LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, Oct. 24
Valley Road building needn’t be ostentatious
To the editor:
The Princeton Regional Board of Education has requested input on the Valley Road building.
One benefit to life in Princeton is the quality of the public schools. For this, we can thank dedicated school board members, committed teachers, administrators and highly involved parents. We can thank a policy of school expenditures, which generally has prioritized programs that directly benefit students, even in the current difficult financial environment. Many families have moved to Princeton, or have decided to stay, because of the quality of the public schools.
Across Witherspoon Street from the Valley Road building is the flashy Princeton Township administration building. The township building, flaunting wealth and power, has won prestigious awards. While families move to Princeton because of the schools, few would tout any benefits from an ostentatious administrative office building.
The Valley Road building currently houses administrative offices for the Princeton schools and several community groups. I would join many others who have respectfully suggested that efficient, functional and modest offices for school administrators be provided, and that safe and efficient space be provided for current groups. Space beyond these existing requirements should be utilized in a manner that generates revenues to benefit Princeton school students and teachers.
While state-level restrictions may limit the sale of surplus Valley Road building space to financially benefit Princeton schools, alternatives are available. For example, established financial techniques for monetization of excess space such as municipal sale-leaseback could be utilized to generate funds to pay for the Valley Road building renovation and pay to Princeton schools
Let’s not create another pretentious, publicly funded palace on Witherspoon Street, especially in times of financial constraint for public schools.
Gordon Bryant
Ettl Circle
Princeton
Schools must act ‘in loco parentis’
To the editor:
As the former headmistress of a private school, I’d like to urge the Princeton Regional Schools to adopt the recommendations of the Joint Human Services Commission on the schools’ role when a student is removed from school premises by the police department (The Packet, Oct. 20).
Schools stand "in loco parentis." As such, when a parent or guardian is not present, a representative of the school should accompany any student removed by public authorities until parents arrive or, if that cannot be arranged, until their representative (attorney, doctor or court-appointed guardian) arrives. Whether a counselor, adviser, dean or administrator, this school representative need not take any active role in the removal process, but he/she should be a presence for the student and a representative of the school community until the family can assume its parental role.
In fact, such a procedure should be in place not only for incidents involving the police, but also for all other occasions when students must be removed from school premises for example, when an athlete must be taken to a medical facility or a child is placed in protective custody by child protective services. Standing in loco parentis is a significant legal, community and human responsibility of a school administration.
Evelyn A. Flory
Coburn Road
Pennington
The writer is retired headmistress of St. Paul’s School for Girls in Brooklandville, Md.
Community should be sensitive to victims
To the editor:
In response to the racially biased robberies and beatings of Hispanics by blacks and the arrest of four black juveniles charged with complicity and whose parents are not cooperating with the investigation, Princeton’s Joint Human Services Commission is recommending that in all future arrests, a school official should accompany the student to the police department, even though their investigation concluded that both the police department and school officials acted properly (The Packet, Oct. 20).
A Packet editorial (Sept. 26) urged readers to be mindful of decades-old injustices to African Americans while this crime is being investigated. According to the police, the investigation is "stalled."
Race should not be an excuse for criminal behavior. This community should be equally sensitive and vocal about the rights of Hispanic victims who are beaten and robbed. The silence is deafening.
Jerry Preiser
Hillrose Way
Monroe
HiTOPS thanks its friends, new and old
To the editor:
I am writing to say a very big thank you to some of HiTOPS’ new and old friends.
Last Wednesday, HiTOPS officially launched our 20th year of service with an open house/health fair/birthday party and we were delighted to welcome hundreds of parents, friends, teens and partnering organizations.
The event would not have been possible without the tremendous support of our supporters and sponsors. Event underwriters included Ortho Women’s Health & Urology: a division of Ortho-McNeill Pharmaceutical Inc.; Janssen L.P; Church & Dwight Company Inc.; The HiTOPS staff and board of directors; and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Ferrara. Mr. Ferrara was not only an event underwriter, but also serves as the chair of the 20th anniversary activities and is a member of our board of directors.
We were also tremendously grateful to receive additional in-kind support from Blue Tulip, Church & Dwight, Ferrara & Company Advertising, Johnson & Johnson, joyCards, Heather Parker and Wegmans.
Thanks to our generous sponsors, birthday party guests were able to take advantage of free massages, tours of our newly renovated facilities, and take part in wellness activities. Needless to say, we also all enjoyed lots of goodies, including ice cream, popcorn and, of course, birthday cake. In the end, we thanked many current supporters, introduced countless new people to HiTOPS and raised some much-needed funds to support HiTOPS and the essential work we do in the community.
I would like to raise a big piece of birthday cake to everyone who attended our celebration and extend a personal welcome to HiTOPS to anyone who may have missed the celebration for whatever reason. We are still encouraging support of HiTOPS as we enter our 20th year, and I personally would love to meet anyone who would like to learn more about the services we provide or the lives we touch.
At HiTOPS, we deeply believe that responsible decisions lead to brighter futures and we were so thrilled to share our message in such a powerful and celebratory way.
Lori Heninger
Executive Director
HiTOPS
Wiggins Street
Princeton
Rummage sale was great success
To the editor:
On behalf of The Auxiliary of University Medical Center at Princeton and all the volunteers at the 2006 White Elephant Rummage Sale, we wish to thank all those contributors and customers who participated in our 88th annual sale in our new location in the parking garage at the University Medical Center at Princeton.
We would like to thank all UMCP physicians and staff who gave up their parking spaces to accommodate the sale.
The sale was a great success and all profits will go to cardiac care and equipment and heart-related community education programs at University Medical Center at Princeton.
Clare Baxter
Lucille Dawson
LaVerne D. Hébert
Co-Chairs
White Elephant Rummage Sale 2006
Auxiliary of University Medical Center at Princeton
Witherspoon Street
Princeton
This Halloween, dig down deep for UNICEF
To the editor:
It’s that time of year again time to collect your change and your dollar bills to contribute to the U.S. fund for UNICEF Trick-or-Treat collection that will occur on Halloween, Oct. 31.
The U.S. fund for UNICEF, for those of you unfamiliar with it, is the U.S. branch of a United Nations organization devoted to the welfare of children. For many years, UNICEF, whose motto has been "kids helping kids," has distributed Halloween collection boxes for American children to use in gathering money to help children throughout the world. Children carry the orange collection boxes with them when they go trick-or-treating and ask their neighbors to contribute money to UNICEF.
Last year, for the first time, 50 percent of the funds collected by UNICEF at Halloween were spent inside the U.S. to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. This year, the funds collected will go toward supporting UNICEF’s mission to provide children around the world with lifesaving medicine, better nutrition, clean water and sanitation, quality basic education and emergency relief.
Did you know that 376 million kids around the world have to walk more than 15 minutes to get a drink of clean water? Or that 121 million kids don’t go to school? Or that one out of every six kids doesn’t get the food needed to be healthy? Or that one in every 4,000 children dies every day of preventable childhood diseases due to lack of clean water, sufficient food or immunization against disease?
UNICEF addresses these critical needs. A contribution of 7 cents to UNICEF can supply an entire classroom with crayons, $1 can immunize a child against polio, $10 can feed three children healthfully for a month, and $150 can provide clean water for an entire village.
UNICEF is noted for its cost effectiveness and its integrity. Over 90 percent of the contribution you make will go directly to help children. Charity Navigator, a nonprofit organization that rates charities, gives the U.S. Fund for UNICEF its highest rating: 4 stars. As a contributor, you can be confident that your money is getting where it needs to go.
The Riverside Elementary School in Princeton will once again be collecting funds for UNICEF next Tuesday. Last year, we exceeded our goal of $1,500; this year we have set a goal of $1,600. Please help us reach it. If someone comes to your door with a UNICEF box, please give generously not just your spare change, but your $1, $5, $10, $20 bills as well. Remember the difference that your contribution can make in the lives of children in need. You can also contribute by sending checks to UNICEF, Riverside PTO, Riverside Elementary School, 58 Riverside Drive, Princeton, NJ, 08540.
Riverside has some extra UNICEF boxes this year, so if your child(ren) would like to participate but don’t have boxes, please call me at (609) 430-9358 and you can come pick some up.
Eve Niedergang
Forester Drive
Princeton
Removal of trees creates an eyesore
To the editor:
This past spring, in the midst of a large expansion to a retail center, Montgomery Gardens in Montgomery Township cut down a long line of large white pines along Route 206. For many years, these trees had helped screen a set of greenhouses and kept that part of the Route 206 corridor green and beautiful. Now, the old greenhouses plus a huge new greenhouse, parking lot and garden center are all visible from the highway, totally unscreened by any trees or other landscaping.
I write as a Montgomery resident and chair of the Montgomery Township Shade Tree Committee to protest not only the removal of the original row of trees (which Montgomery Gardens had promised to retain when they expanded their business), but also the failure to plant any new screening.
Montgomery Gardens, which continues to operate without a certificate of occupancy, has spoken of plans for new landscaping to provide some visual buffer. The short-lived row of petunias they planted this past summer and the recently planted ornamental grasses hardly qualify. There are still no signs of progress in this area.
I urge Montgomery Gardens to fulfill its responsibility to the residents of Montgomery Township and plant substantial, new trees along Route 206 very soon.
Ewa Zak
Chair
Shade Tree Committee
Montgomery Township
Van Horne Road
Montgomery
Congressman did not seek to limit discussion
To the editor:
I write to respond to a recent letter on this page from Lindsey Rosenthal of Montgomery (The Packet, Oct. 13). In her letter, Lindsay mentions her meetings with Rep. Mike Ferguson regarding funding for juvenile diabetes and makes the assertion that she was prohibited from raising controversial political topics with the congressman.
This is simply not true.
It is the policy of our office to arrange meetings with Rep. Ferguson for any constituent who requests one, and Lindsey and her family have, in fact, met on three occasions with the congressman. I personally sat in on two of these sessions, and in their meetings, Lindsey and her family were polite and ardent advocates for their cause: federal funding for juvenile diabetes research. But it is incorrect to assert that our office asked to limit the topics of the meeting.
Honest policy differences between constituents and their elected officials are normal and healthy in our democracy and our office encourages them. Public officials and the people they serve are strengthened and our policy decisions rendered more sound by meeting and discussing the issues of the day.
Lindsey’s policy disagreement with Rep. Ferguson is a perfectly appropriate topic for her to share with the public and with this page. But she is mistaken if she believes that Rep. Ferguson’s difference of opinion was an attempt to limit an honest discussion of government policy.
Marcus Rayner
District Director
New Jersey Office
Rep. Mike Ferguson
Mountain Boulevard
Warren
Democratic team cares about Montgomery
To the editor:
The Montgomery Township October newsletter reported that the state Department of Transportation has agreed to study some alternate designs for the proposed Hillsborough Bypass. This is good news for Montgomery residents, especially those of us in Pike Run and surrounding neighborhoods.
The proposed bypass would run parallel to Route 206 in Hillsborough starting at Old Somerville Road and ending at the intersection of Belle Mead-Griggstown Road and Route 206. As proposed, this bypass would be a four-lane highway that transitions to two lanes and splits the Pike Run development in two. This would be disastrous for our neighborhood, and the traffic that would be dumped onto other township roads would also be highly detrimental.
The DOT will not pursue the kind of common-sense solutions proposed by Montgomery without data to support a different course. This study may provide that data. But regardless of the outcome of these traffic studies, Montgomery remains in a strong position to prevent the bypass from coming into our town.
Thanks to the determination of Mayor Louise Wilson and Deputy Mayor Cecilia Birge, the DOT under the new Corzine administration is willing to look at some alternatives. I hope that Montgomery residents will support Louise Wilson in her bid for Somerset County freeholder, where she will continue to support regional traffic relief while defending Montgomery and other towns against projects as misguided and dangerous as this freeway.
I also urge voters to support Cecilia Birge and her running mate, Brad Fay, for Township Committee. They are part of a team that cares about all of Montgomery’s neighborhoods and will continue to represent our concerns to the leaders in Trenton.
Janine Maslyn
Taggert Drive
Montgomery
Caliguire stepped up on school budget
To the editor:
We are residents of Montgomery and have been generally skeptical about the claims made by both political parties. Here in Montgomery, we are fortunate that we can evaluate two of the candidates for Township Committee based not on what they say or what their party stands for but on the work they have done while in office.
One of the most contentious issues in Montgomery in recent years was the 2005 defeat of the school budget. By law, the budget then went to the Township Committee. Mark Caliguire, the only Republican on the committee, could easily have avoided becoming embroiled in this controversy but, instead, Mark took a lead role in the process. He spent many hours studying the school budget and in meetings with school board members and the district administrators.
Even though the voters had overwhelmingly voted down the proposed budget, there was considerable pressure on the Township Committee to approve the budget as originally proposed. We were among the parents making the case that cuts in the budget would jeopardize one of the top school districts in the state.
We attended the public meetings where Mark reported to the rest of the Township Committee on the efforts to find savings in the school budget and his work with school administrators. He did a superb job of balancing the competing interests. He spoke sincerely of the need to control costs at all levels of government and the obligation he felt, given the vote on the budget, to make significant cuts in school spending. However, as he explained how savings would be made, he convinced us that he would not advocate cuts so deep as to risk educational excellence.
We were fortunate to see, in person, that Mark Caliguire is smart, dedicated to the best interests of all his constituents, and is the type of leader we could use at all levels of government. On Nov. 7, we will be voting to re-elect Mark Caliguire to the Montgomery Township Committee and we urge you to do the same.
Mark and Tracey Simon
Sheppard’s Way
Montgomery
Wilson’s diligence benefits constituents
To the editor:
I am writing this letter in support of Mayor Louise Wilson for freeholder in Somerset County.
I am a registered Republican, and have been all my life. Never voted for or supported a Democrat. That is about to change.
The reason I am supporting Louise Wilson for freeholder is a personal issue for me. Mayor Wilson worked very diligently in getting the traffic light installed at the Cherry Valley Road and Great Road intersection.
Why, you may ask, is that a personal issue for me. Well, it’s because my wife and I almost got killed at that horrific intersection. On July 7, 2003, a pleasant Sunday afternoon, we were heading west on Cherry Valley Road when we came to the intersection and stopped at the four-way stop sign. After checking and re-checking to make sure no one was approaching, I proceeded to cross The Great Road. The next thing I remember, I was being extricated from my brand-new Mercedes. I heard ambulance sirens and my wife screaming. Thank God we were not hurt seriously. A 16-year-old girl from Pennsylvania, driving on a permit, ran the stop sign at approximately 60 miles per hour, and broadsided us, totaling my brand new car.
I had seen several accidents at the intersection, and too many near-misses to count. I decided that enough was enough, and realized that I had to become active if I wanted this intersection improved. I was willing to do anything to prevent this from happening to another person. I started making phone calls.
The first person I spoke to was George Balasack, president of the Cherry Valley Homeowners Association, who brought me up to date on the status of the proposed traffic signal at the intersection. He sent me copies of correspondence he had with several officials, including Mayor Wilson. I contacted Mayor Wilson, who promised me she was doing all she could to get the traffic light installed. On a regular basis, Mayor Wilson copied me on correspondence she had with the various county and state agencies. I was kept well informed by her, and I took notice of all of her efforts to get this traffic light installed.
After the installation was completed, I contacted Mayor Wilson to thank her for all of her involvement in getting this accomplished. I told her that she proved to me that she was truly concerned about the citizens of Montgomery.
I also want to point out that Mayor Wilson has done an outstanding job with farmland preservation, she is against "pay-to-play" and is to be commended in her efforts to control Montgomery’s municipal tax, which has been stable for the past five years.
Please support Mayor Wilson in her run for Somerset County freeholder.
Frank Kane
Tanglewood Court
Montgomery
Zimmerman gets things done in Rocky Hill
To the editor:
Rocky Hill Councilman Ed Zimmerman is running for mayor because he was asked by many of his friends to do so. I can’t possibly recount all of the ways he has contributed to our community in the last three years. Let’s just say that when it comes to getting things done, and networking with lots of different residents and public officials, he truly has a gift. His talents and personality fit the job perfectly. As we continue to work on important issues with our friends in Montgomery Township, Ed is clearly the right guy for the job.
The position of mayor requires a certain temperament and set of skills that you don’t automatically acquire simply because you want the job. In a town as small as ours, personal attacks are particularly harmful. Those who support Ed are truly committed to working together in an atmosphere of respect. He also has business skills that will allow the town to do much-needed financial planning and forecasting. An increasing number of new families are moving to Rocky Hill because it is a great place to raise children. However, we have a tax base that is relatively fixed. Therefore, we need to accurately project the impact of increased school taxes in the borough.
Ed has demonstrated an unbelievable commitment to the residents of Rocky Hill. From personal observation, I can tell you that no request is too big and no job is too small. He will set up water pitchers for a Planning Board meeting, fix problems with a memorial bench and then tirelessly pursue grant money to construct a pavilion (as requested), which has benefited all of us. During a period of ridiculous argument among council members concerning summer Park Nights, Ed paid for the band one night out of his own pocket. He has never sought commendation. Ed impressively renovated the clerk’s office on a small budget by doing the labor himself, purchasing wisely and pulling in friends to help. The council never so much as said thank you. This is indicative of the petty politics we have endured for too long. His concern was only for those who work in the office.
I am often asked why my husband would run for a council seat after listening to my frustrations for three years. Good question. I guess because we know that what keeps a town moving forward are the people and we know enough rational, civic-minded residents with no personal agenda or need for personal glory to think that we can get something done with the right people in office. Bill Hallman and Dan Harrington agreed to run with Ed Zimmerman because they believe that with Ed at the helm, the council can become a congenial body where disagreements will never go beyond adjournment.
I hope that the residents of Rocky Hill will agree with me that we would be well-positioned for the next four years with Ed Zimmerman as our mayor.
Connie Hallman
Montgomery Avenue
Rocky Hill
Vote for Pfeifer, a proven leader
To the editor:
I support Barbara Pfeifer for West Windsor Township Council.
As a resident of West Windsor, I have seen our property taxes increase significantly over the past nine years. Barbara fully supports various concepts for bringing in more commercial ratables through sensibly developing the available 1,000 acres of land in West Windsor. Not only will this lower our property taxes, but it will also create more jobs in West Windsor.
Barbara also believes our community should be a diverse one, where all ages can enjoy what West Windsor has to offer. That is why Barbara is looking to include senior developments amongst the new construction in West Windsor to make sure we don’t drive away our longtime West Windsor residents to other states because of the rising costs.
As a Wall Street executive, Barbara has the right business experience to get the job done. She has worked on the Township Council in support of the new town center, which will create a place for all our residents to go a place where West Windsor residents will have a sense of community and be proud of.
I urge you to vote on Nov. 7 for Barbara Pfeifer, a proven leader who will make West Windsor an even better place to live.
Nick Schiera
Benjamin Court
West Windsor
Pfeifer is advocate for open government
To the editor:
It is rare in the political arena to find a candidate whose only "special interest" is giving as much information as possible to our citizens, finding out what they want and trying to make it happen. That is why I am supporting Barbara Pfeifer for West Windsor Township Council.
Barbara’s entry into township politics was as the originator of an organization whose goal was to obtain open, two-way communication between township officials and all residents. She resisted attempts from all sides to turn her roundtable group into a vehicle for preconceived agendas. Many of the "town hall meetings" and public presentations that we enjoy today are the result of her efforts to push the establishment to more openness.
I have lived in West Windsor for 18 years. In that time, I have seen many of my favorite wildflower meadows and deer hangouts disappear into houses and concrete, and the waiting time for a parking permit at the train station go from about one year to six or seven. Doing nothing has not prevented this from happening. Time after time, developers have come into our town, promised the moon to get to build what they want, then used the legal system to force us to settle for a couple of asteroids while we have to keep our side of the bargain.
We have the opportunity in the redevelopment area around the train station to put the needs of all the people of West Windsor first before somebody else decides what they want to build. I trust Barbara Pfeifer to not only ask the right questions, but to listen to all our questions, suggestions and complaints and make sure we are heard.
Please vote for Barbara Pfeifer on Nov. 7.
Andrea Mandel
Ellsworth Drive
West Windsor

