Grace Scher, president of the Cullen Center Seniors Club, is requesting five additional permanent handicapped parking spaces. Presently, we have 30 spaces in our parking lot and four are handicapped spaces. The senior club meets every two weeks and bus transportation from the swim club lot is provided. Can we justify providing more permanent handicapped spaces in a limited parking lot when the Cullen Center is a community building for all citizens of Hazlet Township?
Scher has a complaint that the seniors have to share the Cullen Center with "day care" children. We do not offer day-care services. This program is a state-certified, licensed preschool. The Hazlet Township Preschool is presently in its 30th year. We were in existence long before the senior groups ever met in a township building and are more than happy to share the Cullen Center with any group that wishes to use it. This is a community building and should be used by all organizations in Hazlet.
As for preschoolers attending the public schools! We assume Scher is representing the majority of the senior citizens, and they are aware of a substantial school tax increase if the public schools offer preschool classes to the children of Hazlet.
We think it would be beneficial to all the citizens of Hazlet if we work together so we can all enjoy the recreation programs our municipal taxes help make available to us.
Jim Manning
Hazlet Recreation Commissioner