Letters
Lending an ear to youths is great way to help

As a singer, a songwriter and a musician, whenever I write a song, sing a lyric, or play a chord – I want you to listen. Everyone needs someone to listen to them whenever they have something to say – especially children and teenagers.

In the world in which we live, we are surrounded by messages – television, movie screens, radio, Internet, all talking at us, not to us – to the point that it all becomes noise. Sometimes we want to listen, and sometimes we want to be heard.

People need to be heard and need to know that when times are rough, there’s someone willing to listen to them. If you have a place you can turn to, a shoulder to lean on or even to cry on, someone to unburden yourself upon and get something off your chest, someone to offer comfort or advice, you are blessed.

For too many children and adolescents, however, it can sometimes feel as if there is no one anywhere in the world ready to listen to their concerns, whether the problems are big or small. Finding a way to listen to these young voices is critical for them and for us.

The 2nd Floor youth help line addresses this need. The help line has grown from a pilot project to a very successful service which has received thousands of calls from kids in need since its Monmouth County unveiling a year ago.

Through my role as co-owner of the (Arena Football League) Philadelphia Soul, our extensive community service efforts and my relationship with Samsung’s Four Seasons of Hope, I was able to introduce 2nd Floor to parts of Philadelphia. Working with the Police Athletic League centers throughout the city, we’ve expanded 2nd Floor’s reach in Philadelphia and are now heading into Mercer County as well.

I am a father and like you, I don’t want to see any child suffer, to be hurt or feel ignored. I also know that sometimes, kids don’t come to their parents first with their concerns.

2nd Floor through the Soul sponsorship offers professionals and trained volunteers who are available to listen and provide a caring, understanding and nonjudgmental response. The outstanding volunteers help ease children’s worries, encourage kids to make decisions that promote their safety and well-being, and even help them “role play” ways to speak to their parents and peers about whatever is on their minds.

Volunteers make this project possible. People want to volunteer and want to lend their time and energy to causes that make this world a better place. I want to spread the word. I want people to know that volunteerism is hip. Call it “the new black!”

When you volunteer yourself, you feel good, you make a difference and you lead by example. I cannot think of a better feeling than volunteering.

To listen to the youth – our future – about their hopes, fears, dreams and desires just might move you, too. I ask that you consider volunteering for the 2nd Floor help line. By lending your ear and your time to our kids, we can help change our world – one Soul at a time. Please call the 2nd Floor at (732) 787-6503. And take a moment to listen...

Jon Bon Jovi

Middletown

Democrats will get support from Marlboro resident in November

Fundamental to our system of government are the checks and balances inherent between the executive and legislative branches. Not only does this apply under our federal and state systems, but it applies equally in whatever form of local government a municipality may operate under.

In Marlboro, the actions of the mayor must be balanced by the advice and consent of the Township Council.

Bipartisan cooperation may only be done with the input and contributions of alternative views.

The rubber stamping of executive decisions, opinions or agendas can only lead to abuses of power, undue influence of special interest groups, and in the worst scenario, governmental corruption on the level seen in Marlboro’s recent past.

For the next two years, Marlboro is faced with an incumbent executive administration that, as demonstrated by tax increases, the failure to file appropriate state aid requests or even quantify the actual damage done, the stagnant state of our COAH obligations and hospital property purchase, needs a new and fresh approach for these issues’ ultimate resolution.

I have read the platform of the Reformed Democratic candidates for council and there they have set forth a plan of action that makes sense.

Coordinated zoning reform, rather than a piece-by-piece method of rezoning certain sections of town without examination of the economic effect of the changes is needed.

They advocate tax stabilization through economic reform and fiscal austerity. I feel these qualified individuals deserve a chance to make a difference and I intend to vote for Messrs. Rosen, Strickler and Tilis this November.

Sajidah Husain

Marlboro

Resident questions statements by committee member

In the Sept. 20 News Transcript article “Adults Quit Teen Panel as Flap Turns Political,” (Manalapan Town-ship Committeeman Joseph) Locricchio is quoted as saying, “if my integrity is going to be questioned, I have a problem with that.”

I would like to respond to that based upon what I read in the News Transcript and the Asbury Park Press. Mr. Locric-chio doesn’t appear to have much integrity.

Why do I say this? In the first place, he appears to have a problem telling the truth. The article quotes Mr. Locricchio as saying, “Kathleen Donohue was doing this for free for the first couple of months. Everybody knows that. Nobody else wanted the job when it was posted. She took the job. She volunteered.”

Unfortunately for Mr. Locricchio, the News Transcript’s investigation found that she was not a volunteer but in fact paid. Mr. Locricchio as the township-appointed liaison must have known.

In the very same article, Mr. Locric-chio, when speaking of the Sept. 7 teen advisory committee meeting, is quoted as saying, “I sat in the chair the whole night. I never said a word, never opened my mouth.”

This statement not only defies reason, but is also contradicted by Mr. Locricchio by his statement that “he was asked if he would like a position on the board and said he had declined.” Did he use sign language?

Secondly, this is apparently not the first time Mr. Locricchio is suspected of being the force behind the surprise slap-in-the-face, removal of township volunteers. As reported in Asbury Park Press of Jan. 14, 2005, he committed the same offense by removing eight volunteers on the recreation advisory board. “Locricchio then explained that as committee members determined the make-up of the recreation advisory board for 2005, he and Lucas paid particular attention to the attendance records of each member.”

Additionally, no one with integrity would have sat by quietly as his supporters rudely interrupted a Township Com-mittee meeting, as they did on Sept. 14, causing Committeewoman Rebecca Aaronson to state, “this is not the way we treat volunteers here. It sounds as though the (teen) committee has already lost its focus.”

Finally, Mr. Locricchio has been accused of holding secret meetings with Richard Brunelli, the Mega Mall builders representative. How can we expect someone whose integrity is so obviously faulted to represent the best interests of the township? In my opinion, if Mr. Locric-chio wants us to believe that he’s a man of integrity, he should start by resigning his position on the Township Committee and try being a township volunteer for a while.

John P. Orr Jr.

Manalapan

Town must show health crisis to have a moratorium

I must respond to Francine Cedeno’s letter published in the Sept. 7 issue of the News Transcript. Her letter is off-base and inaccurate. First, the township attorney agreed 100 percent with the “legal opinion” I offered. A municipality cannot impose a moratorium on development unless there is a public health crisis.

I broached the subject initially be-cause as reported in another newspaper, it appeared that the township might be planning to impose a moratorium without doing the proper research. I wanted to be sure that the township was not going to take any illegal action that would expose it to liability.

If Ms. Cedeno had been present at the Township Committee meeting where I broached the subject she would have heard (Committeeman Joseph) Locricchio advise that nothing had been done to determine if a public health crisis existed.

Second, Ms. Cedeno correctly notes that I am a “political appointee to the Planning Board.” Every member of every planning board is appointed.

Since she has never met me, she might not know that I was asked to volunteer my time on the board because of my experience in the field of land use law.

Most of the other appointees to the board were similarly appointed because of some knowledge that they could contribute.

I see no need to respond to the remainder of Ms. Cedeno’s letter which is clearly nothing more than a thinly veiled political advertisement. Such dialogue should be left to the people seeking office.

Richard Cohen

Manalapan

Municipal officials fail to take lead in hurricane relief

Having been a Manalapan resident for the last 27 years, I have seen township committees come and go. The last year or so has been so chaotic and contentious that I have often wondered if anything worthwhile was being accomplished. I now have the answer.

Ever since Hurricane Katrina hit the South, I have been calling our township asking, “What are we doing to help?” The answer has been “Nothing.”

Finally, last week when I was told I could drop off blankets and that Perth Amboy would come for them I called Mayor Scherer’s office to voice my disappointment.

Throughout the years I have heard many fellow residents here using the term “Marlboro mentality” when they were being critical of our neighbor community and the behavior of its residents that were seen to be snotty and thought they were superior.

Well, guess what? They are! Marlboro has had many collections for the people in the Gulf Coast region. They sponsored collections at their town hall and in other locations. All the Marlboro schools have now adopted schools in the stricken area and the Morganville First Aid Squad collected items to send down there.

It angers me to think that I had to search out places outside my own community to find compassion and generosity for our friends in the Gulf Coast region.

Maybe instead of all the bickering and one upmanship our Township Commit-tee members demonstrate, they should be looking outside their egos and try to help those in need.

Jan Spector

Manalapan

Howell property owner explains plan for development

We are aware of the many misconceptions that are floating around Howell in regard to the rezoning of the Cutler-Rubenstein Poul-try Farm, located on Highway 9. It is our attempt here to set the record straight.

The property is currently split zoned. The back half is zoned for 2-acre lots and the front half is zoned Highway Develop-ment. Because the property is located on Route 9, where Howell has its best chance for tax revenue-producing development and because we agree with the professionals that think that a single piece of property should not be in two separate zones, we believe the entire property should be zoned Highway Develop-ment.

If the entire property gets zoned as Highway Development, and as it meets all the other criteria, it would become eligible to be developed as a planned retirement community. Currently, the property is under contract with a developer that intends to build a planned retirement community.

Initially, a plan was presented to the master plan subcommittee based upon a Memorandum of Understanding between the township and the developer, in order to meet the township’s needs for balanced growth and tax revenue.

That plan consisted of 350 residential units and approximately 50,000 square feet of retail/office space which would have been located on the ground floor of the buildings.

Based on comments received from the Planning Board, the subcommittee and their professionals, the plan was modified to address all of their concerns.

The plan, as it exists today, consists of 248 units of active adult housing with a clubhouse and other amenities. There is already sewer and water available and as the entire property is walking distance to the highway, residents can use NJ Transit as a viable means of transportation.

There will be at least 50-foot buffers surrounding the community, so as not to disturb the current residents who already live so close to the highway.

The [affordable housing] obligation that would be generated from this development will be satisfied on site, in the form of a 49-unit senior rental apartment building, as well as extra units that the township will be able to use for additional obligations. There will be no additional development required as a result of this development. There will be no school age children brought to Howell because of, or in connection with this development.

The proposed development will produce a sizable tax revenue for Howell with the least amount of impact possible on the surroundings. The untruths that you have been told have been generated by people with agendas that have nothing to do with the best interest of Howell.

We have lived in Howell and served this community for 65 years and we believe this is a good thing for the township. Property located on the highway would best serve Howell if it was all zoned for Highway Development.

Randie Rubenstein

Howell

Sewer authority officials respond to claims in GOP ad

The Republican candidates for Manalapan Township Committee should be embarrassed to have attached their names to such a false and misleading advertisement as the one they placed in last week’s News Transcript.

The charges that there is $7 million in missing money and no surplus are completely false, leading us to question whether they did any investigation whatsoever before leveling such serious charges against us.

Not surprisingly, Miracle Torregrossa refused to explain where she got her facts when we called her after her ad appeared. This leads us to conclude that this is just more of the same hysteria-inducing nonsense that this group specializes in, much like last year’s claim by the Republicans that Manalapan was insolvent.

Worse, the Republicans don’t say what, if anything, they would have done differently.

When we became Western Monmouth Utilities Authority (WMUA) commissioners, the plant was in terrible condition, notwithstanding the hard work of its devoted employees. Roofs were falling off and whole sections of the treatment facility were not functioning properly. The plant’s buildings didn’t even have locks on their doors. What were we supposed to do? Continue the practice of letting the infrastructure crumble?

As for the rate increase, what should we have done? Not paid the WMUA’s own skyrocketing utility bills? Ignored the spending mandated by court orders and Department of Environmental Protection rules and regulations? We think the questions answer themselves.

It is easy to sit on the sidelines and be the critic. Credit belongs to those who actually try to do something. We have always acted in the best interests of the WMUA’s 25,000 customers by ensuring that the WMUA’s plant, hundreds of miles of pipes, and 29 pump stations remain in sound working condition.

Eric I. Abraham

Chairman

Western Monmouth Utilities Authority

Steve Toubin

Commissioner

Western Monmouth Utilities Authority

Manalapan

Building is not for the better in crowded Marlboro

After reading about the approval to construct 654 new homes in Marlboro, I am sorry to say that the town I grew up in is truly gone.

As a lifelong resident of Marlboro, and as a mother who is now raising her son here, it saddens me to see the blatant overdevelopment which threatens to turn Marlboro into a clone of crowded Long Island towns.

I have always enjoyed driving by beautiful trees and serene open fields which have now been replaced with “McMan-sions” and shopping centers. The traffic alone is enough to prove things have gotten out of control.

People move to Marlboro because they want to live in a safe and beautiful suburb, not a crowded little city which is what Marlboro is on its way to becoming.

Now the town has approved 654 new homes to be built which will only contribute to the overcrowding of our schools and the overpopulating of our once great town.

Amy Rubin

Marlboro