Members of borough governance who faced recent challenges return to face public
Mayor Neal Rochford and Commissioner Jeffrey Kasko joined fellow Commissioner John Moscatelli for full board of commissioners representation at its most recent public meeting on Feb. 26.
Rochford had been sidelined for a brief period due to health concerns, which he stated at the meeting is a particularly virulent form of pneumonia which will require the use of oxygen at times plus a curtailing of a portion of his duties for an undefined period. He was absent from the board’s prior meeting on Feb. 12, leaving Kasko and Moscatelli to handle borough business.
Presiding over the meeting from his usual perch between Moscatelli and Kasko, Rochford appeared to be suffering no ill effects. He took several minutes to thank those in the borough who passed along their well-wishes during his period of convalescence.
He later spoke emphatically on his faith in the school district. Public concerns surrounding the Bancroft Redevelopment Plan — which provides for 90 new townhomes to be built on the 13.15-acre parcel — centered on young families moving in and the potential overcrowding of its schools with a sudden influx of new children, as well as fears any future agreement between the commissioners and the board of education regarding the remainder of the property would not be fair and equitable to the latter.
“There are no three commissioners who are more appreciative of, and value our school system more, than the three of us up here. Kasko has five kids in the system currently, Moscatelli has two. I have put four through,” Rochford related. “They have educated myself, my wife, my siblings and my father way back when. So there is a long tradition of excellence. We understand the importance of supporting our school system, and when people come to this community, we have a lot of things going for us, and, honestly, the school system is right there at the top.”
He departed the proceedings, which lasted for more than 2.5 hours, shortly after its adjournment without further comment or his usual public engagement.
Kasko was involved in an incident at his residence on the morning of Feb. 13, where he allegedly struck the vehicle of a process server who was to serve divorce papers to him, and then allegedly struck a borough police officer with a side mirror on his own vehicle when returning to his home, according to police reports.
Kasko was arrested and faced 10 charges stemming from the incident including assault with a motor vehicle and criminal mischief. Further charges include numerous motor vehicle offenses ranging from reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage, improper backing or turning into a street, failure to obey a signal from police, and failure to report an accident.
The 54-year-old Kasko was remanded to Camden County Jail on a warrant for aggravated assault of a police officer, and also issued a summons for reckless driving which caused vehicular damage in excess of $2,000. He was held overnight and released the next day, then subsequently appeared in Superior Court at Cherry Hill on Feb. 20, at which time a March 20 date was issued for a pre-indictment conference in Camden.
Neither Kasko, Moscatelli nor Rochford responded directly on the matter after it was reported, calling it “personal” in nature. The arrest was not brought up at the meeting and Kasko did not provide any additional comment.
In other news:
- James Killmeyer was sworn in as a full member of Haddon Fire Company №1.
- Almost two dozen fourth-graders from Elizabeth Haddon Elementary School attended the meeting, and though all stood and were introduced to the board, only one actually asked a question.
- The board authorized the signing of an agreement with the Haddonfield Outdoor Sculpture Trust to place various rotational artwork in Tatem Memorial Garden.
