As taxpayers, we fund our township’s projects, yet we often learn about major plans only after decisions are made. In March 2024, Gloucester Township issued a “Request for Expression of Interest” (RFEI) with a deadline of April 30, 2024, seeking proposals for housing, a new police station, and a cannabis cultivation facility on publicly owned land. Only one company, The Michaels Organization, responded. Notably, two months later, in June 2024, the company’s CEO took a leave of absence following a personal indictment in a case involving George Norcross. To be clear, The Michaels Organization itself was not named, only it’s CEO.
We’re still investigating the details, but questions remain: Why weren’t residents informed about this plan earlier? As the township’s redevelopment entity, the Township Council should have discussed this publicly. There are no records of a redevelopment meeting happening. This was confirmed at the May 28th Council Meeting along with some Council members confirming they had never seen the document linked in the sources section in this article. Instead, the RFEI was quietly approved via a consent agenda resolution on March 24th 2025, not as a standalone item, and later announced at the Mayor’s Business Breakfast in May 2025. Sources indicate the project was championed by Primo Cruz, the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, who earns $170,000 annually.
A video on the township’s YouTube channel later referenced the project but omitted mention of the police station and the proposed 60,000–80,000-square-foot cannabis cultivation facility, suggesting possible changes to the plan.
Taxpayers deserve transparency. Major projects using public land and funds should be discussed openly in public meetings, not unveiled at exclusive events. We’ll keep digging to ensure residents’ voices are heard.
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