Pine Barrens Tribune September 24, 2022-September 30, 2022

BUREAUCRATICDAM‘FAILURE’ Been

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

MEDFORD—It was only given a cursory mention at an Aug. 16 Medford Township Council meeting during a governing body discussion about what to do with some $1.2 million the municipality received from the federal government through a second round of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds (monies allotted to governmental agencies in the U.S. for Coronavirus pandemic-impact relief).

It was not listed on the agenda as a

specific item of discussion or concern. There was no great amount of detail given. No known official notification about it has yet been given to nearby residents or businesses.“Wealso

have a problem at the Kirby’s Mill Dam,” revealed Township Manager Kathy Burger in suggesting to council what it might want to possibly spend the money on. “It is the only dam we own in town, but it is definitely undermining. So, I think we definitely should consider that.”

The revelation from the township

manager was followed by Medford Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watson acknowledging that the dam, as well as a road in another part of town with ongoing drainage issues, “are literally hazards to our residents.”

Burger, who is charged with maintaining media relations as part of her job duties, since that revelation, has not provided answers that address this newspaper’s inquiries asking for a detailed account of what is exactly wrong with the dam and a

See DAM

Association Leadership for Pemberton Schools

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

PEMBERTON—According to Pemberton Township Board of Education member Terry Maldonado, it has been a “fabulous start to the school year” in the Pemberton Township School District, one in which both the staff and students deserve “congratulations” for their efforts.

“I think this is the first time in the 10 years being on this board that my phone was not blowing up with everything going on,” declared the school board member, who is also the public body’s Policy Committee chairperson, on Aug. 15 during the Pemberton school board’s first meeting since the new, 2022-23 school year commenced.

Maldonado maintained that at first, she thought something might be wrong with her phone while she was “out of town.”

However, according to Sue Hertell, president of the Pemberton Schools’ Bus Driver Association, the start “could have been better.”

In fact, Maldonado’s assessment was in stark contrast to the ones provided by those in the trenches, including Hertell and Rob Horn, president of the Pemberton Township Education Association (PTEA), with the latter pointing to concerns about a national teacher shortage amid what he referred to as a “toxic” work environment in the Pemberton district now “coming to fruition.”

Details Slew of Troubles to Start New School Year Superintendent, However, Maintains People Say, ‘This Year is Much Better’, Board Member Suggests Stressed Staff Get a Humidifier and Lamp for Room

Records Show Town Officials Sat on Required Repairs for Some Three Years, Missing Deadline, With Mayor, Town Manager Only Now Pushing for a Fix Through Use of COVID Relief Monies

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

The damaged Kirby’s Mill Dam with an area of significant erosion and washouts, near an electrical control box for the infrastructure, blocked off by yellow caution tape and road barrels.

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

MEDFORD—A “Trashman,” whose Facebook page says that he works for Republic Services, has penned an open letter to the Pine Barrens Tribune chiding Medford Township residents for their recent complaints about trash collection done by the private hauler, maintaining that as such firms throughout the country are facing a similar predicament, he also wants to “clear the name of the tens of thousands of noble and humble trashmen.”

The complete Sept. 14 letter, in apparent response to this newspaper’s reporting on delayed and missed collections in Medford extending anywhere from a couple days to as long as six weeks, and the resulting complaints from residents, has been published in full in today’s Opinion section of the Pine Barrens Tribune

“The Trashman can be a strong neighborhood ally,” declared the “Trashman,” as he signed his letter, or whose real name, as provided with the submission, is Vincent Meloni.

But “lately,” Meloni recognized, “I have seen in this newspaper, that citizens are blaming the Trashman for the incompetence of a large corporate company.”

Meloni, on his Facebook page, identifies himself as a “driver at Republic Services (from) May 23, 2018, to present.” However, in submitting the letter to this newspaper, Meloni noted he is “not a spokesperson for Republic Services.”

“You do not blame a private for a lost war,” he asserted. “You do not blame the pawn for a checkmate. Therefore, I cannot stand silently while you blame the humble Trashman for collection issues. The Trashman does a job that no one else wants. We are grossly underpaid and thanklessly perform our job each and every day for the good of Melonisociety.”notes that despite those circumstances, he and his colleagues perform the job “without complaint everyday so that regular Americans never have to live in a world where refuse piles in the streets.”

“The trash industry has changed drastically over the last two decades,” Meloni explained. “What used to be a job for brawny, simple men and women has now transformed. The need for skill and good judgement are requirements; and safety rules must be followed above all else.”

The letter writer further describes that “the trash industry went from being a township or city led job to a corporate ‘forprofit’ industry” and that “the bottom line is

now much more important than Mr. Smith’s roses that he planted too close to the road.”

Meloni warns the public that “without the trash being collected, the country would slip into anarchy and sickness within months.”

Meanwhile, a resident of Birchwood Lakes, who asked that her identity be withheld, contacted this newspaper on Sept. 19 to maintain that she would appreciate simply being told the truth by township officials about trash collection, describing that the trash, supposed to have been collected in her neighborhood on Tuesday of last week, was actually not picked up on her side of the street until Friday, Sept. 16, a day after the municipality posted on its Facebook page that all missed collections on Tuesday had since been resolved (though Birchwood Lakes was not one of the neighborhoods the township had identified as having issues last week).

“It bothers me,” said the resident of township officials not providing an accurate, honest account to residents about the delays. “Don’t send me Nixle messages (saying it is done when it is not) – I got a Nixle message that all trash was picked up by Wednesday and it was Townshipnot.”Manager

Kathy Burger, during a Sept. 6 Medford Township Council meeting, described that things “have gotten better” with Republic since August, with Republican Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watson at the time stating the municipality was only having “half-day” late collections. Burger added, “We can deal with that.”

But the Sept. 6 statements from the township’s top two officials have been at odds with the township’s own Facebook postings.

The resident who contacted this newspaper added that she “understands there has to be benefits” paid to in-house trash workers and that there is “upkeep of the trash trucks” when such operations are maintained by the municipality, but that she is “old-fashioned” and “likes having township workers” picking up her trash.

The resident, in fact, told this newspaper that “many years ago” she “thought she voted for a rise taxes,” in part, “to keep trash collection” in-house, and that little did she know it would be privatized shortly thereafter, in 2012.

“I am not happy,” she declared.

Despite the trash collection being an ongoing “debacle” in the township, Burger, nor any of the Republican township council members, had anything to say about it during a Sept. 20 Medford Township Council meeting. Council has taken no action thus far on previously discussed “options,” one being possibly again bringing collection in-house.

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‘Trashman’ for Open Responding to Complaints, Declaring That He Can’t ‘Stand Silently While You Blame the Humble Trashman’

Birchwood Lakes Resident, Meanwhile, Tells Newspaper She is Bothered by Information Being Disseminated by the Township That Isn’t Accurate, Honest

OCTOBER

Oct. 1

Train Rides Through the Woods of New Gretna

Location: Bass River Twp. (New Gretna)

Events and special promotions happening locally this month!

Oct. 9

To promote your November event on this page contact Jayne Cabrilla at 609-801-2392 or jcabrilla@pinebarrenstribune.comemail

2022 Paws and Prints PetFest & 5K

Location: Eastampton Twp.

Details: The Friends of Burlington County Animal Shelter are hosting their Paws and Prints PetFest & 5K at the historic Smithville Park, 803 Smithville Rd. in Eastampton, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come out and enjoy music, vendors, games, a beer garden and more! Fun for the whole family! The signature sponsor of this event is Davis Honda. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/pawprints2022 .

Oct. 29 ‘Make a Difference’ Seminar

Location: Pemberton Boro

Oct. 3

‘The Mt. Holly, Lumberton and Medford Railroad’

Location: Vincentown (Southampton Twp.)

Details: The Southampton Historical Society is hosting a program, “The Mt. Holly, Lumberton and Medford Railroad – 1869-1976”, at 7:30 p.m., at the Old Town Hall, 25 Plum St., Vincentown. Jim Alexander’s illustrated presentation takes a look at how and why railroads came into being in Central Burlington County and their impact on opening it up to development. He will examine the role of local leadership, as well as economic and social factors. Quakers, landowners, businessmen and even a farmer from Vincentown (who lost his life on the railroad), all played parts in the development of the local rail system. He will also discuss the role of Burlington County’s rich marl deposits and the railroad. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kathy Rosmando at 609-859-0524.

Oct. 8

43rd Annual Apple Festival

Location: Medford Twp.

Details: The 43rd Annual Apple Festival will return to historic Kirby’s Mill in Medford (279 Church Rd.) on Oct. 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival is hosted by the Medford Historical Society and is presented by ShopRite of Medford. The event, which draws thousands of visitors, will have over 120 handmade crafts/crafters, great food, apple cider, baked apple goods, signature apple-cider donuts, and specially made apple ice cream. There will also be the ever-popular Medford Historical Society’s apple butter. Live music will make this a memorable event for all.

Oct. 8

Artisan, Vendor and Craft Fair

Location: Southampton Twp.

Details: The Hampton Lakes Emergency Squad is hosting an Artisan, Vendor and Craft Fair at the Evergreen Dairy Bar, Rt. 70 in Southampton, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you would like to participate as a vendor, artisan or crafter, please contact Julie at 609-220-9061 for more information. A 10’x10’ space is only $15! Rain date is Oct. 9

Details: First Baptist Church of Pemberton is hosting a seminar with Don Sunshine Ministries, entitled “Make a Difference, Disciple Making 101.” The seminar, which is free and open to the public, will focus on how to easily and naturally share your faith every day. The seminar will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., with a light dinner to follow. The church is located at 59 Hanover St., Pemberton. Please contact the church at 609-894-8685, or email pemberton1stbaptist@p1bc.org to register.

Nov. 14 2022 Annual Poetry Contests

Location: Medford Twp.

Fall Festival The Woods of New Gretna Park and the New Jersey Shore Live Steam Organization provide train rides for all each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The small steam locomotives, and other trains, wind their way through the beautiful park. The rides are provided by a group of dedicated volunteers who have revitalized the park and laid out the railroad track, based on the historical Tuckerton Railroad. The volunteers maintain the railroad and walking trails, and are constantly expanding them. Riding the trains is free, but donations are very much appreciated. The train rides are outdoors.

Details: The Medford Arts Center is hosting its 2022 Annual Poetry Contests. High School students attending schools in Burlington County may submit up to three poems per entrant to: poetrycontest@medfordarts.com , using “2022 High School Poetry Contest” in the subject line and including your name, address, high school, grade and contact number. Residents of Burlington County over the age of 18 may submit up to three poems per entrant to: poetrycontest@medfordarts.com , using “2022 Adult Poetry Contest” in the subject line and including your name, residential address and contact number. Submission deadline is Nov. 14, 2022. A celebration of awards will be held Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. For more information, please see medfordarts.com .

By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

EVESHAM—Not only does it quite literally take a very special breed of dog to become a canine cop, but a substantial sum of money for a police force to acquire, equip and train one. That might be considered the underlying message of a resolution adopted by the Evesham Township Council at its Sept. 14 meeting authorizing the acceptance of a “gift” to the township’s Police Department of “one police canine valued at $12,000.”

This latest addition to the department’s fourdog K9 unit, a year-old, Polish-born Dutch shepherd named Chief, was purchased mainly with a $10,000 donation to the Evesham Police Foundation from a local couple that wishes to remain anonymous, with the additional $2,000 raised from other sources, according to according to Police Chief Walt Miller. The new dog has been undergoing training for the various duties he will assume with the Evesham Police at the New Jersey State Police K9 Academy, where he has provided the department with “good feedback,” as Miller termed it, after spending some time getting to know his handler, Officer Nicholas Giamello.

In joining the local force, Chief will take over responsibilities that include tracking down suspects and anyone who might be missing, as well as the detection of illegal drugs, replacing Spike, a member of the unit due for retirement, Miller told the Pine Barrens Tribune. But ensuring that he was the right dog for the job was no casual matter, involving as it did sending Giamello and another specially trained officer, Sgt. Ryan Bourden, to Florida to choose from a group of elite canine candidates that had been imported from Europe. These officers spent several days testing the dogs for such attributes as temperament, intelligence, and sense of drive, along with evaluating factors like potential health issues, before making their selection.

The Evesham department, Miller contended, was fortunate to have had “the second pick of the shipment,” given that it was competing with departments from all over the

Thecountry.Dutch shepherd is called “the workaholic of the dog world” by a website on various breeds, which describes the breed as highly intelligent, extremely quick to learn, eager to please and delighting in the completion of a task.

The name “Chief” was selected by the anonymous donors in recognition of both the world championship Marlton Chiefs 10U Cal Ripken baseball team and the Cherokee High School Chiefs, Miller said.

Besides paying for the dog, a total of some $15,000 in private donations raised

by the foundation is covering the cost of his equipment, Miller noted.

The next Evesham K9 unit member up for retirement, a female German Shepherd named EZ, is expected to be replaced by a bloodhound from Kentucky, which will be used exclusively for tracking purposes, and is slated to be paid for by a Florida nonprofit founded by a family whose child was abducted and murdered, which accepts applications for funding from police departments, according to Miller.

The other two dogs in the K9 unit, Moose and Tango, have several years of active service with the department yet in front of them, he Commentingadded.on the resolution, Councilman Eddie Freeman III noted that he had spent time working with canines used by the military during his time in the service and that “these dogs are not cheap.”

“This is actually a pretty huge donation for a police department,” Freeman contended.

Miller also announced during his report to the council that his department was the first in this area to take part in a new “etch and protect” program aimed at curbing the rash of catalytic converter thefts that have been plaguing vehicle owners both locally and regionally. The campaign, which entails etching a vehicle identification number (VIN) into a converter and identifying it with a sticker as police-protected equipment, was initially undertaken in partnership with Burns Honda, on Sept. 18, free of charge to anyone who signed up for it. The program is one the department hopes to continue hosting by working with Burns and other area car dealerships.

In another canine-related matter, David Pfeiffer, assistant superintendent of Public Property and Services, reported that some new equipment had been ordered for the municipal dog park at 984 Tuckerton Rd., including two agility courses complete with leash racks, two hurdles, a 6-foot bench for “parents to relax,” and “an old-fashioned imitation fire hydrant.” Installation, however, depends on availability, and could take a while, he said, possibly as long as six to eight months.

“We don’t make the parts, unfortunately,” he Pfeiffersaid. also informed the council that the Department of Public Works was still awaiting delivery of a side-loading trash truck it had ordered last year, as well as two other trucks ordered more recently, prompting Mayor Jaclyn “Jackie” Veasy to extend her gratitude to the department for “taking care of the fleet,” especially in light of the “horror stories that are going on in other communities” in regard to trash collection.

“We are very lucky to have a DPW on site

Named Best and Most Unique Product at Rancocas Woods 4Years in aRow

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

MEDFORD—In a case that has garnered significant public interest, the Carns Family matriarch pled guilty Sept. 19 to violating two Medford Township ordinances, as the municipality has apparently continued to pursue controversial summonses issued against the owner of a tree farm on MedfordMount Holly Road (also known as County Route 541) where two commercial tree service trucks belonging to her children were observed stored earlier this year.

Carolyn Carns, who just turned 81 years old and is currently wheelchair-bound, withdrew a pair of previously entered “not guilty” pleas and pled guilty to both “failing to obtain a zoning permit prior to any use change” as well as “having more than one commercial vehicle” stored on her property, which is located within what the township has designated a “residential zone,” despite being a 30-acre tree farm.

Sentencing in the matter has been scheduled by Judge Charles Shimberg for Oct.

While17. the municipality has written both summonses to Carolyn Carns, as the property owner of the tree farm at 265 Medford-Mount Holly Road, and the case is titled State of NJ v. Carolyn Carns, the matter has attracted significant public interest because of the tree service trucks, as well as the tree service business having reportedly been registered at the farm (the latter prompting the use-violation charge), belonging to David and Brian Carns.

The twin brothers have been open, at times fierce critics of the current Medford Township administration, with a history of fighting against what some believe are restrictive, arbitrary laws that, when enforced, put small businesses and farms at a disadvantage, with survival of the latter a growing concern in the community as economic conditions for the agricultural industry continues to decline, all while development has surged in town.

The Carns siblings and Medford Township Mayor Charles “Chuck” had previously made amends, prior to a November 2021 election, in a 2020 public dispute over a local tree ordinance being passed that has ramifications not only for local tree services, but also for firewood stands, which the Carns family maintains at the tree farm. At one point during that initial dispute, David Carns had threatened to challenge the Republican mayor with a GOP primary bid.

As previously reported by this newspaper,

following the election, David Carns had entered into a firewood transaction with the mayor and, earlier this year, ultimately pursued from Watson payment for what had become a $450 past-due bill for the firewood.

Afterwards, the township’s zoning staff began showing up, unannounced in at least one case, at the homes belonging to customers of Cornerstone Tree Service, the business that belongs to both Brian and David Carns. The zoning staff alleged violations of the local tree ordinance were being committed, as well as state wetlands regulations in one case. David Carns maintained that he was in compliance, however.Around the same time, David Carns detailed to this newspaper how two men, who claimed to be associated with the township’s Tax Assessor’s Office, paid an unannounced visit to the tree farm to evaluate a barn there. Shortly thereafter, the township’s code enforcement officer deemed it an “unsafe structure” and declared it had to be removed “that same day.” The barn still stands, however, following a ruckus in the community over what many consider an historic structure that should be preserved.

The Carns ultimately critically questioned what took place and who was behind it at a series of Medford Township Council meetings this past spring and sought relief from the various Notices of Violation and letters alleging violations of the law, maintaining it was all part of a pattern of retaliation and harassment.

Township Manager Kathy Burger, in a limited response following heavy public pressure, maintained that the township was obligated to investigate all complaints, with it being ultimately revealed through public records that a neighbor of the Carns family was responsible for several of the complaints pertaining to the commercial tree service trucks, while other members of the public had reportedly contacted the town with complaints about trees being removed at Carns’ tree job sites.

While the Carns posed their questions and spoke out, even more letters arrived in the mail, including one about freedom of expression sign on the tree farm that the municipality alleged possibly required a permit because of not meeting size requirements. David Carns later told this newspaper he ended up removing the sign.

There was also an incident in which the township advised Carolyn Carns that a

CONFIDENTIALFREEPAPERSHREDDING

Carns Family Matriarch, After Family Reportedly Refuses to Sign MOU, Pleads ‘Guilty’ to Failing to Obtain Permit, Storing Commercial Vehicles

Tree Farm Owner’s Legal Counsel, Medford Twp. Have a ‘Difference of Opinion’ Over What the Penalties Should Be in Case Generating Significant Public Interest; Draft Agreement Would Have Required ‘Proof’ of Where Tree Trucks Are Garaged

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

SOUTHAMPTON—Some residents of the LeisureTowne retirement community in Southampton Township are calling for greater safety and traffic control measures in the age 55 plus community as speeding is reported to be an ongoing problem there.

Resident Anita Haluszczak, whose Westminster Drive home is close to a temporary digital speed sign that has been posted for the last couple of months on the main thoroughfare in what is considered the back part of LeisureTowne, maintained the displayed speed of drivers “goes up to 40 mph when people pass it.”

The speed limit on Westminster Drive –and on all of the main streets in LeisureTowne for that matter – is 25 mph.

“I was hoping the township could investigate perhaps proper signage, road demarcations, crosswalks and things like that to indicate to drivers they are in 25-mph zone and perhaps alert them to slow down,” Haluszczak told the Southampton Township Committee during a meeting last month.

Township Administrator and Clerk Kathleen D. Hoffman revealed that she had a “request from one of the residents of LeisureTowne” to put striping on Westminster, Huntington and Buckingham drives in LeisureTowne or “enough for there to be like a bike lane” on the main thoroughfares that run through the retirement community, but that such striping “would not be for parking.”

“To me, that has to be a decision that is in conjunction with the (LeisureTowne) Association because you are restricting parking and travel lanes,” Southampton Mayor Michael Mikulski replied. “I am not

suggesting that we don’t do it, but I think it needs to be something done in conjunction with the Committeemanassociation.”Jim Young, a former mayor of the township for a quartercentury up until 2020, recounted that the LeisureTowne Association had done a survey at one point, with respondents reportedly indicating they “wanted to have a bike lane in there.”

Tom Haluszczak, who is Anita’s husband, and previously served on the LeisureTowne Board of Trustees, pointed out that the “last administration” of the board (with a

DAM

timeline of events surrounding the described damLatehazard.last week, when this newspaper again attempted via email to get answers for the public, Burger, who is also the township clerk, simply re-forwarded a 225page PDF document containing emails and other correspondence that this newspaper had previously obtained through an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request, initially fulfilled by Burger’s office on Sept. 1.

But what is clear from those public records obtained by this newspaper is that municipal officials in the GOP-controlled town, for reasons that have yet to be explained, sat

on required repairs to the dam for the past three years, apparently even missing a stateimposed deadline of June 30, 2020, and are only now undertaking them because of a required dam inspection report due to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) later this year.

And in preparing for that inspection, officials conducted a “site visit” on Aug. 8, finding that after not making the repairs initially outlined on Jan. 22, 2020, by Township Engineer Chris Noll, president of Environmental Resolutions, Inc. (ERI), conditions at the dam had gotten much worse, with the mayor later acknowledging Noll is “starting to have some concerns.”

Emails included amongst the public records also show that a required “incident report” when the dam was first damaged

PUBLIC NOTICE

RECORD OF DECISION SIGNED FOR OPERABLE UNIT 4 JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST

RECORD OF DECISION SIGNED FOR MCGUIRE OPERABLE UNIT 4

The Department of the Air Force and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst announce the signing of a Recordof Decision for Site ST009, Operable Unit 4, located at McGuire. ST009 is approximately 19 acres and is used for bulk fuel storage of heating oil and jet fu el. Envir on menta ls tu di es ha ve found impacts to the groundwater from historical releases of jetfuel.Current operations that include regular monitoring, inspections and testing arenot contributing to the historical contamination.

The re me dy s el ec te di sn at u ra ls our ce zone de ple ti on ,e nh anc ed by ac tiv er em ed iat i on techniques wherefeasible, long-term monitoring and land use controls. This alter native consists of acombination of naturally-occurring processes that reduce the contamination in the subsurface wi th en han ce me nts th at ma yi ncl ude produ ct skimming, thermal enhanced remediation, and/or bioventing.Monitoringand samplingwilloccur to ensure the contamination is not migrating and is undergoing degradation.

Th eU .S .E nv ir on ment al Pr otec ti on Ag enc y signed the Recor do fD ecision and the New JerseyDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection con cur re dw ith the se lect ed re me dy.C opi es of the Recordo fD ecision area vailable at the Bur ling ton Coun ty Lib rar yl oca te da t5P ione er Blv d., We sta mp to n, NJ; at the NJD EP Rec ords Custodian, 401 East State Street, Tren to n, NJ (call in advance of visiting, 609.341.3121); and, at the U.S. EPARegion 2Record Center,18th Floor, 290 Broadway,New York,NY(call in advance of visiting, 212.637.4308). The document can also be viewed on the Air Force’sAdministrative Record website, http://ar.afcec-cloud.af.mil/.

Contact the JB MDL Public Affairs Office at (609) 754-2104 for moreinformation.

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

One of the logs jammed in the spillway gates of Kirby’s Mill Dam on Sept. 16.

Residents of LeisureTowne, Including Both Former and Current Trustees, Call for Greater Safety, Traffic-Control Measures in Retirement Community

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

A newly installed crosswalk on Buckingham Drive in LeisureTowne. The street was still awaiting road striping as of Sept. 14.

DAM

(Continued from Page 6)

in a flood on June 19-20, 2019, was not completed at the time of the incident, as a township official admitted should have been the case, and in making the admission, suggested that the municipality jeopardized standard reimbursement to make the required repairs. It was also indicated that an item was “supposed” to have been filed with the federal government.

Burger, in a March 4, 2021, email to Richard Parks, director of the Medford Township Department of Neighborhood Services, in attaching a June 28, 2019, estimate from ERI for making repairs to the dam, informed the director that the “insurance paperwork should be completed immediately.”“Iamnotsure why an incident report was not completed at that time and forwarded to you,” wrote Parks to Burger the following day.

Parks added in the email to his superior that the emergency management coordinator at the time, Rob Dovi, “had included this with the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) paperwork that we were supposed to submit for reimbursement, however, a formal declaration was never issued.”

The paper trail only picked back up on April 6 of this year when a resident living downstream from the dam had emailed Dovi to report that “it seems like for the past couple of years when it rains, no matter how much, our property floods.”

“It didn’t use to do this before,” she wrote of her observations. “Only when we had a lot of rain in a short period of time.”

The resident, after remarking about her observations, put a question to Dovi, “Is someone new in charge of the dam?”

Dovi, who responded, “I still work with the dam” and adjust it, maintained that he has not needed to lower it much this year, but recognized “I do know that there is a lot of debris in the stream, which may also be

causing the water to back up.” He promised to convey the resident’s concerns to the township manager.

About a month later, Noll, as well as fellow ERI engineer Anthony R. Lopez, corresponded about the “Kirby’s Mill estimates,” with a “disaster declaration repair cost estimate” attached to one email. A discussion ensued about two estimates that had been generated for the dam since 2019.

Lopez followed up with Burger on Aug. 10.

“It was brought to our attention that the previous inspection at Kirby’s Mill Dam was completed in 2018,” the ERI engineer wrote to the township manager. “Class III dams must have a regular inspection completed every four years. As such, we have provided a proposal to complete the 2022 inspection at the dam.”

That proposal was for $4,500. However, Lopez urged Burger to move ahead with required, significantly more costly repairs to the dam outlined in a Jan. 22, 2020, letter to the NJDEP, copied to both Burger and Dovi.

“Additionally, myself and Chief Dovi completed a site visit on 8/8/22,” Lopez noted. “Significant erosion is continuing to occur at the dam near the electrical box, which is beginning to undermine the adjacent walkway to the platform used to operate the dam and significantly impact the electrical box concrete base. We did reinstall the safety fencing while we were on site to try to limit access to this area. In order to minimize the need for more costly improvements to the dam in the future, increase site safety and stabilize the eroded areas, the recommendations made within our Jan. 22, 2020, repair design narrative should be implemented as soon as practicable.”

It is unclear whether the township was at all successful in seeking any kind of reimbursement from its insurance carrier, or from FEMA following the apparent belated filing.

But within a couple of days since Lopez’s Aug. 10 correspondence to Burger, the township manager publicly raised the issue of the dam condition to council.

Watson, prior to Burger making the

revelation on Aug. 16, announced that the township received $1,224,308.09 from the second round of ARP funding. After deciding to purchase a one-man leaf truck, and to make some other investments, the mayor noted that “brings us a little under $1 million” left to spend of the federal Coronavirus pandemic relief monies.

Watson noted he was aware of a “bunch of stormwater issues” on Eayrestown Road and suggested using some of the funding to make necessary repairs there, describing how standing water often observed on the road freezes during the colder weather in the wintertime. Burger estimated repairs to the road would use up another $100,000 to $200,000 of the federal relief funding.

“We also have a problem at the Kirby’s Mill Dam,” Burger declared. “It is the only dam we own in town, but it is definitely undermining. So, I think we definitely should consider that.”

Watson then asserted that he “thinks we should do both” projects.

“I think that (Eayrestown Road drainage issues) and the Kirby’s Mill Dam are literally hazards to our residents,” the mayor declared. “And I think we should take care of them out of these funds. That is another $350,000 out of there (the relief funds), which brings us down to around $700,000.”

Councilwoman Lauren Kochan, on Aug. 16, asked for some additional time to review the project estimates she had just received from Burger.

“I don’t mind sitting on it, but I think we need to take care of those two things,” WatsonBurger,replied.however, said she would only earmark $500,000 of the federal funding in the interim – and only for the leaf truck and to put towards the municipal budget, while the remainder “will sit” until “further

discussion” is had by council.

In response to receiving Noll’s Jan. 22, 2020, letter outlining what needs to be done to fix the Kirby’s Mill Dam, John H. Moyle, director of the NJDEP’s Division of Dam Safety and Flood Engineering, wrote to Burger on April 20, 2020, that he “reviewed” the “letter and associated repair plan dated Jan. 22, 2020,” and “determined that the proposed repairs are acceptable to the division.”

“The proposed repairs should be completed by June 30, 2020,” Moyle wrote to Burger, with the date in bolded lettering.

The public records provided to this newspaper contain no further correspondence from Moyle or to the NJDEP director of dam safety in regard to the Kirby’s Mill Dam.

Lopez, in August of this year, reforwarded to Burger the Jan. 22, 2020, letter outlining what needs to be done to fix the Kirby’s Mill Dam.

“Kirby’s Mill Dam sustained damaged after a localized severe rain event on June 19-20, 2019,” says Noll in the introductory paragraph of the letter. “An inspection was conducted by this office on behalf of the Township of Medford and a repair plan has been prepared. The proposed improvements intend to restore the dam to its previously existing conditions and to provide improvements to the erosion protection and drainage patterns at the dam.”

The first-listed recommended repair is to “install approximately 40 linear feet of asphalt curb extending from the existing pipe located on the north side of Church Road, continuing west adjacent to Church Road and angled northwest into the site adjacent to the existing stone apron.”

Noll explains in the correspondence that “under existing conditions, runoff from

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

Sandbags temporarily placed near a washout to stabilize the left side embankment of Kirby’s Mill Dam.

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

An area of erosion and washout at the downstream left embankment of Kirby’s Mill Dam, surrounded by yellow caution tape and snow/sand fencing.

SCHOOLS

Shortly after Hertell and Horn made a number of accusations and raised a series of seemingly consequential issues, Pemberton Board Member Carmen Bivins indicated that the Pemberton district staff should “change their attitude” to be positive, just like she has had to do amid the challenges faced in her own teaching job, as well as recommended Pemberton district staffers “get a humidifier and lamp” for their rooms to alleviate the stresses and make the environment in which they work feel more like “home.”

Pemberton Board Member Sherry Scull, however, discussed her recent attendance at a New Jersey School Boards Association workshop, and noted that it highlighted how a school board should deal with the “negatives” as well as “should deal with some of these issues” such as the ones coming before the local school board.

Lionel Lee, a former corrections officer who sits on the Pemberton school board, appeared to be well-versed in that latter approach, declaring in the wake of the remarks by Hertell and Horn, “Hopefully, some of our situations can be worked out.”

“It is not that we are not trying to get it right,” he added. “We want the public to know that we are not up here trying to get things wrong, and not trying to run people out of the district. That is not our mission. We are here to try to get it right. Everybody on this board is here for a reason – to try to make this thing better.

“It is not our intention to make people run away. … We will continue to try to work together and fix some of the situations we have. Everybody knows our budget struggle is real. None of it is easy. All these decisions are tough. But we are going to try to make the best decisions that we can, that will benefit the kids. That is the bottom-line, that is at least why I am here.”

As of Sept. 18, even though the school year is now underway, the Pemberton district has more than 50 job openings listed online.

According to Hertell, there was a recent “glitch in the system” discovered in which district school bus drivers “are getting paid for work they aren’t doing – $34,000 worth.”

“That is a problem when we are in a budget crunch,” she quipped.

At the same time, Hertell said, school bus drivers are “doing” extra runs but are “not getting paid for them.”

Hertell, who raised the issue last month that Pemberton administrators were acting behind the scenes to do away with a Burlington County Institute of Technology (BCIT) late bus run, explained that for one of the regular school day pickup routes to the tech-ed school, the Pemberton district decided to merge it with a route to Garfield Academy, meaning that the K-12 special education students from the Pemberton area that attend Garfield are now riding the same school bus as the BCIT students, the latter whom are tech-ed high schoolers.“Youhave parents complaining, coming in to (the) Transportation (Office) and transportation is walking out on them,” Hertell declared. “… You really should not have the BCIT kids mixed in with them. They are compensating by putting three aides on the bus, but it really shouldn’t be that way.”

Hertell revealed that the school bus she is referring to is the one that “had a situation during the summer,” with this newspaper previously reporting that a Pemberton school bus aide (who has since been fired) is facing charges for strangling a student riding the bus during the summer, with the driver of the bus at the time (who has since resigned) later charged with neglect for reportedly failing to intervene to stop the incident, rather allegedly shaking the hand of the bus aide after it was over and sharing a laugh.

But this newspaper was previously unable to confirm the circumstances surrounding why a school bus was in operation during the summer.However, a high-level district source, a couple days following Hertell’s revelation, confirmed that the summertime incident the bus driver association president was referring to happened on the Pemberton district bus assigned to Garfield. That source explained the Garfield students riding it have “special needs,” have a “history of throwing things across the bus and hurting each other,” often being “defiant,” which led to the summertime altercation, and that now the district has added high-school age girls attending BCIT on the bus, mixing them with the Garfield students, who are all boys, compounding an already serious issue.

In another apparent gaffe to start the school year, according to Hertell, the Pemberton district is paying a private bus company, Sheppard Bus, some $16,000 “to do the same thing,” or several high school bus runs that she says the district’s bus drivers are also getting paid to do.

“We have seven high school drivers getting paid to do high school runs and they are not doing them because you have Sheppard buses doing high school runs,” she explained to the Pemberton school board.

Additionally, she maintained, “you also had a big violation of the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)” take place when the school year commenced, with a child’s medical paperwork “laid on the table” in the transportation garage for everyone to see instead of being placed in the appropriate mailbox because “whoever put it downstairs could not find the box.”

Hertell asserted to the school board that “thank goodness” another bus driver found it, gave it to her and she was able to get it to the Pemberton district’s human resource officer.

“That is big no-no,” said Hertell of what transpired with the confidential medical paperwork left out, unattended. “You cannot be doing that.”

The high-level district source, in providing further context, explained that the mailboxes in the bus garage comprise of wooden slots, and that confidential paperwork meant for district bus drivers is often left in them, and that the method of disseminating the paperwork is creating an unsecure “situation where anybody can grab it.”

Dan Smith, the Pemberton district’s business administrator that oversaw transportation, was due to leave the Pemberton district by the end of this week to assume a similar post in the Egg Harbor Township School District.

Hertell described to the Pemberton school board that the “famous words” often spoken at the Pemberton bus garage have been “‘Dan said,’” but now that he is leaving, “lately it has not been ‘Dan said,’” or that there is no direction being given to Pemberton Supervisor of Transportation Edmund Treadaway, further describing that Smith would often tell Treadaway what to do, but now the latter is reportedly saying he doesn’t have to do things, “so, he’s not doing them.”

“You need someone over at the bus garage to make clarifications to the supervisor,” Hertell asserted.

The bus driver association president noted she has filed 12 grievances since February and “three more are about to be filed.”

“I should not have to do that,” she declared. “We should all get along.”

Pemberton Superintendent of Schools Jeff Havers, in responding to Hertell during the board session, said that “in terms of contract violations,” including “people being paid and unpaid,” there is a “contractual process to be followed.”“Interms of transportation,” the superintendent added, Sheppard was contracted “because we need the flexibility in case that we need to add runs.”

This newspaper reported on the Pemberton Transportation Department’s “catastrophic

breakdown” in the previous school year, in which at one point school buses were reported to be overcrowded, while others were running hours behind. More recently, there has been controversy over the elimination of courtesy busing and the transition to consolidated bus stops in some neighborhoods.

“We have a driver shortage,” Havers declared. “We know we sometimes have attendance problems with the drivers, or there are other issues or reasons why we don’t have enough drivers. So, we need that flexibility.”

Smith concurred with the superintendent, maintaining the Pemberton district wanted “to start the school year off” with “extra runs” by “making sure we have enough coverage.”

“Mr. Treadaway and I are working with Sheppard on what our options are to possibly move things around, so that they can still assist us, but in a different tier,” Smith said.

Hertell, in calling on the Pemberton district to cancel its contract with Sheppard, contended its services are unnecessary. She pointed to Smith’s previous remarks at a Pemberton school board meeting that the contract can be canceled with simply “30 days’ notice,” but contended that Treadaway is now informing concerned transportation staff that it can only be canceled with a “years’ notice.”

Hertell described a situation that has become so dire in the district’s Transportation Department that “five drivers quit” and “four more are getting ready to walk out the door.”

“You have to treat employees with respect, and they’ll respect you back,” she declared in making a plea to the Pemberton Board of Education. “We need help. If someone could come over and take a look at the Transportation Department, that would be lovely.”Itwas last year, Horn pointed out, that he “rang the alarm bell” about a predicted “national” teacher shortage and how that could be felt locally, especially, amid “the detrimental impact of ignoring concerns about school climate reported by our staff.”

There are now reports of a nationwide teacher shortage.

“It gives me no pleasure to report that these concerns are now coming to fruition, and we are losing talented, dedicated educators,” Horn declared. “I am not talking about retirements. I am talking about teachers early in their careers who we hired, mentored and trained, only for them to become so exasperated with the toxic climate in Pemberton, they left for greenerTheirpastures.”“exodus from Pemberton,” Horn maintained, “hurts our students,” maintaining the latter “will no longer benefit” from “their talent, devotion and creativity.”

The PTEA president demanded to know from Havers whether the superintendent conducted “exit interviews” with the departing staffers and if the top leader asked about what he could “have done different to retain them.”

“If so, what did they say?” he asked of the superintendent. “I know if I was in charge

of a company, where talented employees are resigning after five to 10 years, I would want to know why.”

Horn maintained, however, he did his own “exit interviews,” asking some of the departing Pemberton Schools staffers why they are “‘Beingleaving.abused and overworked,’ ‘being expected to work long hours outside my contractual hours,’ ‘getting dissected and picked apart,’ ‘do more with less,’ ‘unstainable workload,’ and ‘ridiculous expectations for staff and none for students,’” are just some of the reasons for departing the Pemberton district that Horn said he had compiled.

Then, in offering a recently departed staffer’s description of her “new working conditions,” Horn appeared to deliver a scathing rebuke of the Pemberton district administration under Havers’ leadership, which caused the latter to ultimately publicly lash out at the PTEA president.

“This is a situation she is now experiencing in a new district,” Horn said. “Quote — ‘We had a staff meeting on Monday. Teachers raised concerns about something. Admin fixed it the next day and sent out an email to let everyone know. They walk around delivering supplies to us. The custodians, techs and secretaries all run around happily, helping us all, asking us if we need anything. I have not had one issue go unaddressed by the end of my teaching day by an admin personally or whomever. The superintendent comes to every meeting just to encourage us or tell us how happy he is to support us. He spends his time praising the teachers. He greets every teacher by name, walks into classrooms just to say ‘hi,’ and the atmosphere is insanely upbeat and positive. I feel 10 years younger.’—End quote.”

In telling the Pemberton school board “this is a teacher that worked for us last year, who now works in another district,” Horn asked the public body to think about the “epic difference” in “climate” the “former teacher is reporting.”“Wemaynot be able to do anything about the budget cuts,” Horn declared. “But we can do a lot to promote a positive climate for our dedicated staff members – to nurture them, to support them and to retain them. The actions this teacher reported don’t cost a cent – it is about respect, support and morale. It is about developing an authentic, positive culture.”

The Pemberton school board, Horn maintained, “has to remember” that with a national shortage of teachers, “they aren’t stuck here” and “have options” to leave the local district and go elsewhere “where they will get the respect they deserve.”

“With that in mind, I hope the administration will stop with the aggressive micromanaging and start taking things off the plates of our stressed out, overworked educators,” Horn quipped. “You have to try much harder to make our staff feel welcome here so that they will stay.

Local Groups Welcome Farm Workers to South Jersey

SAFETY

new slate of board members having been swept into office and taking control of the board’s leadership positions earlier this year) “submitted a rather substantial document” that he contended “requested line delineations, not bike lanes.”

Christopher raine Kennedy summer was the thirteenth year volunteers with Migrant Worker Outreach & Haitian Migrant Worker Outreach (MWO) visited migrant camps to welcome farm workers and their families. Through the efforts and generosity of volunteers and donors, a warm welcome is extended to thousands of farm workers every Inyear.2021 & 2022, supporters who contributed to MWO’s gift bag project, clothing drive, and other activities, included Community SJP, Quakers from Medford and from the Atlantic City Area, and HOPE Community Garden, (all pictured above.)

The request, he maintained, “had nothing to do with parking, or impeding the flow of “Ittraffic.”would psychologically drive home the fact that people who are making a right turn off Retreat Road, entering LeisureTowne (from the back entrance), will have to focus in on the lane that they are driving in.”

Mikulski termed what Tom Haluszczak was alluding to as a “shoulder line,” which the former trustee acknowledged is correct. Both men are attorneys.

The former trustee noted that a “person was killed on Westminster,” contending that individual was in a wheelchair when the incidentMikulskitranspired.repliedthat he “doesn’t disagree” with the premise of the request, but that because there is a “community association” in LeisureTowne, “I am very hesitant for the township to put lines in without the current administration approving, because they are elected.”Haluszczak maintained that the submitted document had “some good ideas in there” and suggested that “perhaps someone can look at it and breathe new life in it,” as well as “cherry pick the good ideas” or even do a “mix or match.” He urged the township committee, however, to “come to some sort of an informed decision or conclusion.”

“We should not be hung up on this administration or that administration,” Haluszczak declared. “If it is a good idea,

Additional supporters included Woman’s League of Mt. Holly, South Jersey Democratic Women’s Forum of Atlantic & Cape May Counties, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Medford, Protestant Community Church in Medford, Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Tabernacle, St. James Lutheran Church in Folsom, Trinity Presbyterian Church in Cherry Hill, First Presbyterian Church of Moorestown, Presbyterian Women of South Jersey, The Church of St. Thomas More in Cherry Hill, Anita Mancini, Linda Woolston, Rosemary Hill, Mary Slomine, Michael & Holly Ziochowsky, and Leah Hynansky.

it is a good Longtimeidea.”LeisureTowne and township political activist, Evelyn “Evie” Doherty, asserted that “a lot of things are done in the township that are never told to the community” and that she is only aware of what is happening “because I come here” to the township committee meetings. In her opinion, she added, the LeisureTowne Association should speak to the community “about what it is discussing with the township.”

“That needs to happen,” declared Doherty, with it pointed out that the current trustees were in attendance at the township committeeMikulski,meeting.however, maintained in response that “we honor, and we respect, the dully-elected board of LeisureTowne, as we will any homeowner’s association in theKevintownship.”Boyd, who is one of the trustees that attended the township committee meeting, did remark that Buckingham Drive has “not been striped” since it was paved earlier this year, adding, “As you know, the mature drivers in LeisureTowne have spatial-relation problems.” He asked if Buckingham Drive could be striped (previously having double-yellow lines before the paving project).

Hoffman replied that the paving contractor was planning to return to Buckingham Drive at the conclusion of paving other roads in the township. This newspaper, in visiting Buckingham Drive on Sept. 14, found that the road still lacked road striping, but crosswalks had just been painted in the area of Buckingham and Huntington drives.

In prepared remarks, Boyd reminded the township committee that in November 2021, “the board authorized me to do an inventory of stop and street signs in LeisureTowne,”

Photos Provided

Community of South Jersey and Philadelphia packed the car with 1,000 gift bags for migrant workers.

THIS IS A PAID ADVERTORIAL

Dory Dickson (L) from Migrant Worker Outreach sits with Gail Ziegler (R) from Medford Quaker Friends Meeting, with gift bags for migrant workers.

Volunteers with HOPE Community Garden at Faith Presbyterian Church in Medford gather fresh produce to be distributed at migrant camps throughout South Jersey.

family farm stand (one where Watson posed for a picture during his re-election campaign after he successfully propelled a measure to allow farm stands in town) on the tree farm could not open as the township never received a permit application and related fees. Video of a later confrontation at town hall was posted to social media, in which the Carns handed a zoning official a check and argued they had previously turned in the document and payment. Ultimately, the farm stand’s permit was approved.

In the process of what had become a public spectacle, David Carns revealed an email he had obtained showing that Medford Township Deputy Mayor Frank Czekay, also a Republican, asked for a zoning investigation into another resident the day after that person had spoken critically of council over a proposed commercial truck ban.

What followed was the township acting on an investigation that David Carns also learned about through the public records he had obtained – one over storage of his commercial tree service trucks at the tree farm (one that an email revealed Watson had been told was in progress before entering into the firewood transaction with the Carns sibling).

Ultimately, the Carns, after receiving a Notice of Violation over the commercial tree service trucks, sought answers from council as to the rules and regulations concerning commercial tree service trucks, particularly if they are involved with the farm use of the tree farm. Township Solicitor Timothy Prime, in response, referred the Carns to the Medford Township Zoning Board.

But the zoning board told the Carns siblings they were unfamiliar with the matter and could not do anything for them as they only hear official zoning applications. The Carns ultimately released video of their zoning board encounter on social media, which only further intensified the public scrutiny.

As Brian Carns confronted council once more and sought their assistance in better understanding the law, an official declared that summonses in the matter had already been issued (because of a deadline being missed to respond to the Notice of Violation), catching him off-guard. The way in which the public pronouncement was handled, however, angered several township residents, as well as the Carns family.

Around the same time, Prime sent a letter to the Carns siblings via email threatening to pursue “enhanced penalties” against Carolyn Carns for unbated violations of local law, as well as forwarded an “anonymous” complaint about a tree removal that had taken place in town. After the letter suggested that such penalties against Carolyn Carns would include jail time for the Carns Family matriarch, leading to outrage, Prime was forced to clarify with this newspaper that the township was not intending to actually pursue jail time, though he maintained he could not make any absolute guarantee.

Two separate summonses ultimately arrived in the mail, assigned to Carolyn Carns, for her “failing to obtain a zoning permit prior to any use change” as well as “having more than one commercial vehicle.”

The Carns and allies then pursued additional public records from the township, some of which called into question an apparent relationship between the neighbor filing some of the complaints and the township zoning official said to be involved in several of the investigations.

The records also revealed that the municipality had somehow obtained video recordings from the neighbor of the Carns tree farm making some of the complaints, including one clip that showed her trespassing onto the Carns property and

filming the various equipment and buildings on the Thatproperty.ledtocharges that the apparently illegally obtained video was at least partially behind the township bringing the actions that it did against the Carns. And after that allegation was made, the Carns learned through additional public records that a township official had been allegedly “hiding in the woods” around the morning rush hour, photographing their commercial activities on the tree farm, including monitoring the tree trucks, pictures of which were archived in an email by the official taking them.

The Carns’ findings led to allegations of invasion of privacy.

The Pine Barrens Tribune has since learned, however, through public records, that Medford Township also sought commercial vehicle registration information on the Carns from the New Jersey Motor Vehicles Commission, which it received, as well as researched and archived all the business registration filings with the state for the tree farm parcel. These items were apparently collected to be used as potential evidence of Carolyn Carns being in violation of the local ordinances.

David Carns, back in May, told council on the record that after violation notices were issued, he removed the commercial tree trucks from the farm and was now storing them

Butoffsite.thetownship still chose not to drop the summonses against the Carns Family matriarch, with the citations issued for the alleged violations that occurred prior to Carns reportedly abating the matter. It is those violations – not the politics of the matter – that 5 p.m. Sept. 19 court hearing only dealt with.

David Carns, following the guilty pleas entered by his mother, declined to comment, maintaining that he was acting on the advice of his legal However,counsel.acouple of weeks earlier, David Carns revealed to this newspaper that he, his mother and brother had all been asked to sign a “memorandum of understanding” in some sort of an apparent attempt to resolve the matter, but that he was uncomfortable doing so because of proposed stipulations, including that in order “demonstrate compliance with Township of Medford Ordinance 501, CARNS will provide a contract or proof of an agreement to the Township of Medford of the location where CORNERSTONE commercial vehicles are garaged.” He also questioned why he and his brother had to sign such a document when the violations were issued to his mother.

The draft agreement, which David Carns supplied to this newspaper, also would have prohibited the “parking of multiple commercial vehicles and equipment related to the tree service business” at the tree farm and further obligated the family to having only one commercial car or truck on the parcel.

An Aug. 17 Facebook posting from Brian Carns indicated that some sort of negotiations surrounding the agreement ultimately broke down, including over an apparent behind-the-scenes dispute about whether the family would be allowed to “split wood” at the tree farm.

“They want us to sign an agreement stating that not only the trucks are not on the farm, but they also want several other stipulations in writing,” Brian Carns wrote. “We say nonsense, we are in compliance and one of those stipulations they are requesting is not even any of their business, anyway. Yet they have the audacity to request it.

“Not only that, now they say we can no longer split the wood on the property. Funny they write an ordinance that wood stands can bring in wood from adjacent towns to sell, but splitting said wood is not allowed. This is their own ordinance and as usual they twist and turn their interpretation to what fits their agenda on any particular day. Maybe they should spend less time trying to

stick it to farms through their zoning office and lawyers and concentrate on bigger issues such as trash pickup.”

Following that posting (which generated a new round of outrage in the community), however, the head of the Medford 08055 social media group – who was previously a close ally of Watson and is known to be an influential figure in the township, posted that the mayor “informed me that splitting wood on a farm that sells firewood is allowed in Medford.”

“I just hope the clueless township solicitor is aware of this,” the group administrator added. “If he isn’t, then this professional contractor should be removed and replaced ASAP.”

Prime has since told this newspaper that he has “never seen a draft settlement agreement with the Carns.”

“I did not prepare any agreement and I have been informed that no one in the township or the municipal prosecutor has

ever seen any draft agreement,” he declared in responding to an inquiry from this newspaper. “I have never demanded that any of the Carns sign anything.”

“The municipal court prosecutor suggested that the Carns and the township could sign an agreement that confirmed exactly what could and could not be done on the property. The property is zoned for residential uses only and the Cornerstone Tree Service business, or any business, cannot be operated at the property. The only non-residential use that is permitted on the Carns property is the wood stand. I advised the prosecutor that the township had no objection to such an agreement so that there would be no confusion going forward for either side concerning the operation of the wood stand, but asked to be kept informed of any terms so that I could

DAM

(Continued

rainfall events and flood waters overtop Church Road,” but don’t overtop “the top of the six-inch pipe,” resulting in water continuing west, toward the “upstream left abutment wall,” which causes an adjacent “grassed area” to become inundated with runoff, resulting in “erosion of the soil.”

“The runoff continues around the electrical box and has also eroded the area adjacent to the concrete pad for the electrical box,” Noll observed.

The “intention” of the providing for an asphalt curb “in this area,” Noll explained, is to “allow for a path for runoff and floodwaters around the electrical box and abutment walls of the dam to minimize erosion at these crucial locations.”

A second recommended repair is to add a special type of stone with “approximately 65 square yards of underlying filter fabric” to the northeast corner of a parking lot for Kirby’s Mill to provide for “additional energy dissipation between the stone parking area and the existing fenced embankment.” This repair, Noll noted, would prevent the type of erosion previously observed “between the stone parking area and the fenced portion of the downstream left embankment.”

Another recommended repair is to install “permanent erosion control matting adjacent to the fencing at the downstream left embankment” to prevent “high-velocity flows” and “minimize” the loss of the embankment.“Duringflood events and periods of intense rainfall, runoff and floodwaters travel toward the existing retaining wall on the downstream left embankment to the dam,” Noll wrote. “As a result, the interface

between the retaining wall and earthen embankment erodes.”

This reporter, in making the Sept. 16 site visit to Kirby’s Mill Dam, noted a large washout and area filled with sandbags along the left embankment to the dam. The area was cordoned off with a combination of yellow caution tape, wooden snow/sand fencing and traffic barrels.

Noll, in yet another recommended repair, is calling for the installation and compacting of “well-graded, clean fill material within the eroded and depressed areas along the left“Afterembankment.”theflooding event on June 19-20, 2019, multiple areas throughout the left embankment area eroded and depressions were formed,” Noll wrote. “All depressions should be filled and compacted with wellgraded, clean fill to match the existing adjacent elevation. The depressions should be filled and compacted in six-inch lifts.”

The township engineer also called for 60 linear feet of fencing to be re-installed, including “any damaged rails or fence panels,” with photographs included among the public records showing sections of bent and damaged fencing. Additionally, he proposed that a “misaligned joint on the left side of the dam abutment wall, near the electrical cabinet,” be filled with polyurethane chemical grout.

“The intention of filling the concrete joints in this area is to minimize infiltration of water into the joints, which may freeze and thaw and promote movement of the concrete wall. The misaligned joint has continued to be monitored for movement, and is periodically measured by an engineer in the Withfield.”Burger refusing to adequately respond to this newspaper’s inquiries (despite

FAMILY

advise the township council and officials. I then participated in subsequent, informal discussions with the prosecutor and the Carns attorney, as well as members of the governing body.

“I cannot ethically comment on these discussions except to reiterate that I did not prepare or review any draft agreement with the Carns and still have not done so.”

Prime ultimately called this newspaper when pressed on where the proposed stipulations came from and what transpired with the splitting of wood controversy. While the township solicitor maintained he could not ethically get into the details beyond what he shared, what Prime did say this newspaper could put on the record is that “no one ever asked us for a use change” to allow a tree service business on the farm, hence why it is still illegal, though he believed council would not be in favor “changing the law to allow non-residential uses,” and maintained that “the mayor tried everything” he could to help the Carns over the past several years and has “no axe to grind.”

Brian Carns, on Sept. 12, made a second posting to Facebook, declaring that “this administration has finally stated what they are looking for in fines.”

“They want a $10,000 fine against our farm for the violations of parking tree trucks there,” Brian Carns added.

Prior to the pair of Sept. 19 guilty pleas entered by Carolyn Carns, Medford Township Municipal Prosecutor Christopher Koutsouris

CANINE

here that is able to take care of our trash, and taking care of the fleet is part of that,” she maintained.Amongthe other resolutions the council unanimously passed was one authorizing an application for a New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) grant of up to $1.5 million for streetscaping improvements, lighting and the installation of missing sidewalks on North Locust Ave. between Main Street and Route 70, and another establishing a process by which the Evesham Township public school and fire districts can apply for Redevelopment Community Development Fund grants to finance their own public safety projects, to be completed within one year of any such awards.

The fund was established by an ordinance, adopted last year, to allow revenues anticipated from “annual service charges payable to the township under one or more financial agreements” (or PILOT funds), to be put aside for “worthwhile public safety

recounted that the Carns Family matriarch was “requesting that the court postpone the proceedings so that the parties can argue what those penalties should be at a later date, or brief the court on those matters and have the court make a determination after briefing.”

After Shimberg, on Sept. 19, recognized both guilty pleas and entered a pair of guilty findings into the record, he set a deadline of Oct. 10 for written “submissions.”

“Yes, that was my understanding as well – that there was a difference of opinion as to what the appropriate sentence might be,” said Shimberg, who is Pemberton Township’s Municipal Court judge presiding over the Carns case because of a conflict of interest involving the Medford judge, Pete Lange.

There was no official word on whether the township actually intends to pursue a $10,000 fine in the matter (Koutsouris did not return this newspaper’s message seeking comment on this story as of press time), but Brian Carns, in the Sept. 12 Facebook posting, maintained “we have never been fined in the past and while searching for others who have been in similar situations, the most they were fined was $500 – even second and third offenses were never more then $500.”

His brother had previously provided this newspaper with public records showing a multitude of Medford businesses given citations by the township, but never being fined more than $500 – with him pointing out that in the case of the Carns parcel –it is the first time in his mother’s 80 plus years of existence that the property was ever the subject of a summons – or in this case summonses – something that did not occur “until this administration came in.”

projects for the benefit of the residents and businesses of the township.”

In other business, Erin Knoedler, deputy township manager for Public Property, announced that volunteers were being sought for a community cleanup on Oct. 1 between 9 a.m. and noon, with a focus on storm drains, to be followed by a pizza lunch at the Main Street firehouse, and that the Ladies Straight Shooters Golf League, the largest league of its kind in the country, would be hosting its annual year-end banquet on Oct. 5, at the Indian Spring Country Club, for which reservations can be made at the league’s website.

Knoedler also noted that an electric vehicle charging station had been installed in the club’s parking lot, and that some software installation and vendor training were being awaited in order for it to be opened to the public.

An ordinance amending a section of the municipal code regarding the placement of swimming pools and hot tubs and their ancillary equipment in MD1 (Medium Densiry-1) zones was passed on final reading, 4-1, with a dissenting vote by Councilwoman

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

The historic Kirby’s Mill, which sits just yards away from the “hazard” dam.

SCHOOLS

“… It would be foolish to believe that things are better now, now that the contract is settled, and the worst of the pandemic is behind us. If you continue with the status-quo policies and current administrative style, the exodus will continue. And I can tell you, there are already more in the pipeline who can’t wait to get out. And that hurts our students, who deserve to have experienced, dedicated teachers who are respected and want to be here. Anything less is selling our kids short.”

The PTEA president asked the Pemberton school board, and district administrators looking on, to “think about how great it would be to hear a Pemberton staff member state, ‘The atmosphere here is insanely upbeat and positive.’”

“In terms of resignations and exit interviews,” the superintendent ultimately responded, “there are resignations across the country in every field,” due to the hot job market, though he recognized “in education, there are less resignations than in other job occupations.” He pointed to the “teacher shortage” being a national occurrence.

Havers maintained that “usually” when a teacher resigns “they write a letter” explaining why they are doing so and noted the Pemberton district “will give out a form” for one to fill out when they retire. The superintendent then shared what a teacher who recently departed the Pemberton district had told him.

CANINE

Patricia Hansen. The revised ordinance reduces the required setback for such facilities from 15 to five feet, eliminating any further need for affected residents to seek variances from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

Director of Community development Kevin Rijs, in response to a question from Hansen regarding the noise that might result, justified

“She actually wanted to thank me,” he said, explaining that she left the Pemberton district because she wanted to join with her family moving to South Carolina.

Havers recounted having “hired her” and that he “worked with” that teacher during new staff orientation, monthly meetings and even recalled “spending half a morning helping her set up her classroom.”

“Many people have been telling me this year is a much better year,” declared Havers, looking directly at Horn. “And unfortunately, Mr. Horn, I feel like your message is the same message – repetitive, almost trying to convince everybody to be unhappy.”

The Pemberton superintendent then asserted that he “remembered” Horn “coming up and telling the board” when Pemberton Schools were closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic in January 2021 “‘that every school should be closed for the rest of the year.’”

“Imagine what the impact would have been on kids if we closed,” declared Havers as Horn vigorously denied saying such comments from his seat. “Yes, I have your (public comment preview) card right here, Mr. Horn! I saved it! Yes, 21’. I remember it really well! Parents were here, upset about their children. And you came up and said, ‘Schools should be closed the rest of the year – not to open back up.’ If we were to follow that advice, how much better off would our kids have been, and our staff have been?”

Shortly after the public spat, it became time for Pemberton school board member comments.Thatiswhen

Scull discussed her recent attendance at a New Jersey School Boards

the change on the grounds that the modern filters and equipment tend to generate less noise than some of the older equipment used to, and that the new rule would be in keeping with the kinds of relief the zoning board has seen fit to grant in such cases.

When Hansen asked him what would happen should it result in excessive noise, Rijs responded, “If something were to be a nuisance and in violation of the noise code, then we would get involved in the way of enforcement.”

The council members were also introduced

Association workshop, “Getting Your School Board Ready for 2023.”

“There should be other opportunities (outside of school board meetings) for the public to speak with board members,” said Scull of one of the things conveyed to attendees, calling for “at least one or two” meetings after the November election is held.

Another recommendation to come out of the workshop, she said, is for school superintendents to hold a question-andanswer session with the public, “like a Coffee with a “OneSuperintendent.”ofthethingssaid is, ‘Don’t run from negatives. Deal with it,’” Scull recounted. “And I really feel that is important. We can sit here and say, ‘Oh, that is not true, that is now how it is.’ But apparently there are perceptions if there is something negative, and we should deal with some of these issues.”

“Trust” and “developing a vision,” is important, Scull maintained, with the latter entailing “the board always acting and believing in the value of education for ‘every’ student – special needs, all students, all creeds – everybody.”Rules,she said, “should not be made to accommodate one or two people,” but “for the best of all students with equality and equity for everyone.”

She noted that it was also suggested that the “board have a discussion at the dais” about “what kind of skills the board president should have” when being appointed to the position.

Bivins, however, offered a contrasting take on how the negatives just raised to the Pemberton school board should be handled,

to Ethan Verrone, the newly elected president of the Evesham Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), who used the occasion to “affirm our commitment to connect the youth of the town with council,” as well as to emphasize the many township events in which YAC participates, as well as its own projects, such as a community garden and a scholarship, and to help young people understand that “the town is more than a place to live—it’s a community.”

Veasy presented a group of PTA and PTO members, who spoke about their activities

but first contended that her daughter “had nothing but positive things to say in general” about her experiences at Denbo-Crichton School during the start of the school year, and while attending Meet the Teacher there, she noted “everybody was smiling” and the teachers “looked genuinely happy about seeing the children.”

“One of the things as a teacher myself, over the years, I have been burnt out and I have been overworked, and I have been tired,” Bivins said. “And last year, when we went back with masks, I decided I was going to say every morning, when everybody asked me how I was doing, ‘I am doing great!’ And everybody said to me, ‘Are you?’ And I said, ‘Yes, because I am going to change my attitude! I have 2 choices, I can either be miserable or I can be happy.’ Are things great? Nope! But I am choosing to be positive.

“I have a lamp in my room that my mother gave me. I have a humidifier in there (aromatherapy humidifiers can reportedly reduce stress and fatigue levels). I spend more time in my classroom than my own bedroom. So, I made it my home. It is not easy. I know. I have been there for almost 20 years. So, I guess I am encouraging everyone to get humidifier and a lamp. Have a great day!”

Tom Bauer, president of the Pemberton school board, commented that since Bivins has been on the public body, “she brings a very positive attitude, not only here in the public meetings, but in the committee meetings,” and that he has come to “rely” on her for her “information and input,” maintaining she is “very valuable” to the school board.

at the start of the session, with their own Community Impact Awards.

During a public comment session, resident Gary Warga talked about the importance of providing a paved path in the new park that will be developed on the 176-acre former Beagle Club property for “bicycles, people with baby strollers and people with wheelchairs.”

“I hope you’re able to do that and find a way around any kind of environmental regulations that make you think you cannot do that,” Warga declared.

AUTOMOBILES/TRUCKS

Cash Paid for Your Car. Looking to buy better than junk cars. Call 1-866-261-5277. We come to you. FOR

FURNITURE REPAIR

Adam’s Furniture Restoration, LLC. Fully insured. Furniture repair, kitchen cabinet refinishing, touch-ups, and in-home services. Call 1-856-979-6210. Visit www.facebook. com/adamsfurnres .

HAULING

HAULING

Household appliances. Televisions, furniture, etc. for disposal or transport. Garage and yard cleanups along with lawn cutting and gutter cleaning. Free estimates. Call or Text Bob at 1-609-880-3789.

ITEMS FOR SALE

Crown boiler. Model BWZ Tewz 100 BOLT3PSU. 120,000 BTUs. Net rating 104. New condition. Removed from house remodel. $850. Please call Fred at 856-3715076.

LAWN CUTTING

Lawn cutting, summer/fall cleanups and gutter cleaning. Shrub pruning and some tree work, along with hauling. Free estimates=reasonable rates. Call or Text Bob at 1-609-880-3789.

LAWYERS

Erwin Apell Attorney, Browns Mills. All legal matters - free hotline 24/7. Visa, Mastercard. Call 609-220-3059 or email Erwinapell@gmail.com .

LOST DOG

LOOKING TO RENT

The house in Howell where I’ve been living for years is being sold and I am seeking a new home (share) almost anywhere in South Jersey but I really love the Pine Barrens and vicinity . . . one of my favorite places is Hot Diggidy Dog in beautiful downtown Chatsworth! I go there frequently. It doesn’t need to be fancy but some place with nice folks who would like to have this fully vaccinated (including the Pfizer booster) old timer with them. I bring good food fringees with me so if you think you have a possibility . . . or know someone who might, please call me at 732-216-3176 or Email: cr@exit109.com and let’s talk.

Antique collectibles and furniture for sale at upcoming yard sale in LeisureTowne on Oct. 1. Come visit 58 Marlboro Drive in Southampton (LeisureTowne). Call 609351-6681 for more information.

Adopted from Popcorn Park: looking for three dogs, Miniature Pinschers named Taz, Rusty and Henry. Please call 732-796-3572 or 908670-1173. Reward for return.

IF YOU’VE GOT INSIDE SALES EXPERIENCE, YOU COULD SOON BE PLAYING A KEY ROLE IN HELPING US TO SPREAD THE NEWS

ANYTHING, WE ATTICS, BASEMENTS, DEMOLITIONS, SHEDS REMOVED, POOLS REMOVED, SPACEPLACES CLEANED ETC. CALL 609-694-9356. newspaper that keeps readers informed about the affairs of their community and region, there’s also no replacement for an experienced and effective sales rep who knows how to get results. If that describes you, then you may well be the part-time person this newspaper needs to generate ad revenues and thus enable it to continue chronicling events helping to in our communities.

DAM

campaign promises by Watson of promoting “transparency” in local government under his administration), the possible extent of a dam failure by allowing the hazardous condition to persist could not be immediately ascertained, but while a Class III dam is typically deemed a low-hazard dam by the state (thus why only annual four-year inspections are required), one only needs to look at what happened during the June 2019 flood to see what kind of havoc can play out in the area from a flood.

As some of the public records indicate, the parking lot for Kirby’s Mill, a historic structure that came about in the 1700s with the building of the nearby dam to power a gristmill and sawmill, had a significant

washout, with the mill building itself damaged by the floodwaters. The Medford Historical Society, which purchased the building in 1969 from the Kirby Brothers, ended up in 2019 having to coordinate “backfilling” of several washed-out areas at the mill complex, which also comprises a historic storage barn, sawyer’s house and a carriage barn.

Prior to that flood, the public records obtained by this newspaper also show officials discussing sinkholes forming in the vicinity, including in the areas alongside the dam during both 2018 and 2019 – in one instance even having to deploy sandbagging. (Sandbags were still seen at the site on Sept. 16.)

In 2021, a township firefighter also emailed both Parks and Dovi to report “that there are a few logs at the gates of the dam at Kirby’s that need to be removed,” including

OPINION

A Trashman’s Defense: We Are Essential – a Strong Neighborhood Ally

I write this letter to clear the name of the tens of thousands of noble and humble trashmen.The“Trashman,” much like the term “doctor,” has no gender, race, or creed. We are a brotherhood of all, who strive every day to collect that which no other wants to collect. The Trashman rises before the sun, adapts to a changing industry and keeps close watch on the neighborhoods of TheAmerica.Trashman wakes five (sometimes six) days a week before the sun rises. Regardless of weather, the Trashman must be alert to safely navigate the small streets of various hamlets around this beautiful country of ours.

Most streets were created for buggies, and later automobiles, but never for the trash truck. The Trashman does this without complaint, every day, so that regular Americans never have to live in a world where refuse piles in the streets.

The trash industry has changed drastically over the last two decades. What used to be a job for brawny, simple men and women has now transformed. The need for skill and good judgement are requirements; and safety rules must be followed above all else. The Trashman has to thread a 100-pound needle between multiple cans, mailboxes, and parked cars over a thousand times a day; all while keeping an eye on impatient drivers and little Timmy riding his bike.

The modern Trashman is a trade much like that of a plumber or carpenter, although we are not paid as such. The trash industry went from being a township or city led job to a corporate “for profit” industry. The bottom line is now much more important than Mr. Smith’s roses that he planted too close to the road.

The Trashman must collect all trash regardless of the obstacle. Much like the postal worker, we must fit our

80,000-pound truck to the deepest depths of the Jersey Devil’s homestead to collect just one can.

I contend that much like the policeman or firefighter, the Trashman is essential to the functioning of society. Without the trash being collected, the country would slip into anarchy and sickness within months. The Trashman is also human and flawed. We knock over cans after emptying them. Though some would like to see that Trashman destitute, I’d say it is a small price to pay for keeping society together.The

Trashman knows your neighborhood better than anyone else. Every week, the Trashman diligently drives up and down your village lanes, stopping at each and every house. Waving to your small children. Running up your driveway to grab a can that was not put out on time, and then returning after finding out your can was not out because your wife was in labor.

The Trashman can be a strong neighborhood ally.

I have helped find lost dogs, given directions to a lost traveler, and have helped your elderly neighbors bring in their empty cans.

Lately, I have seen in this newspaper, that citizens are blaming the Trashman for the incompetence of a large corporate company. You do not blame a private for a lost war. You do not blame the pawn for a checkmate. Therefore, I cannot stand silently while you blame the humble Trashman for collection issues.

The Trashman does a job that no one else wants. We are grossly underpaid and thanklessly perform our job each and every day for the good of society.

Vincent Meloni A Trashman Audobon, New Jersey

one that is about 40 feet long “in front of the“Thisdam.”is not an emergency,” he wrote. “But it needs to be done. If we do get a storm, the big one is almost across the entire dam and is blocking everything floating from going over the dam.”

This reporter, in a Sept. 16 site visit, observed several logs jammed in the spillway gates.

Making use of the ARP funding to make the required dam repairs was again weighed by Medford Council on Sept. 6.

“The Kirby’s Mill Dam – again he (Noll) is starting to have some concerns on that,” said Watson in urging council to approve use of the ARP funding for the dam repairs. “I would think that is another great expense for this Missing(money).”fromthe provided public records was correspondence between the township and the municipality’s insurance carrier, as well as FEMA, in regards to the dam issue.

“If I could add my two cents in,” quipped

SAFETY

(Continued from Page 9)

which was subsequently completed and turned over to the township.

“We have 97 intersections in LeisureTowne,” Boyd noted. “Some (signs) are very faded, and in some cases, some intersections have no stop signs.”

He presented the inventory again to the township committee, with Hoffman asking to also have a copy, though he acknowledged that after initially presenting it to the governing body earlier in the year, “some of the signs were replaced.”

During a subsequent township committee meeting on Sept. 20, Mikulski said that “18 street signs and 15 stop signs have been replaced since our last meeting, specifically in “IfLeisureTowne.”youseestreet signs or stops signs (that are missing), specifically at intersecting roads, call those in right away,” the mayor told Trustee Deborah Massey, who asked Sept. 20 what is the best way she can follow up on the township’s progress. “Some of the (requests for) stop signs (at intersections) that were presented to us a little over a year ago, (the intersections) actually by law don’t require stop signs.

“You can ask for them, which is fine, but they don’t require stop signs. In neighborhoods, if one road dead ends, there is not a legal requirement for a stop sign there. If there are two through roads, there is a legal requirement to put a stop sign there.”

Mikulski added that the township

Burger on Sept. 6. “If we don’t do the Eayrestown Road drainage or the Kirby’s Mill Dam with this (ARP) money, I am going to be bringing it to you in the general capital fund,Kochanregardless.”ultimately responded that, “I agree with this list (for the use of the ARP funds) – I think it is great.”

“With Kirby’s Mill Dam – it is not a matter of ‘when,’ it is a matter of ‘if,’” remarked Councilman Erik Rebstock after hearing the details of the various needs. “It needs to be Burgerdone.”replied, “yes,” and then noted that she would discuss the Eayrestown Road drainage and Kirby’s Mill Dam project at an upcoming “projects meeting” with the engineers and “then put together a proposal,” with the projects possibly being put out to bid concurrently.

This newspaper, as of press time, was unable to locate a request for proposals for any dam project at Kirby’s Mill in the New Jersey Press Association’s legal notice database. The township’s Request for Proposals webpage was last updated July 22 with a call for bids on an unrelated project.

committee is “not opposed” to putting stop signs at intersections that require them, but that the municipality is going to “prioritize” those where ones are required to be posted “because of the costs and time in getting things now with the supply chain issues.”

As for the speeding concerns, the mayor, on Aug. 16, acknowledged “we have a lot of issues with speeding – and always had,” including in other areas of the municipality that are outside LeisureTowne.

“We don’t have our own police force,” Mikulski said. “So, we are a little limited in what we can do. Jim (Young) has spoken to the police tens, if not hundreds of times over the years. Kathy has spoken to them. I know, I have. But the reality is the State Police are simply not going to spend their (limited) resources on our streets – they are just not going to.”

That is why, he maintained, the township decided to purchase the digital speed signs in hopes that it would act as a deterrent. However, the mayor said he would again reach out to the state police and even the Burlington County Sheriff’s Department, though the latter, he maintained, had informed him a couple of years ago that they no longer do “community policing,” to which Committeeman Ronald Heston said he spoke to the department’s representatives at the Farm Fair and there was now some consideration to bringing that back.

“There is really only so much we can do,” declared Mikulski, noting that he has even chased one car down his own road in the municipality after it was speeding through his neighborhood. “I am open to ideas.”