Help sought for HomeFront
To the editor:
Traditionally, we think of Lent as a time to "give up" something. But the children of St. Matthews have chosen to "give" instead. Our spring outreach project is collecting linens for HomeFront, which provides safe, secure shelter for the homeless of Mercer County. When guests arrive at HomeFront, they may stay in transitional housing for three months. They are given their own alarm clocks and sets of linens. On any given night, HomeFront provides shelter for over 300 people. So they have a never-ending need for alarm clocks and bed linens!
The children will keep track of the collection effort, and on March 6, they will meet to learn about homelessness in Mercer County through a video produced by HomeFront. They will talk about what it means to be homeless, and how we can respond to that need. Then they will package up the donated items for delivery to HomeFront.
In this community where we have so many blessings, we have much to share with our less fortunate neighbors. As the coordinators of the children’s ministry at St. Matthews, we would love to see this project be a huge success! Until March 6, we are collecting (preferably new) alarm clocks, single sheets, blankets, mattress pads, and standard pillows. We would greatly appreciate any help you could supply by way of donation of these items. Please bring them to St. Matthews Episcopal Church, on Main Street in Pennington.
Jay and Sara Ottinger, Hopewell Township
Township priorities?
To the editor:
When I retired from the New Jersey State Police several years ago I moved my family to a town that I thought would provide a quality education for my children, and a high level of safety and security for my family That town is Hopewell Township.
The school district here is rated very highly and known throughout the state as one of the premiere school districts. The Hopewell Township Police Department also has a splendid reputation throughout the state. Although I now believe that Hopewell Township will not be able to provide the safety and security that we desire, at least I was half right.
Before we moved to Hopewell Township we lived in a congested and problem area of New Jersey, an area with a high crime rate and a growing gang influence. While watching the televised budget meeting on Feb. 9, I realized that there is great potential that I may again be living in a town where our safety and security will be in jeopardy. Reducing the police department by four officers is reducing the police department by 11 percent. Are you comfortable with reducing our safety and security by 11 percent? I know that I’m not. Recent events have illustrated that our safety and security are being threatened. Gang members in Trenton do not recognize municipal boundaries. As a retired police officer I know how dangerous criminal gangs can be and I do not think I need to elaborate that point to you.
The cat burglar does not recognize municipal boundaries. Ask any police officer to comment on a criminal that burglarizes occupied residences at night. The first thought that comes to mind is that this type of burglar is the most dangerous. Most burglars ply their trade at times when residences and businesses are unoccupied. Why? Because risk of detection and injury to the burglar are very low. It’s just plain common sense. They commit these crimes when they know the victims are home. These criminals have no regard for the safety of their victims and it is only a matter of time before the burglar has a run-in with a victim. I think it is no surprise that while the surrounding towns have had multiple burglaries committed by this criminal that Hopewell Township has only had one. This is a testament to the devotion to duty of the officers of the Hopewell Township Police Department. What can never be accurately measured is the number of crimes prevented; that is a number that will never be known. The single burglary in Hopewell Township while our neighboring municipalities are suffering much larger numbers of burglaries shows that our officers are out there doing their jobs and doing them will.
Where does the Township Committee have their priorities? Over $300,000 the amount that they require the police department to cut is allocated for the recreation department. Yet no one at the meeting, including the chief financial officer, could account for where such a large amount of money goes. What does the job of the CFO entail if it’s not to keep track of the money? Three hundred thousand dollars for a recreation department (no one is sure what it does) and the Hopewell Township Committee does not want to spend money on our safety and security? This is exactly the type of fiscal irresponsibility that landed our town in trouble to begin with. I again ask: where are your priorities? I certainly do not think they lie in our well being.
Matthew Finnegan, Hopewell Township
Nothing doing!
To the editor:
"WHEREAS, Hopewell Valley’s Night Off is a community-wide initiative designed in response to the increasing demands of work and school on personal and family time; and WHEREAS, local school officials, sports leaders, parents, community and religious leaders are planning to cancel all sports practices, classes and homework on this special evening. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that on Thursday, March 3, 2005, "Hopewell Valley’s Night Off" all Hopewell Valley families are encouraged to relax and have fun!"
Recently, local municipalities and the school board adopted this resolution in support of Hopewell Valley’s Night Off.
Public and nonpublic school families received a postcard and calendar sticker as a reminder that March 3 is booked for precious down time.
Street banners are being raised to celebrate the occasion.
Community members and groups unsure last year about the value or priority of a night off have embraced the idea with enthusiasm.
Last fall a flyer distributed in the Boston area in conjunction with a national initiative, "Take Back Your Time Day," described a similar event this way, "No scheduled activities. No buying or selling. No stress. No intrusive technology. No obligations. No work. No guilt."
The Municipal Alliance hopes Valley residents are looking forward to the return of Hopewell Valley’s Night Off as much as we are. But even more, families are invited to reorder priorities throughout the year in the knowledge that the community values and supports the need for time off.
It’s your night! Relax and have fun!
Cherie Campbell, coordinator; Sheryl Stone, chairwoman, Hopewell Valley Municipal Alliance
Wants an answer
To the editor:
In the most recent issue of the Hopewell Valley News, I read about the following topics:
1.) There will be a shortage of funds for the Hopewell Valley School District.
2.) The superintendent is being allowed to vacate his position but continue at full salary until June 30, 2005 (approximate cost to the district is $61,000 for the five months he will not be working)
3.) We are hiring an interim superintendent at $650/per day beginning March 1(at a maximum of four days per week or $52,000 for five months) to do the work that the superintendent still on the payroll isn’t doing.
My only question is why do members of our school board, our elected representatives allocating our tax dollars, not see anything wrong with this picture? Unless I receive a satisfactory answer, this issue will influence my vote in the next election.
Stewart Warren, Pennington
Police essential
To the editor:
I was shocked to learn that the Hopewell Township Committee is considering laying off police officers.
Do they realize how valuable these police officers are to the other emergency service organizations in Hopewell Valley?
As fire chief of Union Fire Company and Rescue Squad I feel these officers are an essential and necessary part of our community. I did not realize the full impact until I began to think about the various emergency situations and the possibility of not having one of Hopewell Township’s police officers on the scene of the emergency.
In Hopewell Township, the police officer is often the first person on the scene of a fire, motor vehicle accident or a medical emergency. This helps the fire/EMS service in many ways. For example, when approaching the scene of an emergency, the flashing lights of the police car can often be used as a landmark to the scene of a fire or medical emergency. This may sound trivial. However, we are in a business where seconds can make a difference.
These same officers will help with evacuation of a burning building, will try to control or extinguish what fire they can hoping to minimize the loss of life and/or property while waiting for the fire department to arrive. If this isn’t possible, they can be counted on to control traffic to allow emergency response vehicles quick access to the emergency scene and/or to make the roads safe for fire/EMS workers to do their jobs. Let’s not forget, they keep the traffic moving, so we can all get on with our lives!
My first thoughts were, "no matter what, a police officer would always be available to help both Fire and EMS." As I looked back over the years, the number of fire/EMS calls continues to increase. I can only assume the number of calls for the police department has continued to increase. At some point in time, I don’t know when, the call volume will make it impossible to have both fire/EMS and police on every scene. But, why would we as a community rush to support this concept.
Bryan Malkiewicz, chief, Union Fire Company, Rescue Squad
Thanks for voting
To the editor:
On Saturday, Feb. 19, the voters of Hopewell Township were asked to approve the 2005 Hopewell Township Fire District budget, approve the purchase of a new piece of fire apparatus for Hopewell Fire Department and to elect two fire commissioners to represent the citizens of Hopewell Township. Thank you to all those voters who took time out from their busy lives to cast ballots in this year’s election.
You have my commitment to continue to financially support our Valley fire and EMS volunteers and to assist these volunteers by providing career staff to assist them in the delivery of emergency services to their respective response areas during weekday business hours.
I look forward to the challenges ahead that face the Board of Fire Commissioners and to provide even more efficient and cost beneficial services to our township residents by implementing new programs in the coming years. Thank you to those who supported my re-election bid, but more importantly thank you for voting.
Donald C. Kintzel, township fire commissioner
