Former Barnegat Mayor Criticizes Full-Staff Flags On Memorial Day

BARNEGAT, NJ — Former mayor William Neyenhouse questioned the Barnegat committee Tuesday about why American flags were not lowered on Memorial Day in accordance with President Joe Biden’s order to fly them at half-staff from sunrise to noon.

“Yesterday I was totally frustrated. I was in disbelief that the town neglected to lower the flags to half-staff,” said Neyenhouse, who served as mayor for two years during his term on the township committee from 1988 to 1992. “Why was the opportunity to honor our veterans — the people who didn’t come back from the wars — why was that neglected?”

Mayor Al Bille told Neyenhouse that he could have contacted committee members or Barnegat police to bring the issue to their attention.

“I wish you would have notified one of us or the police, and we would have taken care of this oversight immediately,” Bille said. “I wish no one would accuse this committee of not respecting our fallen heroes because that really hits home.”

Committeewoman Linda Kropf also responded to Neyenhouse’s concerns.

“Although I read various newspapers and listen daily to the news, I personally did not read nor hear of President Biden’s order to lower the American flag to half-staff from sunrise to noon on Memorial Day, so I apologize for any inaction that was due to the lack of knowledge.

“However, please do not ever question my allegiance, loyalty to and respect for this country, the Gold Star Families who have experienced the ultimate sacrifice, and to every man and woman throughout history who has defended this country and our freedom," said Kropf, whose husband is a Vietnam War veteran.

Kropf said the public works department would have adjusted the flags for free if they were made aware of the order.

Neyenhouse also asked committee members why the July 2 fireworks were moved from its annual location at the dock to Barnegat High School and Pirate’s Day from the downtown area to Brackman Middle School.

“The recommendation to move those events, one wasn’t taken lightly on my part and two certainly wasn’t taken out of animus to the east side of town,” Police Chief Keith Germain said.

These new locations were determined to be safer and will require less police presence, according to Germain.

“The fact that we can have an event like that, weather it’s Pirate’s Day or whether it’s certainly the fireworks, and we can have it in a location that is safer and at the same time requires less police officers, less resources and costs less money, to me that just makes sense,” Germain said.

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