had requested all emails pertaining to the purported July incident, from July and August 2023, and no others were produced, with it unclear whatever became of Hornickel’s forwarded message to Gant.

Once more, via email, Hornickel was asked if he could say whether the police department has since initiated its own investigation into the matter, or turned the matter over to the Prosecutor’s Office, but he did not respond.

Gant, upon this newspaper’s discovery that he was a recipient of one of the correspondence from Pittman back in July 2023, was sent questions via email about what he did with the message that the business

administrator/police director had forwarded to him, but did not respond as of press time.

Joel Bewley, a spokesman for the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, when asked if the matter was referred to the prosecutor by Pemberton Police in July 2023, or sometime thereafter, did not respond.

Purported ‘Brutal Discrimination and Retaliation’

The beginning of Pittman’s lawsuit charges that as a “loyal public servant” to Pemberton Township for 17 years, she was “subjected to persistent discrimination and retaliation at the hands of the Defendant Pemberton’s mayor, Defendant Tompkins.”

It charges that the mayor’s alleged conduct “culminated” in Pittman’s “wrongful termination” that occurred “just days after she initiated the process of filing a formal complaint of discrimination.”

“Although Plaintiff appealed her wrongful termination, resulting in her reinstatement, Defendant Pemberton has failed to take any remedial or disciplinary action against Defendant Tompkins, allowing his brutal discrimination and retaliation against Plaintiff (and other employees) to continue.”

Pittman, promoted to the recreation director position in 2021 (by previous Mayor David Patriarca) after initially having started as a temporary employee for the Recreation Department in 2006, before working her way up the ladder, describes through the suit that “it was immediately clear” upon Tompkins’ “arrival” in office, having started in January 2023, that her “success was immaterial merely because she is a woman.”

“Almost immediately” upon his arrival, the suit continues, Tompkins’ allegedly “began to berate, harass and humiliate” Pittman “because of her gender.”

“By way of example, but not limitation,” it is charged in the suit, Tompkins, “announced in front of a room full of Senior Center residents” that he had “‘just given (the) Plaintiff a pink slip.’”

A few days later, it is maintained in the suit, Tompkins visited with Pittman in her office and “told her that her one and only job was to make Kenny Willits (a Recreation Department employee who has the title of “recreation leader”) extremely happy in his position and to do ‘everything and anything’ to do so.”

It is asserted in the suit that the purported incident “exemplifies Defendant Tompkins’ animus towards females and the stereotypical gender norms of females serving males.”

During the following month, the suit alleges Tompkins “made a habit” to visit Pittman’s office, “unannounced,” for “the sole purpose of saying, ‘No pink slip for you today, but there is always tomorrow.’”

The habit only intensified, according to the suit, with Tompkins alleged to have visited Pittman’s office “multiple times a day for weeks” and “reminding her of his direct superiority over her.”

In March 2023, the two are reported to have engaged over a Spring Lake Beach project, with Pittman alleging in the suit that Tompkins “cursed” at her and “stormed” out of her office.

Two months later, while reportedly discussing the budget with Pittman, Tompkins is accused of telling Pittman,

“‘You are nobody here and your opinions mean nothing to the township.’”

At that time, Tompkins is also alleged to have told Pittman that a “male grounds supervisor was the future” and that she should “‘lay off’” him and “stop making him work so hard because Defendant Tompkins needs him, not Plaintiff.” The suit claims the mayor even went as far as to inform Pittman that she is “replaceable,” but that the maintenance person “is not.”

It was in July, the suit claims, when Pittman went to Hornickel to report Tompkins’ alleged “behavior” believing it “would help remediate” the situation, “but the exact opposite occurred.”

The suit claims Hornickel tried arranging for “regular meetings” between the mayor and recreation director, but that the mayor purportedly told her, “‘I already have to look at you enough. The last thing I want to do is have to see more of you than I already do.’”

It is charged in the suit that Tompkins “puts male employees on a pedestal, while intentionally minimizing the female employees’ roles and contributions to Defendant Pemberton.”

Pittman’s suit then delves into “Defendant Tompkins” purported “pervasive misogynistic and overtly sexual behavior,” claiming it is activity that is “ignored” by both the township and Hornickel.

It is alleged that Tompkins, on or around July 4, 2023, made a “sexual advance” towards Pittman during the township’s Fourth of July Parade.

When the “paths” of Pittman and Tompkins “crossed” on July 4 of last year, Pittman is said to have inquired why Tompkins wasn’t wearing red, white or blue attire, and “instead of responding with an ordinary answer to a very simple question,” the mayor is alleged to have responded “with an overt sexual innuendo,” with the suit citing an alleged direct quote from the Republican official, “You don’t know what I’m wearing under my clothes,’” with the filing charging the mayor was referring to “the colors of his underwear.”

Pittman, the lawsuit describes, stood there “visibly disturbed and befuddled” at the remark.

The Pine Barrens Tribune previously reported about an ugly exchange the two had during a July 8, 2023, Water Carnival. Those events are also recounted in the suit by Pittman, including a verification of what this newspaper previously reported, that Tompkins was “yelling and cursing at (the) Plaintiff in front of the public.” Pittman, in the suit, alleges the mayor’s conduct that day was “wildly inappropriate and unprofessional” and described it as a “tirade.”

At one point, she claims, Tompkins told her, “‘Your ass will be mine on Monday … this is far from over.’”

Among the new details contained in the suit about the Water Carnival spat, is in addition to arguing over vendor placement following a thunderstorm, the two got into a verbal altercation over a vendor’s request to leave the carnival early. Pittman claims she told the vendor he had to stay, for fear that he might jeopardize public safety, as the roads in the area were intentionally barricaded, but that Tompkins took issue with her not allowing the vendor to leave. Pittman contended that when she had informed the vendor of her concerns, he accepted them.

Tompkins, it is described, “yelled” at

Pittman and “cursed at her,” and it is alleged he also told her at one point that as mayor, he “could do whatever he wanted.”

Following the “tirade,” Pittman, the suit alleges, went to Hornickel on July 10, in an attempt to file a grievance, and then it was three days later, on July 13, when she had received the letter from Tompkins demoting her.

The suit reveals the letter Pittman had received from Tompkins, with the mayor writing to her that his decision to relieve her of her recreation supervisory duties is “based upon a series of events over the past couple of months, culminating with your behavior on Saturday, July 8, 2023, prior to the Water Carnival.”

In noting that council ultimately overturned the mayor’s decision, the suit contends that action “only enraged Defendant Tompkins more,” and as a result, “he continued to retaliate against her by taking away the Recreation Department’s longstanding programs and activities.”

While Hornickel and Tompkins previously contended during a council session that the cancelation of the activities had to do with concerns of redundancy and non-local attendance, Pittman, in her filing, contends “notably, these events had already been scheduled and budgeted for.”

In further signifying why she also named Hornickel as a defendant in the suit, Pittman charges in the filing that Tompkins has “only continued his retaliation against her and even enlisted his subordinates to carry out his retaliation for him,” and that Hornickel, she says, told her “she and her staff must acknowledge and praise” the mayor “each time they see him.”

After it was learned that Pittman responded publicly on social media to concerns about the cancelation of recreation activities, Pittman alleges Hornickel “used this as an opportunity to reprimand” her and demanded an explanation, contending her posting was “inconsistent” with the “township’s computer use and social media policies.”

Pittman charges that Hornickel didn’t stop there, purportedly sending her a “two-page memorandum, single-spaced, about her two-sentence statement” posted online regarding the cancelation of events.

In describing alleged “further retaliation,” Pittman contends she has now been “intentionally excluded” from discussions that concern the Recreation Department’s parks and playgrounds, despite her being responsible to manage them, and in a screenshot of an email to Hornickel, wrote, in part, “I have also been intentionally left out of community events, of which are my job to be a part of” and “I am no longer consulted on decisions and event projects that are directly in my purview.”

At times, since July 2023, Pittman says Hornickel has approved plans for activities, only to find, once she executes them, for the business administrator to tell her that the mayor “does not approve and wants the plans changed.” She charges this has “wasted countless hours” of her, and her team’s, resources.

Recreation Department Program Assistant Jennifer Deeds had come to the defense of Pittman when her job was in jeopardy, as previously reported by this newspaper. But Pittman’s filing contends

It Isn’t Just Fire Indian Mills Firefighters Have Been Dealing With, But Also Water from Private Lake That Is ‘Breached’ in Two Spots

Fire Company President Describes ‘Raging River in Back of Firehouse’ After Heavy Storms; Officials Await Bureau of Dam Safety’s Response

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

SHAMONG—It’s not just fire that is a problem firefighters with the Indian Mills Volunteer Fire Company have been having to contend with recently, but also water, and apparently lots of it.

A private lake that is adjacent to the Indian Mills Volunteer Fire Company’s fire station has reportedly become problematic, with reports that it has been breached in two different places, causing increased episodes of flooding on the fire station’s grounds, as well as to a nearby church and neighboring residential properties.

“We got an issue with the lake next to firehouse,” asserted Charles Burgin, president of the fire company, to the Shamong Township Committee during its Feb. 6 session.

Burgin described that “during a heavy storm, we get a raging river in the back of the firehouse” and that the water has “damaged our well on a couple of occasions.”

“The neighbors have complained that they have water in their basements, and the church has complained,” said Burgin, attributing the problems to the lake that he calls “too high” in the first place with respect to its water level, and noting that at one point the church’s sump pump failed.

Firefighters, he said, recently navigated through “really thick underbrush” to reach the lake and found “two breaches on the side of the lake.”

One of the breaches, he contended, has essentially formed a trench, in which he said water is draining from the lake into the woods adjacent to the firehouse.

“The water has nowhere to go and is draining onto our property,” Burgin contended.

In describing the second breach, Burgin said it is where a “tree went down and its roots pulled up the side of the lake,” and now water is “also dumping into the woods” from that location.

“One of our options is to put a berm in, across the back of our property to keep the water off of us, but that is not going to help anybody else, because it is going to only push the water somewhere else,” Burgin maintained.

Burgin contended that the fire company “really can’t get back there with a backhoe to try to fill it (the breached spots) in,” either.

According to Township Administrator and Clerk Sue Onorato, the dam is privately owned and the responsibility of its owner, “not the township.”

Burgin described the owner has been “agreeable to help us out so far,” but noted the issue “has not cost him anything yet.” The owner, he revealed, “lowered the lake in the last storm.”

“Did that help?” asked Deputy Mayor Chris Zehnder, with Burgin replying, “Not really.”

“I think what is happening is the outflow of the lake is less than the inflow, so the water is coming in faster than coming out, and it has to go somewhere,” Burgin added. “So, it is going over the bank, into the woods, and most trees in there are dead, and a lot of them are falling down.”

Burgin emphasized the “lake level really has to be lowered,” with officials surmising that its level has possibly “naturally” risen over the years. All the boards for the corresponding spillway, except one, has now been removed, the fire company president noted.

Mayor Michael Di Croce questioned whether the fire company might be able to pump out the lake temporarily, with Burgin responding that it is up to the state’s Bureau of Dam Safety.

The township engineer noted he had “reached out to Dam Safety, trying to get the last copy of any inspection report,” but that he “didn’t hear back.”

Burgin recounted the dam having been put in sometime back in the 90s. The problems, according to Burgin, have been “going on for a while” now, with Fire Company Treasurer and Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator John Lyons noting there has been two-years’ worth of problems with the fire company’s well, and there have been instances where storage trailers have had to be moved as the water has risen up to them at times.

“We will get to the dam people,” Di Croce vowed.

professionals, would not be in the best interests (of the township) at this time.”

The project engineer, in acknowledging that it has been “indicated” to him that a rear large basin is having “additional issues,” noted that the tot lot, road and basin are “all tied together in one bond” and he “doesn’t know” the “legality” of releasing Rockwell from it and “trying to force Rockwell to put up a new bond” just for the tot lot and basin.

Technically, according to the engineer, there are two bonds for Seneca Reserve, and the one at issue is for Phase I of the project, while a second one having to do with Phase II of the project “could be released” as he is satisfied the basin and roads for the second bond are “completed.”

“But the only problem is you would only be plowing half of the development,” the engineer noted.

McNaughton, however, queried the officials as to, “legally, what would be the problem if we went in and plowed?”

“The issue would be if there is any alleged damage to the roads, the township would be responsible for it, and we would have no recourse to go after the developer because the developer would say, ‘You were on our roads, you damaged the roads, and they were fine before that,’” Burns replied.

Burns further maintained that, “traditionally, it is my understanding that it has been past practice that the township has not plowed roads that are not dedicated to the township,” to prevent “any accusations arising from the plowing that would occur.”

While the project engineer earlier in the discussion had claimed the roads were fine, Burns contended there “is other allegations that some of the roads are pitting” with “cracks in the curb,” and “that adds to my concern.”

“If the township ends up plowing, we would potentially be on the hook to fix any damages we may or may not cause,” Burns contended. “To answer your question more broadly, there has been significant conferences with Rockwell. We are in constant communication with them, and they indicated that as soon as there is a dry spell, they will remove the vegetation.”

The project engineer described a planned test for the purported

problematic catch basin as soon as dry weather prevails, and that if it empties 72 hours after rain, “that tells me it is operating as it is supposed to, and if not, then it needs to be fixed.”

“Until I can verify (the claims the catch basin doesn’t work), I don’t have any legs to stand on,” the project engineer maintained. “They (Rockwell) did indicate to me they want to come out and fix this right away.”

Burns contended it is “up to the committee,” however, and “if they want to assume the liability, they can decide as a whole to do the plowing.”

“But again, this is not the recommendation from the professionals, and myself, based on the totality of circumstances, but the professionals always defer to the committee,” Burns declared. McNaughton quipped, in response, “We are between a rock and a hard place,” Broadbent pointed to two developments in which he says other townships were faced with the same situation, and ended up plowing the roads in them, “while keeping the developer on a bond.”

The Tabernacle committee ultimately took no action on the requests from the HOA and residents of Seneca Reserve, however. Burns also maintained, in response to Broadbent and Voss, “there is a difference between municipal services, such as trash pickup, and emergency services.”

Launce Saunders, a resident of the community, in a written statement to the governing body that led the discussion, wrote, “It is my opinion that the township needs to bifurcate the bond currently held by Rockwell Custom Homes to allow the township to take control of the roadways within the Seneca Reserve development.

“Although the township’s engineers do not agree with this approach, as they request that all required punch list work be completed, it is imperative that Tabernacle Township distinguishes the work that needs to be completed to the basins, and to the tot lot, presumably in the longer months, versus winter roadwork maintenance,” he continued. “It is obvious that Rockwell will not spend any new money within this community. However, the 49 families in Seneca Reserve contribute approximately $750,000 in tax revenue, and simply would like safe passage for our families and young drivers during the winter months.”

CONDUCT

that during the Oct. 28, 2023, townshipsponsored event, Night of Terror, Tompkins “baselessly” accused Deeds of being a “subordinate employee” and alleged she was “inappropriately touching a vendor” while picking up trash.

Deeds, it is contended in the suit, then wrote a complaint to Human Resources, as well as to Hornickel, and “while Defendant Pemberton did ultimately look into her matter, nothing was done” about it, further asserting that Deeds complaint was “swept under the rug.”

The suit ends with a final charge that Tompkins has already informed the township’s chief financial officer, Candice Pennewell, that he intends to cut the Recreation Department’s budget for 2024.

Pittman is suing for compensatory damages, consequential damages, punitive damages, as well as to have a judge order the defendants to undergo multiple forms of training, including anti-discrimination, anti-retaliation, anti-harassment, workplace civility and bystander intervention training.

“Plaintiff brings this lawsuit to hold Defendants accountable and assert her right to work in an environment free from sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation,” the suit states, charging, so far, they have failed to “promptly and effectively act to stop it.”

Mayor Faces Second ‘Sexual Harassment’ Allegation

About two months prior to Pittman’s lawsuit, the township was in receipt of another lawsuit, one this newspaper had learned about through a news tip from the initial Pemberton Township official to come forward to this newspaper.

Fontanez, a senior code enforcement officer for Housing, Rental Properties and Foreclosures, hired in August 2017, explains that it was in March 2023 when she was approached by a then-female code enforcement trainee “regarding inappropriate sexual harassment she was subjected to by Mayor Jack K. Tompkins.”

The second suit alleges that Fontanez was informed that “Mayor Tompkins approached her (the trainee) from behind and began massaging her shoulders, and while massaging the trainee’s shoulders, Mayor Tompkins purportedly said, ‘I’m keeping my eyes on you.’”

It led Fontanez to speak to Tompkins “about the trainee’s allegation,” it is contended in the second suit, and that the mayor “did not deny touching the trainee” or making the alleged statement.

Tompkins, the second suit maintains, rebuffed that he didn’t think his actions were “offensive,” and it was then that Fontanez told him to refrain from touching the trainee and “please don’t touch any of the females again.”

Two days later, the second suit contends that Tompkins suggested firing the trainee. Flaherty, upon her March 2023 appointment as director of Community Development, the second suit continues, was informed by the trainee of “ongoing intimidation and harassment” by Tompkins, as well as by Fontanez.

Three purported witnesses of the alleged sexual harassment of the trainee were identified to Flaherty, the second lawsuit notes.

Sometime later, it is alleged, Fontanez, expecting a promotion by June 2023, was told by Tompkins “not to ‘make any waves for the front office and give anyone a reason not to promote you.’” Fontanez, it is further contended, was “walked” by Tompkins to Flaherty’s office, where she was purportedly advised by the community development director, “‘to keep your nose clean.’”

Fontanez is described to have later taken a religious mission trip, and upon her return, was allegedly informed by Flaherty that the trainee filed a complaint with human resources against the mayor “‘for intimidation or something’” and that if the “complaint went to trial,” the trainee would lose the director’s support, and then insinuated “‘things would not go well’” for Fontanez, either.

Fontanez reports through the second suit she was subjected to “heightened scrutiny” that commenced almost “immediately,” and by May 19, both Flaherty and Tompkins “completely ceased communicating in person” with her. In ensuing email exchanges, Fontanez describes having been “hypercriticized” with her job performance.

Flaherty, according to Fontanez, refused to speak to her when approached with explanations, and the expected promotion never happened. Instead, Fontanez, according to the second filing, suffered a stroke on June 8.

After the medical episode, Fontanez is described as having taken leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), beginning on June 8, 2023, and one day later, on June 9, 2023, was informed she was being demoted.

Fontanez says in the second suit that she informed her employer she intended to return to work on or about Sept. 15, 2023, but ultimately was informed she was suspended, with pay, before being terminated on Sept. 20, 2023.

Fontanez is suing for retaliation, pointing out that “in reporting, disclosing, and objecting to Mayor Tompkins’ sexual harassment of the trainee,” she “exercised” her “rights under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination.” She alleges in the filing that the “defendants’ conduct was willful, reckless, malicious and/ or especially egregious and done with the knowledge and participation, and/ or reckless indifference of upper-level management, including but not limited to Mayor Tompkins and Director Flaherty.”

The official who initially approached this newspaper to describe Tompkins’ alleged conduct at town hall, and interviewed several times prior to publication of this story, having maintained the same story throughout the various interviews, informed this newspaper that it was learned that the trainee allegedly targeted by Tompkins had issued a violation notice to him, just three months before he became mayor.

This newspaper, through an OPRA request, confirmed that the mayor was issued a violation notice over solid waste containers on Sept. 22, 2022, by the purported trainee at issue.

The official maintains that the trainee later dropped the case against Tompkins, but had learned she was then “moved up

from the position of trainee and given a two-step raise” in the process, contending such a raise is unprecedented.

“(The trainee) filed formal charges with the township,” the official contended. “Belinda (Fontanez) took it upon herself to intervene with the mayor. From that point forward, it went down the tubes.”

(This newspaper, in requesting any claim filed by the trainee against Tompkins, was told in a response to an OPRA request, “no records exist, per HR.”)

Despite the trainee “dropping everything” and increased pressure for Fontanez to do the same (as outlined in the second suit), the official maintained, Fontanez made clear to Flaherty “if it has anything to do with (the trainee), I am not changing my position” and that she was even willing to “testify” about what happened.

“Whatever it was, it went away,” the official told this newspaper. “But Belinda (Fontanez) ended up holding the bag because she would not be persuaded.”

One of the witnesses identified to Flaherty, the official noted, has since reportedly been fired, also while on medical leave, with the official claiming that the person has since made a filing with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

That individual, when reached for comment on this story, referred this newspaper to her attorney (of a Philadelphia law firm that handles employment matters), and when asked if there is any active filing, responded, “I don’t want to confirm or deny that.” The attorney, however, did not return this newspaper’s messages seeking comment on this story as of press time.

Flaherty, the official described, allegedly told those working under her at one point, in referencing the mayor, “‘we need to protect him from himself.’”

Perturbed By Alleged ‘Pattern’ Involving Females

The straw that broke the camel’s back for the high-ranking official to come forward to this newspaper on Feb. 15 entails the purported filing of the “letter of intent” or “claim” by Pennewell (who had apparently informed Pittman of the mayor’s intent to reduce the budget for the Recreation Department, as cited in Pittman’s lawsuit), allegedly containing an additional “sexual harassment claim.”

“There is another sexual harassment complaint,” the high-ranking official said in describing its contents to this newspaper, which was verified this week when the Clerk’s Office denied this newspaper’s access to the public record, and while initially claiming to be doing so because it was by court order, ultimately changing the basis of denial because the record contains “information generated by or on behalf of public employers, or public employees in connection with: any sexual harassment complaint filed with a public employer.”

The high-ranking official, and the second official cited in this story, have both since described to this newspaper that the document has to do with a purported remark made by Tompkins to the chief financial officer.

Both officials provided a similar account of the alleged comment, and both referred

to the alleged comment as “disgusting.”

The high-ranking official, in describing the nature of the alleged complaint, declared, “This particular item is worse than anything else, if it’s true.”

Pennewell could not be reached for comment on this story, as of press time.

In coming forward to this newspaper in describing “multiple people inside the building” are being allegedly targeted by the mayor’s alleged sexual harassment, the high-ranking official, described being particularly perturbed that they entail “all females” and a “pattern here” where the allegations involve “all women, who are young.”

Meanwhile, the other official who came forward to this newspaper said, in also maintaining there is an alleged pattern of conduct, that the harassment is never done “one-on-one” by Tompkins, but rather in the “presence of others.”

The high-ranking official described to this newspaper several instances of where Tompkins has made as what he saw as inappropriate remarks in front of others, including purportedly remarking, ‘“I don’t like that person, I would fire them if I could.’”

The staff meetings, the individual continued, are “unbelievable,” including recounting instances where an employee has allegedly been called “fat” by the mayor (this newspaper received a separate complaint in the mail alleging that another employee was criticized for their weight by the mayor), and a quip by the mayor in which it was purportedly stated, “you two ought to get a room” in reference to two department heads.

Cussing is excessive, the high-ranking official charged, with the mayor “dropping F-bombs everywhere.” The alleged inappropriate behavior, the high-ranking official described to this newspaper, also occurs when the mayor “grabs a cup of coffee and makes his rounds,” recounting a number of purported provocative discussions that range from threats to do away with certain departments or personnel, to discussion of a private part.

And despite the suits, the high-ranking official maintained, “he’s still making comments” and “can’t shut his mouth,” with it occurring “all day long.”

Tompkins, in the Feb. 20 response to the officials’ claims, was asked many tough questions about whether he has ever conversed about private parts to the employees of the township.

“No, I have never conversed with employees about private body parts,” he responded.

When asked about the purported cussing, Tompkins responded, “I admit in the past having a ‘loose’ mouth at a few times in the municipal building.”

“I chalk it up to my many years of service to our community,” he said. “That has not occurred for a long time and will not happen again.”

Tompkins, in further responding to questions about the language, was adamant that “I do believe that I act appropriately as an official,” but, “admittingly, I have in the past, cussed in town hall and I do regret that.”

“The township is very important to me,” Tompkins declared. “I spend most of my time in my official capacity and at

home thinking about what is best for the township. Yes, I at times got carried away and cussed. I, like, most people know there are better ways to express things. I have made it a priority not to do that and I have not in a very long time.”

He added that “if anyone in town hall has a sense that I am not acting appropriately, they can speak with our business administrator or Human Resources Department.”

“No one has to the best of my knowledge, asserted any allegations like that,” Tompkins maintained.

He chalked up those raising the concerns and approaching this newspaper about his language to “someone (who) may (have) an agenda,” either one that is “personal or political.”

He also disputed the claim that he goes around town hall discussing potential firings or department eliminations, writing, “I am not saying to various officials that they will be fired soon.”

“We have a good group of officials and employees, and I would never needlessly threaten someone’s livelihood,” Tompkins declared

In discussing the pictures circulating around town hall depicting Tompkins, the high-ranking official claimed the mayor has “admitted there is multiple pictures,” but contends “it’s normal over there,” or in Bangkok, in defending to those in the workforce what is depicted. He “says it like it is nothing,” the highranking official maintained.

Both officials that have come forward to this newspaper have described that when Tompkins is challenged about some of his alleged conduct, he often defends it by making references to his wife, indicating she is either aware of it, or that she would take no issue with it.

The second high-ranking official to be interviewed by this newspaper described of the photos “they were all on Facebook,” and that “one goes back to the Pittman thing.” In describing the picture of what the other high-ranking official maintained were of Tompkins and “transvestites,” the second high-ranking official explained that he has since learned that the mayor was at “some kind of show” in Bangkok and those posing with him and his wife

are “guys dressed as women,” and that while Tompkins is touching one of the individual’s breasts, “if you didn’t look close enough, you would have thought they are women.”

“The pictures – people have them on their phones,” the second high-ranking official maintained, contending that when something was said to Tompkins about the pictures, they were immediately deleted from his private Facebook page.

Tompkins, when asked to address the photo reportedly drawing the most concern in town hall, or him touching another person’s breast, he started out by explaining he “took a trip to Thailand” and “my wife is from Thailand.”

“We visited Bangkok and other areas of Thailand, while I was there for three weeks with my wife, Lisa, and my daughter and sister-in-law,” he said. “I have seen the photo. It is an accurate depiction of what it is. Please allow me an explanation of that moment in time.”

Before getting into that explanation, he said, “There were many women present with us at the time of the photo, as well as the duration of the three-week visit.”

“No one was offended,” he maintained. “It was a moment in time that needs context and clarification. This was a fraction of time during a wonderful threeweek visit. Everyone who knows me and my background knows that I absolutely have no issue with people of different races, religion or sexual orientation.”

Tompkins told this newspaper that he and his wife “visited a lot of family and friends” during his Thailand trip and “stopped at several sites in the country.”

“On one occasion we stopped for photographs with a person who appeared at first to be a woman but turned out to be a man,” the mayor acknowledged. “We were talking and having a good time. I was encouraged by my family to have my picture taken. Just before the picture was taken, he took my hand and put it over his fake breast. We all had a good laugh. Remember, we were on vacation and enjoying ourselves. Anyone that knows me, understands that I accept people for who they are. I pride myself in understanding that people are people, regardless of their color, ethnicity or sexual orientation.”

However, Tompkins maintained that in “using 20/20 hindsight, it was a meaningless thing to do.”

“But not inappropriate,” the mayor

maintained. “This picture was a snapshot in time of a three-week visit to my wife’s family’s home that does not represent or depict an accurate picture of our time there.”

The mayor continued that he is a “husband and father, and good friend.”

“I would never do anything to jeopardize them or to embarrass them, or the township,” Tompkins declared. “If some people take exception to my style of governing, they are more than welcome to bring it up to me in the appropriate forum. I welcome free dialogue that perpetuates a healthy town hall and any betterment to the community that I love and am honored to serve.”

However, the second high-ranking official, who is keenly involved in the township’s decision-making process, declared he is “well disturbed” by Tompkin’s purported behavior, “100 percent.”

“There is so much going on in the town and this is embarrassing for the town,” the second high-ranking official told this newspaper, going on to describe what he saw as “rotten” behavior being allowed by the administration.

The two officials to come forward to this newspaper on their own question why there hasn’t been action taken by council to restrict the mayor’s access to town hall and the employees while the investigation is ongoing, particularly in light of multiple purported complaints. They described some employees feeling increasingly uncomfortable in the mayor’s presence.

Tompkins, however, told this newspaper, “I do not believe that employees are feeling uncomfortable in my presence,” and “I submit to you that if you heard that directly, and not through hearsay, someone who said that may have their own agenda about my administration.”

But “crude and very rude things have been said,” one of the officials contended, also demanding to know what type of law enforcement investigation was done immediately following the concerns about the minor being brought to human resources and the administration.

And the second-high ranking official interviewed for this story, as well as the initial official to approach this newspaper, emphasized that the employees are “scared to death” to come forward, with the former declaring, “I don’t blame them.” To that end, the second-high ranking official

described that council established the investigation so that any comments “are directed to council.”

“But I got to tell you, 90 percent of the employees are afraid to come forward – worried,” the second-high ranking official maintained.

Hornickel has been presented with several opportunities to address the matters at issue, but declined to do so as of press time in citing the active litigation. Periodically, this newspaper has checked on the status of the aforementioned lawsuits, but the township has reported there is nothing new to report. Additional questions were sent to Hornickel last week, upon the new purported claim coming to light, but the business administrator did not respond.

Tompkins noted that, “I know of one lawsuit, not lawsuits.” A township councilman, when contacted for this story, also maintained to this newspaper that there is only one lawsuit that they are aware of, so it is unclear why officials are not recognizing the Oct. 4 one, Fontanez v. Pemberton, and whether it has been settled or withdrawn.

Websites that track such dockets report the case status is “pending,” as of press time, with it noted there has been a dispute over whether one of the attorneys could practice law in New Jersey.

But apparently referencing the Pittman one, Tompkins remarked to this newspaper in response to an additional question about another allegation, “I hesitate to respond to that assertion since we are now in litigation. But I am very confident that it will be resolved successfully in my favor.” Council, meanwhile, in authorizing the investigation, has given its investigator subpoena powers.

“I have never seen this place so upside down … the front office is like a morgue,” the first high-ranking official declared. “I don’t know where this investigation is going to land.”

But in generally addressing the allegations this newspaper asked about, Tompkins wrote, “you are aware there seems to be some folks in town hall who do not care for me and my style of administrating our town” and “this goes with the territory of an elected official.”

“I am doing what the people elected me to do, and I am grateful for the opportunity to assist in the betterment of this township.”

MARCH

MARCH 3

Free Koins for Kids

Location: Lindenwold

Details: South Jersey Coin and Collectable Show will be held Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Moose Lodge, 2425 White Horse Pike (Rt. 30), Lindenwold. Admission and parking is free. There will be free door prizes, food and refreshments, over 30 friendly dealer tables. The show will be held on the first Sunday of each month during 2024. Dealers wanted! Security provided. For more information, call Tom at 609-742-2279, or visit southjerseycoinshow.com .

Events and special promotions happening locally next month!

MARCH 4

Adrienne de Lafayette, A Hero’s Wife

Location: Vincentown (Southampton Township)

Details: The Southampton Historical Society is presenting “Adrienne de Lafayette, A Hero’s Wife”, on Monday, Mar. 4, at Old Town Hall, 25 Plum St., Vincentown, at 7:30 p.m. The great storyteller and first-person interpreter, Alisa Dupuy, returns as Adrienne de Lafayette, wife of celebrated General Lafayette, hero of the American Revolution and our nation’s guest in 1824-1825. Adrienne will tell the story of her early life and her marriage to her great husband, a French aristocrat, Freemason, and military officer who volunteered to join George Washington’s Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. She will explain why he is so important, not only to American history, but to world history. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kathy Rosmando at 609-859-0524.

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MARCH WEEKENDS

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