JACKSON– A Jackson Township Councilman’s veterans memorial charity is once again the recipient of a sizeable charitable donation from a company that provides water line insurance coverage to its customers under an agreement between the company and the authority.
In 2008, the Jackson MUA chose HomeserveUSA and began offering its customers optional contract services for line coverage. In return for the business in Jackson, HomeserveUSA kicks back a percentage of that revenue in the form of donations to local charities in Jackson.
The majority of that money goes to the Jackson Food Pantry which received $20,729.65 in donations between 2009 and 2016.
Other charities include Adopt-A-Senior Program ($1,000 in 2016), Jackson Relay for Life ($1,319 in2016), Jackson Memorial Band Parents Inc. ($1,750 in 2014), Jackson First Aid Squad ($2,000 in 2012), Jackson VFW Post 4702 ($2,650 in 2011), and Inches of Hope ($5,529 from 2014-2016).
The second largest recipient of the grant money was awarded to Councilman Ken Bressi’s Jackson Veterans Memorial which received a total of $8,479 between 2013 and 2016.
While many charities in town receive small one-time donations, Bressi’s charity, has received annual funding. Bressi is a councilman in Jackson Township and also serves on the Jackson Township Planning Board.
The decision making body that decides which charities in town receive the contributions from HomeserveUSA is the board of directors of the Jackson MUA. The board of directors are a politically appointed body, appointed by the Jackson Township Council, for which Bressi votes.
The current board includes Clara Glory, who served as Bressi’s campaign manager in 2016 and another high ranking member of the Jackson Republican Club. Todd Porter, the Republican Club president, and Chairman William Allman also sit on the MUA commissioners board. Bressi’s wife Karen is an employee at the Jackson MUA.
Bressi’s charity received $1,319.65 in December again. Other charities receiving funding this year in the amount of $1319.65 include Inches of Hope, Adopt-A-Senior and Jackson Relay for Life.