The Palmyra Borough Council reorganization meeting on Jan. 4 started normally enough with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by incumbent Timothy Howard being sworn in to a three-year term by Solicitor Ted Rosenberg.
Next up was the swearing in of Councilwoman Ladonna De’Souza, who was appointed in October to fill the seat left vacant by Laura Cloud and who won a three-year term on council in the November election.
Except De’Souza wasn’t there.
Rosenberg said he received a letter from her on Jan. 2, stating, “I formally resign and decline the position I was offered.” On the advice of the solicitor, council passed a resolution accepting De’Souza’s resignation and another measure that will inform the Burlington County Clerk of the sudden vacancy.
During the meeting’s public forum, former mayor Michelle Arnold acknowledged the controversial question of De’Souza’s residency.
“She (De’Souza) should have resigned once the fraud was exposed,” Arnold said of De’Souza’s short tenure. “She did not tell the truth. If she did, her residency would have been known. Her votes (as councilwoman) should be rescinded and any monies she received should be returned.”
At that point, Rosenberg advised council members not to respond.
“There is potential litigation,” he warned. “Do not discuss this publicly. What she did or did not do has yet to be fully vetted.”
“I feel as though any votes that LaDonna may have cast during her tenure should be reversed, as she had no legal authority to hold that position,” Arnold noted after the meeting. “LaDonna has not lived in Palmyra since at least October of 2023. Her property (in Palmyra Harbour) has been rented out continuously since she moved out.
“According to her statements, she has no permanent address, but stays at her boyfriend’s house in Cherry Hill, her mother’s house in Delanco and sometimes in Palmyra, but not in the property that she owns,” Arnold added.
The borough requires by law that anyone who serves as mayor or on council must reside there.
“Council members do receive compensation,” Arnold explained. “Anything that was paid to LaDonna should be returned, as it is the result of her fraudulent actions. She may have or had equipment such as a borough laptop that of course should be returned. She may have also attended meetings and/or a conference at the borough expense. If that is the case, those funds should be returned as well.
“Once all of the information about her activities was brought to light she should have immediately resigned and issued a statement of remorse,” the former mayor added. “Instead she resisted the resignation and then finally conceded.”
In other business, council reelected Timothy Howard its president and passed 74 resolutions awarding professional contracts and appointing residents to various positions, including Frank Billingiere as the part-time Code Enforcement Officer.
Fred Rock was named a part-time Special Law Enforcement Officer Class 2 and Gerald Griffin a Class 1 officer in the police department. Council also appointed borough crossing guards, including Sara Ercolono, Howard Dreby (captain), Barbara Zeyher, Joyce Alessandra, Jarmilla Sheppard, Delia Spiker, Marty Boylan, Timothy Puglia, Dessaree Jackson-Yilmaz and Thomas Bell.
During her state of the borough address, Mayor Gina Ragomo Tait had news on trash pickup.
“This past year has been very exciting,” she enthused. “On Monday, we will be picking up the trash in town with Palmyra doing it.”
Tait also praised the progress of the Route 73 development project and the success of the Summer Food program for struggling families.
“We will be continuing it in 2025,” she announced of the latter. “In a town of 7,000, no one should go hungry.”
A special meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 27 at 6:30 p.m.
