Letters to the Herald

For the May 23 issue

By:
GHEWIP appreciates

donations for flowers

To the editor:
   
The spirit of the public/private partnership, which has been the hallmark of the downtown Hightstown revitalization project, continued this week with the arrival and installation of 96 beautiful hanging flower baskets in red, white and blue, on the 48 new lampposts downtown.
   Spearheaded by a challenge from downtown business Allen & Stults Co., the money for the flowers was raised privately. Allen and Stults offered to match monies raised by donations from the other businesses, up to half the cost of the flowers. Many downtown businesses, some established but some new to Hightstown, responded to the opportunity by stepping up and meeting the challenge, recognizing the benefit of the flowers to our downtown. Some private residents and organizations as well, donated towards the flowers.
   Also part of the partnership to make this project successful are the Rocky Brook Garden Club and the Hightstown Public Works Department. The Rocky Brook Garden Club agreed to select the flowers and care for them all season long, to keep them looking at their prime. Public Works is coordinating the start-up and maintenance of the automatic irrigation system, which is integrated into the poles to ease maintenance and ensure that the flowers make it through the summer.
   The Greater Hightstown/East Windsor Improvement Project would like to applaud the following businesses, organizations and residents who have donated to the downtown flowers:
   AAMCO Transmissions, AJ Construction Inc., Allen and Stults Insurance Agency, Anthony’s Chicken, Carole Nelson, Cathy Simmons, Chris and Deb Field, City Auto Center, Dom’s Getty, Dorli Bridal & Tailor, First Union Bank, Gary and Dale Grubb, Hedy’s Liquors, Hights Electric Motor Service Inc., Hightstown Apollo Lodge No. 41, Hightstown Fuel Service, Hightstown Pharmacy, Howell & Bogdan, Humphreys Financial & Tax Services, Jeffrey Bond, John Green, Johnnie’s Deli, L & J Electronics, Larry Blake, Lucas Electric, Mannino’s Four Pizzeria, Masterpiece Weddings, O’Connor Gordon Architects, Orquideas Bakery, Perritt Laboratories Inc., Shangle & Hunt, Slow Down Café, Society Cleaners Inc., Sun National Bank, Sunny Young Grocery Inc., The Friday Club, The Shoe Buckle, Theo’s Lakeside Tavern, Tornquist Garage Inc., Jeannine Lanphear.

Jeannine Lanphear

Hightstown

Twin Rivers getting

bad deal on soda


To the editor:
   Once again, board President Scott Pohl and the rest of the board of directors, by means of a sweetheart contract given to our supplier of sodas at the pools and in the community room, have given the residents of Twin Rivers a financial proctological exam.
   The current soda supplier has been with Twin Rivers since 2000.
   For 2003, the supplier advised Scott Pohl (and the rest of the Board) that he (the supplier) was getting increases in his cost of sodas, which would have to be passed on to the residents of Twin Rivers. The supplier offered us two deals; we could sell the sodas for $1.25 per 20-ounce bottle (currently we get a 20-ounce bottle), in which case Twin Rivers would get 25 cents back per bottle as commission. The second offer was that we keep the price at $1 per bottle, but the vendor gets the entire $1 and Twin Rivers gets nothing.
   At the April 2003 open board meeting, the board of directors accepted the proposal of selling the soda for $1 a bottle and waiving its rights to any commission.
   Knowing that the current supplier is a third party vendor, I suggested that the board of directors contact Coca-Cola and Pepsi directly. I took it upon myself to call Coke and Pepsi directly.
   Coca-Cola offered to set up and maintain and keep on filling on the machines up (on at least a weekly basis) as long as we sold a 20-ounce bottle of soda for $1. If that price was maintained, Twin Rivers would get back 25 cents a bottle.
   Pepsi stated that they also would be a full service vendor and that if we sold their soda for $1.25 per 20-ounce bottle, Twin Rivers would be given a 60-cent commission per bottle. I advised Pepsi that the magic price would have to be $1. Pepsi then advised that they would give Twin Rivers a 25-cent commission per bottle.
   At the May 2003 open board meeting I asked Scott Pohl if anybody contacted Coca-Cola or Pepsi directly (and advised Scott of the proposals they offered Twin Rivers). Scott advised that the board chose the current supplier because the current supplier would stock the machines by the pools and in the community room. I advised Scott that Coke and Pepsi offered to do the same thing and that Twin Rivers would get a much better deal.
   If the price of the sodas by the pools, and the amount of commission that Twin Rivers gets per bottle (with the current supplier we would get none) is indicative of competitive bidding and comparison shopping and best deals made by the Board and its administrator, then I believe we are probably overpaying for most of our services and supplies.
   Once again, this is another example of our not getting the best bang for our buck. The camaraderie of our board of directors is no substitute for competence or intelligence and I believe that we deserve an explanation from Scott Pohl and the board’s treasurer.

Alan Wally

East Windsor

Borough Democrats

endorse candidates

To the editor:
   
One June 3, Hightstown voters will have the opportunity to select three candidates for the Borough Council election in November. The Hightstown Democratic Club has endorsed three well-qualified candidates and we urge all Democrats to support them. Walter Sikorski, who is running to fill a one-year unexpired term, is a lifelong resident of Hightstown and has been a Democratic activist for many years. We think that his solid record of community involvement has earned him the right to represent us as our candidate this year. Lawrence Quattrone and David Schneider, both incumbents on the present council, have served with distinction and we are proud to have them as candidates once again.
   We hope that all Democrats will recognize the importance of this primary election and that they will support their club’s choice of Quattrone, Schneider and Sikorski.

Torry Watkins

President
Hightstown Democratic Club

NJECA stresses

electrical safety

To the editor:
   
May is Electrical Safety Month but electrical safety should always be on your mind. The records show:
   Every year hundreds of lives are lost and countless injuries occur due to faulty electrical wiring and other installations done by unlicensed and/or unqualified people.
   The New Jersey Electrical Contractors Association and its 16 chapters from around the state is urging you to call upon a New Jersey Licensed Electrical Engineer Contractor to perform any electric wiring or other installations in your home.
   Your home is your castle, protect it!
   Any person performing any electrical work without a New Jersey State license and business permit may be convicted of a felony of the fourth-degree, and even fined or imprisoned (NJC.2C:21-33).
   Also, most new electrical installations require a work permit from your municipality before work can begin.
   Please remember that the life or property you save may be as close to you as your home and could even be you or your property.
   For more information, contact us.

Joseph Matone, president
and Steven Ripley,
executive director
New Jersey Electrical
Contractors Association