Inquirer.com – Zurich DR

Author: Lacey Latch

  • Medford Township’s former manager is challenging his firing in state court

    Medford Township’s former manager is challenging his firing in state court

    Medford Township is facing a lawsuit from former Township Manager Daniel Hornickel, who is seeking to nullify his firing and reinstate himself in the role.

    Hornickel, an attorney representing himself in the case, filed a complaint in Burlington County Superior Court on April 30, two days after the five-member council passed a resolution approving his removal as manager, the Courier Post first reported.

    In the lawsuit, Hornickel, who lives in Bordentown Township, alleges that council denied him his employee due-process rights and violated the Open Public Meetings Act during his firing.

    The legal filing comes less than two months after Medford Township formally initiated the process to fire Hornickel on March 13 by sending him a legally mandated notice that his employment was in discussion.

    According to the lawsuit, Hornickel then proposed a separation agreement on March 16 that stipulated that if the offer were rejected, council would hold a public discussion about their intention to seek Hornickel’s removal from the role, which pays between $100,000 and $190,000, according to the salary range approved by council.

    The next morning, Township Solicitor Gregory McGuckin indicated that the settlement likely would not be accepted, to which Hornickel reiterated his ultimatum for public discussion during that night’s council meeting, the lawsuit alleges.

    But that night, council immediately entered closed session after the start of the meeting and upon returning, adopted a resolution to suspend Hornickel and move forward with the firing process. Council did not discuss or deliberate the resolution in public during the March 17 meeting.

    In the resolution, council offered 10 reasons for seeking Hornickel’s dismissal, including that “council has lost confidence” in him, particularly as it relates to both the 2025 and 2026 budgets, the latter of which they said was delivered “late and above the cap legally allowed.”

    They also allege that Hornickel has not implemented council policies and directions, does not communicate with council members, and has failed to properly advise council on various matters during his 18-month tenure as manager.

    On April 28, council held a special hearing where they approved the resolution authorizing Hornickel’s firing.

    During the hearing, Hornickel responded to each of council’s points, noting that three current council members were not on council in 2025 and therefore did not participate in the budget process while the two others voted to approve it.

    “Your statement that ‘the 2026 budget was late and above the cap legally allowed’ is an invalid statement,” he said. “For the record, you introduced a 2026 budget that is substantially similar to the budget I sent you on March 9.”

    In response to many of the other charges outlined in the resolution, Hornickel argued that he couldn’t adequately defend himself because council would not publicly release details.

    “Don’t respond to me just because I’m asking, tell the public,” Hornickel told council. “If I’ve done this, give the public some concrete examples.”

    Hornickel also argued that council was misinterpreting their role as the legislative branch for Medford’s government. The manager runs daily operations as the executive officer, he said, not township council.

    “Your job is to set policy,” Hornickel said. “I looked at every single agenda this year through March 17. So what purported policy or direction did you as a legislative body issue that I failed to implement?”

    “There’s nothing,” he said.

    Hornickel declined to provide any additional comment Wednesday while the township solicitor did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    Medford’s Fire and EMS Chief Robert Dovi, Jr. is serving as the interim manager with assistance from Southampton Township Administrator Brandon Umba through a shared services agreement.

    Council originally appointed Hornickel manager by resolution on July 16, 2024, an appointment made effective the following September.

    Prior to his time in Medford, Hornickel served as the business administrator of Pemberton Township for more than five years. Before that, Hornickel spent nine years as the human resources director for Burlington County.

    A remote proceeding for the case is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 8 before Superior Court Judge Terrance Cook.

  • Camden sees its third fatal shooting victim in June after a homicide-free summer in 2025

    Camden sees its third fatal shooting victim in June after a homicide-free summer in 2025

    A 50-year-old Camden man is dead after being shot on the city’s east side Thursday night, law enforcement said.

    Police responded to reports of a person shot on the 300 block of Morse Street around 10:20 p.m., according to a joint statement from the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and Camden County police.

    Officers found Cornelius Smith, 50, lying in the street with a bullet wound. The Camden resident was transported to Cooper University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about 10:46 p.m., officials said.

    No arrests have been made. The investigation into the killing is continuing, police said.

    Smith’s killing was the third fatal shooting in Camden this month.

    Around 12:20 a.m. on June 9, police responded to a report of a shooting in the 200 block of Morse Street and found Luis J. Bonet, 24, of Camden wounded by gunfire. He was pronounced dead at Cooper University Hospital a short while later.

    The following day, Eric Irizarry, 45, was charged in connection with Bonet’s death with first-degree murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

    A week earlier, a fatal shooting in Camden, police said, was tied to a multi-vehicle crash in neighboring Pennsauken.

    While responding to a shooting on the 3300 block of Westfield Avenue on June 2, police discovered multiple shell casings and an unoccupied vehicle that had been struck by gunfire, officials said.

    A few minutes later, Pennsauken police responded to a crash involving five vehicles at Drexel Avenue and Route 130 in Pennsauken. One of the vehicles involved in the crash had been struck by gunfire and the driver, later identified as Izaiah Minzy, 36, of Westville, had been shot.

    Minzy was taken to Cooper University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:11 p.m.

    Six people in the other cars involved in the crash sustained minor injuries.

    The prosecutor’s office has not announced any arrests in the case.

    The violent June comes after Camden experienced a record year in 2025 with its lowest recorded homicide total in four decades and its first homicide-free summer, police said, in 50 years.

    Camden recorded 12 homicides last year, down from 17 in 2024, and saw an overall 6% drop in violent crime compared with the previous year, including a 32% decrease in sexual assaults and a 12% decrease in robberies, according to police.

    The decline came more than a decade after the city’s police department was disbanded in 2013. Since then, the department’s successor, the Camden County Police Department, has taken a new approach to community policing that includes pairing social workers with officers and supporting programs designed to help at-risk youth.

    Homicides have dropped by 82% since 2012, the last full year of the former police structure. During that time, the city has also invested heavily in public spaces and infrastructure, including $100 million for parks and street repaving.

    Earlier this month, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.) visited the department’s headquarters alongside Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen and Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. to get a firsthand look at some of the advanced tools and training methods police have utilized in recent years.

    Booker is promoting federal legislation designed to help other law enforcement agencies adopt similar technology, like automated license plate readers, live cameras, drones, and more, which Camden County Police Chief Gabriel Rodriguez has said contributed to the reduction in crime across the city.

    Officials asked that anyone with information about any of the recent shootings contact the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit or the Camden County Police Department. You can also submit anonymous tips online.

  • Collingswood is considering lifting its dry town status to boost local restaurants. Residents may have the final say.

    Collingswood is considering lifting its dry town status to boost local restaurants. Residents may have the final say.

    After more than a century as a dry town, Collingswood is considering lifting its ban on alcohol sales within the borough.

    For months, the three-person Collingswood Board of Commissioners has been discussing whether to lift the long-standing restrictions on liquor sales both as a potential new revenue source for the borough and as a way to bolster the local restaurant industry.

    Per the state’s population-based license cap 一 one liquor license for every 3,000 residents — Collingswood would be able to issue as many as four retail consumption licenses that permit restaurants or bars to serve alcohol, or one distribution license for a liquor store within borough limits.

    If liquor sales are eventually permitted, the borough could receive anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 annually through licensing and renewal fees.

    But discussions are still preliminary as the commissioners work to determine what is best for Collingswood’s existing restaurant and business owners, borough administrator Cassandra Duffey said.

    “There’s a general sense that liquor can be a good thing, but there’s a concern that if it’s done in a way that’s unbalanced, it can also throw people off,” she said.

    “Is there strength in the dry-town brand that has been around for years and years?” Duffey said.

    Tracing back to its Quaker roots, Collingswood has prohibited alcohol sales by ordinance since the 19th century.

    A change to the policy would require public approval through a referendum during the November general election, borough solicitor Caitlin Harney Norcia said.

    To begin that process, the borough’s commissioners would need to adopt a resolution by Aug. 21 so that the Camden County Clerk’s Office has enough time to add the question to the ballot. In order to adopt the resolution, at least 15% of voters who participated in the last general election must sign a public petition in favor of putting the question on the ballot, Harney Norcia said.

    After that, “repealing any kind of prior restrictions could all be done relatively easily,” Harney Norcia said, describing the logistics of updating local ordinances if a referendum passes.

    If voters approve lifting the ban, Harney Norcia said, the borough could either award licenses in a competitive bidding process, which could generate one-time revenue for Collingswood’s budget, or enact an application and review process that includes annual fees and public presentations by prospective licensees.

    But if the measure were to fail on Election Day, Collingswood would be barred from holding another referendum on alcohol sales for five years, according to state law.

    Some business owners have expressed concern that the public bidding process could result in one of the borough’s few licenses being awarded to an outside business instead of an established Collingswood restaurant, Duffey said.

    “The challenge is not to disrupt the balance of businesses that already exist here,” she said. “If you get a bidder that gets a license from outside of town, sure, you get the revenue, but then you’ve added somebody and it doesn’t necessarily benefit one of our businesses.

    “The other option is to award [the licenses] directly, but then somebody must make a decision on who gets them, which is also a challenge,” she added.

    The commissioners are in continued talks with the borough’s business improvement team, local restaurateurs, and others about the best approach, she said.

    “Is there a way to distribute licenses or award licenses that is a boost for everybody?” Duffey said.

    The internal debate in Collingswood comes less than two years after residents in neighboring Haddon Heights voted to get rid of its de facto ban on liquor sales. The town has set a $200,000 minimum bid for its first retail liquor license and is currently accepting applications ahead of a public auction sale in September.

    Haddon Heights is hoping to leverage the new liquor licenses as a way to help boost a broader revival and redevelopment, Mayor Zachary Houck said.

    The licenses “would hopefully draw in one or two additional restaurants or enhance existing restaurants and let us then continue to move that ball forward when it comes to enhancing our downtown historic district,” Houck said.

    Making more, and more affordable, liquor licenses available statewide was a goal of legislation then-Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law in 2024. The measure was touted as an unprecedented reform of New Jersey’s liquor laws, long described by critics as arcane and antiquated.

    “By easing restrictions and boosting the availability of licenses, we are creating new opportunities for small businesses, especially mom-and-pop establishments, to expand and facilitate development on main streets across New Jersey,” Stella Porter, a spokesperson for Murphy, told The Inquirer that year.

  • Medford bans data centers within town limits amid public debate about AI

    Medford bans data centers within town limits amid public debate about AI

    Large-scale data centers will not be moving into Medford any time soon thanks to a new ordinance adopted unanimously by the Medford Township Council this week.

    While the township has not yet received any formal applications for data centers, officials are taking steps like the ordinance passed Tuesday that specifically prohibits the land use within town limits as a chance to be proactive.

    “These are extra precautions to ensure that we don’t move forward in a direction that we can’t come back from until we know full well what the impacts of data centers will be,” Medford Mayor Michael Czyzyk said at Tuesday’s public hearing.

    The ordinance received support from Medford-area residents at the hearing but some questioned whether the township might be making its bed too early considering how quickly technology evolves, especially if there’s a chance to reap the rewards of a data center project without negatively impacting the surrounding community.

    “If there’s no impacts to the residents and there’s only a financial benefit, I believe I would consider looking at that at that time, but we’re not there yet,” Czyzyk said.

    While the ordinance constraints may seem all-limiting as it exists today, Czyzyk said, council maintains the authority to at any point amend the ordinance to permit data centers in the township’s redevelopment district.

    “I definitely understand that things will evolve and there may be a time in the future that the term data center is something that is more amenable to the residents and the body that governs them,” Czyzyk said.

    “I will feel comfortable with the vote I cast on this ordinance tonight knowing full well that today I feel that way and that there’s mechanisms in the future if things do change, a process will be undertaken to remedy that,” he said.

    Nearby in Cherry Hill, Mayor David Fleisher has explicitly vowed to block the construction of any large AI or commercial data facilities in the township citing concerns of high energy usage, water consumption, and proximity to residents.

    There are dozens of data centers currently operating throughout the state with major hubs located primarily in North Jersey urban centers like Secaucus and Newark. But more recently, developers have been eyeing spots in rural South Jersey as the industry expands to meet growing demands for generative AI.

    For months, South Jersey residents have been protesting a major AI data center that is currently under construction in Vineland.

    Developers and other data-center proponents say the facilities bring in tax revenue, create jobs, make use of old industrial sites, and put towns on the cutting edge of a hot industry, all without straining school districts or emergency services.

    Opponents, meanwhile, cite concerns about pollution, noise, power and water use, and the impact on their electric bills. Some also say they worry the AI boom is a bubble that could soon burst.

    As concerns continue to grow among towns across the Garden State, representatives from more than 60 environmental, labor, and community groups sent a letter to New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill last month calling for a statewide moratorium on the approval and construction of new facilities that use 20 megawatts or more of power.

    So far in response to the public pressure, Sherrill has proposed a plan that would require new data centers to cover grid upgrades, utilize their own power generators, and publicly report resource usage.

    While some municipalities like Medford have issued moratoriums on new data centers, no state governments have successfully done so, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

  • A new rooftop nightclub proposed for the Camden waterfront aims to be part of the city’s ‘evolution’

    A new rooftop nightclub proposed for the Camden waterfront aims to be part of the city’s ‘evolution’

    Clubgoers might soon have the chance to take in nighttime views of the Philadelphia skyline at a new rooftop nightclub along the Camden waterfront.

    The Cloud 9 SkyLounge is proposed for the rooftop deck of the fourth-floor Hinson Parking Garage next to the Delaware River Port Authority office tower on Delaware Avenue.

    The club would include a stage and dance floor, private cabanas, a pool deck, bar areas, a food truck zone, VIP parking, and more, according to the developer’s application to the city, which is still awaiting final consideration from Camden’s planning board.

    So far, city officials have approved the new use for the property, said Joe Console, attorney for the Cloud 9 developers.

    Now, the applicant will work on developing more detailed engineering reports, showing that the project complies with local regulations as it relates to traffic, noise, building capacity, and more, Console said. Once complete, the project will eventually be brought back before the planning board for review and final approval.

    “Our vision is to create a world-class entertainment and hospitality destination that showcases the beauty of the Camden waterfront, the Philadelphia skyline, and the energy of the entire region,” Cloud 9 founder and CEO Kenneth Walden said. “We want visitors to experience something they would normally expect to find in cities like Miami, Las Vegas, New York, or Los Angeles — right here in Camden.”

    As an adaptive reuse project instead of new development, the club would require no changes to the parking garage’s existing footprint, and the rooftop venue would be limited to temporary installations, according to the application.

    Parking for the rooftop venue would also be self-contained within the existing parking structure. The developers said they do not anticipate any parking issues extending into the surrounding area.

    A rendering shows the entry view of the proposed Cloud 9 SkyLounge rooftop deck of the Hinson Parking Garage on Delaware Avenue in Camden.Obtained by The Inquirer

    The parking garage is currently owned by the city’s parking authority and the rooftop would be rented to Cloud 9 starting at $5,000 per month, per the application documents. The venue would be open Thursday 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.

    “Cloud 9 was born from a simple belief: that Camden deserves extraordinary destinations just as much as any major city in the country,” Walden said. “For years, people have viewed Camden primarily through the lens of its challenges. I believe it is equally important to recognize its potential, its resilience, and the remarkable transformation taking place along the waterfront. Cloud 9 is intended to be part of that continued evolution.”

    The property is located within the city’s mixed waterfront zoning district which is designed to help revitalize former industrial or vacant properties into pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use areas along the waterfront.

    The venue’s developers included in their application that the project is “consistent with the overall vision of the [mixed waterfront zone] as it promotes: activation of underutilized urban space, enhancement of the waterfront entertainment environment, increased tourism and economic activity and adaptive reuse of existing infrastructure.”

    The new nightlife destination would be within walking distance to some of the city’s other waterfront destinations such as Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Wiggins Waterfront Riverstage, and Adventure Aquarium.

    A rendering shows the beach view of the proposed Cloud 9 SkyLounge rooftop deck of the Hinson Parking Garage on Delaware Avenue in Camden.Obtained by The Inquirer

    The office for Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen said that while they are aware of the proposed rooftop bar and lounge, they declined to comment specifically on the project or its details as it continues to make its way through the land development process.

    “Camden is undergoing an unprecedented transformation as investment is taking place citywide. As a result, there is great interest from developers, and a wide variety of projects are being proposed in every part of the city,” said Vincent Basara, director of communications for the mayor’s office. “Camden is always open to new ideas and proposals. The success of this project will ultimately be based on the merit of the application. We are confident in the public process and the various reviews which are required.”

    About a mile north on the other side of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority is accepting mixed-use redevelopment proposals for a 16-acre waterfront parcel that was previously home to the former Riverfront Prison and Weeks Marine site in North Camden.

    “Beyond the venue itself, I believe Cloud 9 can contribute to the city in several meaningful ways,” Walden said. “The project has the potential to create jobs, attract visitors from throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and beyond, generate additional economic activity for nearby businesses, and further strengthen Camden’s reputation as a destination worth visiting and investing in.”

    The Cloud 9 SkyLounge was presented to the city’s zoning hearing board for final site plan approval on June 1 and will need to continue through the development process before finally being voted on by the city’s planning board. The exact timeline for this process varies by project, but a final vote on Cloud 9 is likely still weeks or even months away, as the application must go before the city’s planning board, though they will not officially discuss the project until at least the board’s July meeting.

  • Mount Holly cancels July 4 celebration following ‘alarming violence’ at recent Burlington County events

    Mount Holly cancels July 4 celebration following ‘alarming violence’ at recent Burlington County events

    Citing increased safety concerns, a Burlington County township has canceled this year’s annual Independence Day celebration.

    Mount Holly Township officials released a statement on Monday announcing the decision to cancel the township’s Fourth of July festivities, pointing to recent violence at other local events across the region and a lack of time to put enhanced security measures in place.

    “This decision was not made lightly — over the past few months, we have been meticulously monitoring local and regional events throughout New Jersey, assessing which events have been canceled due to alarming violence, as well as those communities that have continued their events with significantly increased security measures and protocol put into place,” the township said in a joint statement with the Mount Holly Police Department.

    In early May, a Maple Shade carnival held to raise money for a local youth football program was canceled after a large group of teenagers caused a hectic scene on the first night. By the end of the month, the Roebling Carnival was similarly canceled after numerous fights broke out on the first night of the Florence Township event, overwhelming police.

    Officials in Medford took note of the events in Maple Shade ahead of their six-day St. Mary of the Lakes Carnival and Music Fest, boosting security with outside agencies, imposing crowd size limits, restricting entrances, and more.

    “With our spectators and vendors’ safety top of mind, we could not enact a viable, actionable solution in such a short period of time to alleviate our security concerns without incurring additional, significant costs to the Township and our residents,” Mount Holly officials said in the statement.

    “We understand the disappointment this decision may cause and extend our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all who have supported this event over the years.”

  • Child killed in e-bike crash in Burlington County, according to police

    Child killed in e-bike crash in Burlington County, according to police

    A child is dead following a collision with a delivery truck while riding an electric bicycle in Burlington County on Tuesday morning.

    Emergency responders were called to the corner of Route 70 and Tranquility Court in Southampton Township around 10:45 a.m. Tuesday after a crash involving a juvenile riding an e-bike and a UPS driver, according to New Jersey State Police officials.

    The rider, who has not been publicly identified, was pronounced dead. The police were unable to provide the rider’s age or any other details.

    “We are heartbroken by the tragic accident in Southampton Township, NJ,” UPS said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and loved ones. We are fully cooperating with authorities to understand what happened.”

    While the exact circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, the tragedy comes as debate around the safety of e-bikes continues to rage across the country given their increased speed and weight compared to traditional bicycles.

    New Jersey is home to some of the toughest legislation nationwide aimed at restricting and regulating the exceedingly popular transportation option.

    The new regulations were born of a similar incident — a 13-year-old Scotch Plains boy died after colliding with a landscaping truck while riding his e-bike last September.

    Starting in July, all e-bikes in the Garden State must be registered and insured, whether they are low-speed e-bikes, which require pedaling and cannot exceed 20 mph, or high-speed bikes, called motorized bicycles or e-motos, which can go up to 28 mph.

    Riders will also need to be at least 15 years old and need a motorized bicycle license to ride. Those 17 and older can ride an e-bike using a driver’s license.

    The New Jersey law treats all e-bikes as the same, whereas most other states that regulate e-bikes tend to focus on e-motos when it comes to license and insurance requirements. The slower pedal-assist bikes face a patchwork of regulations across the country, with some restrictions on where they can go.