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Ethics complaint filed against Commissioner Kasko

Five Haddonfield residents have filed an ethics complaint against Commissioner Jeffrey S. Kasko.

The complaint alleges that as he was being arrested, following an incident outside his home in February 2019, Kasko improperly “attempted to use his official position as elected commissioner to secure more favorable treatment from the Haddonfield Police Department” by asking an officer at the scene to allow him to speak with the police chief.

The complaint, which was filed with the Local Finance Board, claims Kasko’s request violated a state law that prohibits the use of an official position to secure “unwarranted privileges or advantages.” The board is part of the NJ Department of Community Affairs. Kasko is Haddonfield’s Commissioner of Revenue & Finance, and serves also as deputy mayor.

Among those filing the complaint were two former mayors, John J. Tatditi Jr. and Letitia G. Colombi.

The five residents allege that Kasko made “a clear attempt to utilize his position as an elected official in an attempt to obtain from the chief more lenient treatment than he was receiving from [a police officer at the scene].”

Kasko was charged with ten offenses, among them aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage. After being arrested, he was taken to Camden County Jail and was held overnight. In May 2010 he was admitted to a pretrial intervention program.

Voting Info: Register to vote

To check if you are already registered to vote in New Jersey, go HERE.

To register to vote in New Jersey, you must:

  • Be a United States citizen.
  • Be at least 17 years old, though you may not vote until you have reached the age of 18.
  • Be a resident of the county for 30 days before the election.
  • Be a person not serving a sentence of incarceration as the result of a conviction of any indictable offense under the laws of New Jersey or another state or of the United States.
  • Complete a Voter Registration Application and/or Party Affiliation Form, available HERE. The form also is available in Room 101 of the Borough Hall, 242 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield.

Completed forms may be submitted to the Borough Clerk at the Borough Hall or mailed or delivered to the Camden County Board of Elections, Elections and Archive Center, 100 University Court, Blackwood NJ  08012. Regular hours: Weekdays from 8:30am to 4:30pm.

The deadline to register to vote for the General Election on Tuesday, November 3 is Tuesday, October 13. (The Camden County Board of Elections will remain open later than its regular 4:30pm closing time on that date.)

Conversation on affordable housing

The Borough Commissioners will host a conversation on affordable housing and what it means in our community on Monday, August 24, 2020 at 7pm.

To register on Zoom in advance, go HERE.

Meeting ID: 825 1860 9356

Passcode: 029134

Unclaimed bicycles up for bid

The Borough will conduct an auction of abandoned, unclaimed bicycles on Saturday, October 17.

The auction will take place at the Public Works facility, 555 Centre Street.

Items to be auctioned may be inspected from 8am, for one hour. The auction will begin at 9am.

Commissioners introduce 2020 budget

During their regular meeting on August 17, 2020, the Borough commissioners introduced the municipal budget for 2020.

The budget proposes total expenditure of $19,181,684.00, of which $12,232,816 will be raised through property taxes. The proposed local purpose tax rate is 0.5284 cents per $100 of assessed property valuation.

For the owner of a property assessed at the borough average of $ 488,481, local purpose taxes will be $2,581, an increase of $26 over last year’s taxes.

Two other examples:

  • Property value = $ 244,241. Taxes = $ 1,291. Increase = $14.
  • Property value = $ 732,722. Taxes = $ 3,872. Increase = $40.

Local purpose (municipal) taxes represent a little over 17% of the total property tax bill.

Apart from employee salaries, benefits, and pension payments ($8,634,733), which make up 47% of the budget, the largest expenditures include stormwater improvements ($2,995,000) and the Borough’s annual road program ($2,240,000).

The Budget Recapitulation document is available HERE.

A public hearing on the budget will be held during the Commissioners’ regular meeting on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, after which the Commissioners may vote to adopt.

Zoning Board to meet

The Haddonfield Zoning Board of Adjustment will meet, courtesy of Zoom, on Tuesday, August 18 at 7:30pm.

You can join the meeting HERE.

The meeting ID is 860 6229 8883.

Password: 626524

Access the agenda HERE.

Commissioners to meet

The Borough commissioners will hold a regular work session on Monday, August 17 at 4pm.

To attend virtually, register in advance HERE. Access the agenda HERE.

They will hold a regular meeting on Monday, August 17 at 7pm. The agenda will include the annual municipal budget.

To attend virtually, register in advance HERE. Access the agenda HERE.

Another storm … More trees down

Warwick Road near East Cottage Avenue was closed today after trees and power lines were brought down by strong winds and gusts.

A tree fell on power lines on Princeton Avenue, causing the road to be closed.

A large limb fell across Redman Avenue at Haddon Avenue (next to Jersey Java), causing the road to be closed.

In front of The Haddon Fortnightly, the upper part of a large tree crashed to the sidewalk, hitting the residential building next door. The clubhouse appears to have escaped damage. (Photo on left shows “before.”) A plaque at the base of the tree carries the inscription:

  • Memorial Tree
  • George Washington Bicentennial
  • 1732 — 1932
  • The Haddon Fortnightly
  • Registered
  • American Tree Association

Planning Board to meet

The Haddonfield Planning Board will meet, courtesy of Zoom, on Tuesday, August 4 at 7:30pm.

Join the meeting HERE.

Meeting ID: 832 4889 0112.

Password: 498549

The agenda, when finalized, may be accessed HERE.