LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

From the July 19 edition

Don’t trash First Aid Squad
To the editor:
This past Thursday, I was in the post office in Allentown to get my mail. I glanced into the trash bin, located near the post office boxes, and was appalled by what I saw. There were numerous first aid mailers that had been sent out as a fundraiser.
   It appeared that the box holders had gotten their mail and tossed out the "trash." They must not realize our first aid squad is totally operated by volunteers — highly trained volunteers, might I add. They depend on the support of the residents that they serve to meet their expenses. These volunteers are on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help those in need. If each family in this community would just donate the amount they would spend on a dinner out to the squad, what a difference that would make.
   I certainly hope that when these people who threw away the requests for support need help, we still have a first aid squad in Allentown.
   Thanks squad for all you do. We are so fortunate to have you.
Nancy Wikoff,
Allentown
MUA letter missed mark
To the editor:
In a letter dated July 12, ("Wasteful MUA needs to go"), Steve McGowan makes some pretty outrageous statements about the MUA including, "for decades, the Washington Township Municipal Utility Authority has been a fiefdom of self-importance for its Board of Directors. For egos to be massaged, the MUA board has wasted hundreds of thousands of our dollars each year. Unbelievably, over these decades we have had an MUA yet we have no sewer services along Rt. 130."
   To broadly state that members have wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars is absolutely false and perhaps can be considered libel of members who serve under oath to carry out the work of the MUA. Having served for seven years in the past as a member, including two years as treasurer, of the MUA, I guarantee that the board and staff worked to maximize the efficiency of the MUA and scrutinized every – and I mean every – expenditure. There was not waste unless you are talking about a former Township Committee, whch forced the two employees of the MUA out of the Municipal Building several years back.
   To blame the MUA for not putting sewers in the ground along (a specific stretch of) Route 130 is based on having no understanding of process that determines how and by whom, these enormously expensive projects are funded. Mr. McGowan implies that all of the ratepayers should subsidize the infrastructure that would benefit only a few (i.e. Route 130 property owners). It is a fact that if the property owners want the sewer service, they would indeed need to fund it. In my experience, it has been impossible to build a consensus among all of the owners to adequately fund the improvements. Complicating the issue is that many properties along that stretch of Route 130 wouldn’t immediately benefit from the sewers as they have been constrained with other natural and man-made barriers including the Camden & Amboy Railroad bed, wetlands, irregular-shaped lots and sub-optimum zoning regulations. The Washington Township Planning Board, however, earlier this year made significant improvements to the zoning code along the entire stretch of Route 130.
   Mr. McGowan, you generally have the facts when you write a letter but this time you missed big time and owe the many past and present dedicated MUA members and staff an apology. The members are, in fact, volunteers in spite of a $500 annual stipend and in my experience they strive to run the MUA with professionalism and integrity. While no organization is perfect, the actions and financial performance (as confirmed by the audits) of the MUA members and staff have always been above-board.
Edward Nelson Jr.,
Washington
   
Mr. Nelson served on the Washington Township MUA from 1995 to 2002.