Letters
Marlboro GOP power structure needs change

Marlboro Mayor Robert Kleinberg wants New Jersey to assume the responsibility for the cost of municipal corruption. He asks for $10 million in state aid.

Where does he derive that figure? He doesn’t say, because he claims he can’t yet figure out the actual cost, “Just send us the $10 million and we’ll get back to you.”

The quick fix Mayor Klein-berg seeks, without rhyme or reason, is part of the same shell game he has been playing since municipal corruption hit the newspapers.

A huge tax increase is blamed on corruption. Corruption is to blame for everything — it’s Robert Kleinberg’s ultimate “get out of jail free” card when problems arise.

Still, Mayor Kleinberg doesn’t want everyone to bear the cost of corruption.

As he asks all New Jerseyans to shoulder Marlboro’s burdens, Mayor Kleinberg steadfastly seeks to exempt the Marlboro Republican organization primarily responsible for Marlboro’s corruption from paying the political price that is so desperately warranted.

The deals at the heart of today’s scandal trace back to the mid-1990s and coincide with this same Republican organization’s control of the mayor’s office and all seats on the Township Council. Yet little has changed in the face of this awful scandal.

Mayor Kleinberg’s planning board is still advised by the same attorney who Matt Scannapieco appointed to oversee the applications he corrupted. Tony Spalliero’s personal attorney is still the Republican Party chairman and the Repub-lican committee includes long-time representatives who nominated and supported Scanna-pieco, Kleinberg, the current Republican council majority and the current council candidates.

For years, the rank and file of the Marlboro Republican organization looked away from the odd relationships and appointments of their leaders, continuing to provide unwavering support to a corrupt organization that sold Marlboro out long after the alarm bells started ringing.

Yet remarkably, Scannapieco aside, the power structure of the Marlboro Republican organization remains largely intact and in charge.

It’s not surprising: Mayor Kleinberg — Matt Scannapieco’s handpicked successor — is a product of that corrupt system. While he makes noise to redirect responsibility for the current mess, he makes little effort to reform the very organization that caused it.

Until the Marlboro Republican organization accepts responsibility for their key role in our scandals and makes a legitimate effort to reform itself, it has little moral claim to lead our efforts to recover from the damage they inflicted.

Steven P. Sukel

Marlboro

Litterbugs should learn to use a garbage can

To my Manalapan neighbors: Am I your mother? Am I here just to pick up after you? Yesterday I took my 9-year-old daughter to the tennis court at Balmar Woods Park [in Manalapan] to practice her skills.

More than one time during the hour we were there she asked me questions such as “Why are you holding that tennis ball container? What are you doing with that empty water bottle?”

I explained to her that previous users of the tennis court, our neighbors, left these articles behind.

I looked up and found the nearest garbage can no more than 5 feet from the gate to the court. I deposited the items I collected into the trash can. I did not, and perhaps I should have, pick up items strewn on the grass surrounding the tennis court.

Please, whoever your are, explain to me why you are incapable of carrying a few items of trash to the container, which you literally bump into on your way out of the tennis court.

This is the second letter I’ve written on the subject of littering in six months.

I’m tired of picking up after you. If I find you, I’m going to return your trash to your own property.

Mark Eiger

Manalapan

Howell mayor says recent rumor of Fairfield Road prison is not true

It has come to my attention that an anonymous letter is circulating within the community and being left in residents’ mail boxes related to a large tract of land on Fairfield Road in Howell.

This unsigned letter suggests that the township and Monmouth County are planning to open a prison or corrections facility on a now vacant parcel of land adjacent to the Brickyard Road exit ramp on Fairfield Road.

The origins of the letter and its author are unknown. More importantly its contents are absolutely false.

Neither the township nor the county has any plans to develop the property, let alone open a corrections facility.

The property is privately owned and zoned as a commercial tract of land.

At no time has the township been involved in any discussions at any level regarding this land being anything other than a viable commercial property that will hopefully bring in valuable tax revenue to the municipality.

The property was recently sold by an area religious organization to a private owner. The private owner has stated their intentions to commercially develop or sell the land for private business use.

Unsigned letters are often not worthy of anyone’s time or attention.

However, in this case, the author has caused concern among area residents fearful of what a correctional facility would do to the area. The author’s real intentions are unknown.

However, to put residents’ minds at ease, I felt it was important to end this hurtful rumor.

It is also illegal to leave materials in mail boxes that are not officially distributed through the postal service.

Residents should report any materials being left in their mail box to the appropriate authorities for investigation.

In the event residents have any questions on any issue, please contact my office anytime.

You may also send e-mail to me directly at MayorDiBella@

twp.howell.nj.us.

I am always pleased to speak to residents and assist in providing factual information about issues of the day.

Joseph DiBella

Mayor

Howell