Main Street Mount Holly Refutes Allegations of Misuse of COVID Grant Funds and Refuses Calls for Resignation of Board Members by Township Mayor Jason Jones

In response to the article published in the online political news website The New Jersey Globe, Main Street Mount Holly asserts that all allegations made against the organization in relation to any misuse of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Cares Act COVID-19 Relief Grant funds are wholly false and untrue.  Main Street Mount Holly administered the COVID relief funds in complete compliance with the grant regulations and, in fact, did not pay anyone for the administration of the program.  To clarify:

All of the work that was done was on a volunteer basis, nobody was paid for their work on this program,

The $7,000 initially budgeted for administrative expenses was returned to the DCA because Ms. Lamberti volunteered her time, Main Street Mount Holly spent zero dollars in the administration of this program,

Ms. Lamberti was not “hired” nor “appointed” by her husband, Joe Lamberti, but was suggested by another board member familiar with her from similar volunteer projects in the past,

The decision to have her ultimately administer the program was made by a grant subcommittee that Mr. Lamberti was not a part of,

Joe Lamberti is not a “Mount Holly Official,” he is a volunteer and the President of the Board of Directors for Main Street Mount Holly,

Main Street Mount Holly successfully, legally and efficiently distributed $181,000 across twenty two local businesses in grant funds (not $157,297 as stated in the article),

***zero admin costs

Main Street Mount Holly is also deeply disappointed at the irresponsible actions of Mount Holly Township Mayor Jason Jones in publicly demanding the immediate resignation of two Board Members due to these false allegations. Not a single attempt was made by the Mayor or other Township officials to contact Main Street Mount Holly board members to inquire about the allegations before publishing the letter and speaking with the press.  In his letter to the organization, he directly stated that the Township and Main Street Mount Holly have a “healthy working relationship” and noted his appreciation for our “past accomplishments that have made our town a great place to live.” This would not be possible without the efforts of Joe Lamberti, Christi Lamberti, Kent Pipes, the board members and volunteers.  The organization feels our contributions to the town merited Mayor Jones or another Township official investigating further before demanding board resignations, damaging the organization’s and volunteers’ reputations and undermining the value that we bring to the town.