From the issue of Oct. 26, 2006.
Vote Otrimski, Petrock and Stender
To the editor:
I am writing this letter to urge all Manville voters to vote for Ken Otrimski and Ted Petrock for another term on the Manville Borough Council, and to support Linda Stender for the House of Representatives.
Ken and Ted have been instrumental in the redevelopment of Main Street, the beautification projects you see around town which we were able to accomplish mostly through county grants. Although we all feel the pressure of increased property taxes, they have worked hard in keeping Manville the second lowest-taxed community in Somerset County by curbing expenses and making sure that we do not spend foolishly.
The increased taxes are due to the county-mandated revaluation we just went through, and the lack of increase in state aid. We are receiving the same amount of aid that we received in 2000, yet the state continues to mandate programs that we as homeowners must pay through property taxes.
Ted and Ken were instrumental in revising the personnel policy in borough hall in order to ensure that all employees were treated equally, and that no one would take advantage of the system. They also negotiated contracts with the Police and Public Works departments to ensure we received the most for our tax dollars.
Ken as Office of Emergency Management director has developed plans for all types of emergencies. He is well versed and has contingency plans for any type of catastrophe that may hit the Borough of Manville. During his term as OEM director he has secured over a half of million dollars in equipment and training, and most of that expense was financed through the State of New Jersey and Somerset County grants.
Ken and Ted are working with the rest of the governing body to ensure that the clean-up of the Rustic Mall continues and that the redevelopment of that piece of property takes place to alleviate some of the tax burden placed on us, as homeowners. We have a bipartisan council that works for the well-being of our community. They work with cohesiveness and continuity which we need to maintain in order that we may deliver the services we give to our residents in a cost-effective and timely manner.
While the other candidates are credible, they lack experience. We need the leadership and experience that Ken and Ted have shown throughout their time on the Borough Council.
Now is not the time to exchange experience and knowledge for someone who needs to learn as they go, especially since none of the other candidates have attended our council meetings to gain a perspective of what needs to be done in order to maintain the progress we have made.
Regarding the congressional race, I’m amazed when I see the ads on TV where residents of Bound Brook have been scripted in their praise of Congressman Mike Ferguson’s actions during Hurricane Floyd.
To set the record straight, Mr. Ferguson was not our congressman when Hurricane Floyd devastated Manville and Bound Brook. Our congressman was Bob Franks, and he, together with Freeholder Denise Coyle and then-Gov. Christie Whitman, visited the flooded areas and did what was necessary to get us the aid needed to help in the recovery.
Mr. Ferguson did, however, deliver the check that former Sen. Robert Torricelli and Congressmen Franks and Rodney Frelingheysen secured for us during those terrible times.
To exploit that disaster is unconscionable. We in Manville have applied for many grants through the congressman and his staff we did not receive any. It seems we are too far south in the 7th District to matter. Perhaps if more had been accomplished during Mr. Ferguson’s term of office, he would not have to reach into Congressman Franks’ record to claim fame for himself.
Mr. Ferguson’s campaign against Democratic Candidate Linda Stender has been a tough one full of accusations. What the Congressman has forgotten is that you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.
It’s time to get some honest representation for all the people of the 7th Congressional District. For this reason I am casting my vote for Linda Stender who is an independent thinker and is not going to rubber-stamp her vote like Mr. Ferguson does for whatever President George Bush wants or what benefits his special interest companies who pour thousands of dollars into his campaign. The congressman is on the wrong side of the issues, from stem cell research to sending our troops overseas without proper gear and faulty equipment.
His ad calls Linda a spender, and yet with his votes in Congress he has created the largest deficit in the history of our nation. Who is the real spender?
Assemblywoman Stender is a good and caring person. A person who is on the right side of the issues, whether it is about stem cell research, the war in Iraq, Social Security, prescription drugs for seniors, and the list goes on and on.
The only special interest Ms. Stender will have when she is elected is her constituents in the 7th District. It is time for a change in our federal government’s thinking, so join me in sending Linda Stender to Congress to be part of that change.
Vote for Linda Stender on Nov. 7th we deserve honest government, and it’s about time we get it.
Mayor Angelo Corradino
Manville

