IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!
Your taxes just went up 5%!
Delanco Township just released the tax bills for the next 4 payments. Residents are reporting an on average increase of 5%, equaling anywhere from a $300 to $800+ increase in taxes for next year. This occured because the school taxes, which the committee has been championing as "not increasing," have turned out to be incorrect, and a significant increase has occurred. We invite you to take a look at the increase for yourself by either going to the Delanco Township website, or click the button below to jump right to the page.
The $3.6 million purchase of 401 Creek Rd.
Why Voting “No” on the $3.6 Million, 30 Year Bond Needed for the Purchase of 401 Creek Road Is in the Best Interest of Delanco
The upcoming vote on July 29, 2025, is not about whether to acquire the 401 Creek Road property—it's about whether to approve a $3.6 million bond that would burden Delanco taxpayers for years to come. A vote of “No” is a stand against unnecessary debt and questionable financial decisions.
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A Quick Look at Why you Should Vote "No"
Financial Concerns: A Risky Investment
Overvalued Property: In 2021, Criterion purchased 401 Creek Road for $2 million. Despite a 2024 appraisal valuing it at $5.3 million, the township would be purchasing it for $3.5 million, a 34% discount. This raises questions: Why is Criterion, a full-service real estate firm, willing to sell at such a loss? Do they know something about the property's true value that we don't?
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Taxpayer Burden: Approving this 30 year bond would lead to increased taxes for residents, with some estimates ranging from an annual increase of $100 to $200 per household, depending on the value of your home. This comes on top of other anticipated tax hikes that are expected this summer, as well as infrastructure repairs and school maintenance.
Opportunity Costs: The township is already facing significant expenses in 2026, including:
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a 5% increase that has already been CONFIRMED by the township committee
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approximately $200,000 for municipal building roof replacement
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Trash collection and Disposal is expecting "significant increases" in 2026.
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Delanco Centennial Celebration Costs of $25,000 OR MORE depending on donations
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Current Debt repayment has been reduced to the MINIMUM payment to try and offset this years tax increases.
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$3.5 million bond for school for repairs and upgrades that are being done to the Pearson School this summer.
Additionally, purchasing this property would result in a loss of over $23,000 in tax revenue for the township and school. Using property taxes to purchase 401 Creek Rd is risky, and given the state of our economy, this is not the time to delve into land speculation.
Uncertain Future Use
Lack of Clear Plans: The township has not presented a comprehensive plan for the property's future use, despite repeatedly being asked to provide one. The township has also failed to provide a contingency plan that would ensure the taxpayers don’t end up paying additional taxes to cover this bond’s payments. Without a clear vision, investing taxpayer money in this purchase is speculative at best.
Potential for Development: Any future developers will find a significant increase in development costs due to new flood zone regulations. The new regulations have been confirmed to be going into affect, and a majority of the land WILL need to be raise 1-2 feet. Because of these increased costs, this will have an adverse effect on the future value of 401 Creek Rd. The township’s response has been to gamble with our tax dollars that these new regulations won’t come into effect.
Transparency and Process Issues
Rushed Decision-Making: After suddenly deciding to approach Criterion in October 2024, the committee attempted to expedite the purchasing process, aiming to authorize the purchase in December 2024, 2 months after the initial idea. This swift timeline limited public input, and raised concerns about transparency as well as due diligence.
Petition for Referendum: Only after Committeeman Fern Ouellette mobilized and collected 307 signatures, did the committee create a referendum that would allow residents to have a say on the purchase. This grassroots effort made it clear that the community would not be sidelined, and underscored their determination to have a voice in major financial decisions.
Community Impact
Community Sentiment: Many residents express concerns about the lack of transparency, additional tax burden, and the potential negative impact on the community's quality of life. Their voices should be heard and considered in this decision-making process. Despite a majority of public meeting speakers opposing the acquisition, the committee has continued to rush this purchase. When questioned about this purchase, the committee has repeatedly avoided giving direct answers. Instead, they've opted to direct people to 60+ minute meetings and the town administrator, who has only been on the job since June 30th.
Conclusion: A Vote for Fiscal Responsibility
Approving the $3.6 million bond for 401 Creek Road is a risky financial move with uncertain returns. Without clear plans for the property's use and with significant concerns about the purchase price, cost of the upkeep of the property, and process transparency, a “No” vote is a wise choice. It's a vote for fiscal responsibility, community involvement, and a commitment to making informed decisions that truly benefit Delanco.
Vote NO on July 29, 2025
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Your Voice Matters
This is your opportunity to ensure that your taxes do not rise and Delanco's resources are used wisely and transparently. Vote “No” on the $3.6 million bond for 401 Creek Road on July 29, 2025. Let's prioritize the community's best interests and secure a prosperous future for Delanco.
The Truth Behind the Townships Brochure
They Used YOUR Tax Dollars to Pay for This Brochure!
Recently, residents received a letter and brochure informing you of the purchase of 401 Creek Rd and the benefits it may have on Delanco and it’s residents. Unfortunately, it didn’t give you enough details to make an informed decision so you, as residents and voters, can decide if you want to have your taxes raised with the purchase of the $3.6 million bond needed to complete the purchase. You see, the vote on July 29, 2025 isn’t whether you approve of the sale of the property, that decision has already been made for you by the majority of the town committee. The vote is for the residents to decide if they want the township to take on the bond, go into debt, and raise your taxes to cover the 30-year bond. If they don't get the voter's approval to secure the $3.6m bond, the purchase cannot be completed.
The following will give you the details left out regarding each of the points the committee tried to convey in their brochure. In bold RED print will be what the committee had on their brochure followed by details they aren't including in any information presented by the committee.
If you Vote Yes, "No truck/trailer repair facility/truck storage will be built."
According to the approved plans presented by Criterion, no additional buildings will be built. Actually, a building and a house will be removed, and the existing building will stay. Only a paved parking lot will be added to the property. This will have no impact on sightlines around the property
"No additional trucks on our roads, no noise or pollution."
Criterion’s main business is Real-Estate and trailer storage. Repairs are second to this. Repairs take time, and with a limited number of repair bays, there won’t be a lot of coming and going to the property. Making minimal impact from trucks and trailers on our roads. Site plans show that tractor trailers must go out towards Rt 130 when leaving and may not exit through town.
"Protect the children and sports complex next door."
Children’s safety will remain fully protected — just as it is today. If 401 Creek Rd were sold to a housing developer instead, the resulting increase in residential units would dramatically boost traffic along Creek Rd, far exceeding the traffic generated by the proposed truck repair facility.
Importantly, there will be no changes to the sports complex or the scenic views from the fields. The facility’s presence won’t disrupt the community’s recreational spaces or natural beauty.
Criterion’s other locations are primarily used for trailer storage, which keeps traffic low and predictable. The repair facility itself can only handle a handful of repairs each day — it will not become a constant, busy hub with trucks and trailers coming and going nonstop.
Operating hours are strictly limited to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Criterion has testified under oath that after-hours drop-offs will be rare, emergency-only events — not a regular occurrence.
Finally, since the township already owns the 25-50 foot wooded buffer between 401 Creek Rd and the Field of Dreams, the current peaceful views will remain intact — unless the township decides to remove the existing trees, there will be no change to this cherished natural barrier. Plus, trees will be planted along the border of Criterions land, further extending the natural border.
"Maintain the beauty of the Rancocas Greenway Park trail."
The 500’ wooded buffer between the trail and the facility will eclipse any view of the facility. Additionally, the wetlands are protected and cannot be removed or built on as they are protected by the state. The views along the trails will not change. The beauty will remain as it is.
"The township and our residents will control the future best use of the property."
The committee moved the purchasing process through as quickly and as quietly as possible to avoid the need to deal with the residents’ involvement or opinions. When presented with a dissenting opinion, the committee repeatedly ignores, rejects, or, in the case of Township meetings, cuts off residents. When questioned outside of township meetings, the committee has time and time again dodged giving answers, or directed people to the township administrator, who has only been working for less that 1 week (at the time of writing). If the committee doesn’t value the opinions of the residents when it comes to the purchase of 401 Creek Rd, what makes anyone believe they would want the residents’ input on the property’s future?
The committee was in such a rush to complete the purchase of 401 Creek that they were set to authorize the purchase in December after only approaching Criterion for purchase October 20, 2024.
The committee showed no signs that they wanted the residents of Delanco to have a say in the purchase of the property. Even after it was exposed to the residents by Committeeman Fern Oullette, and the outrage that ensued, they still were moving forward to clear any hurdles before signing the contracts by June 6, 2025. Only the signatures of 307 residents on a petition stopped the process from moving forward toward the quick acquisition of 401 Creek Rd. So instead of the committee playing in land speculation with your tax dollars, the petition forced the committee to put it on a ballot so that you, the residents and voters, can decide for yourselves if the purchase will benefit Delanco or not.
It was quickly decided by the committee members in favor of the purchase that instead of putting the vote on the ballot in the election in November, the committee claimed that a “special election”, costing $70k, must be held in July. Their claimed reason? The purchase agreement with Criterion was originally set to expire in June. Criterion agreed to an extension, but the committee claimed that Criterion wouldn’t wait till the general election in November for a decision, even though no other interested parties have come forward to purchase the property. As a matter of fact, the property was never put up for sale. It was never put up for auction. It was Committee members, Carolyn Seuss and Kate Fitzpatrick that approached Criterion. Criterion’s original asking price was $4m for the property. The sub-committee’s counteroffer of $3m was rejected, and a final price was set at $3.5m (bond total would be $3.6).
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Criterion purchased the property in 2021 for $2m as part of a multi-lot purchase and quickly started development on the other properties, but held off on 401. Why did Criterion wait so long to begin development on this property? The most recent appraisal, submitted by the committee, has the property value at $5.3m. If you were the seller, and the property was indeed worth $5.3m, why would you be willing to take $1.8m less? Does Criterion know something about the real value of the property that we don’t?
Additionally, several concerns about future flood zones and environmental changes will impact the future options available for the land. Yet even these concerns had fallen on deaf ears and had not been shared with the public by the committee until they were forced to acknowledge them. These concerns have also not been taken into account for the evaluation of the property. The committee has stated that “the changes are being challenged and might not be put into place.”
These maps are the new FEMA flood maps effective December 2017. The orange overlay shows the center third of 401 Creek Rd would fall under the new flood zone. This will force any future developers of the property to elevate the land or the buildings above the new flood levels. This will have a huge affect on the value of the property in the future due to the developer needing to spend a large amount of money to accommodate the new regulations.
"Preserve the quality of life for the entire town."
Most Delanco residents don’t use Creek Road to come and go from Delanco. Additionally, Pennington Park will not experience any changes; therefore, there is no reason to expect an impact on the “quality of life” for most residents. However, if 401 Creek Rd is purchased, the tax increase WILL affect all residents of Delanco.
This purchase would primarily benefit Newton’s Landing residents, not the broader Delanco community. Despite efforts to address sight lines, noise, and traffic—with only eight properties directly affected—the committee’s focus is clearly on protecting Newton’s Landing.
No property tax increase in 2025 because of the purchase."
This misleading statement leaves out the fact that the bond wouldn't be purchased until the end of 2025 going into 2026. Their claim of taxes not rising in 2025 is a given, since you don't start paying for a loan before you take it out. They also cannot promise taxes won't increase in 2026 and beyond with the purchase of the property.
Delanco residents were warned that they would see their property taxes rise in August 2025—an extra $104 for the average household. This turned out to be WRONG, and residents saw a 5% increase instead, equaling $300+ in tax hikes. Now, with the proposed purchase of 401 Creek Road, another tax increase is expected in 2026, along with normal operating cost increases. That means two years in a row of substantial tax hikes, placing a growing burden on local families. Yet during the April 21, 2025, Township Committee meeting, Mayor Carolyn Suess dismissed the concern, stating in her presentation, "There is a minimal property tax increase to residents, sorry." Residents deserve more than a shrug when it comes to decisions that impact their wallets—especially when the costs are adding up year after year.
This is the tax increase we can expect BEFORE purchasing 401 Creek
Other reasons your taxes will be impacted over the next few years.
* The need for a new roof for the municipal building. Estimated at $200,000+
* $3.5m school bond for repairs to the roof and air conditioning happening this summer.
* The township borrowed $250k from the deferred school fund this year that was needed to balance the budget. They cannot borrow another $250k from that fund again. The $250k needed for next year’s budget must come from somewhere else (tax increase). In addition, the township still owes the deferred school fund $250,000.
* Delanco Public Library needs new flooring (40-year-old carpet) and replacement of leaking windows.
Truck/repair facility will be built."
Looking at an aerial map of the property, you can see that only a minimal amount of Newton's Landing properties could potentially be affected by any sight and sounds of the proposed facility. The sounds of trucks/trailers coming and going will be minimal as they happen on the other side of the existing building and are limited to the facility’s hours of operations and emergencies only. Even special directional lighting will be used so light won't shine towards Newton's Landing residents or the Field of Dreams.
Doors of the building only face away from the residential housing, and Criterion is mandated to keep it that way. So there is no reason to believe that the noises from the building will increase over what is currently heard
The plans that were approved by the Joint Land Use Board show NO additional facilities being built. Only pavement is being added. Plans also include the removal of 2 existing buildings on the property. In addition, coupled with the remaining trees, new 13’ - 22' tall earthen berms topped with 700 new trees and shrubs will all but eclipse the view of the existing building as well as drastically reduce any noise coming from the facility. The 25'-50' wooded buffer – already owned by the township – between the property and Field of Dreams, means that the sight and sounds coming from the facility will be minimal.
The Truck/Trailer storage is only open Mon-Fri 7am-7pm. So, truck traffic will not increase on weekends when the Field of Dreams is used most.
Additional Tractor Trailers on our roads.
Trucks can be dropped off at facility 24 hrs a day."
The facility will only have 10 repair bays open from 7am-7pm, 5 days a week. As testified by Criterion, only emergency drop-offs will be permitted after hours.
The current site plans show that tractor trailers can only come and go using Rt 130. This eliminates truck traffic going into the town by way of Creek Rd.
The Delanco bridge has a 20 ton restriction. Tractors average between 10-17.5 tons empty, and that doesn’t include the weight of the trailer. If the restrictions were enforced, there wouldn’t be any truck traffic going through the town. They would have to go by way of Rt 130.
Loss of over 700 trees. Most of the property will be paved with blacktop."
Regardless of what is built, the same number of trees will be removed and the same amount of land would be covered. Whether the property has townhouses/condos or the truck facility the removal of the trees is the same. However, in the approved plans for the truck facility, 700 trees WILL BE REPLACED, resulting in the same number of trees currently on the property.
"The Township has a unique opportunity to purchase property 34% under fair market value."
"Going forward (with the purchase of 401 Creek) the township would be proceeding at risk".
This was in an email dated November 25, 2024, from Hugh Dougherty, Joint Land Use Board engineer.
401 Creek Rd has never been put up for sale by Criterion. If they had, they would be able to gauge interest and value the property brings. No other companies or developers have shown any interest in purchasing 401 Creek Rd from Criterion. Instead, only private negotiations between Mayor Carolyn Suess and Kate Fitzpatrick were had with Criterion. If the land is so valuable, why didn’t Criterion put the property up for sale and get the “fair market value” of $5.3m? Criterion Group's primary business is real-estate, which begs the question “Why would Criterion be willing to take 34% less for their property?”. Do they know something we don’t?
"Minimal landscape buffer for residents, Rancocas Greenery trail, Athletic Fields, and Community Park."
The approved plans clearly show the 13’-22' earthen berms topped with trees & shrubs around the building. These buffers would shield views and sounds from the few residents of Newtons Landing that are within view of the property. The closest house being 225' away from the existing building.
The only thing being added to the property is a parking lot, earthen berms and 700 trees, so all views of the property won’t change unless you’re looking at it from above. This includes the Rancocas Greenery Trail. The closest trail to the facility/parking is over 500’ away, and the area in between is completely wooded. No one on the trail would see anything more than what they currently can see from the trail.
Because the township already owns the wooded buffer zone between 401 Creek Rd and the Field of Dreams, none of the current views will change unless the township decides to remove the trees that are currently there.
"Truck facility adds little to no property tax value."
If owned by the township, there wouldn’t be ANY tax revenue from the property. In fact, the Township would lose over $23,000 a year in tax revenue. This wouldn’t change until after the property was sold AND developed. This would take years before any tax revenue would be collected. The township has repeatedly tried to explain this as "no loss," since they only see about 1/3 of this tax revenue. They conveniently leave out that this would be approximately $12,000 that would not go to our struggling schools. This doesn’t include the burden and cost of maintaining the property as well as insuring the property if owned by the township. This would result in a loss of tax dollars from the property.
"Property is appraised at $5.3m (Oct 2024). 34% more than the purchase price."
Criterion is a "full-service real estate firm" with properties in all kinds of sectors, including film production, residential, industrial, and more. They purchased the property in 2021 for $2m, it appraised for $5.3m in Oct 2024, but Criterion is willing to let the township buy it for $3.5m. Far below the appraised “fair market value”. This would result in Criterion losing out on $1.8m. Is Criterion, a company that has been in business for nearly 30 years, aware of something the township isn’t?
The Twp committee wants to use your tax dollars in a game of land speculation that will result in an increase in your tax liability, with the hopes and dreams that they can make money off the future sale of the property. Land acquisition for their truck/trailer storage facilities is only part of Criterion's business. They are a real-estate company FIRST and they have far more experience in calculating the value of a property and its future development possibilities than 4 local committee members playing in the land speculation game. If Criterion is willing to lose out on $1.8m, has the property's fair market value been accurately assessed?
We invite you to take a look for yourself to determine if Criterion is experienced in handling large property management by looking at their website: https://www.criteriongroup.com/sites
"Municipal taxes are NOT increasing in 2025 due to this purchase"
​Your taxes WILL BE RAISED in 2026 and beyond due to this purchase—something the committee openly admits. While the committee has recently mentioned they have approximately $390,000 in reserve to cover part of the increased costs, we will leave it up to you decide if you would rather this surplus be spent to cover the cost of this extra expense, or instead lower your current tax bill, which has just increased by 5%. Are you prepared to shoulder yet another significant tax hike next year?
No plans for affordable housing."
Delanco has already fulfilled its affordable housing obligations for the next decade, meaning there is no immediate need to designate additional land for such development. However, land in Delanco is becoming increasingly scarce, and if the township purchases 401 Creek Rd without a clear, timely plan to resell it, future development pressure could force affordable housing back onto the table—regardless of whether it’s the best use of that space.
Moreover, if 401 Creek Rd is eventually turned into a residential development, the impact on Creek Road traffic could be far more significant than the minimal truck traffic associated with the proposed truck/trailer storage facility. Residential neighborhoods generate constant, daily vehicle trips—commuters, delivery vehicles, school buses, and visitors—which would place a heavier and more consistent burden on local infrastructure than a limited number of trucks moving in and out during controlled hours.
Holding onto this land without a clear plan not only risks unnecessary financial strain on taxpayers, but also opens the door to future development that could have greater and longer-lasting impacts on traffic, land use, and township services.
Here are two versions of the same letter you received along with the Committee’s brochure. The first version—the one you received—includes the signatures of four committee members who support purchasing 401 Creek Rd. The second is a photo of the original letter, which was signed by all 5 committee members. If you look closely, Committeeman Fern Ouellette’s signature reads “No Thank You.” This went against the committee's plans to appear to be united in the purchase of 401 Creek Rd. So their answer was to revise the letter and remove Mr. Ouellette’s signature entirely. This shows that Mr. Ouellette and his opinion only matters when he supports the other committee members plans.
Other important considerations
The decision to purchase 401 Creek Rd was made quietly—and alarmingly—by a subcommittee of just: Carolyn Suess and Kate Fitzpatrick. On November 18, 2024, less than 30 days after Carolyn and Kate first approached Criterion, the full committee saw its first presentation—and the public got its first hearing—of the ordinance to buy the property. For some of the committee members, this was the very first time they even heard about the plan to actually purchase 401 Creek Rd.
What’s worse, beyond the usual agenda posting, there was no proactive notification to residents or the rest of the committee about the $3.6 million bond required to complete this purchase. Not a word appeared on the Delanco Residents page either—even though Mayor Carolyn Suess is an admin there.
It wasn’t until Committeeman Fern Ouellette took it upon himself to go door-to-door the week of December 11th that residents finally learned what was happening behind closed doors. Only then did the community rally, with many showing up at the December 16, 2024 meeting—outraged by the rushed process, the secrecy, and the blatant disregard for resident input.
This is not transparent governance. It’s a fast-tracked decision pushed through without the people’s knowledge or consent—and it demands accountability.
Around April 5, a courageous group of Delanco residents took a stand and initiated a petition opposing the $3.6 million bond to purchase 401 Creek Rd. This move directly challenged the wishes of four committee members who hoped to push the purchase through quietly, without full community input.
Residents were given a mere 20 days to gather the 206 signatures needed to force a referendum—an opportunity for the people of Delanco to have a voice on whether they wanted to shoulder the heavy burden of increased taxes tied to this controversial purchase. But the community spoke loud and clear: 307 residents signed the petition, far surpassing the required number, demanding transparency and accountability.
The petition was officially submitted to the township administrator on April 28, 2025 by a resident.
Had it not been for the swift and determined action of these petition signers, the committee’s secretive land speculation plan would have quietly moved forward—leaving residents blindsided when their 2026 tax bills arrived with another steep increase. By then, it would have been too late to reverse course.
The petition forced the committee to abandon its plan to quietly fast-track the property purchase without resident input. In response, they scheduled two town hall meetings. At the first, on May 29, 2025, residents voiced strong opposition — not just to the purchase, but to the lack of transparency. The backlash was significant, and the second meeting, set for June 26, 2025, was cancelled, raising further concerns about the committee’s accountability. The rescheduled townhall on July 21st, where there was significant opposition, began with the committee and lawyer admitting they acted against legal precedent and issued an apology and will be reimbursing the town for the money they took.
This isn’t the behavior of a committee that respects its community. This is a disregard for the voices of the people who live here. The residents of Delanco deserve better—real transparency, real participation, and real respect.
The contract to purchase 401 Creek Road was originally set to be signed by June 6 — a fast-moving deal considering a $3.6 million bond needed to be secured by that date. But when residents demanded a public vote, that deadline was no longer feasible. Still, the seller, Criterion, showed goodwill by agreeing to extend the contract beyond the referendum vote by the residents.
Yet despite this flexibility and the fact that no other buyers have come forward, the Township Committee chose to rush the vote. Instead of placing this critical decision on the November general election ballot — which would have been free and guaranteed higher voter turnout — they scheduled a costly special election for July 29, 2025, smack in the middle of summer when many residents are on vacation.
This unnecessary off-cycle “People’s Referendum” will cost Delanco taxpayers $70,000 just to hold the vote. With no clear urgency from the seller and no competing bids, the rushed timeline raises serious questions: Why push for an expensive, inconvenient special election? Why risk suppressing voter participation? And most importantly, why waste taxpayer money on a rushed process that could have waited?
On May 19th, the Committee authorized spending $70,000 for this special election — a heavy price to pay for a decision that could have been handled more responsibly, transparently, and cost-effectively.
November’s gubernatorial race is set to drive a huge voter turnout—exactly what the committee and supporters of the bond purchase would like to avoid. With so many Delanco residents firmly against this costly bond, a strong turnout almost guarantees its rejection at the polls.
But that outcome clashes directly with the committee’s agenda. From the start, they tried to keep this decision under wraps, avoiding transparency and excluding residents from the conversation.
Ask yourself: does this kind of secretive behavior reflect a committee that truly has the best interests of Delanco residents at heart?
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Given the committee’s relentless push to fast-track this purchase—while keeping residents in the dark—and the complete absence of any other interested buyers, you have to ask: Why all the secrecy and rush to buy 401 Creek Rd? Criterion isn’t holding out for someone else. So what’s really behind this urgent deal? What aren’t they telling us?
More interesting facts
New County flood plans
This summer, revised New Jersey regulations will limit building in current and future flood risk areas. The new regulations will require new construction at 401 to be elevated 1-2 ft. above current levels to 50% of the property. This new and significant financial burden will inevitably reduce the property’s value and make development far more costly and less attractive to any developers the township committee hopes to sell to.
Criterion has already been approved by the JLUB and is exempt from these new restrictions because their plans were approved under the old rules—and those approvals are valid for five years. This means Criterion can move forward without these costly adjustments, leaving future buyers stuck with the tougher, far more expensive regulations.
On top of this, any new owner will still need to invest an estimated $2 million to bring the property up to code for drainage and other essential upgrades before any construction can even begin. In short, the window of opportunity for affordable development is closing—and future buyers will pay the price.
This would not be the first time that trailers were stored on the property
Take a close look at this 2020 photo—this property has long been a hub for various uses, including trailer storage. Notice that the trailers you see here are actually positioned closer to the Field of Dreams than they would be under the new proposal.
Who would benefit the most from the purchase of 401 Creek Rd.
When you step back and look at this purchase in its entirety, it becomes clear that the primary winners are the residents of Newton’s Landing—not the broader Delanco community. Yes, the plans include careful steps to manage sight lines, noise, and traffic, and while only eight homes in Newton’s Landing will face direct impact from the truck facility—with truck and trailer traffic expected to be minimal—the committee’s actions reveal where their true focus lies: prioritizing the interests and comfort of Newton’s Landing residents above all else. This raises a crucial question: what about the needs and voices of the rest of Delanco?
Commitee acknowledgements and unfounded claims
The committee acknowledges that there WILL be a tax increase to residents as a result of this purchase.
The committee acknowledges that there WILL be a cost of maintenance associated with the purchase of 401 Creek Rd.
The committee acknowledges that there WILL be a Loss of Tax Revenue if the township owns 401 Creek Rd.
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The committee acknowledges that an additional $378,000 was added to the 2025 budget as well as a 20% increase in utility costs.
The committee has suggested that a potential “land swap agreement” with the county could be on the table. However, there is no evidence that any discussions with the county have occurred—no meetings, no proposals, no commitments. This claim appears to be purely speculative, designed to generate support for a purchase that lacks a solid foundation. Residents deserve transparency and facts, not vague promises based on wishful thinking.
Many costs will continue to rise and will have to be accounted for in the 2026 budget. This will be on top of the 2026 tax increase for the $3.6m bond for 401 Creek Rd if purchased.
Key Timeline Moments
A hearing was scheduled with the Joint Land Use Board on August 6, 2024, for the purpose of approval of Criterion's plan for truck facility. Criterion requested a later hearing date for their application and an agreement to extend the time for the Board to act on the application until the next scheduled meeting on
September 3, 2024. The JLUB granted the request.
The September 3rd JLUB meeting was canceled. Application 2024-03 was moved to the October 1, 2024 JLUB meeting.
October 1, 2024. Approval for Criterion's application was granted by the JLUB. Mayor Carolyn Suess, Laurie Van Genderen, Theresa Mader, as well as the town's JLUB engineer, Hugh Dougherty, were all absent for that meeting and vote. This allowed the approval to pass with a vote of 5-3. This was the first opportunity for the committee to notify the public about Criterions truck repair & trailer storage plans.
October 20, 2024, A subcommittee, consisting only of Carolyn Suess and Kate Fitzpatrick, entered into discussions with Criterion. Criterion offered the property to Delanco Twp for $4m and settled on $3.5m for the property.
October 24, 2024 JLUB Resolution 2024-23 granting "Preliminary and Final approval for Variance relief and Design Waivers" for 401 Creek Rd was approved. This was the second opportunity for the committee to shut down Criterions truck repair & trailer storage plans.
Nov. 18th, 2024 At the Township Committee meeting, Ordinance 2024-26 authorizing the purchase of 401 Creek Road was introduced. 1st reading by title only. This was the first time the other committee members were told about Carolyn Seuss and Kate Fitzpatrick's decision to purchase 401 Creek Rd. No details were shared with the residents.
Week of December 11, 2024 After further research, Fern Ouellette shared information with residents about the Committee’s actions and helped clarify the potential tax impact if the township were to purchase 401 Creek Rd.
Dec 16, 2024 After just learning about the committee's plans to purchase 401 Creek Rd with a $3.6m bond, at the township meeting, residents showed up for the first time to voice concerns.
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April 28, 2025. The petition for the People’s Referendum—giving residents the power to decide whether to take on the $3.6 million tax burden—was submitted. This forced the committee to allow the residents of Delanco to decide if they wanted to take on the tax liabilities associated with the purchase of 401 Creek Rd.
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May 19, 2025. Rather than adding the referendum to the November ballot at no extra cost, the Committee opted to hold a separate Special Election on July 29, 2025. The Committee approved $70,000 to fund needed for a Special Election for the People’s Referendum.
The committee wants you to believe that buying 401 Creek Rd is a golden opportunity for Delanco. But let’s be honest — in today’s uncertain economy, and with the recent 5% property tax increase, spending $3.6 million on a property with no clear plan and only vague promises is a gamble we can’t afford. This isn’t a sure thing — it’s a speculative bet based on hope, not strategy.
A NO vote isn’t just fiscally responsible — it’s common sense. Let’s protect Delanco’s future by demanding real answers, not risky investments.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Let your voice be heard. Your choice, your vote.
Vote NO on July 29, 2025
