Commissioners Approve Special Counsel for Cemetery Fence Lawsuit
Haddonfield solicitor, Mario Iavocoli, is named special counsel for lawsuit against the planning board.
The Haddonfield Board of Commissioners approved Mario Iavocoli, the borough solicitor, as special counsel to represent the planning board in a lawsuit against it.
The measure was on the agenda Tuesday for the commissioners' only meeting this month. Planning board solicitor, Pete Lundgren has a conflict of interest that prevents him from representing the borough.
This suit was brought by Lee Avenue resident Mary Ann Campling. She sued the planning board after it did not adhere to a Historic Preservation Commission ruling to deny the Haddonfield United Methodist Church permission to erect a 6-foot, wood-panel fence along the perimeter of its cemetery on Kings Highway East. Lundgren, the regular planning board attorney, is a member of the Haddonfield United Methodist Church.
Campling's home is among more than a dozen that have small backyards bordered by the cemetery. A metal cyclone-type fence was previously there.
The commissioners met for a work session before the action meeting.
Agendas for the work session and the action meeting can be found here.
Brian Kelly
8:50 am on Wednesday, August 29, 2012
So it took the commissioners that long to finally find someone to represent the planning board. Considering Mario is the borough solicitor and sits next to the them at every commissioners meeting, that tells you how many lawyers were just chomping at the bit for this one.
The commissioners are spending tons of money all over town on projects intended to shore up the base for their big January vote. Here's a little suggestion...take a tiny pittance of that money, knock down that God awful fence and meet the residents of Lee avenue halfway with something that allows them to see at least part of the view these people have had all their lives.
Everyone knows how unfair and unjust this decision was. Let's pretend all the residents of Lee avenue are big supporters of the Bancroft initiative. Do the right thing by every resident you serve.
On another note, what are they building at Radnor field?
Jeff H
9:13 am on Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Where is Bill T when you need him to stand up for these residents???
Bumpkin
12:13 pm on Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Just what Mario needs. Another paycheck from the borough.
Piglet
12:20 am on Friday, August 31, 2012
Amazing.......I do not think the residents of the cemetery really minded the cyclone fence. I had read earlier that people complained about noise during a funeral service. I have been to the cemetery many times......lots or relatives are residents, and the only sounds I recall are an occassional dog barking or children playing.........don't think any kind a fence with help with that. As for many years, it is always what a certain few want done, no matter how wasteful it is.
J Loughrey
10:13 am on Friday, August 31, 2012
The Mews were built knowing the cemetery was there and that was how many years ago ? Why now 44 years later is a fence 6 ft wood fence necessary ?
Adam R
8:30 pm on Saturday, September 1, 2012
I was told that the reason the fence went up, was that someone connected with the Methodist Church didn't like the view of the Lee Ave. backyards from his window in the Mews. I also heard that the Mayor described him as a wonderful person. If this is true, it would show that the needs of one person with the right connections are more important than those of a whole block of "less affluent" citizens.