School officials should listen more carefully
To the editor:
I hope Mayor Stu Fierstein called school board Kathryn Wolden to tell her his opinion of the site consideration of the middle school on Ellisdale and Breza roads. That is the job of a good citizen, to act in the best interest of taxpayers.
It is the job of school board members, as elected officials, to listen to the public, not to sit there refusing to accept constructive advice.
The school board and its followers either need to focus on correcting on correcting its errors or resign and stop trying to blame everyone else. I would regret Ms. Walden’s resignation because you were not able to get (fellow board member) Jeanette Bressi to resign also she needs to be the next one to resign. Ms. Wolden and Ms. Bressi were never qualified to develop a school site for completion. They are not now, nor ever will they be, the people we need to take this school project to a conclusion in the near future.
Both Ms. Wolden and Ms. Bressi need to be silent and watch people who know how to get things done and complete this school project. We owe this to taxpayers, children and teachers now. There have been more than enough mistakes and examples of poor judgment in the past from the board. We need to put this behind us and focus on positive progress.
Ron Dunster
Allentown
Warehouse letter was off-target
To the editor:
In response to James Petrillo’s Aug. 24 letter ("Warehouse will benefit township") more pollution and more noise may be the price he is willing to pay to live in "this beautiful area" but he doesn’t speak for my family. Judging from the hundreds of residents who are showing up at Planning Board hearings to oppose the Rockefeller Group’s industrial warehouses and its not-so-hidden tax increases, Mr. Petrillo’s opinion thankfully is not shared by others (including many in his own neighborhood). If it was, we wouldn’t have any "beautiful area" left to protect. "A little bit here and a little bit there," and soon you are out of touch with why we all call this place home.
So yes, I really do think that industrial warehouse developments do change our ambiance and apparently so do a majority of our neighbors. To use Mr. Petrillo’s quote: "One of the last countrified areas in Monmouth County" sir, please remember that statement when the day comes that it is all gone. Then think about all you could have done to protect it but it will be too late and the country aesthetics that attracted you here will be gone forever.
I encourage all who read this to log on to: Google Earth, type in zip code 08501 and virtually fly over Upper Freehold and Allentown and look at the open space and green, notice the industrial growth already creeping in … then move your mouse north and fly up the turnpike to Cranbury, Monroe and South Brunswick and decide for yourself what the impact means to our "pure pristine rural community".
Robert Strovinsky
Allentown

