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May 11 election to be in-person, not by mail

NJ Governor Phil Murphy announced on Monday (February 8) that this year’s May municipal elections would be held in person, rather than by mail, as was the case for the 2020 general election last November.

During his daily news conference, he said:

“Today we are announcing that … the municipal nonpartisan elections scheduled for May 11th will be conducted in person. As always, voters will have the ability to request a vote-by-mail ballot for any reason. We will ensure that all in-person polling places adhere to proper health and safety protocols including face coverings, social distancing, and frequent sanitation.

“We are able to take this step as our COVID numbers are headed — I emphasize headed — in the right direction and we are optimistic that these trends will continue, especially as more residents get vaccinated and the weather also becomes warmer. This is very different than the situation we confronted last summer, when we had to make a decision on the November election, knowing that our models showed a huge surge of COVID cases in the fall, which unfortunately, came to pass. While we are not making a decision on the June primary elections at this point, we are optimistic that we’ll be able to conduct in-person voting in June as well.”

Kevin Roche submits petitions for Commission election

A corporate investment professional who has lived in Haddonfield since 2013 filed petitions today to be a candidate in the Haddonfield Board of Commissioners election to be held on May 11.

In a statement released after delivering his petitions to the Borough Clerk, Kevin Roche said he has decided that now is the time to get involved in a deeper way and approach the issues of Haddonfield with “a fresh perspective.”

Roche said he and his family were drawn to Haddonfield because of its sense of community, schools, and the diverse activities available for families. 

“I love this town,” he said, “and want to do everything I can to ensure that the decisions made today benefit the town twenty years from now. Living in Haddonfield has given my family so much, now it is time to pay it forward.”

According to his website – kevinroche.org – Roche will focus on working to develop solutions for issues such as housing, open space, and aging infrastructure.

He believes he is uniquely qualified to address the financial decisions that need to be made pertaining to Bancroft as well as finding and creating alternative revenue opportunities for the Borough.

Roche is founder and CEO of LHT Consultants, which provides creative financial solutions for families, private businesses, and foundations. He is also a professor at Drexel University and an advisor to the Drexel University Venture Capital Club.

He volunteers with the Community Foundation of South Jersey and Haddonfield Crew. When his son was younger, he was actively involved with Haddonfield Youth Basketball.

Roche is the fourth resident to submit petitions with the Borough Clerk or file forms with the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission, or both. None of the incumbent Commissioners has publicly revealed their plans with respect to the election.

Mark Rusc files election forms with State of NJ

Mark Rusc, a Haddonfield resident who serves as chair of the Historic Preservation Commission, filed forms with the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission on Wednesday (February 10), documenting the formation of a campaign committee for the Haddonfield Board of Commissioners election on May 11.

He has not yet submitted petitions to the Borough Clerk.

Rusc’s forms note that Jonathan Prebich will serve as campaign chair, and Luis A Hoz de Vila will serve as treasurer.

Rusc is the third resident to submit petitions with the Borough Clerk or file forms with the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission, or both. None of the incumbent Commissioners has publicly revealed their plans with respect to the election.

One new COVID-19 death; tally now 10

The Camden County Department of Health reported today that the death of a male in his 90s, a resident of Haddonfield, has been attributed to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. This brings the number of Haddonfield COVID-19 fatalities to 10.

The Haddonfield School District added two cases today, a female juvenile student at Tatem School and a male student in his 10s at the Middle School. The total number of cases reported by the district now stands at135: 58 males and 77 females; 107 children and 28 adults.

Second candidate files for Commission election

A five-year resident of Haddonfield has become the second person to enter this year’s race for the board of commissioners, scheduled for May 11.

Francis T. Troy joins Adam V. Puff, who submitted petitions to the borough clerk on January 25, having filed a certificate of organization for his campaign committee with the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission on January 4. Troy filed his certificate on January 28.

On his website – votefranktroy.com – Troy notes that after “years of military deployments and corporate relocations, I jumped at the chance to move to Haddonfield back in 2016.”

He says his focus — “sustainable policies for our future” — serves two purposes. “The first is seizing opportunities to make needed changes to our Borough, without forgoing our rich history and culture. The second element is doing this in an environmentally-sound way so that our children inherit a better world.”

Troy asserts that with “nearly 3 decades of private and public experience leading large organizations focused on energy-efficient design,” he is “uniquely qualified to do this.” He is a vice president at Albireo Energy, which provides building automation and energy services for commercial and institutional buildings.

Troy served as an officer in the US Navy for six years. His overseas deployments included the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf.

He is a volunteer member of the Haddonfield Zoning Board of Adjustment.

COVID-19 has hit 1 in 25 residents

With the addition today of a female juvenile and a male in his 40s, the number of COVID-19 cases reported by the Camden County Department of Health for Haddonfield residents rose to 464. That represents 1 case for every 25 residents, based on the 2010 Census population count of 11,593.

For comparison, the rates for both Camden County and New Jersey are 1 case for every 14 residents.

Camden County’s total number of reported cases as of today was 36,607, with 938 deaths. Across New Jersey, 626,645 cases and 19,384 deaths.

The Haddonfield School District has reported a total of 131 cases: 103 children and 28 adults.

Joe Serico named Citizen of the Year for 2021

Joseph G. (“Joe”) Serico, a principal at Haddonfield Memorial High School for 20 years who was beloved by students and teachers alike, has been named Haddonfield’s Citizen of the Year for 2021.

The announcement was made by Mayor Neal Rochford tonight during a Zoom meeting hosted by the Haddonfield Lions Club.

Joe Serico was the high school’s principal from 1987 to 2006. Subsequently, he served as the school district’s assistant superintendent responsible for curriculum and instruction. He then took a teaching position at Rutgers University Camden in the Department of Public Policy and Administration.

He currently serves as a trustee of the Haddonfield Educational Trust, which works to enhance educational excellence of the public schools, and as president of the Haddonfield Alumni Society.

One of the letters submitted in support of Joe Serico’s nomination detailed his many contributions to the community:

“In Haddonfield, there are quiet and humble people who volunteer countless hours because they believe in this community, and they want to create an environment where people can be connected. Dr. Serico has served our community for many years, but his commitment to making connections during COVID should especially be highlighted …

“In 2020, Dr. Serico remained committed to strengthening the bonds of our community, despite a global pandemic that made face-to-face reunions, fundraisers and meetings impossible. He is connected to alumni of all ages, and he was inspired to tell the stories of the HMHS alumni who were courageously battling the coronavirus in front-line medical positions. He tracked people down, made appointments to interview each person, and then sat down to write their stories, to share their good work with the entire alumni community. It was so inspiring to read about the good work being done by our brilliant and kind-hearted classmates. I think that each of those stories helped to connect all of us, and helped to build hope during a challenging and lonely period of time.

“Dr. Serico has continued to build community virtually, with online beer tastings and other networking events. His newest creation is a MasterClass series starring notable HMHS alumni. The live lectures are free to attend, and allow alumni to reconnect over Zoom to learn how to create the perfect cocktail, to play guitar, or other specialty expertise. Such a clever idea, and a perfect example of how Dr. Serico works so hard to celebrate the accomplishments of others, while quietly and humbly staying behind the scenes. The Master Class series also demonstrates Dr. Serico’s innate kindness and generosity: all alumni are welcome and included, regardless of age, location, or circumstance. Especially during COVID, events like this are so important to our mental health.”

Joe Serico’s other accomplishments include:

  • Managing the fundraising and concept for the Sarah Tarditi Gallagher outdoor Study Garden at HMHS.
  • Single-handedly organizing a campaign for former cross country and track athletes to dedicate the HMHS track and stadium concourse for beloved coaches Nick and Maureen Baker. Hundreds of former athletes contributed to the $100,000 project.
  • Creating energy around a campaign to look at our high school facilities as a campus, and engaged thousands of people to give time and money to build “an aesthetically pleasing campus environment for students, faculty and community that encourages reflection, inspires creativity, promotes community and respects the environment.” Courtyard plantings and beautification of the front of the school were completed in 2020.

“[His] work should not be unnoticed. Haddonfield needs people like Dr. Serico: people who have ideas for how to make our community stronger AND who do the work to see those ideas through. … Dr. Serico is one of our town’s constant unsung heroes, and in any year his regular volunteer efforts would/should probably be enough to make him a [Citizen of the Year] nominee. As the selection committee reflects on superhuman volunteerism on behalf of this Borough, you need to know that the quiet and humble Dr. Serico has been quietly working on multiple projects that will leave a lasting legacy in our community for years to come.”

COVID-19: New death brings local total to nine

The Camden County Department of Health today reported the death of a Haddonfield female in her 80s, and attributed the cause of death to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

This is the third local death in a week. The Department of Health reported the death of a Haddonfield male in his 90s on January 22 and that of a female in her 90s on January 20.

The Department also reported two new COVID-19 cases today: a male in his 10s and a female in her 50s. Haddonfield’s tally now stands at 454 — about one in every 25 residents.

The Haddonfield School District has reported a total of 124 COVID-19 cases in the schools — 54 males and 70 females. Of that total, 98 are students and 26 are staff.

Lifelong resident is first to file for Commission election

Haddonfield Board of Commissioners candidate Adam Puff delivers his nominating petitions to the Borough Clerk, Deanna Bennett.

A lifelong resident of Haddonfield is the first candidate to file petitions for this year’s Board of Commissioners election. 

Adam Puff said he hopes to be the voice, resource, and problem solver for every resident and local business owner who has ever asked, ‘Why isn’t it getting done?”

In particular, he plans to focus on a prompt resolution to the future of the Bancroft property; addressing residents’ concerns about stormwater, streets, and trees; encouraging innovative approaches to supporting and promoting the business district; improving borough communications, and ensuring transparency in decision making. 

Puff sums up his focus in three words: “Pride. Progress. Partnership.” 

A 2000 graduate of Haddonfield Memorial High School, Puff and his wife Jessica are raising their three children just a few blocks from where he grew up, and where his parents still live. An accredited investment fiduciary, he is the founder and CEO of Haddonfield Financial Planning, located at 205 N. Haddon Avenue.  

Puff is an active member of the Lions Club, serves as president of the Haddonfield Educational Trust (a non-profit dedicated to enhancing the excellence of Haddonfield’s public schools), and is a board member of both the Haddonfield Outdoor Sculpture Trust and the Partnership for Haddonfield (which manages the downtown business district).

“For 39 years, I’ve benefited from many wonderful things this community has provided,” Puff said. “Volunteering with these organizations is one way I’ve been able to give back. But now I’d like to put my interests and ideas to work at the municipal level.”

Haddonfield’s Board of Commissioners has three elected members who serve concurrent four-year terms. The next election is scheduled for Tuesday, May 11. 2021. Traditionally, the candidate who receives the most votes becomes the mayor. 

Puff said that his campaign slogan, “Let’s Go, Haddonfield!” is designed to reflect the energy and enthusiasm he will bring to the board of commissioners. 

“Haddonfield needs those qualities right now,” Puff says, “to help develop innovative solutions for the new realities posed by the pandemic and the economy.” 

“I’m ready, willing, and able to serve,” he said, “and I hope the voters of Haddonfield will give me the chance.”

The campaign’s web address is AdamPuff.com. The Facebook page is @AdamPuff2021.

Citizen of the Year: Tuesday, January 26

The Haddonfield Area Lions Club will award its Citizen of the Year honor for 2021 during a Zoom presentation at 7:30pm on Tuesday, January 26.

Established in 1973, the award goes to a resident who has volunteered their time to make the community and the world a better place. Past winners include Robert A. Turner, Gene Kain, Jack Tarditi, Tish Colombi, and Robert Parsons. A full list of past winners is on the Haddonfield Area Lions website, HERE.

Because of the pandemic, this year’s presentation will not include the Lions’ annual breakfast or a State of the Borough address by the mayor. However, Mayor Rochford will present the Citizen of the Year award, virtually.

Join the Zoom meeting HERE.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87240232408?pwd=NCtlb2RDdmpkVHRML3NZWkJYWm9Pdz09

To Dial in: 1 646 558 8656
Meeting ID: 872 4023 2408
Passcode: 707977
Help Desk – Al Schmidt 609-471-8298