At a recent Millstone Township Committee meeting, I witnessed the collective lynching of Commit-teeman John Pfefferkorn and a group of volunteers who came together on behalf of and for the benefit of the entire community.
Although Committeemen William Nurko and Cory Wingerter quipped at the viability of the group’s progress, neither of them accepted Mr. Pfefferkorn’s offer of a presentation by the group.
In the fall of 2002, a diverse group of citizens came out in support of a Community Action Panel (CAP) whose broad goal was to evaluate the township’s cash flow and growth assumptions, its related impact on operating and capital funding considerations, and the efficient utilization of the approximately $7 million in surplus cash currently available.
On the surface, a surplus would appear to be a good thing. However, at a time when taxes are continually rising and school programs are consistently being squeezed, the question begs to be asked: Why is another 10 percent increase in the township’s cash surplus a positive for the citizens of this community?
Anything worth doing is worth doing well, and as such, the CAP’s progress has been a continuous process of information gathering and evaluation. Information is crucial, and the availability and timely response to requests for it has not always been forthcoming; however, progress is being made.
Smart, thoroughly informed decisions need to be made regarding spending and surplus utilization. Let’s make it happen.
It’s easy to dismiss the actions and efforts of others, gentlemen; however, it’s much harder to do the right thing and open up the process to community input which could prove invaluable.
Robert Kinsey
Millstone