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Board member disputes Gazette coverage, says vote against Coia was about conflicts of interest
Summary
A board member read a prepared correction to a Gazette article, saying the piece misrepresented her reasons for voting against a leadership candidate and incorrectly described her husband’s prior roles; another member defended his published remarks.
During the meeting’s final public-comment period, a board member spoke at length to correct coverage that appeared in the Hammonton Gazette. She said a recent article misrepresented the reasoning behind her vote on board leadership and included inaccurate statements about her husband’s past service.
"I feel compelled to correct these misrepresentations for the public's understanding," the board member said, and explained she opposed a second leadership position being held by a member she considered conflicted. "I was clear from the onset that I believe it is problematic when the sole leadership positions on this board are both simultaneously held by members who have a conflict of interest," she said.
Another board member replied that his comments to the Gazette reflected his opinion. "That's my opinion ... It's okay to have 1 person conflicted, but not 2," he said. The board president urged the members to leave the matter there and moved to adjourn the meeting.
Both remarks were entered into the public record during the meeting; no formal motion or board action resulted from the exchange.
