Borough Solicitor Paul Baldini (left) reviews South Jersey Legal Services memorandum by senior attorney David Podell (right)

WOODBINE — Residents of the Carol Lynn Resort were back before this borough's council on Thursday, Oct. 15, once again asking for the governing body to change its current ordinance to allow them to reside year around in the campground. This time the newly formed homeowners association was formally represented by attorney David Podell, of South Jersey Legal Services.

Podell addressed council and provided copies of a legal memorandum outlining Carol Lynn residents' and their homeowners association’s legal position.

“There is no question under the state statues and regulations that the borough clearly has the authority to change the local code and allow residents to live there year round.” Podell said.

In addition to being able to change the ordinance to allow the year round tenancy, Podell argued that the current ordinance, which has been in place all 30 years of Carol Lynn’s existence and was not being enforced by the borough, was now, “not likely enforceable.” Podell went on to reiterate “there is no reason the Borough can’t just go ahead and change the ordinances.”

Members of the homeowners association speculated the campground's owner Anthony “Smokey” Saduk, who is also a borough Councilman, and his wife Carol Lynn were using the ordinance as an excuse to limit the time they could spend at the park because the campground's infrastructure that was 30 years old could no longer bare the full time use of the residents.
Carol Lynn Home Owners Association president Darren Kirsch feared the possibility of the Saduk’ s would find other means to “get rid” of them such as unreasonable maintenance fee increases.

Podell told council by changing the local code this will underscore the anti-eviction act and clarify the rights of the residents at Carol Lynn. They have the right to not be evicted with out judicial process and protection against “unconscionable” rent increases and fees and unreasonable changes to the leases. According to Kirsch, the Saduks have already asked the residents to sign a different lease that the association’s attorney has advised them “not to sign”. Kirsch did not elaborate as to what has changed in the new lease.

Councilman Louis Murray made a motion to direct the Borough Solicitor Paul Baldini to draft an ordinance to change the local code which was seconded by Councilman Douglas Watkins. Councilman Saduk and Ortiz both abstained from voting, Councilman Murray, Ryan, Rodriguez and Watkins all voted yes.

Nick Giordano has been an outspoken resident of the campground and questioned whether the relationship between “Mayor Pikolycky and his councilman” is unethical. Giordano said he became suspicious ever since Freeholder Director Daniel Beyel said at a July 14 freeholder meeting there seemed to be “a special arrangement between the campground and the Borough of Woodbine that doesn’t agree in full with the N.J. campground code.” Giordano also questioned weather Ortiz's vote was more "political favors". Ortiz is a member of Independents for Woodbine the same party as the Pikolycky and Saduk.

Michael Benson, the former Borough Solicitor, is currently running for council as a Republican and has been endorsed by Pikolycky and the Independents for Woodbine. According to Giordano, Benson told some of the Carol Lynn residents that asked for his help in changing the ordinance at an AARP meeting that the ordinance “could not be changed”. During public comments Giordano confronted the mayor with two of the senior citizens who asked for Bensons help.

“Two weeks ago, Mike Benson was at an AARP meeting and a couple of our senior citizens that are here tonight asked Mike Benson if the ordinance could be changed and he flat out told them no it can’t be changed. And they asked him are you sure and he never offered to look into it or say maybe it could be changed. And this man was our solicitor for eighteen years and you’re indorsing him,” said Giordano.

Giordano offered to allow the mayor to verify with the senior citizens what Benson said. The mayor did not comment and moved on.

After the meeting, both of the elderly residents told the Herald about Benson's unwillingness to help them and requested their names not be used in fear of retaliation.

A message left on Benson's cellular phone voice mail for comment was not returned.