Nancy Weinstein
Titusville
Wake up, Brian Hughes. It’s no longer 2009.
County Executive Hughes’ plans for the Jacobs Creek Bridge Rural Historic District have hardly changed since 2009, but the rest of the world has. We are now living with the aftermath of the Great Recession and a declining Mercer County credit rating, but Mr. Hughes’ cost estimates for the project now top $7 million, far more than the $5 million he promised in 2009.
Notably, in 2011, national historians voted this landmark to the National Historic Register. On Feb. 16, Mr. Hughes’ proposal will stand before the NJ Historic Sites Council. Their decision must be validated by the NJ DEP commissioner. Sadly, Mr. Hughes seemingly shows as little respect for the council as he does for his constituents, ignoring the council’s December recommendation to discuss his plan with impacted residents.
Hopewell Township had to proactively request a presentation. Mr. Hughes reluctantly agreed, but asked that residents only be allowed to ask questions in writing. Not only does Mr. Hughes want to destroy history and our community, he also wants to take away our First Amendment right to free speech!
The freeholders should intervene and require Mr. Hughes to provide a less intrusive plan at a significantly lower cost to taxpayers. If they don’t, I look forward to another courageous response from the Historic Sites Council followed by an equally courageous response from DEP Commissioner Bob Martin. They can show that state officials, if not the county, possess fiscal responsibility and a proper appreciation for history.
