By:
There’s no doubt chickens came first
To the editor:
Thank you for bringing attention to the disturbing chicken and rat situation on Stockton Street in Hightstown with your unbiased article in last Friday’s Windsor-Hights Herald. In your article, you posed the question, "Which came first, the chicken or the rat?" Allow us to provide you and your readers an answer to your question as it relates to the circumstances on Stockton Street.
While it may be true that rats have lived in Hightstown for many years, in the 35 years we have lived in our home on Stockton Street, we had never, ever seen a rat or encountered any evidence of rats on our property. It was not until our neighbors at 419 Stockton St. started keeping a dozen or more chickens that we found ourselves tackling a disgusting rat infestation. Not quite convinced the chickens came first?
The rats on our property have taken up residence in and under our beautiful, old barn, which is less than 16 feet from the chicken coop, which is less than 3 feet from our common property line. The burrow holes the rats have created to gain access to our barn are all facing the chicken coop. We have seen rats going from these burrow holes directly to the chicken coop. We have seen and taken pictures of rat burrow holes directly under the chicken coop.
So, to answer the question in your article, in regard to the situation on Stockton Street: First, came the chickens, then came the rats.
Other than the rat infestation, we have been dealing with constant odors from chicken feces, odors from hundreds of dead and rotting flies, swarms of live flies and the cleanup and disposal of poisoned dead rats in our yard. This has become a daily struggle for our family and it is seriously affecting our quality of life.
Chickens do not belong in a densely-populated, residentially-zoned neighborhood. Chickens belong in rural and agricultural areas, not in a small town, not in a small backyard, and certainly not on a shared property line. As our experience has proved, this is a formula for disaster.
Hightstown is in desperate need of enacting an ordinance against keeping chickens (and all farm animals) on residential property. We have been tirelessly working with the borough, the Board of Health, and a private exterminator to remedy this situation and we will continue to work with them until it is resolved. But the bottom line is this: No one should have to deal with the stress, discomfort, aggravation and financial burden our neighbors’ chickens have caused us. If something is not done soon, we won’t be the only family living this nightmare … your family and your neighborhood could be next!
The Balcewicz family
Hightstown
Removal of chickens could resolve problem
To the editor:
A story in the Aug. 17 Windsor-Hights Herald quoted a resident of this neighborhood stating we have had a rat infestation "for years and years and years." I would like to contradict that statement.
As a resident of this Walter C. Black School neighborhood for 37 years, I have witnessed a rat infestation one time, 20 years ago, which was quickly eliminated. We had a compost box that attracted the rats. We, of course, removed the box and the rats as well. And, have not had a problem in the years following that incident.
The current rat infestation was created by the arrival of chickens in this neighborhood, and could be resolved by their removal. I was not aware Stockton Street was zoned agricultural. I always thought this was residential.
Jan Guthrie
Hightstown
Disappointed with taxes, Patten
To the editor:
Our tax bill in Hightstown went up $704.32 this year. Our taxes have gone up every year of Bob Patten’s terms.
He ran the first term telling us he would reduce taxes and our taxes have not been reduced. Far from it. I voted for him the first term because I believed him. The second term I did not vote for him as he didn’t do what he promised the first term.
As a matter of fact we had a sign on our lawn that read "Independents against Patten" the last election and Bob’s wife, Kathy, called and left a message asking for an explanation. At that time we made the choice to remove the sign from our lawn and did not return the phone call as we felt it would be futile.
Senior citizens are being forced out of Hightstown and New Jersey due to the property taxes. Why doesn’t someone call the governors of Delaware and/or Maryland where most of the senior citizens are moving and ask them how they run the state as their property taxes are inexpensive.
Gail M. Kelly
Hightstown
Chief grateful after Night Out
To the editor:
The Hightstown Police Department would like to formally thank everyone for attending our first National Night Out.
It was a huge success in part due to the generosity and assistance from the following people and organizations: Mayor Robert Patten, Councilman David Schneider, Councilman Larry Quattrone, Councilman Ryan Rosenberg, Councilwoman Constance Harendza-Harinxma and Borough Administrator Candace Gallagher.
Special thanks go to those organizations, businesses and individuals who contributed both their time and financial support: Saker Shop Rite of East Windsor, B & K Seal coating Services and BK Cleaning Services, Anthony’s Chicken and Grill, Hights Electric Motor, City Auto, Riggins Auto, Mannino’s, DBA Advanced AAD Ark Cleaning, State Wide Moving, G & C Variedades, Cambio Express Incorporated, Mount’s Garage, Sutphen Memorials & Monuments, Wachovia Bank, John Maguire and the Enchantment, Usha Kumar, Kaushika Desai, Watchung Spring Water of Lakewood, Russ Berrie, Air Products, Cranbury Custom Lettering Graphics, El Buen Busto Bakery, Shop For Less, Community Action Service Center, First Presbyterian Church, Hightstown Engine Company Number 1 and the Hightstown Public Works. Special thanks to Eva Teller and First Constitution Bank.
We would like to thank the following organizations who participated at this event; Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, Angela Henderson, Hightstown Jr. Friday Club, and the Juniorettes, Better Beginnings, ADT Security Systems, Rick Pratt of the Skateboard Park Committee the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance, Kathy Patten and the Animal Welfare Committee. Special thanks go to all of our volunteers during the night of the event: Chris Mohr, Ryan Mcready, Mark Mohr, Jennifer, Danny and Meghan Runge, Antoinette and Danielle Chenoweth, James Eufemia and Tyler Mershon. Special thanks to our grillers, Michael Blake and Johnnie Whittington.
Most importantly, this event would not have been possible without the participation of our Police Department, including, Chief James Eufemia, Lt. John Reppy, Sgt. Glen Runge, Detective Ben Miller, Patrolmen Mark Niro, David Chenoweth, Frank Gendron, Frank Marchione, Ron Aponte, Frank Jimenez, Patrollwoman Janine Khalifa, Administrative Assistant Janice Mohr-Kminek and dispatcher Bill Havens.
Finally, our thanks go to Patrolman David Chenoweth for chairing this event and for the exceptional effort in making this inaugural National Night Out a huge success.
James M. Eufemia
police chief
Hightstown
Court case could have gone other way
To the editor:
I would like to address the comments made in the column written by Hank Kalet about the Twin Rivers lawsuit that was published in the Herald.
Mr. Kalet correctly reported that the Supreme Court stated that the state constitution does not apply to Twin Rivers because Twin Rivers is a private entity and the business judgement rule applies, not the state constitution.
The business judgement rule is also called the doctrine of reasonableness. A private association can make rules as long as they are reasonable, done in good faith and fair dealing and the rules are not in violation of any state or federal laws, judicial decision or the association’s governing documents and the courts will not intervene in such matters.
However, if actions are adopted by an association in bad faith, are fraudulent, self-dealing and not permitted by the association’s governing documents or the statutes or judicial decision, then the courts have a right to intervene on behalf of the residents.
It is my belief that if the association lies under oath about its actions, then I don’t believe that the actions were taken in good faith or fair dealing.
Unfortunately, the ACLU only sued on state constitutional issues and not on anything else.
I am obliged to put the loss squarely on the shoulders of Frank Askin, the lawyer for the ACLU because he had too much integrity and idealism and was too much of a gentleman. Had he sued on all the other issues, the CBTR would have prevailed.
Based upon an article written by Scott Pohl that was published in Twin Rivers Today I believe that all may be lost. Mr. Pohl wrote, "we will be posting the decision from the trial court and the New Jersey Supreme Court as well as video of the oral argument before the New Jersey Supreme Court on our web site. If there are any doubts about how complete a victory was awarded to Twin Rivers, please review the facts for yourself."
Twin Rivers already has its own channel provided by Comcast and if we demand that the open board meetings be televised to the public, then we will truly be able to review all the facts for ourselves. The sad thing is that maybe four or five people attend board meetings but by broadcasting the meetings on television or the Web site, then viewers would really see what goes on in Twin Rivers.
I am sure that the broadcasting of meetings will have the same effect on what Mr. Pohl and the board members say and do as daylight has on Dracula.
Al Wally
Twin Rivers
Golf outing prompts thanks
To the editor:
On behalf of East Windsor Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 and its golf committee, we would like to thank all the participants who played or took part in our Annual Golf Outing on July 9.
We also wish to thank the gift donors: Bolle Sunglasses, Conair Corp., Ecco Golf Shoes USA, Four Guys, John’s Uniforms, KLB Promotional Advertising Solutions, National Amusement-Multiplex Cinema, Shiseido America, Shop Rite and WaWa of East Windsor.
Hole sponsors included American Legion Post 148, Americana Diner, Archer Steel Erecting, Brace Place Orthodonties, Campbell Supply, Cbiz-Ka Consulting, Cedarville Country Day Camp, Coface North America, Coleman Chrysler Jeep, Comcast, Dairy Queen, Diversified Rack and Shelving, Epocratres, Expertplan, Fire and Safety Services, GMH Capital Partners, Gold’s Gym at Windsor Crossing, H&H Gas, Haldeman Ford, Hights Electric Motor Service, Hovione, Infragistics, IBEW, Joe’s Hamilton Transmission,
James B. Hunt Mfg. Co., Kastle Systems, Main Street Awards, Marty Shoes, McGraw-Hill EFCU, McGraw Hill, Robertson Douglas Group, Shiseido America, Super Fresh, Taco Bell, The Bank, Triangle Art, VFIS of NJ and Windsor Corporate Park.
And a special thanks to Windsor Nissan for offering a 2007 Nissan Murano as a hole-in-one-prize for the third consecutive year.
It’s community participation like this, from individuals and businesses, that make such an event not only possible but also the huge success that it was. Sincere thanks to all for making it happen.
Golf Committee
Volunteer Fire Company No. 1
East Windsor

