Pine Barrens Tribune March 7, 2020-March 13, 2020

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AMBULANCE CHASTENING

Tabernacle Schools to Lose Even More Aid Than Expected from Funding Law Governor Under Pressure Proposes Stabilization Aid for Hardest Hit Districts, But District Is Ineligible By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

The Indian Mills Volunteer Fire Company / Shamong Emergency Medical Services building.

Shamong’s EMS Squad Is the Latest Such Volunteer Organization to Face the Prospect of Heavy Fines for Not Following Every Rule By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

SHAMONG—A shortage of volunteer e me rge ncy me d ical t e ch n icia n s i n Shamong Township could soon become a very expensive proposition for the Indian Mills Volunteer Fire Company/Shamong Emergency Medical Services (EMS) should the state agency that governs such operations prevail in its announced intent to impose a fine of $108,000 on the local EMS squad for alleged violations of state rules. After a certif ied letter to that effect, dated Feb. 19, was sent by the New Jersey Department of Health’s Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) to Chief of Shamong EMS Operations Dave Taylor, Deputy Chief of EMS Operations Joe Everman, speaking on his behalf, told the Pine Barrens Tribune that the local squad was taken aback by the letter and planned to challenge the proposed penalty assessment, which it was given 30 days to do. Republican Mayor Michael S. Di Croce, also a local attorney, when contacted by this this newspaper, called the proposed fine “outrageous” and said that he had already volunteered his services on a pro bono basis to the Shamong EMS, and planned to discuss the matter with an emissary for Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in a meeting he had already scheduled for March 11. “I am shocked and surprised that they would send out a violation notice of this type with a large fine for what I consider

to be alleged technical violations,” the mayor declared. The violations to which he referred were spelled out in the letter signed by Chrisopher Neuwirth, the assistant commissioner for the Division of Public Health Infrastructure, Laboratories and Emergency Preparedness (PHILEP), which oversees the division. Neuwirth noted in the letter that the action had come about in response to the OEMS having “received an anonymous complaint that Indian Mills Volunteer Fire Company/ Shamong EMS was operating unlicensed vehicles when providing 911 emergency medical care to the residents of Shamong and its contiguous area.” The letter further states that based upon an OEMS investigation of the complaint, it “f inds that Shamong violated the department’s administrative rules ... by utilizing unlicensed vehicles for Basic Life Support (BLS) services, and ... by staffing ambulances with only one EMT, rather than the required two.” The letter said that as a result, Indian Mills Volunteer Fire Company/ Shamong EMS was being assessed a penalty of $1,000 for each of the 72 occurrences (in which) “Vehicle #2893” was utilized for patient calls “without obtaining proper vehicle licensure prior to use” and another $36,000 for “each of the 36 occurrences when it failed to staff its ambulances with at least two EMTs.” Ac c o r d i n g t o t h e le t t e r, OE M S commenced an audit of the Shamong EMS

squad last Oct. 7, which included reviews of its employee roster, credentials, insurance and standard operating procedures. “At this time, investigators advised Shamong that it was not permitted to operate any unlicensed vehicles as a licensed provider with the New Jersey Department of Health,” the letter said. Calls made by this newspaper to both OEMS, under whose letterhead the notice was written, and the New Jersey Department of Health, under whose jurisdiction the state EMS agency falls, failed to elicit more than a perfunctory explanation of why the Shamong EMS was being fined for its practices. Everman claimed Shamong EMS had immediately halted those supposed violations in October at the state agency’s request by having some of its 911 calls relegated to squads from neighboring townships under a “mutual aid” arrangement. When asked for a response to Everman’s complaint about a fine being levied nearly five months after his unit had immediately complied with an OEMS order to discontinue engaging in allegedly u nauthor ized procedures, New Jersey Department of Health Communications Off icer Dawn Thomas replied, “An investigation followed the audit” and that such investigations “take time as they require going through many records.” See AMBULANCE/ Page 4

TABERNACLE—The Tabernacle Township School District, considered by Interim Superintendent Thomas P. Christensen to be the area’s “microcosm of the school funding cuts” resulting from Bill S-2 signed into law by Democratic Governor Phil Murphy in 2018 modifying the state’s school funding formula, received word on Feb. 27 that the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) plans to reduce its state aid for the 2020-21 school year by $605,127, or nearly $100,000 more than what was previously indicated. Christensen, in an interview with this newspaper on Feb. 28, just one-day after school aid numbers for the 2020-21 school year were released by the state for each New Jersey school district, said that a NJDOE software system that school districts use to determine aid adjustments had previously projected that the Tabernacle district would lose $481,615 in state aid for the 2020-21 school year. As was explained at a previous Tabernacle Board of Education meeting by former superintendent Glenn Robbins, the state released aid numbers last spring, only to further reduce funding to the Tabernacle district in July after enacting the Legislature-approved state budget, or right before the 2019-20 year began, prompting the need for an emergency school board meeting. Board Secretary and district Business Ad minist rator Jessica L. DeWysockie announced last month that she was budgeting for up to a $520,000 school aid reduction as a result of last year’s events (about a $39,000 cushion), but clearly had not anticipated a cut of about $124,000 more than what the system showed—and all of this occurring before July when another last-minute additional cut could occur. “We were prepared for up to a $520,000 decrease in state aid,” said Christensen in the Feb. 28 interview with this newspaper. “A $605,000 decrease in state aid is what we got.” Murphy’s office, in a statement provided to this newspaper last week, contended that Bill S2 was designed to “address inequities” that resulted from “the multiple years of overfunding some districts, while failing to See FUNDING/ Page 5

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GREEN BANK—One trailer was destroyed and another damaged, but salvaged, in a Leap Day blaze at a campground in the Green Bank section of Washington Township. According to Green Bank Volunteer Fire Company Chief Leonard Forand, the f ire at Belhaven Lake RV Resort, which sits off County Route 542, was first reported sometime between 9:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 29. “One trailer was fully involved when we got there,” he said. “It, and everything inside, was totally destroyed.” A propane tank at the scene, according to the fire chief, had large flames shooting out of the top of it, which caused the second trailer to catch fire. “Propane tanks have a vent system in them, and that vent (on this propane tank) blew and there were flames probably 30-foot-high in the air like a big, giant blow torch,” said Forand when asked if the tank exploded. “That was definitely a bit hairy.” No injuries were reported in the incident, according to the fire chief, and no families were displaced. “The trailers are considered seasonal trailers, where people come down on the weekends and whatnot,” Forand said. “These are not permanent residences because it is classified as a campground.” He added that the owners were not in the trailers at the time of the blaze. “Nobody was there,” Forand said. “The owners were in a different par t of the campground.” A “couple of golf carts” and piles of wood for camp fires did catch fire as well during the incident, according to Forand, but the

surrounding woods did not. The cause of the blaze, he said, was still under investigation. Trooper Alejandro Goez, a spokesman for the state police, told this newspaper on March 1 that “the fire has been deemed non-suspicious,” but is being investigated by the county fire marshal. Forand estimated some 25 personnel from Green Bank Volunteer Fire Company, Green Bank Ambulance Squad, Lower Bank Volunteer Fire Company, New Gretna Volunteer Fire Company, Weekstown Volunteer Fire Company and Nesco Volunteer Fire Company responded to the blaze. “We probably only average one working structure fire each year in town,” Forand said. “I don’t think we had a working structure fire for about three years now. We don’t have a lot of houses out here, so it is not like other places.”

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Richter Chosen by Ocean County GOP Over Gibbs to Run Against Kim, 68-60

LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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Seneca Student Becomes Published Author; Signs Books for Kids at Elementary School

By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

TOMS RIVER—David Richter, the ex-CEO of Hill International who belatedly entered the 3rd District GOP congressional race after dropping his 2nd Congressional District challenge to Rep. Jeff Van Drew when the latter changed his party affiliation to Republican, was the surprise choice Wednesday night of the Ocean County Republican Committee’s nominating convention for a candidate to take on incumbent Democratic Rep. Andy Kim this coming November. Richter’s vote tally was 68, compared to 60 for former Burlington County Freeholder Kate Gibbs, who had earlier been approved by an Ocean County GOP screening committee despite a published revelation that she had been convicted of shoplifting some years before at the age of 20. That disclosure had prompted Richter, in an interview with the Pine Barrens Tribune, to claim that Gibbs having committed what he called an “ethical crime” should disqualify her from holding public office. Gibbs, whose candidacy was previously endorsed by the Burlington County Republican Committee, told this newspaper, following the latest vote, that she still had the backing of 60 percent of the district GOP. “I have one line and he has one line,” she said. “I am not going anywhere.” After being invited to address the gathering, Richter thanked the nominating committee for a “fantastic night.” “As you have learned, I am a fighter and I don’t mind uphill battles,” he said. “I am going to take this fight all the way to November. We are going to take Andy Kim and make him a one-term congressman and we are going to

Photo By Bill Bonvie

David Richter after his surprise win at the Ocean County Republican Committee’s nominating convention in Toms River. take the gavel out of Nancy Pelosi’s hands come next January. “And we’re going to do that so that during President (Donald) Trump’s second term, he has got a Republican majority in the House and a Republican majority in the Senate, and we are going to change this country for the better. I am looking forward to doing everything I can to help Republicans win up and down the ballot, and I am out of words—I am just so happy right now.” Richter added that he hoped to earn the support of anybody who voted for Gibbs, as well as any supporter of Barnegat Mayor John Novak, who had also announced his candidacy for the seat, but withdrew his name from the nominating convention Wednesday night. “I know I have to earn it, and I intend to,” Richter told those in attendance. “We are See RICHTER/ Page 7

Photo By Andy Milone

Seneca High School freshman Meghan Lepsis (right) signs her recently published book, ‘Lost at Sea,’ for DJ Brooks, 6, and Jaclyn Brooks, 10, during an Evening Book Fair and Ice Cream Social at Tabernacle Elementary School on Feb. 19.

By Andy Milone Staff Writer

TABERNACLE—New teenage author Meghan Lepsis can now call herself a celebrity alumnus of Tabernacle Public Schools. Lepsis, a Seneca High School freshman, recently authored her first book, “Lost at Sea,” and was a featured writer at an Evening Book Fair and Ice Cream Social hosted by Tabernacle Elementary School on Feb. 19, signing copies of her book about an eighth grade girl, whose search for her missing parents takes her on an unimaginable journey. Earlier in the day, Lepsis, accompanied by author Stephen Kozan, presented to kindergarten through fifth grade students about the process behind writing her new book. She

was not educating the next generation of writers because she merely took a couple of English classes and excelled, but because she recently became a professional writer at an unusually young age. “I had been wanting to write a book for many years now,” said Lepsis in a later interview with this newspaper. “I just never thought it would happen when at age 15.” Than ks to publishing company ReadyAimWrite Kids, which prides itself in being a “publishing company for books written by kids for kids,” the opportunity for Lepsis to publish a book arrived earlier than expected. “There are not many opportunities for kids See AUTHOR/ Page 14

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Washington Residents Contend County Does Not Even Know of Their Existence After County Route 542 Falls into Disrepair By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

WASHINGTON—A group of residents from Washington Township who are fed up with the condition of County Route 542 and alleged broken promises to repave the road are now considering taking their plight directly to the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders within the next month or two, and are calling on local elected officials to join them at a upcoming freeholder meeting. The residents, who have spoken out at the last couple of township committee meetings here, have also cited a lack of services from the county, contending that Washington (comprised of both Lower Bank and Green Bank) is a forgotten town. “As far as the county, they don’t even know we exist,” said resident Michael Peranteau during a March 2 township committee meeting. “What has it been, two years since they promised that they were going to re-do it? We can’t get any action at all. Somebody is going to get killed from one of those potholes or bumps and nobody will take responsibility for it.” In addition to the potholes and bumps on County Route 542, Great Swamp drainage issues have reportedly posed serious headaches for motorists traveling on County Route 542, between mile markers 16 and 17 due to recent rainfall. As previously reported by this newspaper, the township committee abruptly added a resolution to its meeting agenda in January, and unanimously passed it, expressing concern about the condition of County Route 542 and asked Burlington County to address the situation, following remarks and a presentation of photographs from resident Horace Somes indicating that overflow from the swamp is spilling over the roadway and then icing over during times of sub-freezing temperatures. The drainage issues are most prevalent at a “blind curve” in the road, making it particularly difficult for drivers to navigate, Somes said. Somes contended that drivers are not only coming up suddenly on icy conditions, but some are swerving away from the blocked lane at the curve into oncoming traffic. “It is just like what Horace said about that spot up on the turn—that is ridiculous,” said Peranteau on March 2. “With all of this rain, if it freezes, somebody is going to go off the road.” Peranteau added that he worries about his and the residents’ safety. Deputy Mayor Paul Seybold replied that he has “heard through the grapevine” that the county intends to pave County Route 542 this spring.

“How accurate that is—I just don’t know,” he said. Peranteau contended that he has not seen any signs of road construction on County Route 542 being imminent, such as survey markers. “If they wait another year—with so many cars on that road—it is just terrible,” Peranteau said. Seybold pointed out that asphalt plants tend to close during the winter months, though he could not say for certain whether that had any barring on the reported delay in paving the county road. Resident Bill Reagan asked the township committee if the county “does pave County Route 542” would it be possible for a stretch of the roadway near the Lower Bank Tavern to be designated as a no-passing zone. “I think that would make things a little safer,” Reagan said. “Cars are passing each other when I go out to get the mail, or when people are pulling out of their driveways around a bend.” Township Engineer Kevin Dixon replied that declaring part of the road a no-passing zone was something the township could “definitely” look into. He added the town could make a request if the need is warranted. “It is basically based on sight distance for passing,” Dixon said. Peranteau asked if it would be worthwhile for a group of residents to attend a freeholder meeting and take pictures with them “showing what we have and don’t have.” “We need to let them know we are alive and want some kind of service, even if it is bad” Peranteau said. Mayor Daniel James called it a “good question,” but said that he doesn’t have answer for Peranteau. “It couldn’t hurt,” James said. “I don’t know if it will help or not.” James asked residents to find out when the next freeholder meeting is, while Seybold declared, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Peranteau asked who would go and several residents nodded or raised their hands that they would join him up in Mount Holly for a meeting. James warned residents to get to the meeting early, contending that the freeholders meet in a facility with limited seating. Resident Barbara Cavileer, who is also the chief of the Green Bank Volunteer Ambulance Co., inquired whether it would be beneficial for residents to attend meetings of the county engineers to “get concrete answers.” However, Dixon pointed out that the engineers don’t hold formal meetings to his knowledge. “If they do (hold formal meetings), I would See COUNTY/ Page 11

AMBULANCE (Continued from Page 1)

Thomas was asked the question after OEMS Chief of Enforcement Eric Hicken, to whom anyone having “any questions concerning this matter” was referred in the letter, returned a call to indicate he was constrained from answering them. “I unfortunately cannot comment,” Hicken said. “I can’t answer questions. ... Everything has got to go through Dawn.” But a possible insight into the motivation behind the fine being levied, although one not directly related to the precise issues raised in the letter, was provided to the Pine Barrens Tribune by Scot Phelps, who on Feb. 19—the exact same date on which the letter to Shamong EMS was written—was “unexpectedly fired” from his position as director of OEMS, according to a report in the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS). (Phelps, incidentally, was one of four state government officials copied in the letter.) Phelps, reached via Facebook, offered a response to this reporter’s queries that hinted at the existence of a secretive Kafkaesque-type hierarchy within the OEMS and New Jersey Department of Health that takes whatever actions it sees fit, while offering little in the way of either accountability or transparency. When asked whether he thought there was any relationship between his sudden dismissal and the citation sent to Shamong, Phelps replied that he didn’t believe so, although he was never told the actual reason for his having been let go. (An online petition to have him reinstated, posted by a Haddon Township paramedic Corry Van Elsland, had garnered more than 2,500 signatures by Wednesday afternoon.) “My last performance review had the highest possible rating, and I had no disciplinary action at all,” he said. “When the Human Resources Director fired me, I did ask why, and was told, ‘We don’t have to tell you.’” However, Phelps noted that “there is a huge amount of turnover at the Department of Health,” and that he has worked with three assistant commissioners, three deputy commissioners and four commissioners during his nearly three-year tenure as EMS director. “All that said, I really don’t think there was any connection to fines and violations,” Phelps said. He then alleged that “many of these largedollar violations (involve) organizations which are trying to mix the rules that apply to nonbilling organizations”—those that state law calls “volunteer” (which he said has nothing to do with if their staffs are paid or not) —“and billing organizations.” “Many of the organizations did not create two separate corporations with a clear firewall between them when they decided they wanted to bill, and mixed staff, vehicles, and equipment,” he contended. “This is a huge problem for the

Saturday, March 7, 2020 New Jersey Department of Health and CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) because an ambulance organization is not permitted to bill some patients, but not others (under normal circumstances) because to CMS it suggests fraud and bias.” In his rebuttal to the state’s allegations, Everman noted that his unit had in fact begun billing insurance companies for certain patients whom it found had coverage for ambulance service “after the fact,” maintaining that by not doing so, Shamong EMS “was just saving the insurance companies money” that could help pay for needed supplies, equipment, gas and maintenance. But he acknowledged that “if you are going to bill for your services,” the state says “there needs to be two (certified) EMTs on the truck.” However, the shortage of such personnel (to which Everman recently drew attention in a guest commentary for this newspaper), Everman said, had put the local squad in the position of often having to use the services of a fireman who is a first responder in place of a certified EMT. As for the third truck referred to in the letter, which the squad “didn’t pay $2,000 to license,” Everman maintained, it was both fully equipped and had passed inspection by the New Jersey First Aid Council, and that the local EMS had been “told by the state to have two licensed ambulances and keep one unlicensed for just this purpose.” Everman, when asked why the third truck was used as often as it was, indicated it was mainly to avoid running afoul of the requirement for two EMTs on a licensed vehicle. Since being ordered by the state to discontinue the practice, Everman said, the local squad has frequently been forced to rely on EMS operations in neighboring Tabernacle and Medford, with resulting longer wait periods that could in some instances be putting patients’ lives in danger. “Let me put it this way,” he said. “If someone’s in cardiac arrest, unless CPR is started immediately, brain cells start to die in six minutes.” Everman also noted that this is not the first situation in which a community EMS has found itself being penalized by the state for violations of this nature after being led to believe they were sanctioned by the state. The Lanoka Harbor EMS, of Lacey Township, Ocean County, is also in the process of appealing a collective fine reportedly amounting to $617,000 that it was slapped with by the New Jersey Department of Health last month over the alleged use of unauthorized vehicles and understaffed crews or uncertified personnel on 911 calls. In a subsequent press release, which he told this newspaper would be his only statement while the appeal was pending, Lanoka Harbor EMS (LHEMS) Chief Justin Meehan asserted that there had never been “any complaints from a patient” about the organization’s “care or the See AMBULANCE/ Page 7

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adequately meet the needs of other growing districts.” As previously reported by this newspaper, enrollment in the Tabernacle Township School District continues to decline and it is the position of both Murphy and the NJDOE that a decrease in funding should coincide with the drop in enrollment. “When the transition to full funding is complete, all school districts will be funded as envisioned in the state’s school-funding formula: based on student enrollment and community factors,” said Murphy’s office in the statement. Christensen, during the Feb. 28 interview with this newspaper, pointed to the Tabernacle district being part of a coalition of nearly 100 school districts across the state, which have been negatively impacted by Bill S-2, known as Support Our Students, with the acronym of SOS, also the call letters of the international Morse code distress signal. He expressed optimism that the advocacy group could still affect change on legislators in Trenton, and bring about relief. “Through advocacy, we are trying to get the state to back our points, and at least spread it (the funding reductions) out over a greater period of time, rather than where it is at now,” Christensen said. “I think we are getting some attention. What has happened (parents and community members calling and writing legislators) so far has to continue, and resonate, so that legislators are hearing our position on state funding.” Among the “points” is that some school districts may have seen a decline in enrollment, but costs to operate the school district have only increased with new mandates and demands (technology and security, etc.). “I think that is a major part of it,” Christensen said. “Also, the type of learning we expect from kids such as problem solving and higher-order thinking requires a setting where kids can get attention and have their questions answered.” One possible effect of the SOS movement was a pronouncement by Murphy in his Feb. 25 (2020) budget address that he would allocate $50 million in “one-time” additional “stabilization aid” to school districts hit hard by school funding cuts. It was later said that districts can tap into the emergency fund if they can prove the money is needed and they are trying to reduce their reliance on state aid. “As we properly fund the school funding formula, we know that some districts continue to face challenges,” Murphy said. “So, our budget also includes $50 million to stabilize their finances without cutting vital student programs.” Christensen, during the Feb. 28 interview, noted that the Tabernacle district had yet to see the criteria for the emergency fund, and is still “mulling over how to qualify.” Christensen contended that if the efforts of advocates like SOS fail to bring about relief soon, the school aid cuts would “definitely have an impact” on programming and staffing in the Tabernacle district. Following a March 2 Tabernacle Board of Education meeting, DeWysockie told this newspaper that she had since received the eligibility requirements for the stabilization aid from the NJDOE and that because the Tabernacle district is considered “overadequacy” and has “reserves,” it is ineligible to apply for it. The Tabernacle Board of Education on Feb. 3 approved a plan to relocate second, third and fourth grade classes at Tabernacle Elementary School to Olson Middle School, beginning with the 2020-21 school year, to help offset the funding cuts, which are anticipated to add up to $2.6 million over a period of seven years, ending with the 2024-25 school year. The cost savings that the district “hopes to achieve” by doing so, according to Tabernacle

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Tabernacle Township School District Interim Superintendent Thomas P. Christensen.

Board of Education member Brian Lepsis, also the head of its Finance Committee, is around $200,000 in the first year and about $290,000 in each subsequent year after that, even though kindergarten and f irst grade classes will continue to be held at the elementary school. Lepsis previously contended that the relocation plan would save personnel, though it may still not be to avert additional layoffs of district personnel, or privatization of positions. The Tabernacle district RIFed four teachers and a principal last year. At recent board meetings, district faculty members have come forward to describe how they feel manpower is already stressed and the situation has reached a breaking point. “I don’t think we are at a breaking point right now, but I think it is coming in the next year or so,” said Christensen when asked about the concern of faculty members last Friday. “There will be larger class sizes and we won’t be able to provide the programming that we would like to provide.” During the 2018-19 school year, when the revised funding formula had its f irst-real impact on Tabernacle Public Schools, the district lost $198,000 in state aid, and this school year, the district has lost about another $312,000. The district is projected to lose another $596,575 in state aid during the 2021-22 school year, an additional $558,684 in state funding during the 2022-23 school year, another $347,400 in state aid during the 2024-25 school year and a further $109,705 in state aid during the 2024-25 school year. Lepsis previously warned that the Tabernacle school board is “more likely than not” going to come to a point where it will have to institute additional layoffs because the decision-making body is going to be “forced to make harder and harder, and worse and worse decisions” as a result of the anticipated aid reductions yet to come. As for whether layoffs would be required for this upcoming school year, Christensen said in the interview last Friday with this newspaper that he is currently waiting to see how many letters of retirement he receives from staff. He said there is the possibility of achieving some cost savings either by not filling positions that are vacated, or replacing retired staff with younger personnel who would be paid less. “There are some things we haven’t heard about yet that hopefully won’t result in us cutting positions for this upcoming school year,” Christensen said. However, with an approved budget for the 2020-21 school year due March 20 for review by the county superintendent, Christensen acknowledged that officials really can’t wait, but that if they “did find out” about retiring personnel, it “would be applied to the budget.” T he Taber nacle Tow nship Board of Education last month approved the sale of the former Tabernacle Schoolhouse, a landmark building located in the heart of Tabernacle at the intersection of Flyatt and Carranza roads, subject to review and acceptance by the board’s counsel of a finalized agreement of sale, to The Friends of Cyrus Partners II, LLC for $850,000. See FUNDING/ Page 6

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

FUNDING (Continued from Page 5)

At a March 2 Tabernacle Board of Education meeting, officials contended that a contract had not yet been signed and that the building is still considered “for sale” until it is sold. However, DeWysockie and Lepsis discussed that the difference between the current $605,127 state aid cut for the 2020-21 school year and the previous worst-case scenario of $520,000 was about $85,000, and that there was the belief the district would be OK as the Tabernacle schoolhouse is an all-electric building and that is probably how much will be saved in electricity bills if the sale of the school goes through. DeWysockie said the 2020-21 Tabernacle district tentative budget will assume the $85,000 savings. “Even though Sequoia, or school number one hasn’t been sold, there is obviously expenses related to that,” DeWysockie said. “It is a fully electric building, so we would obviously see some savings there. I am anticipating those savings in this budget, which is part of that $85,000 getting cut. So, I will be putting those savings in there as well. I think we are going to be OK. I am going to look at a couple more numbers, but hopefully, given the fact that the state did what they did, I think we are going to be alright.” Christensen, however, in a March 4 letter to parents, wrote that, “Last week, we learned the disheartening news that our state aid for the 2020-21 school year is cut by $605,127. This figure is higher than we anticipated and will cause the relocation of grades 2, 3 and 4 from the Tabernacle Elementary school to the Kenneth R. Olson Middle School and cutting of staff positions.” Christensen, who has taken over for Robbins since he vacated the Tabernacle district

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM superintendent position in late January, told this newspaper last Friday (Feb. 28) that his contract with the Tabernacle Board of Education is through June 30, but “he could go longer” in the role of interim superintendent with a “possibility of serving for two years.” An interim superintendent that previously retired from another school district, as Christensen did, can only serve a New Jersey school district for up to two years. However, while Christensen said he choose to get involved with Tabernacle Schools during the funding crisis because he “thinks he has ideas and leadership skills to help move the district forward with funding,” the interim superintendent also contended that it “is best” for the Tabernacle district to “try to get a permanent replacement.” He said the curriculum area, including math and language arts programs, need attention and a superintendent has to define “which direction the school district is going in.” Lepsis, during a December Tabernacle Board of Education meeting, said the “other savings we are evaluating as a board” include creating a joint superintendent/principal position to oversee both district schools in the wake of the resignation of Robbins, eliminating one high-paying administrative position. Christensen told this newspaper Feb. 28 that since starting in his Tabernacle role, he has arrived at work at 7:30 a.m. and doesn’t leave his off ice i nside Olson Middle School until after 5 p.m. He added that he thinks the joint superintendent/principal position the school board is considering “still needs some more discussion” and he has not really talked to the decision-making body about his position. “I think it is a difficult job to be doing this (serving as Tabernacle Schools superintendent) and handling another administrative position,” Christensen said. “A lot of paperwork is See FUNDING/ Page 14

Saturday, March 7, 2020

PINE KNOTS COLUMN

Civic Group Collects Donated Supplies for Non-Profit to Give to U.S. Troops By Ebba Liguori

For the Pine Barrens Tribune

PEMBERTON—Dozens gathered last month in the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township to collect items for the non-profit Operation Yellow Ribbon to send care packages to U.S. Troops deployed in the Middle East. Operation Yellow Ribbon of South Jersey, year-to-date, as of press time, has collected more than 17,230 pounds of items to send to the deployed soldiers. Tastykakes, protein/energy bars, protein powder, energy drink products, Mio liquid water enhancer, Rice Krispies, bagged tuna, bagged chicken, chewing gum, candy suckers, dry roasted peanuts, mixed nuts, potato chips in cans, trail mix, dried fruit, beef jerky, baby powder, baby wipes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, saline eye drops, Chapstick, powdered drink mix, tissues, hand sanitizer, game books, puzzle books, foot powder, sunscreen lotion, skittles, Twizzlers, breakfast bars, Slim Jim’s, ground coffee, tea, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and deodorant sticks were among the items collected through the Feb. 23 collection drive hosted by the Browns Mills Improvement Association (BMIA). Volunteers from Pemberton Township High School, the Pember ton Township Senior Center, the Presidential Lakes Civic Association, the Brow ns Mills Clip-it Club and Roughneck Bike Club assisted with the annual BMIA collection drive for Operation Yellow Ribbon. They filled boxes with donated items for nearly three hours. and when the collection drive concluded,

there were about a dozen or more very large boxes filled. Operation Yellow Ribbon, which accepts care package requests online, still has an ongoing need for the aforementioned items. Visit their website at www.operationyellowribbon.org for more on how you can assist this organization, which also helps to facilitate welcoming home events for local veterans in the South Jersey area. “These items will be packaged into personal gift packs and sent to military personnel at overseas bases,” said BMIA Board Member Nadirah Shakir, who chaired this year’s collection. “Each will include snack and personal items, and remind our troops that we at home care for them. They will provide a tangible sign of our gratitude for their service.” In keeping with BMIA’s commitment to civic engagement and keepi ng the community informed of happenings, the organization will host Pemberton Township School District Superintendent Tony Trongone on March 22 at 2 p.m. and Pemberton Township Mayor David Patriarca on April 26 at 2 p.m. The South Jersey Youth Orchestra will perform on May 17 at 2 p.m. These three Sunday BMIA meetings will be held at the BMIA Building on Arbutus Street. Additionally, the organization is currently accepting applications to award a $500 scholarship to a Pemberton Township High School student at an awards ceremony pla n ned for Ju ne 9. Applicat ions a re available through the school. Writing a short essay is a requirement of the application process.

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RICHTER (Continued from Page 3)

looking forward to a unified Republican effort the rest of the way, and Andy Kim, he has no idea what he is in for now.” Novak, when asked whether he intended to remain in the race, replied, “I am running in the primary.” “That is my plan, with the emphasis on plan,” he said. “I have investors who have invested

in me and the cause, and I owe them my best efforts.” Gibbs, at around 9:30 p.m. on March 4, just after the Ocean County convention wrapped up, thanked on her candidacy Facebook page all of her “supporters in Ocean County” who join the “multitude of voters in Burlington County” who have already pledged to support her in the primary. “I look forward to taking our case directly to the people in June,” she said. “I will flip this seat back to red with your support. Let’s do this!”

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quality of the vehicle” used in a response to an emergency. He also claimed that regulators had asked the squad to keep one ambulance unlicensed so it could be staffed with only one EMT without violating the requirement for two on a licensed ambulance, and that the practice of using one EMT and one driver with CPR certification when two EMTs were unavailable had been in use for the past 39 years, after being “reviewed and approved” by OEMS. Meehan further maintained that the letter he had received from the New Jersey Department of Health contained “numerous inaccuracies that were the driver behind an absurd fine of

DINER & B ON

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alleged non-compliances,” such as its having cited three vehicles that were not ambulances and were not used to transport patients. He concluded by declaring that the Lanoka Harbor squad remains committed to serving the community as it “fights to maintain its good name and reputation against these serious but unfounded allegations,” adding that the squad would continue to answer calls in LHEMS vehicles and collect from insurance companies. A similar note of indignation was sounded by Di Croce in regard to the latest fines against the Shamong EMS. “We have a volu nteer EMS t hat is neighbors helping neighbors,” he asserted. “I just think it is outrageous that a state entity would issue such a large f ine without m e e t i n g w it h t h e m t o d i s c u s s t h i s beforehand.”

RED LI

AMBULANCE

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the whole thing into a self-cleaning appliance when need be? It took me two hours, but I got it done. When I stood back and opened the refrigerator doors, it was almost as if a choir of angels shone a great light upon it and sang out “hallelujah,” much like they would have done if I had ever placed baby Jesus in the manger on Christmas morning. When Pat came to the house later that afternoon, he asked, “Did you have fun today?” “No,” I responded. “But I did replace the battery in the kitchen clock, and I did take down the nativity set, and I did another huge job.” “Did you hang the pictures in the basement that have been sitting around for a couple of months?” Pat asked. “No!” I replied. “Did you organize the linen closet that’s been bothering you?” Pat asked. “No!” I replied. “Did you clean out the kitchen cabinets, blow the leaves off of the patio or sweep out the garage?” Pat asked. “That is going to be a no, no and another no!” I replied. “Well then, what did you do?” Pat asked. “I cleaned out the refrigerator.” I replied. “Oh,” said Pat as he took a good look. “I didn’t even realize that it was dirty.” There is nothing worse than.

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Last Sunday, I had a whole afternoon free, and for the first time in a long time, I thought, “I can do whatever I want to do.” But sadly enough for me, I could not curl up with a good book, re-watch my favorite movies or treat myself to a home spa. No sir, I knew I would enjoy the day more, as well as the days that followed, if I completed one of the many tasks around the house that needed tending to. I first chose to replace the battery in our main clock in the kitchen (I thought about it every time I sat down and forgot about it as soon as I stood up.) I then made our messy bed (I still swear that my husband, Pat, is the one who balls the sheets up in the middle). After that, I packed up Mother Mary and her manger for the season. I also did laundry, washed the dishes and swept the floors. Then…I opened the fridge. Lord have mercy! Although I am good at tossing leftovers and ridding ourselves of outdated foods, I rarely find myself with enough time to tackle the glass shelving of the fridge and its cubbies. Can anyone tell me how all of the crumbs get strewn about and what they consist of? What a thankless chore! Yet I did it! I condensed pickle jars, tossed out old mayonnaise vessels and decided that if I needed readers to see an outdate, it was too old to keep. I scrubbed old spills, cleaned out drawers and cursed refrigerator manufacturers for making the whole mess so difficult to clean. After all, would it be that difficult to turn

♦ Page 7

Y R E S TA U

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Page 8 ♦

LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM

The Mouth:

Suzy Cohen

Gateway to Your Health

AMERICA’S PHARMACIST

The Dreaded ‘Black Line’

How to Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer

As fear of coronavirus (also now known as COVID-19) spreads across the U.S., many people have started buying hand sanitizer. However, hand sanitizer has already sold out in a lot of stores and the prices to purchase it online have skyrocketed due to sellers acting very opportunistically. Due to this supply and demand issue, I am offering you my best ideas to make a homemade hand sanitizer. The essential oils that I mention all have some degree of activity against pathogens. Do not spray any alternative solution on your face as doing so will likely cause your eyes to burn. These alternative solutions are for external application only. Hydrogen Peroxide: You can buy 3 percent hydrogen peroxide pretty much anywhere still. Put this in a spray bottle and use it like you would hand sanitizer. If you want to make it last longer, dilute it with a little bit of water. Tea Tree Essential Oil: Mix 10 drops of tea tree essential oil with approximately 4 ounces of water and put the resulting solution into a spray bottle. If the scent is too antiseptic for you, you can certainly add some other essential oil to the mixture, such as lemon or lavender, both of which offer even more antibacterial and anti-viral benefits. Eucalyptus in Aloe Vera: Pour 1 ounce of aloe vera gel or juice into a 4-ounce spray bottle. Then add 10 drops of essential oil of eucalyptus, and finally, fill the bottle to the

top with water. Distilled White Vinegar: Many of you have bottles of plain vinegar in your home to use as a cleanser, or in recipes. You can buy about a gallon of this stuff for only $5 and pour some into a bottle! Vinegar is a great disinfectant and is known to destroy many gram-negative bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella and other pathogens. If I choose this solution for my bottle, I would add 5 drops each of patchouli, lemongrass, tea tree and thyme. Rubbing Alcohol: If the stores run out of everything, you can always use rubbing alcohol to kill germs. I recommend you dilute by about 50 percent with water, and to cut down on the alcohol scent, add some essential oil of eucalyptus, lemon or orange. Colloidal Silver: Silver was the antibiotic of choice for years until propr ietar y d r ugs beca me available. Silver is a strong antibacterial. You can buy a bottle of colloidal silver and use it at 100 percent strength in a spray bottle. Don’t dilute it! I would personally recommend that you add 5 drops each of clove and eucalyptus to the silver. I want to make sure that you realize that hand sanitizers do not kill COVID-19. Nothing I say here is to be misconstrued as medical advice, and do not delay seek i ng med ical at tent ion if you have respiratory symptoms.

This information is not intended to treat, cure, or diagnose your condition. For more information, please visit www.SuzyCohen.com. © 2020 SUZY COHEN, RPH. DISTRIBUTED BY DEAR PHARMACIST, INC.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Over the years, many patients have expressed concern about a curious black line that appears around the gum line Dr. Richard Weber of a crown (or cap). It is very difficult to get a good view of our own mouths, but this black line is usually unmistakable. The first thing that comes to most peoples’ minds is often the worst-case scenario...a big, scary cavity, but this is not always the case! A black line at the gumline of a crown can mean a few things, some worse than others (and your dentist would need to perform a proper exam to find out what the issue is), but before you fret, you should know that many older crown materials will eventually have this problem and often times it is only a cosmetic concern. Up until about 10 years ago, most crowns were made from a porcelain layer that went over an underlying metal substructure. The metal can be visible where the tooth and gum meet. So why hasn’t this line been noticeable before? Dentists using “porcelain fused to

metal” crowns can hide the dark edge of the crown slightly under the gums, so it won’t show. Over time, however, it is very common for the gums to recede. When the gum retreats, the black line can appear. The treatment to remove the black line is to replace the whole crown. Fortunately, over the past 10-20+ years, there has been a revolution in “all-white” crowns. These crowns do not have a black line to show and are very strong. So, if (or when) your gums recede after such a crown is put in, there would be no obvious black line running along your gum!

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Saturday, March 7, 2020

WORSHIP GUIDE

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Trinity Episcopal Church

Join our Catholic faith community on the weekend -

18 Mill St. Vincentown, NJ 08088 Worship: Sundays 10 a.m. 609-859-2299

Mass Times: Saturday at 5:00 p.m. Sundays at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. or 6:00 p.m.

WELCOME! THEREFORIS AYOU!SEAT OPEN Visit our website for more information holyeucharist.org “Like” us on Facebook

First Baptist Church COME VISIT! We would love to meet you! Rev. John Vars, Pastor 39 Main Street Vincentown, NJ 08088 Sunday School..................................9:45 a.m. Sunday Worship Service .......................11 a.m. Cross Roads Youth Group - Sundays .......5 p.m. Bible Study - Wednesdays .................6:30 p.m. Prayer Fellowship - Wednesdays ........7:15 p.m. Adult Choir Practice - Wednesdays ....7:30 p.m.

Guard Your Heart

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” ­— Proverbs 4:23 NIV

W

e live in a wishing-cap world where many desires can be almost instantly fulf illed. Think of how easy it is to have food delivered right to your door, and how most material things can be delivered within hours, or at most a few days, assuming you have the means to pay for them. Almost any sound, image or piece of information can be summoned almost instantaneously via the internet. And not just ephemeral sounds or images, but whatever you desire. If you want a boyor girlfriend, there are apps which can help you with that. Looking for a spouse, or a house? There are apps and websites to help you there too. But what does this really do for us? The internet and all that goes with it doesn’t just gratify our desires, it also expands them. We are arguably living in

a time when most of us are demonstrably more anxious, frustrated, and uncertain about what we actually want out of life. With so many choices before us, we become paralyzed and unable to decide what we really want. What is a person to do? We should start by looking at our values. If we value love and integrity, as we should, perhaps we should be careful about what we let enter our lives. Dating apps are fine, and arguably make it easier to f ind someone who shares our values, but they might also make it too easy to instantly gratify urges or desires which don’t align with our deeper or more fundamental values. Consider your values before gratifying your unruly and ever-expanding desires.

Messiah Lutheran L Brethren Church “To Know Jesus Christ and to Make Him Known” Pastor Todd Anderson

www.MessiahLBC.church Church (609) 893-1700 530 Virginia Drive Presidential Lakes, NJ 08015

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Page 10 ♦

OPINION

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GUEST COMMENTARY

9th District Delegation Endorses Gibbs Our Delegation’s f irst priority is to act in the best interest of our constituents. That is why we are proud to endorse Kate Gibbs for Congress. This is not an endorsement that we made lightly because there is simply too much at stake for our state and nation. We are conf ident that Gibbs’ principled positions reflect those shared by many of our constituents who feel their f inancial security and health care are being threatened by socialist policies that too many Democrats want to impose on the American people. Unquestionably, Gibbs will be direct, forceful and unapologetic in taking on the far-left extremists in Washington who either don’t understand, or simply don’t care about the values that make America exceptional, which include expanding economic opportunity for all, the right to keep and bear arms and respect for the rule of law. In addition to having command of the issues and earning the respect of a growing number of supporters with each event she attends, Gibbs absolutely has the

CLARIFICATION

In a recent story stating that the Borough of Medford Lakes Council would soon hold a public hearing for a proposed ordinance that would change the date of all future nonpartisan municipal elections from the second Tuesday in May to the day of the November General Election, it was stated that “62 percent of borough residents voted in favor of moving the election as part of a non-binding referendum question on the ballot.”

Saturday, March 7, 2020 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: GOP Challenger for Kim’s Seat Says ‘Ethical Crime’ Ought to Disqualify Gibbs) Connors, Rumpf and Gove 9th District Delegation

drive and energy to turn the Third Congressional District Republican-red again this November. President Donald J. Trump’s administration wants and needs leaders in Congress who are committed to an America-First policy agenda here at home and abroad. We are confident Gibbs will be that leader who we can count on to always put her constituents first, which is why we are endorsing her for Congress. 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 County and part of Southern Ocean County.

It should have stated that “62 percent of borough residents who went to the ballot box in November voted in favor of moving the election as part of a non-binding referendum question on the ballot.” Councilman Dr. Gary Miller pointed out that 722 votes were cast to move the election, while 445 votes were cast to keep it in May. He said that the 722 votes cast represents 62 percent of the total votes cast for the non-binding referendum question, and reflects 21 percent of the total registered voters in the borough.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

“Let him without sin….”; you know the rest. How is Mr. Richter speeding and risking the lives of others, and then ignoring the courts, more ethical than being 20 years old and shoplifting? Though I side with neither candidate, I feel this discussion is petty. Let’s pick a candidate by their current selves. Thank goodness that is afforded me by society, as my young years would have condemned me! ~Daniel Patrick

(Re: Lenape Region Districts Hold Community Forum to Discuss State Aid Cuts and Encourage Activism)

Good grief, quit the fear-mongering! The fact is the enrollment is going down in each of these districts. So.....less kids equal less money. It is not rocket science, folks. Plus, take at a look at the administrators our school districts have. What the heck do they even do? Do you know we pay a school employee a salary of over 100k per year to monitor diversity? ~Mark Carter

(Re: Woman Charged with Failure to Yield After Head-On Collision Injures Three)

That intersection is horrible. There should be an entrance heading into Vincentown only with no exit to Route 206. I always use the exit from town with a traffic light.

Congressman Kim Has Genuine Character and Recognizes Sacrifices of U.S. Soldiers

I recently learned about guests that Third Congressional District Rep. Andy Kim took to the State of the Union speech last month—the DeMona family. Melissa DeMona’s incredible courage, and her family’s service and sacrif ice, was both heartwarming and tear inducing, and as I learned about the way in which she had been invited to the address, I was moved beyond words. These days it is easy to throw around soundbites and attack members of Congress for their votes if they don’t align with exactly what you believe, but after learning about the way in which Kim had originally reached out to Melissa DeMona shortly after her most recent loss, and how he has then kept in touch with her over time to make sure she and her family are doing OK, speaks to much more than voting decisions—it speaks to genuine character. It has been obvious that Kim takes his responsibilities

to his constituents seriously, especially for those most in need of support. Is has also been obvious from his focus on Fort Dix that he cares deeply about our military—working on key issues such as getting higher pay for our military, getting more jobs for military spouses, and delivering cleaner safer water on the base with the phasing out of PFAS chemicals. Whether you are Democrat or Republican, hearing this DeMona story and reading about how Kim has become “like a friend” to the family (to quote Mrs. DeMona), you can come to the conclusion that the Congressman is a truly decent man who acts with integrity, decency and compassion towards his constituents. I am deeply grateful for the sacrif ices Melissa Demona’s family has made and I am thankful that I have a Congressman who recognizes that sacrifice. Kate Wilson Moorestown, New Jersey

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.

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P.O. Box 2402, Vincentown, New Jersey 08088 Phone: 609-801-2392 • Fax: 609-801-2395 Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.pinebarrenstribune.com 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. © 2020 Pine Barrens Tribune

Saturday, March 7, 2020

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COUNTY

(Continued from Page 4) attend them all,” Dixon declared, noting he had never attended a Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders meeting. Dixon, however, noted that residents “would definitely be recognized” if they attend a freeholder meeting. Peranteau called on members of the township committee to join the residents at an upcoming freeholder meeting to make a stronger argument that residents “aren’t getting satisfaction.” Committeeman C. Leigh Gadd Jr. and James replied that they would check their availability, but if they are available, they definitely would like to attend the meeting. “The more people we can get, the better,” Peranteau said. “Even if one person gets up to speak, if residents got up and stood alongside them, it (would make a point.)” James told those considering attending a freeholder meeting that a list of concerns needs to be made. Dixon said he has notes he could share listing all of the concerns and issues with County Route 542. “Even along River Road, where there is a pothole washing out, it is going to wash out eventually into the road if they don’t do something with it,” Peranteau said. “That is a safety hazard there, too.” Gadd replied that County Route 542 is the township committee’s main objective. “Everybody here knows about that road,” Gadd said. Nicholas Gangemi, a spokesman for Burlington County, told this newspaper that the county has five-road-section field offices geographically throughout the county and paving in “section five” will begin on or about

March 16, weather permitting. He said section five includes roads in Woodland, Washington and Bass River townships, along with roads in parts of Shamong and Tabernacle townships. “In the meantime, the county has been patching potholes, and will continue to do so as needed until the contractor starts the state funded overlay program in the next few weeks,” Gangemi said. Gangemi, when asked what specific length of County Route 542 is being paved and when, said “that information is not available yet.” “As soon as it is, I will reach out,” Gangemi said. At a Feb. 4 township committee meeting, resident Ron Hill, who was not in attendance at the March township committee meeting, repeatedly called County Route 542 “a disgrace.” “It is absolutely a disgrace,” Hill said. “There are potholes; there are cracks; there is everything you can imagine. The worst thing is that so-called bump strip that runs across there (in the center of the road).” Hill cited resident accounts that starlings were bathing in the water that had collected in the ripples created to make the strip, and contended that when residents pass vehicles and hit the water collected in the strip, there is now greater chances of hydroplaning. James, at the time of Hill’s comments, contended that he “didn’t see a purpose” in having a bump strip on County Route 542 and would write a letter to the county requesting that one not be put in when the road is repaved. “I have a very low opinion of the freeholders,” Hill said. “…I feel that their reluctance, in my opinion, to repave the road and leave out the bump strip is discriminatory.”

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

37. Card game 38. The highest point in the development 39. Oh, God! 40. Wives (law) 41. Monetary unit of Samoa 42. Supplements with difficulty 43. Valentine’s Day color

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10. Path 12. Repeated tones 14. Expresses surprise 15. Monetary unit of Burma 17. When you hope to get there 19. Brighten 20. Fifth note of a major scale 23. Dark brown timbers of tropical trees 24. We all do it 25. Scrounges 26. Unit of energy 27. Begin to be 28. Midway between northeast and east 29. Distinctive practice 30. Succulent plants 31. Performer 32. Gas station term 33. Required 34. Soviet monetary unit 36. Eating house

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

FUNDING (Continued from Page 5)

required and people are looking to you to initiate new programs and being involved in the day-to-day operations of the school district.” As previously reported by this newspaper, DeWysockie, who began her tenure with the Tabernacle district at the same time as Robbins, turned in her letter of resignation effective April 29, if not sooner should an interim replacement be found. It was recently noted that DeWysockie worked evenings, weekends and holidays in the business administrator and board secretary post when the Tabernacle Board of Education accepted her resignation. The public has recently inquired at school board meetings whether there could be some additional cost savings found through a shared service agreement for the business administrator and board secretary post. The neighboring Woodland Township School District recently began to utilize the business administrator and board secretary services of Laura Archer, employed by the Shamong Township School District. “For the BA post, we are still currently looking,” Christensen told this newspaper. “We currently have a small pool of candidates, but we are still trying to stimulate interest in the position. It is a concern of mine to make sure someone is in place in the interim, or on a permanent basis.” Christensen added that the Tabernacle district is still looking for a technology coordinator and will be “interviewing in

AUTHOR

(Continued from Page 3) in publishing,” said Kozan, who founded the publishing company in 2018 and authored “The Journal of a Lifetime,” “The Great Green Tree,” and the Magical Ladders. Since last year, the company has published 23 books written by those between the ages of 10 and 16. Eight more books by youth are in the works, according to Kozan. Kozan added that what makes it challenging for kids to publish their stories is that “all of the big publishers care about followers on social media and sales platforms,” and therefore “hardly listen to the story idea anymore.” Kozan provides youth, such as Lepsis, with opportunities to become published authors through his “Flash Fiction” contests, part of his author visits. The winner has their book published. Lepsis, while in seventh grade, submitted an approximately 200-word paragraph for the contest containing what she believed had the potential to be expanded into a complete storyline. Lepsis was a contest finalist, but was not the recipient of a blue ribbon. However, she came close enough to capture Kozan’s attention. “He (Kozan) emailed me last January, and told me that I should continue writing my book,” she said. “I did, and I handed in my first seven chapters. He emailed me a week later offering to publish it.”

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the next week or two” for that position. As previously reported by this newspaper, the Tabernacle district’s technology director and assistant technology director resigned amid the school funding crisis. “We are currently using an outside vendor to provide IT support in the interim,” Christensen said. Some school districts affected negatively by the revised school funding formula have joined forces with their respective municipal government in lobbying Trenton to act, and to come up with possible alternatives. As previously reported by this newspaper, Dr. Megan Jones, a Tabernacle Board of Education member who serves as the liaison between the township and school board, said on Feb. 17 that she had “reached out to the mayor via email” to express the decision-making body’s interest in setting up a meeting. “I have not heard back from the township committee,” Jones said. Amanda Williams, a parent who has been in attendance at recent school board meetings, asked the township committee during its Feb. 24 meeting if the municipality has met with the Tabernacle school board. “The township has not met with the school,” said Mayor Kim Brown, while Jones was in the audience. “I have not been contacted to have a meeting arranged yet. I believe it is in the works, but it has not yet happened. That is your answer to your question, the school has not reached out to the township.” Brown, after the Feb. 24 township committee meeting, when read back Jones’ Feb. 17 statement contending that she had not heard back from the township committee, replied, “I find that extremely hard to believe!” She The end product, “Lost at Sea,” is a 190-page realistic fiction novel geared for fourth through eighth grade students. “It was the details in her story,” said Kozan of why he offered Lepsis a special opportunity to have her piece published. “She was really mapping things out. A lot of kids do not have that direction.” Lepsis, a lifelong Tabernacle resident, said her writing process developed over many years, and she used a page of her book to a ck nowledge t he suppor t of many people along the way, including her family. “The first thing I do when I write is create an outline with characters and a synopsis of what is going to happen in each chapter, so I have a rough draft of what I know I can do,” Lepsis said. “That (plan) changes throughout the writing of the book.” Beth Pfleger, Lepsis’ grandmother, told this newspaper that her granddaughter started writing when she was only 7 or 8 years old. “I am just so proud,” she said. Lepsis, having not been raised by a family of writers, credited many former Language Ar ts teachers who taught her over the years for her recent success, including Frances Hahn, Diane Lewis, Jean Drozd, David Stecher and Karen McLaughlin. Some of the kids throughout the day suggested Lepsis write a sequel to “Lost at Sea”; however, Lepsis said she already has an outli ne i n place for a second book relating to a time when someone she loved passed away from cancer.

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Saturday, March 7, 2020

also replied “Yes!” when asked if she would be willing to meet with the school board and that she would go with a “hard Yes!” when asked if she was concerned about its predicament. Christensen, when asked by this newspaper on Feb. 28 about the discrepancy, replied that what he can say is that he hasn’t had any real contact with the township. “I’ll tell you this though, when I was super intendent of Shamong Tow nship Schools, I had a very good relationship with the township committee,” he said. “That was during a time when school budgets were voted on by the public, and sometimes would go to the township committee if they were voted down to be rectified.” Christensen said that as a result of the thenworking relationship between the Shamong Township School District and Shamong Township, the municipality set aside $25,000 annually for emergencies. “Luckily, with the outcomes of the past budget votes in Shamong, we never had to use the $25,000,” Christensen said. “We always reached an agreement, but it was a back-up just in case we needed it. Something like that only happens because of a good working relationship.” Christensen said he would like the Tabernacle School District and Tabernacle Township to develop the same kind of working relationship. “I went to the township committee meetings in Shamong each month when I was the superintendent of schools there, and I invited the elected officials to meetings with the school district,” Christensen said. Christensen, when asked why such a

relationship hasn’t yet been formulated in Tabernacle, replied it is “just a timing factor,” though he did confirm that Tabernacle Mayor Kim Brown is a secretary at Olson Middle School. “It is a sensitive, touchy issue that you don’t want to be in a person’s work environment,” Christensen said. During the March 2 Tabernacle Board of Education meeting, Jones said that “apparently” her original email went into Brown’s spam folder. “It has happened to all of us,” Jones said. “It is not the first time in my career that I have ended up in a spam folder. She is going to look at their next meeting to tap a couple of people on the shoulders (to meet).” Christensen, on Feb. 28, indicated to this newspaper that finding a solution to the school funding crisis needs to be inclusive of all stakeholders and community members. “We’re just asking the community to continue to support our efforts to keep our legislators informed, and continue to remai n vocal about t he need s of t he Tabernacle district,” he said. “I think a lot more can be done, though I’d say there has been genuine concern and interest in pushing legislators.” As for those who may point to the recent relocation plan, for example, as evidence that Murphy and the NJDOE is correct that the Tabernacle district was overfunded and had areas where it could cut and make due, Christensen said, “to me these are like desperate issues or reactions to having to f ind money to suppor t education of kids in a school district.”

Full Synopsis of “Lost at Sea” For most eighth graders, their parents’ sudden disappearance would be the biggest nightmare imaginable. For Amber and her brother Kenny, the nightmare is only beginning. Before this, Amber’s biggest worries were f itting in at high school, finding time with her two favorite cousins, and watching her brother while her parents were away. But when the Coast Guard calls with terrible news—and Amber’s ominous dream about a ship lost at sea proves all too prophetic— everyones’ lives are changed forever. With the help of headstrong Jenna, easygoing but reliable Mike, and an overly helpful policeman with mysterious motives, Amber sets off on the rescue mission of a lifetime. But their eagerness quickly leads them straight into stormy waters…literally! After a violent storm, a surprising discovery in a cave, and the very real threat of physical

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