Murphy Announces Leadership Shake-Up At Menlo Park Veterans Home

EDISON, NJ — Gov. Phil Murphy announced a major reshuffling of leadership within the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in a Friday news release.

In announcing who will be stepping into leadership roles, Murphy indicated who would also be leaving, including embattled Menlo Park CEO Elizabeth Schiff Heedles and Paramus Veterans Home CEO Matthew Schottlander.

This comes after federal inspectors determined the home's coronavirus response was so riddled with negligence and incompetence that all residents and staff were found to be in "immediate jeopardy" of contracting COVID-19.

Emails from the report show Schottlander actively tried to dismiss staff concerns which would keep them away from the home, which had become overrun by the virus, according to Northjersey.com.

Their replacements have yet to be announced, according to the Friday news release.

State officials and the New Jersey Veterans of Foreign Wars have been critical of the leadership at the state-run homes and their handling of the coronavirus pandemic, in which 81 residents in Paramus and 62 in Menlo Park died from COVID-19, according to state numbers.

VFW officials released a statement in August urging the Attorney General and the prosecutor's offices of Bergen and Middlesex County to investigate the leadership at these facilities.
"The Veterans of Foreign Wars calls on the State Attorney General, along with the Bergen and Middlesex County Prosecutors, investigate the actions or inactions of the executive leadership whose duty it was to provide our veterans under their care with a safe and healthy environment," said State Commander Brian Wiener, in a statement.

Congressman Josh Gottheimer and Bill Pascrell, Jr. have also been critical of leadership at the homes, and on Friday released a joint statement applauding the removal of Schottlander in Paramus.

"Today’s announcement is a long time coming. The explosion of COVID-19 demanded transparency, honesty, cooperation, and competency, and the people in charge at the state-run Paramus Veterans Home and elsewhere provided none of these," they said.

In August, the congressmen called for Schottlander's resignation after damning details emerged from a federal inspection at the home, reported by Northjersey.com.
Despite evidence to the contrary — at least in Paramus — Murphy said those within the DMAVA have largely risen to the occasion.

"Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, despite significant challenges, DMAVA has worked to save lives and support our veterans," he said.
Other related moves include:

• Current DMAVA Deputy Adjutant General, Colonel Dr. Lisa J. Hou, D.O., will become the Interim Adjutant General and Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, replacing Major General Jemal J. Beale
• Col (Ret.) Walter R. Nall, currently serving as the Acting Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs, will take on the additional responsibilities of the Director of the Division of Veterans Healthcare Services, replacing Sean Van Lew
• Brigadier General Patrick M. Kennedy, current Assistant Adjutant General, will serve as Deputy Adjutant General

This story has been reported by Montana Samuels.