Letters to the editor

For the May 12 issue.

Garden plantings planned for weekend

To the editor:
   "To everything there is a season…a time for planting…" This Saturday and Sunday, May 14 and 15, Bordentown City Gardens will be at various locations around the city, planting for the Spring and Summer seasons. Please see the Calendar and Bordentown Jottings in this issue for time and place. With many activities scheduled throughout this time period, we take pride in our contribution of color and sparkle for the enjoyment of visitors and residents alike. I invite and encourage all members, old and new, to join us and share in the satisfaction of hard work, and the fun of interaction with friends and neighbors. In unity we can accomplish great things. Don’t miss this opportunity. I look forward to seeing you all there.



   Nancy L. Minnick

President, Bordentown City Gardens



Veteran gives thanks for Washington trip

To the editor:
   I want to thank the Burlington County Freeholders, and their staff members, for the trip they organized for the World War II veterans, affording them the opportunity to visit the National World War II Memorial, in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, May 5, 2005.
   The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million men and women who served in uniform, of whom more than 400,000 gave their lives to preserve the freedoms we now enjoy as Americans. It also honors the many millions who supported the war effort on the home front and celebrated the American spirit, national unity and victory.
   It gives recognition to the prices paid by families. My mother proudly displayed four blue stars representing the four sons that served in the armed forces during World War II. Fortunately, none of the stars had to be replaced by gold stars signifying another casualty of World War II.
   Seeing the names of my dearly departed brothers: Julius (U.S. Navy), Andrew (U.S. Army) and John (U.S. Navy), on the World War II veteran’s registry was a moment I shall always cherish and remember.
   My personal thanks to the volunteer leader of our bus, Harry Hanczar, and the three volunteer members from the Florence Township High School, Nicole Buffin, Jackie Miller and Robyn Sheldon, for their pleasant, courteous, conscientious gestures afforded me throughout the trip as they distributed light refreshments. These volunteers are to be commended for their caring attitude in making my trip an experience to remember.
   I would also like to thank Frank Bonelli and Ed Koenig, residents of Homestead at Mansfield, and all of the hundreds of volunteers for making my trip memorable and rewarding.


   Ernest Dubay

Columbus



Resident disagrees with officials’ comments

To the editor:
   I, along with a group of Mansfield residents, do not agree with comments by the regional school administrator and our representative on the regional school board which infer that the budget was defeated by Mansfield residents because the state did not fully fund the regional school’s requirements (Register-News April 28, 2005).
   Maybe our school board representative should talk with some of his constituents before echoing the administrator’s statement by stating, "the defeated budget is the voters’ way of telling state officials that they need to properly fund the school district." To my knowledge, no district school budget has been rejected because of a shortfall in state aid. Criticizing state funding appears to be another example of "spin doctoring" to divert Mansfield taxpayer’s attention from the fact that their "out of pocket" property tax assessment will be $6,640,652 (48.9 percent) of the regional school’s budget.
   In 1993 the voters of Mansfield, Chesterfield and Springfield approved a referendum by a 3 to 1 margin to change the formula for assessing budget requirements from one based on valuation to one based on student population. The referendum was overturned by a judicial ruling. Since then a dedicated group of Mansfield residents have continued to lobby to change this formula which assesses Mansfield Township an obscene 48.9 percent of this year’s district school budget.
   To counteract the argument that our out of pocket cost is almost half of the budget, the regional school administrator continues to state the budget assessment is fair as other townships bring additional aid which provides the same funding support as Mansfield Township. However, he fails to mention that: Mansfield’s contribution is a direct assessment on our property taxes: we pay our share of state and federal taxes which provides the aid to the other townships; and that impact aid, the basis for a large percentage of North Hanover’s federal aid, has an estimated $2.3M shortfall for the cost of educating military students. This shortfall adds an additional $1M to Mansfield’s tax bill.
   Unless our elected officials change the law which establishes the formula for supporting regional schools, it appears that our regional school faces a future of defeated budgets.


   Rahn O. Beeson

Columbus



Widow appreciates neighbor’s help

To the editor:
   I am writing this letter to let the citizens of Bordentown know about the "new guy in town," Rob Pecht, who recently became the new owner of (the former) Hartmann’s Funeral Home.
   My husband, Preacher, died very suddenly, and having met Mr. Pecht only once at a neighbor’s viewing, I decided that he should be the one to bury my "dear." It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
   Mr. Pecht was there for me every step of the way, from picking Preacher up at 2 a.m. at the hospital, until the delivery of the ashes to the cemetery five days later. I might also mention that he and my son accompanied my husband’s body to the crematorium, and made sure it went in properly. He was there also when the ashes came out, so no mistake could be made. This meant so much to me.
   Mr. Pecht took me to the surrogate’s office (twice, as it turned out), to the V.A., Motor Vehicle Agency, and even out to McGuire Air Force Base to have my ID card reissued. All this was done with very deep concern for my well being, and he told me if I needed anything to be done, he would be there to do it for me. I can honestly say that I have never met a more caring individual.
   Mr. Pecht loves living in Bordentown and compares it to "Mayberry." He and his wife, Stephanie, are assets to our community.
   I cannot say enough about the compassion and caring that I received from Rob Pecht. I will be forever in his debt for helping me get through one of the most difficult times of my life, and I just wanted to let the people of Bordentown know what a very nice man we have in our midst.


   Peggy Foltermann

Bordentown