Letters

Stream corridor

rules a plus
To the editor:
   
The Cranbury Press deserves praise for informing its readers about the merits of a Stream Corridor Ordinance ("Stream corridor law has merits", Sept. 1).
   The Environmental Commission and the Township Committee also deserve praise for the time and effort they have been devoting to the ordinance. Commission members and the staff of the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association have been hard at work on this for the past several months.
   This ordinance is not a new issue. Cranbury may remember that approximately three years ago, the SBMWA, working closely with Cranbury municipal officials, staff and consultants, prepared a municipal assessment titled "Taking the Next Step." The Municipal Assessment program was developed by the SBMWA in response to numerous concerns from municipalities seeking guidance with planning and/or environmental issues. The assessment is a general guide about what can and has been done in our community to connect goals with implementation and implementation with vision.
   Recognizing flood plains as a valuable natural resource, the township’s goal was protection of these important areas. SBMWA’s recommendation was the creation and adoption of an SCO.
   The township also felt that protection of the water quality was of "prime importance" in order to maintain potable water in the region. The SBMWA SCO would protect ground water by helping to maintain adequate flows of filtered water to underground aquifers, as well as a base flow to streams.
   Regarding the protection of natural resources and critical habitats, the township’s goal was to provide a continuous greenway network along the streams, scenic areas and critical environmental areas. An SCO would provide corridors for wildlife, recreational and hiking opportunities for residents, as well as aesthetic view sheds.
   Back in March of 2004, Mayor Richard Stannard, asked Cranbury citizens to make suggestions for a wish list. Mine was the creation and adoption of a stream corridor ordinance for the protection of water quality and related ecosystems. As a Cranbury resident interested in the health of our environment (and a member of the SBMWA and former member of the Environmental Commission), I hope the Watershed’s SCO will be completed and recommended for adoption before too much more time goes by.
Anna Drago
Cranbury
Revisiting Sept. 11

Five years later
To the editor:
   
One of the mantras of the Bush administration is, "We have to fight them there so we won’t have to fight them here." This is coupled with the "proof" of that statement in that there has been no repeat of Sept. 11 here for the past five years.
   The Bushites are proudly demonstrating how effective their Homeland Security has been and taking credit for this unrelated outcome similar to bragging in the future of their being the cause of the sun rising each day and night ending.
   Recently an almost eerie repeat of Sept. 11 occurred when a plane crashed into a tall building in Manhattan. Suppose it had been flown by a suicide bomber? What would Homeland Security have done to prevent him from doing just that?
   The answer is, of course, "Nothing." Suppose the same suicide bomber would have guided his plane, or a larger one, into our refineries in New Jersey or chemical plants or nuclear facilities? The same answer- "Nothing."
   After more than five years since Sept. 11, we are still fumbling around with the security of our nation. After more than three years in our preemptive war in Iraq we are still losing our young men and women daily to death and injury in a war that could have been won but is now lost.
   I wonder how President Bush and his Christian Coalition can sleep nights realizing that their "stay the course" has resulted in hundreds of thousands of people being killed and injured by their noble desire to show the light of Jesus to the infidels.
   But perhaps I expect too much in hoping for a change of direction for this country since a lot of people still believe in Santa Claus and a free lunch. I may be wrong about Santa but there is no free lunch.
Irving Bersak
Monroe
Democrats up

on security issues>
To the editor:
   
President George W. Bush likes to portray Democrats as soft on security, but Democrats like U.S. Rep. Rush Holt, who represents Cranbury, Jamesburg and Monroe, have been proving the president wrong.
   Recently, Rep. Holt was the prime sponsor of an amendment to this year’s Homeland Security Appropriations Act. Holt’s amendment increased federal funding for transit security by 15 percent. New Jerseyans will directly benefit from the amendment, as our state will now receive a total of $6.5 million to secure trains, buses, and stations.
   Rep. Holt’s latest achievement is indicative of the excellent job he has done representing New Jersey’s 12th Congressional district since his election in 1998. Rep. Holt has worked tirelessly to support his constituents in Central Jersey, while also acting in the best interests of our nation as a whole. I hope residents of the 12th will recognize Rep. Holt’s service by supporting him this Election Day.
Eddie Konczal
Monroe
School board

deserves kudos
To the editor:
   
I am writing this letter for a number of reasons but, first and foremost, I wish to applaud the Board of Education for making the right decision in keeping the Cranbury School bus stop within the cul-de-sac of Hardley Drive.
   During the summer, there was discussion of moving the bus stop to the corner of Lynch Way and Old Trenton Road. Recently, just a hundred feet from the proposed stop a car veered off Old Trenton Road, flipped and came to rest in a neighbor’s front yard. A photo is available on www.CranburyRepublicans.com.
   This brings me to my second motivation. Less than 24 hours prior to the accident I attended Candidates Night at the Cranbury School. One of the issues debated was the safety of local roads. The mayor indicated the "Cranbury Crawl" is working within the confines of the village. However, the township has not addressed the safety issues on Old Trenton, Cranbury Neck and Plainsboro roads.
   Rob Smithers plainly stated that he felt Plainsboro and Old Trenton roads are hazardous and he would do something about the issue before a child is killed.
   I am aware that old Trenton Road is a county road, which complicates matters. Nonetheless, the fact remains that residents jog, kids ride their bikes (without a bike path), and people walk it daily. Accidents happen within seconds and they are part of life, but if precautions are taken we can reduce the incidence and severity.
   I reach out to all residents who also feel passionately about the issue of reducing the speed limit and eliminating the passing zone on these roads. Let us work toward making not only the village, but all of Cranbury’s roads safer.
Michael Stehn
Cranbury
Candidate’s Night

turns out big upset
To the editor:
   
I was in attendance at Candidate’s Night last week and was disappointed with the response given to the question asked about what decisions the incumbents made this past year that the challengers would not have supported.
   Both Diane Stasi and Robert Smithers said they would not have voted to provide housing for very low-income families as a component of the township’s current affordable housing plan. They said they had no facts or figures regarding the plan — just their conclusion.
   Mr. Smithers also said the township was ill-prepared for funding the required housing.
   Mr. Smithers said he would get back to me with the facts, but I already have them, since I have been involved with Cranbury’s affordable housing program for more than 20 years, and I was a community member of the township Affordable Housing Sub-Committee that authored the plan last year.
   Mr. Smithers, here are the Facts: The Township Committee created an affordable Housing Trust Fund and has been receiving contributions from developers for several years with more than a million dollars held for future obligations. Last year, as allowed by COAH rules, the contribution requirement from developers was doubled. The decision to create the current plan was made with many criteria, which included creating a fiscally responsible plan.
   The opportunity to provide some of the affordable housing (20 percent) to be built for our COAH third round obligation for people of very low income, reduces our overall obligation by 10 units for the 10 units that will be actually built. It also provides the opportunity for those families of limited means to take advantage of all that Cranbury has to offer, especially our school system. The income level to get this bonus credit reduces income requirements for a family of four to $27,600, down from $32,200 from the low-income requirement. The income range for low income families is $32,200 to $46,000. Half of the affordable housing will be for moderate income families earning from $46,000 to $73,600 for a four-person family.
   Also, Mr. Smithers, to answer your question, the only COAH housing dedicated to the handicapped is to provide licensed or regulated group homes for the developmentally disabled and mentally ill. This option was reviewed by the Housing Sub-committee and was not chosen. All of Cranbury’s Affordable Housing has a component for barrier-free construction and units designed for the physically disabled.
   Please look at our website, cranburyhousing.org, for information about CHA and affordable housing in Cranbury.
Mark A. Berkowsky
Cranbury
Supporting

Pari Stave
To the editor:
   
Our community currently faces some very challenging issues. We must find the right balance between development and preservation, and understand and plan for the impact on our school, seniors, public services, environment, traffic and future housing requirements. This election should be decided based on the skills, experience and vision of the candidates.
   As mayor in 2003 and throughout her six years on the Township Committee, we have seen Pari Stave’s commitment to open, informed community decision making. This was evident in the town meetings that she led on farmland and open space preservation and use. She developed cooperative relationships with the county, state and environmental organizations that reduced the costs of preservation for the town.
   Ms. Stave has worked effectively to minimize the negative impact of new development on the school, traffic, township services and the environment. She spearheaded efforts to create a Senior Community Center at Town Hall, and to add new services and recreational activities for seniors. She has leveraged the expertise of community volunteers in the creation of the township Website, and the presentation to the community of the economics of development versus preservation.
   In order to meet the challenges of the next three years, Cranbury needs the hard-working, open-minded, intelligent, creative, cost-effective and caring leadership that Pari Stave has demonstrated.
Ginger and John Ritter
Cranbury