Letters
Matawan Republicans are ‘bright, hard-working newcomers’

I’m writing in support of the Matawan Republican ticket of Bea Duffy, Sharon Roselli, Bob Kee and Vicky Allen. While none of the Matawan Democrat ticket has any experience at any level of government, Bea Duffy and Sharon Roselli are experienced, steady hands. And I think it’s no small coincidence that with the addition of some new blood to the council in Bob Kee, we’ve had some consolidation of services, and despite spiraling health-care costs, a new police contract and rising gas prices, [there has been] only a modest tax increase.

As a member of the Recreation Committee, I have had the pleasure of working firsthand with Vicky Allen and found her to be a smart, hardworking woman who would be a great addition to any organization. Just the other night she came up with an idea to have the schoolchildren of Matawan help design a new flag for the town. It’s that kind of community spirit that leads me to believe she’ll be an excellent councilwoman.

The Matawan Democrats are another story. One is 23 years old. Another has lived in the town for exactly two years. All cite the wonderful idea of “bringing back the downtown,” but none has offered any detailed proposals on how exactly to force private property owners to rent to the shops, stores and restaurants that we’d all love to see.

I attended a press conference they held in front of the old train station, where they pointed to the decaying station as a symbol of what was wrong with Matawan. None seemed aware that the train station is owned by NJ Transit, and is completely beyond the control of Matawan officials.

If they want a real symbol of decay, they need look no further than the former gas station on the corner of Main Street and Aberdeen Road, which was damaged by fire years ago and never repaired, and is now used as a horrible-looking parking lot. The property is owned by none other than Monmouth Democrat Chairman Vic Scudiery. Apparently, the Matawan Dems aren’t very concerned about this fact because they have a huge banner out in front of the place. These are the people who are going to restore Matawan to its former glory?

Most importantly, I am glad the Matawan Republicans stood up to the Aberdeen Democrats’ plan of putting another Metropark-sized monstrosity where the train station is. The combination of experienced leaders, and bright, hardworking newcomers will have me pulling the lever for the Matawan Republicans this year.

Tom Fitzsimmons

Matawan

Thanks to donors of school supplies

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monmouth County sends our sincerest thanks to all who made the start of school happy for more than 100 children this year. Monmouth Mall collected and donated school supplies, and hosted our “I’m Committed to My Education” pizza party at which kids participated in an educational program and received a backpack filled with notebooks, pens, pencils and much more.

We would like to acknowledge Monmouth Mall and all of the individuals, organizations, and businesses who made this event possible, including the Colts Neck High School National Honor Society, Freehold Noontime Optimists, Illiano’s Italian Restaurant, Meridian Health, Mon-Oc Federal Credit Union, Monmouth County Division of Social Services, United Way of Monmouth County, and 106.3 WHTG, as well as all who donated supplies at the mall.

Thanks to so much support from the community, our children got off to school on the right foot. We thank you, and the children of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monmouth County thank you.

Marybeth Bull

Kid’s Club coordinator, Big Brothers Big Sisters

of Monmouth County

Eatontown

‘Sheen is wearing thin’ on pearl of the Bayshore

Keyport is the pearl of the Bayshore but its sheen is wearing thin because of recent administrative scandals — the mayor of Keyport is indicted for corruption; one of its established councilmen reacts emotionally to citizen comment and walks out of council meeting in objection to a taxpayer’s comments; the council appoints a person inexperienced in municipal administration to the post of borough administrator while awarding this inexperience with salary increase and investing additional taxpayer dollars for the appointee’s on-the-job training (retention of borough’s previous administrator) and offers up our municipality as the appointee’s classroom. And, the appointee is a relative of a councilperson.

Revitalization of Keyport has become a potential nightmare for residents — proposed high-density redevelopment moves forward without the council’s demand for independent impact studies on local traffic, school population, police and fire protection. Ouch!

I am seriously wondering who our town fathers are representing. And, I’m wondering why these town fathers hesitate to call for independent study of quality-of-life issues associated with high-density development.

Is our governing body penny-wise, pound-foolish? Do they know the meaning of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?” And, how about us, the voting public? Are we still in a mode of casting votes for student council or are we, the voters, in the mindset of casting ballots for representatives who decide how much and where to spend our hard-earned tax payments?

As a taxpayer I know that a community employs its elected representatives. As employers, we the community anticipate honest work ethic from employees. We rightfully assume our employees work for us and we rightfully anticipate elected employees address our interests, not their needs. While hearts go out to elected officials who confuse their personal emotional agendas with their empowered community positions, which of us has discretionary money to finance their education in municipal service/government?

Party affiliation and campaign promises have grown to be disputable strategy for electing representatives who will value the welfare and quality of life of the community. Perhaps as municipal employers we should evaluate November 2005 candidates in terms of their experience/record in municipal government as well as their record of representing us, the community — respect for our pocketbooks and use of our tax dollars to support our quality of life as residents here.

Marilyn R. Lane

Keyport

Candidates will bring new ideas for Keyport

I am writing to endorse Democrats Joe Sheridan and Bill Ortman for the Keyport Borough Council. I am very happy to see two such men offering to serve our community. Keyport needs an infusion of new ideas and enthusiasm at this time and I believe Joe and Bill are perfect for the job. They will bring to the council a fresh perspective and a genuine desire to serve their community.

The election of Joe Sheridan and Bill Ortman presents the citizens of Keyport with a very valuable opportunity. We need to find men such as these to lead our community. They are young, well-educated family men with children who have purchased homes in Keyport and have a vested interest in seeing our town thrive. Like many of us, they have been upset by the current cloud over Keyport. Instead of simply complaining about it, as many of us do, they are willing to step in and do something. Joe and Bill want to restore the confidence of our residents in the integrity of their governing body. They want to see sound planning for the future so Keyport will live up to its potential as the “Pearl of the Bayshore.”

As a former mayor for eight years I can tell you that there are not a lot of people lining up to take on the responsibilities of leadership on the Borough Council. When two fine men such as Joe and Bill make that offer we should consider ourselves lucky and support them. It is up to the citizens of Keyport to take advantage of the opportunity on Election Day to send two new members to the Borough Council who, I believe, will serve us well. Let’s not miss it.

Kevin Graham

former mayor of Keyport

Vote against incumbents, Metropark South in Aberdeen

I recently found the plans for Aberdeen Township’s proposed train station on the Aberdeen Republican Web site (www.aberdeenrepublicans.com). I looked at the official Aberdeen Township Web site and could not find any information on the project. The Township Council has been unusually quiet about this project in the media. Now I know why!

The citizens of Aberdeen have probably noticed all of the large election signs that have popped up around town for the incumbents, Mayor David Sobel and councilmen Joseph Raymond and Thomas Perry. That’s not the only thing about them that is large. They want to have large amounts of traffic jamming the streets of our town. Their plan calls for huge elevated parking structures with capacity for 12,000 vehicles! Yes, that is 12,000 extra vehicles that will be on our roads every day. No wonder they haven’t publicized their plan.

Our town roads cannot support it (they are already jammed) and our children should not have to breathe the dirty air created by this traffic. I don’t want my town to be the Metropark for Northern Monmouth County. This town needs many things, like a real waterfront with a fishing pier at Cliffwood Beach and expanded recreational facilities. What it does not need is an additional 12,000 cars on the road every day.

I urge any citizen that is concerned about the future complexion of our town to vote for Peter Morrison, John Gartly and Sheldon Chaplowitz. These gentlemen are concerned neighbors that want Aberdeen to have improvements and retain its small town character. They will put our children’s future ahead of the developers. Do we want Main Street or Metropark? I hope large numbers of my fellow citizens will vote to stop this plan by making a change on the council, and let the rest of the council know that we do not want to be “Metropark South.”

Paul Rinear

Aberdeen