Jackson’s Code Enforcement Caught In Another Scandal – This One Directly Costing Taxpayers

Jackson Township’s Code Enforcement Department has been caught red-handed in a deception that has cost taxpayers thousands of dollars and hindered essential services. Officials falsely claimed they lacked the software necessary to move their system online, only for recently uncovered deleted emails to prove otherwise.

For a year now, Code Enforcement insisted that it could not provide online services because it did not have access to SDL software, the platform Jackson Township already uses to allow residents to look up permits, make payments, and access municipal records. However, emails recovered from Code Enforcement officials’ inboxes show that they have had SDL access all along—and were even offered direct, hands-on training to implement it.

Records obtained from the township email of Code Enforcement chief Andrew Cheney – already under fire after apparently being caught showing bias against Orthodox Jews –  confirm that Code Enforcement was fully equipped with the SDL system, contrary to their repeated claims. Even more damning, emails containing this proof were deleted, presumably in an attempt to conceal the truth.

SDL itself has confirmed that Code Enforcement has the software and that it even offered to provide in-person training to officials to ensure they could utilize the system. Instead of accepting the assistance, a source inside Jackson Township revealed that Code Enforcement dismissed the offer, claiming they were “too old to learn.”

This outright refusal to adopt modern technology has cost the township substantial amounts of money, as online payments remain unavailable, manual processing continues to drain resources – and the township is still paying for the software for Code Enforcement.

Council President Jennifer Kuhn, who has been leading a DOGE-esque effort to eradicate waste and inefficiencies in Jackson Township’s government, expressed deep frustration and disappointment upon learning about the cover-up.

“I have been collaborating with administration and code enforcement for over a year to address our landlord registration issue, but I was informed that it cannot be resolved,” Kuhn told Lakewood Alerts. “After further investigation, I discovered that code enforcement has not been forthcoming about our setup. I am disappointed that administration has not yet taken the necessary steps to resolve this matter.”