Letters
Matawan, Aberdeen should use joint board for train project

I read with interest David Sobel’s letter regarding redevelopment of the Aberdeen-Matawan train station area. I want to take Mr. Sobel at his word, and suggest a few steps that could be taken.

1. Take the bold step of recombining these two towns, which were once a single entity. Surely no one can tell where Matawan begins and Aberdeen ends without a map. Can a couple truly divorce when they are chained together in the same dwelling? One town, one council, one Planning Board — so simple, so thrifty. Yet, alas, almost impossible in our state, well known for having the most wasteful pattern of local government. So let’s look at scenario number two.

2. Create a joint Planning Board for all projects that touch the border between them. Developers must notify residents within 200 feet of their planned project so those residents can participate in evaluating the plans. Why shouldn’t the two towns have an even stronger responsibility to each other?

3. Create a joint Planning Board for just the train station redevelopment.

Having experienced Aberdeen government’s actions and reactions in a resident’s fight against the sprawling ongoing Aberdeen Forge, I cannot be too optimistic. But if Mr. Sobel is showing good faith, so should we all. Let’s keep what’s best about our community, build intelligently for the future, and leave a worthy inheritance.

Jim Tobias

Matawan

Committee members explain decision on 9/11 ceremony

This is in response to former police chief John Pollinger’s outrageous, grossly inaccurate letter regarding Middletown’s World Trade Center Memorial Gardens and the township’s 9/11 service this year (“The memorial garden has deteriorated and Middletown’s leaders ‘have already forgotten’ 9/11,” Sept. 14).

First, the ceremony itself. Contrary to what Mr. Pollinger has written, the type and scale of ceremony for this year’s anniversary was decided upon in response to the reactions of family members of the victims who felt that earlier ceremonies at the gardens had taken on too political a feel because of the attendance of a large number of elected officials and candidates from all levels of government. Those who prefer a larger, more formal event were free to attend the county’s dedication ceremony for its memorial, which was on par with Middletown’s ceremonies in 2003 and 2004.

On Sept. 10, a ceremony was also held at the WTC memorial in Leonardo to dedicate a new monument to Father Mychal Judge. This was followed by a ceremony at the fishing pier in Port Monmouth, where a red rose was thrown into the water in honor of each of Middletown’s 37 WTC victims. Both of these ceremonies were attended by a member of the Township Committee, in respect for the victims and their families.

In addition, 9/11 fell on a Sunday this year — a day when many local houses of worship would dedicate their services to the memory of those lost on that day, and be of more comfort to those family members than any secular ceremony. As a result of these collective factors, the Township Committee decided to have a tasteful, subdued ceremony and allow people to visit the memorial gardens and reflect on the tragic attacks of 2001 in a quiet, dignified manner.

During the weeks leading up to the anniversary, it became even clearer that our decision was the right one. The mayor’s office received calls from elected officials from both parties wanting to come to Middletown to attend the ceremony and speak at the WTC Memorial Gardens. Because of our earlier decision not to allow this year’s ceremony to turn into a campaign event, they were politely told that we were going to observe the day on a modest scale and use the memorial gardens for what it was intended to be — a place to remember the wonderful people who were taken from us all too soon. Perhaps Mr. Pollinger equates pageantry with remembrance, but our sense of what the larger number of families wanted us to do this year suggested otherwise.

As for the condition of the site itself, it must be remembered that the entire property is a work in progress, with many details being addressed as fast as humanly possible, but apparently not fast enough to meet the unreasonable demands of a person who has no concept of the enormity of the task, or the reality of what it takes to complete the multicomponent renovations of both land and structure.

The latest effort involves draining and cleaning up the pond and the area around it, installing a fountain in it, and adding some landscaping. While this work is at an unattractive stage right now, it will certainly make the site more attractive when it is completed.

As for the preparation of the site prior to the 9/11 anniversary, work crews were out in the days prior to 9/11 cleaning, pruning and placing flowers at the monuments. The work was done both by township employees and by individuals from a private landscaping service, which has been contracted to provide year-round maintenance of the gardens. We will review the terms of that contract, as well as the work being down by township employees, to ensure that the site is being properly maintained.

Mr. Pollinger complains of bird droppings he observed in the gardens several weeks earlier — a reminder that there is a substantial tree canopy over the gardens, and with many trees come many birds. Maintenance crews regularly clean the monuments, but, short of having a person posted around the clock to address the issue as it occurs, nature will be a part of the equation as long as it remains an outdoor memorial.

What is most distressing about Mr. Pollinger’s letter is his apparent willingness to use this nation’s greatest tragedy to resurrect a personal feud and settle an old score with the Township Committee and township administrator that is alive only in his own mind. To that end, Mr. Pollinger owes an apology to the family members of each and every victim of 9/11 for using this solemn anniversary to further his own personal agenda.

Mayor Thomas G. Hall

Deputy Mayor Rosemarie D. Peters

Committeeman Patrick W.

Parkinson

Committeeman Gerard P.

Scharfenberger

Middletown

Hazlet 9/11 memorial is also poorly maintained

I was angered — but unfortunately not surprised — by this week’s “guest column” in the Independent written by former Middletown Police Chief John Pollinger which described the unkempt condition of the beautiful Middletown 9/11 Memorial Garden at the train station.

The reason this article didn’t surprise me is the fact that another beautiful memorial — that being Hazlet’s in Veterans Park — seems also to have been forgotten when it comes to its maintenance and, sadly, its completion.

On my return home from the ground zero services in New York on Sunday, Linda and I stopped to put flowers in front of my brother Steve’s picture engraved in the monument. I also wanted to sit for a moment on the new polished black granite benches the victims’ families recently had installed. Much to my surprise, the summer’s dirt and pollen had not even been wiped from the benches in preparation for that morning’s ceremony. They were so dirty we could not sit on my brother’s or anyone else’s bench. Since I know Hazlet has a ceremony every 9/11 at this loving tribute to those Hazlet residents lost, I will make sure to clean the benches myself next year.

Also, I can’t understand why the township is unable to install the weatherproof lights in the hardscaping surrounding the monument. It has been two years since its dedication, and the wiring is still sticking straight up out of the ground, which fortunately was hidden by strategically placed mums on Sunday. If the township does not plan to install the lights, I am offering to have a licensed electrician finish the job free of charge in order to give our beautiful monument the light it deserves.

George Paterson

Lincroft section of Middletown

Keyport mayor urged to rescind job decision

After reading the article in the Sept. 14 issue regarding the Borough of Keyport releasing the minutes from the job interview, I was feeling a little dizzy — and jealous. And with good reason. If I had applied, all I had to say to the mayor and council to any question asked was, “I can learn that … I can learn that.”

This variation on “leave no child behind” is Keyport’s governing body promoting an adult-education program for one, costing $87,000. Sounds good to me. Sure beats other communities’ education programs. Only requirement: the promise to learn everything required to effectively administer a New Jersey municipality. And you don’t have to live in Keyport, just have good feelings about it. I have really good feelings for Keyport — I could have had this plum.

And to think this adult-ed opportunity is paying this student, Thomas Antonucci, an additional $30,000 more than the previous administrator, who wasn’t hired to learn but was to know already and perform. Which direction is north?

How much collective learning and expertise is now required to reverse this learning-poor decision by the mayor and council? Councilmen George Walling and Joseph Wedick did have the expertise to smell a dead fish, but their walking out of the meeting before the vote did not thwart this misbegotten appointment.

When current government forgets that high school, college and graduate level come first before hiring a competent public servant, how do knowledgeable residents — you and me — correct this bad homework? Surely, we do not want a student — no matter how conscientious — to be administering our town. Knowing a lot about computers, like pencils, does not result in successfully written grants. Knowing a lot about dogs doesn’t usher me to the position of curator of the Bronx Zoo.

Mayor, how about rescinding this “closed door,” minimally agreed to and potentially harmful contract with Mr. Antonucci? We get, as residents, what we deserve. Do nothing now about this and we truly get what we deserve.

No hard feelings, Mr. Antonucci. Just come back with your masters-level degree in municipal government administration, and some experience, and reapply.

Sidney Becnel

Keyport

‘Everyone will win’ with Holmdel zoning ordinance

The Holmdel Township Committee and the Planning Board are to be commended for bringing about the passing of the Conservation Zoning Ordinance. This innovative plan is being used successfully in many communities to preserve remaining open land and protect water supplies.

In Holmdel, conservation zoning will affect the remaining undeveloped tracts in the southern part of town. It will protect the wetlands and streams that feed the Swimming River Reservoir, which supplies water to many towns in the county.

In keeping with Holmdel’s upscale cachet, prospective buyers will be able to purchase large homes but will not have the burden of costly maintenance on large plots of land. The open space will be integrated into each new community for maximum enjoyment by the residents. In one case, a park is planned; in another, a field for recreational activities.

Since the number of roads will be less than in the conventional subdivision, the town will save in costly maintenance, impacting our tax burden. Everyone will win with this arrangement.

Anne Morrison

Holmdel

Holmdel resident objects to tree-cutting ordinance

I attended the Aug. 8 meeting of the Holmdel Township Committee and was very disturbed by the proceedings. While each member of our committee may be dedicated to what they believe is in the best interest of Holmdel, I believe that the majority are very, very wrong.

I attended the meeting because I was informed that the committee had decided to introduce an ordinance referred to as “conservation zoning” and to schedule a public hearing on the ordinance for Sept. 12. However, while the proposed ordinance revision is very bad and will have an adverse economic impact on our town, an equally disturbing item on the agenda was a proposal to restrict the cutting of trees on a lot.

The proposal would require homeowners to obtain approval to cut trees in certain areas. It included a list of factors that should be considered in determining if a tree could be removed. It was indicated that an official would be hired to determine if a permit should be granted and that the official would be “guided” by the list. If the restrictions can’t be spelled out in explicit terms that do not involve judgment, the proposal should be dropped.

However, the Democrat majority on the committee seemed committed to pushing through something, though they couldn’t agree at the meeting. The people who produced the draft ordinance demonstrated extremely bad judgment.

I have never removed a tree on my very wooded property that wasn’t dead in the 43 years I have lived here and I get a little sick when I see a tree removed unnecessarily. It is particularly disturbing when someone buys a house on a beautifully wooded lot and promptly cuts down some of the trees to improve their lawn or for some other reason. But it is not my property. More importantly, I can’t imagine depending on the judgment of some township employee or official to make a rational interpretation of the guidelines in determining what I can and can’t remove.

Larrabee M. Smith

Holmdel