The Alternative Press
NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR THE RESIDENTS OF
To submit a letter to the
editor, please e-mail your letter to letters@thealternativepress.com
Please include your name,
address, and phone number for verification.*
Letters to the Editor,
December 2007
Dear Editor,
The
The Environmental Commission also recognizes the
Ms. Haley and Troop 77 deserve recognition for identifying
an important issue and addressing it energetically, with a creative and
comprehensive solution.
Marian Glenn, Chair,
Agree
or disagree with an item posted on The Alternative Press? Spot an inaccuracy? Want to write your own
take on an issue?
The
Alternative Press welcomes all residents to submit letters to the editor or
Opinion pieces at letters@thealternativepress.com
Dear Editor,
There is much talk about a new Community Center in
I contacted Mr. Ray Sullivan our local zoning officer with an idea to allow local business to allocate a certain percentage of their parking space for commuters. Mr. Sullivan sighted the many ordinances and restrictions that would be obstacles to such a provision. He did inform me of a couple of new spots that were approved by the Town Council located near the Salt Dome behind the police station. I was encouraged to call Town Hall to see if the handful of new spaces somehow impacted my location on the waiting list. The obvious answer is no since I have only been on the 3 year waiting list for about 5 months.
I also spoke with Councilman Bataglia about this concern. He focused more on the lack of usability of the exiting spots on the police station side of the track (including the new ones by the salt dome) due to the new fence that was put up between the tracks and the police station for “commuter safety”. He mentioned a study had been done and one of the items that had come out of it was the possibility of putting up a crosswalk either way above the track/wires or by making a space between the fence with signals and gates to prevent crossing while a train was approaching.
In the discussion with both gentlemen, I feel the problem of the lack of parking for commuters in town was still not addressed properly.
I also ran my thoughts past a local real estate attorney who I believe to have good knowledge of the zoning laws in town and to be very reputable. He had an interesting take on why the town would not encourage a change in zoning laws to allow a local business to “lease” empty parking spaces for commuters. The two key issues he focused in on are;
1. The town would be afraid that utilization of the parking spaces could potentially cause an overflow situation forcing patrons to park on the street.
2. The town doesn’t want to encourage residents of neighboring towns to use our parking spaces to solve their parking space shortfalls. There is a fear of increased traffic and congestion.
While I appreciate the concerns on all sides of this issue, I think you will
agree that a 3 year waiting list indicates a failure to fulfill an obvious
need/service in town.
To compound the issue is a lack of metered/daily
parking. Sure you can go into Town Hall and get a single daily pass for
about $5.00. But you better not need to commute before approximately
A creative suggestion that I have heard from a friend and
fellow commuter suggests that
Two things are clear. First, the issue of a lack of
commuter parking must be elevated to the same status as the Community Center
and other infrastructure needs. Secondly, with an ever growing commuter
population and lack of downtown space, the
Charles (Chip) Lemmon
Agree
or disagree with an item posted on The Alternative Press? Spot an inaccuracy? Want to write your own
take on an issue?
The
Alternative Press welcomes all residents to submit letters to the editor or
Opinion pieces at letters@thealternativepress.com
Christmas Bonuses for Lesniak’s
Nephew and the Freeholders
Dear Editor
At the last Union County freeholder meeting an ordinance was
introduced which simply stated “An ordinance fixing the salaries of county
officials and department heads”.
During public comment I asked who would be receiving raises and the freeholder
chairwoman refused to give any details. She instead instructed me to place an
Open Public Records Act Request with the clerk. At the end of the meeting I
spoke out as the freeholders were leaving the dais “Did you not answer me
because you are ashamed of the raises? You should be you don’t deserve them”.
Bruce Paterson of Garwood also asked for the information during public comment
and was instructed to place an OPRA request with the clerk. He stated he wanted
to see the ordinance before determining “whether you deserve the raises.” He
later read the first part of his “Union County Countdown to Disaster – 2007,”
which he reads each December to the freeholders. He summed up a list of
lawsuits against the county, county tax hikes, the use of county cars for
non-work activities and a photo opportunity for a county freeholder candidate
staged in front of the county’s new homeland security boat as well as the many
investigations by both the State and Federal Attorney General’s offices. Mr.
Paterson said county government continues to use “waste, mismanagement and
corruption” in its operations.
After obtaining the full text of the ordinance through OPRA it was confirmed
that the freeholders and the County Manager and Deputy County Manager will be
receiving retroactive pay raises. Which means they are getting pay raises for
the new year and a Christmas bonus for the past year.
A Westfield Leader article quotes county director of public
information Sebastian D’Elia as stating the raises place the Union County freeholder salaries to fourth highest
among New Jersey ’s 21 counties. However,
documents obtained by placing OPRA’s to all 20 counties reveal Union County will now be the third highest paid
freeholder board behind Essex and Hudson counties respectively. The county
director of public information was also quoted as stating the county has the
“fourth or fifth” highest population in the state. However, according to 2006 census
information on all 21 counties posted on the New Jersey State website Union County has the seventh highest population in the
state.
Our county manager, who is State Senator Raymond Lesniak’s nephew, became a Union County employee when two part-time positions were
created for him Deputy County Manager and Director of Economic Development. He
was appointed to the county manager position in 2001. Lesniak’s nephew is the
third highest paid county administrator in the state behind Middlesex and Somerset who do not employ deputy
executives. The Somerset county executive has been a county employee for 37
years.
Freeholders are part-time positions. They will now be paid $30,385 an increase
of $885. The Chairman will earn $32,445 and increase of 945 and the
vice-chairman will receive $31,415 and increase of $915. The County Manager
will now earn $163,831 an increase of $6,301 and the Deputy County Manager
$142,440 an increase of $4,817.
This Thursday, Dec. 20 the Union County
freeholders will have the final reading of the ordinance. They will then allow
public comment and most likely vote 9-0 in favor. Merry Christmas taxpayers.
Tina Renna, President
Union County Watchdog Association, Inc.
Agree
or disagree with an item posted on The Alternative Press? Spot an inaccuracy? Want to write your own
take on an issue?
The
Alternative Press welcomes all residents to submit letters to the editor or
Opinion pieces at letters@thealternativepress.com
· The Alternative Press would like to publish every letter it receives. The publication of letters is at the sole discretion of The Alternative Press.
The Alternative Press reserves the right to edit letters for length and content. Anonymous letters will not be published. Please immediately contact
The Alternative Press at letters@thealternativepress.com if any letter contains information you know to be inaccurate, so that it can be appropriately handled.