Sendzik had been with the Fire District for years and her letter made clear that the “fragmented” Board problem had arisen “recently”. And so, The Reporter asked Ms. Sendzik to be specific as to whether one or another Commissioner was at fault. Sendzik did not respond.

Since then, the District has cycled through another four counselors, with the most recent being Dom Rota, of Malamut Law. Readers will recall that even the selection of Malamut arrived with a controversy since there was a “bid spoiling” incident. Commissioner Saucier opened just the Malamut bid, causing the entire process to be redone.

Commission Chair Thiessen ruled that the incident was just an administrative mistake.

Like any good mystery, there are rumors circulating. Rumors about administrative conflicts that may have driven a counselor to distraction. For instance, a long-time company member was banned from entering the building due to a charge that was dismissed, but that decision is still somehow not resolved by the Fire District. Then there is the ongoing administrative chaos created by a suspended Director, which delays business because part-time Commissioner Thiessen has been “temporarily” in charge for the last 7 months, which holds up decision making.

Obviously the answer is to appoint a new Director, but as readers will recall, that position is in limbo because the Board has been unable to fire Director Carty [who remains suspended with pay] even though a special counselor determined that he should be terminated.

The Reporter is aware of other administrative problems, some of which were disclosed by Mr. Young in his “safety report” [see SAFETY CONCERNS AT FIRE DISTRICT RESURFACE]. When you take all of these administrative SNAFUs in aggregate, it would seem to provide enough centrifugal force to eject even the most determined counselor.

But that is speculation, so I contacted Mr. Rota in hopes of at least getting a generalized description of what drove him out. Unfortunately for our purposes here, Mr. Rota refused to tell tales that would compromise his legal responsibility to keep advice confidential.

For a moment I thought that the resignation letter provided a hidden clue. Mr. Rota made an oblique reference to a reason that might provide better understanding.

He said “the Firm [must] preserve the confidentiality of attorney-client communications and other protected information. AND FOR THAT REASON, it would be inappropriate to elaborate further on the circumstances giving rise to this withdrawal.”

Why would an attorney refuse to tell his own clients why he resigned? Was there some OTHER client who had a matter before the Board which produced a conflict of interest? Or perhaps Malamut represented a Commissioner as a private client which somehow got cross-wise with Board business? There are other permutations of these questions which might provide insight.

But Mr. Rota wrote back to the Reporter to say that neither of the possibilities I asked about were true.

And so, at least for now, this mystery remains unsolved.

Solicitor Resignation: The board’s attorney Dom Rota from Malamute law resigned effective immediately. Chairman Thiessen reported receiving a text notification from Rota followed by a brief call where the attorney said that the reasons for the resignation are “water under the bridge”. The Reporter pressed Chairman Thiessen for some details as to why the Solicitor resigned but he said he had nothing to share on that count. The Reporter has requested a copy of the resignation letter.

Financial Audit Review The board’s auditor presented the 2026 audit. • Internal Controls: No material weaknesses or deficiencies were identified. • Budget Compliance: The district remained within its total budget constraints, though a finding was noted regarding the 2025 purchase of two vehicles without proper prior budgeting. • Capital Reserves: The district holds $150,000 in undesignated capital and $60,000 earmarked for an AV system. These funds require specific resolutions before they can be utilized for new purchases, such as a down payment on a fire truck. • 2027 Budget Cycle: Planning must begin in September due to stricter DCA oversight and the retirement of key state personnel.

• Security Audit: A review of building access revealed 47 individuals with active key fobs who are no longer associated with the district. These fobs will be deactivated. Moving forward, all commissioners will have uniform access to all rooms.

Operational & Chief’s Report • Apparatus Replacement: The Chief warned that the current engines are 21–22 years old. Given a 3-year lead time for delivery, he recommended forming a committee immediately to spec a new engine (estimated cost: $900k–$1.1M). He suggested a 5-year staggered replacement plan for the second engine rather than replacing both simultaneously.

• Shared Services Friction: A fit test machine, which was supposed to be stored on-site per a shared service agreement with the MUA, was removed without authorization. The board is seeking its immediate return.

THE REPORT

On January 7, 2026, Mr. Tim Young supplied a safety report to the Chair and Vice Chair of the Fire District Board of Commissioners. The report said fractious behavior on the Board and failures to process Standard Operating Procedure and Personnel updates were causing problems on the operational side of the Fire District. Young waited for months in hopes that Commissioners would address concerns in his safety report. But when no one on the Board reached out to him to discuss those problems, he concluded that continuing as Safety Officer was tacit consent for the lack of action. And so, on May 16^th 2026, Mr. Young resigned his position as Safety Officer at the Mount Holly Fire District [see reprinted letter below].

As prescient as Mr. Young’s safety report seems to be, it suffers from a lack of specificity with respect to individuals at blame.

“My concerns were with the Board of Fire Commissioners as the governing body: failure to follow its own policies, failure to properly review safety reports, failure to maintain clear operational authority, and repeated interference or confusion between governance and operations.”

Tim Young

Young’s valid concerns deserved the Board’s attention, but when The Reporter pressed him for more context about who was responsible for the personnel issues he called out, he responded that “I don’t have much insight into your follow up”. When The Reporter observed that his report needed context to be more useful, he responded that he had become “uninterested in assisting” with an exploration of the details.

And so, the Reporter will attempt provide clarifying context without the aid of Mr. Young.

WHAT HAPPENED?

On January 7, 2026, newly elected Fire Commissioner Jules Thiessen was settling into his seat as Chairman of Mt. Holly Fire District. The outgoing Chair Nicole Saucier, who was also the person in charge of the Personnel and Policy Committee during 2025, had just been elected Vice Chair of the Commission.

Jules and Nicole were the only two commissioners who received Mr. Young’s safety report that day by email.

The report was not forwarded to Commissioners Rosemarie Logue or Jeena Sheppard.

To be fair to Thiessen, the report arrived on what was essentially his first day and at a moment when the Board was consumed by chaotic events and battles. First came the lawyer resignations. Then came a roller coaster of accusations that a new lawyer found by Thiessen was a “pay to play” hire. Next came a misfeasance scandal when Commissioner Saucier opened a lawyer bid without authorization, “spoiling” the whole bidding process and forcing it to be rebid. And then the high drama a months-long personnel investigation that concluded with a legal recommendation to terminate suspended Director Jason Carty. The recommendation was not heeded. Thiessen and 2 other commissioners were deemed to have conflicts of interest that prevented them from voting, and the remaining Commissioners had a tie vote. As a result, Carty remains on indefinite paid administrative leave. And to top off this chaos, Carty’s interminable suspension meant that Mr. Thiessen had to continue shouldering the Fire Director’s duties on the operational side of the district. Thiessen has just passed his 6^th month as “temporary” Fire Director.

True, Mr. Thiessen sought the office and accepted the responsibilities of being Chair, so the report was his to review and act upon. But no one should deny that Mr. Young’s critique of the Commission came at a particularly distracted time for Thiessen.

But what of his Vice Chair Saucier? She no longer had to deal with the Fire Director duties or the Policy and Personnel Committee that she shouldered during late 2025. And yet apparently one of her first decisions as Vice Chair was to withhold Mr. Young’s safety report from her fellow commissioners Logue and Sheppard.

“That report was neither meaningfully reviewed nor acted upon. It was not formally accepted, discussed, or resolved at that meeting or any meeting since. No corrective action has been taken. No urgency has been demonstrated. No accountability has been shown.” Tim Young resignation letter

The content of Young’s critique in his resignation letter is correct, but the generic application of blame to “the Board” was inappropriate. It should be placed at the feet of the people who actually were in receipt of this report: Jules Thiessen and Nicole Saucier. They were the only Commissioners that Young notified.

Likewise with regard to the “officer appointment” issues Young mentioned in his safety report, authority over personnel and policy was in the hands of Commissioner Nicole Saucier and June Gaskill during the period of time he addressed.

Much of the fractiousness Young complains of at Board meetings were the result of disputes between the Saucier/Gaskill duo versus Rosemarie Logue and Jeena Sheppard who complained about poor communication.

But complain as they might, they could not overcome the 3-2 vote deficit they faced at every Fire District meeting. It was not until Mr. Thiessen arrived that Ms. Logue and Ms. Sheppard began to receive a modicum of respect with regard to hearing their perspectives.

Mr. Young’s reports were accurate in their description of problem areas. It is a shame that Logue and Sheppard were not appraised of his concerns prior to his resignation in May. Perhaps they could have joined with Thiessen to get the long awaited action sought by Mr. Young.

RESIGNATION LETTER

Board of Fire Commissioners

Mount Holly Fire District No. 1

May 16, 2026

To The Board

Effective May 17, 2026, I am resigning from my position as Department Safety Officer and as a member of Mount Holly Fire District No. 1.

This decision is not abrupt. It is the result of months of inaction, disregard, and a complete failure to address documented safety concerns that were formally presented to this Board. My January report outlined significant and escalating risks, including breakdown of command structure, lack of approved SOPs/SOGs, improper officer appointment processes, and deteriorating morale impacting operational readiness. These were not minor issues. They were, and remain, direct threats to firefighter safety and organizational stability.

That report was neither meaningfully reviewed nor acted upon. It was not formally accepted, discussed, or resolved at that meeting or any meeting since. No corrective action has been taken. No urgency has been demonstrated. No accountability has been shown.

At this point, continuing in the role of Safety Officer would require me to knowingly maintain responsibility for risks that are outside of my control and clearly being ignored at the governance level. I am not willing to carry that liability.

I fully believe that if current conditions persist, a serious injury or line-of-duty death is not a remote possibility, but an eventual outcome. The contributing factors have already been identified, documented, and communicated. The failure to act is no longer an oversight, it is a choice.

Since my acceptance into this department on November 10, 2014, I have observed a consistent pattern: persistent complaints about problems, paired with a complete unwillingness to fix them. I can no longer be part of an organization that operates this way, especially when the consequences are measured in firefighter safety.

All issued uniforms and keys have been left at the Safety Officer desk. A flash drive containing all of my files has also been left on that desk.

I currently host the credential pages associated with firefighter ID badges. I will continue to host these pages temporarily; however, they will no longer be updated. The District must develop and implement an alternative system. These pages will be permanently deleted at a later date, not to exceed one year from my resignation. This letter serves as formal notice of my resignation from all roles within the District.

Tim Young Department Safety Officer (Resigned)

JANUARY SAFETY REPORT

For: December 2025
Prepared: January 5, 2026

Coordinated with Extinguisher Services for fire extinguisher annual servicing. All extinguishers and hood system have been serviced for 2026. Reports forwarded to Chair and Vice Chair.

Safety Concerns a Safety Officer Can’t Fix
Antagonistic Conduct by Fire Commissioners

Board members have repeatedly engaged in unprofessional conduct during public meetings and within the firehouse. In one instance, a Commissioner stood up with fists clenched in a posture suggesting readiness for a physical altercation with another Commissioner. In another instance, a Commissioner was observed providing incorrect operational direction to on duty officers and firefighters, resulting in a verbal confrontation that concluded with the statement, “I’m a Commissioner, so you have to do what I say.”

This behavior creates confusion, undermines officer authority, and has had a direct negative impact on volunteer morale.

Breakdown of Chain of Command

There is no clearly defined or communicated chain of command. The department currently has no appointed Chief, and there has been no public or internal communication regarding who will assume that role. The current Acting Chief is known to be slated for demotion, which has significantly eroded respect for their authority. Additionally, individuals expected to become future line officers are acting in those roles without formal appointment by the Board of Fire Commissioners. As a result, firefighters are seeking direction from individuals who do not officially hold command authority, by-passing the established chain of command. On at least one occasion, this confusion contributed to firefighters walking off the job.

There is also no designated Training Officer. Volunteers do not know who has authority to approve training, education, or certifications, creating delays and discouraging participation.

1 of 3

Lack of Approved and Clearly Defined SOPs/SOGs

Standard Operating Procedures and Standard Operating Guidelines are essential to firefighter safety and operational consistency. The District’s SOPs and SOGs are currently disorganized, with no clear indication of which versions are in effect. Multiple draft SOPs and SOGs have been submitted to the Director over the past year, yet none have been presented to the Board for review or approval.
The Board has not substantively addressed operational SOPs or SOGs outside of Board specific policies. This lack of formally adopted guidance exposes members to unnecessary risk and places officers in an untenable position when attempting to enforce procedures that may not be officially in effect.

Inference of Systemic Noncompliance in Officer Appointment Procedures

To date, no procedure outlined by the Board for officer appointments has been followed with respect to my own position. I have not been interviewed, consulted, or formally evaluated despite the Safety Officer role being directly implicated in operational risk and regulatory compliance.

Given that the same appointment process was used for other anticipated line officer positions, and that the Board has already acknowledged procedural failures requiring interviews to be redone, it is reasonable to conclude that required procedures may not have been consistently followed for other appointments as well. This raises concerns regarding the legitimacy of pending appointments and further contributes to uncertainty within the chain of command and overall departmental stability.

Deterioration of Firefighter Morale and Resulting Operational Impact

Firefighter morale has measurably declined. Multiple members have stated that they submitted no availability for January scheduling in order to avoid the firehouse environment until leadership and governance issues are resolved. These decisions were described as intentional rather than the result of routine scheduling conflicts.

Contributing factors include repeated instances of non-officer personnel providing incorrect operational direction to on-duty officers and firefighters, followed by confrontational exchanges. In addition, directives issued by current command staff have been disregarded by some members due to a perceived lack of authority, stemming from the absence of a formally appointed officer position for that role during the current year.

2 of 3

This environment has resulted in reduced availability, diminished confidence in leadership, and erosion of command authority. These conditions negatively affect staffing reliability, training participation, and emergency response readiness, and represent a safety concern that cannot be mitigated by the Safety Officer alone. Corrective action at the Board level is required.

Closing Statement

The conditions described above represent a cumulative and escalating safety risk. Leadership instability, failure to follow Board-adopted policy, breakdown of the chain of command, lack of approved operational SOPs/SOGs, and declining firefighter morale are not abstract concerns. They directly affect decision making, staffing, training, and emergency response performance.

If these conditions are allowed to persist, it is not a question of whether a serious injury or line-of-duty death could occur, but when. These risks are foreseeable, documented, and preventable.

As Department Safety Officer, I am formally advising that corrective action at the Board level is required. Failure to act places responsibility for the resulting risk squarely outside the authority and control of the Safety Officer.

Tim Young
Department Safety Officer

A GRIM WARNING

As May 6^th, 2026 dawned, Mount Holly Township faced two vexing but unrelated issues:

A. A hidden police department letter issued a grim July 4^th safety warning to the Township Manager

B. Council members were deadlocked in a budget debate as the state budget deadline loomed.

The Police Benevolent Association [PBA] letter was delivered to the Township Manager on May 6^th. It said there was no realistic way to make the July 4th celebration safe and bluntly said that despite “repeated communication” that the event was “unpredictable and increasingly difficult” to control, “meaningful corrective action has not been taken.” The letter went on to say that township “officials” should consider smaller family-oriented celebrations in the daytime such as a parade that would “better serve the Township”.

LOST IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND

Police Department communications such as the PBA must letter go to the Township Manager who handles all day-to-day operational issues for Mount Holly. It’s the Manager’s responsibility to notify Council of any issue such as public safety. To that end, every month the council meeting features a section called “MATTERS TO BE REPORTED BY TOWNSHIP MANAGER”. Manager Josh Brown routinely passes on this opportunity to provide Council with a report and the meeting of May 20^th was no exception. Even though Brown had the PBA letter since May 6^th.

MANAGER BROWN KICKS THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD

While Manager Josh Brown ostensibly agreed with the PBA’s message about safety and its call for “officials” to consider new celebration options, he withheld it from council members Tara Astor and Kim Burkus. The Reporter reached out to Deputy Mayor DiFolco about what he knew of the letter and when, but Mr. DiFolco chose not to provide any on the record response.

The PBA letter discussed critical safety issues at the July fourth celebration and indicated that Brown had been informed by the police on multiple occasions in prior years regarding serious violence problems at past July 4^th celebrations. But instead of sharing that news with all of Council, Brown instructed the Police Chief to “reach out to the organizers of the event and request it be adjusted” to achieve an “appropriate level of safety”.

Brown essentially ordered the police to arrange a safety fix despite blunt proclamations in the letter that safety could not be fixed since the event had “outgrown the Township’s ability to manage it”. The letter went on to say that even a significantly increased police presence would not solve the problem and further suggested an entirely different model of celebration was necessary to avoid the violence of previous years.

Readers should note that the “organizers of the event” is primarily Deputy Mayor Rich DiFolco, who was appointed by Mr. Brown as the “Events Coordinator”. Mr. DiFolco is an administrator of the Facebook Group called Mount Holly Celebrations, which is a private group.

So, when Mr. Brown asked the Police Chief to coordinate with “the organizers” he was essentially directing the Chief to Deputy Mayor DiFolco.

POLICE REQUEST DIFOLCO MOVE CELEBRATION TO DAYTIME EVENT

The Reporter has received email communications between Chief Spencer and Deputy Mayor DiFolco from May 6^th 2026. The email discussed the PBA letter and Chief Spencer’s request to DiFolco that the July 4^th celebration move “away from a nighttime event” “in light of the recent no-hit shootings we have experienced”. DiFolco stated that he was open to having a conversation but “everything is paid for and the contracts are signed at this point”, so there may be “a need for metal detectors and such” to make the event one that is “done properly and logically”.

It appears that the meeting Spencer requested with DiFolco did take place during the week of May 10^th 2026 and that DiFolco had the PBA letter on May 6^th 2026.

COUNCIL FRUSTRATION BUILDS AS THE BUDGET IS EXAMINED

At the May 20^th, 2026 council meeting, a new reality was in place. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor no longer held a majority of votes. This meant that in order to get the votes to pass a budget, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor had to accommodate suggestions from council members Tara Astor and Kim Burkus.

Together, the two women had researched a variety of budget spending and revenue strategies that they believed would reduce or even eliminate the 9.7% tax hike proposed by Manager Brown.

But Mayor Banks and Deputy Mayor DiFolco made statements demonstrating they did not welcome a long, detailed discussion on how Mount Holly could adjust the budget to save money. They supported a fast vote on the “first reading” of the proposed budget “as is”, keeping its 9.7% tax increase intact.

Since council members Astor and Burkus knew their votes were necessary to pass a budget, they turned the May 20^th meeting into a budget work session. And as they pushed deeper into budget line items that touched on town events, Mount Holly’s “Events Coordinator” Rich DiFolco became increasingly frustrated with the scrutiny and suggestions.

For example, he disagreed with Astor’s suggestion that July 4^th vendors should pay entrance fees just like other events that are not run by the township [like Fire and Ice or the Car Show]. DiFolco stated that imposing those fees would reduce vendor participation by 1/3 or even 1/2.

I’M GONNA CUT ALL THE DAMN EVENTS

It was at this point that Mr. DiFolco stated he was open to suggestions and did not want to curtail town events, but he was nevertheless ready to start canceling things.

“I’m ready… right now I’m gonna cut all the damn events across town. If we can’t afford to pay for it, its done.” Rich DiFolco

One possible interpretation is that DiFolco perhaps misunderstood what Astor and Burkus were suggesting regarding events. Because they did not just request spending cuts, they also suggested revenue enhancements that could fully fund the events.

When the May 20^th budget meeting concluded, the first reading of the budget was approved with about $100,000 in savings and instructions on how police overtime for fireworks could be fully funded. When it came to the July 4^th celebration for Mount Holly, the event had enough funding to go on with the same amount of overtime as originally planned if Township Manager Brown implemented the suggested revenue tactics agreed to at the meeting.

THE BLAME SHIFTING BEGINS

Soon after May 20^th meeting, talk around town began to focus on the budget as the reason fireworks have to be cancelled. That notion was almost entirely based on a fictional version of what was agreed to at the actual township budget meeting.

For instance, at a local drinking venue I was told that Deputy Mayor DiFolco “had to” cancel fireworks because the money for police overtime was cut.

Then came Facebook posts appearing in “Mount Holly NJ 08060” which lamented cuts to police overtime as the cause of fireworks cancellation.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

As the misinformation spread, The Reporter was informed that money to support the fireworks was also available through Main Street Mount Holly and the Urban Enterprise Zone [UEZ]. The UEZ had approved $75,000 per year in event revenue, some of which was specifically earmarked for fireworks. It should be noted that besides being Deputy Mayor and Events Coordinator for Mount Holly, Rich DiFolco is also Chair of the UEZ.

The Reporter has since learned that those funds were not approved because the state had ordered the UEZ to make paperwork modifications some months ago. But that money could be accessed from the state if Mount Holly provides whatever modifications the state requested. Below are the minutes from a UEZ meeting where appropriations for Mt Holly events were approved.

Furthermore, readers should be aware that the Township maintains an annual budget surplus to handle unforeseen obligations. Township Manager Brown has wide discretion to dip into the surplus to handle unforeseen public safety problems.

FIREWORKS CHRONOLOGY

· May 6th 2026 Manager Brown has the PBA letter. The letter says cancel the event.

· May 6th 2026 Brown ignores cancellation language and instructs the Police Chief to coordinate with the event “organizers” Rich DiFolco to make “adjustments”.

· May 6th 2026 Rich DiFolco receives email from Chief Spencer with PBA letter attached indicating that the police believe the fireworks should be cancelled and a daytime parade should take its place.

· May 6th 2026 Rich DiFolco says contracts for fireworks event are signed and discussions have taken place regarding metal detectors to screen people at the event for weapons.

· May 10th 2026 The week of May 10^th 2026 Rich DiFolco meets with Chief Spencer to discuss the PBA letter and July 4^th celebration alternatives.

· May 20th 2026 Council meeting. No report from Manager Brown about the PBA letter or possible cancellation.

· May 20th 2026 Council meeting Rich DiFolco says that if there is not money available for fireworks he is “ready… right now I’m gonna cut all the damn events across town”

· June 14th 2026 Mt Holly Reporter gets the PBA letter via OPRA.

· June 15th 2026 Mt Holly announces fireworks are cancelled

· June 15th 2026 Council member Astor reveals that she and Kim Burkus were not made aware of the letter

· June 21st 2026 Mt Holly Reporter asks Rich DiFolco when he became aware of the PBA letter. No response to date.

· June 22nd 2026 Mt Holly Reporter submits OPRA requests for email between Spencer and DiFolco

· June 29^th 2026 – DiFolco apologizes as council meeting for being “a little bit reactive”.

· June 30th 2026 OPRA response with emails between Spencer and DiFolco is received.

While the cause remains “under investigation”, what is clear is that the heat wave that will visit us through Saturday has driven up demand and put stress on the distribution system. PSE&G believes the power will be restored by 4 AM today.

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I visited the church today to view the facility and have lunch with Community Luncheon Director Jan Delgado and program staff. After introductions to various volunteers, I took a tour of the kitchen facilities, including a row of tall freezers filled with “Food Bank of South Jersey” [FBSJ] meats, fruit and vegetables.

As the 11 AM hour approached, Director Delgado called out “Are We Ready?” until all staff were assembled and lead in a prayer. The happy group served themselves from the buffet line and then gathered round tables to eat and chat just prior to the public serving at 12 PM. The buffet offerings were mashed potatoes, green beans, asparagus, meat balls and chicken breasts. The asparagus was particularly impressive, but everything was quite good.

Ms. Delgado explained that the program started with a realization: some locals didn’t even have a stove to cook a turkey. So, church members were moved to invite community members to a Thanksgiving dinner. The ethos of those early days was “other people are us” and that still serves as the foundation of the lunch program. Delgado says the lunch program “now serves meals to 60 - 80 people every Monday and Friday from 12 – 1pm. Our attendees are not required to provide any identification, but we know all of them by their first names.”

It was former pastor Phil Olson who connected the Presbyterians with the FBSJ about a year after that 1985 Thanksgiving. While other churches and Wawa make donations, Delgado said “The Food Bank of South Jersey delivers about 500 to 900 pounds of food per month, which is the majority of our donations.”

The FBSJ is a 501(c)3 nonprofit which received about $14 million in federal aid in 2024 designated for feeding those in need. It appears that this aid was slashed in 2025. The cuts are not a focus of this article but you can read more about it at the following link FBSJ

Delgado said the Lunch Program uses “frozen chickens, fish, ground beef, pork roasts, chops and vegetables. The Food Bank often offers fresh fruit and vegetables. We definitely have a 4-star soup kitchen which is run by a culinary college trained chef.”

Ms. Delgado noted that the program is “inspected by the Burlington County Health Department and we maintain a satisfactory rating. We are also inspected by the FBSJ to ensure proper food handling. My chef and I are required to attend annual food service and civil rights training sessions at the Food Bank.”

Delgado wants readers to know that if any would like to help, the best way to get involved is to “Come eat with us and chat with our guests. Any Monday or Friday at 12. Also know that we give clothing and toiletries and we’re always looking for donations. If you’re cleaning out your closets, please think of us!”

More information is available at delgadojan1@gmail.com or 609-865-3117.

SUMMARY: The Facebook rumor mill was churning theories about the potential cancelation of fireworks this year. But the cancellation has now been announced on the township webpage. See here And The Reporter dug deep into this story to lay out facts surrounding it. Some of that will be presented in a follow up article, but Part 1 of this story keeps the focus on the primary reason for the cancelation.

A series of blunt public safety pronouncements was issued in a letter issued from the Police Benevolent Association [PBA] and the Mount Holly Chief of Police to the Township Manager. This detailed letter speaks for itself and is published here in full. The letter is undated but was attached to a transmittal email dated May 6th, 2026 from Chief of Police Cliff Spencer.

Readers should note that council member Astor’s first notification of this letter was when The Reporter asked for comment yesterday. She was not aware of the letter.

“Kim and I did not receive a copy of this letter and were unaware of the chief’s safety concerns. It’s very disappointing that the concerns were not brought to our attention, because being notified in a timely way that our police had these issues would have prompted us to have a discussion of potential options for the July 4th celebration.” Tara Astor, Council Member

The response of the Township Manager to the Chief of Police is also reprinted.

The Reporter has taken the liberty of extracting the following parts of the letter below which we believe are key to understand the position of the Police Department.

Italics and CAPS were not from the original.

“…the current fireworks event, by its nature, attendance pattern, crowd behavior, location, and recent history, HAS OUTGROWN THE TOWNSHIP’S ABILITY TO MANAGE IT SAFELY and responsibly under the present format.”

“…the resources necessary to safely manage this event in its current form would FAR EXCEED what has historically been provided.”

“…For that reason, the union is not comfortable representing that this event can be made sufficiently safe SIMPLY BY INCREASING POLICE PRESENCE, ADDING EQUIPMENT or repeating prior operational plans. While additional resources may reduce some risk, they do not address the core concern: the current event model continues to generate conditions that are unsafe, unpredictable, and increasingly difficult to control.”

Original Letter Follows

Dear Mount Holly Township Officials,

On behalf of Burlington County PBA Local #37, and in support of the Mount Holly Police Department Police Officers Association and the Mount Holly Police Department Superior Officers Association, we write to formally express our escalating concerns regarding the safety and overall conditions surrounding the Township’s annual Fourth of July fireworks event in Mount Holly. These concerns are also shared and supported by the Mount Holly Township Police Department Chief of Police.

This letter is not intended as a personal criticism of those who organize, support, or enjoy the event. The officers represented by our union and associations take great pride in actively supporting community events, both in and out of uniform, including events organized on our own time such as the recent Touch-a-Truck event and last summer’s PBA Back-to-School Backpack Drive.

That is exactly why these concerns are being raised. This position is not coming from officers trying to avoid community events; it is coming from officers who help make them happen and who care deeply about ensuring they remain safe, positive, and sustainable. However, that same responsibility requires us to provide an honest assessment based on firsthand experience, documented incidents, current public-safety concerns, and the increasing trend of unsafe conditions.

Background and Purpose

Over the past several years, the level of disorder associated with this event has steadily increased. Each year, the environment has become more chaotic, unpredictable, and increasingly difficult to manage. Based on the pattern observed by officers assigned to this event, we believe meaningful changes are necessary before a participant, bystander, or officer suffers serious injury.

A community event intended to bring people together should not become an event that residents, families, visitors, officers, or assisting agencies view as unsafe or unmanageable. Unfortunately, we have received consistent feedback from residents, visitors, and outside agencies indicating a reluctance to return to Mount Holly for this event due to safety concerns. This reputational impact to the Township should not be overlooked.

Escalating Disorder and Juvenile-Related Incidents

A particularly troubling trend has been the noticeable rise in large, disorderly groups, especially involving juveniles. These gatherings have become more unpredictable and, at times, volatile.

During last year’s fireworks event alone, officers encountered multiple incidents requiring police intervention, including incidents that required the use of force. Officers also responded to violent altercations involving juveniles, including an incident where a child was knocked from a stroller during a fight between teenagers.

These are not isolated or minor disturbances. They reflect a pattern of escalating and dangerous behavior that must be addressed before the event continues in its current form.

Current Public-Safety Climate

These concerns are further heightened by the recent uptick in violence within the Township, including no-hit shootings and other violent incidents that have required significant police response and investigative resources.

While these incidents are separate from the fireworks event itself, they are relevant to the overall public safety environment in which this event is being planned. Large, uncontrolled gatherings require greater caution when they occur during a period of increased violence, heightened community tension, and increased demand on police resources.

Regional Concerns and Comparable Events

This is not an isolated issue unique to Mount Holly. Recent events in neighboring communities have highlighted this growing regional concern. Other nearby communities have been forced to cancel, restrict, or significantly modify public events due to similar safety concerns involving large groups, juvenile disorder, and the need for stronger crowd-control measures.

These examples underscore a broader trend: without proactive planning and substantial safeguards, large public gatherings are increasingly vulnerable to disorder, violence, and serious safety risks.

Operational and Equipment Concerns

These concerns are compounded by current operational limitations, including limited vehicle availability, aging patrol vehicles, increased investigative demands from recent violent incidents, and the lack of adequate crowd-management equipment for an event of this scale.

However, the union’s concern is not limited to staffing or equipment alone. In prior years, the Township has utilized many standard operational safeguards associated with large public events, including police staffing, mutual aid coordination, EMS and fire staging, communication planning, designated command structure, ingress and egress planning, emergency access considerations, and other operational controls. Despite those efforts, the event has continued to present serious disorder, crowd management issues, and officer-safety concerns.

As a result, the union does not believe this is simply a matter of adding another layer of planning to the

existing model. The concern is that the current fireworks event, by its nature, attendance pattern, crowd behavior, location, and recent history, has outgrown the Township’s ability to manage it safely and responsibly under the present format.

Requested Review and Corrective Action

Despite the Chief of Police and police administration repeatedly communicating these concerns, meaningful corrective action has not been taken. At this point, we respectfully request that the Township conduct a formal after-action review of prior fireworks including police reports, CAD data, calls for service, arrests, use-of-force documentation, mutual aid needs, EMS responses, body-worn camera footage, and officer safety concerns.

That review should also account for the Township’s current public-safety climate, including the recent increase in violent incidents and the impact those incidents have had on staffing, investigative workload, and operational readiness. These materials would provide an objective and unfiltered understanding of the conditions officers have been required to manage.

We are cognizant of the Township’s budgetary constraints and recognize that any large-scale public event requires a significant commitment of financial and operational resources. However, based on prior years, the resources necessary to safely manage this event in its current form would far exceed what has historically been provided. More importantly, even with standard public-safety safeguards in place, the underlying safety concerns have not been resolved.

For that reason, the union is not comfortable representing that this event can be made sufficiently safe simply by increasing police presence, adding equipment, or repeating prior operational plans.

While additional resources may reduce some risk, they do not address the core concern: the current event model continues to generate conditions that are unsafe, unpredictable, and increasingly difficult to control.

Accordingly, the union’s primary recommendation is that the Township discontinue the current fireworks event model and pursue an alternative community celebration that does not carry the same level of foreseeable risk. Alternative events, such as a parade, smaller controlled gathering, or other family-oriented community celebration, may better serve the Township while reducing the safety concerns associated with the current fireworks event.

Formal Notice and Union Position

Given the continued increase in disorderly conduct, calls for police intervention, recent violent incidents, and documented safety concerns, the current structure of this event places officers, residents, families, visitors, and assisting agencies at unnecessary and foreseeable risk. These concerns are not speculative.

They are based on firsthand officer experience, documented prior incidents, current operational limitations, and the broader public-safety climate presently facing the Township.

This letter is intended to place the Township on formal notice that the union does not believe the Fourth of July fireworks event should continue in its current form. The union position is firm: the current model is no longer safe, no longer sustainable, and no longer appropriate given the conditions officers have been required to manage.

Once these concerns have been formally placed before the Township, any decision to continue the event against the recommendation of police administration and the affected police unions would be a conscious decision to proceed despite known and foreseeable risks. Such a decision would reflect a failure to give proper weight to the documented safety concerns raised by those directly responsible for managing the event on the ground.

As such, the union can no longer support the event in its current form. The union remains willing to participate in a planning meeting, after-action review, or operational discussion regarding safer alternatives. However, our willingness to participate in those discussions should not be misinterpreted as support for continuing the event in its present form.

We respectfully request that these concerns be addressed before any final decision is made to continue the event. If the Township elects to proceed despite this formal notice, it should do so with a clear understanding that the resulting safety, operational, and liability consequences were foreseeable, documented, and raised in advance by the law enforcement professionals responsible for protecting the event.

We remain committed to the safety of our officers and the community we serve. That commitment requires us to state plainly that continuing the current fireworks model, without replacement or substantial change beyond previously attempted safeguards, would be an unacceptable risk to the Township, its residents, its visitors, and its police officers.

Respectfully,

Burlington County Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local #37

On behalf of the Mount Holly Police Department Police Officers Association

and the Mount Holly Police Department Superior Officers Association

With the support of the Mount Holly Chief of Police

Township Manger Response

Sleep In Heavenly Peace is a national non-profit which was in Mount Holly today conducting a “Bed Build”. That included lots of the parishioners of the Seventh-day Adventist Church which is located on Route 537 just north of the Mount Holly boundary. The Mount Holly Reporter showed up to help with some bed building and get the story on Sleep In Heavenly Peace’s mission.

If you are interested in this organization, check them out at the link below.

https://shpbeds.org/volunteer-2/

The ratification vote starts this coming Tuesday and goes on for a few days.

Complaint One:

I submitted a complaint alleging that Ms. Saucier accessed Fire District camera’s for a May 26th 2026 complaint to Mount Holly police about individuals which Ms. Saucier accused of placing lawn signs around town. The signs made allegations about her behavior. While Saucier was perfectly within her rights to make the complaint about harassment, it was her access to and use of Fire District records that are alleged to have crossed the ethical line.

Saucier was Chair of the Fire District during the waning days of 2025. Commission Chair is a purely elected position in the District, not an operational position. As such, Commissioners have the same status as an ordinary resident with regard to access to certain FD operational spaces, equipment and data. But during the last days of 2025, Director of Fire Services Carty was on suspension and Saucier assumed his role as operation Director. Once Jules Thiessen was voted in as Chair in January 2026, Ms. Saucier lost that Director designation which passed to Thiessen. Accordingly, her operational access to the powers of Director should have also stopped by May 2026. But the access was not shut off and as of the May 26th police complaint, Saucier still had access.

• Allegation 1: Use of Official Position for Personal Advantage

The law states at N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.5(c) that No local government officer… shall use or attempt to use their official position to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages for their-self or others.

As to “privilege”: When I [a resident] sought access to Fire District video during 2024, I met a wall of bureaucratic obstruction. They claimed video access posed a “security” risk. The rejection from the Fire District was for video of the intersection in front of Good Intent Firehouse. The response was worded as follows: “your request for surveillance video is denied under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 – Security measures and surveillance techniques.” Getting access to FD video is a privilege and advantage that ordinary residents do not have.

• Allegation 2: Misuse of Public Resources / Public Confidence Eroded

The law states at N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.5(a) & (d) that

Officers must maintain “the highest standards of ethical conduct” and avoid conduct which undermines public confidence. Officers shall not act in matters in which personal involvement impairs judgment.

By accessing and disseminating Fire District security recordings for a personal dispute, Saucier used public resources to advance her personal agenda. I allege that this conduct bypassed the operational chain of command and took control of public resources which Saucier did not have authority to access. I allege that this conduct, which involved access the general public does not have, undermines trust in government.

Complaint Two:

Former commissioner Joseph Sams submitted a complaint which alleges that Ms. Saucier used her access to Fire District spaces not available to the general public to stage a photo shoot for her daughter during Prom time. The photos were later posted on Facebook.

Sams’ complaint alleges that

At all relevant times, access to the Fire District building was restricted and not open to members of the general public. On or about April 13 2024, the Fire District building was still under construction and closed to public access. During this same period, volunteer firefighters were subject to access restrictions and not provided keys to the building. Nevertheless, Ms. Saucier, her daughter and her daughter’s friends [none of whom were Fire District authorized personnel] entered the Fire District building.

Sams claims these allegations violate the same New Jersey statutory restrictions that I listed in my complaint.

The Reporter will provide updates regarding whatever action the state of New Jersey takes, or doesn’t take.

Readers may recall that The Mount Holly Reporter reached out to Virtua management and press office about the contract negotiations but received no reply. This is similar to the behavior Virtua modeled during the hospital expansion meetings.

However, the Health Professionals and Allied Employees [HPAE] nurses union reached out to reveal that Virtua has only recently begun providing offers, and while those offers are not close enough for a settlement, the progress was enough to put off the strike which was recently authorized.

The strike is now pushed off until June 23rd unless negotiation progress justifies pushing it back again.

HPEA gave its bargaining position to Virtua on day 1 of negotiations back in March.

Virtua has been well aware of that position and the contracts HPAE settled with competing hospitals like Cooper. See below for a sense of what other hospitals have been willing to accept in terms of staffing.

Editorial Content: Healthcare Secret Hides In Plain Sight

Its no secret that management at many hospitals looks for savings on labor. But did you know that a prime way of saving on labor costs at hospitals is by adjusting staffing ratios to a shifting patient census?

Each hospital will do it differently and The Reporter is not suggested how Virtua handles its staffing because they do not share much in the way of information. But nurses have sounded off on that very subject which you can read in a previous article here.

Based upon research done by The Reporter, its clear that some hospitals emulate a restaurant business model where staffing is cut in real time as a reaction to slow business. Below is a rather extreme example which I found at a web site called “all nurses.com.” I confirmed with a nurse friend who experienced a version of this type of practice at a hospital where she worked.

This is offered to reveal that the practice is apparently common at some hospitals to one extent or another. We shall see if Virtua nurses can get contract language that protects them from an “ad-hoc census” staffing model.

See AllNurses article

Nick Sodano of The Mount Holly Reporter pointed out that the voting recusal of Commissioner Jules Thiessen’s on the question of removing Carty has resulted in a tie vote between Saucier/Gaskill, who favor Carty, and Logue/Sheppard who do not favor him. This is at the heart of a 6-month administrative paralysis that has resulted in indefinite paid administrative leave for Carty. Sodano called upon Thiessen to explain his recusal.

“Mr. Carty and I have a long history together in politics. I was the bookkeeper for one of his PACs at one time. So, I believe that if I had come to this board and voted for him, there would be a huge public uproar that I showed favoritism. And that’s why I believe that if I can’t vote for him due to a a conflict-of-interest perception, then I likewise can’t vote against him. I asked Amy Guerin [the conflict attorney from Parker McKay] about all the recusals, and at that point in time, she agreed with me.” Jules Thiessen, Chair, Mount Holly Fire District

Thiessen added that he “asked the new solicitor to review this matter so maybe we can move in a different direction”.

Resident Joyce Scott called for the termination of Mr. Carty saying to Thiessen,

“Search your soul and you will know what’s right is to vote.” Resident Joyce Scott

A number of retired speakers objected to the fiscal irresponsibility to keeping Carty employed since their incomes are taking serious reductions this year due to pending tax increases. They were incensed that the Fire District had paid at least $20,000 to Director Carty while he sits at home on leave.

Despite the Board of Commissioners breaking for a 2-hour long “executive session” to discuss personnel matters and litigation, when the Board returned, it was announced that they were not taking any actions.

Other Issues Addressed At The Meeting

• Allegations against Commissioner Nicole Saucier. Resident Stone Laraway and others accused Commissioner Saucier of filing a false police report regarding political placards. The residents demanded a formal apology.

• Vendor Consolidation: The Board authorized a contract with Confires ($4,610/year) for fire alarm, sprinkler, and extinguisher inspections. This saves the Fire District $1,800 annually and replaces a fragmented vendor list (Keystone, Herring, etc.).

• Volunteer Duty Crew Program: Fire Chief Mason formalized new stipend-based duty crew requirements. Recruits must now provide 12 hours of monthly volunteer time in addition to their paid shifts. This structure is designed to extend operational hours while staying under the $9,700 per person state-mandated stipend cap. It was noted that since the new policy was put in place, the District signed up 12 new members which eclipsed the 8 out-of-town stipend firefighters who quit when they heard of the volunteer requirement.

• IT & Security Overhaul: All IT administration has been centralized under a single contractor. Key card access is being audited to eliminate “ghost” keys held by former contractors, and a new visitor log system has been implemented at the front door.

• Meeting Reschedule: The meeting originally scheduled for July 1st is canceled. The board will reconvene on July 15th to allow for the completion and approval of the municipal audit.

• American Water Dispute: The board is investigating high assessments on South Avenue and Mill Street. There is a concern that the district is being double-charged for “double hydrants” (newly installed units alongside old ones not yet removed).

• Historic Site Event: A trolley event is scheduled for June 14th (1 PM – 6 PM), featuring the firehouse as a stop. Street tours will be provided from 1 PM to 4 PM.

EMERSON NJ — After bargaining for 21 hours with Virtua last night, HPAE Local 5105 nurses have handed in a strike notice to the employer. This follows two months of bargaining, during which Virtua Health refused to agree to the most important issues of staffing, wages, and cancellation of shifts. The nearly 850 nurses intend to begin the Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike at 7 a.m. on June 16, 2026, at Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mount Holly.

“Although Virtua is a very wealthy employer having made hundreds of millions of dollars in profit alone last year, they seem not to want to invest in what is most important to patients: nurses. Virtua seems to have other plans for the money that do not include wages, safe staffing on all units, and health and safety of nurses,” said Debbie White, RN and HPAE President.

Virtua Health has expanded across Southern New Jersey, which operates five acute care hospitals and a large network of outpatient facilities. In 2025, Virtua Health made $676 million in profit, and the Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mount Holly made $164 million in profit. (2025 unaudited financial statement Q4 YTD)

Sheryl Mount, President of Local 5105 said: “We have been very clear about what is needed to settle this contract, including enforceable nurse-to-patient ratios, wages that promote recruitment and retention of staff, safety language and language that limits cancelling of shifts. Virtua seems to not want to invest in nurses.”

“HPAE did a survey of nurses a few years ago and found that nurses are leaving hospitals in large numbers. If we do not address the issues that are causing them to migrate away from our hospitals, we are exacerbating the nursing crisis,” said Debbie White, RN and President of HPAE. “We know nurses will not stand for the status quo anymore, nor should they.”

In a historic vote, 92% of Local 5105 Nurses voted in favor of the strike if we could not reach an agreement.

“No nurse wants to strike. We prefer to be at the bedside caring for patients,” White continued, “but nurses are burned out and stressed, and they’re leaving bedside nursing. Current conditions in the hospital are simply unacceptable. When nurses fight for better work environments, patients get better care. What benefits nurses, benefits patients.”

“The time for excuses is over,” Mount said. “Virtua has plenty of nurses to meet the staffing ratios that we proposed and plenty of money for fair wages. The time is now and Virtua needs to get it done.”

HPAE has bargained enforceable safe staffing ratios in 13 other contracts over the past two years, including Cooper University Health Care and all of Inspira Health’s hospitals. Click here to review a list of current HPAE contracts’ staffing ratios. For more information on the decades of studies that have been conducted to show that Safe Staffing Saves Lives, please click here to learn more.

www.hpae.org • www.facebook.com/hpae.aft • @hpaeaft • @hpae_aft

# # #

HPAE is the largest union of registered nurses and healthcare professionals in New Jersey representing more than 15,000 nurses, social workers, therapists, technicians, medical researchers, and other healthcare professionals in hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, blood banks, and university research facilities. HPAE is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO.

See also our previous article for Additional detail

EMERSON NJ — After bargaining for 21 hours with Virtua last night, HPAE Local 5105 nurses have handed in a strike notice to the employer. This follows two months of bargaining, during which Virtua Health refused to agree to the most important issues of staffing, wages, and cancellation of shifts. The nearly 850 nurses intend to begin the Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike at 7 a.m. on June 16, 2026, at Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mount Holly.

Forty-one-year nursing veteran Sheryl Mount drove her car in motorized picket around Virtua Hospital in Mount Holly on Thursday May 27, 2026 as she explained a negotiation deadlock to The Reporter. “Virtua is greedy”, said Mount. “They cut staffing to a bare minimum”.

Mount continued that in the past “We weren’t allowed to tell patients how many other patients we had, because they [management] didn’t want patients to know. Now nurses have had enough, so they’re speaking out. We want the community to know what is going on inside their hospital.” Mount said nurses have done the “caravan” demonstration before, but “its never been this successful before. People have had enough.”

Currently, nurses are routinely assigned six, seven, or eight patients, which compromises clinical safety and patient care. For safety, nurses should not have more than 4 patients on medical-surgical floors.

Mount is President of Health Professionals and Allied Employees union (HPAE), Local 5105. She said the health car caravan demonstration is designed to inform the community and mobilize support for safe patient-to-nurse ratios. She pointed out that the HPAE has negotiated 13 contracts with safe staffing standards including “sister local” at Cooper University hospital. Virtua negotiations began on March 30 and Friday’s final session will mark the 10th formal meeting. Mount stated that HPAE held a strike authorization vote and of the 800 members who voted, 726 voted yes to authorize a strike.

Virtua has claimed they have made generous wage offerings, but the union characterized the offer as uncompetitive compared to regional peers such as Cooper University Health Care.

Readers will recall, that in a previous article, the Mount Holly Reporter observed that despite its status as a non-profit, Virtua is so profitable that it was able to self-fund its major construction projects [like the one in Mount Holly] without borrowing. Virtua compensates its CEO at $3.5 million annually.

Mount noted that there is no structural shortage of licensed nurses. Rather, there is a shortage of professionals willing to work under unsustainable bedside conditions. Thursday’s demonstration indicates the depth of commitment by the HPAE rank and file. Mount said, “We sent a message today”.

The Reporter reached out to various Virtua Administrators including Shannon Stillwell, Julie Herb, Tom Gordon and CEO Pullin. None responded as of the publishing date of this article.

If you wish to help support the nurses in their struggle to get a new contract, HPAE has public petition that Local 5105 is compiling to present to management.

The petition link is here.

https://newjerseyglobe.com/local/police-respond-incident-at-laplaca-home-charge-husband-with-strangulation/

This editorial focuses on a related question:

In light of legal advice to fire Carty and the most recent police charges, what would it take to convince Fire District Chair Jules Thiessen to vote for termination of Jason Carty as Director of Fire Services?

Recap of Carty’s Fire District Personnel Investigation and Subsequent Vote to Terminate:

As previously reported, Mr. Carty was the subject of a personnel investigation by the law firm Parker McKay after allegations of misconduct arose. As the investigation began during November 2025, Carty was placed on paid administrative leave. By March 2026, Parker McKay finished its review and recommended to the Fire Commissioners that Carty be terminated. But three of the five Commissioners, including Thiessen, did not vote on that matter because they were either advised by the attorney that they had a conflict, or they chose for undisclosed reasons to refrain from the vote. This left 2 commissioners to vote which resulted in a 1-1 tie. Commissioner Saucier voted to retain and Commissioner Logue voted to fire Carty.

This left Mr. Carty in a status of paid administrative leave. Carty has taken to social media where he claimed his employee rights were violated, despite being on paid leave. The Reporter notes that he has been paid approximately $20,000 while on leave.

Failed Attempt to Reinstate Carty:

In early May 2026, Fire Commissioner Nicole Saucier made a public statement that advice by the personnel attorney is not binding. She then introduced a resolution to reinstate Director Carty and it appeared that Commissioner Gaskill would vote despite her previous recusal. Commissioner Sheppard then stated that if Gaskill voted to reinstate despite attorney’s advice, Sheppard would also ignore the same advice and vote. But the vote on reinstatement did not occur because Thiessen, Logue and Sheppard voted to table Saucier’s resolution. Saucier and Gaskill voted against tabling.

What is Now Keeping Thiessen From Voting To Remove Carty?

Thiessen’s vote to scuttle Saucier’s resolution may indicate a reluctance on his part to bring Carty back. The Reporter inquired twice with Thiessen to explain why he recused, but as of the publication of this story, Mr. Thiessen has not replied.

The Reporter does not know why the personnel attorney advised certain members to recuse from voting on Mr. Carty’s termination vote or if Thiessen was advised by them at all.

Here are facts about Thiessen and Carty’s relationship which might be at play.

1. Mr. Carty ran Thiessen’s Fire Commissioner campaign via direct mail, social media and yard signs paid for by the “Burlington County Labor Voice”

2. Mr. Thiessen and Mr. Carty are both board members of the “Mount Holly United” charity.

3. Carty and Thiessen have a long political association in Mount Holly.

SUMMARY: Our county engineer’s office conducted a Mount Holly traffic study that carefully measured speed and vehicle type. They methodically compared these measurements to federal standards and generated conclusions that they claim are faithful to federal criteria. The conclusions are also wildly out of step with what Mount Holly residents want based on door to door canvassing of residents who want to see the number of heavy trucks reduced along with the reduced speed limits.

SPEEDING STUDY

The recently released county engineer’s evaluation of traffic on Garden Street classifies it as an “urban minor arterial” road. See Traffic Study

The study found that that nearly 2 of 10 vehicles were traveling 7 MPH or more than the posted 30 MPH speed limit. That is, 15% of vehicles measured had speeds HIGHER than the “85th percentile”. But since 8 of 10 vehicles measured had exceeded the limit only “slightly” [traveling up to 36 MPH], therefore “the posted speed limit of 30 mph is appropriate for the current roadway conditions and driver behavior.”

While they apparently measured speeds right, this conclusion could not be more disagreeable to most residents, despite its apparent faithfulness to federal guidance.

To be fair, the report also noted that at the 50th percentile, vehicles traveled at 31 MPH or less. As a layman reading the report, its the 50% percentile that I would have classified as “slightly exceeding”, not the 85th percentile that are doing 36 MPH.

The engineer almost made my point for me by stating in an email that “approximately 17% of vehicles were traveling between 35 and 40 mph.” And this does not even acknowledge the 5% or so going faster than 40 mph. How is that an acceptable outcome on a residential street that has parked cars opening doors, bicycles entering traffic, pedestrian children crossing and multiple driveways?

The measurements square with my experience living on Garden Street, where something like every 5th or 6th vehicle seems to be going way too fast. Some are clearly in excess of 40 MPH.

INCONSISTENT SPEED LIMITS

While the engineer’s speed limit conclusion for Garden Street relied on recent measurements and federal standards, the decision is inconsistent with speed limits throughout the rest of the town. If you look at other similar “minor arterial” streets in town, the speed limits are 25 MPH. See the map: High, Mill, Pine and Madison.

It should be noted that the mapped green section of Garden Street is owned by the Township of Mount Holly. And county engineer William Sheaffer stated:

“The Township may pursue its own traffic studies or roadway measures on the municipal portion of Garden Street, including consideration of speed limit changes or weight restrictions, subject to applicable regulatory requirements.”

The Mount Holly Police Department commented on the speeding issue as follows:

“15% of vehicles traveling 7+ mph over the limit is not something we would casually dismiss. In fact, that’s a meaningful number when you’re talking about safety, especially on a roadway like Garden Street where we’ve already had complaints and incidents.” Chief Spencer

The Reporter calls on our elected leaders to reduce the speed limit on Garden Street to 25 mph from Mount Holly Avenue to High Street.

TOO BIG TO STOP

The county study also looked at traffic volume and type. Vehicle type was determined by length because they were not going to weigh each vehicle. The study surveyed 4,209 vehicles and classified them into 3 groups:

1. Motorcycles/Passenger Cars 86.6%

2. Single Units/Buses 11% [less than 40 feet length]

3. Tractor Trailers 0.4% [168 total vehicles]

The only vehicles counted at “Heavy” by the county study were the Tractor Trailers. This is a category error in my opinion.

The county used the proxy of length to determine weight. While its understandable given the limitations of the study, they apply a catch-all category of “Single-Unit” for any vehicle less than 40 feet long. This causes a serious category error and undermines the county’s decisions about weight. The “Single-Unit” category puts F-250 pickups and dump trucks in the same weight class. A person doesn’t need to have an engineering degree to know this is wrong.

With due respect to the County Engineer’s office, pickup trucks and dump trucks should not be together in the same weight category. A fully loaded large pickup might weigh almost 6 tons. A dump truck can weigh 13 tons and should have been classified as heavy. The conclusion that there is “minimal heavy truck activity” should be changed because it was based only on tractor trailer traffic.

The petition campaign to convince Eastampton and Westampton to support Mount Holly’s truck “pass-through” ordinance has begun and signs are being deployed along Garden and Branch streets. This campaign has a goal of 300 signatures.

Resident Raises Objection About Failure To Discharge Carty: In the Public Comment section prior to the effort to reinstate Carty, resident Jeff Eversmeyer noted that the personnel investigation which recommended termination of Mr. Carty cost over $10,000 which Eversmeyer said was wasted due to a defect in the “moral compass” of certain Commissioners who refuse to take legal advice to fire Carty.

The Mount Holly Reporter estimates that Mr. Carty has received approximately $20,000 so far while on paid leave.

Saucier Attempts To Reinstate Carty

Commissioner Saucier’s resolution to reinstate Jason Carty to the Director job was read aloud. After the reading, Commissioner Logue objected to the language in the resolution which claimed that Commissioners gave “due consideration” to bringing Carty back. Logue said that there would be only 5 minutes of consideration prior to a vote and that was not sufficient. Logue therefore moved to table the resolution.

This prompted heated discussion from Saucier and Gaskill who insisted that the reinstatement resolution should receive a vote. Commissioner Sheppard stated that if Commissioner Gaskill intended to vote on it, despite the lawyer’s recommendation that Gaskill should not vote, then Ms. Sheppard would also disregard the lawyer’s advice about recusing herself from voting.

At that point, Commissioner Saucier stated that the lawyer is only meant to give legal advice and that “we [commissioners] are not required to follow the advice”.

• “We Are Not Required To Follow The Advice” Commissioner Nicole Saucier

Chairman Thiessen said the tabling motion had to be done first and called the vote which was carried with Logue, Sheppard and Thiessen voting in favor to table.

Saucier then commented inaudibly to Thiessen. Sheppard directly addressed Saucier using her microphone stating that Saucier should make her comments into the microphone. Saucier said, “You heard me”. Sheppard replied that she did not hear and that Saucier should make her comments into the microphone. Saucier stated into the microphone that “Letting this be tabled, instead of letting this go through, is a prejudice, period.”

Bid Investigation Concludes, Malamut Law Nominated, Saucier and Gaskill Vote No on Malamut

Readers will recall that at the April 1, 2026 meeting, it was revealed that all 3 law firm bids were spoiled because an unauthorized person opened a bid from the Malamut Law firm. This required that the bidding process be repeated. At the time, Commissioner Sheppard stated that neither she nor Commissioner Logue had access to the office where the bids were stored. Commissioner Logue introduced a resolution amendment requiring an official investigation into how the bid was opened. Commissioners Saucier and Gaskill voted against the investigation.

At the May 13^th meeting Chairman Thiessen announced that the investigation found the person who opened the bid, but that the person claimed it was accidental. Thiessen did not reveal the name of the person who opened it but later told The Reporter that a commissioner opened it. After the meeting, a source close to the investigation told The Reporter that Commissioner Saucier opened the bid.

At the end of the May 13^th meeting, Chairman Thiessen said that 3 new bids for General Counsel serving the District through December 2026 were reviewed by the QPA Mike DeHoff. All Commissioners had a summary of the 3 bids from Mr. DeHoff. Thiessen opened the floor for nominations of a law firm and Commissioner Logue moved to nominate Malamut Law. Commissioner Sheppard seconded that motion. Saucier and Gaskill voted against Malamut, but the firm was confirmed anyway by the votes of Logue, Sheppard and Thiessen.

Other Decisions and Insights

· The board approved 11 new volunteer fire recruits.

· A walk-on resolution to hire a temporary administrative assistant was made by Thiessen to rectify a critical lack of up-to-date public records and meeting minutes.

· Financial oversight remains a priority as the district investigates potential overbilling by New Jersey American Water and missing revenue from the Local Enforcement Agency (LEA).

· Special Counsel: A separate resolution was passed to retain Parker McKay as secondary special counsel for labor policies and specific projects, leveraging their existing familiarity with current district issues.

· Utility Discrepancies: An investigation is underway regarding New Jersey American Water fire hydrant rental fees ($14k–$15k/month). The district suspects it has been overcharged for at least one to two months.

· Painting Restoration: Significant discussion occurred regarding the restoration of a historical painting (valued by some at nearly $1M). The Board is implementing stricter protocols for the handling and curation of historic fire district artifacts to ensure insurance coverage.

· Curatorial Authority: Terry Matthews (President, Relief Fire Company) confirmed that Carl Shaw is the authorized curator. No artifacts are to be moved without his direct approval.

Residents know about the fishing tournament and the muck race. But the latest scheduled meeting on the controversial 9.7% tax increase? Its not on the calendar or the “News and Notices” page or the home page.

Why does our township have such difficulty providing timely updates on important meetings?

Notice of this meeting was distributed to Council Members on Thursday May 13th. An update to the web page takes minutes to do. The township is closed on Fridays.

As of 3 PM on Saturday May 15th, the public has no notice on the township web page.

The state Open Public Meetings Act mandates that the township provide a minimum of 48 hrs notice to the public. That means the latest time the meeting should be noticed to the public is Monday at 6 PM.

But such late notice should be avoided. The Reporter emailed township clerk Sherry Marnell about this apparent failure to communicate a critical meeting and asked when the township intends to notify residents.

Residents are advised to attend this meeting. The Reporter will be there and provide updates after the meeting.