Letters to the editor

Borough needs township aid with water/sewer

To the editor:
   
At the recent Borough Council meeting, an ordinance to amend water charges and sewer charges was introduced. Its purpose was to raise the water/sewer usage charges because of a shortfall of a major shortfall in the $2.7 million water/sewer budget. The reason for the shortfall was the declining use of water in the borough. The proposed solution was to raise the base rate by $10 per quarter and the usage by $1.05 per 100 cubic feet used. That would generate $403,660 in increased revenue. The ordinance introduction was rejected by four council members — Thompson, Sikorski, Ryan, and Harinxma, for further analysis.
   Today our water plant pumps an average of 18 million gallons of water per month. Four years ago, we pumped 30 million gallons or water per month. Much of that was used by the Minute Maid Plant and leaky toilets. The design capacity of our sewer plant is 500,000 gallons of sewage per day. We have reached a point where the solution to usage decline by increasing usage costs will fail. There is an elasticity of demand in that when you increase the usage price, the use declines. There is also the question of the water/sewer utility increased costs of operation and decreased throughput in terms of efficiency.
   Hightstown’s water/sewer utility operating budget of 2006 less debt service is $2,112,000. The East Windsor MUA operating budget less debt service is $3,470,000. Hightstown’s population is 5,300. East Windsor’s population is 27,000 per 2005 census projection The cost per person for water/utility services in East Windsor $130 per person and in Hightstown is $400 per person, which is almost three times East Windsor’s per-person cost. The cost for 23,00 gallons or 3,000 cubic feet of water/sewer service in East Windsor is $119 per quarter. The cost for the same service in Hightstown is $278 per quarter. The cost per year is $1,112 in Hightstown and $476 in East Windsor for the same water/sewer service.
   With a knowledge of the costs presented, you would think that our elected officials would have approached the East Windsor Utility Authority and the mayor and council of East Windsor to discuss buying sewer processing services from the East Windsor MUA and selling our water allocation to them to cover our debt service. You would think our elected officials would want to look for ways to save money for borough citizens.
   They haven’t. Patten, Quattrone and Schneider say they will not, and prefer the status quo. And I see no effort by Thompson, Sikorski, Ryan and Harinxma that they will do something. We should all be amazed that our fellow citizens recently elected these government officials again to do nothing for our benefit. It’s time for the rest of this town be heard at public meetings concerning the failure of local government officials to look for cost savings rather than our paying for more of the same.
Eugene E. Sarafin
Hightstown
Comcast misleading on WNBC rate

To the editor:
   
I think it is disingenuous of Comcast Cable to say, as stated in your article in the Windsor-Hights Herald on Dec. 8, that it will only cost $5 to receive WNBC out of New York City.
   There is currently a $5-per-month promotion for Comcast Cable analog customers in East Windsor with only a TV remote to "try out" a single digital cable box for a year. After the year the fee increases to about $20 additional for the same (assuming they do not increase the fee more). Furthermore, to bump up WNBC from Channel 4 to Channel 253 is disturbing in itself if not inconvenient; and as the mayors of East Windsor and Hightstown have stated, insensitive to the needs of our towns.
   I am a New York-centric type of guy. I can hop on a bus at Tiger Deli or Twin Rivers to New York City. How do I get to Philadelphia from here?
   I request our Township Council and Mayor Mironov to consider opening up the competition to Verizon and let’s see how Comcast Cable responds! I think that was the idea of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 anyway! Maybe our rates will go down as well.
Leonard Baskin
East Windsor
McKnight seeking recess ‘equipment’

To the editor:
   
Recently, the Ethel McKnight PTA has initiated an indoor/outdoor recess equipment "drive," inviting McKnight families to contribute new or used items for their children’s recess time.
   It is a great incentive to go through the collection of items which your children have outgrown. With winter on its way, indoor recess will be more frequent and the games, puzzles and activities available will really be used a lot.
   I want to thank those families who have made such contributions and invite other members of the community to do the same. Perhaps some EMK alumni (Kreps kids?) might be ready to part with items appropriate for grades 4 and 5. Items for all grade levels are welcome and include things such as jump ropes, sports items (Nerf or sponge types), chalk, bubbles, board games (maximum 30 minutes playing time), building toys, coloring/activity books and puzzles (maximum 125 pieces).
   This donation approach was viewed as an alternative to fundraising for these items. It is a great way to recycle items you no longer need or want. Who knows, maybe it’ll even inspire a family game night in your own home.
   To make a donation, please make sure the items are well-secured with rubber bands or tape. Partial games can be accepted and combined with others of the same type to make a complete game. Please leave a note on the item if you believe it may be missing pieces so I can check for completeness. Donations can be made at the McKnight School during school hours or contact me for other arrangements at 426-0029. I’d be happy to work out a drop-off/pick-up schedule at your convenience.
   Thank you again to those who have already contributed and to those of you who will.
Marianne Nicklaus
member
McKnight PTA
No applause for teachers’ pact

To the editor:
   
I am a supporter of our educators and our schools but the new contract for the teachers in the East Windsor school district granting an annual raise of 4.7 percent for three years is excessive. This results in a gain of 14.77 percent over the life of the contract, on top of an already generous salary and benefit structure.
   Apparently, the voters’ defeat of the East Windsor school budget wasn’t enough of a signal to the Board of Education that costs, particularly teachers salaries, are out of control.
   Of course we all want our teachers to be fairly compensated. But lucrative? At taxpayer expense? I do not applaud raising the failure rate on state aptitude tests from 40 percent to 10 percent in the same way that I do not applaud the 300- pounder who loses 50 pounds. They shouldn’t have been there to begin with.
   Mr. Laverty seems like a decent fellow but he is no negotiator. Annual raises in the range of 2.4 percent to 3.2 percent seem appropriate. That is a fair amount that would have allowed the misguided pay-to-play discussions for high school sports to be put to rest. Education for our students occurs in more places than the class room, and includes the athletic field, the band room and the stage.
   Future candidates for the school board should be specifically questioned for their views on compensation and be held accountable.
Jeffrey Harris
East Windsor
Thanks for supporting Red Cross Club party

To the editor:
   
The Hightstown High School Red Cross Club would like to thank the following businesses for their continued support for our annual holiday party for local children that was held on Dec. 4 at Hightstown High School.
   GUND, Russ Berrie, A and M Farm Market, Wawa, Sal’s Pizza, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Conair, Atlanta Bread, Dunkin’ Donuts, American Diner, Walgreens, WaveLengths, "30 Rock" Local 817 Theatrical Teamsters, Twin Rivers Library, Shop-Rite, Wal-Mart, South Pacific Flowers, Tony’s Farm Market, A Better Photo, Coldstone Creamery and KFC.
   This support made our party the best one we have had in 13 years. Thanks for everything.
Jeanne Heikes
Adviser
HHS Red Cross Club