The information contained in this column is a report of the actions taken by the board members who were present during the open public session portion of the meeting only. It is not a transcript of the official board minutes or an official record of attendance. It does not address board member attendance or actions taken during the executive session that typically follows the open session and is closed to the public.
May 6, 2025
Members Present
Charles F. Bechtold, CFSP, President; Bruce Van Tassel, Secretary; Garrett C. Jones; Kim Nesbitt Good; Eleanor Rudolph; Kara L. Whigham.
Staff Present
Quin Archer, Executive Director; Dan Roman, Deputy Attorney General; Maria Rojas Letchford, Deputy Attorney General.
Public
George R. Kelder Jr, CFSP, Executive Director and CEO, and Samantha L. Link, New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association, and nine members of the public.
Approval of the April 1, 2025 Minutes
The Board approved the minutes as corrected.
Executive Director’s Report
The Board received one complaint in April for a total of 15 complaints received in 2025.
Annual elections of Board Officers will be held at the June meeting.
Executive Director Archer congratulated board member Kim Nesbitt Good on receiving a community service award.
Approved Internships
- Von Lawrence Arienda Aborde, Gleason Funeral Home
- Jonathan Casillas, Ippolito-Stellato Funeral Homes Inc.
- John-Ethan Drialo, Saul Colonial Home
- Danasiah Johnson, Stanley’s Memorial Chapel
- Paige Konar, Costello-Runyon Funeral Home
- Mahogany Robinson, Carl Miller Funeral Home
- Taylir Sanchez, Hennessey Heights Funeral Home & Cremation Service LLC
New Licensees
By Application
- Frederick H. LaGarde
- Daisy Lima
By Credentials
- Amelia Gallegos
- David W Wolf
Licensed by Application for 2025: 6
Licensed by Credentials for 2025: 2
New Funeral Home Registrations
- Baylor Memorial Home, Trenton; Manager, Alameen Spells
The Board registered one mortuary in April and eight mortuaries in 2025.
Continuing Education Report
The Board approved the courses listed on the meeting agenda, with multiple exceptions, and will post the approved courses on the Board’s website under the licensee tab.
Correspondence
On January 14, 2025, William Sampson IV, Shanique Speight and Sterley Stanley sponsored Assembly Bill No. 5165, which requires the Division of Consumer Affairs to hire staff to alleviate professional license application backlogs for 2026, 2027 and 2028. President Bechtold voiced his concern that this bill would only be a temporary fix to the backlog of licensees, asked what happens in three years when the funds run out and recommended that the Board take no position but remain neutral.
George R. Kelder Jr. recommended that the Board support the bill because it keeps the funds at the division where it is needed rather than have millions of dollars in licensing fees reallocated away from DCA annually. The bill calls for a 36-month program on investing the money back into DCA, but it can always be requested again following these initial 36 months.
Garrett Jones agreed with Mr. Kelder saying that it was a good idea to support the bill citing frequent complaints from interns and licensees and believed more staff could help alleviate the issue.
The Board voted unanimously to support A-5165.
On April 10, 2025, Assemblyman Sterley Stanley from District 18, sponsored Assembly Bill No. 5572, which establishes quorum standards for professional licensing entities under certain circumstances.
Kelder was asked to also weigh in on this legislation stating that this bill affects other professional licensing boards more than the Mortuary Board and that the intent of the bill is for professions requiring board approval for licensure to limit the waiting period for licensure to no more than 90 days regardless of a quorum of the Board being present at a meeting.
The Board voted unanimously to support A-5572.
Disciplinary Actions
The following disciplinary actions were made public in March and April:
Individual settlement offers have been accepted by Kristen Affrime, Kellie Bender, James G. Cochran and Gerianne Bates for violating N.J.A.C. 13:36-10.3, failing to complete the minimum requirement of 10 continuing education credits for the 2021-2023 licensing period. Each licensee has been ordered to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $100 per each incomplete credit and to complete within two months additional continuing education credits in Board-approved courses that they are missing for the previous licensing cycle.
A settlement offer was accepted by Willy P. Lavrin and Lavrin Funeral Home for violation of N.J.A.C. 13:36-4.9, having an unlicensed person engage in the practice of mortuary science. The violation occurred when Charles Brinson, who is neither a registered intern nor a licensee, arranged a funeral, including providing the general price list, preparing funeral arrangements and then threatening to withhold copies of the funeral services contract until payment was made for selected services. The Board deems this to be professional misconduct under N.J.S.A. 45:1-21(e).
Further, the Board found that the funeral home placed a box containing the decedents organs in the casket during the funeral service with the family present. When asked by the family to open the box, the funeral home refused as the box contained the decedents post-autopsy viscera. The Board finds this to be professional misconduct under N.J.S.A. 45:1-21(e).
Mr. Lavrin has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $2,500 for the first violation, and $2,500 for the second violation. Lavrin’s Funeral Home was also cited $2,500 for the violation.
Alameen Spells, manager of The Final Lay Funeral Home, has entered a settlement agreement with the Board for violation of N.J.A.C 13:36-5.12, N.J.A.C. 13:36-11.14(c) and N.J.S.A. 45:7-90. The violation was uncovered when the Board reviewed a Facebook posting that announced that The Final Lay Funeral Home is powered by Cooper & Sons Funeral Advocate Services which will be providing a free casket to every family that they advocate.
The first violation is of N.J.S.A 45:1-21(e) professional misconduct, as it pertains to the phrase “powered by Cooper & Sons Funeral Advocate Services.” The entity is not a registered mortuary nor is it in the process of becoming one. Additionally, they refer to a free casket without providing a make or model of the free casket that is being provided. The Board requires that all such phrases be removed from all advertisements.
As the manager of The Final Lay, Alameen Spells is responsible for the direction, management and control of all work emanating from the establishment and ensuring that all licensees, owners and representatives are complying with the law in accordance with N.J.A.C. 13:36-4.8(b). Spells agreed to pay a $500 civil penalty for the violations.
A settlement offer was accepted by John B. Houston for a second violation of failing to properly train and supervise an intern pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:36-2.13(a)1. Following an investigation where registered intern Frederick LaGarde identified himself at a Paterson City Council meeting as a funeral director, it was determined that the intern made funeral arrangements while not under the direct supervision of a preceptor. John B. Houston agreed to pay a civil penalty of $1,000 for allowing an intern to engage in the unlicensed practice of mortuary science and is suspended from being a preceptor for two years.
Public Comment
Kyle P. Ledford Sr., CFSP, advised the Board that as of April 1, 2025 he is no longer the Funeral Service Education Program Director of Eastwick College and that the new Program Director will be Tara Scarponi-Danniballe. The Board wished him well on his new endeavors.
Next Board Meeting
The Board moved into Executive Session at 9:50 a.m. and noted that the next Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom.