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| rcbc.edu/rsvp/medicare Depending on your income,Depending you may beon able to: income, you maymippa@rcbc.edu Formore more information: information: your be able For to:
Accommodations are availableProgram for deaf and hard of hearing. Retired and SeniorVolunteer Volunteer Program ofofBurlington County Retired and Senior Burlington County
• Eliminate your Part D premiums • Eliminate your Part D premiums • Receive subsidized prescription • Receive copays subsidized prescription copays • Eliminate Medicare Part B premiums • Eliminate Medicare Part B premiums • Get home energy assistance up to $225 annually • Get home energy assistance up to $225 annually
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This project was supported, in part by grants from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions.
This project was supported, in part by grants from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL or CMS policy. Department of was Health and Human Grantees projects under government sponsorship to express freely(CMS) their of findings conclusions. This project supported, in partServices. by grants from the U.S.undertaking Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Centersare for encouraged Medicare & Medicaid Services the U.S.and Department Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL or CMS policy.
of Health and Human Services. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL or CMS policy.
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Accommodations are available for deaf and hard of hearing. Accommodations available deaf and hard1of- May hearing. Vol. 5 – No. 30 ♦ The Newsare Leader of thefor Pines ♦ May 7, 2021
Controversial Tree Law Could Soon Be Revised Medford Council Considers Allowing Firewood Stands on ‘Arterial Roads’ This project was supported, in part by grants from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department as Product Is of Local Origin, This project was supported, in part by grants from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of theSo U.S. Long Department of Health and Human Services. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or of Health and Human Services. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or One of Several Changes Entertained opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL or CMS policy. opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL or CMS policy.
GRADING A PROSPECTIVE GET-TOGETHER
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By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
1/22/20 12:04 PM
Photo By Andrew King
Feasibility Study on Possible Consolidation of Pinelands Regional District with Elementary Schools in 4 Towns It Serves Due Out by Mid-Summer
By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer
LITTLE EGG HARBOR—In about three months, residents and employees of the Pinelands Regional School District, which comprises grades 7 through 12, can expect to receive an expert evaluation of whether the idea of expanding the district to put all the schools in the four municipalities it serves under one
administrative umbrella deserves an A, an F, or a grade somewhere in between. The possible consolidation of the Pinelands district’s high school and junior high with the elementary school districts of Little Egg Harbor Township, Tuckerton Borough and Eagleswood Township, all in Ocean County, and the Burlington County township of Bass River to form a K-12 entity is now officially in a preliminary stage of
consideration. But the advisability of any such eventual merger taking place is yet to be determined, and even if deemed a good idea, it has a long way to go before being put to voters of those communities and then actually implemented if approved. In the first of what he indicated would be many updates on a study now being made of the feasibility of such a consolidation, See PINELANDS/ Page 15
MEDFORD —A controversial tre e ordinance unanimously adopted by Medford 1/22/20 12:04 PM Township Council last October might be amended soon, having the potential to reignite controversy. Some of the changes that are said to be forthcoming have reportedly been requested by the Pinelands Commission, which conducts a review of all township ordinances to ensure compliance with the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP) [given that part of the municipality falls within the Pinelands designated area]. The tree ordinance currently states, in regards to any required replanting of trees, that the “species of each newly planted tree shall be selected from the native species ‘Preferred Tree List’ of the Pinelands Commission. But the Pinelands Commission, according to Township Solicitor Timothy Prime, actually does not maintain such a list, but rather a “fact-sheet” about “native Pinelands plants and landscaping.” “So, we are going to adopt an amendment to include those provisions in the ordinance, instead of the Pinelands ‘Preferred Tree List,’” Prime said. Up to three trees may be removed every 12 months for any reason from an existing lot within the Township of Medford, which contains a residential dwelling, but no more than 10 trees may be removed, for any reason, from an existing lot which contains a residential dwelling within any five-year See FIREWOOD/ Page 9
INDEX Business Directory... 14
Marketplace.................12
Local News................. 2
Mother’s Day Guide.... 3
Worship Guide.......... 13
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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
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Saturday, May 1, 2021
Bass River Residents Support Letting Cannabis Businesses Open in Town, Hopeful Such Firms Bring Needed Revenue By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
BASS RIVER—It took only 50 minutes, somewhat to the surprise of Bass River Township Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope, who had anticipated that it “might be a long night,” for residents of the municipality to say their peace about whether they were for or against allowing cannabis businesses in town. That is because of the 12 residents who attended a telephonic special meeting of the Bass River Board of Commissioners April 12 for the sole purpose of allowing the governing body to hear input on whether or not it should allow such businesses, ten were strongly in favor of allowing them, one wasn’t sure if she was for or against allowing them, and another just briefly questioned if officials had a plan to regulate usage of the drug near a municipal park where children are often at play. “Most everybody” attending the meeting “being in favor” of the municipality allowing for cannabis businesses was a result of their understanding that it would potentially answer the township’s longsought need to identify new sources of recurring revenue in the wake of the state not only previously cutting Payment-inLieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) contributions to the municipality for preserved open space, but stringent regulations it imposed decades ago (through the Pinelands Commission) on commercial development in such Pinelands towns, which has resulted in a diminished local commercial ratable base. “The Pinelands (Commission) has got us hogtied with businesses in our area,” said resident Howard “Howie” Rothschild. “One thing they don’t have control of is agriculture, and that is what this falls under. I think we should try to get as many licenses as we can, and grow as much as we can, because we need the money.” As one individual attending the special me et i ng ob s er ve d a ft er he a r i ng no loud objections, “We have a very great opportunity being a small town to make a jump on this, whereas some other larger municipalities are struggling to find a common ground.” Since Democratic Governor Phil Murphy signed three historic adult-use cannabis reform bills into law on Feb. 22 – which not only legalized cannabis use and possession for adults 21 years and older, but also promulgated regulations to govern the medical and adult-use industries and oversee the applications for the licensing of cannabis businesses – some municipalities have heard both strong support for and against such businesses, given that it is ultimately local decision under the new legislation to allow five of six “marketplace” classes of licensed cannabis businesses: • Class 1 Cannabis Grower License: for facilities involved in growing and cultivating cannabis; • Class 2 Cannabis Processor License: fo r fa c i l i t i e s i nvo l v e d i n t h e manufacturing, preparation, and packaging of cannabis items; • Class 3 Cannabis Wholesaler License: for facilities involved in obtaining and selling cannabis items for later resale by other licensees; • Class 4 Cannabis Distributor License: for businesses involved in transporting cannabis items in bulk intrastate, from one licensed cannabis establishment to another; • Class 5 Cannabis Retailer License: for locations at which cannabis items and paraphernalia are sold to consumers; and • Class 6 Cannabis Delivery License: for
businesses providing courier services for a licensed cannabis retailer (towns must allow this one). According to various published reports, several municipalities, including Lakewood and Ocean City, have since banned local marijuana sales and/or production under a provision of the legislation that enables them to do so. Bass River Township Solicitor JoAnne I. O’Connor pointed out that municipalities have until Aug. 21, under the legislation, to decide whether or not to “opt out” of the state’s cannabis business licensing program, (or take any action to prohibit marijuana sales and/or production in the township). However, if the governing body decides to take no action, “you are presumed to be included” in the state’s cannabis licensing program, (or, in other words, the township is presumed to allow local marijuana businesses and sales). “If you choose to opt out, you can opt in at any time,” O’Connor said. “However, if you decide to move forward with it (allowing local cannabis operations), you have to wait for a five-year period in order to opt out. Once that five-year period ends, then you would have 180 days to opt out. However, if any businesses have established themselves during that five-year period, they would be grandfathered in.” The governing body, she noted, if it allows for cannabis businesses in town, can deter m ine the type of allowable operations (choosing from any one of the six marketplace licensing classes set by the state), govern their location, dictate hours of operation and limit the number of available licenses (or limit how many can exist). “Overall, the state will issue 37 cultivating licenses, but that is on a large scale,” O’Connor said. “What is up to the municipalities is how many ‘microbusinesses’ they want to allow. Again, microbusinesses still have to apply to the state with a municipality endorsement. So, the municipality can limit or expand the number of microbusinesses that they allow.” A municipality, through a license, can assess up to a two percent tax on marijuana sales, O’Connor declared. “You can charge a tax on each of the businesses,” O’Connor said. “So, from a cultivator, to a wholesaler or a manufacturer or retailer, there are additional taxes along the way. The only thing you can’t tax is a Class 6 license, which is a delivery service.” While Com missioner Nicholas Capriglione pointed out that the township would make potentially $20,000 on a $1 million worth of marijuana sales (should it implement the full two percent tax), and contended that he didn’t know if microbusinesses “could have that kind of output,” Evan Manaresi, a resident who announced during the meeting his interest in starting a cannabis cultivation site on Ishmael Road, replied, “I think you are underestimating the scale.” “If you are only doing a $1 million in sales, you are not doing a very good job because that is on the low-end,” Manaresi maintained. “And if you allow retail sales, you actually double that (tax revenue), because you get two percent of each sale – a wholesale sale and then again at retail price.” Manaresi, who is seeking a “microbusiness cultivation license,” put the potential revenue to be generated through the special tax in context by pointing out that the governing body introduced a $1,524,678 municipal budget for this year during an April 4 board meeting. “So, if you had a $2 million business, that is $40,000 (in revenue), and that is a good percentage of the budget,” he said during See CANNABIS/ Page 10
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MOTHER’S DAY GUIDE
♦ Page 3
Celebrating MOMS Everywhere 4 Mother’s Day gifts
to help Mom relax Would you like to help your mom relax and unwind this Mother’s Day? If so, here are a few gift ideas that may be a good fit. 1. OVERNIGHT STAY AT A HOTEL There’s nothing like a change of scenery, even a brief one, to take the edge off the daily grind. Depending on her tastes, opt for something sleek and polished in town or quaint and charming off the beaten track. With room service and onsite
amenities, Mom will be able to indulge in a little pampering. 2. HOME-DELIVERED MEAL Help your mom take a break from cooking by serving her a meal she doesn’t have to make. Order a dish she loves from her favorite restaurant or buy the ingredients to prepare it yourself. Either way, she’s sure to appreciate your thoughtfulness. 3. BASKET OF BATH PRODUCTS Give your mother an excuse to bask in the bath by offering her an assortment of goods. Put together a basket filled with bubble bath, a sponge, scented candles, a bottle of wine, a box of chocolates and other treats for a relaxing experience. 4. SPA TREATMENT AND MASSAGE This guaranteed anti-stress remedy is the perfect way to help Mom unwind. If you’re not sure which types of massages
and treatments she would enjoy, opt for a gift card from a place that offers a variety of services. From scented oil diffusers and adult coloring books to foot massagers and facial steamers, there are many other gifts that can help your mom relax. Look for these and other products and services in your region.
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MOTHER’S DAY GUIDE
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Saturday, May 1, 2021
Flowers for the Mothers
in Your Life
Giving flowers on Mother’s Day is a time-honored tradition. If you’re looking to show your mom, your grandmother or the mother of your children that you care, here are some suggestions.
shrubs like rhododendrons and lilacs are all good choices. Assess the landscaping of the yard to help you make the right choice. Alternatively, ask a professional at your local nursery for suggestions.
CUT FLOWERS Fresh bouquets are sure to please the ladies in your life. Offer them bundles of cut roses, gerberas, tulips, camellias, carnations, irises, lilies or birds of paradise. Select blooms in their favorite colors or fragrances, or let your florist make a custom arrangement.
FLOWERS FOR THE GARDEN If the mother you’re celebrating has a green thumb, consider giving her a new plant for her garden. Pretty perennials like primroses and peonies or flowering
FLOWERING POTTED PLANTS There are many types of flowering plants that make great Mother’s Day gifts. You could get an African violet or orchid for her home, or a hanging basket or rose bush for her yard. Just be sure the person receiving your gift is interested in keeping the plant alive. When in doubt, look for easy-to-carefor plants like peace lilies and Christmas cacti. Regardless of what type of flowers you buy for Mother’s Day, remember to include a card. The best part about your gift is sure to be that it came from you.
3 Special Ways to
Celebrate Mother’s Day Do you want to pull out all the stops for Mother’s Day this year? Whether your mom lives nearby or far away, here are a few ways to celebrate the occasion. THEME PARTY Host an event your mom will never forget by choosing a theme. You could make the celebration a beach party, a Victorian ball, a Mexican fiesta, a casino night soirée or a Great Gatsby-style bash. Consider your mom’s tastes and get creative. Think about the decorations, costumes, music and other details so everyone can truly immerse themselves in the chosen universe. FUN ACTIVITY Celebrate your mom by doing something together that you know she enjoys. It could be a walk in the forest, a visit to a museum, a day at the spa, a hot air balloon ride or a wine tasting at a local vineyard. If Mom would prefer to stay home, consider playing board games or having a movie marathon with all of her favorite snacks. Give
her a unique experience and she’s sure to be pleased by your thoughtfulness. VIDEO CALL If you can’t get together with your mom in person, organize a video call that shows her how much you care. You could read her a letter or poem you wrote for the occasion, share a festive meal together despite the distance or play an assortment of games to brighten up her day. So, what kind of celebration will you put together for Mother’s Day?
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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
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Saturday, May 1, 2021
Request to Set Up Hot Dog Stand in Parking Lot Leased to Bass River Not Moved Ahead Over Several Concerns
Sewer Fee Increase Proposed for Offshore Manor, Bass River Budget Introduced with Tax Cut Planned
Board of Commissioners Contends Other ‘Avenues’ Exist, Proprietors Now Hope to Open on Route 9 Around May 1
Commissioners, However, Consider Adopting Note to Finance Purchase of New Fire Truck for New Gretna Volunteer Fire Co.
By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
BASS RIVER—A request to set up a hot dog stand on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at a gravel lot leased by Bass River Township for its municipal building, court and park parking has not been moved forward by the Bass River Board of Commissioners due to a variety of concerns. The proprietors of the hot dog stand, Jim and Jackie Rupinski, now hope to open elsewhere for the summer. Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope and Deputy Mayor Louis “Lou” Bourguignon informally recommended during the board’s regular April meeting that the Rupinskis instead seek an alternate location for the hot dog stand, instead of the municipal parking lot. Commissioner Nicholas Capriglione was absent from the meeting. The parking lot is catty-corner from the intersection of Route 9 and North Maple Avenue, which often sees a tremendous amount of shore traffic pass through during the summertime. “The thing is, if we do it for one person on township property, we have to do it for others,” Buzby-Cope said. “This would open up a can of worms. We can’t just do it for one person.” The mayor added that since the parking lot is leased by the township, allowing for such a stand would also result in a “breach of contract.” Bourguignon, with confirmation from Township Solicitor JoAnne I. O’Connor, noted that the township could also possibly be named in any lawsuit should there be an incident, despite the hot dog stand owner having reportedly retained insurance. “That is a tough location, getting in and out of that driveway,” Buzby-Cope contended. “People are going to congregate. And it might be a lot of people.” Both Buzby-Cope and Bourguignon stated that it was their understanding that the Rupinskis had other locations offered to them in the township, including along Route 9, and that as many as five locations for the hot dog stand were originally presented to the township Planning Board. “I mean there are other people offering
(a location) on Route 9; I would like to know why they are not choosing Route 9,” Bourguignon said. Buzby-Cope agreed that she too would like to know the “status of those locations.” As for the breach of contract potential, O’Connor maintained that Jackie Rupinski had initially received approval from the parking lot’s landlord to set up the hot dog stand there, but that it was made on the “mistaken assumption” that she got approval from the municipality after the stand owner appeared before the planning board (the commissioners have the final say). “She had told the landlord the township is OK with this, when in fact the township was not,” O’Connor said. “As soon as the landlord heard that the township was not in agreement with this, and there was a potential breach of the lease agreement, he revoked his approval for it and told her she can’t do this unless the township agrees to it. “… I mean the township is leasing the property. You are entitled to full enjoyment of that property for township purposes. So, as soon as the landlord was made aware of that, he removed his approval.” The solicitor said that she spoke to Jackie Rupinski prior to the meeting, and the stand proprietor wanted to know if adjustments made to the planned days or hours of operation would change the minds of the commissioners to give her the township approval. Bourguignon noted he was aware of at least one private property owner offering the Rupinskis a location on Route 9 to set up the hot dog stand. O’Connor confirmed that was the case. “That is the perfect solution,” Bourguignon said. “So, there is a place for them to go. Let’s see how that works out for them. So, the best avenue is to check the other avenues first. We will address it later if something comes to us again.” Jim Rupinski later told this newspaper that he and his wife “are just starting out with the cart” and, “I will be on Route 9, in New Gretna, May 1, if all goes well.”
By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
BASS RIVER—A sewer maintenance fee assessed to all property owners in the Offshore Manor section of Bass River Township could rise for the first time in more than eight years. An ordinance was introduced by the Bass River Board of Commissioners, during its April regular meeting, which would increase the annual fee from $100 to $150, according to Acting Bass River Township Clerk Elizabeth Godfrey. A second reading and public hearing of the ordinance is tentatively scheduled for May 3. 105 property owners, Godfrey said, would be affected by the increase. “We have had a lot of expenses recently,” noted Bass River Mayor Deborah BuzbyCope. “And the fee hasn’t been raised in a long, long-time.” Godfrey, when asked for more details by this newspaper, replied that the “cost of maintaining the system has increased” and that the fee has not changed since 2013. Chief Financial Officer Al Stanley declared during the same meeting that he had “nothing but good news” to share about the state of the township’s financial affairs and municipal budget he helped prepare for 2021. Despite the Coronavirus pandemic, the township “did well” in collecting taxes for 2020, he said, and “exceeded some of our miscellaneous revenues from last year.” He also attributed the current state-of-affairs to the board deciding in 2019 to raise local taxes significantly in the wake of both declining ratables and a cut in Payment-inLieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) contributions for preserved open space. As a result of the increased collections and improved economic front, Stanley recom mended the board introduce a municipal budget for this year with a $0.007 decrease in the local tax rate, which it ultimately did. If the proposed $1,524,678 budget is approved by the board in May, a home assessed at the township average of around $200,000 would see a decrease in local taxes of $15, Stanley contended. However, the township’s volunteer fire
company (New Gretna) is reportedly in need of a new fire trucks, with Deputy Mayor Louis “Lou” Bourguignon pointing out that all of them are 25 years old or older. Previous attempts to obtain a federal grant for the replacements were unsuccessful, he added. Stanley explained that small communities, such as Bass River, “often get the shortend of the stick” because federal funding is often based on population size, with larger populations favored. “The people who need it (federal funding) are the small communities, but the big communities wind up with it for the fire trucks,” Bourguignon said. One new fire truck, “at a minimum,” according to Stanley, costs $700,000 and takes about a year-and-a-half to get delivered. Stanley suggested that the commissioners consider “issuing a note, collect the cash and pay the note down each year.” The down payment, some five percent, could come from the township’s capital improvement fund, for example, he said. The township, he said, would then enter into a payment schedule, potentially paying the full cost of a new fire truck over 10 to 20 years (a “permanent bond,” he said, could be adopted a few years after the purchase allowing for the 20-year period, but he did not recommend that for Bass River’s situation because of the need for a credit rating to be obtained). Issuing a note, he said, is more appropriate for the township. Bourguignon and Stanley noted that further discussion would need to be had with the fire company to determine the type of truck that should be purchased, and where to get one. Buzby-Cope asked Stanley “if we can get the ball rolling this year,” to which the chief financial officer replied that it was a possibility. The mayor, along with Bourguignon (Commissioner Nicholas Capriglione was not present) suggested joining a Co-op(s) to get a better handle on pricing. One resident attending the meeting contended that leasing a fire truck “is popular right now” compared to buying one. Stanley noted that “leasing a fire truck would affect the way you would have to fund it.”
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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
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Renovations Underway to Shuttered Deli in New Gretna with New Pizzeria and Deli Expected to Open in Summer
By Douglas D. Melegari
the time they get in to their car and go get it, you are talking 45 minutes to an hour.” The new establishment, Foder said, will BASS RIVER—A former deli in the New Gretna section of Bass River Township be called Firehouse Deli and Pizzeria. He that was permanently closed in July 2018 expects to conduct a soft opening during the is being renovated and turned into a new second week of June, and host a larger grand pizzeria and deli that will also include a opening during Fourth of July weekend. small convenience store. Tentatively, he plans to open at 5:30 “We have had 15 to 20 people stopping in a.m. each day to serve breakfast, and close a day, while it is under renovation, asking, around 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, ‘When are you opening?’, and as late as 11 p.m. on and someti mes on the Fridays and Saturdays. weekends, it is more than The establishment will that,” said Kevin Foder, b e of fer i ng “st r ic t ly” a longtime resident of the Thumann’s delicatessen municipality, who has products, and according partnered with his future to Foder, will become daughter-in-law on the new “an exclusive carrier of business venture. “During Thumann’s hot dogs for the first two weekends of this area,” which he said renovation, we must have is product l i ne of the had 150 people come in. Carlstadt firm that is in They just can’t wait for us high-demand. to open.” “We w ill be ser ving Foder, also a member breakfast, lunch, pizza of the township school dinners and stuff like board, said he came up Photo Provided that,” Foder said. with the idea to open a A sneak-preview of Firehouse Deli local food establishment T he e st abl ish ment’s and Pizzeria’s new logo. where Speedy Deli once delivery area will include operated at 5649 Route 9 to not only help all of New Gretna, Lower Bank and Green support himself and eventually hand down Bank, including all of the campgrounds the business to his family, but to also “bring in the area of County Route 542. Foder money into town” and support New Gretna, contended that no other restaurant currently which he told this newspaper is often delivers to these communities, and he sees it overlooked due to it being a small town, as a major opportunity, particularly given especially for food service and delivery. that there can be over 1,500 active campsites “Nobody from Little Egg delivers down in the area during the summertime. into New Gretna,” Foder told this newspaper. “It is something that is needed in town, “The only thing you get is Dominos. For See PIZZERIA/ Page 13 someone here in this town to order food, by Staff Writer
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Safety Coordinator Retires Urging ‘Someone, Some Time’ to Take Notice of Struggling Small Towns, Like Bass River
By Douglas D. Melegari
has made him an invaluable resource and advisor to residents of the township, its elected officials and its professionals,” BASS RIVER—Richard “Dick” Ireton, a read Buzby-Cope from the proclamation. longtime volunteer for Bass River Township, “All during the course of his duty as safety who has served as the municipality’s safety coordinator and Joint Insurance Fund coordinator for 11 years, has announced his (JIF) and OSHA liaison, Dick Ireton has “retirement,” effective May 1. consistently been a warm and caring person Ireton, one of many volunteers that, as he put it, “keeps the town going,” did not who has been in the forefront of celebrating oversee local public safety agencies in the important milestones for the township and post as one might assume, has been an enthusiastic but rather ensured that the supporter of the township’s employees were township’s employees.” properly trained to reduce Bu zby- Cop e a dde d risk, and implemented t h at I r eton’s f r i e nd s programs and procedures and colleag ues w ill to prevent accidents and “m is s h is ha rd work promote health, safety and a nd le a d e r sh ip” a nd well-being. “his energy and happy “Nobody really had the outlook” that have “so role to get it done, and often buoyed the spirits bring our practices and of ever yone whom he procedures up-to-date, has come into contact.” and so I saw it needed to She also called him an get done and was glad to “incredible” person. Photo Provided do it,” said Ireton of his “Keeping it (the post) willingness to serve his Richard “Dick” Ireton, a longtime up to his standards is community when he was volunteer for Bass River Township, going to be tough for first appointed by then- who has served as the municipality’s anybody,” said Deputy safety coordinator for 11 years, is mayor Rich Bethea. M ayo r L ou i s “L ou” I r e t o n t o l d t h i s presented with a proclamation. Bourguignon. “It will be newspaper that he felt as though people tough to fill his shoes.” m ig ht fi nd h is ret i re ment a s s a fet y Ireton retired in 1995 from International coordinator to be an insignificant thing – Business Machines Corporation (IBM), but to the contrary. an American multinational technology Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope issued a company, after 34 years of having held proclamation in April recognizing Ireton several positions with the company, last as “an invaluable asset” to the township. serving as the company’s corporate director “H is r ich backg rou nd, h istor y of of energy programs. accomplishment and unfettered dedication See COORDINATOR/ Page 13 to his profession and the township itself Staff Writer
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Medford Clerk Reappointed for Another Three Years
Saturday, May 1, 2021
Teenagers on Bikes Reportedly Restrict Flow of Traffic
By Douglas D. Melegari
and minutes on E-code 360 so that the public can review them prior to council meetings, and any time after the meetings.” MEDFORD—When residents think of One of her top accomplishments so far, a township clerk—they think of one who is the conduit of public information and the she said, was moving the township dog primary source of municipal recordkeeping clinic to Cranberry Hall several years ago and transparency, responsible for answering and streamlining the process for residents. questions along with maintaining and “We have been able to do all of this with releasing open public records. a total of three staff who run two other Katherine Burger, who has held the offices, in addition to the Clerk’s Office,” position of Medford Burger said. “For safety Township Clerk since reasons, we have also 2009, was reappointed been able to take all April 6 by Medford of our polling places Township Council for out of the schools and another three years, relocate them to other with her term expiring facilities with in the April 30, 2024. township. We also have The reappointment implemented a policy of came with no fanfare, reviewing and releasing rather it was authorized executive minutes two t h rou g h a c o n s e nt times per year (June and agenda resolution that December).” was read by title and Ac cording to a number only. published report from Burger is also the 2 015, p r ior t o t h i s township manager for newspaper’s existence, Medford, but pointed Burger was initially out in an email to this reluct a nt to a c c ept newspap er that the the township manager recent council action position, conc er ned was unrelated to that Photo By Andrew King that she would lose role (she was, according t o p u b l i c r e c o r d s , Medford Township Clerk (and Township the tenured positions of township clerk and appointed tow nsh ip Manager) Katherine Burger. manager on May 5, 2015 chief financial officer. for an “indefinite term” after having been Ultimately, she was convinced to “split named acting manager on Aug. 12, 2014). the difference,” and forgo the chief financial Burger, prior to being promoted to the officer post, but keep the township clerk managerial position, had served as the post, the report said. municipality’s chief financial officer since Burger confirmed the validity of that 2005. report to this newspaper. Her salary for both The township clerk serves, first and positions combined for this year is $141,935, foremost, as the clerk of council, responsible she noted. for keeping minutes and records of its Coordinating the pending move of proceedings, according to a job description the township’s administrative offices at contained in the municipality’s code book. 17 N. Main Street to a two-floor, over Maintaining, compiling, codifying, 20,000-square-foot Medford Township executing and indexing the public body’s combination library-municipal building at ordinances and resolutions, as well as 51 Union St. has kept her busy at times over publishing them, are also part of the clerk’s the last several months. charter. After all, Burger not only has to pack The township clerk also must take up the township manager’s office, as custody of all official books, papers and she pointed out, but the clerk’s office as documents of the township for which no well, “all while continuing with the daily other repository is provided by charter or operations of these offices.” ordinance, and preserve and keep them safe. “The township will be moving to the new A mong other re sponsibi l itie s, the town hall building in a few weeks and there township clerk must perform all of the is a lot of preparation being made for the functions required of General Election Law. move, and I as the township manager am “Along with my deputy (Dawn Bielec), we coordinating this project,” she said. have streamlined processes for applications The goals she has set for her new term and permits required from the Clerk’s as township clerk include to “continue the Office,” Burger told this newspaper of her current programs” and “implement any new proud accomplishments so far. “We have our agendas, bill lists, ordinances, resolutions, goals/objectives council may request.” Staff Writer
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A car attempts to navigate a lane of travel despite a number of bicyclists reportedly making it difficult. MEDFORD—A large group of teenagers riding bicycles reportedly “restricted the flow of traffic” on several area roadways in and around Medford Township last weekend. The incidents occurred on April 24, and drew a police response, according to Lt. Arthur Waterman, a spokesman for the Medford Township Police Department. “On Saturday, we dealt with a couple of bicycle complaints that were called into police on a few roads in the township,” he said. “There was a report of large group of teenagers riding bikes in town in the roadway, things of that nature. They were restricting the flow of traffic in these areas, but upon arrival of police, they did disperse.” One woman posted in an area social media group both photographs and video from one of the incidents, which reportedly took place on Medford Lakes-Tabernacle Road. The visuals show dozens of youngsters on bicycles taking up both lanes of travel, or as the woman put it, “playing chicken, not letting anyone pass them.” She claimed that one of the individuals even opened the door to her vehicle at one point, with others
shouting “disrespectful” things to her (some of which can be heard on the video), and that when she went to turn around, one of the bicyclists spit on her through a window. “Someone is going to get killed,” said the woman of the apparent reckless behavior of the teenagers. Waterman told this newspaper that he can’t comment on the reports of spitting and cursing. “Bicyclists need to ensure they are following the rules of road,” Waterman said. “If you are biking, stay to the right and stay out of traffic for your own safety, and the safety of motorists, and also wear a helmet for your own safety. Stay to the shoulder of the road.” Waterman said police are still trying to determine whether the teenagers are local or from out of the area. The incidents, he added, are still under investigation, but there is the potential for charges “if we can identify and determine certain aspects of the investigation.” “We will see where the investigation takes us,” he said. Meanwhile, some area residents posted See BIKES/ Page 13
Man Shot in Arm in Sunbury Uncooperative, Police Say PEMBERTON—A man was shot in the arm in an early morning shooting that took place April 24 in the Sunbury Village section of Pemberton Township. Authorities, responding to reports of gunfire at around 12:23 a.m. in the 150 block of Kinsley Road, found a 30-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound to his arm, according to Pemberton Township Police Spokesman Lt. Jay Watters. The victim, he said, was transported to Capital Health in Trenton for treatment. “The victim was not cooperative with our detectives,” Watters told this newspaper. “We have no suspect information at this time, but as always, we’re working on the case, even with little cooperation.” Gu n v iolenc e and other repor t e d disruptive incidents in Sunbury has been a recent topic of conversation at Pemberton Township Council meetings, and the public body, as previously reported by this newspaper, adopted new traffic control measures, which are to take effect May 2,
to make the neighborhood “less inviting” for such activities and also prevent any suspects from being able to elude police by making it more difficult for them to exit the neighborhood once inside. The traffic measures include closing some of the access points to the development, making for all one-way streets, changing the design of some intersections and prohibiting on-street parking during the overnight hours. Richard Gober, a village landlord, slammed the new traffic measures in the wake of the latest shooting, and again called on council to redirect any funding for the implementation of the plan to instead installing surveillance cameras in the community. “Nah, the residents in Sunbury Village don’t ne e d c a me r a s!” w rot e Gob e r sarcastically to Pemberton officials, in an email copied to this newspaper. “Oneway traffic would have prevented the late Saturday night shooting.”
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Campground Operators ‘Beg’ Committee to Not Pass Law That Would Close ‘Loophole’ Permitting Off-Season Stays Current Provisions, They Say, Allow Workers from Out-of-State to Stay and Do Work That They Can’t Perform Around Guests
By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
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WASHINGTON—The operators of a local campground are “encouraging and begging” the Washington Township Committee to not pass an ordinance as early as this upcoming week that would prohibit in town the occupancy of any one camping unit, other than a caretaker’s unit, from Nov. 1 to April 1. Currently, the occupancy of a camping unit during what is considered the “offseason” for local campgrounds, or from Nov. 1 to April 1 when it is cold, is just “restricted to a period not to exceed 21 days during any 30-day period, or as otherwise provided by state code, whichever is greater.” Mayor Daniel James said that some campgrounds in the township are currently “abusing” that current provision, or allowing for camping all-year round. “This is closing a loophole that allows people to stay there all winter long, unchecked,” said Committeeman C. Leigh Gadd Jr. of the proposed ordinance, which was up for second reading and public hearing during an April 6 Washington Township Committee meeting. But both Lawrence Ford and Katie Durant, representatives of Wading Pines Camping Resort, argued that by doing so, it would curtail their efforts to perform maintenance and clean-up work at their campground during the off-season. Some of the workers that currently engage in such work, they said, are residents of other states, including as far away as Indiana. “By passing this ordinance, you limit
our ability to not only conduct general maintenance during the off-season, but also to keep our premises (cared for),” said Lawrence Ford. “It is really, really beneficial to have someone on-site and looking after things – it doesn’t make sense to do all of the improvements when the guests are there.” Township Solicitor Tom Coleman pointed out that under the proposed ordinance, the campground would still be able to maintain a caretaker’s unit. However, Ford said that currently as many as three other people are staying at Wading Pines to perform off-season maintenance and asked if the committee would consider allowing for as many as five caretaker’s units. “No, then we might as well leave the campground open,” James replied. “It is not necessarily your campground, but there are people who are abusing this ordinance. That is why we are changing it – that way it cannot be abused.” Ford maintained that the workers are making roof repairs, raking pine needles and “there is a lot of work to be done” and “under this ordinance, basically, you effectively condense our ability to have the park open and in tip-top shape.” Durant pointed out that the park was purchased by her cousin, Will Ford, in spring 2019 and that he “tragically passed away in September 2019.” Since that time, she said, “his brother or my cousin” took over the campground to “benefit” three children left behind, ages 19, 16 and 14, and “have been gradually improving this park” See CAMPGROUND/ Page 11
FIREWOOD (Continued from Page 1)
period, the ordinance states. Any owner of a residential lot who wishes to remove more than the allotted number of trees must file a “Tree Removal/Replacement Plan” with the township’s zoning officer, and receive a “Tree Removal Permit.” The permit costs a requestor $25. A “map, legal survey or site plan” showing a variety of items is required to be submitted with any permit application. There is, however, an emergency exception in the ordinance that allows a homeowner to remove an unlimited number of trees that are dead, diseased or an immediate hazard – so long as there is photographic evidence, or certification from a certified arborist, that can be provided, upon request, to the zoning officer. Another “clarification required,” said the solicitor recently, is that the ordinance cu r rently on ly relate s to i nd iv idu al residential building lots, but that it should “make clear that if an application for a development comes in, that (the submitter of one) also have a tree removal plan as part of that application.” Prime, in addition to the commission recommendations, offered his own (so that it would limit the number of additional times the law is revised), suggesting that council consider allowing an individual to contribute to a “tree fund” should a tree replacement be considered “impractical” by the township Planning Board. The fund, he said, would cover the cost of any trees the township might purchase for a bigger planting project of its own. The ordinance defines a “tree” as any living woody perennial deciduous plant with a caliper of at least 6 inches, measured 6 inches above the ground, or any living
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woody perennial evergreen plant, or thinner deciduous plant (e.g., dogwoods, birches, American Hornbeams, etc.), at least 15 feet in height above ground level. But it also defines “caliper” as the standard measure of tree size for trees to be newly planted, stating “the measurement is taken 6 inches above the ground level for trees 4 inches in diameter or less and 54 inches above the ground for trees over 4 inches in diameter.” During last year’s controversy, some contended that the definitions were in conflict with each other. Prime recently suggested that council take another look at the definitions as it prepares to amend the ordinance, given the comments that were previously made. “I still couldn’t pass a test on it; I have asked for some clarification to make sure the definitions are consistent,” Prime said. “There was a comment at the time of the passage of the ordinance that they weren’t consistent.” There was no discussion, however, of amending the tree removal limit, one of the more controversial provisions of the ordinance, which was previously called “arbitrary” and “unfair” by opponents of the law, and drew protest that it violated private property rights. The provision had also sparked the “My Land … My Trees” political opposition movement. However, another controversial provision of the ordinance could be revisited, according to officials. The adopted tree ordinance permitted firewood stands on properties in Medford that are 5-acres or more and farmland assessed. Previously, firewood stands were prohibited in the township. The inclusion of that provision previously brought forth allegations by brothers David See FIREWOOD/ Page 10
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FIREWOOD (Continued from Page 9)
and Brian Carns that Zoning Officer Beth Portocalis “shutdown” their firewood stand several years ago, and would not leave them alone until they disassembled it. Many then last fall referred to that incident, contending that they were concerned that the new law would be used by “power-hungry” people and applied unfairly. It then snowballed into a fiery dispute last year between the Carns and Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watsaon about why the township is even involved in regulating firewood stands, with David Carns contending “none of the prior administrations cared.” The provision of the tree ordinance allowing for firewood stands on certain lands is tied to another in the law that “any tree may be removed as part of the operation of an agricultural or horticultural use on property.” David Carns’ previous interpretation of the latter was that any firewood sold must be harvested on the property. “What is the problem with bringing firewood in, or what is your issue with some farms bringing firewood in to sell?” asked David Carns of Watson on Oct. 20, 2020. “You passed a tree ordinance, and if you get
CANNABIS (Continued from Page 2)
the April 12 special board meeting. “It is not pennies; it is not going to erase our tax bills, but it will make a difference.” Resident and former board contender Carol Bitzberger, who said during the special meeting that she was undecided whether she was for or against allowing for local cannabis businesses, contended that she did not think the potential revenue “would make much of a difference” to residents, especially considering a home assessed at the township average of $215,876 is currently expected to pay $306 more in regional school taxes compared to last year. Manaresi, however, replied that, “It is 100 percent more revenue than not allowing it.” The area of Ishmael Road where Manaresi would like to cultivate cannabis was described during the special meeting as “out in the woods pretty much,” and falls outside of the Pinelands Commission’s jurisdiction. Manare si de s c r ib e d the propos e d operation as “relatively small scale,” requiring a 4,000 square-foot building, and in his case, the cultivation would be done in
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a permit to cut some trees down, we have to take those trees and then throw them out, come back to the farm, and cut healthy trees down to sell them. That is how we would be in compliance in town, and that just seems to be ridiculous.” Watson, at the time, replied it “has been an ordinance forever,” and also refuted the Carns’ claims, contending “the (current) administration didn’t come out and say the Carns’ were selling firewood outdoors,” but rather there was a complaint about them selling wood. David Carns then replied that the initial complaint was about a trailer, but ballooned into other alleged violations the zoning officer purportedly pursued. David Carns, as a result of the heated dispute and dissatisfaction with the direction of the township, later told this newspaper that he was considering primarying the Republican mayor this year (who is up for re-election this November). Candidate petitions, however, were due this month and Carns did not file one for a shot at one of three open seats on council, according to a candidates’ list provided by the Burlington County Clerk’s Office. Watson is running alongside Deputy Mayor Erik Rebstock and Zoning Board Chairwoman Donna Symons for the GOP nomination. Councilman Brad Denn, who led a council subcommittee that worked
with the environmental committee to craft the ordinance and heavily defended the tree law as a “good ordinance,” is apparently not seeking re-election. Three Democrats have filed petitions for a township Democratic primary, and will presumably challenge the three Republicans in the fall, Keturah “Key” Harris, Britani Raynor and Carol Herb. Prime recently raised the issue of “some feeling by the public that if you have an agriculturally assessed land, you should be able to sell wood at wood stands even if you import the wood,” and said that he didn’t know if council also wanted to make amendments to the firewood provisions of the tree ordinance at the time it potentially makes the other ones. Watson replied that he would “definitely like us to incorporate something” regarding the sale of firewood. “If you are a Q-farm, or a Qualified Farm of some sort, it doesn’t have to be (wood) from the property, but maybe it has to be harvested from Medford. I don’t know (for sure though).” Prime said he agreed with potentially applying a jurisdictional limit of some sort on where the wood must originate. “That would limit it so we don’t have trucks coming from all over South Jersey,” Watson said.
Denn noted that applying such a limit would likely be encouraged given that there are concerns about invasive pests spreading through the transport of wood. However, the question of how officials might enforce a jurisdictional provision was raised by other council members. “I think limiting it to wood from Medford or Burlington County would be a good way of doing it,” Denn contended. “I look at it like recycling, you can’t control it if someone is putting a blue can and black can out, because you are not going to police every black can, but it is up to citizens to police.” Council discussed also potentially considering that any firewood would have to come from the towns served by the Lenape Regional School District, instead of Medford or Burlington County. “I just don’t want tractor trailers of wood,” Watson said. “We are trying to help people who are faming and help keep their farms going. That is the idea.” Prime said he “liked the idea” of mirroring any new firewood stand provisions to that of recently-adopted farm stand provisions, which was noted to limit their locations to arterial roads. The potential amendments to the tree ordinance were discussed by council in March, but so far, no changes have been introduced for first reading.
an “indoor facility.” Growing conditions in New Jersey, he added, are not optimal for the outdoor growing of cannabis. “I am encouraged to hear the positive feedback,” he said. “Having a timeline is huge for us, though. There is no way to move forward with business planning until we have municipal approval. It makes it challenging without having an idea to know even if you could open your doors.” O’Connor pointed out that microbusinesses, under state law, “cannot acquire or process more than a 1,000 plants per month,” are allowed 2,500 square-feet of “canopy planting space” and are limited to no more than 10 employees. “They would have to provide information on quality control, recall plans, waste management plans, waste disposal, odor mitigation, and safety/security plans,” the solicitor said. At least “51 percent of the ownership,” she added, has to have resided in the township, or a neighboring municipality, for at least three years in order to become licensed. Manaresi told the board he “would not invest” in the prospective business until he got a “full statement of support” from the governing body/officials “approving the
location as far as zoning goes” and affirming “you approve of this business.” Buzby-Cope said that the board, after hearing feedback, will now get together with O’Connor to “figure out a game plan” and “figure out what our options are.” “I do believe we should tr y to do something, and if we are not opting out, do something for folks who want to continue the process,” the mayor said. Some of the questions she put to the solicitor were, “Can we say only indoor growing is allowed with this?” and “Should we have our own license?,” adding that she believed officials “need to have better controls in place with who is growing in town.” O’Connor replied that she did not think a separate local licensing process, in addition to the state one, was necessary, and Manaresi, in reply, called the state’s process “already onerous.” Deputy Mayor Louis “Lou” Bourguignon declared that he was “worried about the children,” and asked O’Connor about reports that police, under the state legislation, were not allowed to notify parents if their child was caught with marijuana for the firsttime. O’Connor replied that the provision Bourguignon referenced had since been
changed, noting that there has been a lot of “clean-up legislation” since Murphy signed the bills. Rothschild noted that while he was in favor of allowing cannabis businesses in Bass River, he does believe “immediate neighbors” of any potential operation, in general, “should have a say,” particularly if they have young children. Michael Angelus, who contended that he is the only neighbor to Manaresi’s planned cultivation site, said he supports his proposal “110 percent.” “I don’t intend on going anywhere,” said Angelus, who called himself a “newer resident” of the municipality. “I like it here, and don’t want my taxes going up and up. Anything that can help, I am for it. Some people are worried about the negatives of people doing it (smoking pot) in cars, it bringing in low-class people, but from a medical standpoint, it is new-age stuff that helps people. New Gretna could be a difference maker.” Another resident, Todd, urged the board to “move as quickly as possible” if “we have a mostly common ground” in order to be “as successful as possible to take advantage of the opportunities in front of us.”
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CAMPGROUND (Continued from Page 9)
to make it a source of “great pride for us and the community.” Lawrence Ford added that “we really tried to upgrade the entire premises” over the last year-and-a half, and that this is “a family business, not some big cooperation.” He said that at no time during the winter would the campground have someone on-site for “more than a three-week project.” “You can have somebody i n you r campground during the day,” James replied. “They just can’t spend the night, or can’t camp overnight, except from April 1 to Nov. 1, which is when the camping season is open. We are not stopping you from cleaning up, we are just restricting the camping.” Gadd indicated that under the current law, there is no way to stop someone from logging in for up to a 21-day stay and then coming back for another after only a few days had passed – or at least writing down that is what they are doing in visitor log books. In some cases, according to the mayor, log books were not being maintained by the local campgrounds. “The only part we are changing is relevant to the timeframe that the campground can be open for campers to use your campground,” Gadd said. Lawrence Ford noted that the proposed ordinance also eliminates the “otherwise provided by state code” provision, “or what allows the state code to prevail” and that the state-code “allows campgrounds to be open all-year.” He contended that by “reducing our season” it “reduces our revenue.” Michelle Burton, general manager of Wading Pines, also spoke during the April 6 meeting, and noted that the “campground was fine with changing the date that the camping season is to end from Nov. 15 to Nov. 1,” but that she is “just requesting two extra work camper
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units there.” Howeve r, Ja m e s r e pl i e d t h at t h e permissible season “always has been April 1 to Nov. 1.” It became apparent at that moment that the Wading Pines management had been potentially unaware of the current provisions of township code regarding the permissible camping season, and booked camping reservations for this year until Nov. 15 (though Ford kept pointing to the state provision). Burton attributed the miscommunication to contracts that were carried over from the former operator of Wading Pines, which she claimed state that the camping season is from April 15 to Nov. 15. Gadd replied “whether it was a mistake or not, you have been operating in violation of the ordinance,” but “that (the official camping season) is not the part we are changing,” adding that an off-season inspection of Wading Pines found four campers in-use there during the off-season. Tom Burton, whose wife is Michelle and is a maintenance supervisor of the campground, stressed that Wading Pines “had been run into the ground” by the former owner and stressed “how much work it really needs,” that he contended “cannot be done during the camping season” because of the “noise” that it would generate. “It is just overwhelming,” he said of the improvements that need to be done, which he maintained just can’t be done by one person, or a caretaker. “It demands more than one person.” He pointed out that he and his wife are actually residents of South Dakota, and “we can’t really go there and go back every day.” “It is really convenient to have that apartment (at the campground), and we have a caretaker who watches over it at night,” said Tom Burton, who asked for “leniency,”
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PIZZERIA (Continued from Page 7)
especially delivery,” Foder maintained. “Everybody goes out of town to get stuff, and it is time to start keeping money in our town. It is hard to get started in this business, especially with COVID-19, but the main thing that is going to be big is delivery – nobody delivers down here.” T he e st abl i sh me nt w i l l i nclude a small convivence store that offers “small essentials,” including bread, milk and eggs. Foder, who is leasing the retail space from Sam Ibrahim, according to Acting Township Clerk Elizabeth Godfrey, maintained to this newspaper that he is looking to support local farmers through the new venture, and get in touch with them to “buy our produce here in town.” “We want to support our farmers and keep the money here in our town,” Foder said. While Foder, who pointed out that he
COORDINATOR (Continued from Page 7)
“I lived all over the country,” he said of his time with the company. “As they say, IBM stands for ‘I’ve Been Moved.’” While his career brought him to North Carolina, Upstate New York and even New York City, he ultimately bought a home in Bass River, where he lived up until recently for a quarter-century, attracted to the waterfront community. “I was born and raised in Burlington County and wanted to be near the water,” he said. “There are lot of good, hard working people in Bass River Township.” Ireton called the state’s “treatment” of Bass River, in light of it being such a great community to live, “deplorable,” referring to reduced state contributions for preserved open space (which he noted Bass River now has over 50 percent of its land preserved – which can’t be taxed), and stringencies placed on commercial development by the state’s Pinelands Commission.
BIKES
(Continued from Page 8) that they plan to attend an upcoming council meeting in Medford Lakes Borough (where such incidents were also reported to have occurred last weekend) to demand something more be done, contending that what happened was just one of several recent occurrences in the area. Borough Manager Dr. Robert Burton
CAMPGROUND (Continued from Page 11)
adding that having a second person to help them would be very helpful. Lawrence Ford said “that if you are absolutely intent on passing this thing,” that the committee, for this year only, allow campgrounds to remain open until Nov. 15, or otherwise Wading Pines would experience a significant hardship of having to potentially apply refunds, as some 40 percent of its guests have signed “seasonal contracts.” Gadd, in response, suggested “for 2021 only, we extend the season to the 15th of November so that they can honor their contracts.” Coleman said that such a request would entail a “material change” to the proposed ordinance and that the committee would have to re-introduce a new one for publication, before it could pass. “I want to consider this a first reading, not a second reading,” Coleman said. The committee re-introduced the proposed
AD HOTLINE: (609) 801-2392 is only leasing the property, declined to reveal the purchase price that was paid for the property, he noted that the building is “getting a major face lift on the inside,” including a new ceiling and new paneling. The part-owner estimated that he has, so far, invested some $20,000 into restoring the property “just so that we can open.” “It was a disgrace,” said Foder of how the building was left when the former deli owner reportedly had walked away from the business. “We took 18,000 pounds of trash out of there, or took away two 20-yard dumpsters. There was also a hole on one side of the building, and we had to replace that wall.” Foder noted that both Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope and Deputy Mayor Louis “Lou” Bourguignon, have been very supportive of the efforts to open the pizzeria and deli. “It is nice to see that place is going to be back in working order,” Buzby-Cope said. Foder told this newspaper he hopes his new business will attract other new businesses to open in New Gretna. “I had a lot of fun, met a lot of nice people, and had great people to work with, but it is a shame Bass River, like other small towns in the Pinelands, cannot get any real estate that gives them any money, and that they are running out of cash; having to ‘Beg, Borrow and Steal’ (idiom and title of late’60s bubblegum rock group hit) whatever they can to keep the town running. The state has chosen to ignore them, forcing them to beg and borrow, or do whatever they can do to get help. I was glad to volunteer for them.” Ireton, 86, recently moved to a senior retirement community in neighboring Little Egg Harbor Township “to enjoy life as it is until I am no longer here.” A few different individuals, he said, are being trained to take on aspects of what he did, but he will be glad to help them out along the way as he wants to see Bass River thriving. “Someone, sometime, ought to take note of these small towns throughout the state that are struggling like Bass River,” he said. “They have no money, and nothing comes from the state to help out. They are trying to get along day-by-day with what they can get.” responded to one of the threads, contending that he would relay the concerns to council, but that “if you encounter a problem like this, call the Medford Lakes Police Department (Medford PD where applicable) and the officers will handle it.” Waterman told this newspaper that he believed there were previous cases of “kids biking in large groups” reported to Medford Township Police, but nothing to the degree of what occurred last Saturday. campground ordinance unanimously (with the only change being to extend the camping season, for this year only, to Nov. 15), with a second reading and new public hearing scheduled for May 4 at 7 p.m. While the governing body did not provide for any of the requested work campers, the operators of Wading Pines were seen chatting with both Deputy Mayor Paul Seybold and Gadd upon adjournment of the April 6 committee meeting, all while James was explaining in an interview with this newspaper that Wading Pines’ “track history is not that good.” During the latest committee meeting, overnight parking (from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.) of mobile food vendors was disallowed through another ordinance that passed unanimously on second reading, this one without any public objection. “Whatever you are vending from can’t stay in the same spot overnight,” James said. “It has to be moved daily, thus being a ‘mobile’ food vendor, instead of being a permanent vendor or trailer.”
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PINELANDS (Continued from Page 1)
Pinelands Business Administrator Nicholas Brown told an April 21 virtual meeting of some Pinelands Regional school board members and officials, joined by a couple representatives from the Little Egg district, that at the very earliest, it could not take place until more than three years from now, in September of 2024. But there are a great many issues that would need to be resolved prior to such a development, he said, assuming that such regionalization ends up being recommended by the Morristown-based law firm of Porzio Bromberg & Newman, which a steering committee formed by the regional district recruited to conduct the study using a $90,000 state grant, and is expected to complete it by the end of July, although it likely won’t be reviewed until the following month. The firm, he noted, is “well known for conducting these kinds of studies around the state” and was unanimously chosen by the steering committee based on the results of a request for proposal (RFP). The process of launching the study, Brown said, got underway in February with the participating districts being sent requests for information that included details on longrange facilities plans, curriculum, collective bargaining agreements, and “everything you can think of for the operation of a school district.” The business administrator described the study now underway as “a very preliminary step for fact-finding only,” the purpose of which is to determine if it is feasible or even possible to create a unified K-12 district in the communities served by Pinelands Regional. But it by no means guarantees that such regionalization will be considered right away for any or all of those local school districts, he said, adding, “that work is just beginning.”
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Nor wou ld a re com mendation for consolidation by the consulting fir m necessarily be the last word in the proposal’s being implemented, he pointed out, since it would next have to be approved by all the school boards involved and then require a special election in the municipalities affected, which could not be conducted until September of next year. In an election of this sort, Brow n emphasized, all the towns involved have a say, every registered voter has a voice and no district can be forced to join such an arrangement without a majority of its voters first approving it. The proposed consolidation, Brown explained, was an offshoot of the state government initiative “Path to Progress,” wh ich c ont a i ne d “doz e n s of p ol ic y recommendations for cutting costs borne by taxpayers,” and the resulting grant program created in 2019 by the Department of Community Affairs that was dubbed the Local Efficiency Achievement Program, k now n by t h e a c rony m LEA P. A n application for one of those LEAP grants submitted by the Pinelands Regional, he said, was approved in July of last year, providing the funds the district is now using to finance the study. While noting that the state has listed 17 different considerations that studies of this type should take into account, including such factors as enrollment, facility utilization, class size, contractual obligations, diversity evaluation, program enrichment, potential cost savings and impacts on state aid, tax revenue and transportation, Brown said the committee had added what it regards as three important additional criteria of its own to the list. The first of these, he said, is that “any plan to regionalize these districts has to protect union jobs,” which he estimated comprise about 220 of the roughly 280 positions held by personnel in the regional district’s senior and junior high schools alone. That objective,
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NJ Lic. 13VH06395500
he added, was included out of recognition of “how important good-paying union jobs are to society and New Jersey as a whole.” Secondly, the committee wanted to ensure that “all buildings that are currently in operation remain so on the other side of this,” he said. “We do not want to close any schools as part of this regionalization,” Brown added. In addition, he said “we wanted to study combinations of potential outcomes,” if, for example one of the communities wished to remain independent after the study was complete. But as the study progresses, Brown informed those attending the virtual meeting, “we want you to know we are committed to providing all of our stakeholders, our communities, our elected officials, education association and support staff with timely, accurate and truthful information as we move forward,” with this particular session being “only the first in many steps to get this process completed.” In responding to questions that had been submitted by members of the public, Brown did assert that if the consulting firm “comes back and says your taxes are going up and your class sizes are bigger, it is fair to say the boards are not going to consider moving forward with it at that point.” He also called a query about whether any one district would be expected to pay the debts and bonds of others a “great question,” given that “these communities all have bond debts on their books to varying degrees” and “how that gets split up and taken care of” is “a very important part of the study.” How a new board would be formed to oversee any consolidated district is a question Brown said he would try to get more information about for the next meeting. When asked by a representative of the Little Egg Harbor district how long existing school buildings might be protected from being put out of service under the proposed arrangement
and whether there would be a “certain time frame” for that, Brown replied, “My thought on that is that would have to be a decision that is arrived at by the then-board of education, assuming that a reorganization happens.” But he pointed out that “there are protections for any tenured teaching staff,” so that any time a district ceases operation, all its members are entitled to retain things like sick days and other conditions built into their contracts in newly formed districts, although the fact that they might work under different collective bargaining agreements constituted “one of the more complicated parts” of the proposed consolidation. “What we’ve been told since the onset is that there is no cookie-cutter way to do this,” noted Pinelands Regional Superintendent Dr. Melissa McCooley, who was among those taking part in the virtual session. According to McCooley, that means each participating school district could ultimately agree to terms requiring that all its schools remain intact with the current grade levels and there is no change in configuration. “The direction we have been given is that we have the ability to create those parameters,” she said. “We’re just going to get data at this point and see if it is really worth it in the short-term and long-term to everyone involved in this.” McCooley also asked Brown if a special public forum could be arranged at which representatives of the Porzio firm could take questions. “I think that is appropriate,” he replied. “It is probably hard to crowbar this into the work session of a regular public meeting. “Remember, this is the first step in a long process,” he declared, promising to provide regular updates and presentations “when there is something substantial for Porzio to present.” In the meantime, he added, anyone with questions or comments can email him, and he will be “happy to either get answers or give the answers if I have them.”
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Saturday, May 1, 2021
Stroke Prevention and Treatment Wednesday, May 5, 2021 | 6 p.m. Location: Zoom Meeting Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, but many people don’t realize it is both preventable and treatable. Join DR. DANIEL LANDAU, a board certified and fellowship trained vascular neurologist from Capital Institute for Neurosciences, for an informative discussion of the signs and symptoms of stroke, how you can decrease your risk, and why time is critical if you or a loved one have a stroke.
This event will be taking place virtually using Zoom. Register online at capitalhealth.org/events and be sure to include your email address. Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2-3 days before the program date. Registration ends 24 hours before the program date.
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BREAST HEALTH:
More than a Mammogram Tuesday, May 25, 2021 | 6 p.m. Location: Zoom Meeting Please join us to learn about important information to help you understand your risk of a breast cancer diagnosis, screening guidelines, and prevention strategies. Join the experts from Capital Health’s Center for Comprehensive Breast Care, Director DR. LISA ALLEN and Breast Nurse Navigators AILEEN DICCION and TRISH TATRAI, who will provide an explanation of comprehensive breast care, an overview of the latest options for breast cancer treatment, and a discussion of the support services that are available at Capital Health. This event will be taking place virtually using Zoom. Register online at capitalhealth.org/events and be sure to include your email address. Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2-3 days before the program date. Registration ends 24 hours before the program date.
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