Letters-Nov. 3, 2005

Panel member

defends records
To the editor:
   I am writing in response to Bill Comly’s criticism of the Environmental Commission in a letter to the editor in the Oct. 27 issue of The Beacon.
   I am the person who is responsible for maintenance of Environmental Commission records. I am an unpaid volunteer and compile and maintain our records at no cost to the taxpayers of West Amwell.
   Our records and procedures far exceed that required by ordinance. Mr. Comly was provided with over 100 pages of Environmental Commission records for the first nine months of 2005, hardly sloppy recordkeeping.
   We believe the public deserves to have the highest quality records of our meetings, and we are continually trying to improve. It was for this reason we requested our meetings be digitally recorded. The public deserves to have a verbatim record of our meetings as written notes alone can never be a substitute for a verbatim record.
   And, Mr. Comly, there is no cost for transcription since the township will be maintaining the digital recordings indefinitely.
   As Mr. Comly well knows, discussion of our new stream corridor ordinance took place at a number of public meetings over the course this year. We carefully reviewed the science and considered all points of view as reflected in the changes made to the ordinance over time and also in response to public comment.
   The Environmental Commission went out of its way to minimize the impact of the ordinance on current residents, reserving the greatest level of protection for future subdivisions.
   It is interesting to note Mr. Comly did not criticize the recordkeeping of the secretary of the Board of Adjustment when a critical tape was stolen. As reported in The Beacon, this was a record, which subsequently was an issue in his family’s lawsuit against West Amwell Township.

Catherine Urbanski
Environmental Commission
West Amwell

Record minutes

only accurate record
To the editor:
   I am writing in response to Jamie Kamph’s letter in the Oct. 27 issue of The Beacon.
   Jamie suggests there were no secret discussions regarding a potential 200-unit development in West Amwell, and there were no suggestions for making use of a sewer service area to accommodate such a development. Therefore, I feel the need to respond to set the record straight.
   Following the state’s seizure of township records related to the sewer service area and other matters, things began coming to light at meetings May 17 and May 18. May 18, it was revealed a current official of our township had been involved in discussions with a former mayor regarding this potential 200-unit development. The former mayor has development interests in the sewer service area. It has also been acknowledged the development proposal, which was being discussed, would only be feasible with use of a sewer line or community septic system.
   These discussions were never publicly disclosed until after repeated, direct questions from the Township Committee at the two meetings in May. At first, excuses and denials were offered by some involved. However, after additional questioning, stories changed, and it was acknowledged the discussions had occurred.
   Again, there was no public disclosure of this relationship prior to May.
   I’m surprised by Jamie’s suggestion this didn’t occur, given she was present at both meetings. However, the residents of West Amwell don’t need to take my word for it. I encourage members of the public to go to the municipal building and request copies of the recordings made at the Planning Board May 17 and the Township Committee May 18 and draw their own conclusions.
   This brings me to my last point. Jamie states, "If minutes of the meeting are readily available, no information is lost or hidden."
   On the contrary, no set of minutes will ever provide the full context provided by a recording of a meeting. Simply compare the recordings from the May 17 and 18 meetings to the minutes from those meetings, and you’ll see what I mean.
   We’ve all seen what happens when there are multiple and conflicting sets of minutes, and no recording, which can be used to ensure the record is accurate. Recording township meetings is the only way to ensure there is a complete and accurate record available to the public.

Sean W. Pfeiffer
West Amwell

Rebutting the

negative campaign
To the editor:
   In rebuttal to what previously has been sent as letters to the editor, the people of Lambertville should consider the election process is the task of choosing two "employees" to fill the job vacancies that occur by law in our form of government.
   In essence, the citizens are all on a committee similar to what occurs in the business world when new hires are chosen.
   Therefore, as part of the standards for choosing these "employees" we should review work experience training, formal education, related experiences, volunteerism and recognition for excellent performance in parallel endeavors. We should be provided with their vision for the accomplishments of the tasks utilizing their proven skills and knowledge. We need to be provided with their plan to foster the goals of our town as would be done for a business or other organization.
   Two of the three candidates complied, presenting their credentials for review while relating how they would best work for the common good. These two candidates did this through their long-term, sustained volunteer work innumerous community oriented activities, serving in the government on councilor boards and through their campaign literature.
   The third candidate chose to limit his energies to pointing out the human errors in the organization and leadership of our governing structure and expended no effort in recognizing the vast inventory of successes. This may be a cover for the lack of laudable accomplishments, which are so evident in a true leader, whether they serve in volunteer, appointed or elected positions.
   So, as a member of any candidate selection committee, we must ultimately choose as we do in our everyday life. Do we want good promises or good plumbing?
   Only one holds water!

John and Barbara Hencheck
Lambertville

YMCA thanks

golf volunteers
To the editor:
   Monday, Oct. 17, the Hunterdon County YMCA hosted its third annual golf classic at Copper Hill Country Club, raising $20,000 toward the YMCA’s financial assistance program — a confidential program enabling individuals and/or families of our community to participate in YMCA programs and services who otherwise would be unable.
   The YMCA wishes to thank and acknowledge the 107 golfers and the following sponsors and contributors:
   Birdie sponsors — International Planning Alliance LLC; Vince Cirianni; and Yardville National Bank.
   Par sponsors — Amper Financial Services LLC; Amper, Politziner & Mattia; Custom Alloy Corporation; Hughes-Plummer & Associates; InfoStore Online; Interstate Restoration Group; Lane McVicker; Somerset Valley Bank; and Wachovia.
   Hole and challenge sponsors — Advantage Bank; Allstate in Clinton; Joe Paris Jr.; Allstate in Ringoes; Jennifer A. Hiller; Barbieri Builders Corp.; Couch Braunsdorf Insurance; Elan Hair Studio; Hesco Lighting Showrooms; Hopewell Valley Community Bank; Hunterdon County Baseball Magazine; Hunterdon Medical Center; Hunterdon Prevention Resources; Michael Kurak, attorney at law; Peapack-Gladstone Bank; Dr. Robert B. Bowden, DME; Shenberger Insurance Services; ShopRite of Hunterdon County; and Sneakers Plus.
   In-kind contributors — AIG; Bill Taylor; Bridgewater Marriott; Commerce Bank; Copper Hill Country Club; Crystal Springs; Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club; Flemington Car & Truck Country; Flemington Department Store; Grand Colonial; Guardian; Harkers Hollow Golf Club; Heron Glen Golf Club; High Bridge Hills Golf Club; Hunterdon County Democrat; Indian Creek Golf Club; ING Direct; James Toyota; Karen Widico; Kirsten’s Restaurant; Oak Hill Golf Club; 1 Stop Photo; Proline Golf Design; Second Wind Balloons; USGA; and Vince Cirianni.
   Beverage sponsors — Unity Bank and The Print Shoppe.
   Volunteer photographer — Herb Bohler.
   The YMCA is grateful for the assistance of the community to the work and mission of the YMCA — building strong kids, strong families, strong communities.
   To be added to the mailing list for next year’s golf event, please contact Nancy Tompkins, senior director of public relations and marketing, at (908) 236-7879, ext. 11.

Nancy Tompkins
YMCA
Readington Township

Don’t call Hunt’s

home ‘a dump’
To the editor:
   I am responding to Catherine Urbanski’s letter of Oct. 27.
   Since the beginning of this campaign, I have had untruths and convoluted half truths printed about me. These have unfairly attacked my integrity and ability, but I considered the sources and let them go, figuring most people know me well enough to recognize it for just what it is — dirty politics.
   The latest smear calling my property a dump has achieved a new low. I do invite those who don’t already know better to not only ride past my property but to stop in and visit.
   I suddenly became a widow five years ago and was left to manage an old farm and 33 acres by myself. During these past five years, I have put in new walkways, planted new trees, planted a number of shrubs, put in four new flower beds and mulched everything in my yard annually.
   I have also put up all new fencing for livestock and stabilized the old barn with a new roof and siding to match the house. My property is actively farmed with hay, corn and soybeans.
   As you all know, with any size property, there is always more to do, but, with limited time and finances, it can’t all be done at once. I have worked hard to be a good steward of my property.
   Political attacks such as these by my opponent and his supporters are exactly why you should vote for me. I am very concerned about this evil spirit that is invading our township.
   I hope you are concerned, too, and will vote for me Nov. 8 in order to preserve trust, respect, caring and many of our other community values.

Betty Jane Hunt
West Amwell

Shapella attacked

Hunt’s character
To the editor:
   At the beginning of the race for West Amwell Township committee, I knew Betty Jane Hunt pretty well, but I didn’t know Ron Shapella.
   Ron has been sending his mailings regularly over the past few weeks, and now I know him. He started by making slurs against Betty Jane’s character, which is about as ridiculous as accusing my little grandmother of being an axe murderer.
   He backed off from what was obviously going to fail as a tactic and moved to attack Betty Jane’s diligence. This is going to turn out to be another desperate but useless attempt to smear her character.
   We now have a clear choice of candidates for West Amwell. Let’s vote to keep our politics out of the mud.
   Vote for the candidate with an unquestioned character and years of unparalleled dedication and service to her township and community. Vote for Betty Jane Hunt.

Ted Hills
West Amwell

Fox watching

the hen house
To the editor:
   In defense of the former Lambertville Sewerage Authority board, let’s start at the bottom of your letter of last week, Mr. Komjathy.
   You would not have needed low-interest loans to repair anything if you had kept Mayor Del Vecchio’s hands out of the sewerage authority’s reserve funds.
   Putting you and two City Council members in charge of the Lambertville Sewerage Authority is like having the fox watch the hen house.
   Secondly, the existing meeting room at the authority has more than enough room to handle any meeting should you expect a very large citizen turnout over authority business.
   The Lambertville Station would be glad to rent you space much cheaper than the city. Got to love that one. The Lambertville Sewerage Authority gives to the city, and the city charges it.
   I will agree with you that LSA employees are hard-working and dedicated. The board, however, still has an odor problem, and the town knows it. You are not going to be able to handle the odor problems now or ever using the same old technology that is still in place.

Eugene C. Lelie
West Amwell

Reader wants to

set record straight
To the editor:
   I am writing to refute the statements made by Jamie Kamph in her letter of Oct. 27 in response to my letter of Oct. 20.
   Ms. Kamph’s letter was full of inaccuracies and misinformation, and I believe it is necessary to again send a letter to the editor to correct the mistakes and set the record straight. My comments herein are not allegations but the truth.
   First, Ms. Kamph is correct in stating I am qualified to serve on the Affordable Housing Committee due to my extensive housing background while working for over 33 years for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.
   Her first mistake is referring to Susan Molnar as my sister-in-law when, in fact, she is my sister. I stated that in my first letter.
   Susan is also qualified to serve on the Affordable Housing Committee due to her job of administering over 200 units of Mount Laurel affordable housing for a municipality in Mercer County. In fact, it was Susan’s idea the Affordable Housing Committee be established in West Amwell Township, which she initiated prior to her moving to the township years ago.
   Ms. Kamph also refers to Susan as the acting chairperson of the committee, when in fact she has been the chairperson since its inception.
   Secondly, Ms. Kamph insinuates Betty Jane Hunt was only a member of the committee along with the other committee members when in fact she was the official appointed housing officer for West Amwell Township. Ms. Hunt was responsible for the day to day administration of the Mount Laurel Program long before the Affordable Housing Committee was established.
   There was no problem with the way the committee conducted its business as Ms. Kamph implies. The problem was in how Ms Hunt performed her housing responsibilities as housing officer.
   The Affordable Housing Committee is only advisory in nature and would not require an appointed secretary. Minutes, however, are kept, and residents are advised to read the minutes to further confirm some of the information stated in my previous letter.
   If Ms. Kamph had read my letter carefully, she would have noticed I stated that just this year, several board members spent hours going through paper to create files. By this time, Ms. Hunt had already retired and was no longer working as the housing officer.
   Ms. Kamph states if there were problems with recordkeeping, then Susan and I should have corrected it when it occurred. Unfortunately, from what we observed, there was very little recordkeeping, but we only became aware of the enormity of the problem once Ms. Hunt retired.
   I am not purposely airing a grievance at election time. I am trying to point out to the voters Ms. Hunt’s record as municipal clerk was not as impeccable as she would like us to believe, and based on that record, I believe she is not the best candidate for Township Committee.
   In conclusion, I am a Republican and will be voting for Ron Shapella Nov. 8, and I ask fellow Republicans, Democrats and Independents to follow my lead and that of many other Republicans and vote for Ron next Tuesday.

Linda Wilson
West Amwell

Don’t link Rayner

to national policies
To the editor:
   I want to thank my neighbors in Lambertville for their warm response to my candidacy for City Council.
   I have thoroughly enjoyed discussing the issues facing Lambertville with so many wonderful people, and I look forward to continuing to work with everyone in our community to improve our public discourse and to strengthen our city.
   Many of your readers have expressed support for my "Rayner Reform Agenda," my five-point plan to open up our city government to broader public participation, increase citizen access to information and free the Lambertville Sewerage Authority from City Council control.
   I have been grateful for voters’ positive response to my call for a two-party government to bring new ideas and a more responsive city government.
   At the same time, I feel the need to respond to the unfavorable letters sent into this paper by supporters of my opponents attempting to link me and my candidacy to national elected officials and their policies. Most of the implications made by these writers about my views on national issues are simply false as many of the Democrats and Independents supporting my candidacy can attest.
   Of greater concern, however, is the fact these individuals have sought to distract voters from the problems facing Lambertville with partisan politics rather than respond to my ideas for improving our local government. In a small town like Lambertville, I believe partisan politics shouldn’t matter more than the welfare of our community and our families.
   While this type of heightened partisanship in a local election is disappointing, I am hopeful the voters will closely look at the issues I have raised in this campaign — the council’s failure to protect taxpayers from flood damage to city property, cash payments from the Lambertville Sewerage Authority to the city budget and rising sewer rates and property taxes — and agree we need new and independent representation on our City Council.
   I have sought to run my campaign on the issues facing Lambertville without making assumptions about my opponents’ allegiances to their party’s positions on national issues. I take their ideas for Lambertville seriously and hope they will do the same for me.
   I am running as a Republican for City Council not because I represent the views of others, but because I represent a chance to bring new and independent leadership to a City Council that is now dominated by one agenda and one party.
   I would like to bring greater perspective, new ideas and more public discourse to Lambertville’s government. I would be honored to receive the support of my neighbors.

Marcus Rayner
Lambertville

Fire drill

was success
To the editor:
   I want to express my personal thanks to the many people and groups that made our drill of Sunday, Oct. 23, at the Heritage Village complex in Lambertville such a huge success.
   With possibly over 100 new neighbors moving into the complex, we wanted to exercise the firefighting plans that have been developed for the facility.
   On the day of the drill, over 100 firefighters, fire patrol officers and rescue personnel participated. All worked as planned with greater than two miles of fire hose being laid.
   Thanks to the officers and members of the Lambertville Fire Department for their assistance in planning and participating in the drill. Thanks also to visiting firefighters from West Amwell, East Amwell, Stockton, New Hope, Midway, Titusville, Hopewell and Pennington fire companies for their assistance.
   The Lambertville-New Hope Ambulance and Rescue Squad was also on the job as usual, and thanks to these tireless workers. Thanks to the local police departments for being part of this successful exercise.
   Our gratitude also goes out to the neighbors who had to change their Sunday morning plans as well as the general motoring public for any inconvenience they may have encountered as a result of road closures. Thanks also to The Beacon for announcing our drill prior to the event so the public could plan.
   We would like to offer a special thank you to Dawn Raia of Café Galleria for providing such a wonderful lunch to all the hungry participants at no cost. It was great.
   The work of your fire department is not just to put out a fire when one occurs but to plan how to fight any fire in our community. The drill just completed helps us in this planning effort.
   Again, thanks for everyone’s help and understanding. Please be safe.

Chief Matt Hartigan
Lambertville Fire Department

Time for change

in right direction
To the editor:
   I am a concerned parent of a student at the New Hope-Solebury High School and want to rebut some of the comments made by those running for the Board of Directors.
   This is a school board with a history of cronyism, strong-arm tactics and one that is usurping your rights as a taxpayer and, more importantly, as a parent.
   What do I mean? Consider the following:
   Spending $20,000 annually per child? If I told that to someone, they would think I was referring to an upscale college, not an elementary school.
   Scores have improved very little, if at all. And they just keep spending our money as if that’s the answer!
   Do we really need new ballfields, new buildings and a large administrative staff? No! We can do better!
   It’s time for a change in the right direction.

Timothy P. Caso
Warrington, Pa.