The Sinkhole Scandal: Is Downe Township Exploiting Its Own Failures to Enrich Insiders?

Legal note:
This article relies on official documents, public meeting records, and verified statements. All analysis and commentary are clearly marked and based on facts available at the time of publication.

Resolution: R-73-2025, Haines Tort Claim & Police Report, Haines Attorney Letter, Previous Article

Downe Township residents deserve honest and transparent government that safeguards their interests — but recent events surrounding a dangerous road collapse and a $20,000 payout to the mayor’s stepson suggest a troubling pattern of secrecy and questionable decision-making. Among many locals, it’s already being referred to as “The Sinkhole Scandal.” But for Township officials, it appears to be just another day at the office.

What the Police Report Reveals — and What It Doesn’t

On June 21, 2024, at approximately 4:35 AM, Nicholas Haines was involved in a crash on Maple Avenue after the road’s eastbound lane partially collapsed.

According to the official New Jersey State Police Crash Report:

  • The road beneath Haines’s truck collapsed due to erosion caused by a County-owned culvert pipe beneath the Township-owned road.

  • The collapse coincided precisely with the time of Haines's vehicle driving on it.

  • The truck collided with a guardrail and came to rest off the embankment.

  • Notably, no sobriety test was administered to Haines at the scene — an unusual omission given the early hour and circumstances.

  • While the officer’s report states that the road collapsed due to erosion, it does not offer any conclusion as to why the collapse occurred at that coincidental moment — or whether other factors, like driver behavior, played a role. 

Photos of the scene show a sinkhole large enough that many observers question how a vehicle could have escaped it. This has led some experts to suggest an alternate scenario: that Haines may have lost control, struck the guardrail first, and his impact may have triggered or worsened the collapse — rather than the road giving way first.

Adding to the confusion, Haines stated on Facebook that he was “passing by to take my normal late night ride due to not being able to sleep.”

Given the early hour, lack of sobriety testing, and the fact that the driver was the mayor’s stepson, the circumstances — at minimum — warrant further scrutiny.

The $20,000 Taxpayer Payout — And The Mayor’s Vote

On May 12, 2025, the Downe Township Committee passed Resolution R-73-2025, approving a $20,000 payout to Nicholas Haines for property damage from the crash.

The resolution states that the Township “fully expects” to be reimbursed by the Cape Atlantic Cumberland Joint Insurance Fund (JIF) and the County of Cumberland. 

If the Township truly expected insurance or the County to cover the cost, why not let them do so first — instead of immediately using taxpayer funds?

However, no public documentation confirms that an insurance claim was filed or denied prior to this payout.

More concerning: Mayor Michael Rothman — Haines’s stepfather — did not recuse himself from the vote. He voted “yes” on authorizing taxpayer funds to settle a claim involving his immediate family.

A Timeline Full of Questions

At the Cumberland County Commissioner meeting on April 8, 2025 — over a month before the resolution — Mayor Rothman stated publicly that the Township had already settled with Mr. Haines.

But the resolution authorizing the payment wasn’t passed until May 12, 2025.

This discrepancy raises serious concerns:

  • Was there an undisclosed payout before the vote?

  • Did the mayor act unilaterally?

  • Or did he mislead County officials and the public?

As of now, no answers have been provided.

Why No Court Review or Insurance Involvement?

Under New Jersey law, anyone seeking to sue a municipality must first file a formal Notice of Claim. While townships sometimes settle minor claims informally to avoid legal costs, a $20,000 payout is far from minor.

So why didn’t the Township — as they likely would have for any ordinary resident — take the appropriate steps?

  • Why wasn’t this challenged in court?

  • Why didn’t insurance handle it before public funds were used?

  • And why wasn’t the public informed until after the decision had already been made?

The absence of a documented legal review or confirmed insurance process suggests a deliberate choice to quietly resolve the matter behind closed doors — with little transparency and virtually no oversight.

A Pattern of Mismanagement?

  • A known hazard left unaddressed on a public road.

  • A crash involving the mayor’s stepson.

  • A payout using taxpayer funds.

  • A vote cast by the mayor to approve that payout.

  • A conflicting public statement made before the vote.

  • And no public explanation of how or why this happened the way it did.

These are not isolated errors — they suggest a leadership style that avoids accountability and shields insiders.

Downe Residents Deserve Answers

Residents are entitled to know:

  • Why their taxes were used to settle a claim involving a public official’s family,

  • Why no ethical boundaries were enforced,

  • And why insurance or legal safeguards weren’t used instead.

Until these questions are answered, trust in Township leadership will continue to erode — just like the road on Maple Avenue.


Location: Downe, NJ, USA

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