FOLLOW US

A political fault line has cracked open in this South Jersey borough as a longtime commissioner asks a judge to erase an ambulance-services contract, arguing it was approved under the shadow of a conflict of interest tied to the mayor’s husband.

The lawsuit, filed in Camden County Superior Court, centers on the NJ borough EMS contract suit, which challenges Collingswood’s agreement with Virtua Health to provide ambulance services.

Commissioner Claims Conflict of Interest

Commissioner James Maley alleges that Mayor Daniela Solano-Ward improperly voted to approve the contract even after the borough solicitor advised that she should abstain. Solano-Ward’s husband works for Virtua Health, the health system awarded the deal, according to the complaint.

The board approved the contract 2-1 on Dec. 1, and the lawsuit followed two weeks later. A finalized draft of the agreement has not been released publicly, and sharp disagreements flared during the meeting over the scope and structure of Virtua’s role.

“It’s absurd, it is wrong, it’s unethical,” Maley said during the meeting, remarks echoed in the court filing.

Solano-Ward did not respond to a request for comment. Alexandra Jacobs, the attorney representing the borough in the lawsuit, also declined to comment.

A Small Borough, a Big Dispute

Collingswood, home to about 14,000 residents, is governed by a three-member board of commissioners elected every four years in nonpartisan races. The board appoints one of its members as mayor.

Maley has served as a commissioner since 1989 and held the mayor’s post from 1997 until May, when his political allies lost their seats. Solano-Ward and Amy Henderson Riley, running under the Collingswood Forward slate, secured a new majority.

EMS Capacity Concerns Sparked Talks

The dispute traces back to concerns raised by the borough’s fire chief about the department’s ability to handle roughly 4,000 emergency calls each year, according to statements made during the Dec. 1 meeting. Emergency medical services generate about $450,000 annually, the lawsuit says.

The complaint alleges that Solano-Ward met with the fire chief in August and included her husband, Jared Ward, a Virtua critical-care physician, in the discussion.

Ward does not hold a leadership role at Virtua. A spokesperson for the health system declined to comment on the litigation.

Mayor Defends Participation, Rejects Recusal

Virtua was one of two respondents to the borough’s request for proposals. At the December meeting, Solano-Ward defended involving her husband, saying Collingswood lacks a medical officer and she wanted all clinical questions addressed.

She acknowledged the potential appearance of a conflict but refused to step aside, despite the solicitor’s advice.

“We reached out to our attorney and he agreed that there could be a conflict of interest,” Solano-Ward said during the meeting. “To which I respectfully disagree and I will be voting on the matter.”

Allegations of Exclusion and Unequal Access

Maley’s lawsuit contends that Solano-Ward involved her husband while sidelining both Maley and Henderson Riley, who serves as the borough’s public safety chief and holds a doctorate in public health.

Henderson Riley declined to comment on the legal challenge. She voted in favor of the contract, describing it as a one-year trial backed by her review of the data.

“To be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, I believe in my role as director of public safety, it’s what I was elected to do,” she told residents.

What the Lawsuit Seeks

Maley is asking the court to rule that a conflict of interest tainted the process and to nullify the board’s vote approving the Virtua contract. A hearing is scheduled for January, setting the stage for a legal showdown that could reshape how the borough handles emergency medical services.