IT'S ALL IN THE ADAM'S FAMILY

MONROE TOWNSHIP, GLOUCESTER COUNTY, NJ - When elected officials oversee the expenditure of public money, residents have a right to know whether family relationships intersect with the businesses receiving taxpayer-funded contracts.

In Monroe Township, those questions deserve particular attention as Council President Denise Adams seeks re-election in November 2026. Publicly available township resolutions, official government records, candidate biographies and professional employment listings reveal connections between Adams’ immediate family and two private companies awarded municipal contracts: Remington & Vernick Engineers, the township’s appointed municipal engineering firm, and Rivell, LLC, its contracted information technology services provider.

The relationships do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing or an unlawful conflict of interest. They do, however, raise legitimate questions about disclosure, the awarding of municipal contracts, and whether elected officials have taken appropriate steps to avoid actual or perceived conflicts. Additionally, publicly posting job opportunities seem to never happen in Monroe Township and is something that needs to be addressed. 

DENISE ADAMS: MULTIPLE POSITIONS IN MONROE TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT

Adams considers resolutions authorizing expenditures and municipal contracts. Her publicly posted candidate biography identifies her husband as George Adams and her two sons as Nicholas and Lucas Adams. Those family relationships become relevant when examining the company's receiving contracts from Monroe Township.

THE ADAMS FAMILY CONNECTION TO REMINGTON & VERNICK ENGINEERS

George Adams, identified as Denise Adams’ husband, is listed in a publicly available professional directory as a Senior Engineering Technician employed by Remington & Vernick Engineers. Remington & Vernick Engineers is not simply another private engineering company operating in South Jersey. It is the firm appointed by Mayor Greg Wolfe to perform municipal engineering services for Monroe Township.

On April 8, 2026, Monroe Township Council adopted Resolution R:164-2026, authorizing a municipal engineering contract with Remington & Vernick Engineers for the period January 1 through December 31, 2026. The resolution specifically states that the municipal engineer had previously been appointed by the mayor and that the appointment continues until a successor is named. It also states that the contract was awarded without competitive bidding under the professional-services exception to New Jersey’s Local Public Contracts Law. The question is whether the relationship between the Council President and an employee of the township’s engineering contractor was appropriately disclosed, reviewed and addressed during municipal contracting decisions. 

THE ADAMS FAMILY CONNECTION TO RIVELL, LLC

Another family connection involves Lucas Adams, identified in Denise Adams’ publicly posted candidate biography as one of her sons. A publicly indexed LinkedIn directory listing identifies a Lucas Adams in Williamstown, New Jersey, as associated with Rivell, LLC, a South Jersey information technology services company. Rivell is also a contractor for Monroe Township.

On April 8, 2026, Township Council adopted Resolution R:163-2026, awarding Rivell, LLC the municipal Managed IT Professional Services contract for calendar year 2026. The resolution states that the township received proposals from Rivell and VMX Technologies and determined that Rivell submitted the more favorable proposal based on pricing and responsiveness. It also identifies Council President Denise Adams in the execution section and includes her in the roll-call listing. This was not Rivell’s only documented township contract.

On March 12, 2025, Township Council adopted Resolution R:127-2025, awarding Rivell a contract valued at $202,881.92 for security improvements involving the Municipal Building and Police Department. That project included security cameras and electronic access controls.

The contract was awarded through a cooperative purchasing arrangement known as The Interlocal Purchasing System (TIPS). According to the resolution, the township compared alternative prices and determined Rivell offered the lowest responsible and responsive proposal. These facts are important because they demonstrate that Rivell's municipal work involved more than routine technology support. The township's contracts included information technology services and a substantial public-building security project.

Residents have a legitimate interest in knowing whether an immediate family member of a sitting Council President is employed by a company receiving municipal contracts, whether that relationship was disclosed, and whether the Council President participated in the contracting decisions.

WHAT ABOUT NICHOLAS ADAMS?

Denise Adams’ publicly posted candidate biography identifies Nicholas Adams as her other son. It is alleged that Nicholas Adams works for Remington & Vernick, the Mayor appointed Township Engineer. A family relationship can be publicly documented without assuming an employment relationship that has not been confirmed. This Engineering company was appointed by the mayor, where both Denise Adams' husband George works, and her son. 

THE BIGGER QUESTION: WHO GETS THE OPPORTUNITY IN MONROE TOWNSHIP?

Public confidence in municipal government depends on more than whether a contract technically complies with procurement laws. It also depends on whether residents believe their government operates fairly, transparently and without favoritism.

These documented business relationships raise broader questions about the township’s contracting practices, including whether professional-services opportunities are adequately advertised, whether competing firms receive meaningful consideration, and whether elected officials disclose relationships that could create actual or perceived conflicts.

QUESTIONS MONROE TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS DESERVE ANSWERED

The public records support a series of reasonable questions:

1. Did Council President Denise Adams disclose any immediate-family employment relationships involving municipal contractors?

2. Did the township solicitor or another appropriate ethics authority review those relationships for potential conflicts of interest?

3. Did Adams participate in discussions, recommendations or votes involving Remington & Vernick Engineers or Rivell, LLC, and were any recusals documented?

4. Does George Adams perform work connected to Monroe Township projects through Remington & Vernick Engineers?

5. Does Lucas Adams currently work for Rivell, LLC, and is his employment connected in any way to services provided to Monroe Township?

6. Were the engineering and IT contracts reviewed through processes that complied with applicable purchasing and ethics requirements?

7. What documentation is available showing how competing professional-services proposals were evaluated?

8. What policies ensure that township employment opportunities are publicly accessible and that municipal decisions are based on qualifications rather than personal or political relationships?

TRANSPARENCY SHOULD NOT BE OPTIONAL

Monroe Township residents pay property taxes and municipal fees with the expectation that public officials will exercise independent judgment and protect the public interest. When an elected official's immediate family members have employment relationships with companies performing township work, those connections warrant appropriate disclosure and examination.

Public confidence is best protected when relevant facts are disclosed and decisions are transparent. Public service is a responsibility to every resident, not a privilege reserved for those with connections to Township Hall. Monroe Township taxpayers deserve clear answers, documented procedures and assurance that municipal decisions are made in the public interest.

The records establish the contracts. Publicly available biographies and professional listings identify family and employment connections. The remaining questions concern disclosure, participation, recusal and oversight. Accountability begins with transparency. And transparency begins with the public's right to ask questions. 

1. Monroe Township - Official Biography of Council President Denise Adams - Confirms her elected position and council liaison assignments. 

2. Focused on Monroe - Candidate Biographies - Identifies George Adams as Denise Adams' husband and Nicholas and Lucas as their sons. 

3. Resolution R:164-2026 - Remington & Vernick Engineers - Authorizes the 2026 municipal engineering contract and describes the professional-services exemption from competitive bidding. 

4. Resolution R:163-2026 - Rivell, LLC - Awards the 2026 managed IT contract. The resolution identifies two companies that submitted proposals. 

5. Resolution R:127-2025 - Rivell Security Contract - Documents the $202,881.92 security project, including the township's comparison of vendor proposals. 

6. George Adams - Remington & Vernick Professional Employment Listing - Lists a George Adams as Senior Engineering Technician. This third-party directory does not independently establish his identity as Denise Adams' husband. 

7. Lucas Adams - Public LinkedIn Directory - Includes a Lucas Adams listed in Williamstown, New Jersey, associated with Rivell, LLC. His identity and current employment should be independently confirmed. 

8. Monroe Township - Official Resolutions Archive - Provides access to published township resolutions for further review.