Letters to the editor

Week of March 30

By:
Commer should fill vacant seat
To the editor:
   For the month of March 2007, Scott Pohl and the board of directors of the Twin Rivers Home Owners Association have outdone themselves once again, showing their disrespect to the homeowners and residents of Twin Rivers in several ways as is evidenced by various articles in the March issue of Twin Rivers Today.
   To me the biggest insult is the board’s announcement that they are accepting applications to fill John Pagliarulo’s seat on the board of directors since Mr. Pagliarulo submitted his resignation. Mr. Pagliarulo had won his seat via election only two short months ago. Having Mr. Pagliarulo win a seat and then step aside for Mr. Pohl to choose whomever he wishes to join his group truly is an insult.
   Steve Commer came in fourth in the December election for board members and I believe Mr. Pohl and the board should give us a good reason as to why he should not be given the vacant seat. Mr. Commer had been interviewed for the seat and was accepted as a candidate by the Twin Rivers Nominating Committee. The board has the right to select a replacement to serve for the unexpired term of John Pagliarulo. But again I ask why not Steve Commer?
   In the past the board has replaced board members who has resigned with appointees. Of the last six appointees most of them did not even attend two consecutive board meetings before being appointed. It seems to me their main qualification for being appointed is that they are friends of Scott Pohl. Camaraderie does not make for competence and what the board of directors needs is one person who can jump 7 feet, not seven board members who can jump 1 foot.
   The solicitation for board members requires that all applicants must sign an oath of confidentiality, be members in good standing, be willing to agree to uphold the governing documents in full and agree to attend meetings as per the bylaws of the association. It is most unfortunate that at least seven of our board members haven’t the foggiest idea of what the governing documents are all about. I believe the solicitation should also include the fact that all board members should be obligated to possess a minimum amount of knowledge about the governing documents and not just be yes men to Scott Pohl.
   Being a board member requires dedication, hard work and time. I would think the board of directors would insist that all board members come prepared for the board meetings by studying the package of documents that are sent to them five days before the board meeting. I think the readers would be disgusted by the lack of preparedness of most of the board members.
   We would do much better with Steve Commer than most of the board members we now have.
Al Wally
East Windsor
EWRSD deserves yes vote on budget
To the editor:
   The East Windsor Regional School District is facing a large budget deficit for the 2007-2008 fiscal year. The deficit was not created by the EWRSD but by passage of Bill A-1; a piece of deeply-flawed legislation that was crafted to provide New Jersey residents with property tax relief beginning in 2007.
   Unless the EWRSD budget shortfall is overcome, there will be sharp reductions in teachers and staff, elimination of courtesy and after-school activity busing, increased class sizes and the loss of extracurricular activities at many schools.
   Although other school districts are affected by A-1, EWRSD is hardest hit. Despite public acknowledgements from Gov. Corzine’s office, representatives from the New Jersey Legislature and the Commissioner of the Department of Education that EWSRD’s budget shortfall was a mistake imposed on EWRSD by the state, there is apparently nobody in state government who has the authority to fix EWSRD’s budget problems.
   In lieu of divine intervention, the only option that remains available to the voters of East Windsor and Hightstown (to insure that our school system remains reasonably intact) is to vote yes on the 2007-2008 school budget and three school-related ballot questions.
   It is important to note that the EWRSD 2007-2008 school budget is substantially less than the 2006-2007 budget that was approved (and adjusted downward by $500,000? by the mayors and town councils of Hightstown and East Windsor. This means that passage of the 2007-2008 school budget and three school-related ballot questions will result in only a slightincrease in property taxes paid by residents of both East Windsor and Hightstown. Further, it will enable EWRSD to offer full-day kindergarten to residents of East Windsor and Hightstown; something that was promised by the school district after the building referendum was passed four years ago.
   I think that the time has come for the residents, the town councils and most importantly, the mayors of East Windsor and Hightstown to do the right thing: make an investment in our future by voting yes on the EWRSD 2007-2008 school budget.
Cliff Mintz
East Windsor
CASC give thanks after huge success
To the editor:
   After the success of our annual Community Health Fair, 5K Run and Vendor Fair, we would like to thank the many people who made these events possible.
   Through collaboration with community partners, CASC provides this essential opportunity for families to get access to medical information and care they need.
   Our sponsors — including premier supporter Verizon, as well as the Hispanic American Medical Association, Customized Benefit Solutions Inc., Shiseido, CCL Label, Comcast and Fitness Zone — are true heroes for investing in the wellness of our community. We also offer deep thanks to the East Windsor Regional School District and Hightstown High School custodial staff for their assistance in hosting this event.
   This year’s 5K Run reached an extraordinary new level of community participation. With outstanding support from the mayors and police departments of Hightstown and East Windsor, we welcomed almost 200 runners and walkers of all ages, who enjoyed a great event blessed by perfect weather. We thank them for their support, as well as the sponsors of this special event, including premier sponsors Firmenich and Barbara Sheerin and event boosters United Parcel Service and Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck.
   We are also deeply grateful to the many volunteers who helped the events run smoothly including our exceptionally capable 5K coordinators Mark Sheerin and Al Siuta, and Vendor Fair coordinators Kathy Patten and Andrea Chmielewski. CASC’s entire board of directors pitched in, and our dedicated staff worked overtime to ensure that no detail was overlooked.
   Community volunteers are an essential part of our organization, and we are deeply grateful to Norman Billings, Allyn Bonilla, Jill Johnston, Jodi-Ann Mullaney, Rosalyn Sanders, Ann Marie and David Siuta, and Tanya Velazquez for their assistance. We also welcomed the help of an impressive team of youth volunteers from Hightstown High School, including Tiffany Acevedo, Jennifer Barillas, Joanne Kim, Jennifer Loja, Kayla Portnoy, Lynn Portnoy, Ivonne Saquicela and Tatiana Tosi.
   Finally, we’d like to thank the businesses and friends who donated prizes, refreshments and services: Aztek Graphics, Central Perk & Bagel Company, Conair, Curves of East Windsor, Dunkin Donuts, Junior Friday Club of Hightstown/East Windsor, Latina Women’s Council of Mercer County, LIV Natural, Mastoris Chiropractic Center, The Running Company, Matt and Eileen Sheerin, Shop Rite of East Windsor, Slowdown Café, Tigers’ Deli, Triangle Repro, Wawa Food Market, Wegmans Market and Whole Foods Market.
   Community health fairs provide preventive medical screenings and information to uninsured or underinsured families. Many lack the resources to detect or treat potential health problems, which can devastate a family. Lack of preventive health care also costs taxpayers millions of dollars in emergency care costs for uninsured people. We all gain from a healthier community.
   As health insurance becomes increasingly scarce, we applaud our partners for their commitment to funding family support programs. Through continued collaboration, we will keep strengthening our community from within.
   For more information about CASC, please visit our Web site at www.CASCmercer.org.
Amanda Porter
vice president,
board of directors
Community Action Service Center Inc.
Hightstown
Rothstein recalled for enthusiasm
To the editor:
   Upon the death of former East Windsor Mayor Barbara Rothstein, I recalled her wonderful enthusiasm and open and honest government, which she tried so hard to promote.
   Back when Mrs. Rothstein was mayor, I was the editor at the Windsor-Hights Herald, and politics were, as usual, at their worst. Despite some attempts at discrediting Mrs. Rothstein’s elegance, ingenuity and good sense, Barbara said the truths about what East Windsor needed and wanted.
   Many of us always kept her near in our hearts.
   I will miss Barbara’s candor, her love of life and all things Broadway based. But of course the worst production ever was those nasty, ill-fitting East Windsor politics.
Lorraine B. Keenan
Hamilton
former managing editor
Windsor-Hights Herald
Legislative action terribly flawed
To the editor:
   The New Jersey Legislature has opted for no ballot issue this November on creating a constitutional convention concerning the reliance of property taxes. They have opted for a bill called A-1 that gives a 20-percent maximum property tax rebate depending on income. It is a one-shot deal with no solution to funding municipal and school government with other than property taxes. It is an election-year expedient that ignores everything that could reduce the cost of government and the reliance on property taxes. Since it is an election year for our legislature, their individual election is more important than property tax reform.
   It’s time our legislators, Assemblyman Mike Panter and State Sen. Ellen Karcher, explained the real world to the Democratic party leadership. If Panter and Karcher are replaced this year along with other suburban Democratic and Republican Party legislators, where is either party’s power? With no constitutional convention ballot on the reliance of property taxes this November, the vote for reform should be a no vote for the incumbents. This should be the message our overburdened property taxpayers need to give our legislators. And the same message should be given each year until the constitutional convention ballot appears.
   The Democratic Party leadership in the New Jersey Legislature that has been in power last year and this year is the result of suburbia voting in Democratic Party legislators. If there is no ballot vote for a constitutional convention this year, the present Democratic Party power brokers will have no power next year because we in suburbia are going to throw out the baby with the bath water. And if the Republican power brokers won’t have a constitutional convention, then two years later they will go.
   The power is in suburbia in terms of who gets control of the Legislature. If the power brokers don’t care who is in power than I surely hope Chris Christie puts them all behind bars.
Eugene E. Sarafin
Hightstown