Letters to the Editor

March 29,2007

Correspondence regarding the April 17 school board elections will run no later than April 5. Correspondence regarding the May 8 Washington Township Council election will run no later than April 26.
Fundraiser a good start,

but more is needed

To the editor:
   
Reach an Educated Decision (RED) held a wine and cheese fundraiser at La Piazza in Allentown on March 22, from 7-9 p.m. The function was attended by many community members from Allentown and Upper Freehold to support the middle school referendum and school budget. The members of RED wanted to take this opportunity to thank all those who attended and made extremely generous contributions totaling over $3,000. We are off to a great start, but, as poet Robert Frost wrote, we have "many miles to go before we can sleep."
   Reach an Educated Decision is comprised of a group of community members whose objective is to disseminate factual information in support of the April 17 middle school referendum and school budget. Information contained on the RED Web site establishes the need for a middle school and the rationale for the relocation to Breza Road. In addition, the Web site highlights the proposed 2007-2008 school budget that will provide our students with many resources and needed personnel benefiting curriculum development and progress.
   If you have questions you would like answered regarding these issues or just want further information about Reach an Educated Decision, please visit our Web site at: http://www.ReachAnEducatedDecision.net.
John Reynolds,

Chairman, RED
Proud to be children

of school board member

To the editor:
   
Our families would like to take the time to thank those of you who have given us your support during the past few weeks. As many of you know, the character and integrity of our father, Howard Krieger, have been in question. It has been comforting to know that he has earned the trust of those who know him, as theystand firmly behind him.
   We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to be raising our children in the same community as their grandparents. Because they are so close, they are always there to cheer the kids on athletically and academically. As a result, many of our friends and neighbors have had the pleasure of getting to know them on the sidelines, as well as in the classroom.
   Those of you who truly know our father recognize him as an asset to our community, He has given countless hours, and all of his energy and enthusiasm with the commitment to improve our community. As a member of the school board, he has dedicated his time to resolving the many issues we continue to face with our middle school project. As a local business owner he has always given back to the community. As a neighbor and friend, he has represented the interests of the taxpayers and has been an advocate for many. As a father, he has been a terrific role model, always giving of himself to help others. As a grandfather, he continues to teach his grandchildren the value of honesty and the importance of being true to ourselves and others. He is respected and admired by many members of our community, young and old.
   We greatly appreciate all of you who have personally approached us and those who have given us a call, or dropped us an email expressing tremendous support for our father. Although a few people have asked for his resignation, it is because of the overwhelming support from those that know him that he remains strong. We are so proud of our dad for continuing to hold his head high, and not losing focus on the true issues that we are currently facing within our school district. Thank you for giving him the strength to continue to serve as an honorable and productive member of our school board.
Stacey and Adam Morse,

Andrew and Karen Krieger,

Upper Freehold

Watch out for

former mayor

To the editor:
   
Well it’s off to the races again in Washington Township politics. Personal agendas are once again taking center stage, as our very own icon of bad government, former Mayor Doug Tindall, looks to revive his failed political career with a run for Township Council.
   Mr. Tindall has never recovered from his 2004/2005political slaughter. As former mayor and committeeman, his public record includes(but is not limited to):
   * Calling meetings in violation of township ordinances;
   * Voting against the enforcement of our pay-to-play ordinance;
   * Spending tens of thousands of our tax dollars to block our right to vote on whether or not to change our form of government;
   * Eliminating the second public comment period at committee meetings;
   * Shouting down residents at town meetings, resulting in an investigation by the Mercer Prosecutors Office;
   * Running the Open Space Program so badly that the Mercer County Freeholders investigated our program.
   * Severe temper tantrums, including tearing down another committee member’s poster during a presentation;
   Mr. Tindall’s grudge against taxpayers seems to be boundless. In addition to raising our taxes, and then wasting our tax dollars, last year, he opposed the dissolution of the Fire District. That means Mr. Tindall was against saving the $50,000 dollars a month that the township’s takeover has produced.
   And what of Mr. Tindall’s vaunted open space record? Isn’t this why he is seeking office? Let’s see: the Open Space Committee meetings were not advertised, no minutes were kept, and the public was not permitted to attend. Property after property was purchased without appraisal, the worst example of this being the money pit lovingly known as the Cattail Tavern. Forced through by lame-duck Tindall and two cronies in 2005, this hulk will no doubt hit the $300K mark in losses and potential liability on our taxes.
   Mr. Open Space, Doug Tindall, opposed the preservation of the Herman-Updike Farm. The development of this property threatened to add dozens of new homes and destroy the historic Village of Windsor. At one meeting, one of the owners of the property stood up and claimed he was told to sell his property for development by the Open Space Committee. He was shouted down by an Open Space Committee member in attendance at the meeting. On top of that, Mr. Tindall’s cronies on the Planning Board approved a gas station to be built next to a church and nearly next door to a kindergarten school in Windsor. Unbelievable.
   Let’s see what Mr. Tindall stands for: higher taxes, government waste, farmland development, government inefficiency, fiscal mismanagement, tantrums against taxpayers, opposition to historic hamlets…
   One letter just isn’t long enough to list his offenses against this community.
   Just as in 2004 and 2005, make sure you let Doug Tindall know what you think of his politics and his record when you vote.
   
Mike McGowan,

Washington

Board should be

more ashamed

To the editor:
   
I applaud the comments written by Mr. Murray A. Barnett ("Board should be more embarrassed," March 22). I attended the majority of budget workshops by the Washington Township Board of Education and I was also distressed to hear that the board is embarrassed by this year’s budget. School budget inconsistencies in late March are not acceptable. This fiscally irresponsible behavior must stop now.
   I understand the challenges that the student population explosion, lack of space, and lack of state funding to support state mandated programs create, however, our community must believe the school board is being fiscally responsible with our hard earned tax dollars. Instead, we are uneasy and confused.
   The Washington Township Board of Education should be more than embarrassed by this debacle, it should be downright ashamed. Where is the leadership of this school board? It is imperative that our school board consist of members who hold the administration accountable, work collaboratively, and represent transparency at board workshop’s and meetings. It’s time for a change. I am actively supporting Tom Halm and Lainie Potter for Washington Township Board of Education on April 17.
   
Jodi Stephens,

Washington

Township does not

need a town center

To the editor:
   
I am very concerned about the Upper Freehold Planning Board’s consideration of the "Ellisdale Tract" to construct a town center (actually Polhemustown Road property).
   Why would anyone consider this a viable option? Our town center already exists — it is Allentown. Businesses already struggle to stay afloat in our small town. It makes no sense to build another town less than two miles away. Our population can barely support the Allentown businesses. Last week a speaker for the local economic advisory committee stated at the Planning Board meeting that businesses need to be located by other businesses to attract shoppers and in close proximity to major highways. The Polhemustown site has neither of these assets. Commercial sites with empty stores do not assist Upper Freehold to build a stable tax base for the future.
   Anyone who drives in Allentown in the morning would certainly understand the traffic repercussions of a town center whose only access to a major road would be to funnel through Allentown’s already choked roadways. This cannot in way be considered good planning and the argument put forth by the Planning Board that a town center would limit the area of improved roadways is naive. Are the new residents only allowed to stay in their town center, or will they be like us, needing to go to work, school and play in all areas of our township?
   I have serious questions whether a town center anywhere makes sense for Upper Freehold Township unless it is located adjacent to existing towns of Allentown or Imlaystown — and even that I am not sure is a viable option.
   As we all know, Washington Township has already developed this model — but at least they never had a town center like Allentown. We must look closely at the cost of this model. Taxes have more than doubled in Washington Township due to the need to build new schools to handle the burgeoning population caused by the high-density town center model. Many long time residents are leaving Washington Township because they can no longer afford to live there. Is this what we want for our future?
   With high density housing comes rapid growth; unlike the phase-in of smaller tracts of residential sites. We all say we want to preserve as much land as possible but that goal cannot be reached at the sacrifice of a sensible plan of development; allowing a slower pace of development wit ha maximum preservation of land.
   
Krystal Odell,

Upper Freehold Township