Board members' departure not due to audit
Allow me to respond and clarify certain comments noted in the Sept. 6 News Transcript ("Volunteers, Town Tangle Over Grant Applications") concerning the Manalapan symphony and the arts council.

The article stated that Dr. Roger Hicks and I resigned from the symphony board because the township proposed to do an audit of money spent by the symphony. This simply was not the case. Dr. Hicks and I resigned for two basic reasons as follows:

The Township Committee representatives have their own view of how the symphony should operate. Their opinion of the symphony was one made up of amateur musicians with no or very little allowance for paying professional musicians.

Dr. Hicks and I see the symphony as being composed of skilled amateur musicians supplemented by paid professional musicians to fill in those areas of the symphony needing additional support, meeting a high level of musicianship, as has been the case for the past seven years.

The Township Committee representatives offered to fund one winter holiday concert with no commitment for future concerts.

Dr. Hicks and I did not feel that this was the type of commitment from the town that was needed to keep the symphony together.

The meeting held with the Township Committee representatives on June 25 was cordial; different views and opinions were expressed, but in the end no viable compromise could be reached and, as such, Dr. Hicks and I resigned.

For the record, I testified at the Township Committee meeting of June 13 that the symphony board welcomes an audit of money spent, clearly stating that we have nothing to hide. The money the township set aside yearly for the symphony through the parks and recreation department was never fully expended.

Stephen H. Pine

former symphony

board member

Manalapan